Aspiring presidential candidate of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP), Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom is disappointed with the 2012 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana. According to Dr. Nduom, the 2012 budget does not contain any iota of hope for Ghanaians who are languishing in abject poverty since the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) assumed office. The Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, on Wednesday presented the 2012-13 budget statement and economic policy to Parliament. The budget statement dubbed, “Infrastructure Development for Accelerated Growth and Job Creation”, according to the minister, is aimed at strengthening the economy. Dr. Kwabena Duffuor noted that given the achievements chalked by the Mills-led government, they are confident that “in the coming years, Ghanaians can continue to trust the NDC government to faithfully steer the affairs of our dear nation”. However, the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has described the budget as a propaganda tool of the government ahead of the 2012 general elections. The Minority leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said there was nothing new in the 2012 budget, insisting it was simply a replica of the 2011 budget which achieved nothing. Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme Wednesday, expressed worry about the way the Mills-led government always paints a nice picture of Ghana’s economy when in fact the situation is the opposite. He said it is very appalling to hear government praising itself with a single figure in inflation while it does not reflect in the pockets of Ghanaians. The 2008 presidential candidate of the CPP, unconvinced by the theme of the 2012 budget, questioned the Mills-led government’s ability to achieve that target when “our current history (of an action year) does not show”. He expressed worry about the so-called growth of the economy supported mainly by oil, gold and cocoa which he said is not inuring to the benefit of Ghanaians but rather foreigners. Dr. Nduom called on the government to utilize its purchasing power to support the growth of local industries and agriculture to profit Ghanaians.