Audio By Carbonatix
The Chairman of the Finance Committee of Parliament, Kwaku Kwarteng has disclosed that the Minority members of the Committee have agreed that the $750m loan requested by the Finance Ministry be presented to the plenary for approval.
Earlier the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu had asked for “further and better particulars” on the loan agreement before his side of the House will consent to its approval.
The Tamale South MP in an interview with JoyNews on Tuesday noted that although government needs the loan facility urgently, it must provide more clarity on the deal before the Minority Group can consent to its approval.
“I know that they are in dying need of resources for our import cover and therefore if they provide further and better particulars on the $750m, we are open and amenable to getting that approved as soon as practicable,” he stated.
However, speaking on Joy FM's Top Story on Tuesday, Mr. Kwarteng explained how the latest development was arrived at, “What we did at the Committee level today was to look at one of the two facilities and thankfully we got the approval of the Committee to submit this to the plenary.”
He added that he is of the hope that it will be considered on Wednesday for it to be passed.
“What it really means is that when we passed the 2022 Budget, we indicated how much you will borrow so you will programme your revenue, you know the expenditures and the gap you say you would finance, so you would find money and finance that gap. Now the facility government is looking for in the name of the $750,$250 are supposed to help finance that gap.
So already, the expenditures for which government is going to apply this facility have already been listed and approved in the 2022 Budget statement when Parliament approved it late last year,” Mr. Kwarteng explained.
Reacting to the Minority's call for a breakdown and clarity on the loan facility, he opined that, “it is not very necessary, because every cedi is cedi once you add that to your revenue basket, it goes to finance the budget.”
“What I understood the Minority to be asking today is to isolate from the bigger budget which expenditures this particular $750million and $250 million will apply to,” he clarified.
According to Mr. Kwarteng, the Finance Ministry has responded to their request and provided some information, and “so tomorrow it will be part of the report that will we consider on the floor of Parliament.”
Latest Stories
-
Martin Kpebu says he has not been formally charged by OSP
4 minutes -
Why not clean energy: Cost or access?
5 minutes -
Minority sounds alarm over fuel shortages crippling Ghana’s fishing communities
6 minutes -
Minority calls for urgent action to shield farmers from rising production challenges
9 minutes -
AGRA Ghana salutes Farmers as nation marks Farmers’ Day
25 minutes -
Bawumia’s favourability rises, widens lead in new Global Info analytics survey
27 minutes -
Minority accuses gov’t of neglect after GH¢5bn rice left to waste
32 minutes -
Why Tsatsu Tsikata’s legacy is Ghana’s future
37 minutes -
Farmers need support all year, not just awards’ — Prof. Boadi
46 minutes -
Spotify ranks ‘Konnected Minds’ Ghana’s No. 1 Podcast for 2025
48 minutes -
Minority caucus push for modern AI-driven agricultural and fisheries revolution
50 minutes -
Mahama reaffirms Ghana’s commitment to ending HIV/AIDS by 2030
50 minutes -
Martin Kpebu poised to defend claims against Special Prosecutor – Counsel
55 minutes -
Kareweh criticises govts for policies that look good but achieve little in agriculture
57 minutes -
Galamsey is killing our cocoa, our water, our future – Minority warns of food security meltdown
59 minutes
