Minority spokesperson on Finance, Dr. Anthony Akoto Osei is demanding that President Mahama compel his ministers of state and top public officials to bear the costs of all their utilities as well as give to the poor.

Contributing to the debate on the 2014 budget in Parliament, Dr. Akoto Osei, who served as a minister of state at the finance ministry during the John Kufuor Administration noted that, the increases in taxes by government as announced in the 2014 budget defeat the social democratic ideals of the National Democratic congress (NDC).

Joy News' Parliamentary correspondent Elton Brobbey reported that Dr. Akoto Osei had rather asked government to consider abolishing the 10% salary cut in their salaries as announced in the 2014 budget.

On the revenue production by government in the 2014 budget, Dr. Akoto Osei intimated that government has failed to reach its projected 12 billion Ghana cedis made in the 2013 budget but realizing only 10 billion Ghana cedis despite contracting private firm, Subah Info Solutions Limited to help in revenue generation.

The minority spokesperson further demanded that the finance minister present to parliament the breakdown of the contribution provided by the private agency contracted in the revenue generation drive in giving value for money.

Dr. Akoto Osei also dismissed the assertion by government  that 70% of the revenue generated went into the payments of salaries and wages of public sector workers, saying, actual statistics revealed that it was rather 63%.

However, the finance minister, Seth Terkper, noted that the 70% also included arrears that had accumulated since 2009.

Additionally, Dr. Akoto Osei intimated that all micro targets set by government in 2012 were missed, blaming it on government's over expenditure leading up to the 2012 election.

According to him, the rising rate of inflation and the depreciation of the cedi coupled with the new taxes imposed in the 2014 budget, will further impoverish the poor and increase the cost of living.

Noting further, the minority spokesperson indicated that the national debt as of now will stands at 49 billion Ghana cedis, a breakdown of which will mean that everybody in the country owes 2,000 Ghana cedis.

Meanwhile, the subsidiary legislation committee of parliament has started work on the proposed increases in fees and charges. The report, yet to be laid in Parliament and a copy in the possession of our Parliamentary correspondent, indicated that the committee is recommending as a careful scrutiny of the instrument that Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) must review their fees and charges on an annual basis and in moderate terms as provided in the financial administration regulation.

This, the committee noted, will prevent the unbearable burden placed on users of these offices as a result of the astronomical increases in the fees and titles as a result of the cumulative effect of inflation over a long period of time.

In this respect, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, which attempted to charge new fees sometime back, including some major hospitals and government departments and agencies, will within this week, be given the legal mandate to increase their fees and charges.