Ofori-Atta presented IMF conditionalities to Ghanaians not a budget – Coalition Of National Youth Organizers

A pressure group calling itself, Coalition of National Youth Organizers has described the 2023 budget presented by the embattled Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori Atta as rather an International Monetary Fund (IMF) conditionality.

According to the Coalition of National Youth Organizers, what was presented was not a budget but a draconian and will impose more hardship on the already suffering Ghanaian which is inimical to the progress of the Ghanaian youth.

“We, the Coalition of National Youth Organizers, refuse to acknowledge what Honorable Ken Ofori Atta presented to Parliament as a Budget meant for Ghana”.

In a statement signed by the General Secretary of Coalition of National Youth Organizers, Osei Kofi Acquah, the group said they are worried about the 2.5% VAT that has been introduced.

To this end, they are calling on parliament to reject the 2023 budget since it will make life unbearable for Ghanaians.

The Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, Ken Ofori-Atta, on Thursday, 24th November presented the 2023 budget statement and economic policy to the house.

The presentation by the minister is in fulfilment of Article 179 of the 1992 Constitution and Section 21 of the Public Financial Management Act (Act 291).

The Coalition of National Youth Organizers have described the budget presented by the Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta as an imposed conditionalities by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

"We, the Coalition of National Youth Organizers, refuse to acknowledge what Hon Ken Ofori Atta presented to Parliament as a Budget meant for Ghana. We rather see it as imposed conditionalities by the IMF which are not only harsh and draconian to the already burdened and suffering Ghanaian but also enemical to the progress of the Ghanaian Youth, especially, former NABCo trainees, Unemployed graduates and all final Year Tertiary Education students who have been told by the Akuffo Addo government that, there will be no jobs for them in the whole of 2023.

The Coalition of National Youth Organizers are also worried about the 2.5% VAT that has been introduced.

"We are also questioning why a government which supposedly wants to add value to our raw materials through its One District One Factory flagship program, will introduce an additional Tax to discourage patronage. Abolishing the 100 cedis daily threshold means that sending even a 50 pesewas via mobile money transaction is going to attract 1% electronic Levy tax and it is unacceptable. How can you encourage the Utilization of the interoperability platform which was created with the Taxpayer’s, when you have such a policy of taking 1%", the group questioned.

"Of every electronic transaction? The re-introduction of the illegally cancelled road Toll could not only have generated revenue for the government but could have also employed most of the wasting away able bodies who are Youth. This IMF imposed conditionalities are going to breed more and more corruption, crime and a lot of vices especially among the Youth. Again it is going to create a lot of insecurity in this country. We dare say that the relevance of the much touted Free Senior High school and even staining a Tertiary Education is becoming a waste of time, resources and a detraction of one’s future, since there is no assurance of a job after school. We want Parliament as a matter of urgency to reject this 2023 budget since it is going to make the lives of their constituents unbearable", the group added.

Source: Ghanaweb