The Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, continues to grapple with the opposition’s resistance to the Electronic Levy (E-levy) from three years ago.
The controversial levy led to the rejection of the 2021 budget by the house, presided over by Parliament Speaker Alban Bagbin, until his first deputy, Joseph Osei-Owusu, overturned the rejection in the absence of the speaker.
During the opening ceremony of the Post-Budget Workshop in Parliament, Ofori-Atta appealed to the minority not to replicate the E-levy episode, emphasizing the current challenges facing the country.
Ofori-Atta revealed that the government aims to generate 0.9% of GDP through the revenue bills to be presented to Parliament for approval.
“Mr. Speaker we are therefore calling on you to support us once again like we have done in the past to pass the proposed measures in the 2024 budget and on time.
“Mr. Speaker, there is a time and season to tear and a time to mend, there is a time for war, a time for peace and a time to scatter and a time to gather. Mr. Speaker this is the time to gather, this is the time to mend and also a time for peace,” the Finance Minister pleaded.
Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, emphasized the importance of Members of Parliament (MPs) considering public sentiments in their discussions, asserting that this year’s budget is exceptionally crucial.
“It is our duty to strive to improve the welfare of our people and even though we see this as the usual business of Parliament. This time around is more critical than before, this budget is a critical budget and I want us to have time because leadership have discussed with me and we have enough time to deliberate on the budget,” he added.