Parliament approves 2019 budget

Parliament has approved the 2019 budget statement and economic policy of government after a gruelling concluding debate by the Majority Leader, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, and the Minority Leader, Mr Haruna Iddrisu.

The two leaders argued on which political party was the better managers of the economy in government.

Mr Iddrisu, who was winding up the two-week debate for the Minority, said the government had failed to achieve its economic targets while the 2019 budget was anchored on borrowing.

He gave an indication that the Minority would not support any budget allocation to the Ministry of Special Initiatives since it had taken over the work of district assemblies, development authorities and some ministries.

Taking his turn, Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu insisted that the erstwhile National Democratic Congress (NDC) government mismanaged the economy, which manifested in an abysmal gross domestic product (GDP).

He said only two years into the government of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the economy had picked with improved GDP growth, reduction in inflation and budget deficit.

The Minister of Finance, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, presented the 2019 Budget in Parliament on November 15, 2018.