Both the Majority and Minority Caucuses in Parliament have reacted differently to President Nana Akufo-Addo’s message on the State of the Nation Address (SONA).
While the Majority side has hailed the President’s presentation to Parliament as excellent, reconciliatory, and touching on all aspects of the economy, the Minority side has described President’s message as nothing, but empty promises intended to deceive the Ghanaian public.
According to them, the President had failed to talk about the growing hardships of the Ghanaian people but chose to continue with his empty promises and sloganeering.
Mr Kwabina Mintah Akandor, Ranking Member of Health reacting to the President’s address to Parliament described it as the saddest moment in the history of the country and that the President is completely out of touch with the reality on the ground.
He said that since the government launched its agenda of 111 projects it failed to tell Ghanaians the source of funding for that development.
He said the President’s claim that the initial schedule government gave for the completion of Agenda 111 was overly ambitious was regrettable.
“Clearly from the beginning of his statement to the end, the President was completely out of touch with the reality on the ground.
“When you are giving the State of the Nation Address what you do is that you tell the people what you are doing, challenges and problems in the sector and how you intend to solve that problem” he added.
Nevertheless, the Majority side maintained that the President’s presentation to Parliament was exceptional and a call for compromises.
Dr Stephen Amoah, a member of the Finance Committee in his reaction stated the proceeds from the E-levy were intended to consolidate fiscal space because of the huge deficit in the economy.
He touted the government’s achievements in areas such as agriculture, infrastructure, education, and health which he said were unmatched in the history of the country.
He said despite the Minority walking out before the passage of the E-levy, they must be lauded for their fierce resistance to the Bill, which he said the government would learn from and put the revenue from levy to judicious use.
