Ghana budget 2019: 'Mpuntuo' or 'mportomportor'?
Barely twenty-four hours after Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta present di 2019 budget for Parliament, di streets make hot plus massive debate over whether di budget go good give Ghanaians or ibe yawa.
After Mr Ofori Atta finish di presentation, he describe am as 'mpuntuo' budget but some Ghanaians who dey disagree with am describe am as 'mportomportor' budget. BBC Pidgin dey look at some of di reasons which dey make am mpuntuo den why others figure say ibe mportomportor which be something wey fit mess up Ghana instead. Although di items wey dey come up now no be budget expenditure related, ibe important say we go point out how di Ghanaian economy dey pick up under government. MPUMTUO Inflation catch single digit According to Ken Ofoti Atta, inflation for Ghana reduce from 15.4% around 2016 to 11.8% in 2017, wey rydee e drop catch single digit of 9.5% around September. Considering say inflation be major issue which dey affect di value of di cedi den practically di pricing of goods for free market top, e check like dis be foundation for di mpumtuo wey government predict for 2019. GDP dey grow steadily Another key thing be say wey emerge be say di Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for Ghana according to di Minister go grow by 7% from 2019 to like 2022. What dis dey mean be say as a country Ghana go make more economic gains which go rub off positively on Ghanaians. While dis be projection, if di growth figures happen true-true then one fit describe am as mpuntuo, sake of e go bring progress to di economy. Di next issues go deal directly with expenditure for di 2019 budget inside Infrastructure development be massive. According to Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, "we go invest massively for di development of road den infrastructure from different funding sources," wey dem identify projects wey dem go start plus in 2019. After di budget reading, Deputy Finance Minister, Kwaku Kwarteng explain say di total investment go stand at Ghc12.8 billion for roads den infrastructure. Also, Finance Minister reveal say di 2019 budget allocate 12.8 billion as capital expenditure which go take construct roads across di country and also put up other infrastructure which be necessary. With how people complain about roads for Ghana, dis effort by government dey show say tins go get better in 2019. No new tax den review of Ghc 10,000 levy During di middle of di year, government introduce new personal income tax on people who dey chop salary beyond Gh10,000. But dem review dis issue sake of in 2019, government no go take 35% on den incomes again, instead dem now go charge 30% income tax on earnings wey dey beyond Ghc20,000. Dis be one thing wey Minority for Parliament den some Ghanaians for that bracket inside complain about, so government response by way of di review be commendable. Important thing be say government no introduce new taxes on Ghanaians contrary to claims by di minority for Parliament. Office of di Special Prosecutor Di Office of di Special Prosecutor since President Akufo-Addo set am up dey struggle plus money matters according Martin Amidu. Sake of that he say he no fit job proper by going after corrupt public officials. But di 2019 Budget give di office GHc180million so say he go fit take run di office. Akufo-Addo carri one agenda come wey e call "Ghana Beyond Aid." MPORTORMPORTOR Di following be some of di reasons people figure say di 2019 budget no sheda live up to expectations. National Cathedral One major issue which some 5000 seater National Cathedral wey government wan facilitate give di Christian Community for Ghana. Finance Minister talk say government go facilitate dis project by providing di land, secretariat, den seed money for di preparatory phase of di Cathedral. Di National Cathedral get chaw tins like go event centre give religious programs, big central hall and music school, first-ever Bible Museum for Africa den tins. What people no happy about be say initially government talk say dem no go put money for inside but ibe only land dem dey provide. Dis be after some Ghanaians bore over di matter, but check like dem go spend some money on an sake of di seed money bit which make some people bore. Public Debt Stock catch Ghc170billion Di Minority for Parliament after di reading raise placards which dem take describe am as "borrow borrow" budget. Former Finance Minister under National Democratic Congress, Fiifi Kwetey after di budget reading describe explain give BBC Pidgin say government dey borrow too much. In two years, he say government debt stock catch Ghc170billion, which dey mean say dem increase am with some Ghc50billion. What he talk say dem no dey barb be say ibe be difficult to see where dem put di money for di economy sake of menerz no dey feel am. But according to government, dem dey issue bonds through Century bond, Euro bond den tins take raise money develop di massive development wey dem want bring to Ghanaians. According to Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta dem be "long term affordable financing to invest in strategic infrastructure" give Ghanaians.