Ken Ofori-Atta
FINANCE MINISTER, Ken Ofori-Atta says President Akufo-Addo has shown that he is the leader “one can trust, pray and work with.”
According to him, the President has risen to the occasion with the appropriate responses to the Covid-19 pandemic that continuously threatens millions of lives across the globe.
Presenting a statement on the Floor of Parliament today, the Finance Minister said President Akufo-Addo, in the midst of the crisis, had managed to “calm the nation, remove any premonition of sinking into a Dante’s inferno and assure the public that they have a war time leader, the Moses, to lead the nation to the promise land.”
For him, the Commander-in-Chief, by intent and action, has demonstrated that he is “a leader who will turn this ‘misadventure’ into a new vibrant industrial revolution,” adding that President Nana Addo believes that all citizens are royal members of the country and will therefore use the state resources to protect and ensure sanctity of life of everyone.
Mr. Ofori-Atta voted the high confidence in the President, while requesting authorization by Parliament for government to access the $219 million transferred from the Ghana Stabilisation Fund (GSF) into the Contingency Fund as a result of the lowering of the cap on GSF from $300 million to $100 million.
On March 30, 2020, the Minister placed before Parliament a proposal for approval to lower the cap of the Ghana Stabilization Fund (GSF) as he apprised the House on the economic impact of the COVID-19 on the nation’s economy.
“Mr. Speaker, consistent with Article 177(1) of the 1992 Constitution, I am by this presentation submitting a request to the Finance Committee to grant us the authorization to access the requisite amounts from the Contingency Fund to confront the challenge that has engulfed the nation in this matter of coronavirus (COVID-19) affliction,” he stated.
He expressed profound gratitude to Parliament for working expeditiously to approve the proposal to lower the cap on the GSF, pointing out that the move had enable the government to transfer the cedi equivalent of the $219 million into the Contingency Fund to finance the Coronavirus Alleviation Programme.
The Minister explained that the Coronavirus Alleviation Programme (CAP) would primarily support provision of food and water for households, relief for health sector workers, and soft loans for micro, small and medium-size businesses.
“May all of us humble ourselves in prayer and gratitude for the Lord’s sacrifice on this coming Good and Holy Friday,” he stated.
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House