Member of Parliament for North Tongu in the Volta Region Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has served notice that the minority group in Parliament shall vote against the “insensitive” 2022 budget statement.
In a series of Facebook posts, he described as “most shocking and an unpardonable dereliction that the 2022 Budget presented in Parliament yesterday (Wednesday November 17, 2022) contained absolutely nothing about the catastrophic tidal waves that have left over 4,000 Ghanaians displaced in Ketu South, Keta, Anlo, South Tongu and Ada constituencies”.
The North Tongu MP noted that, contrary to the assurances of the Works and Housing Minister, Francis Asenso-Boakye, that he has engaged the Finance Minister on the urgently needed phase 2 of the Blekusu Coastal Protection Project which was a 4,300 metres sea defence intervention started in 2015, “the entire outlook of his Ministry provided at pages 163 to 165 makes absolutely no provision to address this national disaster.”.
“A look at Government’s priority projects from 2022 to the medium term provided for in Appendices 10B (page 282), 10C (page 283), 10D (page 284) and 10E (page 285) reveals that the Akufo-Addo administration has absolutely no interest nor plan in making an intervention to save our brothers and sisters living in harm’s way” he added.
Mr. Ablakwa said the 329-paged budget provided no hope for the affected citizens, “but alas, just as the President refused to say a word of empathy or solidarity prior to the Budget presentation so has the Budget which is delivered on his authority pursuant to Articles 179 and 180 of the 1992 Constitution been dead silent on this national emergency”.
He also indicated that, “corporate Ghana, the media and kindhearted individual Ghanaians have done a much better job in offering succor to the tidal wave victims than our government which is ironically in possession of our collective resources and revenues”.
Ablakwa, who is a known critique of the President also opined that, “if this tragedy had happened in another country, President Akufo-Addo would have been among the first to express sympathy and would most likely have followed up with a visit and handsome donations as has been his reputation”.
“The question therefore is — why is charity not beginning from home? Where is the conscience of Government?” Mr. Okudzeto Ablakwa quizzed.
