The Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has been summoned by the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin to appear before Parliament today, Wednesday, June 22, 2022.
The Minister’s anticipated appearance on the floor of Parliament today, follows several failed attempts to get him to appear before the House to answer some questions (16 of them in all) tabled before his Ministry.
The Finance Minister’s appearance in Parliament today, is important, given that the Speaker of Parliament has placed a temporary freeze on all business transactions of the Finance Ministry till Mr Ken Ofori-Atta appears before the House to give answers to the pertinent 16 questions.
Aside giving answers to these 16 questions, the Finance Minister is also expected to give an account of funds utilised by the government during the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Listed below are the 16 questions the Finance Minister is expected to answer on the floor of Parliament today as gathered by NorvanReports:
1. When will Government clear large debt owed partners and suppliers to ensure availability of subsidised fertilizer in this farming season?
2. What is the current status of funding for the construction of Phase Two of the Tema Motorway?
3. What are the interventions the Ministry is employing to clamp the rising price of fuel?
4. What the Ministry is doing about imposed taxes and levies on petroleum products and the depreciation of the cedi to slow down fuel price build up?
5. Would the Ministry consider sourcing additional funding for infrastructural development at the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) in Sunyani?
6. Which companies were used as Local Transaction Advisors and Local Legal Advisors for the 2021 Eurobond and how much were they paid?
7. How much has government realised (net proceeds) from the Eurobond issued in 2021, and how much it has spent on fees and related roadshow expenses?
8. How much was raised in total from government Bonds since 2017, who are the transaction advisors and book runners, and how much was paid to each?
9. How much revenue has the State generated from the sale of power to neighbouring countries?
10. How will the 2022 budget ensure that all major issues of increased taxes, increased fuel prices and unmaintained roads be tackled efficiently?
11. What plans have the government established to reduce the debt stock which stood at 76.1% in the first half of this year?
12. What assurances the Ministry can give that government has not abandoned projects started by previous administrations?
13. An update on the progress and impact of the Ghana CARES programme as well as the plans to raise $100bn fund aimed at revitalising the economy, post Covid-19?
14. How much has been invested in fighting Covid-19 and how has it impacted economic recovery?
15. An update on the creation of one million jobs stated in the mid-year budget since the government payroll is full?
16. Does the government intend to return to the IMF for financial assistance?
Source: norvanreports