The Minority Spokesperson on Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson is asking Ghanaians to be measured in jubilating over the announcement that import duties have been slashed at the ports.
He is in effect casting doubt on the latest government policy announced by Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia on Wednesday, describing it as “populist”.
At a Town Hall meeting organized by government’s Economic Management Team, the Vice President revealed that the benchmark valuation for general goods has been slashed by 50 percent whilst that of vehicles by 30 percent effective Thursday, April 4.
The move, according to Dr Bawumia, is to ensure an increase in the volume of imports through the country’s ports instead of through neighbouring countries.
He said available data shows that traffic at the Lome Harbour, for instance, has increased by some 300 per cent between 2013 and 2018 while that of Ghana has seen just a little over 4 per cent increase within the same period.
But Ato Forson who speaks for the Minority on Finance in an interview with journalists referred Ghanaians to the wild jubilation that welcomed the 2017 budget when government abolished duties on spare parts.
He noted that the excitement of the spare parts dealers was shortlived because the policy did not ease the cost of clearing goods at the ports.
“Abossey Okai will happen again,” he predicted, “I will challenge any individual to go to the port and clear your goods.”
He added, “So tomorrow go and clear your car. I expect a 30% reduction. If you fail to get a 30% reduction, then, again he has lied.”
According to Ato Forson, Dr. Bawumia was “outstaged” by the Finance Minister in his recent statement to Parliament leaving the Vice President nothing to tell Ghanaians but to rehash already known information.
“He has very little to say, he was more or less like reading a state of the nation address, that HE the president had come to deliver.
“I find it mediocre, in fact it’s mediocracy at its height, I didn’t see anything substantial…you could see lies, lies”.
Source: 3news.com
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Mr Ato Forson, Lets face it how can the cock dance to satisfy the hawk or the eagle? The eagle or hawk must by all means find a fault with the cock's dance as a justification to catch it or the chicken. I spent time today to listen to the NDC's rebuttal and found no substance. I judge the delivery threatened the NDC and the Akatamansonians felt frightened hence the rebuttal which changed nothing.I know I have set myself up for insults, prove me wrong.
If you pay fees for two or more children at the SHS then you will see that a lot have changed when school re-opened in September. If you have not seen anything, those of us who were paying genuine electricity bills know that more have changed under NPP.
The free money will not come again. Work and earn money then you can spend.
The comments here are pitiful. Please discuss the issues. I am not better off today as it was during the NDC era. Honestly I am not seeing any change. Those who depend on yours truly for their education still have to be helped. For me, it is not about NDC or NPP, who was a security guard and who was whatever. Lets discuss the issues. We as a people cannot debate without insults. This should stop else the political class will always take us for granted as they know that their core support is intact.
Hmmmm gyimieeee paaaa nie
What was your contribution economically when you were a deputy minister? Let us have our peace. Empty barrel makes most noise.
Go sit somewhere and ***barred word*** your thumb.You have already lost 2020
Why is it that the NDC is filled with such semi literate and incompetent people? Nothing is dowable for them. Everything is impossible so far as the NDC is concerned. No wonder they could not introduce any policy to better the lives of Ghanaians during their 8 years in government. All they did was stealing and sharing.
Where from this Economics student too.? Nation Wrecker
Use.less London security guard turned economist. Ndc are doomed. Dr.Bawumia is far far ahead.