The claim that MPs unanimously accepted a loan arrangement between the government and the World Bank for a sum of $200 million to support the Ghana Digital Acceleration Project is inaccurate, according to John Jinapor, the member of parliament for Yapei/Kusawgu.
He said that while the minority caucus fiercely opposed the loan arrangement, the percentages did not favor them, and it would be unreasonable for anyone to hold them responsible for its passage.
The ranking member of the Mines and Energy Committee of Parliament said on Eyewitness News with Umaru Sanda Amadu that the loans were only approved by the Majority.He stated that adopting the loan arrangement would only worsen Ghanaians’ economic problems, which already exist.
“It’s not true that the House unanimously approved those loans. If you look at the committee’s report it will tell you that it was by Majority decision. The committee’s report will attest to the fact that the Minority side objected. So the Majority carried the day by one single vote”.
“Today, the voice vote clearly indicated that we, the Minority side gave an emphatic no. The Speaker gave it to the Majority side because they have the numbers. If anybody wants to blame the Minority for the insensitivity and incompetence of this government, I think that it will be very unfortunate and unfair,”
He stated that adopting the loan arrangement would only worsen Ghanaians’ economic problems, which already exist.
“These are not new loans, they are loans we have already taken on in our books. We want to put it on record that these are loans we have already contracted on our books and require Parliamentary approval. Parliament just approved the agreement between government and Development Bank Ghana. These are not new loans, they are loans we have already taken on in our books. We want to put it on record that these are loans we have already contracted on our books and require Parliamentary approval,” Mr. Kumah said.
In response, John Jinapor attacked the Deputy Finance Minister for making a false statement about the loan agreements.
“The Deputy Finance Minister was being disingenuous, to say the least. John Kumah should take his time, learn from past experience and move away from this narrative because it will not help him at all,” he stated
The House also gave approval to spend $150 million on the second phase of the Multi-phase Programmatic Approach for the West Africa Food System Resilience Programme.
A loan arrangement between the government and the Development Bank Ghana for a sum of £170 million euros was also approved by the parliament to facilitate the creation of a financially sound development bank.
