Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs
Speaker of ParliamentAlban Bagbin on Thursday evening confirmed that Majority Leader and Member of Parliament (MP) for Suame will present the budget statement of the government of Ghana for 2021.
The presentation of the budget is normally done by the Finance Minister on the authority of the President.
This year, however, the shift had become necessary because of the absence of the Finance Minister Designate, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta out of the country.
Mr Ofori-Atta is receiving treatment overseas from COVID-19 health issues.
Mr Ofori-Atta held the same finance portfolio in the first term of the Akufo-Addo led New Patriotic Party (NPP) government that ran from January 7, 2017, to January 6, 2021.
Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin on Thursday evening confirmed that Majority Leader and Member of Parliament (MP) for Suame will present the budget statement of the government of Ghana for 2021 today Friday March 12.
The Government on Friday outlined five key pillars in the 2021 Budget to resuscitate the Ghanaian economy, ravaged by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The 2021 Budget Statement, on the theme: Completion, Consolidation and Continuation, is intended to rejuvenate the national economy towards the path of recovery.
Apart from the 100-billion Ghana cedis Coronavirus Alleviation and Revitalisation of Enterprises (CARES programme), otherwise known as Obaatanpa , government announced plans to scale up the COVID-19 vaccination exercise, implement Agenda 111 , intensify public sanitation programme, roll-out job opportunities and resource the security agencies, while continuing the flagship initiatives.
The budget, for the first time, was presented by Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, who was given extra responsibility as Caretaker Minister of Finance.
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Caretaker Finance Minister and Majority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has stated that the construction of the National Cathedral of Ghana remains a priority to government.
According to him, although the pandemic affected the progress of the construction, work on the edifice is currently on course.
“Mr. Speaker, the National Cathedral of Ghana, which will provide an interdenominational sacred space for the nation, remains a national priority. Despite delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, work is on course to construct the iconic edifice in the heart of the nation’s capital,” he stated.
Among other things, Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu while presenting the ‘WƆN YA WƆ HIƐƐ BUDGET’ stated that the “construction of the National Cathedral is already introducing some critical innovations to the country”.
2021 Budget: Trotro and taxis to enjoy tax reliefs Kyei LISTEN
MAR 12, 2021
Government on Friday announced the suspension of payment of third and fourth quarter income taxes for commercial vehicles (Trotros) and taxis for 2021, as part of measures to reduce the cost of transportation.
Government also announced provision of 30 per cent tax rebate of income tax due companies, hotels and restaurants, education, arts and entertainment institutions as well as the travel and tours.
There is also a suspension of tax stamps on income tax payment for small businesses from second, third and fourth quarters of 2021.
These additional reliefs formed part of the government s efforts of reducing the sufferings of the vulnerable groups and Ghanaians, whose conditions had been worsened by the Coronavirus pandemic.