Mahama Ayariga, the Majority Leader, has revealed that the NDC government’s flagship programme, the 24-Hour Economy, will start after the government have created a 24-hour energy system.
According to Mahama Ayariga, the former New Patriotic Party (NPP) government mismanaged the energy sector, and the mess needs to be fixed before the 24-hour economy can begin.
The Majority leader boldly told the minority in parliament, the 24-Hour Economy will start after the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) mess is fixed.
Speaking in Parliament on Thursday, November 27, Mahama Ayariga stated, “They mismanaged the Millennium Challenge Account Energy Compact 2, and in the process, they caused this country we lose $190million. Mr Speaker, by giving the distribution to a certain PDS, which went and forged records in providing a payment guarantee.
“This is the record of the NPP in the management of the Energy sector…The situation at ECG is in the budget. Mr Speaker, the recent container holdup investigations report of the ECG reveals the mess at the ECG. Due to your negligence, demurrage of over GHS909million was incurred at the port.
“Mr Speaker, corruption was at its height. Clearing contracts to the tune of GHS159million was awarded. Mr Speaker GHS127.6million contract was awarded to a company which did not have a customs house agent registration.
“Mr Speaker, there were massive deviations in the budget for procurements vis-à-vis actual procurements…You stand here, and you ask when is the 24-hour economy starts. A 24-Hour economy will start when we have cleared the mess at ECG, and we have created a 24-hour energy system.”
The Majority Leader further declared that Ghana has moved from a ‘criminal economic mismanagement’ to prudence.
He argued that Ghana has moved from criminal handling of the economy to a regime of prudence within just one year.
Mahama Ayariga praised the fiscal direction of the Mahama administration, adding that the budget demonstrates clear evidence of growth.
He added, “This is a budget that will generate growth. This is a budget that reflects prudent management of the resources of this economy to achieve growth objectives,” he stated.
“In one year — and this budget reflects this — we have shifted gears from a criminal handling of the economy to prudence. Indeed, the president had the course to describe the situation that we met in this country as a crime scene.”