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Successive governments will borrow more if domestic resource mobilisation isn’t improved – Oppong Nkrumah
![Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah. [Photo credit/GBC]](https://spectator.com.gh/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/762022110241-1h830o4aau-fw-f8kswyaect8-e1657101736549.jpg)
Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has justified the determination of the ruling government to bring more Ghanaians into the tax net to improve revenue mobilisation.
Speaking in an interview with GTV on the Breakfast Show on Wednesday, July 6, 2022, the Minister said it is important to improve domestic revenue mobilisation to ensure successive governments do not continue to borrow in the future.
“When we were hit with Covid-19, Ghana had to resort to a lot of the internal buffers and reserves that we had built to respond.
“When crisis comes, your forest reserves are constrained. Your ability to meet your debt service and other fiscal expenditure obligations are limited.
“If we do not improve on domestic resource mobilization successive governments will do a lot of borrowing,” Kojo Oppong Nkrumah.
Last Friday, the government announced to inform the public that it has contacted the International Monetary Fund to declare its intention to engage the fund for support.
Speaking on the move to the IMF for a bailout, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah said the engagements will start with data sharing.
“The very first part of the discussion is on data sharing. They will need to sit with you and validate all the data that you are putting on the table. It is when the validation is done that we will know the form in which the program will come,” the Information Minister added.
A team from the government is expected to officially commence in-person discussions with officials of the IMF today. – modernghana
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Speaker of Parliament inaugurates open Parliament Steering Committee, launches action plan
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has launched the Open Parliament Steering Committee and the Open Parliament Action Plan.
The ceremony was under the theme “Achieving Gender Equality: Action by Action.”
The Speaker highlighted the critical role Parliament plays in translating the will of the people into inclusive legislation, responsive policies, and accountable governance.
“The International Day of Parliamentarianism is worth celebrating, as it offers an opportunity not only to recognise and promote achievements in strengthening democratic governance, but also to pause and reflect on the remaining gaps in institutionalising parliamentary democracy,” he said.
He noted that the event was scheduled to coincide with the International Day of Parliamentarianism to reinforce the importance of open and inclusive governance.
The Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, stated that the International Day of Parliamentarianism is intended to recognise the vital role Parliaments play globally as pillars of democratic governance.
He noted that this marks the first time Ghana is formally observing the day.
“The gravity of our observance is further accentuated as we convene to witness the launch of the Open Parliament Action Plan by the Open Government Partnership Caucus,” he said.
Delivering a statement on behalf of the Minority Leader, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, the Deputy Minority Leader, Patricia Appiagyei, described the Open Parliament Action Plan as a transformative initiative aimed at strengthening the relationship between Parliament and the public.
She said the plan represents a bold commitment to making Parliament more transparent, accessible, and responsive to the needs of Ghanaians.
The Clerk to Parliament, Mr. Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, described the launch as a key milestone in the effort to build a citizen-focused and accountable Parliament.
He added that the International Day of Parliamentarianism is a call to action to recommit to the highest standards of public service and democratic accountability.
The inauguration was attended by a wide range of stakeholders, including the Majority and Minority Members of Parliament, members of the Open Parliament Steering Committee, the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Caucus, Parliamentary Network Africa, representatives from civil society organisations, members of the diplomatic corps, traditional and religious leaders, student bodies, the Parliamentary Press Corps, and other media partners.
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NACOC declares drug menace a national emergency
The Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Interior has paid a working visit to the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) to engage with its leadership and assess operational challenges hampering the fight against illicit drugs.
In a detailed presentation, Dr. Basha Ligbi, Head of the Commission’s Research Bureau, highlighted critical setbacks including broken body scanners at airport terminals, inadequate office infrastructure, overcrowded detention facilities, and deteriorating vehicles.
He also called for the Commission’s headquarters to be reclassified as a security zone, citing growing security risks due to private encroachment and nearby high-rise developments.
Director General of NACOC, Brigadier General Maxwell Obiba Mantey, described the escalating drug trade as a national emergency, warning that drug barons now rival armed robbers in threat level and are gaining influence at the highest levels.
He appealed for stronger institutional support and morale-boosting interventions to preserve the integrity of NACOC officers.
Chairman of the Committee and MP for Builsa North, James Agalga, assured the Commission of the Committee’s commitment to escalate the concerns to Parliament and engage key justice sector stakeholders to fast-track reforms in support of NACOC’s mandate.
