According to the party, the budget would further impose extreme hardship on the people and the country.

A statement issued and signed by the party’s National Secretary, Remy Paa Kow Edmundson, on the party’s perspective said the 2023 economic policy of the government was not credible.

The PPP further stated that it would fail to put food on the table of the masses as it was going to take away the little the citizens had and impoverish them to enrich those in government.

“Upon critical assessment of the Akufo-Addo government’s 2023 economic policy as presented by the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, the PPP observes, the budget is bankrupt, lacks focus, is unrealistic and will impose extreme hardship on the citizenry in 2023 and beyond”, it explained.

Solution

The party, in proffering solutions to the current economic hardship faced by the citizenry, suggested to the government to cut taxes, introduce subsidies in critical sectors of the economy to stimulate growth, pay social benefits to the poor, reduce the country’s debt levels by cutting down on expenditure and introduce more efficient methods to collect existing tax handles.

“But not squeeze blood out of the bones of the already impoverished society like what this Akufo-Addo government seeks to do currently”, the statement added.

It also said a listening government would reduce the number of ministers of state and other government appointees, but the government was rather shifting the burden to civil and public services.

The statement also noted that the government had chosen to avoid the wishes of the people by allowing Mr Ofori-Atta to read the budget after calls for his removal.

Brace for the worse

The statement further accused the Nana Akufo-Addo government of showing their insensitivity to the plight of the ordinary Ghanaian and therefore, urged the populace to brace themselves for worse times.

“We urge all Ghanaians to brace themselves for the hardship looming in 2023 and beyond until the PPP is given the opportunity to restore hope”, it said.