Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, the finance minister-designate, has made some clarification about a statement he made.
According to Ato Forson reports suggesting he plans to go for more International Monetary Fund (IMF) are inaccurate reportage.
He asserted that he never said he was going to request additional finance from the IMF.
The minister-designate appeared at Parliament’s Appointments Committee today January 13, 2025, for vetting as he prepares to assume his role as Finance Minister.
Appearing before the Parliament’s Appointments Committee Dr. Ato Forson stated, “Governance is not about borrowing and borrowing, it’s time to cut the waste, and I’ll lead the charge.”
The minister-designate clarified, “I didn’t say I was going to request additional finance from the IMF, It’s inaccurate reportage. What I said was that we could request additional finance if the need arises”.
“The possibility of seeking additional IMF support should not be ruled out entirely, but such a decision would only be made if circumstances warranted it”, he added.
The minister-designate also revealed the key to boosting government revenue lies in improving tax compliance rather than new taxes or increasing existing ones.
“Scrapping the betting tax will not affect the forward march of the economy. You don’t have to increase taxes to increase revenue. What is important is to increase compliance”, he detailed.
Ato Forson further revealed he worked with Seth Tekper for four years and would use his methods to improve revenue collection for the government.
