He was optimistic that despite a weak economy inherited from the previous administration, the nation would rise to the task of rebuilding its economy when the public purse was protected coupled with more prudent public financial administration.

Delivering the 2017 Budget Statement in Parliament in Accra Mr Ofori – Atta was hopeful that the nation could rise to the challenges to build a prosperous nation beyond aid.

The budget was the first to be read by the Minister, who is an economist and investment banker, after the electoral victory of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) last December.

Vice President Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia; Senior Minister Yaw Osafo- Maafo, Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko, Science and Technology and Environment Minister Prof Kwabena Frimpong Boateng; Food and Agriculture Minister Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, among others were in the chamber during the delivery.

Mr Ofori- Atta identified the nation’s economic challenges as being the bane of its development aspirations, but pointed out that the policy actions spelt out in the Budget Statement  ”seek to fix the economy and change the narrative to put the economy on the right path of phenomenal growth.”

He said: “We believe that this budget sows the seeds for growth, jobs, and the economic transformation agenda outlined in the vision of the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.”

The Finance Minister, wore an-all white attire, and intermittently sipped water during the more than two hour delivery, amidst heckling from the Minority Side, with the Speaker Rev Prof Aaron Mike Ocquaye, intervening with shouts of “Order, Order.”

The Minority disregarded caution from the Majority Leader Osei Kyei- Mensa- Bonsu last week for members not to display placards and flaunted such at the end of the delivery, bearing the inscription “419 Budget.”

In Biblical anecdote, the Minister, during the presentation compared Ghana situation to the time Jesus Christ fed thousands with five loaves of bread and two fishes and challenged Members of Parliament to liberate the nation from “a rigged and unjust economic, political and social system that we have helped to impose on our nation.”

He said: “We withdraw in unison like Jesus to a remote place, Mr. Speaker, only to discover that we have five loaves of bread and two fishes to feed our 25 million plus fellow citizens.

 “But herein lies the genius of the Ghanaian ”for we are God’s handiwork created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do.

“As you can see, Mr. Speaker, with five loaves and two fish, President Akufo-Addo’s budget has tackled the five structural pillars of revenue, expenditure, earmarked funds, labour and our debt.”

Mr Ofori-Atta announced that the Akuffo-Addo government was committed to taking deliberate and strategic steps to fundamentally change the structure of the economy bequeathed to the nation 60 years ago.

Consequently, it would restore and sustain macro stability, provide the environment for private sector growth, improve public services and tackle corruption and support small businesses in rural and deprived areas and “ensure that every Ghanaian has equal opportunity and right to lead a productive and dignified life, being able to fully develop their God-given capabilities.”

 The Finance Minister reminded Ghanaians of the nation’s diamond jubilee celebrations next week and urged the citizens to use the anniversary as an opportunity to reflect, and a challenge to chart a new and enduring course for the nation

He announced that budgetary allocations have been made from tax revenue, ABFA and the realignment of statutory funds to fund priority programmes, with the breakdown of the funding sources as ABFA GH¢342.0 million, tax revenue GH¢785.0 million, and realignment of statutory funds GH¢1.08 billion.

This, he said, has been done through prioritisation of expenditures and planned improvement and efficiency in government spending, adding that the Government had allocated over GHs 700million for capital expenditure seven times more than was allocated last year.

It has also funded NHIS and free SHS, provided tax relief for the private sector and all other socio-economic classes, reduced levies on petroleum products, reduced electricity prices, provided a stimulus for the private sector and agriculture and brought down the deficit from 8.7 percent to 6.5 percent.

Mr Ofori Atta recalled that on July 23, 1981, during the third republic, the country was in economic crisis under the government of the People’s National Party, but his father, Dr Jones Ofori-Atta, in opposition with an amendment motion, co-sponsored by Dr G K Agama successfully got the house to support an amended motion to save the country.

He called on the leadership of the Minority and ranking members Ato Forson and Fiifi Kwetey of the Finance Committee to join the Majority side in that example of the third Republic to salvage and build the Ghanaian economy.

Pledging to work with Parliament with candour, transparency, respect and a deep commitment to protect this public purse, the Minister rallied the MPs to “let us go forth together.”, saying  “God  did not give us a Spirit of timidity but of power, love, sound judgment and self discipline.

“Mr. Speaker, we can do it, God Indeed bless our homeland Ghana and make our nation great and strong.”