Mr. Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the debate on the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of Government. Mr. Speaker, this debate is about principles – and in the context of our foreign policy, the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries is often heralded as being cardinal. In Ghana, the late President Mills encapsulated this principle in his famous Fante words “Dziwo fie asem”. This was made with reference to the Ivoirian crisis of a few years ago. Conventional wisdom at that time suggested that perhaps if your neighbour’s house is on fire, you should help douse the fire by supplying water. In more recent times, Government has obviously had a rethink of this position and as a result Ghanaian troops today are engaged in Mali within an African Union framework as part of the African led International Support Mission to Mali (AFISMA). I wish Mr. Speaker to commend the Government of France for initiating action to curtail the spread of extremism, fanaticism, religious intolerance, and radicalism. I also commend the Government of the United Kingdom for releasing its RAF C-17 transport planes to carry Ghanaian soldiers, materials and equipment to Mali. In the same vein the Governments of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chad, Burkina Faso and Niger whose troops are in a combat role ought to be appreciated. Mr. Speaker consistency of policy in the international arena is extremely vital if in the comity of nations, our leaders are to be respected and trusted to become players on the sub regional continental and global stages. It is not surprising that during his tenure of office, President Kufuor became ECOWAS Chairman (2x) AU Chair and Ghana was given a seat as G8 meetings and on the UN Security Council. This 2013 Budget Statement recognises in paragraphs 718-721 the importance of pursuing goals of maintaining peace and stability in the sub region and on a continental level committing our country to shared values of good governance, democracy, rule of law and respect for human rights. These values, as everyone in Ghana is aware, have for decades been held by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and its antecedents as non-negotiable inalienable rights. Fortunately Ghana has since 1992 agreed that if we wish to move our country forward then these values must be truly shared by all Ghanaians. Good governance is about how the resources of the country are used for the benefit of the generality of Ghanaians and applied in accordance with due process and law. Mr. Speaker, In this house next week we shall pass into Law and Appropriations Act which sets the limit or ceiling of the expenditures Government will make in the course of the financial year. Any extra expenditure over and above this breaks the Law. From the Budget Statement, it is clear that the Government of Ghana has proceeded to spend GH¢ 2.8billion without authority. This is massive in view of the fact that the total Supplementary Budget approved in July 2012 by this august House amounted to GH¢2.6billion. Mr. Speaker, this House is losing its power of the purse. This House is abandoning its oversight responsibility in fiscal matters and we are condoning illegal acts by Government. Mr. Speaker, in the context of foreign policy which country, company or entity will want to deal with a nation whose government passes a Law and then proceeds to break that Law with impunity. Mr. Speaker, let’s talk economic diplomacy, a concept which has been given space in paragraphs 722 and 723 of the Budget Statement. I commend the Minister for articulating this idea of economic diplomacy and for continuing the process began in 2001 after President Kufuor took office but Hon. Members the fruits economic diplomacy can only be realised when domestic economic policy is fair, sound and implementable. What do we see in the domestic economic policy space – A government which misses all its fiscal targets in a single year. Inability to attain the estimated revenue, and a voracious appetite to spend, over spend and borrow to the extent that in a single year, its cost of borrowing from the domestic financial markets has more than doubled from 11% to 23 %. So the private sector has no space to borrow and when they are able to access credit they do so at punitive rates of around 27% - 33% five times more than the rates of which their colleagues in neighbouring countries borrow. Besides we have no market for long term funds. We cannot pretend that we are doing something right. We are not. In the area of the accumulation of arrears and indebtedness of Government to the Utility and petroleum sector companies and budget deficits, others have clearly spoken to these subjects and I need not belabour the point. Today in Ghana, the word challenge or challenges has become an euphemism for systems failure. This dum – sor phenomenon, water shortages and absence of gas and the long qeues. The limited manufacturing capacity is being destroyed. When public sector Mangers of utilities cannot programme their routine and periodic maintenance schedules to change /replace filters on time, we should perhaps be conducting managerial and technical audits to ensure that those charged with responsibilities for delivering services are up to the task. Mr. Speaker, with all this the ends of economic diplomacy cannot be served we go out there looking for investment, we go out looking for opportunities. Who is going bring investment into a country which is unwilling or unable to do simple things for itself.The business of government is not business.it is creating an enabling environment in which the private sector can produce, prosper and create wealth. That enabling environment must assure the country of good security and at the very least uninterrupted electricity supply and water provision. Finally, at the recent inauguration of Ghana’s Development Partners Group at the Presidency, Mr. Claude Marten the EU delegate said the country can only make gains if government intensified supervision, monitoring, transparency and built the capacity of businesses to compete favourably with international competitors. Finally and conclusion, our foreign policy as the promotion of Ghana’s national interest as a primary goal – and in this context the country’s image is critical. Thus the demeanour and compartment of our diplomats abroad can enhance our image. Indeed when Ghana’s creditors seek court rulings to attach our properties in London or New York or elsewhere we clear the image of our country. When Ghanaian students are threatened with eviction because they cannot pay their bills as allowances are in arrears for several months, it does not help with our image and national interest is mot served.