A political analyst, Dr. Alidu Seidu, has intimated that there is still an opportunity for Parliament to make things work with regards to approving the 2022 budget.
Speaking on the current banter between the majority and the minority in Parliament over the rejection of the budget by the minority, he stated that although the nation will face implications if the budget is not approved, it might not get to that point of complications.
“But broadly looking at the implications, we may not get there because there is still an opportunity for government to make things work”.
Dr. Alidu Seidu
Dr. Seidu noted that government can still make a plea to Parliament to give them money upfront to be able to undertake some projects but for a very limited time. He explained that there are a lot of projects, programmes and policies that impacts every aspect of people’s lives and all these initiatives require money to be implemented.
“If we are not able to agree and pass the budget for a very long period of time, all these beautiful promises and programmes that are contained in the budget for 2022, will not come to fruition”.
Dr. Alidu Seidu
Dr. Seidu disclosed that the budget if not passed will have a lot of implications on the collective governance process of the country aside the projects and promises the budget entails.
His comments come after the Minority in Parliament stated that per the pronouncement of the Speaker, the budget has been rejected but the majority on the other hand believes the speaker’s action is null and void.
Decisions are in countenance with Parliamentary procedures
Dr. Seidu posited that it is strange to assume that a decision that is taken in the house of the legislature is not in countenance with some of the procedures, standing orders and then the constitution. He explained that there is an over acting constitution that guides some of the decisions in the house of parliament if not all.
“I think Parliament is one of the institutions that make their own laws and work by it. So, actions and inactions in Parliament is not just done anyhow. There is that guide and procedure of how things are done in Parliament”.
Dr. Alidu Seidu
Speaking on the legality of the voting procedure as to whether parliament had the quorum for embarking on parliamentary procedures and sittings, he explained that it wasn’t the case because a certain number of members were not present to form a quorum to vote on an important thing like the budget statement.
Explaining the functions of the majority, he noted that the majority group is to promote the business of the government of the day and broadly enhance the interest of Ghana as a state.
He revealed that he was still in shock as to why the Majority group walked out of Parliament when a motion like passing the 2022 budget that informs how projects, policies, estimates, payment of salaries income within the government institutions or establishments was before Parliament. He stated that it is a very important issue that the majority group shouldn’t have walked out on.
Touching on the Parliamentary sitting set to take place tomorrow, November 30, 2021, he averred that the Members must be very constitutional in handling the Parliamentary issues.
