Member of Parliament for Tamale North, Alhassan Suhuyini, has disclosed that it is likely some of the committees in parliament will not have their estimates approved with respect to the 2022 budget based on some findings trickling in.
According to him, the budget approval goes through three processes with the first being the approval of the policy. Mr Suhuyini explained that currently, the whole “hullabaloo” on the budget is about the policy as to whether the policy should be approved or not. He indicated that the second process is the approval of the estimates handled by the committees involved at various stages of approval.
“It is clear that based on some of the findings that we have gotten at the committee level, some of the committees will not have their estimates approved. Like yesterday, the Electoral Commission had to be walked out of the place… The determination to represent the good people of Ghana and to demand answers from this government is unwavering as far as the minority is concerned”.
Mr Alhassan Suhuyini
The final stage of the budget processes, Mr Suhuyini indicated, is the appropriation, of which it’s determined by what happens at the committee level. He expressed that this subsequently makes its way to the plenary for a vote.
“Then beyond that is also the bill to introduce the e-levy. So, people need to understand these processes. The fight is structured and it is different phases and the bill for the e-levy will eventually have to be put before the house”.
Mr Alhassan Suhuyini
Rejection of 2022 budget by minority
Commenting on the proceedings which led to the rejection of the minority’s disapproval of the budget, Mr Suhuyini intimated that per the “records” of parliament, the 2022 budget was rejected by the House. However, he indicated that the following week that rejection was rescinded by the majority group who engaged in an “illegality”.
“As we all know, parliament is a master of its own rules governed by the constitution, standing orders and by its practices. We also know that by law, when a court gives a ruling, no matter how flawed that ruling is, it remains binding until it is overturned. That is why even though the majority group believed we did not reject the budget, they still engaged in an activity of rescinding the decision that we took. That was an acknowledgement of something that was binding that had to be removed”.
Mr Alhassan Suhuyini
Mr Suhuyini revealed that the minority group is not irresponsible and irrational and their “focus is not to frustrate” government’s business. He explained that they simply want to apply the rules and regulations and go through the right processes of challenging whatever they have issues with.
The Tamale North legislator emphasized that despite the attempt by the majority to abuse the authority that they have currently, the minority will continue to find ways to represent the people in the manner that they want “us to represent” them.
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