Minority Leader and Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale South Constituency, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu has said that the Minority in Parliament is disappointed that their colleagues on the other side have chosen not to support the censure motion for Ofori-Atta’s removal.
Addressing the Press in Parliament today, the Minority Leader disclosed that his caucus feels betrayed because MPs from the Majority group are not ready to help them remove Ofori-Atta.
“We feel let down and we feel betrayed by the Majority caucus, who have shown no wits in supporting us with our impeachment process.”
Haruna Iddrisu, Minority Leader
Even though some 98 MPs in the Majority caucus have openly expressed their displeasure in the performance of Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, and had threatened to boycott his presentation of the 2023 budget tomorrow, the MPs have agreed to allow the Minister stay until he is done presenting the 2023 budget, overseeing its appropriation and finishing with the IMF negotiations.
This follows after the National Executive Committee and Counsel of Elders of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) held a crunch meeting with NPP MPs yesterday, November 22, 2022.
The latest development means that, all NPP MPs would be expected to attend the budget reading tomorrow to support it.
The sudden turn of events not withstanding, the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu said that “we [MPs in the Minority] are not abandoning our censorship motion; we are in it for the long haul.”
Meanwhile, the Tamale South MP is baffled about the fact that, Ken Ofori-Atta hasn’t been sacked yet. Even though Members of Parliament from both sides have somewhat criticised Ofori-Atta’s performance, he still remains in office.
In Haruna Iddrisu’s opinion, Ofori-Atta is in office because President Akufo-Addo does not respect the opinions of Ghanaians.
“President Akufo-Addo will go down in history as the president who mostly disrespected public appeal because, as far as we are concerned, public opinion is not supportive and favourable to the continuous stay in office of this failing, beleaguered lame-duck Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.”
Haruna Iddrisu, Minority Leader
Appeals For Minority To Support Majority
Some notable people in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have been asking Members of Parliament on both sides to support the 2023 budget which will be presented by Ken Ofori-Atta tomorrow.
Yesterday, Assin Central MP, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong called upon his colleagues in the Majority group to attend and participate fully in the 2023 budget presentation and discussions.
In a statement, the outspoken NPP MP said that even though the MPs were within their rights to protest, the “proper thing to do is first to help the government pass its budget and then later confront and address, the issue of who is fit or not fit to lead the Ministry of Finance.”
Kennedy Agyapong reminded his colleagues that as part of their numerous responsibilities is the duty “to preserve and ensure that the agenda of the Akufo-Addo government for Ghana succeeds.” If they don’t do that, “the people of Ghana would have no reason to return the NPP to power in 2024.”
This morning on twitter, NPP stalwart and Founder of Danquah Institute, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko pleaded with MPs in the Minority caucus to support their colleagues in the Majority group so the budget is passed early.
Mr. Otchere-Darko claimed that should the acceptance of the budget and its revenue measures delay, the ongoing IMF negotiations may come to a standstill.
“Thursday’s [2023] budget is crucial. It can’t suffer a fate similar to the 2022 budget and its revenue measures. It could completely derail negotiations with the Fund if not passed. Critical to this are its revenue generation measures. We plead the NDC joins NPP in this for Ghana.”
Gabby Otchere-Darko
Information Minister and MP for Ofoase Ayirebi, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah also appealed to MPs on both sides “to work together in the national interest to arrive at a feasible budget programme.”
Oppong Nkrumah claimed that the budget will be the foundation for Ghana’s economic recovery, and so, it is important for MPs to put their differences aside and work together.
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