The Minority Leader, Cassiel Ato Forson, has restated the unwavering stance of his side in parliament, emphasizing that they will not yield on the call for a formal vote on the 2024 budget before Parliament delves into the budget estimates.
Despite the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, announcing a voice vote in favor of the majority’s endorsement of the budget put forth by Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta on Wednesday, the Minority held firm on their request for a headcount. This insistence prompted the Majority caucus to execute a walkout during the approval proceedings.
In an interview, Dr. Ato Forson emphasized the Minority’s stance on the matter.
“The budget as we speak has not been approved…in fact this morning we will insist that the budget be put to a proper vote.
“I am going to ensure that the NDC Minority will not countenance any estimate on the floor because the budget policy has not been approved and the estimates cannot come to the floor until the budget is properly considered.”
Dr. Cassel Ato Forson
Meanwhile, Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam, a Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance and Member of Parliament for Karaga, asserted that the Speaker had properly approved the Budget. According to him, from the perspective of the majority caucus, the budget has been officially passed after the Speaker’s declaration of the voice vote.
The Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has also conveyed strong dissatisfaction with the Speaker’s actions.
“You were all there; you heard the Speaker loud and clear. Why should a Speaker beat such a hasty retreat from what he has said? In this case, he said the ‘ayes’ have it. Then you have the Speaker making a sudden U-turn that he didn’t add that the ‘ayes’ have it. He just expressed an opinion. And that’s most unfortunate. So, we think that the proper thing should be done.”
“We agreed to the headcount; what was he waiting for? For about 30 minutes, he was not doing anything. What kind of attitude is this? That is why we left the chamber. Five MPs of the Minority were not here, so all that he was doing was to buy more time to enable them to find a way into the chamber.”
Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu
Moreover, the MP for Tolon, Habib Iddrisu, also reiterated that the budget had been approved.
“We brought them [NPP MPs] out of the chamber because there were some disagreements in the chamber at the time that the Speaker said they would be mentioning MPs’ names. And then they would be responding, so we thought that it was not right.”
“Because the challenge of the decision of the Speaker was that we should go into a headcount not for people’s names to be mentioned, and that means we would have to be in a division. What is very clear and emphatic is that the 2024 budget and economic statement of the government have been approved by parliament today and that is not in contention.”
Honorable Habib Iddrisu
Trade Minister To Relay LI Today
Meanwhile, the Minister of Trade and Industry, K.T Hammond, is set to present the Export and Import Regulations 2023 to Parliament after two failed consecutive attempts. The legislative instrument, aimed at restricting the importation of 22 selected strategic products, including sugar, rice, poultry, and tripe, was deferred by Parliament on Tuesday.
The decision to postpone the laying of the legislative instrument was made to provide the Sector Minister with an opportunity to engage with the Minority caucus regarding some amendments made to the document.
Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has urged Parliament to support the presentation of the LI, emphasizing its crucial role in assisting the government’s efforts to control the country’s import activities.
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