The Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, has warned Ministers of State to appear before parliament if they want their budgets to be read in the House and approved.

He revealed that MPs who absent themselves from Parliament will not have their budgets approved. He accused the Majority Leadership of denying the House ample time to consider the estimates of the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

Mr Iddrisu noted that the Majority side must show responsibility and commitment toward supporting government business, as the House is continuously being plagued with absenteeism following the passage of the 2023 budget.

“I further warn that ministers who want their budgets’ approval must appear in person. If you delegate your deputy, we will delegate your money for you some other day after appropriation. If they send emissaries to come for approval of budget estimates, we will send their approval to them the day they are available. So, whip, make sure you have your estimates ready.”
Haruna Iddrisu

The minority leader urged fellow MPs to begin working towards appropriation, as the attitude of “stampeding” the House with several of such matters at a time does not allow for proper scrutiny. He noted that the majority side took advantage of “what is called an economic crisis” to delay the budget so that the House will not have more time to look at it.

“Going forward, you must make sure that your reports are ready.”
Haruna Iddrisu

Suspension of national Cathedral by parliament

Reacting to this, Majority Chief Whip, Frank Annor Dompreh, accused the Minority Leader of trying to rile up the House. He explained that the absence of his colleagues is due to ongoing committee sittings.

The minority leader’s comment followed parliament’s suspension of the approval of GHC80 million allocated for the construction of the National Cathedral by the Trades and Industry Committee of Parliament.

The allocation, failed to receive endorsement by the Committee because members demanded more answers from the sector minister.

Murtala Mohammed, MP for Tamale Central stated that until the Committee is satisfied, they will approve the Ministry’s estimates without the funds allocated to the National Cathedral. He stated that the Committee has invited the finance minister and other stakeholders to provide an explanation on the already expended GH₵339 million on the National Cathedral.

The Tamale Central legislator highlighted that if stakeholders are not called to account for monies expended, it will be “unconscionable” for the committee to go ahead to approve the budget.

Mr Mohammed questioned whether the allocation was imposed on the Ministry by the Presidency without the knowledge of the Minister and technocrats at the Ministry. With this, he argued that the technocrats from Ministry of Tourism were unable to provide a breakdown of the allocation to the Committee.

Meanwhile, Parliament is yet to approve the appropriation bill for 2023 Budget presented by the finance minister which included the GH₵80 million allocation to the National Cathedral.