Parliament has by a voice vote rejected the 2022 budget statement presented before the House by Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta last week.
The House saw only the Minority’s side in the House after the Majority had staged a walkout over a disagreement following a directive by Speaker Alban Bagbin.
Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin had earlier rejected an application from Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta to be allowed to engage the leadership of both majority and minority members of the House ahead of the approval of the budget statement.
The Speaker in his view opined that the processes leading to the approval of the budget had been exhausted and the Minister’s request came too late.
He however put the request to a voice vote where those against the request carried the day.
However, the Majority presented a protest and demanded a ‘voice division’ to allow for the voting to be redone.
The appeal was made through Deputy Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo Markin.
Later the Majority staged a walkout during processes to approve the 2022 budget.
They took the action following a directive by the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, for non-MPs to vacate the Chamber.
While vacating the Chamber, the Majority MPs demanded that the General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, who was sitting in the public gallery at the time, also exit the House.
Their request was rejected following which they staged a walkout.
After several minutes of their absence, the House reconvened and resumed sitting.
The Speaker then put the question again by asking those in favour of the request to have the Minister meet with leadership to say I, after the question was asked there was no response.
The Speaker then asked those against to say NO and with a resounding voice, the Minority’s side voted against the request.
He then proceeded to ask those who want the budget statement approved to respond in the affirmative but no response came.
But when he asked for those who want the budget rejected to respond, the Minority responded.
The Speaker expressed disappointment in the Majority for walking put describing it as unprecedented.
“As the Speaker, I will do all I can, not allow the government to obstruct or frustrate parliament in its lawful duty. That is a pledge to the people of Ghana, and there is a reason why the good people of Ghana elected this parliament. It is hung parliament of 137-137, the independent who decided to do business with one side of the majority, there is no majority party in this house. This is a new beginning, where for the first time, a Majority has walked out from its own business”, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin stated
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana