The Minority in Parliament has stated that it will oppose the adoption of the 2024 budget on Thursday, November 30, 2023.
Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, the Minority Leader, told journalists that the 2024 budget was still hanging in the balance and that its ratification would be denied today.
The Minority had objected to the Speaker’s verdict in favour of the Majority following a voice vote on the ratification of the economic strategy and budget statement delivered to the house on Wednesday by Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.
The Caucus requested a head count, forcing the Majority to organise a walkout.
Addressing journalists after the walkout the Finance Minister told journalists that, “At the end of the day, the Speaker put it to vote twice, and he declared that the ‘ayes’ have it. That means the budget, in my view, has been passed. Later, there was a challenge, which has not been resolved. So far as I know and believe, we have the 2024 budget passed until such time that they resolve whatever they want to resolve.”
On his part, the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu accused the Speaker of breaching the proceedings saying “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.”
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
