Speaker Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has directed the Business Committee of the House to reschedule the 2024 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government to Thursday, December 7, for the House to finally take a decision on it.
“The Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government for the year 2024 is still before the House and so, the Business Committee will reschedule for next week, it is before the House. It is not hanging…”
Speaker Bagbin reiterated that the 2024 Budget was still before the House and that the final decision would be taken next week.
The Speaker gave the directive following an appeal by Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary Minority Leader for a clarification on whether the House did approve the Budget 2024 Budget.
The Minority Leader alleged that Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, the Finance Minister, in his comment to the press did indicate that the House had approved the Budget.
“Mr Speaker I also urge to set the records straight because there is lot of confusion out there because impressions have been created that the Budget has been approved. Whilst we in this House know for sure that the Budget is hanging.”
Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Majority Leader and Leader of Government Business in Parliament, in his response said the Budget had been approved by the House and that what was still hanging was the request of Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, the Deputy Minority Leader for a headcount to determine the approval of Budget.
It would be recalled that at the end of the debate on the Budget on Wednesday, November 29, when the Speaker put the question for its approval by a voice vote on two occasions, he expressed his opinion that “I think the ayes have it”.
This brought Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, the Deputy Minority Leader, to his feet to challenge the Speaker’s decision.
He then went further to appeal to the Speaker to request a head count.
Following the Speaker’s ruling on Wednesday, November 29, that a head count be conducted for the approval of the 2024 Budget using names of individual Members of the House present in the Chamber, the Majority Caucus of the House staged a walkout.
