Ghana Parliament: Majority overturns 2022 budget rejection, approves it without the Minority

The Majority group in Parliament has approved the “Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana for the 2022 Financial Year,” presented to it for consideration.

 3news report, the First Deputy Speaker, Mr Joseph Osei Owusu who sat in for the Speaker adopted the statement on Tuesday November 30 in the absence of the minority who declined participation in the approval of the budget.

“The House has adopted the financial statement and approved the budget statement for the ensuing year ending 31st December 202,” the First Deputy Speaker said.

“This house has approved the budget and economic statement,” Mr Osei Owusu was reported to have emphasised.

Set aside 2022 budget rejection

The approval took place after the Majority Leader and Leader of Parliamentary Business, Mr Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu pleaded with the sit-in speaker to set aside the decision taken by the house on Friday November 26, rejecting the budget statement.

According to him, proceedings which led to the rejection of the budget “did not meet the test established under Article 104” hence the need to set it aside.

Mr Kyei Mensah  Bonsu mentioned the 137 members in the house on Friday, November 26 did not meet the required condition needed to make a decision of such.

It could be recalled on Friday, November 26, Parliament rejected the 2022 budget statement presented by the Minister of Finance, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta on behalf of the government and also in the absence of the Majority.

According to report, the Majority staged a walk out over a misunderstanding that ensued in the house leaving the Minority only to take the decision on the budget.

“Majority members of the house staged a walkout during proceedings on Friday, November 26 but that did not stop the Speaker, Alban Bagbin, from ruling on the motion,” 3news.com report said.

“He had given a five-minute break for the Majority members to resume their seats”.

“But after the time elapsed, Mr Bagbin ruled that the budget has been rejected after the members present overwhelmingly shouted ‘No,” 3news.com said.

The Majority subsequently protested the rejection and described it a void and unconstitutional.

Source: GhanaPlus.com