Haruna Iddrisu, the leader of Parliament’s Minority group, has asked the government to change aspects of the 2022 budget statement and resubmit it to Parliament for approval.
He stated that until those changes are made, the budget that has been thrown out will not be revisited in its current form.
“The NPP Majority Leadership should appreciate that this is a new Parliament; a hung Parliament,” he said in a statement issued on Monday, November 29.
“The days of the NPP Majority bullying the Minority due to their’excess’ numbers are over.” However, the nature and character of this new Parliament, with nearly equal numbers (137+1377), necessitates broader and more thorough consultation in order to secure the best national interest for the benefit of the Ghanaian people.
“We hope the NPP government will do what is right and proper when considering a revised budget. The NPP Government should critically take on board the view of the Minority and sentiments of the Ghanaian populace and bring a Budget that is acceptable and address the issues of the general public. The NDC Members of Parliament has no approving a Budget that addresses the generality of the concerns of the Ghanaian people.”
His remarks come after Parliament rejected the 2022 budget statement presented by Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta on behalf of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Wednesday, November 17.
The Majority members walked out during the proceedings on Friday, November 26, but the Speaker, Alban Bagbin, did not rule on the motion.
He had given the Majority members a five-minute break before returning to their seats.
However, after the time limit had expired, Speaker Bagbin ruled that the budget had been rejected after a resounding ‘No’ from the members present.
