Government Yet to Settle on which Government Official to Present 2023 Budget
Responding to some questions on the Floor of the House from MPs as to whether the Budget will be presented by someone else in Government apart from Ken Ofori Atta, the Majority Leader indicated that when the Government gets to the bridge it will cross it.
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the Minister responsible for Finance, would present to Parliament, the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of Government for the year 2023, on Thursday, November 24, 2022.
What is however not clear is whether the presentation would be done by the beleaguered Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta or another person in Government, following calls by MPs from both sides of the House on the exchequer to step aside or be sacked.
This is according to the Chairman of the Business Committee and Leader of Government Business in Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, who gave the indication during the presentation of the Business Committee report for the following week on Friday, November 11, 2022.
It is already being rumoured that the Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, may get another stint as a representative of the Finance Ministry to present the 2023 Budget Statement and Government’s Economic policy on behalf of President Akufo Addo as he did in the year 2021.
On Friday, March 12, 2021, Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, was asked by the President to step in to present the 2021 Budget Statement to Parliament in the absence of the Minister designate for Finance, Ken Ofori Atta.
The Minority Group in Parliament led by its Leader, Haruna Iddrisu and the Minority Chief Whip, successfully moved and seconded a motion on Thursday, November 10, 2022 for the House to Pass a vote of Censure on the Finance Minister. An Ad hoc Committee has been set up by the Speaker to hear out the Minister on the 7 grounds for the censorship and report back to the House in 7 days.
Responding to some questions on the Floor of the House from MPs as to whether the Budget will be presented by someone else in Government apart from Ken Ofori Atta, the Majority Leader indicated that when the Government gets to the bridge it will cross it.
On the specific date for the Budget presentation, the Majority Leader indicated that, due to the fact that the Ghana Blackstars will be playing their first match at the World Cup on that same day, the Finance Minister has suggested that the presentation be rather made on Wednesday, November 23, 2022.
The usual post-budget workshop for Members of Parliament is scheduled to be held from Friday, 25th to Monday, 28th November 2022 at the Volta Serene Hotel in Ho in the Volta Region, to allow experts to elucidate further on the underpinnings of the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the President Akufo Addo led Government.
The debate on the Budget Statement is also scheduled to commence on Tuesday, November 29th 2022.
Source: Clement Akoloh||parliamentnews360.com
