Today, Tuesday, November 30, 2021, Parliament will reconvene to resume the process of either approving or rejecting the 2022 Budget Statement and Fiscal Policy.
After the Majority Caucus staged a walkout on Friday, November 26, the Minority Caucus decided to reject the budget.
However, the Majority Caucus thereafter encouraged Ghanaians to overlook the alleged budget rejection since it was unconstitutional.
A statement from the Majority said: “For the record, the acts of the Minority and the decision of the Speaker to endorse it, constitute an unconstitutionality and an illegality and should be disregarded, as same is void and of no effect whatsoever”.
Regardless, the Minority Caucus has taken on the Majority Caucus in response to the latter’s posturing in the aftermath of the rejection.
It has called on the Finance Minister, in a statement signed by Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu, to adjust the budget to include the suspension of the e-levy, money for the building of the Blekusu sea defense project, and the withdrawal of the Agyapa deal, among other things.
It is uncertain if a new budget will be submitted today or whether Parliament will deal with the issue via its own procedures.
Meanwhile, Kweku George Ricketts-Hagan, a former Deputy Finance Minister, has encouraged all sides of the House to reach a consensus on the 2022 budget.
In an interview with Citi News, Mr. Ricketts-Hagan said that a delay in budget approval may not bode well for the nation.
As a result, he recommended the two sides of the house to work together to pass the budget.
“I pray and hope that on Tuesday [November 30, 2021] when we get into the house, instead of coming to be at each other’s throat, or taking on the Speaker, we should rather look at how to address this issue.”
“For me, it is a second opportunity for us to sit properly and see how we can get this budget passed, else people will not get their salaries and we will not be able to spend on all the areas that we will add value to the economy.”
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