Johnson Asiedu Nketia, the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress, has accused the Finance Minister of not acting in good faith when he sought for more time to engage the leadership of Parliament on the 2022 budget.
Ken Ofori-Atta, according to him, had previously met with House leadership in a meeting presided over by the Speaker.
Asiedu Nketia, speaking to ScoopGh on Sunday, stated that at the meeting, it was decided that the Finance Minister will announce a budget revision.
“We came to the conclusion that the Finance Minister had detected certain undesirable features, therefore we should give him the chance to come and announce them.” So, following the announcement, the two sides will vote to approve the budget,” he said to host Benjamin Akakpo.
Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta, on the other hand, came to ask the Speaker to enable him to engage the leadership of the Majority and Minority Caucuses further.
“With that knowledge, he came to the House.” But everything had altered between the Speaker’s office and the House floor. Instead of revealing the aspects that would be removed when he had the opportunity to address the House, he just stood up and altered everything, requesting more time to interact.”
“What form of engagement are you searching for if you have showed this lack of good faith after an engagement?”
You’ve come around to display ill faith with the folks you’ve engaged with. So, how will they trust you, and how will they know that you’ll come back and report on what you’ve promised to after the engagement?” He inquired.
Ken Ofori-performance Atta’s in Parliament on Friday, according to Asiedu Nketia, is typical of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
“The party has always had a secret goal,” he claimed. Once you take one stride forward, they turn around and say something completely different.”
Parliament decided to reject the 2022 budget on November 26, 2021.
The NPP MPs were absent from the vote to reject the budget because they had staged a walkout.
Alban Bagbin, the Speaker, stated that their absence would not prevent the House from doing its work for the day.
That was the first time a budget had been rejected in the fourth Republic.
Before the vote on the budget’s approval or rejection, the Finance Minister pleaded with the Speaker to give him more time to work with Parliament’s leadership on the budget. The MPs, however, rejected the request in a voice note.
Meanwhile, the NPP Caucus has called the budget rejection unlawful.
When Parliament reconvenes on Tuesday, November 30, 2021, the Majority has given notice that it will challenge the budget’s rejection.