Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, has reacted to the U-Turn of the majority in Parliament on their decision to boycott the reading of the 2023 budget statement by finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.
Reacting to the development at a press conference in Parliament on Wednesday, November 23, the minority leader said the U-turn is a stab at oversight and parliamentary oversight as it only weakens Parliament’s ability to exercise its oversight by calling ministers to order.
“When we initiated the motion, we firmly and sincerely believed that our friends opposite will walk the talk with us and not just make radio and interview declarations but they will manifest in supporting us on the floor of Parliament.
“For me, [the U-Turn] is a stab on oversight and parliamentary oversight, it only weakens Parliament in exercising its oversight in calling ministers to order. That is very disappointing and that means that the Parliament of Ghana is failing the Ghanaian citizens and the Parliament of Ghana is failing to protect the public purse,” Haruna Iddrisu said.
Read Also: 2023 Budget: NPP MPs make U-turn
Background
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament rescinded their decision to boycott the reading of the 2023 budget statement by finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.
This was after the Member of Parliament for Asante-Akyem North Kwame Andy Appiah-Kubi had earlier served notice that the aggrieved MPs won’t be in Parliament to support the budget if Mr Ofori-Atta is the one to present the document.
“We’ve gone back to (our demand for the President to) sack him now and therefore should the budget be presented under the stamp of the Finance Minister, we’ll not participate because as far as we’re concerned we’re never going to do business with him”, he told press men.
But the leadership of the NPP has called on the Members of Parliament to attend to all Government Business in the House including the 2023 budget statement and economic policy and all connected matters.
“In the meantime, the leadership of the Parliamentary Group and the leadership of the party counselled the Honourbale Members of Parliamentary party to respect to the caucus communications channel, and to the largest extent possible, work together as one caucus unit,” a joint statement by the Majority Chief Whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh and General Secretary of the NPP, Justin Kodua Frimpong said.
Ghana | Atinkaonline.com | Vivian Adu