Majority Leader in Parliament, Mr Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu has alleged that the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Bagbin demanded 1.72 Billion from the Finance Minister, Mr Ken Ofori Atta to be given to parliament to ensure passage of the 2022 budget.
According to him, the Speaker reminded the Finance Minister of his late father who also had his budget rejected in same manner.
It was reported that after the 1.75% E-Levy was okayed by the Finance Committee of Parliament, it was brought to a plenary session for it to be voted on by the MPs inside the house.
Although the Speaker is said to have been in Parliament earlier, just before the E-Levy election, he stepped out.
Due to this, the Second Deputy Speaker, Andrews Amoako Asiamah had to preside over the sitting and that meant a possible loss of one vote for the majority side.
This infuriated the Minority MPs with some demanding that the Speaker return to his seat for the session to proceed.
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Speaking to journalists at a press conference in Accra, the Majority Leader said, “That because we had not given him an amount of 1.72 Billion, he, the Speaker has requested from the Finance Minister to give to Parliament, he the Speaker was going to ensure that his budget was rejected, that is what happened that day and he threatened him that this budget is going to be rejected by parliament and even said to him that he does not want to remind him of what his own father did to President Hilla Limann. That was the Speaker, so all that is playing out. Is it to satisfy what the Speaker indicated at the very beginning of the presentation of the budget that he will make sure the budget is rejected, is that the case?”
He continued that, “The People of this country ought to know the mindset of this Speaker with respect to this budget, so all these playing out really, that is why and he sits and he left to leave the chamber to create problems.”
Meanwhile, Mr Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu expressed hope that by the time Parliament resumes on 18th January, they might have been able to get to the bottom of the issue either as one people of this country and not submit to the whims and caprices of one individual.
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Ghana| Atinkaonline.com
