Minority Leader Cassiel Ato Forson has reiterated the Minority’s call for a proper vote on the budget estimates before the 2024 budget is approved.
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Citi FM on Thursday, he said “Order 98 of Ghana’s standing order provides that when the Speaker rules and the speaker ruled that the headcount must commence, you can only challenge the Speaker with a substantive motion, as we speak that ruling exists and hasn’t been challenged. And in fact this morning we’ll insist that the budget is put to a proper vote.”
Dr. Forson’s comments come after the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, declared a voice vote in favour of the majority on the approval of the economic policy and budget statement presented by the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, to the house on Wednesday, November 29.
The Minority, however, insisted on a headcount, forcing the Majority caucus to stage a walkout on the approval process.
“The budget as we speak has not been approved…in fact this morning we will insist that the budget be put to a proper vote.
“I am going to ensure that the NDC Minority will not countenance any estimate on the floor because the budget policy has not been approved and the estimates cannot come to the floor until the budget is properly considered,” he said.
Meanwhile, Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam, the Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance and MP for Karaga, maintained that the Budget had been duly approved by the Speaker.
According to him, as far as the majority caucus is concerned, the budget has been passed following the declaration of the voice vote by the Speaker.
Source:Fiilafmonline/CitiNews
