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The Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, Alban S.K. Bagbin, has suggested amending the Standing Orders of Parliament that pertain to the approval of budget statements of the ruling governments.
He argues that the changes are necessary because he foresees a change in Ghana’s democracy where one political party will form the government while another will hold the majority of Members of Parliament (MPs).
In such a scenario, the MPs from the ruling party would be in the minority in Parliament.
This could make it extremely difficult for the government to get its budget proposal approved if the Standing Orders of Parliament are not amended.
During an announcement on December 7, 2023, the Speaker emphasized the need for a review, citing the partisan nature with which lawmakers handle budget statements.
The Speaker acknowledged the challenge a future minority government might encounter in gaining approval for its policy document, considering the prevailing partisanship among MPs.
He disclosed that Committee had thoroughly examined the matter, and the revised proposals would be shared with members in the following week.
He said, “We have gone through the provisions of the Constitution and the Standing Orders of the House and there is a need for us to take a second look at the Standing Orders of the House.”
“There are more provisions to look at in the Constitution than what we have been referred to. I have taken some time to go through these provisions particularly when this matter was reiterated last week by some members of this House after we could not take the vote on the budget.”
“The Standing Orders Committee has taken a deep look into the matter and we’ll be proposing for the consideration of this house during the consideration and the adoption of the resolution to revise these standing orders.”
He suggested either passing an Act or a resolution to address the approval process, particularly concerning capital expenditure and supplementary budgets.
