The Minority in Parliament has expressed displeasure at the conspicuous absence of Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta from Parliament during the commencement of the 2023 Budget debate.
The group threatened to halt the exercise until the Minister presents himself and sits through the debate to take inputs from the Minority members.
Parliament began debating the Motion for the House to approve the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the government for the year ending 31st November 2023 on Tuesday, November 29.
Deputy Minority whip, Ahmed Ibrahim, argued it is not for nothing the 1992 Constitution says the Finance Minister should lay the budget on the floor on behalf of the President.
The House, he said, is prepared to debate the Motion and make inputs for the Minister to convey the same to the President.
“You just can’t come and move the Motion and you are not present. We are in a critical stage as a country and members have researched over the weekend.”
“You took us to Ho and gave technical insight and guidance to members who are prepared to make their inputs.”
“It is only appropriate the Finance Minister must be here for us to make out input,” he said and stressed if the Minister is not ready to do the job he must inform the House.
The Deputy questioned how the Minister is expected to wind up the debate if he does even sit through the debate to acknowledge the concerns of the members.
Ranking member of the Finance Committee, Ato Forson lamented the attitude of the Minister to absent himself during budget debates has become unacceptable.
He argued Mr. Ofori-Atta cannot present a budget to the House and then fail to solicit inputs to improve it going forward.
This, he said, is unbecoming of the Minister responsible for Finance and added, “Mr. Speaker, if we have our we should not debate until he appears before us.”
“This means that whatever we say the Minister is not going to pick it up and make inputs in building the nation, which requires inputs from both sides.”
“You don’t just present a budget and travel abroad or go and sit in your office. We cannot accept this; he should come before we start the debate.
Majority leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu who responded to the concerns of the Minority argued the Constitution does not say anywhere that the Budget Statement and Economic Policy should be submitted by the Finance Minister.
Article 179 of the Constitution, he said, only provides that the President shall cause to be prepared and laid before the Parliament estimated revenues and expenditure of the government for the following financial year.
“That’s all it says. It doesn’t mention the Minister responsible for Finance. The President can choose to send any minister to represent him in the House.”
The Majority leader, however, explained the Minister is on an equally important national assignment to Germany and has indeed informed the Speaker and leadership.
He assured the two Deputy Finance Ministers are in attendance and will convey the concerns of the Minority to the Minister and the government.
Minority leader Haruna Iddrisu, however, drew the attention of his colleague he should not have gone on a Constitutional legal tangent.
The responsibility of the Majority, he said, was just to provide an explanation for the Finance Minister’s absence rather than attempt to dilute the concern raised by the Deputy Minority Whip.
He argued the late Baah Wiredu and Seth Terkper, Finance Ministers under the Kufuor and Mahama governments respectively always sat through the budget to take notes and sometimes engage MPs while the debate was going on.
Hon. Haruna assured the Minority is ready to debate and do justice to the budget.
Speaker Alban S.K. Bagbin put the matter to rest when indicated that the budget document laid in Parliament is different from the statement presented on the floor of the House.
According to him, Article 179 (7) and Parliament’s Standing Order 140 clearly provide that the Minister responsible for Finance shall present the Budget to the House on behalf of and on the authority of the President.
“So, it is the Minister responsible for Finance who is, by our procedure and rules, to present the budget for and on behalf of the President,” he added.
