By Franklin ASARE-DONKOH
For the second time, members of Ghana’s Parliament failed to approve the government’s 2024 Financial and Fiscal Policy Statement.
Although indications on Thursday, November 30, 2023, Order Paper of Parliament suggested that the House would be conducting a headcount today after a voice vote on the subject was challenged by the minority on Wednesday, 29, November 2023.
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin on Wednesday, November 29, 2023, declared a voice vote on the approval of the budget in favour of the majority after the conclusion of the debate.
However, the minority caucus challenged the ruling and opted for a headcount, forcing the majority group to stage a walkout.
The Speaker subsequently suspended sittings and later returned to adjourn proceedings till Thursday, 30 November 2023.
However, the majority caucus abandoned Parliament on Thursday, November 30, 2023.
For this reason, the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin has directed that the approval of the 2024 budget be rescheduled for Thursday, December 7, 2023.
The speaker said, “The 2024 budget is still before us but has been rescheduled for Thursday.”
Meanwhile, the minority caucus accuses the majority of running away from the house, saying “For the second time, they have run away…where are they?”