By Bubu Klinogo
The debate on the 2022 Budget has entered Day Two with focus on Health, Trade and Industry, Communications, Local Government, Lands and Forestry, Works and Housing as well as Mines and Energy. However, the commencement of the debate today was rocked with controversies and heated exchanges after the Minority demanded that either the Finance Minister or any of his Deputies must be present before the debate. Deputy Minority Chief Whip, Ahmed Ibrahim raised the concerns of the Minority.
The Deputy Majority Leader Alex Afenyo-Markin attempted to offer some suggestions as to why the Ministers were not present in the Chamber. He felt the Minority were only trying to score a cheap political point.
The Minority did not take kindly to the suggestions that they are being mischievous with their demand for the Ministers to be present. They demanded that Mr. Afenyo-Markin retracts the comments and apologize.
On the substantive issue of the presence of the Ministers, the First Deputy Speaker, Joe Osei Owusu who was Presiding ruled that there is no law which required the Minister during the debate.
He, therefore, directed the debate to proceed.