Parliament of Ghana by a simple majority vote rejected the Akufo-Addo government’s 2022 economic and fiscal policy statement which is to provide a clear path to how the government intends to mobilize revenue and how much revenue will be spent and where it will be spent as well.
It is interesting however to take note that at the time of the vote, the NPP party which forms the majority side of the house had already staged a walkout hence leaving their seats in the chamber empty as seen in the video attached.
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Well, as has always been the case with walkouts, the other side of the house will go on with proceeding once they form a quorum and that’s exactly what happened during the vote cast.
Now let us take a look at some analysis made by sympathizers of the NPP after they lost their desire to debate the budget statement.
Why did the majority walkout in Parliament as explained by NPP communicators
Today the minister of Finance came to Parliament with a prayer to have the opportunity to accommodate the comments made by the minority into the budget.
Key among them were
– request to include Ketamine relief efforts in the estimates
– request to adjust the e-levy
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These and other requests of the minority led by Haruna Iddrisu require consultation and costing if the minister is to include them in the budget.
Surprisingly the same minority who made the requests and the speaker has refused to give the minister the opportunity to incorporate their requests. While refusing the minister the opportunity, the speaker went further to ask the finance minister whose budget is being debated, to leave the chamber.
Shocking! At the same time, Johnson Asiedu Nketia NDC General Secretary was left seated. Mr. Speaker ignored requests to ask all other strangers to leave the chamber and public galleries.
The majority are of the view that Mr. Speaker is acting in bad faith and being partisan at such a crucial national junction. The majority is of the view that it cannot countermand an order by Mr. Speaker for Marshals to take the Finance Minister out. The majority has consequently walked out.
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Order 109 says the Speaker requires 138 members at least before he can put a question. He may have a quorum to take questions and statements but he needs 138 to put a question.
Any decision that is taken with less than 138 people in the chamber is void. Ghanaians should disregard the claim that the budget is rejected.
Aside from all the above, this is the very ground on which the NDC thinks their vote is valid and the Finance Minister must go back to the planning table.
“The NPP thought they were smart with their numbers in parliament but they forgot the first and second deputy speakers were part of their number and their presence in the chamber during the walkout reduced their total to 136 hence the NDC had power.”
Watch how the Parliamentary proceedings went:
