Ahead of the commencement of fresh discussions on the 2022 budget, JoyNews can independently confirm that the Minority and Majority Caucuses are putting mechanisms in place towards fresh deliberations on November 30.
According to JoyNews‘ Parliamentary correspondent, Kwesi Parker Wilson, the leaderships of the Minority and Minority Caucuses held separate meetings on Monday to firm their arguments ahead of Tuesday’s business on the floor of the House.
The reported meetings have been necessitated by the events of November 26.
On Friday, November 26, Parliament rejected the 2022 Budget following a series of heated exchanges between members of the two Caucuses.
Infuriated by the turn of events, the Majority, led by Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu staged a walkout after alleging ‘bias’ and ‘disrespect’ on the part of the Speaker, Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin.
Proceedings however continued unabated, following which the Minority threw out the Budget, with 137 of its members, present, and voting. The Majority subsequently reacted, describing the Minority’s decision as ‘unconstitutional’.
But in the statement by the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu on Sunday, he refuted the claims of unconstitutionality, describing their colleagues in the Majority as “irresponsible”; and urging them to accept the rejection of the 2022 Budget in good faith.
“The Minority wishes to strongly advise the Majority Leader and Government to accept defeat, acknowledge the rejection of the 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Policy by Parliament and focus on discussions on how to save the country from an imminent economic crisis”, the statement said.
Having expressed its reservations about the conduct of the Majority MPs, the Minority called for the government to make certain amendments to the 2022 Budget before they will support it.
The Minority wants the government to withdraw the Agyapa deal and suspend the proposed 1.75% e-levy. The Minority has also advocated for proper reconstruction of paragraph 829 of the Aker Energy deal relating to GNPC’s acquisition of stake from Aker Energy and AGM Petroleum.
In addition to these, the Minority wants government to review the benchmark value for imports as well as provide for the Keta tidal waves disaster.
According to the Minority, without these, it will not approve the 2022 Budget.