Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram constituency, Samuel Nartey George has criticised the 2024 Budget Statement presented by the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.
According to him, the budget was empty and lacked a concrete plan to alleviate the prevailing economic struggles.
Speaking during a parliamentary break on Wednesday, November 29, specifically during a debate on the approval of the 2024 budget, Mr George expressed his dissatisfaction with the leadership of the Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, highlighting the government’s failure to instill hope in the country’s restoration through the budget presentation.
He stated that the Majority Leader was striving to rectify the economic challenges precipitated by the NPP government.
“The budget is empty, Kyei is clutching at straws. It is the disposition of the Majority, that air of arrogance, incompetent arrogance at managing their caucus that has brought the government where it is and will bring the government to its knees.
“They [Majority] can continue running and chasing their own shadows, we [Minority] are here, we are ready for a vote if their men and women of substance believe in their budget [and] if they respect the Ghanaian people, they should come back into the chamber and earn their salary for November by taking part in the vote,” Mr George stressed.
Mr George’s assertion came in the wake of the Majority’s dramatic walkout during the approval of the 2024 Budget Statement and Economic Policy.
This walkout was prompted by the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin’s call for a headcount during the budget statement approval, that required MPs to stand and be counted.
This irked the Majority side, leading to their demonstrative walkout in protest of the Speaker’s directive.
Emphasising his stance, the Ningo Pramparam constituency MP stated that the Majority caucus and by extension the government of the day, lacks the capability to restore the economy – and accused them of running from their own budget, labeling it as “empty and a vote of no confidence.”