Parliament forms 20-member committee over budget
Parliament has formed a 20-member bipartisan committee to settle impasse between the Majority and Minority side of the house over the 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of Government.
The establishment of the committee follows disagreements between the two sides of the House over the approval or otherwise of the budget presented to the legislature by the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.
The recent dispute between the two sides is eroding Parliament’s image as the bastion of democracy, hence, the need to develop consensus among stakeholders.
The committee is therefore tasked to find a lasting resolution to the stalemate between the majority and minority sides over the budget.
The members of the Committee from the Majority side include Alexander Afenyo Markin, MP for Effutu, Dan Botwe, MP for Okere, Kobina Tahiru Hammond, MP for Adansi Asokwa, Patrick Boamah, MP for Okaikwei Central, and Patricia Appiagyei for Asokwa.
The rest are Lydia Alhassan, MP for Ayawaso West Wuogon, Habid Iddrisu, MP for Tolon, Frank Annor Dompreh, MP for Nsawam Addoagyir, and Joe Ghartey, MP for Essikado-Ketan
The Minority members of the committee include Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, MP for Asawase, Rockson Nelson Dafiamekpor, MP for South Dayi, Sam George, MP for Ningo-Prampram, James Agalga, MP for Builsa North, and Kwabena Mintah Akando, MP for Juaboso.
The rest are Ernest Norgbey, MP for Ashaiman, Richard Acheampong, MP for Bia East, Ahmed Ibrahim, MP for Banda, and Comfort Doyoe-Ghansah, MP for Ada East.
It would be recalled that the Minority side of the House on Friday, November 30, 2021, voted by 137 members to reject the 2022 Budget and Economic Policy of the Government.
However, the Majority side on Tuesday, December 1, 2021, voted by 138 members to overturn the decision of the House arrived at on Friday.
The Minority side, who were upset with the move also tabled a motion on Wednesday, December 2, 2021, in an attempt to get the House to reverse the Majority’s decision but failed when First Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei-Owusu in his ruling upheld the approval of the 2022 budget by the Majority Side.
Source: GNA