The ex-NPP Member of Parliament (MP) for New Juaben South has said that the plan by his former colleagues to boycott the reading of the 2023 budget if Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta is the one to present it is unnecessary.
According to Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah, should the 98 New Patriotic Party (NPP) MPs go on with their threat, they will only end up hurting the people of Ghana, including their constituents.
He added that passing the 2023 budget on time is very critical to the nation because without it, public sector workers will not be paid and all government agencies will not be able to operate.
“What they (the NPP MPs) are doing is unnecessary. One month ago, on 25th October, was when we heard that the majority MPs’ demanded that the president sack Ofori-Atta, otherwise they would not support the government’s business. That same day, they went to meet the president at the Jubilee House and they said the president had pleaded with them to allow Ofori-Atta to finish preparing the budget.
“The following day, Wednesday, 26th October, they released a statement saying that they have rescinded their decision after the president’s appeal. That is what we have been working with and all of a sudden you come and say that if the minister comes to present the budget you will walk out,” he said in Twi.
“All ready the reading of the budget has delayed by one work. The reading of the budget has implications for all of us. After the budget is read, it has to be approved and then we consider estimates – that is the monies going to the Ministry of Agriculture, the National Health Insurance, the Ministry of Roads and so on.
“After the estimates are done, we do what we call the appropriation bill and this is what authorises the government to pay workers, construct roads, buy medicine and so on. And so, if you don’t let him (Ofori-Atta) read the budget, are you not hurting the entire country,” he added.
Dr Assibey Yeboah’s comments come after the spokesperson of 80 NPP MPs' calling for the head of Ofori-Atta, Andy Kwame Appiah-Kubi, stated that the group is returning to their original demand for the finance minister's removal.
According to the Member of Parliament for Asante Akyem North, their renewed demand, with the support of 18 other members of their caucus, is because the minister's position is now untenable.
He added that the anti-Ofori-Atta MPs will boycott the budget presentation if he is allowed to come to parliament to present the budget.
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