Minority MPs to file motion to Speaker of Parliament on approval of 2022 budget
Otumfuo asks MPs not to frustrate work of the government
Members of Parliament on the Minority side have given yet another indication that they are unrelenting in their resolve to invalidate the 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Policy.
Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka, who is the Minority Chief Whip, explained that this resolution is to ensure that they safeguard parliamentary procedure while ensuring accountability from the government, reports myjoyonline.com.
He said that while they await the return of the Speaker of Parliament, they are bent on exploring as many options and avenues available to them.
“We believe that his (Joseph Osei-Owusu) refusal to admit that motion is very biased. The [standing] order he quoted 13(2) to reject the motion, in our view has no relation completely with the mission that we are demanding, so we are responding officially to him.
“The Minority Leader is signing a letter to remind him that this is very unfair and we believe that he is abusing his office. He is leaving us with no other option than to wait for Mr. Speaker himself to return and then we will exploit that avenue,” he said.
Presiding over proceedings on November 30, 2021, when the House controversially approved the 2022 budget, the First Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei-Owusu, who is also the MP for Bekwai, rejected a motion filed by the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, a day after, seeking a quashing of his earlier ruling for the approval of the 2022 Budget statement.
“Please refer to your communication dated 7th December 2021 on the motion relating to a ruling of the Hon. First Deputy Speaker on Wednesday, 1st December 2021,” a letter from the Bekwai MP and addressed to the Minority Leader said.
The letter further stated that “The Hon. First Deputy Speaker, pursuant to Order 13(2) of the Standing Orders of Parliament, has directed that I inform you that your motion is not admitted.”
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, on the back of these backs and forths in parliament, has called on the MPs not to unnecessarily delay the work of the executive.
“We elect people to represent us to make such there is some equilibrium in what governments do. It is to our good that our representatives in Parliament subject the national budget to most vigorous scrutiny and to all, to call for changes.
“Government must also have the humility to acknowledge and embrace the useful input from all sources but our representatives need to bear in mind that it is not their role to rather determine policy for the executive or frustrate them from performing their legitimate duties,” Otumfuo Osei Tutu II said at the launch of the commemorative gold coin at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi.
Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka is the Minority Chief Whip