Stop irresponsible attacks on Bagbin and accept budget defeat

The Minority in Parliament has urged Ghanaians to disregard the barrage of accusations being levelled against the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin on the rejection of the 2022 Budget.

In a statement issued on Sunday 28^th November 2022, the Minority stated that Parliament is governed by the 1992 Constitution and the Standing Orders of Parliament and not the imagination and thinking of any Member.

“The Minority Caucus wishes to state that the Speaker applied strictly the rules, procedures and practices of the House and urged the public to ignore the allegations peddled by the Majority Caucus that sought to bring the image and reputation of the Speaker into disrepute. The Minority dismisses, with contempt, the comments of the Majority Leader,” the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu stated.

The Majority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu addressing media on Friday described the rejection of the 2022 Budget and Economic Policy of the Government as unconstitutional.

He further stated that the actions that led to the rejection of the budget by the Speaker and Minority Caucus in Parliament are not in consonance with the Standing Orders of Parliament.

However, the Minority in disagreeing with Kyei Mensah-Bonsu indicated that despite the 137 New Patriotic Party (NPP) MPs and the one independent Member of Parliament which constitute a majority group of 138 MPs they failed to meet the NDC in the voting on the budget.

“With this number which could secure them victory in any vote why did they run away from their own budget? There is no way the Standing Orders of Parliament or 1992 Constitution or supports the Majority Leader’s position that the Budget has not been rejected.

“Sadly, why did the NPP Members do the unthinkable and for the first time in our recent political history a so-called Majority side walked out on its own budget? Which serious governing party a critical matter such as the approval of an economic policy and budget brought by a government formed by their party. It is Ghana’s day of shame that the majority failed to stand their grounds and be counted as those who seek to impose killer taxes on our already suffering citizens,” he added.

Attached is the full statement from the Minority