The in parliament has redeemed itself in the successes they chalked in the approval of the 2023 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of government for the year ending 31st December, 2023.
Unfortunately, it failed in one crucial target which a lot of Ghanaians were hoping would be a major relief to the already overburdened population – 2.5 increase in the Value Added Tax (VAT). The Minority Caucus narrowly missed out after a voice vote that declared the “I’s as having it was challenged by the Minority Chief Whip, Mohammed Muntaka who called for vote on the motion.
The Minority, however, narrowly lost by 136-135. As such the quest for government to increase VAT by 2.5 percent come 2023 eventually passed.
The Minority came under intense criticism after the passa of the budget principles which many misconstrued as the passage of the budget and concluded that everything that was contained in the budget would thus be implemented.
This forced some response from the leadership of the Minority Caucus in which they explained that the passage of the budget principles was just a first step; and that the real work would be done at the budget estimate and appropriations. And they promised to reject most of the things that they considered inimical to the good people of Ghana.
The major successes registered include:
*Ensuring government maintains the GHc100 threshold for MoMo transactions while reducing the rate from 1.5 to 1 percent.
*Defeated the GHS80million allocation for the Cathedral and have it expunged from the Appropriation Act;
* GHS1.3billion (€116million) Accra International Conference Centre Demolition and Redevelopment plans scuttled;
*Defeated proposed plans to establish new diplomatic missions in Jamaica, Mexico and Trinidad & Tobago.
*GHS1.4billion request for Contingency Vote cut drastically to GHS533million;
6) Collapsing the Secretariats of the Special Development Initiatives & the Monitoring and Evaluation; both at the Office of the President by scrapping the budgetary allocations of GHS27.5million.
*Defeated the repugnant tax measure intended to compel drivers, particularly commercial drivers to produce tax clearance certificates as a requirement for renewing driver’s license.
Ghanamps.com
The Speaker said he felt sad when he read and saw that approximately 81 percent of the budget on goods and services has not been released to the Ministry of Defence.
This came to light when the MPs debate the report of the Committee on Communication on Annual Budget Estimate of the Ministry of information for the year ending 31st December 2023.
He thus urged the Members to cooperate with the leadership and parliament service board, the clerk and management of parliament so that they will be able to implement the initiatives.
“We are not going to be complacent at all; we will not allow any parliament to overrun us; that will not happen. And so luckily next year, the proposal to get real true offices for members of parliament will come on board and we will start the construction lf offices, real offices; not party offices, public state offices for members of parliament where as representatives of all the people in your constituencies, they can reach out to you, not just only party members, and that will not be to the inconveniences of your family members”. This move, he said forms part of the open parliament initiatives.
But Madam Oteng Mensah who admitted being the Board Chair and that the board actually approved the budget the purpose said she was not a member of the Entity Tender Committee.
In August this year, the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, acting in accordance with article 78 of the Constitution, appointed the Deputy Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Lariba Zuweira Abudu, the Member of Parliament for Walewale, as Minister-designate for Gender, Children and Social Protection subject to the approval of Parliament.
