News:
June 5, 2024
The Majority Leader, Alexander Kwamen Afenyo-Markin has taken a swipe at the Minority caucus in Ghana’s Parliament to stop obstructing government business and scaring investors away which is affecting the economy.
According to him the press conference held by the Minority which they pointed out that the Public Financial Management Act section 33 is being breach is not true.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, June 5, 2024, as part of the Majority putting up the fact series which is aimed at ensuring the right information is put out in the Ghanaian public space, he noted
“We are doing this to ensure, the NDC Minority does not take advantage of spreading falsehood, more especially when we know we are approaching a general election in December 2024”.
Again, the PFM Act section 33 of the said law and compared it to the constitution Article 181 requires that such contract should come to Parliament; and we need to remind them that they do not have to make parliament a busy body putting its nose at things that are not part of its mandate. Our job as Parliament is provided for in the constitution, he indicated.
“By their act they are obstructing government business and scaring investors and that affects the economy. If businesses are hearing such news, they are not going to give off their best. Basically people will keep their money and that would affect the good people of Ghana.
They quoted the law mischievously for their political purpose. Act 921 section 33 states, “a covered entity shall not enter into any agreement with the financial commitment that binds the government for more than one financial year or that result in a contingent liability except where the financial contingent is with prior approval of the Minister authoritised by parliament in accordance with article 181 of the constitution”
So, the question is what does article 181 says? For this purpose, its clause 5 says this articles with the necessary modification by parliament apply to an international business to economic business to which government is a party as it applies to a loan.
So, the contract in reference must be an international transaction that is where our colleagues should pay attention to. It does not mean every contract with multi year contract should come to parliament and they should stop misleading the public, he added
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com