The Member of Parliament for Builsa South, Dr. Clement Apaak has questioned the Ministry of Health on steps being taken to ensure that Medical Doctors posted to deprived parts of the country take up their postings.
The lawmaker also requested the Minister of Health to give a timeline on the policy on posting of doctors to deprived areas.
According to him, “as we speak this is a practical reality. For example in the Upper East region last year of all the ten doctors posted there not even one took up his position and this year only five.”
In responding to the questions in Parliament, the Minister for Health, Kwaku Agyeman Manu indicated that his ministry is validating a report on the situation which will be subsequently presented to the cabinet for action.
“Mr. Speaker, all the activities are not controlled by me, some of them are outside my environment. Depending on when we finish the validation I get my cabinet Memo done and approved then I come to Parliament to what we have agreed upon then we roll out.
“That is why we said we can’t wait for the problem you have mentioned to continue to exist. It is not the Upper East alone when you go to the Eastern regionk last year we sent ten there only one reported,” Mr. Agyeman Manu stated.
He said the Ministry has decided not to go about its usual way of posting rather the vacancies will be opened for applications.
“So if we tell you that there is a vacancy for a doctor and you are ready and apply we will interview you and post you there. So that idea of we will just get financial clearance and post doctors where they need to go and some will not go, we are stopping that.
“You will sit at home and look at adverts for vacancies if you are interested Mr. Speaker, we will post you. If you are not interested we can’t continue adding on to doctors in Accra. So that is the measure we are adopting,” the Health Minister added.
Only a handful of Members of Parliament (MPs) on the majority side showed up in Parliament for the post-budget hearing yesterday, November 29, 2022.
When the Speaker announced the rules for the debate to begin, only 21 members of parliament were present on the majority side of the house.
Although the majority had initially posited that they would not join in the debate due to the gross mismanagement of the economy by the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, they showed up during the budget hearing.
However, the reason for their absence is unknown. The Finance Minister on November 24, 2022, presented the 2023 Budget Statement and Economic policy.
Contained in it were measures towards “expenditure rationalisation,” which include a ban on the use of V8/V6 vehicles, limited budgetary allocation for the purchase of vehicles, a 50% slash in fuel allocations to Political Appointees and heads of MDAs, MMDAs, and SOEs, etc.
The electronic transaction levy (e-levy) rate as well as its threshold have all also been reviewed, with effect from January 2023.
The presentation is in accordance with Article 179 of the 1992 Constitution and Section 21 of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921).
The government is optimistic that the new measures contained in the budget will bring the economy back to life.
The 2023 budget statement, which was given by the minister of finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, will be the subject of debate among members of parliament (MPs) starting on Tuesday, November 29, 2022.
The introduction of a 2.5% VAT and plans to examine the 1.5% electronic charge have already sparked public debates about certain budgetary provisions.
The new tax law has been challenged by businesses, and the reduction of the transaction threshold has drawn criticism from mobile money users.
The Deputy Majority Leader, describing how the debate would proceed, indicated that “on November 29, 2022, it’s expected that the debate will focus on Finance, Agriculture, Trade and Industry, and Wednesday Communications, Energy, Roads, Works, Housing, Sanitation and Environment and Thursday, December 1, it will be Health, Youth and Sports, Education, Tourism, Culture and Chieftaincy.”
The Finance Minister, Ken Ofori- Atta on November 24, 2022, presented the 2023 budget statement in Parliament.
During his presentation, Mr Ofori-Atta announced some measures to reduce public expenditure in 2023
Among other things, the government has banned public officials from using V8s/V6s for cross-country travel.
Ken Ofori-Atta also announced a hiring freeze for civil and public servants and suspended non-critical projects.
The minority in parliament has urged the government to seriously consider further lowering the e-levy rate to 0.5 percent and establishing a daily tax-free threshold of 300 cedis in order to gain their support.
Minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu, who made this appeal, noted that the minority caucus will vigorously advocate for the reduction in parliament.
Presenting the 2023 budget on Thursday, November 24, 2022, Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta announced that the government was reducing the e-levy rate
from 1.5 percent to 1 percent and removing the 100 cedis tax-free daily threshold.
That means any amount transferred is taxable. The Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu during the inaugural ceremony of the post Budget in Ho stated that such a review will worsen the hardship on the average Ghanaian.
Thus, he urged the government to reconsider the newly proposed rate and reduce it to a 0.5%“We will subject it to a further critical and thorough discussions
as a caucus but without going into the scenarios, as you look at your scenarios, consider for say of 0.5% at a threshold of ¢300 as compared to what you have admitted of 1%”.
Mr Haruna noted that his party had not yet made up its mind regarding the suggested increase of the VAT rate by 2.5 percent.
However, he cautioned that this can have a negative impact on businesses.
But according to Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, the government’s inability to access the global market has made the measures crucial for raising domestic revenue.
He believes that these taxation policies are essential for saving Ghana’s economy from total collapse.
The Finance Minister has called on the MPs to rally their support for the measures suggested, so they can be passed on time. “It has become more urgent to
mobilise some domestic revenue as our access to the international market has been largely closed and our debt levels increased”,
Finance Minister, Ken Ofori- Atta had said on Thursday, November 24, during the 2023 budget presentation. The electronic transfer levy, popularly known as e-levy, was introduced in May 2022.
Ghana’s e-levy is a 1.5 per cent tax on the transfer amount of electronic transactions. The objective is to improve tax revenues by tapping into fast-growing digital financial services.
Pre-budget huddling, according to Speaker of the House Alban Bagbin, is necessary to foster greater understanding, consultation, and compromise among lawmakers (MPs).
The MPs would better understand the topics discussed during the post-budget workshop, according to him, if they spoke with the relevant ministries in advance and were involved in setting the agenda, he claimed. The goal would be to highlight the necessity for the Budget Act’s passage by Parliament.
He said: “This will give MPs notice of underpinnings of the Budget, thus providing a solid foundation during the debate and a better monitoring and evaluation basis of policies and programmes of government.”
Mr Bagbin said this when he addressed MPs at the opening of the 2023 two-day Post-Budget Workshop underway in Ho in the Volta Region.
The annual Post-Budget Workshop has the primary goal of equipping MPs and Senior Officers of the Parliamentary Service with the skills required for scrutinising the Budget and Economic Policy of the Executive arm of government for the 2023 fiscal year.
It also had the objective of offering MPs the opportunity of a deeper appreciation of the 2022 Budget and Economic Policy of the government.
The key expected outcomes would be quality deliberations of the statement on the floor of the House in the ensuing day’s relevant legislation and the ultimate Appropriation Act for the 2023 financial year.
According to Mr Bagbin, in the current global village, trends, data and evidence guided policy and decision-making.
“Honourable Members, when reliable information, analytical tools, and supporting evidence are presented in advance, members will have a better understanding of the issues and debate the budget more competently as representatives of their people.
“Consequently, if a post-budget workshop like this one is critical, then a pre-budget huddling of some sort is also essential for purposes of deeper understanding, consultation and compromise,” he said.
To that end, Mr Bagbin noted that the establishment of the Budget and Fiscal analysis department in Parliament would be essential in supporting MPs in the performance of oversight functions, adding that effective oversight generated momentum towards sustainable development through revised and enhanced legislation policy.
Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Minority Leader, bemoaned the freeze on civil and public-sector employment, saying it would worsen the unemployment situation in the country.
He, therefore, asked the government to consider the number of youths that risked the tendency of becoming jobless as against the existing unemployment.
The government in its 2023 Budget and Statement and Economic Policy presentation to Parliament on Thursday, November 24, announced a freeze on hiring into the public and civil service effective January 2023 as part of cabinet directives for expenditure rationalisation.
However, Mr Iddrisu disagreed and described the 2023 Budget as an indication of the highly distressed state of the country.
“Mr Speaker, Ghana’s economy and as I listened to the Honourable Minister of Finance, the 2023 budget statement is replete with evidence that government is simply broke and the economy is in crisis. An economy under life support that needs some resuscitation,” he said.
According to him, some of the interventions the government was seeking to make including the capping of enrollment of nursing and teacher trainees and the reduction of the size of convoys could rather worsen the state of the economy.
On his part, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, Majority Leader, said external shocks and the depreciation of the cedi had been major contributing factors to the current economic hardships that the 2023 Budget sought to address.
“These (COVID-19 and Russian-Ukraine war) have created internal and external imbalances in the economic woes; high inflation and unsustainable financing of the current economic deficit and rapid depreciation of the cedi.
“Suddenly, these variables have brought a lot of hardships to the citizenry, particularly the poor and vulnerable,” he said.
He explained that the budget intended to alleviate the plight of Ghanaians through increased spending on social protection.
Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, Minister for Finance called for a partnership that would get the economy thriving.
By Article 179 of the 1992 Constitution and section 21 of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921) the Mr Ofori-Atta, Minister for Finance on behalf of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, presented the 2023 Annual Budget Statement and Economic Policy of Government to Parliament on Thursday, November 24.
Among other things, the 2023 Budget focused on Government’s strategies to restore and stabilise the macro economy, build resilience and promote inclusive growth and value creation.
It also featured updates on Ghana’s engagement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for an IMF-supported Programme; year-to-date macro-fiscal performance of the economy; the YouStart initiative under the Ghana CARES Programme; climate action strategies; fiscal measures and debt management strategies to ensure fiscal and debt sustainability and promote growth.
Among the topics discussed by resourced persons at the two-day workshop included Policy Underpinnings of the 2023 budget-General Analysis of the Budget; Overview of the 2023 Budget- Macro Economic and Fiscal Management; What to consider in Analysing the 2023 Sectoral Budgets; Employment Generation and the 2023 Budget; and Revenue Mobilisation and Debt sustainability.
Some residents of Cape Coast in the Central Region have met the review of the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy) with regret and reiterated calls on government to scrap the policy completely.
The proposed review of the revenue collection policy, they lamented, could not alleviate their hardships in the already wobbling economy.
The E-Levy, a 1.5 percent deduction of selected electronic transactions with a 100-Cedi daily threshold, was introduced by the government in 2022 as part of measures to shore up revenue.
The fiscal measure has, however, failed to live up to expectations as it is accruing far less than the projected revenue.
In view of this, Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, while presenting the 2023 budget in Parliament on Thursday, November 24, announced a reduction in the rate of the policy from 1.5 percent to one percent without the threshold.
The review, among other fiscal and austerity measures, is targeted at salvaging the country’s southbound economy.
This means that subject to approval by Parliament, Ghanaians will pay E-Levy of one percent on all affected forms of transactions despite the amount involved.
Speaking to some citizens on the development, they expressed disappointment at the policy and questioned the sensitivity of government to their plights.
Madam Abigail Mensah, a trader at the Kotokuraba Market, said she did not want the policy in any form and that it must be scrapped off immediately.
“Already, we can barely afford to feed ourselves and our families and the best government can do is to push us off the cliff with taxes?” she queried with a visibly livid expression.
Comparing the E-levy in its current form to the proposed review, Madam Lordina Ackah, also a trader, preferred it to be left untouched because the percentage removed was an insult.
In an interesting twist, another market woman, Madam Gertrude Dadzie who also called for the levy to be scrapped, suggesting that the government found better means of easing the plight of Ghanaians.
A taxi driver, Mr Francis Awotwe, called on the government to cancel the E-Levy and bring back the tollbooths.
Lamenting the hardship in the economy, he said he made nothing from his taxi business because every money he made went into buying fuel.
“I buy a gallon of petrol for more than 80 Cedis and I do not make up to 300 Cedis in a day. How much do I give my car owner and how much do I take home to cater for my family?” he retorted.
“In spite of this, the government still wants to take away the small money I send to my poor old mother in the village.”
Meanwhile, some mobile money vendors have said the development would collapse their businesses even further.
Mr Nii Armah Tagoe indicated to the Ghana News Agency that his average daily profit of 80 Cedis had dropped to 20 Cedis since the introduction of the levy.
He said even though transactions conducted were not affected by E-Levy, customers’ activities had dropped significantly due to the lack of proper education on the policy.
“We have not made any profit since the E-Levy came and the trend now is that many people no more do withdrawals and deposits than money transfer.
“The review is worse, and it is going to kill us more,” he added.
Another vendor, Mr Ahmed Yussif, said he did not expect any significant effect on his business, adding that the impact, if any, would be felt after a month.
The ad hoc committee’s report regarding the censure motion against Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta was presented to the legislature.
This is in response to inquiries from committee member Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa regarding the reason behind the report’s presentation to the plenary several days after work was completed.
Osei Kyei-Mensha-Bonsu, the majority leader, argued back and forth about the development, bringing up difficulties with the report’s title.
The report was however subsequently laid. A copy of the report in possession of Starr News reveals the committee in its 44-page report, reproduces transcript of what transpired at the public hearings with any recommendations.
The house will consequently debate the report and vote on the fate of the Finance Minister.
With the majority having already withheld its support for the motion, the NDC MPs will fail to make the two-thirds majority constitutional requirements which means the move will be dead.
The 8-member Ad-hoc Committee set up by Parliament to investigate the minority’s censure motion against the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori- Atta, has laid its report before the House.
This comes a week after the committee concluded its work. The chairman of the committee, Speaker Alban Bagbin, gave the committee a seven-day ultimatum
to present their findings for debate in the House.
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, a member of the committee, expressed dissatisfaction with the slow pace of dealing with the committee’s report and making
a final decision on the Finance Minister.
He said, “I was unhappy about the laissez-faire attitude… the heart of this issue is that Article 82 has been triggered. It says that during the
debate, the minister facing a vote of censure must be heard, and that has been done. I thought that in the business statement for next week it would have been specifically and clearly programmed so that we would have a day set aside for the debate”.
His view is that the longer the Finance Minister remains in office, the greater the hardships Ghanaians will suffer.
“Every single day that Dr Ofori Atta continues to stay and operate from the Finance Ministry, we see more
downgrades, inflation begins to get through the roof, the cost of living crisis is becoming debate more unbearable, nothing new except the imposition of taxes” the MP emphasized.
Mr Ablakwa believes that once the minister has been heard as stipulated by Article 82, “it is now time for a full-blown debate, and most importantly, the Ghanaian people are looking up to us,” adding that this assignment must be completed so “Ghanaians can know where their MPs stand.”
The North Tongue MP also invited NPP MPs to join them in removing the Finance Minister, warning that if Mr Ofori-Atta remained in office, MPs would have abdicated their responsibility.
“I hope that we meet the two-thirds threshold if only our colleagues on the other side will just show some principles and consistency…” he
said.
“To the extent that he doesn’t want to resign and the President does not want to dismiss him, the onus is on us MPs and I do hope that my colleagues will value public opinion, will respect the will of the people and will remember that it is the Ghanaian people who elected us and brought us here, and we must at all times reflect what they expect,” Mr Ablakwa added.
The 8-member ad-hoc committee that probed allegations in a censure motion brought against Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta, has presented its report to Parliament.
This comes after the committee’s request for more time from the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin to finalise its report after the conclusion of public hearings last Friday.
The committee probed allegations of unconstitutional withdrawal of funds from the consolidated fund for the National Cathedral project, gross mismanagement of the economy, and financial recklessnesses leading to the collapse of the Ghana Cedi as the basis for a censure motion against the Finance Minister by the Minority in Parliament.
The Committee although was unable to conclude its work within the seven-day period offered by the Speaker, it has presented its report to the plenary with the Chairman of the Committee expected to move the motion for a debate on it.
On October 25, 2022, the Minority in Parliament filed a censure motion against the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.
This occurred at the same time that the Majority MPs, numbering around 80, held a press conference to demand the removal of the Finance Minister and the then Minister of State in charge of Finance at the Ministry of Finance, Charles Adu Boahen, for their inability to manage the economy.
However, the NPP MPs failed to support the NDC MPs in their quest.
According to them, although they want the Finance Minister out, they would do that on their own terms.
They insisted that the Minority had their own parochial interest.
Tamale Central Member of Parliament Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed has said that he did not sit in the chamber of Parliament to listen to the Finance Minister’s presentation of the 2023 budget statement.
He said he did so from his office.
He stated that it would have been unprincipled to sit in Parliament to listen to Mr Ken Ofori-Atta who is being asked to leave office.
“It was an unprincipled decision to sit in. This is a man who has been called to go by over half of Members of Parliament, he is no longer fit to man the office of the Ministry of Finance.
“As a Minority, we also think the man is no longer fit to be in office so I felt it was not principle for me to sit in. Those who had the courage to sit in said they were disappointed to sit in to listen to him,” Murtala said on the Big Issue on TV3 with Roland Walker on Friday November 25.
The opposition Members of Parliament through their leadership announced in a statement that they would be in Parliament Thursday November 24 for the 2023 budget presentation by the Finance Minister.
This, they said, was without prejudice to the investigation that is being done by the 8-member committee on the Finance Minister following the allegations they made against him.
“While we remain committed to seeing through the process to censure the Finance Minister , we are mindful of our duty to carry out oversight on the Executive and preserve the interest of the Ghanaian people whose livelihoods the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia administration has severely undermined through mismanagement of the economy,” a statement issued by the Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu said.
This was after the New Patriotic Party lawmakers rescinded their decision to boycott the presentation if Mr Ofori-Atta was going to present it.
The Members of Parliament wanted another person other than Mr Ofori-Atta to do so but after an intervention by the NPP leadership, they have agreed to allow him to present the statement.
The economy has been going through struggles with the local currency performing badly against the major trading currencies especially the Dollar.
A Deputy Ranking Member on Finance Committee in Parliament, Isaac Adongo has taken a dig at the government, following its announcement on cut in hampers, diaries and notepads usually printed by Municipal Metropolitan and District Assemblies (MMDAs) and State Owned Enterprises (SOEs).
Mr. Adongo stated that the country’s problems are way bigger than the cut in these frivolous items announced by the Finance Minister in the 2023 budget statement, on November 24, 2022.
He said the government failed to announce measures put in place to cushion Ghanaians against the hardships they are faced with.
“Ghana’s problems are not about cut in diaries and note pads printing, an economy where people’s businesses are collapsing, an economy where people are struggling to keep their families together. You will have a government that says that I will still put my hands in your pockets, and take twice as I took in 2022, even if your businesses are dying, I don’t care… He came and announced cut in diaries, notepads, and hampers, is the problem of our economy about diaries and hampers?,” he asked on Eyewitness News.
He wondered why the government in its 2023 budget refused to cut down on expenditure, which has taken a toll on the ailing economy.
The Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga Central Constituency in the Upper East Region, fumed on the Eyewitness News, “ordinarily, you would have expected that the government will reduce expenditures, so that the little that it raises, it will be able to manage and get you out of your difficulty.
He stressed, “I have never seen this group of people before, it’s quite clear why the Finance Minister doesn’t want to move. I can’t see any economy in trouble that doubles its expenditure. When we ask you if you are going to cut down on expenditure, you keep talking about diaries, how do diaries and hampers solve our problems?”.
2023 Budget
Presenting the budget, the Finance Minister said, “Mr. Speaker, grants to other government units are estimated at GH¢30,079 million, representing 3.8% of GDP. Mr. Speaker, Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) is projected at GH¢27.694 million representing 3.5% of GDP. Mr. Speaker, Other Expenditure, mainly comprising Energy Sector Levies (ESL) transfers and Energy Sector Payment Shortfalls is estimated at GH¢26,739 million”.
“Total Revenue and Grants is projected at GH¢143,956 million (18.0% of GDP) and is underpinned by permanent revenue measures – largely Tax revenue measures – amounting to 1.35 percent of GDP as outlined in the revenue measures. Mr. Speaker, Total Expenditure (including clearance of Arrears) is projected at GH¢205,431 million (25.6% of GDP). This estimate shows a contraction of 0.3 percentage points of GDP in primary expenditures (commitment basis) compared to the projected out turn in 2022 and a demonstration of Government’s resolve to consolidate its public finances,” Mr. Ofori-Atta stated in the 2023 budget.
“Mr. Speaker, Compensation of Employees is projected at GH¢44,990 million (5.6% of GDP). Mr. Speaker, Use of Goods and Services is also projected at GH¢8,048 million (1.0% of GDP). Mr. Speaker, Interest Payment is projected at GH¢52,550 million (6.6% of GDP),” the budget added.
Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta disclosed this on Thursday while presenting the budget in Parliament.
He said the decision is to reflect the current increase in the cost of living.
“In 2023, the feeding grant will be increased to reflect the current cost of living. The programme will also strengthen domestic production by sourcing locally produced food from the National Buffer Stock company,” the Minister said.
The current feeding grant for the caterers is ¢0.97 per child. The caterers have for some months now demanded an increase to ¢3 per child but the government is yet to heed their demand.
A total of 3,448,065 pupils in public basic schools currently benefit from the School feeding programme.
The caterers earlier this year withdrew their services, demanding payment of about GH¢234 million in third-term arrears for the 2021 academic year.
In addition, they demanded an increase in the feeding grant for pupils.
In March 2022, Cecilia Abena Dapaah who was then the Caretaker Minister for the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection announced the suspension of expansion of the Programme to allow debts owed to caterers to be cleared.
“Mr. Speaker, currently the expansion of the programme is on hold. However, we are clearing all arrears of caterers and putting in measures to ensure effective and efficient service delivery to all beneficiary schools and the caterers.
“We are also putting in place a management information system to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the system. We shall surely inform this august House when we are ready to expand the programme to cover additional schools,” she said.
Subsequently, in June, Cecilia Abena Dapaah announced that arrears owed to school feeding caterers have been paid.
She said this during a visit to some public schools in the Ashanti Region.
“We are here to make sure, we monitor the quality of food being prepared for the school children. We came here to also talk to the teachers and also the children themselves so that the story will be complete.
“We needed to find out for ourselves if they are actually cooking what they claim to be doing.
“We owed 68 days, we have paid all. The payment has been done,” she said.
The government has frozen the hiring of public and civil servants for the 2023 financial year.
According to the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, this is part of expenditure cut measures being adopted by government to address the current economic challenges.
“A hiring freeze for civil and public servants. No new government agencies shall be established in 2023,” Ken Ofori-Atta said.
Ken Ofori-Atta made this known while presenting the 2023 budget before parliament on Thursday, November 24, 2022.
The presentation of the budget in parliament is in pursuance of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921).
This allows the Finance Minister to review the budget statement and economic policy of the government and supplementary estimates for the 2023 financial year.
The Nigerian parliament has passed a bill seeking to establish a bank that can grant loans to students in higher institutions of learning – which include universities and colleges.
The bill is the first of its kind in Nigeria. It was passed by the two chambers of the National Assembly on Tuesday and will be forwarded to President Muhammadu Buhari for final approval.
The sponsor of the bill and speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, said that the Nigerian Education Bank will offer interest-free loans to higher education students in Nigeria.
If signed into law, it is expected to enable students get more financial support from the government.
The bill says the bank “shall have the powers to approve and disburse the loan to qualified applicants. It will also monitor the students’ loan account/fund and ensure compliance in respect of disbursement”.
The loan beneficiaries are expected to start paying back the loan as soon as they gain employment, on completion of their studies and a mandatory national service.
Nigerian banks have been giving student loans only to the students’ parents, with very stringent conditions including a very short tenure.
Needy students have had to drop out of school or engage in odd jobs to pay their way through school.
The Minority in Parliament has said it will resist any policy in the 2023 budget it feels are “draconian”.
In a statement, it reiterated the need for “drastic cuts in non-essential Government expenditures and more prudent use of scarce national resources.”
“We have also demanded greater transparency and accountability in public financial management,” the statement added.
The Minority said it expects its proposals to “find expression in the budget and signal a change in course by the failed Akufo-Addo/Bawumia Government.”
“We wish to assure the Ghanaian people that we stand with them in these difficult times, and we will not relent in our efforts to hold the managers of the economy to account,” the statement added.
The Minority also allayed fears that it could boycott the budget because of protests against the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.
Both sides of the Parliament have called for the Finance Minister to be removed amid Ghana’s economic crisis.
The budget comes as the government tries to secure a deal from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for economic support.
The Finance Ministry has said the 2023 Budget will focus on Government’s strategies to restore and stabilize the macroeconomy, build resilience, and promote inclusive growth and value creation.
The ministry also said it will feature updates on Ghana’s engagement with the IMF for an IMF-supported Programme; year-to-date macro-fiscal performance of the economy; the YouStart initiative under the Ghana CARES Programme; climate action strategies; fiscal measures and debt management strategies to ensure fiscal and debt sustainability and promote growth.
The Minority is predicting that the yet-to-be-read 2023 budget of the government will exacerbate the suffering of Ghanaians.
According to them, this is because the government intends to introduce a number of taxes.
The 2023 Budget is expected to be presented in Parliament on Thursday, November 24, 2022.
Speaking to journalists ahead of the presentation, a Member of the Finance Committee of Parliament, Thomas Ampem Nyarko alleged that government will increase the VAT rate to 20 percent from the current 17.5 percent.
“In fact, what we are hearing is that government intends to increase VAT by 2.5 percent,” he said.
He also claimed that there are rumours that income taxes will be increased, adding that exemptions on Mobile Money will also be removed.
“We will not accept this 2.5 percent increase in VAT because that will be killing. We are not saying no tax at all, because government programmes must run. However, all this when introduced is just going to kill Ghanaians,” Thomas Ampem Nyarko explained.
The NDC MP noted that the government ought to present a clear expenditure cut in the 2023 Budget, considering the hardship a section of the population is facing.
The Majority Caucus in Parliament has mended all cracks in their front ahead of the November 24 reading of the 2023 Budget Statement by embattled Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta.
A meeting between the lawmakers and leaders of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) was held on November 23 at which a number of agreements were reached.
The main points are that the Minister will be supported in presenting the budget and seeing through its appropriation as well as be allowed to see through the current phase of negotiations with the International Monetary Fund, IMF.
The meeting comes on the back of a renewed call by some 98 NPP MPs who had threatened to boycott the budget presentation if Ofori-Atta appears to present it.
A statement co-signed by Majority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh and NPP General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong read in part: “At a meeting this evening, the 22 of November 2022, involving the Majority Caucus, the Leadership of the Party and the Council of Elders, it has been agreed by all to refocus and recline to the earlier position requested by the President.”
The three broad areas agreed on were as follows
1. The demand be stood down until the conclusion of the round of negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) which would feed into the 2023 Budget;
2. The presentation of the 2023 Budget Statement and Economic Policy on the 24th November 2022 by the Finance Minister on behalf of the President; and
3. The subsequent presentation and passage of the Appropriation Bill
“The meeting agreed that the President would act upon the initial request of the NPP Parliamentary Caucus after the conclusion of these matters,” the statement added.
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Find the full statement below:
22nd November 2022.
RESOLUTION OF IMPASSE IN THE NPP PARLIAMENTARY GROUP.
Over the past two weeks, especially, after the President had engaged the Majority Caucus over calls for the ouster of the Minister of Finance as well as the Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance and a statement on the engagement had been issued, the country has, witnessed a heightened public/media discussion on same subject matter.
There have been occasional individual interventions some of which have not helped the resolution of the issue in contention. On the other hand, some of these interventions have contributed to escalate tensions and suspicions.
At a meeting this evening, the 22 of November 2022, involving the Majority Caucus, the Leadership of the Party and the Council of Elders, it has been agreed by all to refocus and recline to the earlier position requested by the President, to wit:
1. The demand be stood down until the conclusion of the round of negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) which would feed into the 2023 Budget;
2. The presentation of the 2023 Budget Statement and Economic Policy on the 24th November 2022 by the Finance Minister on behalf of the President; and
3. The subsequent presentation and passage of the Appropriation Bill
The meeting agreed that the President would act upon the initial request of the NPP Parliamentary Caucus after the conclusion of these matters.
In the meantime, the Leadership of the Parliamentary group and the Leadership of the Party counselled the Honourable Members of the Parliamentary Party to resort to the Caucus ‘communication channels and, to the largest extent possible, work together as one Caucus unit.
Leadership and the Party in this regard call upon the Members of Parliament to attend to all Government Businesses in the House including, in particular, the 2023 Budget Statement and Economic Policy and all connected matters.
SIGNED
HON. ANNOH-DOMPREH, (MP) MAJORITY CHIEF WHIP, PARLIAMENT OF GHANA
JUSTIN KODUA FRIMPONG, GENERAL SECRETARY NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY
The Member of Parliament for Abaklu, Kwame Governs Agbodza, has explained why he is not going to resign as a Member of Parliament after promising to do so on live TV.
On Tuesday, November 15, 2022, during a panel discussion, on Good Morning Ghana programme, Governs Agbodza said that Vice President Bawumia, after telling Ghanaians that the government of former President John Dramani Mahama was constructing hospitals at an inflated cost, is now constructing hospitals at a cost far greater than that of Mahama.
Dr. Kabiru Mahama retorted, saying that Agbodza’s statement was not true because hospitals were being constructed at a far lesser cost under the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo/Mahamudu Bawumia government.
He went on to cite an example of a 150-bed unit at Ofankor District Hospital, which was constructed at a cost of not more than $1.5 million.
But the NDC MP said that the example given by Bawumia’s aide cannot be true and went on to promise that he will resign as an MP if he can prove that a 150-bed unit was constructed at a cost less than $1.5 million.
Dr. Mahama then pulled a story from GhanaWeb proving that a 150-bed unit at Ofankor District Hospital was built for less than $1.5 million.
Exactly a week later, on November 22, 2022, the MP on “Good Morning Ghana,” as he usually is on Tuesdays, explained why he was not going to resign despite the ‘evidence’ given by Bawumia’s advisor.
He said that pronouncements made by Vice President Bawumia and Dr. Kabiru Mahama about the said health facility were false because the facility at Ofankor was not a district hospital but a health centre.
He also stated that the African Development Bank (ADB), which provided funding for the health facility, classified it as a health center rather than a hospital.
“The question is has ADB built a 150 bed unit hospital (at Ofankor)? … that is a calculated lie. If you go to the ADB website, you will see every project they have done in this country.
He went on to read a document by the government that listed some projects that had been completed and it indicated “a health centre at Ofankor not a district hospital at Ofankor”.
“So, where exactly did the vice president get this idea about a 150-bed district hospital,” he added.
The Minister for Communications and Member of Parliament for Ablekuma West Constituency, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has urged the minority in parliament to reconsider their decision not to approve any further loans by government.
According to her, the country may face a more difficult financial situation if these loans are disapproved.
She explained that one of the loans which have to do with her ministry will be funding for entrepreneurial skills, development training and start-up capital to start the innovation ecosystem and also provide jobs in the country.
She added that there is a need for parliament to approve these loans as digital technology provides us opportunities in these difficult times.
“This loan facility that the world bank board has already approved and are willing and eager to give this money to us but we cannot contract any loans without parliamentary approval. This loan for the Ghana Digital acceleration project will provide funding for entrepreneurial skills, development training and start-up capital to stare up the innovation ecosystem of our country.
“If we didn’t learn anything form the pandemic; it is that one lesson we all must have learnt is that without digital technology it is impossible for any country to grow its economy to communicate in the rapidly unfolding environment in which we live.
“Yes, we are having economic challenges but the Digital technology provides us with the ladder to climb out if the difficulties we currently face and so even though the minority has already taken the stand that they will not approve any further loans. I urge upon them that they should take another look at their position and reconsider because if we don’t take the right decision today, our country will be in probably even more difficult circumstances tomorrow,” she told journalists in parliament.
The minority side in parliament has vowed that it will not approve any further loan agreement by the government of Ghana in Parliament.
According to the minority, the approval of further loans will worsen the debt situation of the country.
Member of Parliament for Asuogyaman Constituency Thomas Nyarko Ampem said in an interview that “Government of Ghana has brought a loan agreement for us to approve and three different loans agreement. One for two hundred million dollars and two each for one hundred and fifty million dollars. We have taken a very simple decision that looking at our debt situation we are unable to support further approvals for further loans because believe that if you are in a hole you don’t continue to dig further.”
It is based on this the Minister of Communication has asked the minority to reconsider their decision.
Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah is urging the Majority and Minority sides of Parliament to work in close collaboration to get a feasible budget program that will propel the Ghanaian economy onto the path of recovery.
In a tweet, the Minister hinted that government’s economic blueprint for next year which will be presented to Parliament on Thursday, November 24, 2022, will focus on prudent economic policies that will help reboot the economy, hence, needs the collaboration of both sides of the house.
“The 2023 budget is supposed to be the foundation of our recovery. Majority and Minority will have to work together in the national interest to arrive at a feasible budget program,” he tweeted.
Hinting on some key pillars of the budget, the Minister said it will focus on restoring macroeconomic stability, arresting the escalating cost of living, achieving moderate growth and completing ongoing government projects across the country.
This, he said the budget statement is a prerequisite for securing an IMF deal and therefore must be carefully crafted in order to get the buy-in of all segments of society.
The minority side in parliament has indicated that it will not approve any further loan agreement by the government of Ghana in Parliament.
According to the minority, the approval of further loans will worsen the debt situation in the country.
Member of Parliament for Asuogyaman Constituency Thomas Nyarko Ampem said in an interview that “Government of Ghana has brought a loan agreement for us to approve and three different loans agreement. One for two hundred million dollars and two each for one hundred and fifty million dollars. We have taken a very simple decision that looking at our debt situation we are unable to support further approvals for further loans because believe that if you are in a hole you don’t continue to dig further.”
He added that the minority is waiting for the Minister of Finance to give a clear path that government has taken to ensure the country is out of the current debt situation otherwise the minority will not support any additional loans.
Lawyer Maurice Ampaw has taken a swipe at former President John Dramani Mahama and leaders of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) after the party won the election petition against their Member of Parliament for Jomoro, Dorcas Affo -Toffey.
Ampaw said that Mahama and other leading members of the NDC have been castigating the court, saying that it is biased towards the government, but the party winning the Jomoro election petition proves that courts work with the laws of the country.
“I was not surprised by the ruling … this shows that if you are not diabolic and if you don’t politicize the judiciary, you will realise that the judges use the laws of the country, truth and evidence to work.
“So, I am not surprised that the judge after interrogating the witness, has declared the Jomoro MP as duly elected.
“I commend the NDC lead them and the MP for their victory. But their legal team should go and tell John Mahama and NDC apparatchiks like Ofosu-Ampofo, Asiedu Nketiah that the court that Mahama described as an NPP court, a 7-0 court is the same court that gave them victory,” he said in Twi.
Lawyer Ampaw, who made these remarks in a Nsem Pii interview, which was monitored by GhanaWeb, added that the NDC’s jubilation over winning the petitions shows they are hypocrites because they only praise the court when they win cases.
An election petition case against the Member of Parliament for the Jomoro constituency, Dorcas Affo-Toffey, was struck out by the Sekondi High Court.
This comes after a citizen, Joshua Emuah Kofie, went to court to challenge the eligibility of the MP to contest as a representative of the people in the constituency on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on grounds that she had multiple nationalities, including American and Ivorian citizenships, which is against the 1992 Constitution.
The Sekondi High Court presided over by Justice Dr. Richmond Osei Hwere dismissed the case on grounds that the MP was eligible to contest as she lost her Ivorian citizenship at the very time, she acquired her Ghanaian citizenship.
In regards to her American citizenship, the MP denied having American citizenship.
The case has been in court for over 20 months since she was elected to represent the people of Jomoro constituency.
The minority in Parliament has described the Nana Addo administration as a failure over the treatment of the Saglemi affordable housing project.
The project started by the Mahama administration has been left unattended to since 2017.
Former works and housing minister Collins Dauda and others are standing trial for allegedly varying the terms of the contract without recourse to parliament.
Government has now decided to sell off the project to a private developer for completion and onward sale.
Minister for works and housing Francis Asenso Boakye has explained the project is a failure thus the decision to sell it off.
But addressing the media after touring the project site, ranking member for the committee on Works and Housing, Vincent Oppong argued contrary to the sector minister’s assertion that the project is a failure.
He claimed the Nana Addo administration has rather failed Ghanaians by allowing such an investment to go to waste while thieves strip the houses of all fittings
Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta has described as ‘weird’ a question about whether he expects to be the one to present the 2023 budget statement later this week.
He told journalists in Parliament on November 18 that he expected to be the one to deliver the budget stressing that he had not been officially communicated about opposition to that move by lawmakers of his own party.
He had just finished giving evidence to the Parliamentary ad hoc committee probing a censure motion brought against him by the Minority Caucus, which committee is to present its report to the House today.
Asked about the work of the committee, he responded: “I guess it is democracy in play and we just seek fairness and we are confident in how the process will evolve.”
On whether or not he will deliver the budget, he said: “Yes, I expect so, that seems to be a weird question.”
“I don’t know, I haven’t heard that officially but we will see,” was his response when asked about the group of 98 New patriotic Party MPs who were opposed to him presenting the budget.
An economy in distress
The economy is facing major headwinds that have been characterized by galloping inflation, consistent depreciation of the cedi and general high cost of living and of doing business.
The government is hoping to reach a deal with the International Monetary Fund, IMF, for an economic support programme aimed at shoring up the economy and easing the burden on ordinary Ghanaians.
President Akufo-Addo and his government have come under heavy scrutiny for failing to address the current economic challenges in the country.
The prices of goods and services have been continuously rising all year round, with inflation currently at over 40 per cent.
The Ghana cedi has been ranked the worst currency in the world among 148 currencies tracked by Bloomberg, overtaking Sri Lanka’s rupee, having depreciated by nearly 50 per cent so far in 2022.
GhanaWeb has gathered that Ken Ofori-Atta, the embattled Finance Minister, will be meeting an empty Parliament when he appears on November 24, to read the 2023 budget statement.
According to sources, both majority and minority MPs are likely not to be present on the day of the budget presentation, which will make it impossible for the minister to present the budget to the House because there will be a lack of quorum as required by the Constitution.
Ken Ofori-Atta had already indicated that he was going to present the budget despite some NPP MPs and the Minority MPs wanting him out of office.
The minister after facing censure committee on Friday told an Accra-based Joy News that Ghanaians should expect him to present the budget on November 24.
When he was quizzed by journalists that will he go to Parliament to present the 2023 budget, he responded, “yeah, expect so. That seems to be a weird question.”
Ken Ofori-Atta further stated that he has not heard officially that some NPP MPs have indicated boycotting his budget presentation.
“I don’t know; I haven’t heard that officially…,” Ofori-Atta stressed.
The 98 NPP MPs insist that they will boycott the budget presentation if the minister appears before the House.
“We’ve gone back to (our demand for the President to) sack him now and therefore should the budget be presented under the stamp of the Finance Minister, we’ll not participate because as far as we’re concerned we’re never going to do business with him,”
The Asante Akim North MP further explained on JoyNews’ PM Express programme on Tuesday, November 15, 2022, that they will only participate in the budget presentation and appropriation if the President appoints someone else other than Ken Ofori-Atta to present the budget.
“We’re not saying we won’t do the President’s business. We’re saying we won’t do President’s business through Ofori-Atta. So if anybody else comes with President’s business, we’ll participate,” Appiah-Kubi said.
A former chairman of the Finance Committee of Parliament, Dr Mark Assibey Yeboah has stated it will be “suicidal” to remove Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta from office “at this crucial hour.”
He, has, therefore appealed to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament (MPs) demanding his removal and have indicated their readiness not to support the 2023 Budget hearing, debate, approval of the estimates and the passage of the Appropriations Bill to reconsider their posture.
He said time was of essence since the rules surrounding the budget is clear that it ought to be presented to Parliament on or before 15 November every year.
Already, one week has passed as of 21 November, and ideally, about six weeks is needed to do a thorough job on the budget consideration.
He said when it comes to the Budget reading, it is possible anybody at all can read it provided the person was a Minister of State, but the chunk of the thorough work demands that the Minister and his team must lead – debate, approval of estimates and passage of Appropriations Bill.
“It will be suicidal for the minister to be taken off at this crucial hour,” Assibey Yeboah, himself a former MP for New Juaben South said in a radio interview monitored by Graphic Online on Accra-based Oman FM on Monday (21 November).
This is not the time for that, “to what end, what will it profit us. Even if a new minister is nominated today, it will not take this short period to vet and swear that person into office. That person is likely to be sworn into office in 2023. The deputy ministers can also not perform the function of the substantive minister, Parliament can even decide not to hear a deputy minister,” Dr Assibey Yeboah added.
He said the minister will be needed at the committee level to defend the budget and therefore there is no need to create a vacuum.
He said if the budget estimates and the Appropriations Bill is not done by December 22, 2022, it will disturb the entire nation and therefore Ofori-Atta should be supported to carry this through so that when it gets to January 2023 and the President decides to remove him, it will not create any inconveniences for the country.
“As to whether Ken Ofori-Atta should be sacked or not, seriously I don’t have an opinion on that one, I leave it to the President to remove or maintain him,” he added and insisted the stance of the NPP MPs were problematic as some of them were “personalising” the issues.
For now, let us get this out of the way, he said.
Andy Kwame Appiah Kubi, spokesperson for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament from the majority caucus, demanding the removal of Ken Ofori-Atta as Finance Minister, had reiterated their stance not to participate in the 2023 Budget hearing and passage if President Akufo-Addo insists on keeping him in office.
Appiah-Kubi, who is the NPP MP for Asante Akyem North said per their consultation, the majority of their constituents and NPP members were in agreement that, Ofori-Atta should be removed from office.
He said the members disagreed with the suggestion that it is only Ofori-Atta who can present the 2023 Budget.
“If he is not there, can’t others present the budget,” Appiah-Kubi questioned in a radio interview on Oman FM.
“We have lost confidence in him because in the 2022 Budget, he promised that with an E-levy and property rate, there will be no need to go to the IMF for support… As we speak now, that has not happened and the property rate is even yet to take off.”
“We are not convinced that it should be Ken Ofori-Atta and nobody else,” Appiah-Kubi added and insisted it is their “political decision” that Ofori-Atta must go for “the collective interest” of the NPP.
Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has categorically denied dishonestly misreporting economic data to Parliament.
The allegation of deliberately misreporting economic data to parliament is completely not true, he said, responding to a censure motion filed by the Minority.
Contrary to the position of others that the ministry did not reflect the Finsec payments and the energy sector IPP payments in the fiscal framework, he emphasized – with the Budget document as evidence – that these payments were reflected in the fiscal framework.
The Minority based their accusation of deliberately misreporting economic data to parliament on grounds that the financial sector clean-up and energy sector Independent Power Producers (IPP) payments were excluded from public debt.
According to the Minority, by treating these debts differently the fiscal deficit is reduced to make economic indicators look good.
He said the ministry included the energy sector Independent Power Producers (IPP) payments in the ‘amortisation’ line in the Fiscal Framework during 2018-2021.
Energy Sector Excess Capacity payments of GH¢17billion relate to a legacy of take or pay contracts that saddled the country’s economy with annual excess capacity charges of close to US$1billion.
Government had to pay around US$500million a year in excess capacity charges for power the previous administration negotiated – which the country did not need and does not use.
Similarly, he said the financial sector clean-up costs were included in the fiscal framework annually for the period 2018 to 2021 to reflect the issuance of bonds to cover the non-cash costs.
Government directly spent GH¢25billion to save the banking and SDI sector – preventing a near-collapse of the financial sector; saving close to 5,400 direct jobs and 12,000 indirect jobs; and ensuring that 4.6 million depositors were protected.
Mr. Ofori-Atta explained that these are extra-ordinary payment items which need not be mixed-up with traditional fiscal operations
He explained that these are largely bonds, and capturing them above the line will imply recognising their payments now and again when they fall due in the future – a possible double counting.
The Finance Minister stated that the Energy sector IPP payments were reflected in the fiscal framework as part of the Amortisation line under the Financing part of the fiscal table.
He noted that these are debts of State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) that have been assumed by government and are largely contingent liabilities that have crystalised for payment.
Ofori-Atta said the Finsec bailout exercise is largely completed, and therefore ceases to be an extraordinary budget item
On the other hand, he said IPPs payments are expected to be made over the medium-term; and given that they have become explicit contingent liabilities, appropriately budgeting for them “above the line” ensures resources are duly allocated for their settlement
He stated the ministry agreed with the Finance Committee of Parliament in 2021 that going forward from 2022, both the Energy IPP payments and Finsec payments will be treated “above the line” in the fiscal framework for the following reasons.
According to him, the agreed style of reporting to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was to show a deficit including the Finsec clean-up and another one excluding it.
According to him, under this government there have been significant improvements in the accurate reporting of public finances; and Ghanaians are enjoying greater accountability and transparency in management of the public purse than during any other period before.
Ghanaians will recall that in support of data presented by the Ministry of Finance in May 2020, Dr. Albert Touna Mama – the then-country representative of the IMF – came on Joy FM’s News File Programme to state that there was no misrepresentation of data by government as was being alleged. Dr Touna Mama said government was not the one that presented the figures which the IMF published in its statements.
He explained that the difference in figures was as the result of a difference in methodology of calculation, adding that the figure in fiscal deficit in their statement was a figure they generated themselves from the data government presented to them – having added financial and energy sector payments in line with their methodology, which is different from government’s methodology.
The Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta has expressed fear that the cedi will continue to be under pressure if Ghanaians’ taste for imported goods is not ceased.
Mr. Ofori-Atta advised Ghanaians to as a matter of urgency change their voracious appetite for imported goods.
It is estimated that majority of the country’s products are imported from other countries.
The local currency has taken a downturn in the past months, with prices of goods and services, fuel among other consumables soaring high.
But appearing before the ad-hoc committee of Parliament on Friday, November 18, 2022, the Finance Minister indicated that the country does not earn much from imported products which require foreign exchange.
“Hon. Co-Chairs, it is time to have an honest national conversation on the patterns of expenditure as a people. Our preference for imported goods, which requires foreign exchange that we do not earn enough of, implies that our cedi will continue to be under pressure. It has become clear that we cannot continue in a business-as-usual mode. We have to significantly change our consumption,” he advised.
Ghana spends billions of cedis annually to import products from other countries.
Ghana imports mostly industrial supplies, capital and consumer goods and foodstuffs. Its main import partners are China, the United States, Belgium, the United Kingdom and France.
The ad-hoc committee tasked by the Speaker of Parliament to probe the censure motion filed against the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, is requesting for more time to file its report.
The request was announced by a co-chairman of the committee, Dominic Ayine after the committee, concluded its proceedings on Friday, November 18, 2022, after hours of grilling the Finance Minister.
“Today is the last day that was given to us by Mr. Speaker, hopefully we will apply to the Speaker for extension of time to be able to file our report next week, and the purpose of the report is to simply continue the debate on the motion for the vote of censure. And the report will be laid in Parliament hopefully next week Tuesday,” he concluded in his remarks.
KT Hammond, another co-chair, announced that the committee would have to present a draft copy of the report to the Finance Minister to ensure that his responses are properly captured before the full report is tabled before Parliament for debate.
Seven allegations have been levelled against the Finance Minister by the Minority in Parliament, calling for his removal from office.
The Minister is accused of conflict of interest, gross mismanagement, recklessness of the economy among others.
The committee was given seven days by the Speaker to probe the censure of motion, which ended today.
The Committee was set up by the Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin, chaired by Dominic Ayine and K.T Hammond.
The fate of the Finance Minister will be known after the committee had presented its report to the Speaker, as to whether the censure of vote will go in his favour or otherwise.
The Speaker of Parliament says he has not given any directive banning phones in the Chamber of the House.
Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin issued the disclaimer to the false publication in a private newspaper of Thursday, November 17, 2022, titled “Bagbin bans phones in Parliament”.
He noted that no Member of Parliament had been stopped from using his or her phone in the Chamber.
“The Parliamentary Press Corps, who operate from the press gallery have equally not received any directive banning them from using their phones in the execution of their functions and Parliamentary reporting,” he said.
The Speaker said his Office remained accessible to the media for purposes of clarification on any issue of interest to them.
“We entreat all well-meaning Ghanaians to disregard the wrong and misleading publication, which sought to tarnish the Speaker’s image and reputation by the false claim in the headline.”
The embattled Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, says he has not taken any money from the contingency fund for the construction of the National Cathedral contrary to what the Minority in Parliament is accusing him of.
The Minister of Finance disclosed this while responding to accusations by the proponent of the motion of censure against him that he has taken monies from the Contingency Fund for the Construction of the National Cathedral project without approval by Parliament.
“There is a difference between the contingency vote and contingency fund the proponents refer to. Contingent vote under Article 177 constitutes monies voted by Parliament and advance on this must be authorized by the Parliament finance committee,” he told the eight member Ad-hoc Committee hearing the Censure Motion against him.
He said no specific allocation in the 2014 budget for were made for Ghana’s participation in the FIFA World cup in Brazil.
“The cabinet of John Mahama in March 2014 then approved some $9.22 million dollars for that tournament in a private jet for the players.
“The more current example is Ghana’s participation in Qatar, the Black Stars qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. We after the 2022 budget was presented on the 16 November 2021 was approved by parliament. A specific amount was voted for it (Black Stars) but through the contingency vote we have been able to provide funds for the team to participate in the competition,” Mr. Ofori-Atta stated.
He added that expenditure for the National Cathedral was from the contingent vault as has been the practice before his tenure.
Mr. Ofori-Atta further added that he is aware of the process in getting money from the contingent fund and he will not do the contrary.
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin has bemoaned the failure of the government to give financial clearance to some medical doctors who have completed their housemanship.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Thursday, November 18, 2022, the speaker said that he has come across doctors working in government hospitals without pay.
He added that because of the poor working conditions of health professionals in Ghana, including nurses and doctors, many of them are now leaving the country for greener pastures abroad.
“One and a half weeks ago, I met my colleague Speaker of Parliament of Barbados and he informed me that between last year and this year they were able to recruit 400 nurses … I meet some in Canada (medical officers) who told me, they are no longer interested in returning because of the lack of tools in our health facilities.
“… a few years ago, we had what we call brain gain, health personnel were returning to the country to work because things had greatly improved. I think the substance has gone down and you will have to sit up.
“It is a very serious matter, as of now, I know a number of district hospitals being manned by doctors who are not being paid. The new doctors that you are talking about financial clearance, they are unemployed and they have just volunteered to go to those district hospitals just to work for free. So, it is an urgent matter,” he said.
Speaker Bagbin urged the Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, to engage the Public Services Commission of Ghana to help resolve the challenge of getting financial clearance for doctors who have completed their housemanship.
The maiden Africa Open Parliament Index by the Parliamentary Network Africa (PNAfrica) and the Ghana Parliamentary Monitoring Organizations Network (GPMON) has revealed that Ghana is leading in parliamentary openness in the West African sub region.
The Africa Open Parliament Index (OPI), is a tool that seeks to periodically measure the level of openness of legislative assemblies on the continent. The OPI uses the three criteria of Open Parliament: Transparency, Civic Participation and Public Accountability, to assess Parliaments across Africa.
The Parliamentary Network Africa (PNAfrica) and the Ghana Parliamentary Monitoring Organizations Network (GPMON) presented the results of the maiden Africa Open Parliament Index to Parliament in Accra on Thursday.
The Executive Director of PNAfrica Mr. Sammy Obeng, who made the presentation to Parliament, said the purpose of the OPI is to strengthen Parliaments through CSO- Parliament collaborations. “It makes recommendations, which when pursued diligently over time, can show real progress and improvements in the level of openness in the assessed Parliaments”, he said.
Mr. Obeng said the OPI is developed with three specific objectives which are: to strengthen parliamentary institutions towards the advancement of parliamentary openness across national, sub-national and regional parliaments; to identify, compare and exchange knowledge and best practices among parliaments, and among CSOs that work with parliaments; and to foster collaboration between civil society and parliaments towards achieving the principles of open parliament, providing a platform for amplifying open parliament initiatives.
He said, the combined indicators used for the Index are from global best practices on openness, and minimum standards in parliamentary transparency, civic participation and public accountability, to objectively and independently rank the parliaments of the selected countries in a way that identifies the success stories and the Open Parliament gaps.
Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin called on Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to actively participate in the legislative processes of the country, as part of efforts to improve parliamentary democracy.
The Africa OPI is a joint effort of the Africa Parliamentary Monitoring Organisations (APMON) Working Group, which is made up of renowned parliamentary monitoring organizations in Africa namely, Mzalendo Trust (Kenya), Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), Parliamentary Monitoring Group (South Africa), Africa Parliamentary Press Network (APPN), the Pan African Parliament Civil Society Forum which is coordinated by the Center for Human Rights of the University of Pretoria, and Parliamentary Network Africa.
Parliament has announced a raft of stringent security measures such as mandatory body scan for everybody including the speaker of Parliament.
The House through the Marshall’s office is also considering the idea of banning the use of mobile phones by journalists in the press gallery.
This idea is however vehemently opposed to by leadership and members of the Parliamentary Press Corps.
In announcing some of the security measures on the floor, speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin explained the decision to enhance security in the legislative house is for the good of members, staff and visitors given the times the country finds itself.
“It’s compulsory for all Members including me, Speaker to pass through the machine to be scanned before we enter the Chamber of Parliament. All strangers who are also to do so, who intend coming in, whether to the public gallery, or to the Press gallery, or to the important visitors’ gallery are all to pass through the scanning machine. It’s for your own good that we want to implement this rule.
“So please, starting from tomorrow, any person who is not willing to pass through this machine will definitely not be allowed to enter this chamber.”
It is expected that soon, Parliament will also commence its engagements on the Bill to culminate in its successful enactment.
The Minister of Works and Housing, Francis Asenso-Boakye, made this known at a press briefing in Accra last Sunday.
The briefing was to update the media on recent developments in the housing sector.
He said the Bill sought to ensure that a landlord who demands the payment of rent “in advance for more than one month in a monthly tenancy, or a tenancy which is shorter than one month, or more than one year in a tenancy which exceeds one year, commits an offence” clearly identified in the Bill.
The Bill, the minister said, would also ensure that the rights of “vulnerable tenants” who have been out-priced by the uncontrollable hikes in the cost of renting accommodation were safeguarded.
Outdated
Mr Asenso-Boakye said the existing Rent Act, 1963(Act 220) of 1963 and the Rent Control Law 1986 (PNDC Law138) had outlived their relevance due to the current population growth, urbanisation, housing availability, rental rates, housing redistribution and eviction controls, among other several attendant difficulties that have engulfed the housing sector.
“One subject area that has dominated the housing space for decades is the regulation of the rental housing market in Ghana; the existing law was passed by Parliament 59 years ago,” he observed.
The Bill, the minister noted, would, therefore, ultimately remove inherent constraints and offer incentives, which would stimulate private sector investment in the rental-housing sector.
This, he said, would ensure that property developers were not discouraged from investing in the housing industry by rigid rent control mechanisms.
Participate
The minister implored well-meaning Ghanaians to take particular interest in these engagements to ensure the passage of the Bill into law.
This, he explained, could be done by sending their respective views and expectations to their Members of Parliament for the House to consider for its passage into law.
The Member of Parliament for Adansi Asokwa, Kobina Tahir Hammond, has stated that he has no idea of the current fuel prices as he does not have a car to buy fuel.
This was in response to Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu, who sought to inquire from KT Hammond during the committee hearing on the motion of censure against the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, whether he was aware of the current fuel prices.
Mr. K.T. Hammond, who is also a Chairman on the committee, in response said “I don’t buy fuel, I don’t have a car so I don’t buy fuel”.
Ken Ofori-Atta, the Finance Minister, has appeared before the ad hoc committee to probe allegations in a vote of a censure motion against him.
The eight-member committee is to be co-chaired by Dominic Ayine (MP for Bolgatanga East) and KT Hammond (MP for Adansi-Asokwa). Members from the majority side include; Patrick Boamah, Andrew Agyapa Mercer (MP for Sekondi), and Kwame Anyimadu Antwi. Members from the minority include Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings (MP for Korle Klottey), Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa (MP for North Tongu), and Bernard Ahiafor (MP for Akatsi South).
The committee is expected to submit a report within seven days.
The eight-member ad hoc committee set up by Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, to probe embattled Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta will start sitting today, a member of the committee has announced.
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Member of Parliament for North Tongu, in a social media post revealed that sittings will be public and also broadcast live.
According to him, doing so will ultimately be in the spirit of transparency and accountability.
“The Ken Ofori-Atta Vote of Censure Parliamentary Committee will commence sittings tomorrow 15/11/22 at 11 am.
“It’s an absolute delight to announce that the committee shall sit in public & all proceedings will be broadcast live in the true spirit of transparency & accountability,” his post read.
Speaker sets up ad hoc Committee over Ofori-Atta censure motion
Alban Bagbin, on Thursday, November 10 announced an ad hoc committee to probe allegations in a vote of censure motion against the embattled Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.
The 8-member ad hoc committee was constituted with Members of Parliament elected by the leadership of both sides of the House.
Their main task is to probe the seven allegations contained in the censure motion filed late last month by Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu, which motion is seeking the removal of Ofori-Atta from office.
The committee is expected to submit a report within 7 days.
The composition of the committee is as follows:
It will be chaired by Member of Parliament (MP) for Adansi Asokwa, Kobina Tahir (K.T.) Hammond and the MP for Bolgatanga Dominic Akuritinga Ayine.
The three members from the Minority side are:
MP for North Tongu; Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa;
MP for Korle Klottey, Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings; and
MP for Akatsi South, Bernard Ahiafor.
From the Majority caucus, the members include:
MP for Okaikwei Central, Patrick Yaw Boamah;
MP for Asante-Akim Central, Michael Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi; and
MP for Sekondi, Andrew Kofi Agyapa Mercer.
How motion of censure against Ofori-Atta was argued
The Minority Leader filed a motion of censure late last month against Minister for Finance Ken Ofori-Atta.
The motion was duly admitted by Speaker Alban Bagbin and on November 10, the motion was moved by Haruna Iddrisu to trigger debate and a vote on same.
Speaker Bagbin, however, in his interpretation of the rules the Minority relied on referred the issue to an 8-member ad hoc committee formed to probe the Minority’s claims against the Finance Minister.
The committee co-chaired by Dominic Ayine (NDC) and KT Hammond (NPP) is expected to present their report in seven-days, following which the House will proceed with the censure process or otherwise.
Below are the seven-points for which the Minority want Ofori-Atta censured:
a. Despicable conflict of interest ensuring that he directly benefits from Ghana’s economic woes as his companies receive commissions and other unethical contractual advantages particularly from Ghana’s debt overhang
b. Unconstitutional withdrawals from the Consolidated Fund in blatant contravention of Article 178 of the 1992 Constitution, supposedly for the construction of the President’s Cathedral.
c. Illegal payment of oil revenues into offshore accounts, in flagrant violation of Article 176 of the 1992 Constitution.
d. Deliberate and dishonest misreporting of economic data to Parliament
e. Fiscal recklessness leading to the crash of the Ghana Cedi which is currently the worst-performing currency in the world
f. Alarming incompetence and frightening ineptitude, resulting in the collapse of the Ghanaian economy and an excruciating cost of living crisis
g. Gross mismanagement of the Ghanaian economy which has occasioned untold and unprecedented hardship
A financial analyst, Dr Micheal Dawson, has urged citizens to lend their support to the Bank of Ghana and its leadership for implementing raft measures to address the current economic situation.
Dr Michael Dawson believes that the recent decision to increase the monetary policy rate in order to ensure inflation does not spiral out of control is apt on the part of the Governor and his MPC team.
Speaking in an interview with GhanaWeb Business, Dr Dawson said the recent assurances given by the BoG governor, Dr Ernest Addison, indicating that there is enough liquidity in the financial sector will boost the confidence of investors and shareholders.
“The decision to increase the policy rate in the last MPC meeting was apt but as you know the way our politics is done in Ghana, that has not been appreciated. Without the BoG’s interventions, the economic situation would have been triple times worse and the current measures being implemented by the central bank are yielding some results while the country awaits an IMF support programme.”
“I am also aware of the recent clamp down to flush out the activities of the ‘black market’ operators in the system and this I understand forms part of measures to ensure a stable currency for businesses and citizens to thrive.”
“Despite the current situation, l have not heard of any financial institution complain of liquidity challenges because the Central Bank has given assurance that there is liquidity and so I personally believe as a nation, we must support and encourage the Governor and his team at this difficult time.”
Dr Dawson said this in reaction to remarks made by the Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga Central, Isaac Adongo, who accused the BoG Governor for contributing to the current economic situation.
“I think we shouldn’t politicise the situation but rather support the BoG Governor to implement these raft measures as the economic situation is not only peculiar to Ghana but is global one that is being felt in even advanced economies” he noted.
Meanwhile, the Bank of Ghana has assured universal banks in the country and other stakeholders that it will ensure there is enough liquidity until Ghana secures an IMF-supported programme.
Due to the current economic crisis, Ghana in July this year restored to the IMF for an economic support programme to restore macroeconomic stability, among others. The county is targeting $3 billion from the Fund once an agreement is reached.
The Member of Parliament for Dome Kwabenya, Sarah Adwoa Safo, expressed her delight at returning home and to parliament after being away from the jurisdiction for a long time.
She explained that on her return, she received a good reception from her colleague MPs in parliament.
Speaking to journalists after the close of Friday’s, November 11, 2022, proceedings in parliament, Sarah Adwoa Safo said that she was happy to be back.
“I greet all my constituents. As their Member of Parliament, by the grace of God, I have finally returned to the Chamber… the reception has been good… I’m now back to continue my duties and today is the first day and I’m hoping that the subsequent weeks are going to be good.
“It feels good to be back,” she said.
The absence of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) MPs from parliamentary work for nearly a year has been a source of contention and several controversies, with her colleagues on the same side of the House pushing for her seat to be declared vacant at one point.
The MP had also earlier been summoned to appear before the Privileges Committee of Parliament for absenting herself from work for more than the period stated in the constitution, but she failed to show up.
Also, in her absence, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo terminated her appointment as the Minister of Gender, Children, and Social Protection.
The Minority Chief Whip in Parliament, Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka, has told the Members of Parliament on the majority side that their decision not to support the removal of the finance minister is something they will live to regret.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs have filed a motion in the House calling for a vote of censure against the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, over his poor performance in managing the economy.
Some weeks ago, 80 MPs from the New Patriotic Party (NPP), forming the majority in parliament, made an unprecedented move when they addressed a press conference, calling on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to sack the finance minister and his counterpart, the Minister of State in charge of Finance, Charles Adu Boahene.
The MPs explained at the time that the poor performance of their party member had caused a lot of hardships in the country, adversely affecting their constituents, and for this reason they wanted him out.
However, since then, the MPs have backed down a little after they had a meeting with the president.
But when he got up in parliament on Thursday, November 10, 2022, to second the motion moved by the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, the Chief Whip, Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka, told his colleagues on the other side that it would be an error for them to turn their backs now.
“Our failure today to remove the finance minister will continue to hurt each and every one of us. It will continue to hurt our constituents. It will continue to hurt the economy, it will continue to hurt businesses; businesses are collapsing, ordinary citizens are now struggling to feed themselves.
“This is a responsibility for all of us and I just want to, Mr. Speaker, urge my colleagues, especially the ‘Rambo 80,’ to have at the back of their mind, ‘You have a reason for rebelling.’ You know this is a finance minister who doesn’t listen. You know the efforts that you’ve made severally to get him to do the right things and he refused. Those are the reasons that led you to rebel.
“I can assure you that if you backtrack, you will regret it because you know the kind of president and his family that you have: they will surely come after you,” he said.
The MP for Asawase further called on the NPP MPs to support their motion for the removal of Ken Ofori-Atta as the Minister of Finance so that they can, together, save the country from all the economic mess it is going through.
“It is better today; you help us to remove him. It will give you mileage, and it will make people believe you. All the rumour that was going round that people made an attempt to bribe you, today, you need to justify it. You need to prove to the world that you were never bribed, that you were never influenced,” he added.
Earlier, the NPP MPs, led by the Effiduase Asokore legislator, addressed a press briefing where they indicated that while they still hold the view that Ofori-Atta and his counterpart should go, they would not support the motion by their colleagues in the NDC for a vote of censure against him.
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, on Thursday, November 10 announced an ad hoc committee to probe allegations in a vote of censure motion against the embattled Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.
The 8-member ad hoc committee was constituted with Members of Parliament elected by the leadership of both sides of the House.
Their main task is to probe the seven allegations contained in the censure motion filed late last month by Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu, which motion is seeking the removal of Ofori-Atta from office.
The committee is expected to submit a report within 7 days.
The composition of the committee is as follows:
It will be chaired by Member of Parliament (MP) for Adansi Asokwa, Kobina Tahir (K.T.) Hammond and the MP for Bolgatanga Dominic Akuritinga Ayine.
The three members from the Minority side are:
MP for North Tongu; Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa;
MP for Korle Klottey, Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings; and
MP for Akatsi South, Bernard Ahiafor.
From the Majority caucus, the members include:
MP for Okaikwei Central, Patrick Yaw Boamah;
MP for Asante-Akim Central, Michael Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi; and
MP for Sekondi, Andrew Kofi Agyapa Mercer.
How motion of censure against Ofori-Atta was argued
The Minority Leader filed a motion of censure late last month against Minister for Finance Ken Ofori-Atta.
The motion was duly admitted by Speaker Alban Bagbin and on November 10, the motion was moved by Haruna Iddrisu to trigger debate and a vote on the same.
Speaker Bagbin, however, in his interpretation of the rules the Minority relied on referred the issue to an 8-member ad hoc committee formed to probe the Minority’s claims against the Finance Minister.
The committee co-chaired by Dominic Ayine (NDC) and KT Hammond (NPP) is expected to present their report in seven days, following which the House will proceed with the censure process or otherwise.
Below are the seven points for which the Minority want Ofori-Atta censured:
a. Despicable conflict of interest ensuring that he directly benefits from Ghana’s economic woes as his companies receive commissions and other unethical contractual advantages, particularly from Ghana’s debt overhang
b. Unconstitutional withdrawals from the Consolidated Fund in blatant contravention of Article 178 of the 1992 Constitution, supposedly for the construction of the President’s Cathedral.
c. Illegal payment of oil revenues into offshore accounts, in flagrant violation of Article 176 of the 1992 Constitution.
d. Deliberate and dishonest misreporting of economic data to Parliament
e. Fiscal recklessness leading to the crash of the Ghana Cedi which is currently the worst-performing currency in the world
f. Alarming incompetence and frightening ineptitude, resulting in the collapse of the Ghanaian economy and an excruciating cost of living crisis
g. Gross mismanagement of the Ghanaian economy which has occasioned untold and unprecedented hardship
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has ruled that an ad-hoc committee will be set up to probe the allegations for the motion of censure raised by the Minority Caucus against the embattled Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta.
According to the Speaker, setting up a committee will provide an opportunity for the Finance Minister to respond to issues of conflict of interest raised by the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu.
“The evidence will be placed before the committee. The Minister will have the opportunity to defend himself. A report will be presented to the House, and we will debate that report,” the Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin said.
Bagbin made the ruling after the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, moved the motion for the vote of censure against Mr Ofori-Atta on the Floor of the House on Thursday, November 10, 2022.
According to Haruna Iddrisu, the record inflation rate, the depreciation of the cedi, the excessive borrowing and the reckless spending and the failure to control fuel prices are clear indications that the Finance Minister is not fit to continue in his role.
The Tamale South MP added that “Ghana’s economy is currently in a ditch” and called on the Majority side of the House to join the motion to remove the Finance Minister to regain the confidence of investors and save the economy from total collapse.
But the call by the Minority Leader was turned down by the Majority side, with the Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin stating the call by the Minority Leader is in bad faith and not procedural.
According to him, issues raised by the Minority Leader border on criminality. He said Parliament cannot arrogate to itself judicial powers to try the Finance Minister, and called on the Speaker to allow Mr Ofori-Atta to defend before any decision is made.
The Majority MPs had earlier indicated their unwillingness to back the Minority’s vote of censure against the Finance Minister.
At a press conference held Thursday morning, the Majority group led by the MP for Effiduase/Asokore, Nana Ayew Afriyie said despite the fact that they still stand by their decision for the Finance Minister to be removed, they refuse to support the motion by the Minority.
“We are not going to support the course of the NDC this morning. The course of the NDC is premised on falsehood, propaganda and reasons which are not justifiable. Their position might look like ours, but ours is different,” Ayew Afriyie said.
All is set in parliament for the house to vote on a censure motion tabled against the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta.
The house is yet to officially commence sitting for the day however the minority side which filed the motion seeking to remove the minister from office have filled their side of the chamber.
The majority side on the other hand have a handful of their members in the chamber while others have been seen within the precents of the house.
Ahead of the commencement of sitting, members of the minority group have been captured in a meeting which took place on the floor of the chamber.
The minority members briefly stopped their chit-chat as they gathered around their leader, Haruna Iddrisu.
The minority leader in the brief meeting was seen ostensibly outlining the caucus’ strategy to the members who listened with rapt attention.
Meanwhile, the majority group in an earlier press conference have hinted of their plans to boycott the voting process.
According to the majority, even though they support the call for the minister’s resignation, the removal of Ken Ofori-Atta should be on their terms.
“We are here to reiterate that, however much you heard us speaking that based on the intervention of the president, we will have to see the minister of finance do his work, read budget, see through appropriation and then the president will act.
“Over the days, we have heard the finance minister speaking and his speaking has influenced majority of us in the caucus, not only to state that we are back to the original position that we took, and that position is that the minister of finance must not be the one to read the budget, and must not be the one that would do the appropriation.
“We are here to tell you this morning that this will be very soon for you to see, the position of us and we are going to be positively defiant about that posture until that action is taken. However, we are not going to support the cause of the NDC in the chamber this morning.
“The cause of the NDC is premised on falsehood, propaganda and reasons that are not justifiable. Their position might look like ours but is not the same.”
This comes following a decision by some 80 MPs to call for the sacking of the Finance Minister.
The group of New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament petitioned president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo during a presser on Tuesday, October 25, 2022, to sack the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, and the Minister of State at the finance ministry, Adu Boahen, to restore public confidence in the economy.”
The group said it will not do business with government nor support the 2023 Budget if the president fails to heed their calls.
According to them, the move follows previous concerns sent to the government that have not yielded any positive results.
Akufo-Addo’s meeting with NPP MPs and Vote of censure:
A meeting with the president following the demands by the NPP MPs meant that they had to stand down their request on two conditions.
The conditions included that Ofori-Atta is allowed to conclude the current phase of financial support negotiations with the International Monetary Fund and also to present the 2023 budget and see to the passage of the appropriation bill before their removal request will be acted upon.
It was on the same day that the Minority Caucus filed a censure. Their leader, Haruna Iddrisu assured the House days ago that the Minority Caucus he leads in Parliament will fully pursue a censure vote initiated against Ofori-Atta.
Speaking on the floor of the House on Tuesday, November 1, 2022; Haruna reiterated having issued a nine-line whip for members of his caucus when the day of voting comes, affirming that he will move the motion before November 10.
Haruna Iddrisu, after confirming that the motion will be filed also called on MPs in the Majority to join them to remove Ofori-Atta.
“I will move the motion for the censure of the Minister for Finance, Hon. Ken Ofori-Atta. Those like-minded persons who will dance with us, Mr. Speaker, they will be welcomed in the secret ballots,” Haruna stressed.
Voting today:
Parliament will require a vote with 2/3rd of MPs to decide the fate of the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.
With the current stance of the group from the Majority Caucus, it remains unclear what the outcome of this vote of censure will be.
Some Members of Parliament, from both the Majority and Minority Caucus in Parliament, have been calling for the resignation of the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.
The Minority filed the motion to ensure that Mr Ofori-Atta is removed from office. However, ahead of today’s hearing, the Majority MPs numbering about 80 have made a u-turn, with an indication that they will not support the censure albeit their call for his dismissal.
The Member of Parliament for Sagnarigu, Alhassan Bashir Fuseini, has called out what he described as the cowardice of his colleagues on the majority side of parliament in their decision not to support their vote of censure motion against the Minister of Finance.
Speaking in an interview with JoyNews and monitored by GhanaWeb, the outspoken National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP expressed shock at the MPs’ decision not to support their vote.
He explained that it amazes him that the MPs, who had earlier called for the minister to be sacked, would in turn throw away an easy opportunity to get their request granted.
“The man is a walking disaster, and once they themselves have come to the conclusion that Ken Ofori-Atta is a disaster, this is an excellent opportunity for them to walk the talk when they told us Ken Ofori-Atta was a disaster and must go.
“If you have been parasitising and they call for free food, it’s like your wife has just cooked, so, why is it that now that they have free food – the opportunity that the censure is moved, and now they’re running away.
“So, it is abundantly clear that they will be reneging on their responsibility,” he sad.
Alhassan Bahir Fuseini, also known as A.B.A. Fuseini, further stated that regardless of the position of the NPP MPs, they in the NDC will prove to Ghanaians that they are the ones concerned about their concerns and their well-being.
“I now say that today is a historic day in parliament, that the people will see who is truly beholding to the national interest of this country; who is truly standing up for the oppressed masses; who is truly standing up for the excruciating hardships that our people are suffering,” he said.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has proposed a vote of censure in Parliament.
Should it pass, it would make the appointment of Ken Ofori-Atta as Minister of Finance invalid in the eyes of parliament, forcing the president to officially sack him.
Member of Parliament for Atwima Kwanwoma Constituency Kofi Amankwa-Manu, who also doubles as Deputy Minister of Defence, has presented a set of medical equipment valued at $60,000 to the Trabuom Health Center.
The procurement of the medical equipment was funded by the Latter Day Charities through the MP’s initiative.
This is the second social intervention project executed by the Member of Parliament this year.
The first phase saw some deplorable schools turned into model ones in the Atwima Kwanwoma Constituency in the early part of this year.
Needs assessment are the driven vehicles for the MP’s community support project.
Trabuom Health Center is the latest community to receive support.
The community has been handed over modern medical equipment like Nebulizer, Suction machine, Chemistry analyzer, Vaccine fridge, Maternity beds, Baby’s crib, Full Blood Count analyzer, Delivery sets, Urine centrifuge, etc, all worth the equivalent to over GH¢780,000.
Experts say with the coming on board of these equipment, the Health Center is in a better position to undertake all necessary medical laboratory services including liver and kidney analysis.
“The medical equipment will help us provide an enhanced medical care. The issue of the community members especially, pregnant women seeking maternal care outside Trabuom will be a thing of the past,” the District Medical Director, Comfort Suglo, said.
The Deputy Defence Minister and MP for Atwima Kwanwoma, Kofi Amankwa-Manu, said “the medical equipment like these demand a befitting environment, hence my office, prior to the donation of the equipment, also renovated the laboratory block to a befitting status”.
“It is my desire that the management of the facility will take good care of these equipment to the benefit of the country.”
Gabriel Kojo, a representative from the Latter Day Charities under the Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, also stated: “Our vision is to support the needy, and the MP applied to our organisation for help. We have been working together for sometime now. All these you see were made available after we also came down to make an assessment after the Member of Parliament reached us for support.”
In attendance were the District Chief Executive, Prince Karikari, and his Coordinating Director, Presiding Member, Nananom, Representatives of the Latter-Day Charities, some Assembly Members, my Constituency Executives and a host of ruling party faithfuls.
Tamale Central Member of Parliament, Alhassan Suhuyini, has advanced a reason why embattled Dome-Kwabenya lawmaker, Sarah Adwoa Safo, is returning to Parliament after a long absence.
Suhuyini in an interview on TV3, November 8, 2022, said it was curious that the lawmaker’s much-awaited return was coinciding with a vote of censure motion the Minority Caucus was due to move against Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.
According to him, the latest development is akin to the last time that she was in Parliament, that is to help with the passage of the 2022 Budget statement of the government.
“You know there is an important vote coming up?” Suhuyini asked New Day host Berla Mundi before adding: “The finance minister’s vote of censure, she has showed up. When did she last show up last minute? On the budget.
“They knew where she was, they could bring her, they just didn’t want to,” he submitted.
“When it is important to this government…remember Adwoa Safo told us the president is aware of her absence and the president understands her and the president has never denied it.
“For me, it is curious that an important vote is coming up….and the president has found a way and remember the president wants to save the Finance Minister at all costs, Adwoa is back,” he stressed.
Adwoa Safo makes no-show in Parliament
On Tuesday, November 8, when proceedings in Parliament started at about 11.38 am, her seat was empty indicating that she was not in the Chamber.
Journalists and even her colleague MPs were expecting to see her join the debate which was going on at the plenary but that did not happen.
Sarah Adwoa Safo’s seat remained empty till the end of the day’s proceedings at 2.00 pm.
It is, however, unclear why the MP, after her return to the country failed to show up in the House.
The MP was relieved of her ministerial post despite having been given extended leave from last year and her seat in Parliament is the subject of a heated debate between the Speaker and Leader of the Majority Group.
After referring her absence from Parliament to the Privileges Committee of Parliament, the Speaker of Parliament said he investigated their work and was not satisfied with it and has since referred it to the floor of Parliament for a decision to be taken.
The Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC) says the practice of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) committing huge sums of its funds into Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) must end.
Vice Chairman of PIAC, Nasir Alfa Mohammed, says Parliament needs to scrutinize the budget of GNPC to ensure that the state company uses appropriated funds for the specified project aimed at fetching government enough revenue.
“Usually, GNPC will end up spending on other areas other than their core mandate, which is to ensure that they do more prospecting and exploration of more oil for us to get more revenue”.
Nasir Alfa Mohammed made these comments when he was addressing a media engagement during the presentation of its semi-annual report.
“We are of the opinion that Parliament should pay particular attention to the budgetary request of GNPC, scrutinize very well and ensure that GNPC does not take money approved by parliament and utilize it more on Corporate Social investments”, he further added.
The Deputy Ranking Member of the Education Committee in Parliament, Dr. Clement Apaak has called on President Akufo-Addo to as a matter of urgency resolve issues on the appointment of the new Ghana Education Service Director-General.
His comment comes on the back of three teacher unions having declared a strike action over the appointment of Dr. Eric Nkansah.
According to the Unions, their action has been occasioned due to the failure of the government to meet the deadline to terminate the appointment of Mr. Nkansah.
The Unions are the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers Ghana (CCT-G).
However, the deputy ranking member thinks President Akufo-Addo is adamant about the demands of the teachers’ unions.
“Will Nana Addo keep the Acting Director General of GES to the detriment of the academic wellbeing of over 8 million Ghanaian pupils or students, whose about 400,000 teachers or masters are on strike in opposition to his appointment of Dr. Nkansah as Director General?
According to the teacher unions, Dr. Nkansah is a banker and not a professional teacher.
“The Teacher Unions did not only register their protest but also, found it unacceptable for a Banker to be appointed as a Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, GES, instead of an Educationist at a time when many teachers who did the same courses and related ones were rejected by GES.
“Because it is not related to education we stated that both the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service, should apologize to teachers for accepting the very qualification they rejected when teachers presented them,” they demanded in a statement dated November 4, 2022.
Member of Parliament (MP) for Dome Kwabenya Constituency, Sarah Adwoa Safo, is back in Ghana after close to a year in the United States of America.
She is back after staying away from her duties as a Member of Parliament for the period amidst criticisms from some colleague MPs and executives of the New Patriotic Party.
Sarah Adwoa Safo was spotted at a Presbyterian Church in her Constituency on Sunday November 6, 2022 where she was accompanied by some family and friends to thank God for his protection of her life.
Speaking to the Congregation, Adwoa Safo said she was grateful to God for protecting her life and that of her family stressing that “last year was a very challenging year”.
The Member of Parliament who doubled as Gender and Social Protection Minister was sacked by the President of Ghana after she failed to show up for her responsibilities.
Rumors were rife that she had left the country because she did not want the Gender, Children, and Social Protection Minister but rather wanted to remain the Deputy Majority leader in Parliament; a position which had been given to Alex Afenyo Markin.
Meanwhile, after referring her absence from Parliament to the privileges committee of Parliament, the Speaker of Parliament said he investigated their work and was not satisfied with it and has since referred it to the floor of Parliament for a decision to be taken.
