Parliament gets busy this week ...As Finance Minister presents budget tomorrow
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, is scheduled to present the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the government for the 2024 financial year tomorrow, Wednesday, November 15, 2023.
The presentation is in accordance with Article 179 of the 1992 Constitution.
The budget presentation would be the highlight of this week's activities in Parliament which will be followed by a post-budget workshop on Saturday at the Parliament House in Accra.
Schedule
The Deputy Majority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who presented the Business Statement to the House last Friday, said the Minister of Energy, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, was expected back in Parliament together with officials of the Volta River Authority (VRA) to a make a comprehensive presentation on the Akosombo and Kpong Dams spillage and its effects on the lives of the indigenes today.
Dr Opoku Prempeh was in Parliament last Wednesday to apprise the House but it appeared his answers were not detailed.
Other ministers
Mr Afenyo-Markin said the Business Committee had also invited the Ministers of Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong, Health, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, Sanitation and Water Resources, Dr Freda Prempeh, to also appear on the same date on to put across measures being taken by their respective ministries to alleviate the plight of the communities affected by the spillage.
The National Security Minister, Albert Kan-Dapaah, who was expected in the House last week but failed to appear, is rescheduled to report today on military brutalities meted out to some residents of Garu and Tempane in the Upper East Region.
Also, on the bill to brief the House on other national issues are the Ministers of Attorney-General and Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, Education, Dr Osei Yaw Adutwum, Interior, Ambrose Dery, and Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako-Attah.
Altogether, the invited ministers are to answer 49 questions, including 11 urgent ones.
Questions
The questions include one by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Lower Manya Krobo, Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi, on the status of the prosecution of the Chief Executive of defunct Menzgold Company, Nana Appiah Mensah (Nam 1).
It also includes one by the NDC MP for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, on government's legal position on the plight of the people of Santrokofi, Akpafu, Likpe and Lolobi (SALL) as they do not have representation in the current Parliament.
Mr Afenyo-Markin said the Business Committee also recommended to the House to have an extended sitting to ensure that businesses scheduled for the week under consideration were completed.