The Minority in Parliament is poised to resist the approval of the 2024 budget once again today.

During the presentation of the economic policy and budget statement by Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta on Wednesday, Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin called for a voice vote, with the majority prevailing.

However, the Minority, seeking greater transparency, opted for a headcount, prompting the Majority caucus to stage a walkout during the approval process.

Minority Leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, addressing the media, emphasized that the fate of the 2024 budget still hangs in the balance, and they anticipate defeating its approval once more today.

In contrast, Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta and the Majority in Parliament maintain that the 2024 budget was indeed passed after the Speaker, Alban Bagbin, declared the outcome of the voice vote. Despite the Minority's stance that the budget and economic statement haven't been passed, the Majority contends that due process was followed in the approval process.

Addressing journalists after the walkout by the Majority, the Finance Minister said, “At the end of the day, the Speaker put it to vote twice, and he declared that the ‘ayes’ have it. That means the budget, in my view, has been passed. Later, there was a challenge, which has not been resolved. So far as I know and believe, we have the 2024 budget passed until such time that they resolve whatever they want to resolve.”

The Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, who expressed fury about the Speaker’s actions, pointed out, “You were all there; you heard the Speaker loud and clear. Why should a Speaker beat such a hasty retreat from what he has said? In this case, he said the ‘ayes’ have it. Then you have the Speaker making a sudden U-turn that he didn’t add that the ‘ayes’ have it. He just expressed an opinion. And that’s most unfortunate. So, we think that the proper thing should be done.”

“We agreed to the headcount; what was he waiting for? For about 30 minutes, he was not doing anything. What kind of attitude is this? That is why we left the chamber. Five MPs of the Minority were not here, so all that he was doing was to buy more time to enable them to find a way into the chamber.”