The leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as well as the leadership of the Majority caucus in Parliament have asked all lawmakers on the side of the governing party to respect the Majority Caucus’ communication channels in the House in making their grievances known.
This directive forms part of efforts to manage the situation where some NPP Members of Parliament (MPs) are asking the Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta to step aside due to the economic challenges.
At a crunch meeting in Accra on Tuesday November 22, the leadership of the party and the Majority group in Parliament in a statement co-signed by Majority Chief Whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh and General Secretary of the NPP, Justin Kodua Frimpong, said “In the meantime, the leadership of the Parliamentary Group and the leadership of the party counselled the Honourbale Members of Parliamentary party to respect to the caucus communications channel , and to the largest extent possible, work together as one caucus unit. .
“Leadership of the party in this regard call upon the Members of Parliament to attend to all Government Business in the House including in particular the 2023 budget statement and economic policy and all connected matters.”
The leadership also asked the legislators to be present in Parliament when the Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta presents the 2023 budget statement.
This comes after the lawmakers who are asking Mr Ofori-Atta to go have threatened to boycott the budget presentation if he is the one billed to present the document.
Member of Parliament for Asanti-Akyem North Kwame Andy Appiah-Kubi earlier served notice that the aggrieved MPs won’t be in Parliament to support the budget if Mr Ofori-Atta is the one to present the document.
The MPs believe that a new face should replace the Finance Minister due to the current economic challenges.
He told journalists that “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.
“And if we’re not going to do business with him, he does not participate in any process from the Presidency to the House. We will not participate in deliberations too.”
By Laud Nartey|3news.com|Ghana