Member of Parliament for Jaman South Constituency in the Bono region Hon. Williams Okofo-Dateh says the 2023 budget has not been approved totally despite the official approval by member of parliaments.
Speaking on Ahotor 92.3 Fm’s morning show Adekye Mu Nsem, Hon. Okofo-Dateh explained that they have concerns over some of the things in the budget but not with the whole budget.
“We havnt approved the 2023 budget totally, Parliamentarians have organised a workshop on the budget which experts have given us more insight, so we will know if we have approved the budget totally when the Ministers appear to defend their budget” Hon. Okofo-Dateh told Citizen Kofi Owusu.
Using the National Cathedral as an example he said “National Cathedral is not a priority for now we can use some of the money to enhance the school feeding program, this is not the time for a National Cathedral building”.
Parliament approved the 2023 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the government for the year ending December 31, 2022.
The approval came after the House had adopted the motion on the budget document.
The Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, moved the motion and requested the House to approve the Budget Statement and Economic Policy after he had presented it to the House on November 24, 2022.
The approval, which is the first stage of budget consideration, paves the way for the House to begin to consider various estimates of ministries, departments and agencies by relevant sector committees.
After that, the House will consider and approve the Appropriation Act to allow the Finance Minister spend the requested amount of funds from the consolidated fund and other public funds.
Ken Ofori-Atta must be sacked.
Answering the question, Should the Finance Minister be sacked? Hon. Okofo-Dateh replied “We should put friends and families aside and move the city forward”.
Using the Former Energy Minister Kwabena Donkor as an example he opined that “Kwabena Donkor under John Mahama promised to solve dumsor, he brought machines and generators but Ghanaians was not impressed so he resigned that is how a politician works Ken Ofori-Atta must go”.
It will be recalled that in February this year, Mr Ofori-Atta said the government had no intention to go to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a bailout but will resort to available means within the country to generate revenue.
This u-turn by the government has resulted in critics calling for his resignation over his pronouncements on IMF support.
Calls for his resignation have been led by members of the opposition National Democratic Congress including the National Chairman, Johnson Dr. Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo and former President John Dramani Mahama.
Story by: Emmanuel Romeo Tetteh / Ahotoronline.com
