Minority laments over absence of 2024 budget copies

Minority Expresses Concerns Over Missing 2024 Budget Copies After Presentation.

In the wake of Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta’s presentation of the 2024 Budget and Finance Statement on November 15, the minority in parliament has raised a notable concern—the absence of copies of the budget documents. The Minority Leader, Ato Forson, voiced his dismay during parliamentary proceedings, drawing attention to the Ministry of Finance’s failure to provide Members of Parliament with copies of the budget statement.

Ato Forson emphasized the urgency of having the budget documents in hand, especially as post-budget discussions are set to begin. “Mr. Speaker, it is important for me to state that as we speak, we are all aware that the post-budget starts tomorrow; unfortunately, we have not received copies of the budget statement,” he conveyed. He further highlighted the practical challenges, stating, “I do not have a copy of the budget statement, and no one is here. I have been observing the Ministry of Finance website since Wednesday to be able to download a soft copy.”

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The Minority Leader stressed the significance of having access to the budget documents, describing the situation as a pressing concern as the house commences its post-budget deliberations. “Mr. Speaker, this is not a speech; this is an appendix that comes with it. Mr. Speaker, we don’t have it, we don’t have it,” he reiterated.

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The absence of the budget copies has left Members of Parliament without crucial information for the discussions that follow the budget presentation. Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta’s presentation marked the initiation of the debate on the Budget Statement and Economic Policy for the year ending December 31st, 2024. Despite the presentation, the delay in distributing the budget copies has created a notable obstacle for effective parliamentary discourse on the proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The issue is expected to be a focal point as the parliamentary debates on the budget statement are set to commence on November 21, 2023.

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