The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has vetoed the use of hotels for the post-budget workshop this year, citing the current financial challenges facing the country.

This decision follows Deputy Minority Leader, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin's announcement on Friday, November 10, that the workshop would be held at Rock City Hotel, owned by the Member of Parliament for Abetifi, Bryan Acheampong.

Presenting the business statement for the week, Afenyo-Markin stated, “The usual post-budget workshop would be organized to allow experts to elucidate further on the underpinnings of the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government to Hon. Members. The workshop is expected to be held from Friday, 17 to Sunday, 19th November 2023 at the Rock City Hotel, Kwahu Nkwatia in the Eastern Region."

However, on Monday, November 13, the Speaker of Parliament expressed concerns about the development, noting that the public was against imposing an additional financial burden on the state coffers.

He clarified that the House did not decide on using Rock City as the venue for the post-budget review, adding that even though Volta Serene and Rock City presented their invoices, the latter was quite expensive, hence the reason he won't go with it.

“I believe that democracy has finally decided and the people have prevailed on their representatives to decide that this year’s post-budget workshop be held here in parliament.

"Reporting on Saturday early in the morning, we will use the floor of the house as the main conference,” he said.

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NAY/AE