Zeqblog Blog of Friday, 20 December 2024
Source: Okine Isaac
The current session of Parliament has been adjourned till January 2, 2025 by Speaker Alban Bagbin.
This adjournment, announced by the Speaker at the sitting on Friday, December 20, 2024, occurs four days after the House reconvened following its indefinite adjournment in October 2024.
This is the third time the current meeting of the House has been adjourned in recent months.
Prior to Friday's meeting, Finance Minister Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam was due to propose a mini-budget for the 2025 Fiscal Year, which would span three months: January, February, and March 2025.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo formally presented the House with budget estimates for the first quarter of 2025 for the Parliamentary Service, Audit Service, and Judiciary and Judicial Service.
The submission of estimates is in conformity with the 1992 Constitution and is due to the fact that Parliament has yet to enact the budget for 2025, which was intended to happen by the end of November 2024.
The House Minority Caucus blasted the finance minister for postponing the presentation of the mini-budget.
They assert that there would be severe repercussions if the budget was not presented, including the loss of workers' 2025 salary.
Additionally, the House is anticipated to review measures that are presented to it, such as those that authorise loans and tax exemptions.
Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, the minority leader, even threatened to put Dr. Amin Adam in jail if he didn't submit the mini-budget.
The House was shown the records of its past sessions by the Speaker of Parliament on Friday before the meeting was adjourned.