The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Bagbin, has spoken for the first time since parliament rejected the budget for 2022.
The Speaker of Parliament declared in a Facebook post that the 2022 budget was constitutionally rejected, thus the majority's claim that it was illegal should be ignored.
He noted that 138 Members of Parliament were present when the budget was rejected.
"Please let it be known that there were more than 137 MPs on the floor when I put the question for the approval or rejection of the Economic Policy and Financial Statement of the government for the 2022 financial year often referred to as the Budget for 2022," he wrote.
Background
Members of Parliament on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) numbering 137, have angrily walked out of Parliament on Friday over the presence of the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, popularly known as "General Mosquito."
Johnson Asiedu Nketia who was on the public gallery was asked by the majority caucus to leave but the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, failed to order his expulsion.
The majority's call for Johnson Asiedu to be walked out came after the Speaker ordered the Marshals to walk all non-MPs who did not have voting right out of the chamber.
The Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori Attah, whose request to engage the leadership of Parliament before the approval of the budget was turned down, politely went out following the Speaker's order.
The Majority MPs also demanded that the General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress, who was sitting in the public gallery be walked out.
The 137 MPs forming the majority caucus vacated the floor of Parliament after the Speaker refused to walk out "Mosquito."
With half of the total number of MPs in the house at the moment, the budget was disapproved.
But the Majority Leader of Parliament and MP for Suame, Kyei Mensah-Bonsu has questioned the constitutionality with which the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, ruled on the 2022 budget without the awareness of the majority caucus.
Speaking to the press on Friday, he said the budget still stands and has not been disapproved.
“The motion on the budget as far as we are concerned has not been pronounced on by Parliament,” Majority Leader said.
“It is still standing in the name of the Minister for Finance and in the fullness of time a properly-constituted House, not one presided over by the Right Honorable Speaker, will make the decision."
However, the Speaker of Parliament in a Facebook post said the claim of the Majority Caucasus should be disregarded.
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