Finance Minister To Present Mid-Year Budget Review On July 25

Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta is expected to present the Mid-Year Review of the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government for the 2023 Financial Year to Parliament on Tuesday July 25, 2023.

Mr Ofori-Atta’s presentation would be pursuant to the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921).

Deputy Majority Whip Lydia Seyram Alhassan announced the scheduled presentation on the Floor of Parliament, on Friday, in Accra, when she presented the Business Statement for the Seventh Week Ending Friday, July 21, 2023.

Presenting the Business Statement to the House, Madam Alhassan, also Member of Parliament (MP), for Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency, entreated her colleague MPs to take note of the day and avail themselves for the presentation.

She told the House that pursuant to a directive of Speaker Alban Bagbin to the Business Committee to programme the Finance, Education and Food and Agriculture Ministers to appraise the House on the challenges confronting the National Food Company, the Committee had accordingly programmed the Ministers to attend upon the House on Tuesday July 18, 2023 to brief the MPs on the matter.

“Mr Speaker, a joint Caucus meeting is proposed to be held on Wednesday July 19, 2023, after adjournment to discuss pertinent matters. In this regard, all Members of Parliament are encouraged to avail themselves at the meeting,” she said.

Madam Alhassan further recommended that the House commenced sitting each day at 1000 hours with extended sittings that would ensure that business scheduled for the seventh week, particularly the Bills programmed were considered by the House and same passed expeditiously.

“Mr Speaker, it is hoped that this recommendation, if adopted, will also facilitate the consideration of other parliamentary business that will require the attention of the House,” she said.

Madam Alhassan reiterated earlier calls on the Committees with referrals to expedite work on same for the attention of the House.

She urged the Committees with pending Bills, including the Grains Development Authority Bill, 2022; Ghana Industrial Property Office Bill, 2023; ill, 2022; Ghana Industrial Property Office Bill, 2023; Rent Bill, 2023 and National Petroleum Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2023 to expedite work on same for the consideration of the House.

In the seventh week, seven Ministers are scheduled to attend upon the House in the ensuing week, to respond to 50 questions, of which 48 would be oral and two urgent.

The Ayawaso West Wuogon MP said the Minister for Education, Minister for Health, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources and Minister for Communications and Digitalisation would be some of the Ministers to attend upon the House.

The others would be the Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Minister for Trade and Industry and the Minister for Roads and Highways.