Parliament adjourns to January 2 after Finance Minister fails to present mini-budget

Parliament in Ghana has been adjourned until January 2, 2024, following the failure of Finance Minister Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam to present the anticipated 2025 Mini-Budget before the current session ended.

The Mini-Budget, a constitutional obligation, was expected to outline critical fiscal plans for the upcoming year, including strategies for revenue generation, expenditure priorities, and fiscal consolidation. This delay has sparked concerns about a possible government shutdown starting January 1, 2025, due to the lack of provisions for the first quarter of the year.

Speaker Alban Bagbin, overseeing parliamentary proceedings, adjourned the session after the Mini-Budget was not presented.

Addressing journalists after the adjournment, Minority Leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson expressed his disappointment at the Finance Minister’s inability to meet this critical responsibility. He emphasized the importance of fulfilling this constitutional requirement to ensure a smooth fiscal transition:

“In the spirit of a good transition, it is expected that the outgoing president, acting pursuant to Article 180 of the Constitution, could have acted in good faith and brought before Parliament a proposal for the expenditure to cater for the first quarter of the year 2025.

“This was very important because the Appropriation Act for 2025 will not come into force on the 1st of January 2025. Sadly, President Akufo-Addo planned to leave the public service uncatered for in the first quarter of the year 2025.

“However, let me give assurance to the people of Ghana and all stakeholders that the NDC government will take office on 7th January 2025, and we will act with dispatch to cater for expenditure for the first quarter of the year 2025.”

On the other hand, Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin attributed the delay to what he described as the Minority’s disruptive actions. Despite this, he assured the public that the Finance Minister would present the “expenditure in advance of appropriation” when Parliament reconvenes on January 2, 2024.

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