Budget, most important govt document, your absence in parliament absolutely unacceptable - Atik goes wild on finance ministers

Atik Mohammed has condemned the absence of the Ministers of Finance in Parliament during the crucial 2024 budget debate.

The Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta is currently overseas on an assignment and it was expected of his deputies to appear before the august House to discuss the budget.

NDC Member of Parliament for Tamale South and former Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu on the floor of the House, expressed deep concerns about the failure of the Minister nor his deputies to aid the debate.

“Mr. Speaker, I note that you announced at the commencement of public business, you want us to commence on the budget today. Mr. Speaker, as I look, I have not seen the Minister of Finance. The Ministry of Finance has another Minister of State and probably two other deputy Ministers. Mr. Speaker, budget oversight is our most important oversight function as Parliament and budget oversight means a lot for the Ghanaian people”, he said.

The former PNC General Secretary, Atik Mohammed questioned why the Ministers refused to go to Parliament since it’s an opportunity for them to break the budget down to the understanding of Ghanaians.

“It’s not right and it tells you how, you know our leaders, they need to up their game”, he blasted them during Peace FM’s “Kokrokoo” morning show.

He described the budget as “the most important document in the life of any government”, explaining that he expected the deputy Ministers to be in Parliament in the stead of the Finance Minister who is on an international assignment.

“It is the most important document in the life of any government because it shows how much money to get and how to expend it…Budget is just an estimate of your expected revenue; I mean an estimate of your revenue and your expenditure”, he stated.

He advised the Ministers to take their job seriously knowing their responsibility to Ghanaians.