[BREAKING NEWS]: Majority boycotts Parliament

The Majority in Parliament walked out of the House just before the approval, or otherwise of the 2024 budget statement.

They cited the conduct of the Speaker, Alban Bagbin, as the reason for the walkout on Wednesday, November 29, 2023.

After the debate, the Speaker announced that the policy document would be approved or rejected through a voice vote.

After the voice vote, the Minority rejected the outcome and called for a head count.

However, the majority of MPs challenged this ruling, saying a majority voice vote had approved the budget; hence, there was no need for a head count.

After a few minutes, the Majority of MPs walked out of the chamber.

Speaking to the media after the incident, the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, accused the Speaker of delaying proceedings for the Minority to get absentee lawmakers into the chamber to shore up their number.

“Sam George is not here, Zanetor is not here, Mahama Ayariga is not here. So, five of their members are not here. All the Speaker is doing is to delay the time for their members to come,” he said.

This is the second time the majority has staged a walkout on a budget approval controversy.

In 2022, they walked out of the chamber during the introduction of the E-levy.

Meanwhile, the Speaker has suspended the sitting temporarily.