Atta Akyea: Propaganda won’t prevail amid budget tensions
The Member of Parliament for Abuakwa South, Samuel Atta Akyea, has called on his colleagues across the political divide to maintain calm and adopt a rational approach following the Finance Minister’s failure to present the 2025 Mini-Budget.
Addressing concerns about political tensions, Atta Akyea asserted that any propaganda by the Minority would not succeed.
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, adjourned proceedings on December 20, 2024, to January 2, 2025, after Finance Minister Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam failed to present the much-anticipated Mini-Budget before the end of the parliamentary session.
The Mini-Budget, a constitutional requirement, is meant to provide a fiscal outlook for the upcoming year and allocate funds for government expenditures in the first quarter of 2025 before the incoming administration takes office.
The delay in its presentation forced Speaker Bagbin to adjourn parliamentary proceedings, sparking heated exchanges between the Majority and Minority.
Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin blamed the Minority for the Finance Minister’s failure to present the budget, accusing them of lawlessness.
In contrast, Minority Leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson issued a strong warning to the Finance Minister and President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, emphasizing the constitutional and legal obligations to present the Mini-Budget and highlighting the severe penalties for failing to do so.
In an interview with Channel One TV’s Zoe Abu Baidoo, Samuel Atta Akyea expressed that the Minority’s push for the Mini-Budget aligns with their interests. However, he maintained that the Majority does not wish for President-elect John Dramani Mahama to face difficulties in managing the country’s fiscal affairs once he assumes office.
“I believe that cool heads should prevail. I’m tempted to believe that the adjournment is to give us all space, leadership, the presidency, the president in waiting and everybody so that cool heads will prevail. And then we will have a smooth sailing.
“I keep telling people that we [Majority] wish President-elect, John Dramani Mahama well. If we should mess up the next government will be in a pit. And it takes a lot of effort to come out of the pit to build Ghana again…My problem is when you want to pick and choose what you want to do in parliament.
“It’s a national exercise and I believe that everybody should pipe down and let cool heads prevail that is my humble view for now.”
He contended that the analysis of the 2025 Mini-Budget could be completed in a single day.
“It’s a day’s job, it’s not anything complex, that could be done.