Parliament approves 2018 budget without Minority

Parliament has approved the 2018 budget statement presented to the House by Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta three weeks ago.

The Minority, however, abstained from voting to approve the budget, according to Starr News’ Parliamentary correspondent Ibrahim Alhassah.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs have always insisted the finance minister breached the Public Finance Management Act in the presentation of the mid-year budget review.

In a final debate before the approval, minority leader Haruna Iddrisu took stitches out of the policies and programmes outlines in the budget, faulting the president for naming programmes after himself in the Statement.

The Tamale South MP also questioned why the president moved the free SHS Program from the education ministry to the Presidency.

However, the Education Minister Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh disputed the claim, explaining it is a normal practice.

In his submission, the Majority Leader Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu extolled the virtues of the 2018 budget, arguing it holds the key to the progress of the nation. He accused the Minority of engaging in pedestrian arguments.