Parliament bans placards on budget day

The Leadership of Ghana’s Parliament has banned the use of placards by members during the budget presentation on Thursday March 2, 2017.

In a proposal on the floor of Parliament Friday, Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu argued that the development as has been in the past casts the image of the legislature in a bad light.

The Member of Parliament for Suame also reprimanded the minority for their behavior during the president’s state of the nation address on Tuesday.

Minority leader Haruna Iddrisu in supporting the proposal called on the majority to conduct themselves well in future given that, that side of the House started singing during the address by the President.

This is not the first time MPs have been warned to desist from showing placards on the floor.

In November 2013, the then Speaker of Parliament, Edward Doe Adjaho stated that it is un-parliamentary for members to display placards in the House, accusing each other of acts of alleged wrongdoings.

Meanwhile, several tax cuts are expected to be announced by the Finance Minister when he reads the first budget of the Akufo-Addo government next week Thursday.

Government intends to reduce or in some cases, completely remove some taxes as part of a proposed tax reform.

For instance, government is looking at reducing corporate income tax from 25 to 20 percent and abolishing the 17.5 percent tax on financial services.