2023 Budget: Parliament to hold extended sittings over Appropriations Bill

With only eight sitting days before the Christmas break, Parliament on Friday agreed to sit on Monday and to have extended sittings to transact business related to the Appropriations Bill.

An appropriation, also known as supply bill or spending bill, is a proposed law that authorises the expenditure of government funds.

It is a bill that sets money aside for specific spending.

In some democracies, approval of the legislature is necessary for the government to spend money.

Deputy Majority Leader Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, who is also the Vice Chair of the Business Committee, presenting the Business Statement for the Eighth Week ending Friday, December 16, 2022, advised that the House commenced sitting each day at 1000 hours and have extended sittings to ensure the business scheduled for the week under consideration was completed.

“Mr Speaker, the Business Committee again reminds all Committees that the House has only eight sitting days between Monday 12 and Wednesday, 21st December 2022 to transact business related to the Appropriations Bill,” he said.

The House is expected to adjourn sine die on Wednesday, December 21, 2022.

Mr Afenyo-Markin said: “In this regard, the Business Committee urges committees that have taken custody of the estimates of the respective sectors should expedite consideration of same for presentation at plenary”.

He told Parliament that priority had, therefore, been given particularly to motions in respect of the Heads of Estimates of the various municipal and district assemblies and other bodies, budget-related Bills, the Appropriation Bill and other businesses requiring the attention of Parliament.

Before adopting the Business Statement, the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Bagbin, proposed that the House sat on Monday at 1400 hours.

His proposal came after some Members of Parliament raised concerns about how sitting on Monday would give them limited engagement with their constituents.

The Speaker advised: “Concerning the Monday sitting, my proposal to the House is that sitting is done on Monday at 2 pm to enable members to have better engagements with their constituents since they are here to represent them.”