Federal legislators reject 2022 budget over obnoxious levies

The legislators in the parliament in Ghana on Friday demonstrated the power of the legislature in checking and resisting obnoxious decisions of the President in the governance of the country. The legislators collectively rejected the 2022 budget estimate presented by the executive for legislation in strong opposition to proposal of imposing certain fees and charges on Ghanaian citizens by the government.

The decision of the Speaker of the House to restrain the Minister of Finance from presenting the budget during voting, provoked the legislators elected on the platform of the ruling party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), to stage a walk out from the legislative chambers.

Members of the opposition party in the parliament, subsequently, voted that the proposed budget be stepped down. The lawmakers vehemently opposed planned imposition of electronic banking levy, among others, by the Ghanaian President.

A legislator of the opposition party, Sam George, in a Tweet on Sunday, wrote: “The 2022 budget has been rejected by Parliament.

“We, as a minority, took a stand with the people of Ghana to reject a budget that had the obnoxious E-Levy, increased government fees, and charges. Victory for Ghana.”

Stakeholders were of the view that the Ghanaian leader, President Nana Akufo-Addo, would have to negotiate with the legislators of the opposition party for consensus building on the controversial issues and the passage of the budget.

Democracy and the associated freedom and liberties at rapidly deepening in Ghana. However, the 2021 general elections have remained controversial and challenged by the opposition, alleging fraud and manipulations.

Unlike in Nigeria, members of the National Assembly approve whatever the President presents for legislative endorsement by fiat without considering the multiplier effects on Nigerian citizens. The current Nigerian National Assembly does not have any modicum of history of opposition or disapproval of any request from the president.

Ghana is taking the leading in the growth and development of democracy on the West African sub-region.