The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has lauded Members of Parliament for the vigorous scrutiny of the 2022 Budget.
But he has admonished them not to frustrate the government from performing their legitimate duties.
Otumfuo made the statement at Manhyia Palace on Sunday, December 12.
He has also advised the current administration to welcome other suggestions.
“It is to our good that our representatives in Parliament subject national budget to the most vigorous scrutiny and to call for changes. Government must always also have the humility to acknowledge and embrace useful inputs from all sources.
“But our representatives need to also bear in mind that it is not the role to either determine policy for the executive or to frustrate them from performing their legitimate duty,” Otumfuo said.
Meanwhile, the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu last week rejected the motion filed by the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, against his ruling reversing the rejection of the 2022 budget on December 1, 2021.
This was contained in a letter issued on Friday, December 10, 2021, and signed by the Clerk of Parliament, Cyril K.O. Nsiah.
“Please refer to your communication dated 7th December 2021 on the motion relating to a ruling of the Hon. First Deputy Speaker on Wednesday, 1st December 2021.”
“The Hon. First Deputy Speaker, pursuant to Order 13(2) of the Standing Orders of Parliament, has directed that I inform you that your motion is not admitted.”
The Minority Leader, filed the motion to challenge the First Deputy Speaker’s ruling rejecting his earlier motion seeking to reverse the approval of the 2022 budget.
According to the Minority Leader, the December 1 ruling “contravenes the Rules, Conventions and Practices of the House and was actuated by bias.”
Parliament on December 1, 2021, approved the 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of government in the absence of Minority MPs.
Following a motion by the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, and a vote by the House, the First Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei-Owusu, ruled that the earlier decision by the House to reject the budget was in error and in violation of Article 104 (1), and caused it to be expunged from the records.
Parliament subsequently approved the budget without the Minority, a decision the Minority Leader wanted to reverse with his earlier motion.