Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta has wondered why presentation of the 2023 Budget Statement Economic and Policy of the government failed to generate the usual excitement in Parliament.
He admitted it was one of the quietest budget presentations and indicated there must be a very good reason for it.
This observation, however, drew humorous reactions from Members of Parliament who responded with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s famous statement ‘Sikan pɛ dede’ to wit ‘money does not like noise.”
Mr. Ofori-Atta made the observation over the weekend at the post-budget workshop for members of Parliament.
The usual exchanges that have characterized budget presentations between members of the Majority and Minority caucus were totally missing.
There were no heckling and waving of placards during the Finance Minister’s presentation.
Members of the House remained very quiet and appeared disinterested in the presentation apart from the occasional murmuring and laughter from the Minority every time the Minister quotes a Bible verse to buttress a point.
The Majority group, however, remained placid throughout the presentation.
Events after the presentation were equally bizarre as the NPP MPs retired immediately to their offices leaving the two deputy Ministers to respond to questions from the media and the Minority members who had a field punching holes in the budget.
Mr. Ofori-Atta acknowledged that times are hard and stressed the stalemate during approval of the budget last year has played a part in the current economic crisis.
He appealed to MPs to engage in the spirit of patriotism and rise to the occasion and builds the economy with unity of purpose as the Biblical people in the days of Nehemia rose to build the walls of Jericho.
