Parliament has approved the 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of government presented by Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta on November 17.

Today’s sitting was delayed by hours of meetings between the Majority and Minority leadership aimed at exploring how to cure what has been termed by the Majority as unconstitutionality by Speaker Alban Bagbin.

The Majority side accused Mr Bagbin of acting in breach of the 1992 constitution after he said that 137 MPs had taken a decision to reject the budget last Friday.

According to the Majority, the act fails the constitutional requirement of 138 MPs present in the House before a decision can be made.

For most of Tuesday morning, talks between the Majority and Minority in Parliament over the rejected Budget had broken down.

The talks have been ongoing in Parliament for several hours in a desperate attempt to build consensus over the rejected budget.

The entrenched positions around the controversial e-levy had been the major dividing issue.

The Minority Caucus has been demanding a withdrawal of the proposed levy.

The majority side was backed by the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, who walked into the meeting around midday had agreed to reduce the proposed levy from 1.75% to 1.5%.

There was a stalemate as the Minority walked out of the House.

Upon a motion by Majority leader Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, and a vote by the House, the First Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei Owusu ruled that the earlier decision was in error and in violation of Article 104 (1) and caused it to be expunged from the record.

Parliament then proceeded to consider the motion on the budget and subsequently approved it.

The First Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei Owusu, counted himself as an MP making the Majority Caucus in the House 138 members.

The House will now consider the budget estimates in the coming weeks for specific sectors of the economy before the appropriation bill will be passed.

This will give government the green light to spend according to monies appropriated in the budget.

Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta in winding up the debate highlighted how government will accommodate the concerns raised by the minority in the approval of estimates, revenue bills and appropriation.

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Information from Kwame Asare Obeng known as A Plus indicates that the majority in Parliament and government delegations are in discussions with the minority to revise the 2022 budget which was rejected last week Friday.

Kwame A plus revealed that his close source has hinted that the majority has sent proposal of a revised budget to the minority for reconsideration.

He said the majority after making all the noise that the budget has not been rejected or cannot be rejected and even saying the rejection is unconstitutional has humbled themselves and sent another proposal to the Minority caucus to look through and approve it.

He revealed that the have finally made a provision for the tidal waves victims in the new revised budget. He also added that, the E-levy in the new proposal has been reduced to 1% starting from Ghc300.00.

“Information I’ve received from close sources in the NPP; after making all the noise that the budget has not been rejected or cannot be rejected or the rejection is unconstitutional, they have sent this proposal to the minority.

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According to reports coming from government insiders are that the Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Alan Kyerematen is not feeling well.

In a report filed by Broadcastghana.com, Mr Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen, is said to have flown out of the country for medical treatment abroad for some days now.

This explains his absence from the public view in recent days, ceding the space to his deputies.

Details on his true health condition remain sketchy, but while some have alleged cardiac issues, others have mentioned that Mr Alan Kyerematen, suffered a mild stroke and had to be rushed out for a quick medical examination and treatment.

The last time the Trade and Industry Minister was seen in public, was in the first week of this month at the swearing-in of a seven-member Governing Body of the Ghana Heavy Equipment Ltd (GHEL).

The Board is chaired by Ridwan Abass with Yaw Ntow Ababio, the Chief Executive of the Company, as well as Dr. Dickson Adomako Kissi.

The Trade Minister, has been preparing for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer race which comes off in 2023.

He has meanwhile set up his campaign office and deplored members, including Abubakar Saddique Boniface, former Zongo Minister and Member of Parliament for Madina, Nana Ohene Ntow and others as his lieutenants to be working for him, while he still holds unto the ministerial portfolio.

Many have suggested he should resign, if he is to make any meaningful impact at the contest which has Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Joe Ghartey, Agric Minister, Akoto Owusu Afriyie, Boakye Agyarko, also vying for the 2024 NPP Presidential slot.