The Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Andrew Asiamah Amoako, has revealed that the 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of Government will be presented on November 17.

The date for the budget had shifted from November 15 to 17 and back following differing announcements from the Finance Ministry, Majority Leader, and the Deputy Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu and Alexander Afenyo-Markin, respectively.

The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, had announced that Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta will present the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of government for the 2022 financial year on November 17.

The Finance Ministry had earlier set November 15 as the date to present the budget before the House.

But announcing the new date, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu had advised legislators to “very proactively to deal with the allocations as early as possible and not just rubber stamp, very intelligent scrutiny of the allocations, so that when it comes to the passage of the appropriations on December 17,” the Majority Leader noted.

The Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, later informed Parliament that the 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of Government would be presented on November 15 and not 17 as Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu had advertised.

He explained that the reason was to enable the House to attend its post-budget workshop with members checking in on Friday, November 18, and staying till they leave on Sunday, November 21.

The Effutu MP clarified that the House would start the debate on the budget from Monday, November 22, and conclude on Friday, November 26.

In return to the November 17 date, the Second Deputy Speaker of the House, Andrew Asiamah Amoako, explained that “Parliament is engaged in another equally important assignment on November 15. Therefore, the budget will be read here on November 17 2021.”

The budget, among other things, is expected to address specific taxes and levies that have generated public attention and allocate funds for the various ministries and MMDA’s for the year 2022.