Member of Parliament for Tamale North, Alhassan Suhuyini
Member of Parliament for Tamale North, Alhassan Suhuyini

Member of Parliament for Tamale North, Alhassan Suhuyini, says the action taken by the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta on Monday, was illegitimate.

He said there is no standing order to support the procedure taken by the Finance Minister to write directly to the Speaker of Parliament without presenting it to Parliament.

He stated on Joy News’ AM Show that per standing orders, it was only the President and the Council of State members that can write and communicate directly to the Parliament through the Speaker of Parliament.

“I’m struggling to find any standing order to back the procedure. I think what the Minister did yesterday as Members of Parliament, is alien to us,” he affirmed.

“What Ministers are expected to do is to appear before the floor of Parliament and ask permission from the Speaker before they make a statement on government policies,” he asserted. 

“So, if this is a modification to the budget which is a policy of government, then it has to go through the process of the Minister himself appearing,” he added.