Minority Leader Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has issued a stern warning to Finance Minister Dr Mohammed Amin Adam and President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo regarding the constitutional and legal obligations to present the 2025 mini budget.
This follows the absence of the Minister in parliament to lay the budget before the house.
Speaking in Parliament in Accra on Thursday, Dr Forson emphasised the severe penalties associated with failing to meet this requirement.
“Mr Speaker, I also want to convey to the minister and his excellency, the president, that the constitution places an obligation on the president to present to this house before the year ends expenditure in advance of appropriation in the first three months of the year 2025, and this is article 80,” Dr. Forson stated.
He further highlighted the responsibilities outlined in the Public Financial Management (PFM) Act, which mandates the finance minister to act on behalf of the president in presenting the budget estimates.
“The PFM Act, the public financial management act, places a responsibility on the finance minister to act on behalf of the president to present the estimate before us, and there are severe penalties for not doing it,” he added.
Dr Forson reiterated the importance of adhering to these constitutional and legal provisions, warning of the consequences of non-compliance.
“There are severe penalties for not doing it. Severe penalties. So I just want to caution those in office to be aware of the constitutional provision and also to be aware of the PFM Act,” he cautioned.
He stressed that the constitution’s provision for expenditure in advance of appropriation is crucial for maintaining fiscal discipline and transparency.
“It is for a reason why the constitution provides expenditure in advance of appropriation, and the PFM went further to even criminalise it for failing to present expenditure in advance of appropriation,” Dr Forson said.
