The first impact of the race for the leadership of the New Patriotic Party in the 2024 elections appears to have been felt with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo having to settle on the more neutral Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu as the presenter of the 2021 budget.
As already known, Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta is currently indisposed as he undergoes treatment for post-covid-19 complications.
Though his former deputy Charles Adu Boahen has been elevated into acting capacity, he is not permitted to present the budget as he has not undergone vetting and subsequent swearing-in.
The situation has created a lacuna with the president having to select one of his senior figures to discharge the constitutional demand.
The first name that popped up was Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia who is the head of the Economic Management Team.
Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the leader of the majority caucus in Parliament had suggested Bawumia was going to present the budget.
“The Minister-designate for Finance is not in the jurisdiction. Even if he were to be here he has not been vetted. He must be vetted and approved before if he has to present the budget, he could. The Vice President is not a stranger, he is the head of the Economic Management Team, and he could do the presentation.” He told Joy News.
Less than twenty-four hours after this statement by Parliamentary Affairs Minister, reports from credible media firms emerged that Alan Kyeremanten had been picked to read the budget.
But on Monday, Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah announced that Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu who is the head of government business in parliament was going to read the budget contrary to rumours that had either Bawumia or Alan Kyeremanten presenting government’s financial plan for the year.
This sudden change could be attributed to the race between the two men for the flagbearer slot of the NPP.
With the budget providing a great platform for one to advertise themselves, a choice of Bawumia or Alan could have been interpreted as a tacit endorsement by the president.
The president thus presumably, played it safe by appointing the Majority Leader who up until this point, had not hinted of any presidential ambitions.
Source: GhanaWeb