Parliament has commenced its 2025 Post-Budget Workshop to equip Members of Parliament (MPs) with the knowledge and expertise necessary for scrutinizing the Government’s Budget Statement and Economic Policy.
The workshop, organized under the auspices of the Parliamentary Service, aims to deepen MPs’ understanding of the budget’s technical details, enabling them to effectively perform their constitutional mandate of budget scrutiny, approval, and oversight.
Speaking at the opening of the three-day workshop on Saturday, held at the precincts of Parliament, Speaker Alban S.K. Bagbin underscored the necessity for MPs to equip themselves with the requisite knowledge to debate and scrutinize the budget effectively.
The Speaker stressed that understanding the budget goes beyond reading policy statements, as it requires an appreciation of the figures and their impact on the lives of citizens.
“This workshop is meant to enable us to understand the budget—the policy statements it contains, the figures, and their implications for our constituents: market women, teachers, students, and all those we represent,” he explained.
He urged MPs to pay close attention to details, highlighting discrepancies in budgetary allocations, such as the agriculture sector’s stated GH¢1.5 billion funding, while only GH¢900 million had been allocated in expenditures.
“If you pay attention, you will discover these details and question the Finance Minister effectively,”* he said.
The Speaker encouraged both new and experienced MPs to actively engage in the sessions, emphasizing that their participation would determine the quality of their contributions in parliamentary debates.
“Don’t assume that you know it all. The difference between those who effectively deliver on the floor and those who struggle usually depends on whether or not they participated in the post-budget workshop,” he advised.
He charged the Majority caucus to ensure that the figures align with the commitments made to Ghanaians, while urging the Minority to critically examine the document, expose weaknesses, and advocate for the best outcomes for the country.
Source:Mybrytfmonline.com/Emmanuel Anyigba
