Cassiel Ato Forson
Minority Leader, Cassiel Ato Forson has issued a stern warning to Finance Minister, Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam, cautioning him that failure to present the 2025 mini-budget to Parliament could result in severe penalties, including a jail term.
Ato Forson expressed frustration over the finance minister’s absence from Parliament for four consecutive days, leaving the budget for the first quarter of the coming year unresolved.
“The absence of the Finance Minister is deeply troubling, especially given the nation’s ongoing economic difficulties. His failure to present the mini-budget is not just a procedural lapse; it is an affront to the principles of transparency and accountability,” Ato Forson stated.
According to him, the Constitution and the Public Financial Management (PFM) Act mandate the Finance Minister to present the mini-budget to Parliament before the year ends.
“There are severe penalties for not doing this, including a jail term. So I just want to caution those in office to be aware of the constitutional provisions and also be aware of the PFM Act,” Ato Forson warned.
The Minority Leader called on the Speaker of Parliament to take immediate action to compel the Finance Minister to appear before the House and fulfill his constitutional duties.
-BY Daniel Bampoe