Minority stages walkout ahead of mid-year budget review presentation

Members of the Minority Caucus in Parliament staged a walkout from the House on Thursday, 24 July, ahead of the presentation of the mid-year budget review statement by the Minister for Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson.

According to the caucus, their decision was in protest against the recent violence that marred the rerun of parliamentary elections in the Ablekuma North constituency.

Speaking on the floor of the House prior to the walkout, Minority Chief Whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh attempted to raise the matter. However, he was interrupted by the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, who urged him to postpone the issue in order to allow the Finance Minister to deliver the statement.

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Mr Annoh-Dompreh then announced the decision of the Minority to boycott the presentation, stating that they could not be part of the proceedings. The Minority MPs subsequently walked out of the chamber, while their counterparts on the Majority side chanted “away.”

Following the walkout, the Minority MPs proceeded to Cantonments to petition members of the Diplomatic Corps. Similar petitions are expected to be presented at the Jubilee House.

This walkout follows a similar protest by the Minority during the swearing-in of the newly elected Member of Parliament for Ablekuma North, Ewurabena Aubynn.

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The rerun, held across 19 polling stations on Friday, 11 July, was marred by violent incidents, including the assault of at least three journalists, the New Patriotic Party’s parliamentary candidate, Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie, and former Member of Parliament for Awutu Senya East, Mavis Hawa Koomson, among others.

Meanwhile, the Greater Accra Regional Command of the Ghana Police Service has arrested two individuals in connection with the incident. A statement issued by the police on Wednesday, 23 July 2025, confirmed the arrest of Musah Muntari, a 46-year-old Station Manager at STC, and Ali Saeed, alias Mboma, a 43-year-old businessman.

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More suspects are expected to be apprehended as police investigations continue in the coming weeks.