President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo snubbed Vice President
Mahamudu Bawumia and Trade Minister Alan Kyerematen when he designated the
Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and leader of government business in
Parliament, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu to read the 2021 Budget Statement in
Parliament on Friday, March 12.
The two NPP stalwarts, Alan and
Bawumia had been falling over one another to take up the coveted Budget reading
slot because the nominee Minister of Finance, Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta is still in
the United States of America (USA) for a medical review. Mr Ofori Atta is even
yet to go through parliamentary vetting and approval.
The Alan and Bawumia camps believe the Budget reading
opportunity would have been an “indirect approval” from the President of the
person’s candidature and secondly serve to project the candidature of the
reader within the party ahead of the party’s internal primary.
Initial reports had indicated the President had
settled on Alan Kyerematen to read the Budget but this quickly changed last-minute
to Osei Kyei Mensa Bonsu when the President and his Cabinet retired to Peduase
for a retreat.
A lot of intense lobbying is alleged to have taken
place within the Bawumia camp to have the opportunity taken away from the Alan
camp who are currently not pleased about the development.
Although Akufo-Addo has sure preference for who he
wants to succeed him, he is nevertheless reported to have expressed misgivings
about sending wrong signals about backing someone too early in the day which
wouldn’t be good for the party.
Since the budget statement is from the President and
normally read on his behalf by the Minister of Finance as a convention,
President Akufo-Addo has this time in the absence of a substantive Minister of
Finance designated Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, who is the leader of government
business in Parliament to read it on his behalf on Friday.
The Minister of Information, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah
made this known at a press briefing at Peduase Lodge on Monday afternoon, where
the Cabinet was on a 3-day retreat.
President Akufo-Addo and the executive branch
commence full work this week after a 3-day retreat at the Peduase Lodge.
They moved to Peduase on Saturday morning for the
retreat after the swearing in of 28 ministers of state last Friday.
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