Mr Speaker, as we have successfully come to the end of our Sittings for the Third Meeting of the
Second Session of the Sixth Parliament, I am grateful that I have this opportunity to make these few comments as the House prepares to rise sine die. As usual, we must express profound gratitude to the Almighty God for His mercies.
I must also express my sincere gratitude to Hon Members who have worked tirelessly and diligently to ensure the effective execution of the business of Parliament.
Mr Speaker, we have had an eventful Session and a fruitful discourse during these few days of this Meeting and all of us must share in the commendation for the efforts put into the Meeting.
Mr Speaker, in this Meeting, we have debated, amended and passed many Bills. Notable among them, were the Special Petroleum Tax Bill, National Fiscal Stabilisation Levy (Amendment) Bill, Special Import Levy (Amendment) Bill, Internal Revenue (Amendment) Bill, National Pension (Amendment) Bill, the Custom and Excise (Petroleum Taxes and the Petroleum related levies) (Amendment) Bill and as we have done today, the Appropriation Bill.
Mr Speaker, the effort to pass the Youth Employment Agency Bill, unfortunately, has ground to a halt.
Mr Speaker, the high point of this Meeting, undoubtedly, was the presentation of the 2015 Budget by the Hon Minister for Finance, Hon Seth Emmanuel Terkper. It is important to state that the time and space for the scrutiny of our budget estimates and Economic Policy have been contracting. It is a sad commentary on the scrutiny and diligence that ought to be exercised by Parliament. Mr Speaker, I keep emphasising that a Parliament worth its salt requires, at least, eight weeks to conduct a thorough analysis of the Budget -- any period less than this is unhelpful.
This, notwithstanding, Mr Speaker, I would like to commend the various committees with regard to the time consciousness of the submission of reports on the budget estimates of the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies as we have gone through. This was, in spite of the brevity of time Hon Members had at their disposal to digest the information and to conduct the budget hearings.
Mr Speaker, as regards the 2015 Budget Statement, it must be put on record that there is nothing transformational about it. We are still in the process of stabilising. The conversation with the IMF is still on- going. In paragraph 25 of the budget, the Hon Minister for Finance used US$99.4 as the price or the benchmark revenue for a barrel of crude oil. That, we know, has been thrown out of gear.
There are still some gaps in the budget and as we do know, it shall become imperative for the Hon Minister for Finance to come to Parliament as soon as the discussion with the IMF is over. I would want to believe that a reviewed budget shall come to Parliament in February, or latest, by March of 2015. So, we must position ourselves to confront reality.
Mr Speaker, I would also like to take this opportunity to generally applaud you and your deputies for the effective conduct of proceedings and business in the House. Agreeably, the Chair may not be able to satisfy everybody every time, and so, it is, that every now and then, Hon Members may have misgivings. All said and done, one must say that the Speakership has done a good job and needs to be commended.
Mr Speaker, in the next few days, Christians will be commemorating the birth of Christ. The birth of Christ symbolises the reunion or reconciliation between God and humankind. The various political parties
need internal reconciliation, especially after their congresses to elect their national officers. The various religious bodies need reconciliation within and without their set- ups. The body politic needs reconciliation.
It is noteworthy that Moslems have returned from the Hajj not too long ago. They have, without doubt, come with much blessings. We have to join hands to pray to God for his grace and intervention. Ghanaians are not yet out of the woods despite whatever declaration to the contrary. These are difficult times and it is important that all believers join hands to pray to God for greater endowment of knowledge and wisdom in the governance of the country.
To our media friends who transmit events from the Chamber to the rest of our citizens and the world at large, we want to urge them to continue with this all important exercise, so that the good people of Ghana will feel part and parcel of governance.
Mr Speaker, hearing the whisperings of the Clerks-at-the-Table, if I do not mention them, perhaps, I may not be forgiven. For which reason, I may have to mention the Clerk to Parliament and his staff, commend them highly for, generally, their professional conduct, even though on a few occasions, some of us have had some issues to worry about. But generally, they have done well.
Mr Speaker, I would like to wish Hon Members and staff, merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.
Mr Speaker, may I, in winding up, use this opportunity to wish all of us good health and safe ride back to our various destinations.
Mr Speaker, I thank you.
