[ 2021-03-03 ]

State of the Nation Address slated for Tuesday; budget presentation on 12 March
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s first
State of the Nation Address in his second term
will be delivered on Tuesday, March 9, 2021.

This will be in accordance with Article 67 of the
Constitution which mandates the President to
present to Parliament the address at the beginning
of each session of Parliament and before the
dissolution of Parliament.

Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin on the first
sitting of the House after resuming from its
three-week COVID-19 shutdown stated that, one of
the immediate parliamentary business is to receive
the President for the presentation next Tuesday.

“The House will be privileged to receive the
President who is obligated to deliver the State of
the Nation Address. His Excellency has given an
indication to me that he is ready to do the
obligation on Tuesday 9th March 2021”, the Right
Honourable Speaker indicated.

President Akufo-Addo’s address will be an
overview of plans for his second term in office
having won the 2020 general elections.

It is expected to cover areas of national
development including, security, economy,
agriculture, environment, education and
particularly health due to the COVID-19 pandemic
and the roll-out of the country’s vaccination
exercise.

Budget presentation
Alban Bagbin also disclosed arrangements for the
presentation of the annual Budget Statement and
Economic Policy of government in accordance with
Article 179 of the Constitution and section 21 of
the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act
921).

The budget, he said will be laid in Parliament on
Friday, March 12, 2021, on behalf of the
President.

“In accordance with Article 179 of the
constitution, his excellency has given further
indication his horse is prepared to present and
lay before this house the Budget 2021 on Friday 12
March for consideration and approval”, the
Speaker said.

Appointment Committee report
Meanwhile, the House says it expected to soon
receive the report of the Appointments Committee
on the vetting of the President’s nominees of
various ministerial portfolios for consideration.

Over 30 nominees have so far been vetted.

But reports suggest the Minority MPs had decided
not to support the approval of Kojo Oppong
Nkrumah, Minister-designate for Information; Hawa
Koomson, Minister-designate for Fisheries and
Aquaculture Development and Owusu Afriyie Akoto,
Minister-designate for Food and Agriculture.

Five other nominees Kwaku Agyemang-Manu;
Minister-designate for Health, Ursula
Owusu-Ekuful, Minister-designate for
Communications; John-Peter Amewu,
Minister-designate for Railways; Kwesi
Amoako-Attah, Minister-designate for Roads and
Highways and Godfred Yeboah Dame, the
Minister-designate for Attorney-General and
Justice also have their approvals put on hold.

Source - Citinewsroom

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