The Head of Finance at Merban Capital, Nelson Cudjoe Kuagbedzi, has expressed disappointment in the Minority Caucus’ decision to stage a walkout ahead of the presentation of the 2025 Mid-Year Budget Review in Parliament.
In an interview on The Big Issue on Saturday July 26, Cudjoe described the walkout as “unwarranted” and emphasised that such actions undermine the deepening of parliamentary democracy in Ghana.
“I think that for us to deepen our parliamentary democracy in Africa, and in Ghana in particular, we need to focus on issues that are material to the nation and not allow political theatrics to take centre stage,” Cudjoe stated, referring to the walkout that was in protest of the violent incidents surrounding the recent parliamentary by-election in Ablekuma North.
The Minority staged the walkout in protest of what they claimed was electoral violence during the Ablekuma North by-election ahead of the presentation on Thursday July 24. The opposition party has accused the government of voter intimidation and the misuse of state security forces to influence the election results. Despite the protest being grounded in concerns over electoral integrity, Cudjoe argued that the timing of the walkout was misguided.
“If you compare what happened in Ablekuma North and Ayawaso West Wuogon, you’ll realise that the issues are related to by-elections,” Cudjoe continued.
“I don’t think the walkout of the minority was actually warranted. The Finance Minister was coming to present a mid-year budget review and so it will just be prudent for them to be in the chamber and to listen to whatever presentation.”
He further emphasised that Ghanaians were left disappointed by the Minority’s decision to walk out, as the action created a distraction from the more pressing national discussions that were expected during the budget review session.
“In fact a lot of Ghanaians were disappointed because we least expected that,” he said, reiterating “I think that their walk out was uncalled for. It was unwarranted and that will not help deepen parliamentary democracy.”