Ghana's parliament approves a $4.65 billion provisional budget, averting a shutdown as John Mahama prepares to take office amid economic and energy sector challenges.
Ghana's parliament has passed a provisional budget that allows the government to spend 68.1 billion Ghanaian cedis ($4.65 billion) through March, the chamber's speaker said, narrowly averting an unprecedented government shutdown.
Parliamentary Speaker Alban Bagbin said the parliament had approved the provisional budget in a sitting that stretched deep into Thursday night.
John Dramani Mahama is set to take office as the West African country's president next week after winning a Dec. 7 election, staging a political comeback after serving as Ghana's president from 2012 to 2016.
Outgoing President Nana Akufo-Addo was due to present his last state of the nation address later on Friday after eight years leading the gold- and oil-exporting nation.
A provisional budget is typically passed in November during election years to cover the gap until the president-elect takes office.
But the presentation of the provisional budget had dragged this time after an impasse over whether the outgoing New Patriotic Party (NPP) or the incoming National Democratic Congress (NDC) party has a majority of seats in the House.
Finance Minister Mohammed Amin Adam told the joint business and finance committees the late passage of the provisional budget would not affect government business.
"It averts a government shutdown and (the) likelihood of worsening Ghana's ongoing debt default saga," Seth Terkper, a former finance minister, told Reuters.
Almost a third of the approved amount is earmarked for payments to energy-sector service providers, according to the provisional budget.
Mahama, the president-elect, said last month that Ghana was going to face a critical situation in the energy sector, adding that preliminary estimates showed that arrears exceeded $2.5 billion at a time when the power supply was erratic.
Mahama, who contested the election as the main opposition leader, is returning to power amid an economic resurgence from Ghana’s worst crisis in a generation.
The death toll from Sunday’s powerful earthquake in eastern Afghanistan has risen above 2,200, with search and rescue operations ongoing. Local offi...
Colton Herta, nine-time IndyCar race winner, is set to compete in Formula Two next year while also taking on a test driver role for Cadillac....
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced plans to propose updates to the certification process for new commercial aircraft, according t...
The United States has warned other countries that recognising a Palestinian state could lead to greater complications, U.S. Secretary of State Marco R...
Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama has dismissed Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo with immediate effect, following the outcome of an investigation into alleged misconduct, the presidency announced on Monday.
Ghana is in mourning after a military helicopter crashed in the southern Ashanti region, killing two cabinet ministers and six others. The government called it a national tragedy and has launched an investigation into the cause.
Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama has called for reparations over slavery and colonisation, urging global recognition of Africa’s historical injustices and dignity.
The Government of Ghana has signed a $2 billion memorandum of understanding with key energy partners to extend oil production licenses for the Jubilee and TEN fields through 2040, aiming to boost output, increase gas supply, and drive infrastructure development.
AnewZ has learned that India has once again blocked Azerbaijan’s application for full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, while Pakistan’s recent decision to consider diplomatic relations with Armenia has been coordinated with Baku as part of Azerbaijan’s peace agenda.
A powerful eruption at Japan’s Shinmoedake volcano sent an ash plume more than 3,000 metres high on Sunday morning, prompting safety warnings from authorities.
A day of mourning has been declared in Portugal to pay respect to victims who lost their lives in the Lisbon Funicular crash which happened on Wednesday evening.
The UK is gearing up for Exercise Pegasus 2025, its largest pandemic readiness test since COVID-19. Running from September to November, this full-scale simulation will challenge the country's response to a fast-moving respiratory outbreak.
A Polish Air Force pilot was killed on Thursday when an F-16 fighter jet crashed during a training flight ahead of the 2025 Radom International Air Show.
Thailand’s royal authority has blocked a move by acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai to dissolve parliament and call snap elections, citing legal concerns over his authority to submit such a request, local media reported on Wednesday.
More than 100,000 people are expected to take part in France’s “Block Everything” movement on 10 September, broadcaster France Info reported on Thursday. Energy, transport, and defence sectors are likely to be the most affected.
The death toll from Sunday’s powerful earthquake in eastern Afghanistan has risen above 2,200, with search and rescue operations ongoing. Local officials warn that many people remain trapped under rubble, and the number of fatalities is likely to climb further.
Colton Herta, nine-time IndyCar race winner, is set to compete in Formula Two next year while also taking on a test driver role for Cadillac.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced plans to propose updates to the certification process for new commercial aircraft, according to a notice released by the Trump administration on Thursday.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment