Accra, March 30, GNA- President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Wednesday, March 30, 2022, delivered the State of the Nation address before Parliament.
The presentation comes a day after one of his administration’s most contentious tax measures, the Electronic Transfer Levy (E-levy) was passed despite a walkout staged by the Minority in Parliament and a night of good cheer-the Senior National Football team, the Black Stars qualification to the 2022 Word Cup in Qatar.
The State of Nation Address (SONA) was postponed after it was scheduled earlier in the month.
It was previously announced that the President’s sessional address would be delivered on March 3 but the postponement led to some objection from the Akufo-Addo administration over the delay as it scuffles with a general economic downturn.
The sessional address is constitutionally authorised and must be delivered in the first meeting of every session of the House.
The President highlighted his government’s achievements especially, the successful handling of the COVID 19 pandemic which ravaged lives and economies, throwing away all economic growth projections and offered hope for an economic revival.
Delivering the Business Statement for the week, Mr Frank Annoh Dompreh, Majority Chief Whip, said a motion to thank the president for the message on the SONA would be moved to Thursday, March 31, 2022.
“Mr Speaker, by the practice of the House, the Business Committee recommends some time allotments for Hon. Members to make their contributions.
“The time allotments are as follows; Mover and Seconder of Motion, 25 minutes; Chairpersons and Ranking Members, 15 minutes; other Hon Members, 10 minutes and winding up by Leadership, 30 minutes,” he said.
Mr Annoh Drompeh explained that the allotment of time was to ensure that many members would be availing the opportunity to contribute to the debate on the message by the President adding that the Committee would however urge members to endeavour to be as brief as possible and also avoid repetitions.
He said given this, during the period of the debate from Thursday, March 31, 2022, to April 2, 2022, eight members from each side of the House would contribute to the Motion.
He said the two Leaders together with two members, one from each side of the house would wind up on the debate on Saturday, April 2, 2022.
“Mr Speaker, the debate on the message of the State of the Nation is proposed to be concluded on Saturday 2nd April 2022,” Mr Annoh Dompreh said.
The SONA sets out the government’s key policy objectives and deliverables for the year ahead, highlights achievements, flags challenges and outlines interventions to unlock development interventions for the coming financial year.
GNA