Here is why Majority MPs staged walkout during 2022 budget approval vote

Members on the Majority side of Parliament staged a walkout during processes to approve the 2022 budget in the House on Friday, November 26, 2021.

They took the action following a directive by the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, for non-MPs to vacate the Chamber.

Parliament had rejected a request by the Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta to engage leadership of the House on some aspect of the budget by a voice vote.

This ruling was challenged by Deputy Majority Chief Whip, Alexander Afenyo Markin, who called for a ‘voice division’ to allow for the voting to be redone.

The Speaker following the challenge asked that non-MPs had to vacate the Chamber during the voice division process.

While vacating the Chamber, the Majority MPs demanded that the General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, who was sitting in the public gallery at the time, also exit the House.

Their request was rejected following which they staged a walkout.