President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, will appear in Parliament to deliver his last but one State of the Nation Address (SONA) today Wednesday, March 8, 2023.
It is not clear, if the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parlaiment (MPs) who have been demanding that he sacks Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, are going to be in the august House, to hear the President address the nation.
They had, some time last year, threatened to boycott the 2023 budget presentation by Mr Ofori-Atta and had to be whipped in line by the National Executives of the governing New Patriotic Party led by its National Chairman, Stephen Ntim.
But all eyes will be on the NPP MPs, as to whether they will comport themselves or attempt to heckle the President as the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) will do.
The address is in accordance with Article 67 of the 1992 Constitution, which states that the President shall deliver a message on the State of the Nation to Parliament at the start of each session and before the dissolution of Parliament.
The address, which was rescheduled for February, is expected to highlight the government’s key policy objectives for the coming year as well as provide information on how the government intends to address economic conditions.
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, explained the reason why the meeting was rescheduled.
“After extensive discussions, the address has been shifted to the 8th of March. It is for good reason that the President agreed to the date. The 6th is an important date for all of us and there will be a national event in Ho and the President is expected to be there. On the 7th also, definitely, for good reason, it cannot be held. So, we have agreed to sacrifice some assignments and do the SONA on the 8th,” the Speaker noted.
The Herald, has picked up reports that the President will try to make some mischievous comments about the reshuffle of the Minority leadership, since this will be the first time that he will be addressing the House with Haruna Iddrisu, not leading the NDC side of the House.
