Minority MPs Stage Walkout Prior to 2025 Mid-Year Budget Review Presentation

Tensions flared in Parliament on Thursday, July 24, 2025, when Minority Members of Parliament staged a walkout moments before the Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, was set to deliver the 2025 Mid-Year Budget Review.

The opposition MPs exited the chamber in protest of what they described as a compromised and violent parliamentary rerun in the Ablekuma North constituency. The by-election, held just under two weeks ago, has become the center of fierce controversy, with the Minority accusing the government of manipulating the process through intimidation and abuse of security power.

Speaking on behalf of the caucus, Minority Chief Whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh said their action was a moral stand against what they called a “disturbing erosion of Ghana’s democratic values.”

“We cannot pretend all is well while our democracy is under attack. We refuse to lend legitimacy to a budget process when fundamental rights were blatantly violated in Ablekuma North,” he told reporters after the walkout.

According to the Minority, the rerun election was riddled with serious irregularities, including threats against voters, physical confrontations, and what they described as the coordinated use of state security forces to intimidate opposition supporters. These, they argue, rendered the election neither free nor fair, and the silence of state institutions only deepens public mistrust.

“The conduct of that election was not just flawed—it was dangerous,” Mr. Annoh-Dompreh stated. “This isn’t just about one constituency; it’s about the future of our democratic system. If we don’t raise our voices now, we risk normalizing state-sponsored interference in elections.”

The rerun in Ablekuma North was held following a legal challenge that overturned the initial 2024 parliamentary election results. While the Electoral Commission has insisted the rerun was conducted in accordance with the law, the Minority and several civil society observers claim the process was deeply flawed.

Despite the protest, Finance Minister Dr. Forson proceeded with the budget presentation, outlining the government’s revised fiscal plans for the remainder of the year. Key areas addressed included inflation control, infrastructure project timelines, and efforts to improve domestic revenue mobilization. Dr. Forson, who previously led the Minority, did not acknowledge the walkout during his speech.

Reactions to the Minority’s protest were mixed. Members of the Majority described the walkout as unnecessary political drama aimed at distracting from economic discussions. Others, however, noted that the issues raised about the electoral process deserve national attention and must not be brushed aside.

Several civil society organisations have echoed the Minority’s concerns and are demanding an independent probe into the Ablekuma North by-election. Some have called on Parliament’s leadership to hold hearings on the matter, suggesting that the Electoral Commission and top security officials be summoned to explain the roles they played during the controversial vote.

Meanwhile, political analysts say the opposition’s walkout signals a rising level of distrust between the legislative minority and the executive arm of government. With general elections drawing closer, observers warn that how the government addresses allegations of voter intimidation and misuse of state power will be critical to maintaining public confidence in democratic institutions.

The Minority has pledged to maintain pressure on the government until, in their words, “justice is served and democratic norms are upheld.” They say their walkout was not a one-off event but the beginning of a broader campaign to protect electoral integrity and resist the growing influence of partisan control over state machinery.

As Parliament debates the details of the budget review in the coming days, the walkout has cast a shadow over the process, shifting public focus from fiscal policy to the deeper question of whether Ghana’s democratic principles are being respected.