The Minister of Finance, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, will, on Wednesday, 28 October 2020 present to Parliament an advanced budget covering government spending for the first quarter of 2021.

This was disclosed by Majority Leader and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, today, Friday, 23 October 2020, when he briefed Parliament on its activities in the coming week.

"The Finance Minister will present to the House on Wednesday, 28 October 2020, an Expenditure in Advance of Appropriation that is for January 1, 2021, to March 31, 2021.

"The House is also expected to consider the report by the Finance Committee and take the consequential parliamentary actions."

"As recommended during the previous presentation statements, the House is programmed to sit on Monday, October 26, 2020, and be extended beyond 2 pm", the Majority Leader said.

The Expenditure in Advance of Appropriation is a standard practice rolled out in election years to prevent transitional challenges in the smooth running of government for the first three months in the year after elections.

The government in July this year requested Parliament to approve an additional GHS11.8 billion to support the government’s expenditure for the rest of the year 2020.

This was because the government projections for the 2020 financial year were according to the Finance Minister was affected by the Coronavirus pandemic.