Ghana Parliament to sit from October 6 to November 6 ahead of December elections
Parliament is scheduled to sit from Tuesday, 6th October to 6th November, 2020, earlier than previous schedules, to enable Members to go back and engage their constituents in full campaigning ahead of the December elections.
The meeting, expected to last four weeks, is the Third Meeting of the Fourth Session of the Seventh Parliament of the Fourth of the Republic of Ghana, and will see the House, considering bills and legislation.
Among the legislation the House will be working on, is a law to back the Council of State, a constitutional establishment, yet to receive parliamentary approval.
Majority Leader and Chairman of the Business Committee of Parliament told the Ghana News Agency (GNA in a telephone interview on the work schedule for the House, ahead of the re-opening, that the House would also consider proposed law in respect to blood transfusion and ambulance service.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu announced that he would be holding a meeting with key Ministers for a discussion of proposed programmes for the meeting as to the arrangement of agreements involving the Ministers to be presented to the House.
Mr Kyei –Mensah-Bonsu who is also the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, and Member of Parliament (MP) for Suame Constituency, said the House would have to sit on some Mondays in addition to the usual Tuesday to Friday sittings to make some constitutional instruments that would be laid to mature before the November recess.
Likely also to be discussed at the meeting are the 2021 Budget of the Government of Ghana, which if 2020 were not an election year would have been read in November 2020, to set benchmarks for the governing New Patriotic Party should it get the nod for second term after the next general elections.
A release from the Public Affairs Department of Parliament, signed by its Director, Ms Kate Addo, said a total of 42 bills were expected to be presented to the House, including; the Judicial Service Bill, 2020, Creative Arts Bill and Wildlife Bill 2020.
She said 19 bills were currently at the Committee Level, and among them were the Exemption Bill, 2019, Anti Money Laundering Bill, 2020, and Public Universities Bill.
Some other bills will be read for the second time.
The Speaker, Prof Aaron Oquaye may read communication from President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Add, and may admit motions and statements during the meeting.
The Public Affairs Director of Parliament reminded Parliamentarians and the public to note that the House would continue to observe COVID-19 protocols during the meeting.
Source: GNA