Eighth Parliament of Ghana to adjourn SINE DIE on Thursday August 3 – Business Committee
The Eighth Parliament of Ghana will adjourn SINE DIE on Thursday, August 3, Mr Frank Annoh-Dompreh, the New Patriotic Party, Majority Chief Whip and Member of Parliament (MP) for Nsawam-Adoagyiri has said.
Presenting the Business Statement for the ninth week ending Thursday, August 3, 2023, Mr Annoh-Dompreh recommended that the House commences sitting each day at 1000 hours and also have extended sittings to ensure that business scheduled for the ninth week, particularly Bills programmed were considered by the House and same passed expeditiously.
“Mr Speaker, it is hoped that this recommendation, if adopted will also facilitate the consideration of other parliamentary business that will require the attention of the House,” he said on Friday on the Floor of Parliament.
Mr Annoh-Dompreh, therefore, reiterated earlier calls of urging Committees with referrals to expedite work on same for the attention of the House.
“Mr Speaker, the House has barely four sitting days left to adjourn sine die and given this, the Business Committee, urges all Committees with referrals, particularly the under-listed bills to expedite consideration on the same for the attention of the House,” he said.
He urged the Committees with pending Bills including the Grains Development Authority Bill, 2022; Ghana Industrial Property Office Bill, 2023; Rent Bill, 2023; Budget Bill, 2023 and National Petroleum Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2023 to expedite work on same for the consideration of the House.
Mr Annoh-Dompreh informed the House that owing to the recess, the 66th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference to be hosted in Ghana from Saturday, September 30 to Friday, October 6, 2023, a decision regarding the participation of MPs had commenced and MPs would be duly informed when the decision regarding their participation was concluded.
Touching on the Mid-Year Review of the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the government of Ghana for the 2023 Financial Year scheduled for Monday, July 31 by Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, the Finance Minister, he urged the MPs to take note and avail themselves accordingly.
He said, pursuant to Standing Order 70 which allowed MPs to make brief comments on the reviewed budget, the Business Committee had accordingly decided that MPs would be allowed to make brief comments on Tuesday, August 1 and Wednesday, August 2, 2023.
“Mr Speaker, to afford many members as possible the opportunity to comment on the Mid-Year Budget Review, the Committee has proposed the following time allotment; Chairman and Ranking Members of Finance Committee 15 minutes, all other MPs ten minutes.
“Mr Speaker, the Business Committee proposes that the leadership structures the comments along specified sectors like governance, including security and public safety, finance and the economy generally, energy and other infrastructural sectors, the social sector, local governance as well as youth, sports, tourism and the cultural sectors. This arrangement shall enable a smooth flow of the comments,” he said.
In the ninth week, five Ministers are expected to attend upon the House, to respond to 36 questions, of which all would be Oral.
The Nsawam-Adoagyiri Legislator mentioned the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection; the Minister for the Interior; the Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, the Minister of Energy and the Minister for Roads and Highways.
Source: GNA