Parliament forms Business, Appointment committees

Page 14, Jan 15, 2009
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
TWO committees, the Business and Appointment committees have been formed by Parliament, to see to the day-to-day running of the House and vet ministers who will be appointed by the President.
The Committee of Selection on the Composition of Committees based the composition of the two committees on the consensus reached between the Majority and Minority caucuses pending the determination of the exact numerical strengths of the two sides.
The committee also agreed to meet and form the other committees during the two weeks that the House will be on break, beginning from yesterday and submit its report when the House resumes sitting on Tuesday, January 27, 2009.
The 26-member Appointments Committee, has the First Deputy Speaker, Mr Edward Doe Adjaho as its Chairman, with Mr Enoch Teye Mensah, Majority Chief Whip as his vice.
The Minority Leader, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu, is the Ranking Member of the committee with the Deputy Minority Leader, Mr Ambrose Dery as his Deputy.
Fourteen members of the committee are from the Majority while twelve are from the Minority.
The 20-member Business Committee, has the Majority Leader, Mr Alban S.K Bagbin as its Chairman, with the Deputy Majority Leader, Mr John A. Tia as his deputy.
Mr Kyei-Mensah Bonsu and Mr Dery are also the Ranking and Deputy Ranking members of the Business Committee.
Eleven members of the committee were selected from the Majority while nine members were from the Minority.
In a related Development, Parliament on Tuesday went on recess for two weeks.
Meanwhile the Minority on Tuesday held a press conference to introduce its leadership to the press. They are Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu (Suame), Minority Leader, Mr Ambrose Dery (Lawra/Nandom), Deputy Minority Leader, Mr Frederick Opare-Ansah (Suhum), Minority Chief Whip, Mrs Gifty Kusi (Tarkwa-Nsuaem), First Deputy Minority Whip and Mr Ben Ayeh (Upper Denkyira West), Second Deputy Minority Whip.
Mr Kyei-Mensah Bonsu, who addressed the conference assured supporters of the party that the party would work hard to recapture power during the 2012 general elections.
He expressed concern about the appointment of some people to temporally take charge of certain ministries without the mandate of Parliament.