Page 17, Tuesday Jan 31, 2012
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
FOUR ambassadors accredited to Ghana yesterday paid separate courtesy calls on the Speaker, Mrs Joyce Bamford-Addo, to hold bilateral talks on how to improve relations between Ghana’s legislature with those of their respective countries.
They are Mrs Sharon Bar-li, Israel; Ms Irene Vida Gala, Brazil; Mr Tullio Guma, Italy; and Mr Jorge Fernando Lefebre Nicloas, Cuba.
When she called on the Speaker, the Brazilian Ambassador, Ms Gala, said it was important for the two countries to focus attention on the socio-economic wellbeing of women and children.
She said efforts should be intensified to increase women representation in the legislatures of the two countries.
Ms Gala said Ghana was high on the agenda of Brazil and would continue to provide assistance towards Ghana’s development efforts.
She informed the Speaker that plans were being made to enable the Brazilian President to visit Ghana to cement the cordial relationship among the two countries.
For his part, the Italian Ambassador, Mr Guma, applauded Ghana for the strides it had made in its socio-economic development and pledged to work hard to improve on the existing relation between the legislatures of Ghana and Italy.
The Israeli Ambassador, Mrs Bar-li, said Israel considered Ghana as an important ally and expressed the hope that Israel and Ghana would continue to co-operate in the various sectors in the interest of their peoples.
For his part, the Cuban Ambassador praised Ghana for its democratic credentials in Africa and beyond and expressed the hope that Ghana would continue to set the pace for other countries to follow.
Responding, Mrs Bamford-Addo attributed the economic gains of Ghana to the stable political environment that the country had enjoyed since the inception of the Fourth Republic.
She assured the ambassadors that the December general election would be peaceful, since Ghanaians were peace-loving people.
Mrs Bamford-Addo said Ghana had a lot of resources, adding that the recent addition of oil was an advantage for the country to make further economic gains.
She gave an assurance that Ghana was committed to efficiently and effectively managing its resources for the benefit of the entire population and not for the privileged few.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Parliament repeals National Fiscal Stabilisation Levy Act
Page 12, Sat Jan 28, 2012
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
PARLIAMENT yesterday repealed the National Fiscal Stabilisation Levy Act (Act 785), as amended in Act 812, through the passage of the National Fiscal Stabilisation Levy (Repeal) Bill, 2011.
The National Fiscal Stabilisation Levy (Repeal) Bill, 2011 was presented and read for the first time in Parliament on December 16, 2011 and referred to the Finance Committee for consideration and report.
The National Fiscal Stabilisation Act, 2009 (Act 785) was introduced in the second half of 2009 to raise funds for national development.
Even though it was initially to last for 18 months, the government extended the duration for an additional year by way of an amendment (Act 812) with a pledge to discontinue the levy.
Meanwhile, the House also passed the Customs and Excise (Duties and other taxes) (Amendment) Bill, 2011 to reduce the environmental excise tax imposed on plastic packaging materials from 20 per cent to 15 per cent.
The Finance Committee of the House, which dealt with the bill, observed that pharmaceutical and agricultural products were exempted from the ambit of the environmental excise tax.
It also noted that the reduction in the environmental excise duty on plastic packaging materials from 20 per cent to 15 per cent would help decrease the input cost for the production of packaged products.
Meanwhile, the President is expected to deliver the State of the Nation Address in Parliament in the middle of next month.
The Majority Leader, Mr Cletus Avoka, who informed the House when he presented the business statement for next week, however, could not give the exact date when the President was expected to deliver the address.
He stated that the Business Committee had taken note of the fact that the House might possibly rise on March 23, 2012 to enable MPs to support the forthcoming voters registration exercise to be carried out by the Electoral Commission (EC), aside the statutory commitment at the international level scheduled for the fourth week in March 2012.
Mr Avoka said having regard to those issues, the Business Committee proposed that extended sittings be introduced by the third week of February to enable the House to expeditiously dispose of its agenda before rising.
But his announcement for the rising of the House on March 23 did not go down well with the MPs who suggested that the House should rather rise earlier, since they would want to be in their constituencies for some days before the starting of the registration exercise on March 24, 2012.
The suggestion, which was made by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Old Tafo, Dr Anthony Akoto Osei, was supported by all the MPs who contributed to the ensuing discussions on the matter.
They called on the leadership of the House to engage the EC to see if it could amend its scheduled date for the commencement of the voters registratio
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
PARLIAMENT yesterday repealed the National Fiscal Stabilisation Levy Act (Act 785), as amended in Act 812, through the passage of the National Fiscal Stabilisation Levy (Repeal) Bill, 2011.
The National Fiscal Stabilisation Levy (Repeal) Bill, 2011 was presented and read for the first time in Parliament on December 16, 2011 and referred to the Finance Committee for consideration and report.
The National Fiscal Stabilisation Act, 2009 (Act 785) was introduced in the second half of 2009 to raise funds for national development.
Even though it was initially to last for 18 months, the government extended the duration for an additional year by way of an amendment (Act 812) with a pledge to discontinue the levy.
Meanwhile, the House also passed the Customs and Excise (Duties and other taxes) (Amendment) Bill, 2011 to reduce the environmental excise tax imposed on plastic packaging materials from 20 per cent to 15 per cent.
The Finance Committee of the House, which dealt with the bill, observed that pharmaceutical and agricultural products were exempted from the ambit of the environmental excise tax.
It also noted that the reduction in the environmental excise duty on plastic packaging materials from 20 per cent to 15 per cent would help decrease the input cost for the production of packaged products.
Meanwhile, the President is expected to deliver the State of the Nation Address in Parliament in the middle of next month.
The Majority Leader, Mr Cletus Avoka, who informed the House when he presented the business statement for next week, however, could not give the exact date when the President was expected to deliver the address.
He stated that the Business Committee had taken note of the fact that the House might possibly rise on March 23, 2012 to enable MPs to support the forthcoming voters registration exercise to be carried out by the Electoral Commission (EC), aside the statutory commitment at the international level scheduled for the fourth week in March 2012.
Mr Avoka said having regard to those issues, the Business Committee proposed that extended sittings be introduced by the third week of February to enable the House to expeditiously dispose of its agenda before rising.
But his announcement for the rising of the House on March 23 did not go down well with the MPs who suggested that the House should rather rise earlier, since they would want to be in their constituencies for some days before the starting of the registration exercise on March 24, 2012.
The suggestion, which was made by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Old Tafo, Dr Anthony Akoto Osei, was supported by all the MPs who contributed to the ensuing discussions on the matter.
They called on the leadership of the House to engage the EC to see if it could amend its scheduled date for the commencement of the voters registratio
Gbediame grateful to delegates
Page 13, Wed Jan 27, 2012
Gbediame grateful to delegates
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Member of Parliament for Nkwanta South in the Volta Region, Mr Geshon Gbediame, has expressed his profound gratitude to the rank and file of the National Democratic Congress in his constituency for giving him the nod to contest for the seat in the December general elections.
Mr Gbediame parried off the stiff challenge posed by four other contestants to win another primary to enable him contest the seat for the fifth time.
He won the contest with 182 votes while his closest opponent, Mr Stephen Oboisah, had 101 votes during the primary.
Mr Gbediame assured his constituents that he would not disappoint them, explaining that he was going to work hard in order to retain the seat.
The MP, who is also the Majority Chief Whip, also appealed to NDC supporters in the constituency to continue to support the course of the party in order for it to win the December general elections.
He said that the Eastern Corridor Road Project was on course while as many as 15 new communities in the area would be hooked to the national grid this year.
In addition, Mr Gbediame stated that inaccessible communities in the area would also enjoy solar power.
He also thanked the four other contestants for giving him a stiff challenge and appealed to them to join hands with him to fight the NPP.
Gbediame grateful to delegates
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Member of Parliament for Nkwanta South in the Volta Region, Mr Geshon Gbediame, has expressed his profound gratitude to the rank and file of the National Democratic Congress in his constituency for giving him the nod to contest for the seat in the December general elections.
Mr Gbediame parried off the stiff challenge posed by four other contestants to win another primary to enable him contest the seat for the fifth time.
He won the contest with 182 votes while his closest opponent, Mr Stephen Oboisah, had 101 votes during the primary.
Mr Gbediame assured his constituents that he would not disappoint them, explaining that he was going to work hard in order to retain the seat.
The MP, who is also the Majority Chief Whip, also appealed to NDC supporters in the constituency to continue to support the course of the party in order for it to win the December general elections.
He said that the Eastern Corridor Road Project was on course while as many as 15 new communities in the area would be hooked to the national grid this year.
In addition, Mr Gbediame stated that inaccessible communities in the area would also enjoy solar power.
He also thanked the four other contestants for giving him a stiff challenge and appealed to them to join hands with him to fight the NPP.
Speaker refers nominees to Appointments Committee
Page 12, fri Jan 27, 2012
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Speaker of Parliament, Mrs Joyce Bamford-Addo, has referred nine ministers and deputy ministers designate to the Appointments Committee of Parliament for consideration and report after reading a communication from the President about their nominations to the House.
They are Mr Moses Asaga, Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare, Mr Lee Ocran, Minister of Education, Mr Fritz Baffuor, Ministry of Information, Mr Dominic Azumah, Presidency, Mr William Kwasi Abuah, Ministry of the Interior and Alhaji Amin Amidu Suleman, Upper West Region.
The deputy ministerial nominees are Mr Stephen M.E.K Ackah, Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Isaac Vandepuye, Greater Accra Region and Mr Henry Ametepe, Volta Region.
The mentioning of the names of the nominees by the Speaker was met with “hear, hear” from the Majority side while the Minority MPs shouted “injury time ministers”.
Meanwhile, the issue as to whether the President should communicate to Parliament when he reshuffles his cabinet or give any minister additional responsibility as an acting minister in another ministry arose in Parliament today.
Currently the practice is that it is only when the President nominated a new minister that he communicated to Parliament through the Speaker.
However, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Old Tafo and Minority Spokesperson on Finance, Dr Anthony Akoto Osei, raised the matter today when the official report for business of the House on January 24, 2012 was presented to the House.
In the report, the Dr Benjamin Kunbuor was referred to as the acting Attorney-General and Minister of Justice but the MP said it was not proper that the House should take issues reported in newspapers and radio stations as the gospel truth.
The issues generated a prolonged debate with a lot of MPs supporting the line of argument of Dr Akoto Osei but the Majority Leader, Mr Cletus Apul Avoka, said even though the issue raised might be proper as far as good governance was concerned, the current practice had being in place since the country returned to constitutional rule.
He explained that in practice, the various Presidents during the Fourth Republic had directed ministers to act for their colleague ministers without notifying Parliament about his directive.
“Madam Speaker may be for the sake of governance and best practices. The House should be officially informed when a minister has been swapped, reshuffled or directed to act for their colleague ministers”.
In another development, the House resolved and waived the tax liability on equipment and materials to be imported or purchased locally, corporate as well as expatriate income taxes in respect of Mampong Water Supply Rehabilitation and Expansion Project in the Ashanti Region.
The corporate and the expatriate income taxes to be waived added up to US$4,666,833.00 and GHC1,368,139.98 respectively.
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Speaker of Parliament, Mrs Joyce Bamford-Addo, has referred nine ministers and deputy ministers designate to the Appointments Committee of Parliament for consideration and report after reading a communication from the President about their nominations to the House.
They are Mr Moses Asaga, Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare, Mr Lee Ocran, Minister of Education, Mr Fritz Baffuor, Ministry of Information, Mr Dominic Azumah, Presidency, Mr William Kwasi Abuah, Ministry of the Interior and Alhaji Amin Amidu Suleman, Upper West Region.
The deputy ministerial nominees are Mr Stephen M.E.K Ackah, Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Isaac Vandepuye, Greater Accra Region and Mr Henry Ametepe, Volta Region.
The mentioning of the names of the nominees by the Speaker was met with “hear, hear” from the Majority side while the Minority MPs shouted “injury time ministers”.
Meanwhile, the issue as to whether the President should communicate to Parliament when he reshuffles his cabinet or give any minister additional responsibility as an acting minister in another ministry arose in Parliament today.
Currently the practice is that it is only when the President nominated a new minister that he communicated to Parliament through the Speaker.
However, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Old Tafo and Minority Spokesperson on Finance, Dr Anthony Akoto Osei, raised the matter today when the official report for business of the House on January 24, 2012 was presented to the House.
In the report, the Dr Benjamin Kunbuor was referred to as the acting Attorney-General and Minister of Justice but the MP said it was not proper that the House should take issues reported in newspapers and radio stations as the gospel truth.
The issues generated a prolonged debate with a lot of MPs supporting the line of argument of Dr Akoto Osei but the Majority Leader, Mr Cletus Apul Avoka, said even though the issue raised might be proper as far as good governance was concerned, the current practice had being in place since the country returned to constitutional rule.
He explained that in practice, the various Presidents during the Fourth Republic had directed ministers to act for their colleague ministers without notifying Parliament about his directive.
“Madam Speaker may be for the sake of governance and best practices. The House should be officially informed when a minister has been swapped, reshuffled or directed to act for their colleague ministers”.
In another development, the House resolved and waived the tax liability on equipment and materials to be imported or purchased locally, corporate as well as expatriate income taxes in respect of Mampong Water Supply Rehabilitation and Expansion Project in the Ashanti Region.
The corporate and the expatriate income taxes to be waived added up to US$4,666,833.00 and GHC1,368,139.98 respectively.
Parliament debates Intestate Succession Bill amendment
Pagee 17, Jan 26, 2012
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
Parliament debates Intestate Succession Bill amendment
PARLIAMENT yesterday inched towards the passage of the Intestate Succession Bill when the bill passed through its second reading stage.
The Bill, which was laid before the House on November 3, 2009 and referred to the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs for consideration and report, seeks a more responsive approach to the needs of nuclear families whose parents and spouses die intestate.
According to members of the committee, they had spent more than two years to deliberate on the bill because of its sensitive nature.
When passed, the bill will replace the Intestate Succession Act, 1985 (PNDC Law 111).
According to the memorandum accompanying the bill, its objective is to remove the anomalies in the present law relating to intestate succession and to provide a uniform intestate succession law that would be applied throughout the country irrespective of inheritance system of the intestate and the type of marriage.
According to the memorandum, the present law on intestate succession appears to be overtaken by changes in the Ghanaian family system.
The importance of the extended family system was gradually shifting to the nuclear family as pertained in other parts of the world.
However, the well-entrenched family law system had provided very little protection for surviving spouses and children.
In its deliberation, the committee observed that intestate succession and its attendant socio-legal issues continued to pose challenges largely due to the pluralistic nature of the family law system of the country.
It said after over 25 years of the coming into force of PNDCL 111, there were still difficulties in its implementation due to the increasing importance of the nuclear family.
The committee’s report said some key issues that emerged during deliberations, particularly during the public hearings, had been addressed in the bill.
They included the need for enhancement of provisions for children of school age, the need to put a cap on the amount to be treated as household property, the need for enhancement of entitlements for the longest serving spouse within the context of a polygamous marriage, status of additional spouse married under customary law in relation to the spouse under the ordinance.
The Deputy Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr Ebo Barton-Odro, moved the motion for the bill to go through the second reading and he was seconded by the Chairman of the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Emmanuel Kwasi Bandua.
The second reading stage of a bill is a stage when the principles underlying the introduction of the bill.are discussed.
But before he could move the motion for the House to debate on principles of the bill, some members from the Minority side raised concerns about the whereabouts of the substantive Attorney-General and Minister of Justice.
The Minority argued that a deputy minister was put in place to assist the substantive minister and in a case where there was no substantive minister, “who is the deputy minister there to assist?”.
After a lengthy debate, however, he was allowed to move the motion.
The Member of Parliament for Sekondi, Papa Owusu-Ankomah, observed that the time was ripe for Ghana to take the bull by the horn and enact an interstate succession law that would stand the test of time and enhance the wellbeing of children whose parents died before they become independent in life.
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
Parliament debates Intestate Succession Bill amendment
PARLIAMENT yesterday inched towards the passage of the Intestate Succession Bill when the bill passed through its second reading stage.
The Bill, which was laid before the House on November 3, 2009 and referred to the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs for consideration and report, seeks a more responsive approach to the needs of nuclear families whose parents and spouses die intestate.
According to members of the committee, they had spent more than two years to deliberate on the bill because of its sensitive nature.
When passed, the bill will replace the Intestate Succession Act, 1985 (PNDC Law 111).
According to the memorandum accompanying the bill, its objective is to remove the anomalies in the present law relating to intestate succession and to provide a uniform intestate succession law that would be applied throughout the country irrespective of inheritance system of the intestate and the type of marriage.
According to the memorandum, the present law on intestate succession appears to be overtaken by changes in the Ghanaian family system.
The importance of the extended family system was gradually shifting to the nuclear family as pertained in other parts of the world.
However, the well-entrenched family law system had provided very little protection for surviving spouses and children.
In its deliberation, the committee observed that intestate succession and its attendant socio-legal issues continued to pose challenges largely due to the pluralistic nature of the family law system of the country.
It said after over 25 years of the coming into force of PNDCL 111, there were still difficulties in its implementation due to the increasing importance of the nuclear family.
The committee’s report said some key issues that emerged during deliberations, particularly during the public hearings, had been addressed in the bill.
They included the need for enhancement of provisions for children of school age, the need to put a cap on the amount to be treated as household property, the need for enhancement of entitlements for the longest serving spouse within the context of a polygamous marriage, status of additional spouse married under customary law in relation to the spouse under the ordinance.
The Deputy Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr Ebo Barton-Odro, moved the motion for the bill to go through the second reading and he was seconded by the Chairman of the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Emmanuel Kwasi Bandua.
The second reading stage of a bill is a stage when the principles underlying the introduction of the bill.are discussed.
But before he could move the motion for the House to debate on principles of the bill, some members from the Minority side raised concerns about the whereabouts of the substantive Attorney-General and Minister of Justice.
The Minority argued that a deputy minister was put in place to assist the substantive minister and in a case where there was no substantive minister, “who is the deputy minister there to assist?”.
After a lengthy debate, however, he was allowed to move the motion.
The Member of Parliament for Sekondi, Papa Owusu-Ankomah, observed that the time was ripe for Ghana to take the bull by the horn and enact an interstate succession law that would stand the test of time and enhance the wellbeing of children whose parents died before they become independent in life.
PNC members urged to unite for December polls
Page 16, Jan 25, 2012
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE People’s National Congress’ (PNC) Member of Parliament for Sissala West, Mr Haruna Bayirga, has called on members of the party to unite and prepare towards the December general elections now that the court case that entangled the party was over.
“Now that the court case has come to an end, I am appealing to the rank file of the party to bury their differences and come together as a united party in order to have a peaceful congress to elect out leaders”, he said.
Mr Bayirga, who was also the Chairman of the Government Assurance Committee in Parliament, said while thinking about the election of candidates for the 2012 general election, efforts should also be made to unite the Nkrumah-Limann family.
“We should not completely abandon the Nkrumahist unity talks”, he said, adding that whenever the opportunity comes our way again, “we should see how we can press on for the unity of the family”.
Touching on the importance of smaller parties, Mr Bayirga opined that efforts should be made in order not to allow the big political parties to swallow them up.
He explained that during both the fourth and the fifth parliaments, it was through the assistance of the PNC and other smaller political parties that helped to ensure that there were no hanged parliaments.
“The acceptance of PNC to always assist the Majority to have the needed numbers to ensure that government business in the House was conducted without difficulties had helped to stabilise the country’s political dispensation”, he said.
Mr Bayirga said attempts by the big political parties to swallow up the smaller parties would not augur well for the country’s democratic path and called on businessmen, donors and all sympathisers to assist such smaller political parties to play their roles as expected of them.
He added that it was only when there were smaller political parties who had the strength to balance the inter-play of power between the NDC and the NPP that the country’s democracy would be secured.
Mr Bayirga commended the founder of the PNC, Dr Hilla Limann, for his vision and sacrifice adding that his statement that he would heal the wounds of Ghanaians had stood the test of time and that the role that MPs from the party were playing now in Parliament had made the statement a prophetic one.
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE People’s National Congress’ (PNC) Member of Parliament for Sissala West, Mr Haruna Bayirga, has called on members of the party to unite and prepare towards the December general elections now that the court case that entangled the party was over.
“Now that the court case has come to an end, I am appealing to the rank file of the party to bury their differences and come together as a united party in order to have a peaceful congress to elect out leaders”, he said.
Mr Bayirga, who was also the Chairman of the Government Assurance Committee in Parliament, said while thinking about the election of candidates for the 2012 general election, efforts should also be made to unite the Nkrumah-Limann family.
“We should not completely abandon the Nkrumahist unity talks”, he said, adding that whenever the opportunity comes our way again, “we should see how we can press on for the unity of the family”.
Touching on the importance of smaller parties, Mr Bayirga opined that efforts should be made in order not to allow the big political parties to swallow them up.
He explained that during both the fourth and the fifth parliaments, it was through the assistance of the PNC and other smaller political parties that helped to ensure that there were no hanged parliaments.
“The acceptance of PNC to always assist the Majority to have the needed numbers to ensure that government business in the House was conducted without difficulties had helped to stabilise the country’s political dispensation”, he said.
Mr Bayirga said attempts by the big political parties to swallow up the smaller parties would not augur well for the country’s democratic path and called on businessmen, donors and all sympathisers to assist such smaller political parties to play their roles as expected of them.
He added that it was only when there were smaller political parties who had the strength to balance the inter-play of power between the NDC and the NPP that the country’s democracy would be secured.
Mr Bayirga commended the founder of the PNC, Dr Hilla Limann, for his vision and sacrifice adding that his statement that he would heal the wounds of Ghanaians had stood the test of time and that the role that MPs from the party were playing now in Parliament had made the statement a prophetic one.
Speaker calls for calm in political discourse
Page 3, Jan 25, 2012
Speaker calls for calm in political discourse
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Speaker of Parliament, Mrs Joyce Bamford-Addo, has advised Members of Parliament (MPs) to be circumspect in their discourse as the political barometer of the country charges towards the December general election.
“Already, there are simmering indications of this thick politically charged crowd moving around us but at least thankfully not in the House”, she said.
Mrs Bamford-Addo gave the advise in her remarks when Parliament resumed for the First Meeting of the Fourth Session of the Fifth Parliament of the Fourth Republic today.
“Let us bury our political hatchet once we are in the House since our overriding concern, as I always say, is the national interest”.
She asked the MPs to be the forerunners preaching the peace and the need for the consolidation of the democratic culture and all that it entailed to the people of Ghana.
Mrs Bamford-Addo stated that even though the two sides in the House might disagree on some issues, it was important for them to co-operate to carry on the business of the House at all times.
She prevailed on the MPs to avail themselves to the call of duty in plenary as well as in committees of the House amid few challenges in the course of the work.
Welcoming the House, the Majority Leader, Mr Cletus Avoka, congratulated the MPs from the Majority side who won their primaries last weekend and urged those who lost their bid to contest for their seats once more and not lose hope.
“You should not think that this is the end of your political career but rather continue to hope for a better future”, he said.
For his part, the Minority Leader, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, also congratulated his NDC colleague who, according to him, avoided the thorns and tussle of the political terrain to come out triumphant.
The Fourth Session of the Fifth Parliament is the last of four sessions of this Parliament. It comprises three meetings; the first of which would end just before the Easter festivities.
The second meeting would commence in May and end in July after which the House would, after a long recess , resume in October for the third meeting.
This current Parliament would end when the House completed the third meeting before the December general election for another Parliament to begin in January, 2013.
Members of Parliament would, therefore, have a tight schedule this year as they combined the work in the House in addition to their campaign programme in their bid to retain their seats during the December general elections.
Speaker calls for calm in political discourse
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Speaker of Parliament, Mrs Joyce Bamford-Addo, has advised Members of Parliament (MPs) to be circumspect in their discourse as the political barometer of the country charges towards the December general election.
“Already, there are simmering indications of this thick politically charged crowd moving around us but at least thankfully not in the House”, she said.
Mrs Bamford-Addo gave the advise in her remarks when Parliament resumed for the First Meeting of the Fourth Session of the Fifth Parliament of the Fourth Republic today.
“Let us bury our political hatchet once we are in the House since our overriding concern, as I always say, is the national interest”.
She asked the MPs to be the forerunners preaching the peace and the need for the consolidation of the democratic culture and all that it entailed to the people of Ghana.
Mrs Bamford-Addo stated that even though the two sides in the House might disagree on some issues, it was important for them to co-operate to carry on the business of the House at all times.
She prevailed on the MPs to avail themselves to the call of duty in plenary as well as in committees of the House amid few challenges in the course of the work.
Welcoming the House, the Majority Leader, Mr Cletus Avoka, congratulated the MPs from the Majority side who won their primaries last weekend and urged those who lost their bid to contest for their seats once more and not lose hope.
“You should not think that this is the end of your political career but rather continue to hope for a better future”, he said.
For his part, the Minority Leader, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, also congratulated his NDC colleague who, according to him, avoided the thorns and tussle of the political terrain to come out triumphant.
The Fourth Session of the Fifth Parliament is the last of four sessions of this Parliament. It comprises three meetings; the first of which would end just before the Easter festivities.
The second meeting would commence in May and end in July after which the House would, after a long recess , resume in October for the third meeting.
This current Parliament would end when the House completed the third meeting before the December general election for another Parliament to begin in January, 2013.
Members of Parliament would, therefore, have a tight schedule this year as they combined the work in the House in addition to their campaign programme in their bid to retain their seats during the December general elections.
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