Give MPs copies of Special Prosecutor’s LI – Speaker directs after complaints

Some members of parliament are lamenting over the absence of copies of the Legislative Instrument (LI) on the Special Prosecutor’s office which is currently before the House for approval.

Though the legislative instrument for the SP was laid in parliament on November 26, copies of the document is yet to be made available to MPs for perusal and interrogation for onward passage or annulment.

Minority chief whip and MP for Asawase, Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak, raised the issue on the floor of parliament on Thursday.

He said MPs are being asked to sit on Saturday’s and Monday’s just to ensure the LI attains the 21 sitting days required legally for the document to mature, but technically, there is nothing before them.

Other MPs shared in his concern and asked that if the LI will not made available to members of the House, it should be withdrawn and re-laid whenever the copies are ready.

MP for Akatsi South, Bernard Ahiafor , who is also the deputy ranking member of the subsidiary legislation, revealed his committee which is to work on the LI and report to the House does not even have copies of the document, hence they are unable to work.

Due to the unavailability of copies of the document, he said, the pre- laying process has been truncated.

Minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu quoting order 75 of the standing orders of parliament indicated that clerks at table were to have ensured enough copies were made available MPs before laying the paper on November 26, but that was not the case.

He stated they cannot be compelled to sit on Saturdays just because of the LI and yet they do not have copies for members to peruse.

Majority chief whip, Kwesi Ameyaw Cheremeh, has promised copies will be given to MPs by next Tuesday.

First deputy speaker Joseph Osei-Owusu directed that the majority whip ensures members get copies of the document.