House suspends sitting for thirty minutes

Accra, June 28, GNA - Parliament commenced sitting at exactly seven minutes past 10 o'clock on Monday morning with only ten members present, but Mr Doe Adjaho, First Deputy Speaker, decided the House should go on with business.

However, sitting had to be suspended for 30 minutes when it was realized that the Ministers who were to answer questions were not present. The Minister for Defence, Lieutenant General Joseph Henry Smith (Rtd), was to answer questions on the floor of parliament but was said to be on his way to the House, likewise the Minister for Chieftaincy and Culture, Mr Alexander Asum-Ahensa who was also not in.

Mr Adjaho asked that the Majority should tell their Ministers to come to the House to answer questions.

Mr Ambrose Dery, Deputy Minority Leader, said the Ministry of Defence was such an important ministry and should have a Deputy and asked that the issue should be rectified because it catered for the security of the nation. He said some ministries had two deputy ministers and questioned why the Defence ministry should be an exception.

This followed Mr Rashid Pelpuo's excuse that the Minister of Defence was indisposed and could not come to the House to answer the question, and that the House would arrange another time for him. Later, Rashid Pelpuo told the House that there was information that the Minister of Defence was on his way to the House. Other business to be conducted include the District Assembly Elections (Amendment) Bill and the Mutual Legal Assistance Bill, 2009, which are at the consideration stage.

The leadership of parliament decided to sit on Monday because of the tall order of businesses they must complete before rising on July 23, 2010. Mr Rashid Pelpuo who read the business of the week last Friday, said extended sittings would be introduced whenever necessary. 28 June 10