The 200-member Ghanaian Parliament was today (Tuesday February 04) its first day of sitting in the week, compelled to adjourn due to what members described as ?not much to do.?
?Parliament is compelled to adjourn, there is no other business for the House to do,? the Speaker of the House, Peter Ala Adjetey said just about 10 minutes to 11.00 am. The House, which sits between 10 ? 2 pm, had nothing on the Order Paper for the day to do after correcting votes and proceedings. Attendance itself was low, attracting comments from members.
Obviously disappointed, the Speaker re-emphasised the obligation placed on the MP by the 1992 Constitution. He reminded the members that their work is full-time and that was why the Constitution requires that all MPs do not engage in any other active business that will prevent them from doing their work as MPs.
Mr. Ala Adjetey decried the practice where the executive rushed bills and resolutions to the House at the last days of its session compelling it to sit longer hours in order to complete its work. He noted that the time of the House must be judiciously spent.
The Rt. Hon. Speaker was also not happy with the practice where the Budget always awaits the president?s State of the Nation Address, adding it does not allow the representatives of the people to adequately look at the issues in the budget before it is passed.
He appealed to the executive to ensure that the budget is read in the last quarter of the year to enable the House do a critical assessment of the document.
The speaker?s comments followed expression of displeasure and disappointment at the work of both the House?s Business Committee and the executive by members of the minority National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The members said the image of Parliament as an institution has suffered so much public criticism and now at its lowest ebb and therefore the need for something drastic to be done to redeem it.
According to Mr. Steve Akorli, the perennial lateness of members coupled ineffectiveness of the Business Committee is opening up Parliament to public criticism and ridicule and it is important that the House checks these and address them.
?We cannot accept and do things this way and enjoy the support of the public.?
Members of the majority disagree with the minority side that the Business Committee is not business-like. To them, the work of the Parliamentarian is not limited to the chamber, and so sittings should not be used as the only yardstick to determine the work rate of members.
