Parliament reconstitutes membership to international bodies

Accra, Feb. 26, GNA - Parliament on Thursday approved the reconstitution of the membership of Ghana's representatives to two international parliamentary bodies.

Mr. Edward Adjaho, First Deputy Speaker, Mr Enoch Teye Mensah, Majority Chief Whip, Mr. Moses Asaga, member for Nabdam, Mr Ambrose Dery, Deputy Minority Leader and Madam Elizabeth Agyemang, member for Oforikrom have been elected as representatives to the Pan-African Parliament in accordance with the constitutive act of the African Union, that each member state shall be represented in the continental Parliament by five members of Parliament.

The House also approved the nomination of eight MPs, including Mr John Tia, Deputy Majority leader, Mr Stephen Balado-Manu, MP for Ahafo-Ano South and Mr Simon Osei-Mensah, MP for Bosomtwe, to represent Ghana at the ECOWAS Parliament.

Earlier, members continued with the debate on the President's sessional address with, Mrs Irene Addo, MP for Tema West, criticizing the NDC for using the issue of returning Ga lands back to the owners as a political weapon.

She said the President, in his address to parliament failed to touch on the matter although the NDC had made some commitments to return these lands to the owners during the recent elections. Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Minister of Communications, on his part, said government would expand fixed and mobile telephony to open up the rural areas.

Mr Simon Osei-Mensah, MP for Bosomtwe, said there was no mention of the development and expansion of the rail sector to ease movement of people and goods in the sessional address although, President Mills had touched on the transport sector and the need to deal with vehicular congestion on roads such as the Spintex and La-Teshie stretches. Ms Akua Dansua, Minster of Women and Children Affairs, commended the President for touching on gender mainstreaming through the proposal to establish gender units in all the district assemblies.