Parliament rises today

Accra, Dec. 15, GNA - Five outstanding Bills have been scheduled to be considered during the next Meeting of Parliament, which rises on Friday for the Christmas break and expected to reconvene on January 30, 2007.

The bills are the Criminal Code (Amendment) the Domestic Violence, the Transfer of Convicted Persons, the Data Processing Control Board Decree (Repeal), Central Securities Depositary and the Restriction on the Use of Military Uniforms and Equipment (Amendment) Bills. Mr Felix Owusu-Adjapong, Majority Leader and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, listed the outstanding Bills when he presented the proposed business statement for the first week of the next meeting. The Minister said all outstanding business and referrals, which were not completed at the end of the second session, would be referred to the succeeding meeting.

He said work would be carried out on the electrical system of the Chamber Block during the recess.

The Speaker, Mr Ebenezer Begyina Sekyi-Hughes, directed, in answer to the questions raised by Mr Alfred Agbesi- NDC-Ashaiman and Haruna Iddrisu, NDC Tamale South, that concerns on the prolonged absence of Mr Eric Amoateng, NPP Nkoranza North, should be settled with the leadership of the House.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) on Friday presented to Parliament a copy each of the Hansard from January 1993 to December 1995, and proceedings of the Consultative Assembly, that drafted the 1992 Constitution, 40 pocket size copies of the 1992 Ghanaian Constitution and two reference copies of Erskine May on Parliamentary Practice.