Business Committee of Parliament urges ministries to promptly submit estimates

Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, Deputy Majority Leader, has reiterated the need for the Ministry of Finance and other Ministries to submit to parliament their sectoral estimates timely for consideration of same and approval by the House. 

He said: “Mr Speaker, the Business Committee again reiterates that due to the limited time available to Parliament, to consider and approve the list of business scheduled for the Meeting, the Ministry of Finance and other ministries should endeavour to submit to Parliament their sectoral estimates early enough for consideration of same and approval by the Hosue.” 

Mr Afenyo-Markin said on Friday when he presented the Business Statement of the House for the week ending Friday, December 2, on the floor of Parliament. 

He noted that the Committee had scheduled six ministers to respond to questions asked by Members of Parliament (MPs) during the week, adding that in all, 44 questions were expected to be answered. 

Out of the 44 questions, 40 would be oral with four being urgent questions.  

“Mr Speaker, the following ministers, Works and Housing, Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Education, Transport, Communication and Digitalisation and Roads and Highway are expected to attend to respond to the 44 questions,” he said. 

Commenting on the timely work of the ministries in the submission of their sectoral estimates, Mr Kofi Iddie Adams, MP for Buem called on the ministries to act quickly to ensure committees worked within their allocated time to ensure a productive meeting. 

Reacting to a question raised by Madam Helen Adjoa Ntoso, MP for Krachi West on the delay in the vetting of the Gender, Children and Social Protection Minister and Deputy minister-designate by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Mr Afenyo- Markin told the House that a referral had been to the Appointment Committee on the President’s nominees. 

“A referral has been made to the Appointment Committee, it is for them to do their work, when the report is ready, it will be presented to the House, thank you, Mr Speaker,” he said. 

President Akufo-Addo in August nominated Madam Lariba Zuweira Abudu, MP for Walewale, and a Deputy Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, as Minister-designate for the Ministry. 

Her appointment was subject to the approval of Parliament. 

The President also nominated Madam Francisca Oteng Mensah, MP for Kwabre East, as Deputy Minister-designate for the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection. 

A statement signed by Mr Eugene Arhin, the Director of Communications at the Office of the President said: “The President is hopeful that Parliament will expedite the approval of his nominees for this important Ministry, so they can assist in the effective delivery of his mandate for his second term in office.” 

The President on July 28, 2022, revoked the appointment of Madam Sarah Adwoa Safo, MP for Dome Kwabenya. 

The decision by the President came at a time Parliament was debating her continuous stay in the house after absenting herself from Parliament for more than 15 sitting days without approval from Mr Alban Bagbin Speaker of Parliament. 

There had been calls from within and outside the New Patriotic Party for the third-term MP to be sanctioned for her continuous absence.