Second Deputy Speaker charges Leadership, Committee Chairs to take up duties expeditiously

Andrew Asiamah Amoako, the Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, has expressed worry at the low pace of work at the Committee levels in the House.

He said: “So many reports have been referred to committees and no one is reporting back to the House.”

“Once a referral is made to you, we expect you to report back to the House with recommendations and the way forward,” Asiamah Amoako said on the floor of Parliament on Friday when he commented on the Business Statement for the fifth week ending Friday, December 1, 2023.

Some Members of Parliament (MPs), particularly the Minority Caucus, lamented how Committees with referrals were always reminded in each week’s Business Statement to present their reports to the House for consideration but were not yielding any results.

Consequently, presiding over Friday, November 24 Proceedings of the House,b Asiamah Amoako, charged the Leadership of the House and Chairmen of the respective Committees with referrals to take up their duties of ensuring such Committees work expeditiously.

Carlos Kingsley Ahenkorah, a New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP for Tema West, called for a way that would bridge the gap for Committees to deliver to expectation.

In his presentation of the Business Statement, Mr Frank Annoh-Dompreh, the Majority Chief Whip told the House that the Business Committee recommended that the debate on the ongoing Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana be concluded on Wednesday, November 29, 2023 instead of Tuesday, November 28 2023 as indicated initially.

He explained the decision was to enable as many MPs, particularly backbenchers of the House to contribute to the motion for approval of the Budget Statement.

“Mr Speaker, the Leaders of this House will, however, conclude the debate on Wednesday, November 29, 2023,” he said.

Annoh-Dompreh urged the Ministry of Finance and other Ministries to endeavour to submit to Parliament the estimates of Ministries early enough for consideration of same and approval by the House, due to its limited available time.

He, therefore, entreated all Committees to endeavour to commence consideration of the Budget Estimates of the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies by Wednesday, December 6, 2023.

“Mr Speaker, the foregoing recommendations are expected to enable the expeditious consideration of the Budget Estimates and the passing of the Appropriation Bill, 2023, prior to the House adjourning sine die in the fourth week of December 2023,” he said.

Regarding the ensuing week’s work schedule, Mr Annoh-Dompreh reminded the House of the Business Committee’s recommendation of the House commencing sitting each day at 1000 hours with extended sittings.

He informed the House that on Wednesday, November 29, 2023, there would be a joint caucus meeting after adjournment for the discussion of pertinent matters.

“Mr Speaker, Friday, December 1, 2023 is National Farmers’ Day, a statutory holiday and it is expected to be observed as such across the country,” he said.

Owing to Ministers expected to attend upon the House during the week, Annoh-Domperh, also an NPP MP for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, said in all, seven Ministers would respond to 67 questions of which nine would be urgent with 58 being oral.

He, mentioned the Minister for Works and Housing, Minister for Education, Minister for Communications and Digitalisation and Minister for Trade and Industry as some of the expected Ministers to attend upon the House.

Others would be the Minister for Food and Agriculture, the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Youth and Sport.