Month: January 2013

Parliament on Wednesday approved the formula for the composition of committees,Parliamentary delegations, groupings and association to facilitate the work of the House.

The House agreed to constitute the committees based on the ratio 55:45 for the majority and minority respectively, which practically consists of 19 other members with 10 members from the Majority caucus and nine from minority caucus.

Proposed members for the committee of selection are Mr Edward Doe Adjaho for Chairman.

The members are Dr Benjamin Kunbuor, Mr Cletus Apul Avoka, Alhaji Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, Hajia Mary Salifu Boforo, Joseph Appiah Boateng, Alfred Kwame Agbesi, Dr Hannah Louis Bisiw, Mr James Avedzi, Mr Samson Ahi, Mr Abeiku Crentsil, Mr Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, Mr Dominic Nitiwul, Mr Daniel Botwe, Mrs Irene Naa Torshie Addo, Mr Ignatius Baffour Awuah, Mr Papa Owusu-Ankomah, Benjamin Kofi Ayeh, Mr Boniface Gambila Adagbila and Mrs Ama Pomaa Andoh.

The composition of the committees should as much as possible reflect the different shades of opinions in the House. Pursuant to Order 153, every member must belong to at least one standing committee.

The House also noted that considering the urgency of the work of the committee of selection, Business and Appointment Committees in the facilitation of business of the House and that of Government, work on the composition of these three committees should be concluded by Friday, 11th January 2013.

The House further agreed that the committee on Selection with the Speaker of Parliament as Chairperson and nineteen other members, should comprise 10 members from the majority caucus and 9 from minority caucus based in accordance with agreed ratio of 55:45.

Earlier, two Members of Parliament for Assin Central and Afram Plains North,Kennedy Agyepong and Emmanuel Aboagye Didieye who were absent when the sixth Parliament was being inaugurated were accordingly sworn in by Rt. Hon. Speaker of Parliament Edward Doe Adjaho.

Meanwhile, the three independent Members of Parliament, MPs for Akan, Tamale North and Jirapa constituencies, Hon. Joseph Kwadwo Ofori,Dahamani Alhassan and Derigubaa Paul respectively and the Peoples National Convention MP for Builsa South, Alhassan Azong declared their intention to work with the majority side in Parliament.

Kwadwo Anim/Ghanamps.gov.gh

Members of Parliament of the sixth Parliament had little business to do on their first day of work on Tuesday after their swearing in on Monday January 7, 2013.

Business in the House, which lasted barely an hour, was mainly characterized by correction of votes and proceedings with several of the newly elected MPs having to correct their names, which had been wrongly spelt.

Most of the married women MPs who had their names with the title Miss were quick to effect the corrections.

Few others who had titles of Doctor omitted from their names accordingly ensured that the correction were done.

It was also evidently clear that some of the new MPs were alien to the proceeding on the floor of House as some of them stood up and started contributing without the Speaker’s permission while others also spoke without switching on their microphones.

After an hour of business on the Floor, the Majority Leader Benjamin Kumbour moved for the adjournment of the House and was seconded by the Minority Leader Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu.

Kwadwo Anim/Ghanamps.gov.gh

A total of 273 out of 275 Members of Parliament who constitute the sixth Parliament of the Fourth Republic have been sworn in.

This figure is minus the deceased MP for Buem, Hon. Ford Kamel who died on Christmas day 2012 and MP for Akatsi North, Doe Adjaho who has been elected as Speaker of Parliament.

The Event took place at midnight Monday 7th January in fulfillment of the constituention. The MPs were sworn in by the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Doe Adjaho who administered the oath of allegiance and that of Member of Parliament.

The Legislators now have the arduous task of representing their constituents for the next four years.

Meanwhile with the demise of the MP for Buem, Ford Kamel and the election of MP for Akatsi North, Does Adjaho to the position of Speaker of Parliament, bye – elections are to be held in the two constituencies in the next three months.

Kwadwo Anim/Ghanamps.gov.gh

Parliament is yet to officially inform the Electoral Commission about the vacant Buem parliamentary seat for a by-election to be held.

The seat has become vacant due to the death of the MP- elect, Henry Ford Kamel who died on Christmas day.

Per the Constitution, Parliament must officially inform the EC of any vacancy so it runs a by-election for the seat to be filled.

A Deputy Chairman for the EC, Sarfo Kantanka however told Citi News, the processes to elect a new MP have not begun because Parliament is yet to inform the Commission.

“We’ve not been officially informed so we don’t do anything because it is in the constitution that we should be informed by Parliament about a vacancy which has occurred and it is after that that we put in place the mechanism for conducting a by-election.”

He further explained that since the by-election arises out of a death of an elected MP, the election should be conducted within 60 days and therefore his outfit is waiting for Parliament to inform them.

Citifmonline.com

Mr Edward Doe Adjaho has been sworn in as the Speaker of the Sixth Parliament of the Forth republic by the Chief Justice, Georgina Theodora Wood.

He was sworn in after he was elected by a unanimous decision after being proposed by the majority leader, Dr Benjamin Kumbuor and seconded by the Minority leader, Osei Kyie Mensah-Bonsu.

Mr Adjaho took the Oath of Allegiance and the Speakers Oath, affirming to bear true faith and allegiance to the Republic and people of Ghana as established by Law.

Until his elevation, he was the MP-elect for the Akatsi South Constituency in the Volta region. He has since in accordance with Article 97 of the Constitution vacated that seat.

Mr Adjaho makes history as the first legislative member to be elected Speaker in recent times and prior to his new position, he was the immediate past first Deputy Speaker in the Fifth Parliament.

Mr Adjaho in his acceptance pledged to deepen the democratic principles of the country, live up to the reputation of past speakers and “look forward to serve the House with dignity”.

He thanked the leadership of the House for the great honour done him, his family and constituents, undertaking not to betray the confidence and trust reposed in him but to discharge his duties in accordance to the Constitution and parliamentary rules.

Mr Adjaho exhorted members of the Sixth parliament to stay focused on the business of the House and do so with “unity and discipline.

He charged them to renew their sense of patriotism, nationalism and devotion in the discharge of their responsibilities in order to deepen parliamentary democracy saying “We should strive to uphold the sanctity of parliament”.

Mr Ebo Barton-Odro, MP for Cape Coast North, was elected Fisrt Deputy Speaker while the Esikadu/Ketan MP, Joe Ghartey was elected Second Deputy Speaker.

The 274 members-elect were subsequently sworn in as substantive MPs of their constituencies by taking the Oath of Allegiance and the Oath of Member of Parliament.

Speaker Adjaho suspended sittings for members to attend the swearing-in and investiture of the President-elect John Dramani Mahama at the independence Square.

GNA

President John Dramani Mahama has extolled the excellent performance of his government especially in the educational sector as over 40 percent of the 4,000 schools under trees have been eliminated by the NDC administration.

He said this while delivering his first State of the Nation in accordance with Article 67 of the constitution.

He noted that the administration has improved access to quality education in line with his government’s commitment of investing in people.

President John Mahama stated that millions of school uniforms, text books and laptops have been distributed across the country to further boost the quality of education.

He asserted that with the implementation of the Single Spine pay policy, teacher have witness an appreciable upward adjustment in the salary making them better motivated than they had been.

In the area of security, President Mahama stated that the security agencies under his administration have witness an unprecedented supply of new and modern equipment which had improve their efficiency in the past 2 years.

He said evidence of their spelling performance was seen during the 2012 December
elections where they deployed the equipment across the country and ensured a peaceful atmosphere across the nation.

In the area of health, President John Mahama stated that the health sector has seen a major uplift with the construction of modern health facilities across the country.

He said about 1,300 CHPS compounds have been constructed across the country while 12 new district hospitals have also been put up.

Additionally 15 new Poly-clinics and additional 161 ambulances delivered to the national ambulance service.

Kwadwo Anim/Ghanamps.gov.gh

The Sixth Parliament of the Fourth Republic is scheduled to have its first sitting on January 7, 2012 at 12:05 am.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Clerk of Parliament, Emmanuel Anyimadu.

The current Parliament; the fifth Parliament will be dissolved on midnight of Sunday, January 6, 2013.

Below is the full statement

Summoning of Parliament first sitting of the first meeting of the Sixth Parliament

Know ye all men that in the exercise of the powers conferred on the Clerk of Parliament, I, Emmanuel Anyimadu, Clerk to Parliament appointed under Article 124 of the Constitution and pursuant to Order 8 (3) of the Standing Orders of Parliament, do hereby appoint Parliament House, Accra to be the place and five minutes past twelve midnight (12:05 am) of Monday, the 7th day of January, 2013 to be the time at which Parliament shall sit to elect a Speaker and Deputy Speakers and for the administration of oaths to the Speaker and Members of the Sixth Parliament of the Fourth Republic

Signed

Emmanuel Anyimadu

(Clerk to Parliament)