News:
March 11, 2018
Speaker of Parliament Professor Mike Aaron Oquaye has directed that plenary meeting of the House supercede all other committee meetings, hence Members of Parliament should make it a point to attend the plenary meeting before seeking permission latter to attend to committee meetings.
According to the Speaker a strong statement should be made in the House on the matter and noted that the House cannot operate the way it is doing now.
If you make exceptions, the rule in any “institution you would be destroying it” some people may go to sit at committees for some reasons, it could be Appointment or Finance Committee, he stated.
“I would want to direct that there is something called the plenary, it supercedes everything every member of this Honorable House is enjoin to come to the House first before seeking permission from leadership to attend other committee meetings”, he said.
Professor Oquaye noted that very often when in pre-sitting, he directs for a check to me made if there are enough members on the floor, a bell is rang more to ensure that there are enough members for business to start.
He praised the MP for Adaklu Kwame Agbodza for bringing out the issue persistently and added that on Friday the Minister for Railway Development, Joe Ghartey and Kwesi Amoako- Atta, Roads and Highways Minister were in the chamber early.
And should be spared any criticism, but was quick to point out that he is not saying Ministers are always on time but for Friday he came prepared to defend the two sector Ministers for coming in early.
By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com