Category: General

Appointment committee of Parliament would continue with their vetting process today with four nominees to appear before it.

Minister designate for the Savannah Region, Salifu Adam Braimah would be the first to come before the committee.

Deputy Aviation Minister designate Yaw Afful would be the next to come before the committee, followed by Siaka Stevens Deputy Minister designate for the Bono Region.

Whiles Benjamin Yeboah Sekyere Deputy Ministers designate for the Ahafo Region would be the last person to come before the committee for the day.

Appointment Committee would bring the vetting proceedings to an end on Wednesday the 20th of March 2019.

In a related development, Speaker of Parliament Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye has warned that the House would not tolerate nominees who have more than ten supporters.

He further revealed on Friday that, after a meeting with leadership of the House in a briefing before the House started proceedings, they would go strictly by the ten people allowed in the committee room where the vetting process takes place.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye has give a stern warning that members of the Ghanaian public should accord same respect they would give the High court to the Appointment Committee of the House.

According to the Speaker, Parliament is going to insist that only ten members of a nominees close relations like spouse friends and others can be in the vetting room.

We have realized that sometimes, the  numbers that come into the room do not help the process, that is to say the least and there had been giggling all over television and other remarks postures and gestures which are not the best in all the serious circumstances of the process of carrying out our constitutional duties, he added.

He further pointed out that elsewhere like the United States, the examination process, vetting, you go there with your counsel and spouse.

“We need to develop our democracy and strengthen our systemic arrangement, we are going to insist on that”

He made this remarks on Friday and pointed out to the media to carry out this message to members of the Ghanaian public, this development delay the usual ten o’clock start of proceedings in the chamber, as leadership had to discuss this and take a firm decision.

Professor Oquaye again added that, arrangements would hence forth change, as relatives of the nominee would not be allowed to sit behind him or her, “as if to say we are behind you”.

“Sometimes you see from their facial gestures, we would not take it anymore they would be given a reasonable distance to sit with all dignity in the hall”.

We going to have due process and due regard for our process in Parliament; I wish this would be captured  for posterity, all in the interest of our nation.

If there are protocol request, they would be granted accordingly but should be made in advance because people cannot just troop in.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

The President Nana Akufo-Addo has directed the Attorney General and Minister of Justice Gloria Akuffo to draft specific legislation to be sent to the legislature, to deal with party militia.

In this second response to a second letter written to him by the National Chairman of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, concerning the proposal he made during his third state of the nation address that the two main parties NPP and NDC meet to fashion out a way of disbanding militia groups affiliated to them, the President said, “Firstly, I note that you have quite properly given a copy of it (second letter) to the chairperson of the New Patriotic Party Freddie Blay. I have asked him to respond to its content, since he is the rightful person to speak directly for the NPP and I expect that he will do so promptly”.

“Secondly, since the constitutional responsibility of maintaining law and order in our country is that of the Executive, the President of the Republic, I have in line with my pronouncement to Parliament during the message of the state of the nation address on 21st February 2019, instructed the AG, without prejudice to the outcome of the engagement, if any, between the NDC and NPP to prepare and submit to Parliament as soon as possible, specific legislation to deal with the phenomenon of vigilantism, and provide appropriate sanctions against occurrence.

I believe that the parliamentary process of enactment affords sufficient space for any citizen to make an input or contribution to the enactment of a good and effective law, whose implementation will enable us rid our nation of politically-related violence, a development that can only inure to the benefit of Ghanaian democracy and to the preservation of law and order”.

“The president also expressed gratitude to the NDC Chairman for the expression of commitment to ending the vigilante phenomenon in Ghana.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

As the Economic Community of West African states (ECOWAS), sets a new date, the year 2020 for the implementation of a single currency within the West African sub-region after several postponements, Secretary General of the community Parliament, John Azumah, has said the institution is prepared to support for the decision of the Authority of Heads of States and Government in the implementation of the single currency in 2020.

He made this remarks at an ECOWAS Parliament seminar in Dakar Senegal at the just ended Extra Ordinary Session of the institution.

“We are asking them to be very firm and resolute on the date, and that the date should not be changed, there should be a political will that it should be done in 2020”.

Mr. John Azumah however observed that the lawmakers are constrained in what they can do because of the limited resources available to them and further added that the same problem affects all other ECOWAS institutions.

“To tell the truth, there are issue of resources that affects all ECOWAS institutions it is not only the Parliament, again ECOWAS institutions generally rely on the community levy subventions. There have been some challenges in the collection of the levy, and even the transmission of the amount collected by member states, so, that reduces the amount of resources available to the Parliament, “when we doing budgeting”

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Appointment Committee of Parliament on Thursday enforced its strict rule of allowing Ministers designate come to the vetting with only ten supporters.

The police had tough time controlling supporters who came there in their numbers and wanted to be in community room 1$2 to support their preferred candidates.

Chairman of the committee Joseph Osei Owusu had earlier directed that ten supporters of the Minister designate should be in the committee room.

Supporters were seen yesterday standing around waiting to cheer up Ministers designate they support when they come out of the vetting room.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

The family of the late former Member of Parliament for Ellembele, Lee Ocran had called on the Speaker of Parliament Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye.

Member of Parliament for Ellembele,  Kofi Amarh Buah led a delegation from the family of the late MP to pay a courtesy call on the Speaker and informed him formally of the arrangements made for the burial.

He was accompanied, by the former Attorney General and Minister of Justice Betty M. Iddrisu and three family members.

The Ellembele lawmaker thanked the Speaker of the House for the delegation from Parliament that came to observe the one week of the late Lee Ocran.

He further pointed out to the Speaker that on 12th of April this year there would be wake-keeping, followed by burial on Saturday the 13th of April and 14th thanks giving service.

Speaker Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye indicated to the family that the House learnt about the passing away of the late MP with shock. And further pointed out that, a letter has been forwarded to the chief of staff, for the state to give the late MP a state burial, as he served in a number of capacities.

“He served in the Executive and the diplomatic area as well, it is just unfortunate that he passed away untimeously, those matters are beyond human control”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Appointment committee of Parliament would today start the vetting of nineteen nominees of Ministers and Deputy Ministers designate from, Thursday 14th to 20th Wednesday of March 2019.

The committee would sit at committee room 1 and 2 in the new administration block at the premises of Parliament House.

First batch of nominees to be considered are Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah Minister designate for the Western Region, Solomon Namliit Boar Minister designate for North East, Kofi Amoakohene Minister designate for Bono East and Kingsley Aboagye Gyedu Minister designate for Western North Region.

Next batch to go before the Appointment Committee on Friday are, Kwasi Owusu Yeboah Minister designate to the Oti Region, Barbara Oteng Gyasi Minister designate for Tourism Arts and Culture, Evelyn Ama Kumi Richardson Minister designate to the Bono Region, Dr. Hafiz Bin Salih Minister designate for Upper West Region.

Meanwhile the Public Account Committee would move to the seven floor East wing to continue with its public hearing on Auditor General’s report on the year ended 2016 on various Ministries Departments and Agencies of government.

PAC was using either room 1 or 2 but had to move to the Seventh floor of Job 600, due to the fact that the Appointment Committee would start its public hearing today.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com