News:
Majority Leader
June 9, 2023
Majority Leader Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu has hinted that the revised standing orders being worked on by the House will be ready for the plenary for approval in four weeks.
He revealed this when leadership of the House had a media engagement on Wednesday, June 7, 2023 with members of the Parliamentary Press Corps (PPC).
According to him the committee working on the revision of the standing orders needs one more weekend to finalize its work and at the heart of it has to do with the Committee system as there is significant reduction on the numbers of the Committees as they have to recompose all the committees.
Majority Leader made this revelation when Ghanamps.com wanted to know the status of revision of the Standing Orders of Ghana’s Parliament, and emphasised the need to put the committees in place before the budget is presented in November 2023 so that those new committees will have their own orientation in other to be able to conform to the budget.
But again, two other issues that were forgotten to be included are awaiting his remarks, and he will do so when he receives them.
He added that the House is also contemplating the rout when they conclude; either to come by the route of Article 11 clause 7 of the 1992 constitution which requires it being a rule because the standing orders are rules of their own procedure which states: “Any order rule or regulation made by a person or authority under a power confer by this constitution or any other law shall be laid in parliament published in the guzzet ion the day its laid before parliament and come into force within twenty one seating days unless parliament annul it before the twenty one seating days come into force not less than two thirds of MPs”
According to him, he has suggested the resolution route and he is getting more support in that direction that the original orders were approved by a resolution in Parliament and not by the route of Article 11 clause 7; and it means any time they have proposed to amend the standing orders they do not come by the route of Article 11 clause 7.
“So we should not depart, we should have a resolution, so that in future if there is the cause to amend any provision it comes by the usual debate and amendment. We will get there and it should not be difficult.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com