News:
October 16, 2024
Despite the short span of the fifth meeting of the eighth parliament, the Majority Leader, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin has indicated that there are urgent Government Businesses that need the attention of the House.
Speaking at the opening of the House on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, the Majority Leader, said the following six critical Bills need the attention of the House as well as others.
They are;
• Environmental Protection Agency Bill, 2024
• Social Protection Bill, 2023
• Customs (Amendment) Bill, 2024
• Budget Bill, 2023
• Ghana Boundary Commission Bill, 2023
• Intestate Succession Bill, 2022
Welcoming his colleagues, he noted that, the country is gearing up for another General Elections come December 7th, 2024 and he is not oblivious of the huge responsibilities that this has placed on the Members seeking another mandate from our people.
These and other similar important Bills before the House need to be considered before the House proceeds on recess. There are a number of Questions that are before the House that calls for the Sector Ministers to avail themselves to respond, he added.
“Mr Speaker, one issue that caught the attention of the nation during the recess period was the issue of illegal artisanal mining popularly known as “galamsey” in our local parlance. Although artisanal mining has been part of our local economy for decades, the devastation to our water bodies, forest and ecological reserves calls for the need to re-visit the issue of artisanal mining in recent times.
The President’s decision to deploy the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) through ‘Operation Halt’ in the early years of his presidency aimed to combat the threat of illegal mining, which was wreaking deliberate havoc on the nation’s water bodies and forest reserves.
While the operation achieved some successes, various challenges arose that undermined the efforts to fully eradicate the menace. We all in this Chamber must acknowledge the President for taking a bold decision to fight the menace of galamsey”.
Mr Speaker, the President in a statement released by the Presidency has reinforced the operational and tactical capacity of the ‘Operation Halt’ by directing the Minister for Defence to deploy additional military personnel to intensify the ongoing ‘Operation Halt’ across the country, he informed the House.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com