Majority, Minority build bridges for regular dialogue
The Majority and Minority in Parliament yesterday took a major step towards building bridges when they held a joint press briefing for the first time in Parliament holding the same position.
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The two groups indicated that it was the first of future engagements with the media.
At yesterday’s briefing, the Majority Leader, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, and the Minority Leader, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, expressed the hope that the ad hoc committee investigating the corruption allegation against some members of the Appointments Committee of Parliament (ACP) would present a report soon to bring a closure to the matter.
Answering questions from the Parliamentary Press Corps in Accra yesterday, Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu expressed the hope that the committee would present its report by the end of this week or next week.
Mr Iddrisu, for his part, stressed the need for the ACP to have sufficient time to do its work to come up with the facts.
Purpose of committee
Parliament set up the five-member ad hoc committee to investigate the allegation that each member of the ACP was given GH¢3,000 bribe by the then Minister designate for Energy, Mr Boakye Agyarko, to facilitate his approval.
The committee is chaired by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Esikadu/Ketan (NPP) and former Second Deputy Speaker, Mr Joe Ghartey, with Mr Ben Abdallah Banda, MP for Offinso South (NPP); Ms Ama Pomaa Boateng, MP for Juaben (NPP); Mr Magnus Kofi Amoatey, MP for Yilo Krobo (NDC), and Mr Benson Tongo Baba, MP for Talensi (NDC), as the other members.
The terms of reference of the committee is to investigate the allegation that the Chairman of the APC, Mr Joseph Osei-Owusu, had taken money from Mr Boakye Agyarko and given same to the Minority Chief Whip and Deputy Ranking member on the ACP, Alhaji Mohammed Muntaka-Mubarak, to be given to the Minority members on the committee.
It is to find out whether attempts had been made to bribe members of the ACP, and also look into any related matters.
The committee was given one month to submit its report to Parliament.
Budget debate to begin
The interaction, initiated by the leadership of Parliament, in collaboration with the Public Affairs Department of Parliament, is to enhance working relations between MPs and journalists.
The meeting, which will be held every week or every other week, is also to encourage journalists to offer objective and accurate coverage of proceedings in Parliament.
The two leaders dropped the hint that MPs would begin a debate on the budget statement and economic policy of the government for the 2017 financial year presented in Parliament on March 2, 2017, by the Minister of Finance, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta.
The maiden debate on the budget in the Seventh Parliament of the Fourth Republic is expected to witness serious disagreements between the Majority and Minority sides.
The Majority had already offered their full support to the budget, describing it as a goodwill message that would propel the country's socio-economic development.
But the Minority described the budget as a deception, devoid of actionable measures to achieve the set targets.
Mr Iddrisu expressed the hope that more MPs "will catch the eyes of the Speaker" to make their contributions.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu asked journalists to publish the contributions of MPs, especially new entrants.
Deputy Ministers designate vetting
Mr Iddrisu, who is also a ranking member on the ACP, said the committee had fixed March 14, 2017, as the date for the commencement of vetting of deputy ministers designate.
He stressed the need for the government to present the full list of the deputy ministers designate to the ACP.
Mr Iddrisu said the ACP had, therefore, opened its doors to receive memoranda on the deputy ministers.
He said vetting of the deputy ministers would not be as extensive, both in law and substance, compared to that of substantive ministers.
Other matters
The leaders explained that the functions of Parliament were diverse and they included legislative, oversight, deliberative and informative.
