House Committee to deal with judgement debt saga
Parliament Thursday constituted an ad hoc committee to make recommendations to the House on the modifications contemplated under Article 181(5) of the Constitution for implementation.
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Article 181 (1) stipulates that Parliament may, by resolution supported by the votes of a majority of all members of Parliament, authorise the government into an agreement for the granting of a loan out of any public fund or public account.
However, 181(5) says the article shall, with the necessary modifications by Parliament, apply to an international business or economic transaction of which the government is a party as it applies to a loan.
It is against this backdrop that the ad hoc committee has been constituted to make recommendations for the modifications.
Making some remarks during deliberations, the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Edward Doe Adjaho, said the recommendations for modification of the article had become necessary due to some pronouncements by the Supreme Court on its verdicts on the payment of some judgement debts, including the one paid to Waterville.
The committee is under the chairmanship of the Majority Leader, Dr Benjamin Kunbuor, with the Minority Leader, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, as his vice.
Other members of the committee are Mr Ebo Barton-Odro, the First Deputy Speaker; Mr Joe Ghartey, the Second Deputy Speaker; Mr Cletus Avoka (Zebilla), Papa Owusu-Ankomah (Sekondi),
Mr James Klutse Avedzi (Ketu North), Dr Anthony Akoto Osei (Old Tafo) and Mr Alban S.K. Bagbin (Nadowli/Kaleo).
The rest are Mr Alfred Kwame Agbesi (Ashaiman), Mr William Ofori Boafo (Akwapim North), Mrs Della Sowa (Kpando), Ms Sarah Adwoa Safo (Dome/Kwabenya), Mr Joseph Osei-Owusu (Bekwai) and Mr Charles Obeng-Inkoom (Agona West).
The committee has four weeks to submit its report to the House for consideration.
The motion for the constitution of the ad hoc committee was moved by the Deputy Majority Leader, Mr Agbesi, and seconded by Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu explained that since the inception of the Fourth Republic, Parliament had not adhered to its constitutional duty to make recommendations for the modifications contemplated under the said article.
He said care had been taken in the selection of members of the committee to ensure that the right recommendations were made to the House
Story: Emmanuel Adu Gyamerah