By Iddi Yire
Accra, July 21, GNA – The Seventh Week of the Second Meeting of the Third Session of the Eighth Parliament ended on Friday, July 21, 2023.
Mr Bryan Acheampong, the Minister of Food and Agriculture, in the early days of the week, assured the House that the Government would pay 50 per cent of monies owed the National Food Suppliers Association by close of Wednesday, July 19.
He said the 50 per cent of the GHC203.00 million was expected to hit their accounts by Wednesday, July 19.
The EPC/Turnkey contract agreement between the Government of Ghana and Douja Promotion Groupe Addoha for an amount of $56.8 million to finance the implementation of the National Affordable Housing Programme and the Revised Redevelopment Scheme was laid before the House.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary Minority, again boycotted Parliamentary sitting to solidarise with their colleague, Mr James Gyakye Quayson, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin North, who is standing trial in Court.
The Minority Caucus two weeks ago informed the Speaker of Parliament that it would not be attending to business of the House on days that their colleagues, who were standing trials, would be in Court.
The members standing trial are: Mr James Gyakye Quayson, the MP for Assin North, Mr Collins Dauda, the MP for Asutifi South and Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, the Minority Leader and MP for Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam.
The week also witnessed the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) Parliamentary Majority and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Minority, blaming each other for the lack of quorum to enable the House conduct business.
Mr Andrew Amoako Asiamah, the Second Deputy Speaker, presiding, had to adjourn sitting of the House on Wednesday to Thursday, July 19, when Mr Rockson-Nelson Etse Kwami Dafeamekpor, NDC MP for South Dayi, raised the issue of lack of quorum for the House to conduct business.
On Thursday, July 20, Mr Joseph Osei-Owusu, the First Deputy Speaker, again adjourned proceedings to Friday due to the lack of quorum.
Mr Habib Iddrisu, the Second Deputy Majority Whip, on Friday, in presenting the Business Statement of the House for the weekending, Friday, July 28, announced that Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, the Finance Minister, was scheduled to present the Mid-Year Review of the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of Government and supplimentary estimates for the 2023 Financial Year on Thursday, 27th July, instead of Tuesday, 25th July, as earlier announced.
The House has since adjourned to Tuesday, July 25 at 1000 hours.
GNA