By Iddi Yire
Accra, Oct 16, GNA – Mr Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, the Majority Leader and Leader of Government Business in Parliament, has hailed Dr James Klutse Avedzi, the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) for his outstanding performance.
Mr Afenyo-Markin gave the acknowledgement in his welcome remarks on the floor of Parliament, saying “The Public Accounts Committee led by its able and industrious Chairman, the Honourable James Klutse Avedzi has been relentless in fulfilling its mandate in perusing the public accounts of State Agencies.
This was after the House has resumed from recess on Tuesday, October 15, for the Fifth Meeting of the Fourth Session of the Eighth Parliament of the Fourth Republic of Ghana.
He noted that national duty called upon Members of Parliament (MPs) and as representatives of the people, they must respond to this clarion call for the betterment of their dear nation.
He therefore commended all other members who committed themselves to other duties during the recess of the House, saying “Mr Speaker, I am aware that during the recess, a number of Committees worked assiduously on referrals, and I commend Hon Members for taking time off their tight schedules to attend to Committee work”.
Moreso, the Committee on Government Assurances during the recess engaged public entities, while the Appointments’ Committee also met to vet the President’s nominees to the Supreme Court during the recess period, he noted, and commended Members of the House for their selfless service to the nation.
Mr Afenyo-Markin said as the country was gearing up for another general election, come December 7th, he was not oblivious of the huge responsibilities that this had placed on MPs seeking another mandate from their people.
“The enormous strain on our resources, time, and the sacrifices some of us have to make during this period are not for the faint-hearted,” he said.
He said this penultimate Meeting of the House had seen most of the MPs having to suspend most of their planned programmes and activities in their various constituencies in the heat of the campaign, to be in Parliament to conduct important national business.
He therefore extended his deepest and sincere appreciation to his colleagues showing up at this critical moment.
The Majority Leader reiterated that although the number of Sittings scheduled for this Meeting might not be many, there were several Government Businesses that needed the attention of the House; such as the Environmental Protection Agency Bill, 2024; Social Protection Bill, 2023; and the Customs (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
Others he said were the Budget Bill, 2023; the Ghana Boundary Commission Bill, 2023; and the Intestate Succession Bill, 2022, adding that these and other similar important Bills before the House needed to be considered before the House could proceed on recess.
GNA