By Elsie Appiah-Osei
Accra, June 8, GNA – Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, Chairman, Business Committee of Parliament, has outlined the business agenda of the Second Meeting of Parliament in the Third Session of the Eighth Parliament of the Fourth Republic.
He said in the Second Meeting of Parliament, which reconvened on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, 69 Bills may be laid before Parliament while 56 Instruments were being processed to be delivered to the House.
The House adjourned plenary on April 1, 2023, for the Easter holidays and was recalled on Tuesday, May 2, 2023, for a day’s emergency Sitting to approve seven loans.
Presenting the Business Statement for the first week ending Friday, June 9, 2023, Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, who is also the Leader of the Government Business said about 711 questions, comprising 700 oral and 11 urgent questions had been filed for the Meeting.
He said the Second Meeting of the Third Session of the Eighth Parliament was expected to be demanding and as a result, the Office of the Leader of Government Business had been consulting and conferring with the Ministers to determine their respective prioritised agenda for the Meeting.
“Mr Speaker, it is hoped that by this joint effort, the House will be assisted to make judicious use of the limited at its disposal. I, therefore, entreat members to brace themselves up for the task ahead,” he said.
On referrals of Bills at the Committee level, Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, also the Majority Leader, said presently, there were ten Public Bills and five Private Members’ bills, before Committees.
He urged the Committees with those referrals and other Bills to expedite work on the same for consideration in the House.
Touching on the concerns raised by the public regarding the just-ended sim registration exercise, he told the House the Business Committee proposes that the Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful attend the House.
“Mr Speaker, the minister of Communications and Digitalisation will Thursday, June 8, 2023 attend upon the House to appraise members on the sim registration exercise, which ended on Wednesday, May 31 May 2023,” he said.
Reacting to the Minister’s appearance before the House, Mr Samuel Nartey George, the National Democratic Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, said it would have been timely if the minister appeared before the House on Tuesday, June 6 2023, especially when Mr Alban Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament and other Members of Parliament, including himself and their constituents have had their numbers disconnected.
GNA