By Elsie Appiah-Osei
Accra, Nov 10, GNA – Parliament is programmed to sit on Monday, November 13 with an extended sitting in the ensuing week to ensure that business scheduled for the week under consideration is completed.
“Mr Speaker, the Business Committee recommends that the House keeps to the 1000 hours scheduled sitting time. The House may also have extended sittings to ensure that the business scheduled for the week under consideration is completed.
“As Members may observe on the Business Statement, the House is also programmed to sit on Monday, November 13, 2023,” Mr Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, the Vice Chairman of the Business Committee, said.
He said on the floor of Parliament when he presented the Business Statement for the third week ending Friday, November 17, 2023.
Mr Afenyo-Markin, also the Deputy Majority Leader, explained that the foregoing recommendations were expected to enable the expeditious consideration of the business scheduled before the commencement of the debate on the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana.
He told the House that barring any unforeseen development, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, the Minister for Finance would in accordance with article 179 of the Constitution present the Business Statement and Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana for the year ending on December 31, 2024 on Wednesday, November 15, 2023.
He, therefore, urged Members of Parliament (MPs) to take note and adjust their calendar accordingly and be present in the House on the said date.
“Mr Speaker, the usual post-budget workshop will be organised to allow experts to elucidate further on the underpinnings of the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government to Members.
“The workshop is expected to be held from Friday, November 17 to Sunday, November 19, 2023 at the Rock City Hotel, Kwahu Nkwatia in the Eastern Region, the Business Committee entreats all members to avail themselves at the post-budget workshop,” he said.
The Effutu MP noted that the Debate on the Budget Statement and Economic Policy would thus commence on Monday, November 20, 2023.
Touching on the Ministers expected to attend upon the House during the week, Mr Afenyo-Markin said in all, five Ministers would respond to 49 questions of which eleven would be urgent with 38 being oral.
He mentioned the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Minister for Education, Minister for Interior and the Minister for Road and Highways as the expected Ministers to attend upon the House.
Further, the Vice Chairman of the Business Committee notified the House that, on Tuesday, November 14, 2023, the Minister for Energy and officials from the Volta River Authority had been scheduled by the Business Committee for a joint caucus meeting to make a comprehensive presentation to the House on the spillage from Akosombo and Kpong Hydro Electric Dams following the Minister’s earlier brief on the matter on Wednesday, November 8, 2023.
“The Committee has also invited the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Health and Sanitation and Water Resources to attend upon the House on the said Tuesday, November 14 to appraise the Members on measures being taken by their respective ministries to alleviate the plight of the communities affected by the spillage from Akosombo and Kpong Hydro Electric Dams by the Volta River Authority,” he said.
Mr Afenyo-Markin also urged Committees with referral to expedite work on the same for the consideration of the House.
GNA