The first meeting of the Third Session of the 8th Parliament of the Fourth Republic commenced this Tuesday, the 7th of February, 2023, after the House adjourned “sine die” (without any appointed date for resumption) in December last year.
As usual at the beginning of every meeting, the Speaker of Parliament House, Alban Sumana Bagbin, delivered his opening remarks which captured a number of subjects, including the recent change in leadership of the Minority NDC Caucus. He acknowledged the newly selected leaders and congratulated them.
During this sitting the House has 61 bills to consider, with 49 instruments and 230 papers to be presented.
Additionally, there will be 827 questions, both normal and urgent, to be admitted; and 34 Private Members’ Motions and three petitions before the House. Ministers of state will be scheduled in subsequent weeks to respond to questions asked relating to their respective ministries. As stated by the Speaker: “It will be a busy sitting indeed”.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo is also expected to present to the House the State of the Nation Address at a date yet to be communicated.
DDEP: Parliament summons Ofori-Ata on details
Parliament has, as a matter of urgency, requested the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, to brief the House on details of the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme being implemented by government.
Members of Parliament (MPs) are of the view that it is unacceptable for the House and Ghanaian public not to have been furnished with the programme’s full details, a situation that they say continues to fuel anxiety about the exercise.
MP for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, in his remarks following presentation of the business statement of the House for the week, noted that government is acting contrary to what that the finance minister had promised in the 2023 budget – to announce details of the Debt Exchange Programme.
The failure, he noted, has led to some challenges in its implementation, including the recent picketing by affected pensioners and individual bond holders at the ministry.
“Ghanaians are genuinely concerned about their life-savings, their investments – and this House is yet to be briefed. We have not debated this programme and yet the Ministry of Finance is going ahead to implement this Domestic Debt Exchange Programme – which they say is a conditionality for the ongoing IMF engagements.
“The Minister for Finance must appear before us and we must debate and agree exactly what should be the nature of this debt exchange programme, who should be exempted and its implications – what are the full ramifications on the Ghanaian economy and the affected citizens who are currently living in anguish, pain and great anxiety?”
In support of the call, Minority Leader and Member of Parliament for Ajumako Enyan Essiam, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson said: “It is imperative for the minister responsible for finance to appear before us to give us a policy brief as to what is actually going on”.
The MP for Bawku Central also noted that the failure of the finance minister to have engaged parliament is a clear breach of responsibility.
The deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, in his submission on the matter admitted that the urgency involved in inviting the Minister of Finance to brief the House is appropriate and in order, but maintained that the minister’s actions so far are not in breach of the constitution.
Ruling on the call from members, Speaker of Parliament Alban Sumana Bagbin expressed worry over the fact that pensioners are picketing due to their disapproval of the programme.
Consequently, he directed the Business Committee to, as early as possible, get the finance minister to appear before the House.
“My understanding is that both sides agree that the minister be scheduled to come and brief the House on the policy statement, and some details about the debt arrangements.
“Parliament is ever-prepared to assist government to get out of this quagmire. If the pensioners are picketing at the ministry, we need to do this as quickly as possible,” he added.
Government, through the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, in the 2023 Budget Statement announced the debt operation programme to bring the country’s debt stock to sustainable levels. The programme, among other measures according to the finance minister, will address internal and external imbalances in the economy.
The DDEP has since been kicked-against by some affected group, including individual bond holders and pensioners.
President appoints 7 ministers
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has submitted to parliament seven names for vetting and approval as ministers and deputy-ministers.
The nominations were declared in a letter dated 7th February 2023 to the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Bagbin.
The changes were necessitated by the resignations of Alan Kyermanten as Minister for Trade and Industry on the 3rd of January; Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto as Minister for Food and Agriculture on 10th January 2023; and of Ebenezer Kojo Kumas, of the Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs Ministry on the 3rd February 2023.
The new nominees include; Kobina Tahiru Hammond, MP for Adansi Asokwa as Minister-designate for Trade and Industry; Dr. Stephen Amoah, deputy-Minister for Trade and Industry; Brian Acheampong, Minister-designate for Food and Agriculture; and Stephen Asamoah Boateng, Minister-designate for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs.
Herbert Krapah, who is currently deputy-Minister for Trade and Industry, as deputy-Minister designate for Energy; Mohammad Amin Adam, Minister of State-designate at the Ministry Finance; and Osei Bonsu Amoah, Minister of State-designate in-charge of local Government Decentralisation and Rural Development.
The president urged the House to expeditiously vet the nominees to fill the vacant positions in government.
Meanwhile, the Speaker of Parliament has since referred the matter to the Appointments Committee for consideration.
Parliament this week- with Rashida IBRAHIM ([email protected] – 0243123402)
