Majority petitions Speaker to recall Parliament
Barely 48-hours after Parliament adjourned sine die, the Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has sent a memo to the Speaker, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, for an extraordinary session of the House.
The meeting, Mr Afenyo- Markin, MP, Effutu, explained would consider urgent matters including a US$250 million for the Ghana Energy Sector Recovery Programme, request for tax exemptions, a US$250 million International Development Association facility and nine bills.
“We wish to emphasise that this requisition is made in the utmost good faith and in the national interest, to enable the government discharge its constitutional mandate and serve the interests of the Ghanaian people,” Mr Afenyo- Markin said.
According to him, the items on the agenda are of “pressing importance and require the urgent attention of Parliament.”
Justifying the recall, Mr Afenyo-Markin said all the items to be considered were advertised as part of the programme for the meeting and duly scheduled for consideration before the House rose on Tuesday.
The bills up for consideration are Budget Bill, Rent Bill, University of Local Government and Development Bill, Environmental Protection Bill, Social Protection Bill, and Intestate Succession Bill.
The rest are Chartered Institute of Reconstruction and Insolvency Practitioners Bill, Ghana Industrial Property Bill, and National Petroleum Authority Bill.
The recall is in line with Article 112(3) which requires that at least fifteen per cent of Members of Parliament may request a meeting of the House and “the Speaker shall, within seven days after the receipt of the request, summon Parliament.”
It is also backed by Standing Orders 53, 57, and 58 of the Eighth Parliament.
“Considering the Constitutional and statutory provisions, and in the exercise of our rights as Members of Parliament, we respectfully urge you to summon Parliament for an extraordinary session within the stipulated seven-day period,” Mr Afenyo-Markin requested.
This emergency recall is the second in succession, the earlier being a meeting in May where a batch of ministers were approved, the MP for Ejisu sworn in and US$150 million GARID facility approved.
BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI
