Parliament suspends sitting for lack of
quorum
Committee Meetings prevents House from
working
I hate military regimes-Deputy Minister of
Interior designate
Parliament suspends sitting for lack of
quorum
Accra (Greater Accra) 13 March 2002- The Speaker, Mr Peter Ala Adjetey on Tuesday morning suspended parliamentary sitting for more than two hours for lack of quorum. He said the suspension was to enable the House to reconvene to take important procedural matters hinging on the 2002 budget.
At 1030 hours, the Speaker who was visibly worried, said about 65 MPs in the house did not form a quorum to enable him to put questions that decisions could be taken on. He asked for the bell to be rung to bring in more members, who were said to be at committee meetings.
But Mr Cletus Avoka, NDC Bawku West, informed the House that most of the members were at committee meetings outside the House, such as the Ministries, which were still considering the 2002 budget estimates.
Mr Speaker said he feared that if the House did not meet to take those decisions, it could not rise sine die on Friday and would need additional three days to do that. A member cut in to say that some members were at Bimbilla campaigning for the impending by-election.
This brought Kofi Attor (NDC Ho Central) to his feet to say that the NPP had about 109 of the members that would normally support it in the House and could conveniently and constitutionally allow their own budget estimates to be passed.
He said amidst laughter that he would give the Bimbilla telephone number to Mr Abraham Ossei-Aidoo, Deputy Majority Whip, to call all NPP members of the House to come immediately.
With nothing to do, the Speaker suspended sitting at about 1100 hours to enable the House reconvene at about 1300 hours. He said the two hours break would enable them to put finishing touches to the budget estimates and return to the House.
GRi…/
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Committee Meetings prevents House from
working
Accra (Greater Accra) 13 March 2002- The Speaker, Mr Peter Ala Adjetey on Tuesday urged chairmen of various committees of Parliament to work harder or sit up through the night to have their reports on the 2002 Budget Estimates ready for laying by Wednesday. He said members should come in their numbers and promptly too to enable the House to finish its tight programme for the week.
Mr Ala Adjetey, who said he was reluctantly adjourning the House to the next day was not happy that the House could not properly sit to take any procedurally decisions on Tuesday because its various committees were sitting to work on the Estimates.
He had to suspend sitting in the morning to the afternoon but when the House reconvened at about 3 pm it was still obvious that it did not have the quorum to take decision.
Mr John Tia, (NDC-Talensi) asked that it would be better for the committees to finish their work and report back to the House instead of having divided attention of having to rush to the House and being unable to form the quorum while ex-officio committee members too were kept waiting in suspense. Mr Abraham Osei Aidoo, Deputy Majority Leader supported his colleague and the Speaker accordingly adjourned sitting.
GRi…/
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I hate military regimes-Deputy Minister of
Interior designate
Accra (Greater Accra) 13 March 2002- Mr Kwadwo Affram Asiedu, Deputy Minister of Interior designate said he resisted military regimes because he abhorred their deeds and rhetoric.
"I just disliked the theories they were espousing. I was allergic to their ideas.I did not know them personally but I know military interruptions have drawn us back as a nation." Mr Asiedu was being vetted on Tuesday by the Appointment Committee of Parliament, chaired by Mr Freddy Blay,First Deputy Speaker.
He proposed an inspectorate division within the Police Service to check corruption and other vices that tarnish the image of the police. " Such a unit could be carved out of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and I believe the Police bosses know the holy or partially holy ones."
Mr Aseidu said the Police could do better in checking the crime wave if they were equipped. He said:"Those already in the system need to be retrained and the new ones, we should instil discipline in them. They should also afford scientific ways of detecting sophisticated crimes."
Mr Aseidu called for disciplinary measures against over zealous police personnel whose action embarrass the service and government. On the conditions of Prisons, he said it was appalling and asked that more prisons be built to decongest existing ones.
The nominee called for more open prisons and uncustodial sentencing for less serious crimes. "Professionals and other persons, who commit less serious crimes could be made to do community service that go a long way to better the lot of society."
When asked about the recent spousal killings?, he said," we need to encourage counselling for troubled marriages." The 56-year old native of Kwahu-Mpraeso holds a Masters Degree in Law from New York University Law School. He is married with two children. The Committee also vetted Mr Thomas Broni, who has been nominated for the post of Deputy Minister of Land and Forestry.
GRi…/
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