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Both the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have earned equal places on Parliament’s Appointments and Business Committees.
Each has 13 members on the Appointments Committee and 10 members on the Business Committee.
The Business Committee is chaired by Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonss, Majority Leader of the PNP, with Mr. Alexander Afenyo-Markin as Vice Chairman.
Bekwai First Vice President and Deputy Joseph Osei-Owusu chairs the Appointments Committee and the Vice President is Mr. Afenyo-Markin.
The numbers for each side and the names of the committees were listed in the Selection Committee’s report on the Composition of Members of the House Appointments and Business Committees, which was approved by the House Tuesday night.
The approval of the report was carried out in accordance with Article 103 of the 1992 Constitution and Order 151 of the House Rules.
According to the report, the NPP and NDC Caucuses have 10 and 13 members each on the Business and Appointments Committees of Parliament.
Mr. Haruna Iddrisu, Minority Leader, in introducing the Committee’s report stated that, pursuant to Order 151 (2) of the House Rules, the Committee met and composed the Business and Appointments Committees in accordance with Orders 160 and 172.
He said that during the deliberations the Committee was guided by the formula adopted by the House on Friday, January 15, 2021 for the composition of the composition of the committees.
He explained that Article 103 (5) of the 1992 Constitution and Order 154 of the House Rules required that the composition of the Committees reflect as far as possible the different shades of opinion in Parliament.
Mr. Alexander Afenyo-Markin, Deputy Majority Leader, in supporting the motion, raised some preliminary issues anchored in Standing Orders 172, 154 and 109 (3).
He argued regarding the composition of the appointments committee in relation to the conclusion of the report and the fact that the First Vice-President of Parliament, who chaired the committee, according to the language of the Rules, did not have the right to vote. right as a member of the committee.
He said that if the language of the Rules is sufficient, then the 26-member nominating committee will be left with 25 voting members.
Furthermore, he argued that, taking into account the membership of 25, the nominating committee can be made up of 13 members for the PNP and 12 for the NDC.
Ms. Ursula Owusu- Ekuful, Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh, Ms. Patricia Appiagyei, Mr. Frank Annoh-Dompreh, Mr. Osei Bonsu Amoah and Mr. Patrick Yaw Boamah are some of the PNP MPs on the Commission of Appointments.
Haruan Iddrisu, minority leader, Alhaji, Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, head of the Whip minority, Mahama Ayariga, Sampson Ahi, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Alhassan Suhuyini, James Agalga and Francis Xavier Sosu are at the NDC Nominating Committee table.
The appointments committee recommends to Parliament the approval of the persons designated by the President for appointment as Minister of State, Vice Minister, Members of the Council of State, the President of the Supreme Court and other Justices of the Supreme Court and any other person specified in the constitution or under any other promulgation.
The Business Committee determines the business of each Session and the order in which they will be taken.
Ghana’s current Parliament does not have a clear majority as each party has 137 seats.
The side of the PNP along with a deputy in an independent seat constitutes the majority side of the House.
— GNA