Business Committee bemoans late sitting in Parliament

The Business Committee of Parliament has urged the Leadership of the House to assist Speakership to address the current late sitting of the House that is affecting productivity.

Mr Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, Vice-Chairman of the Business Committee of Parliament stated on Friday when presenting the House’s Business Statement for the week ending Friday, March 17, 2023.

“…Rt Honourable Speaker, the Business Committee, unfortunately, has observed for some time now that the House does not sit each day at 1000 hours thereby affecting productivity.”

“In view of this development, the Business Committee urges Leadership to assist Speakership to address the challenge to consider the tall order of business pending before the House adjourns sine die at the end of March,” he said.

Mr Afenyo-Markin told the House that the debate on the message of the State of the Nation presented by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo which started on Thursday, March 9, 2023, would continue till Thursday, March 16, 2023.

He said the Business Committee recommended that the time allotments for Members of Parliament (MPs) make their contributions last week still hold for the ensuing week.

The time allotments are as follows: Chairpersons, Ranking Members and Ministers 15 minutes; MPs 10 minutes and the winding up by Leadership 30 minutes.

Mr Afenyo-Markin, also the Deputy Majority Leader of the House explained that the allotment of time was to ensure that many MPs were availed the opportunity to contribute to the debate on the President’s message.
He urged the MPs to be as brief as possible and avoid repetitions.

Commenting on the ensuing week’s work spectrum, Mr said in all, six ministers were expected to attend up House to respond to 48 questions.

The questions, he said were categorised under 44 oral and four urgent questions.

The Ministers for Education, Fisheries and Aquaculture Development; Attorney-General and Minister for Justice; Gender, Children and Social Protection; Finance and Energy were scheduled to respond to the questions that would be asked during the week.

Mr Afenyo-Markin urged Committees with referrals to expedite work on the same for the consideration of the House.