The once dormant Government Assurances Committee of Parliament, with the support of STAR-Ghana, has been given life to follow promises given by the Executive and to let them account for their stewardship in relation to the numerous promises.
The Committee will be inviting the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Seth Terkper, to a special public hearing today at Parliament House to tell members of the Committee what step he is taking to fulfill promises given to Ghanaians on the economy and also tell the Committee what had become of the special initiative by President Mahama to cut salaries of ministers of state by 10 percent towards some developmental projects in the country.
A member of the Committee and New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Berekum East, Dr Kwabena Twum-Nuamah, told DAILY GUIDE on Friday – after the Committee had met some civil society organisations – that they had been given teeth to ‘bite’ with the provision of adequate financial support.
“This Committee is the only one in Parliament which has been empowered by the Standing Orders of Parliament to look into any issue independently without first referring it to the Speaker of Parliament,” he said.
According to him, while the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament looks at the financial damage done by public officials, the Government Assurances Committee will try to prevent the financial rot from occurring.
He said members of the 29-member Committee have a lot of passion and commitment to ensuring that government appointees live up to expectation.
“We will need the support of the media and civil society in bringing up some of the issues and also helping to keep government officials on their toes,” he pointed out.
Another member of the Committee, National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Afram Plains North, Emmanuel Aboagye Didieye, told the DAILY GUIDE that the Committee was going to give hope to Ghanaians in that, government officials would now be made to account for their stewardship and not just make promises and go scot-free.
“Every minister will be made to account for his promises, and this will give them the opportunity to tell Ghanaians how well they have fared and also the challenges that they are facing in pursuit of their work,” the MP said.
The ranking member of the Committee and NPP Member of Parliament for Kwesimintsim, Joe Baidoe-Ansah, disclosed that members of the Committee had come to a consensus that they would not be partisan in their work but would always put the interest of the nation first in all their dealings.