Alhassan Tampuli Sulemana and Francis Xavier Kojo Sosu
Parliament on Tuesday approved the new composition of the membership of the Business Committee and Appointments Committee for the Eighth Parliament after a rancorous debate on the representations from both sides of the House.
Per the approved ratio of 138:137 and the conventions and practices of the House, 20 members of the Business Committee worked out to 10 members for each of the caucuses whilst the 26 members of the Appointments Committee worked out to 13 members for each of the caucuses.
Among the Members of Parliament (MPs) who made it to the Appointments Committee are new entrants that include Alhassan Tampuli Sulemana (NPP), John Ampontuah Kumah (NPP), Francis Xavier Kojo Sosu (NDC), Zuwera Mohammed Ibrahim (NDC), and Gizella Tetteh-Agbotui (NDC).
The committee, which is chaired by the First Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei-Wusu, has Alexander Kwamena Afenyo Markin (Vice Chairman), John Ntim Fordjour, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, Patrick Yaw Boamah, Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh, Henry Quartey, Bryan Acheampong, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Patricia Appiagye and Osei Bonsu Amoah (OB) as members from the NPP side.
MP for Tamale South, Haruna Iddrisu leads the NDC members of the committee as the Ranking Member, with the Asawase MP, Mohammed Mubarak-Muntaka as his deputy.
The rest are Mahama Ayariga, Sampson Ahi, Eric Opoku, Elizabeth Ofosu-Agyare, James Agalga, Edwin Nii Lamptey Vanderpuye, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, and Alhassan Suhuyini.
Business Committee
The Business Committee has the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu as Chairman, with the Effutu MP, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin as his deputy.
Other members are Frank Annoh-Dompreh, Lydia Seyram Alhassan, Moses Anim, Mavis Hawa Koomson, Alex D. Tetteh, Joseph Cudjoe, Mavis Nkansah Boadu and Habib Iddrissu, all drawn from the Majority group.
The Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, is on the committee as the Ranking Member and leads the NDC team that has James Klutse Avedzi, Mohammed Mubarak-Muntaka, Ahmed Ibrahim, Dela Sowah, Abdul-Rashid H. Pelpuo, Jocelyn Tetteh, Eric Afful, Dr. Zenator Rawlings and Adamu Ramadan.
In accordance with Article 103 of the 1992 Constitution and Order 151 of the Standing Orders of the House, the Committee of Selection was appointed on Friday, January 15, 2021 to compose the Standing, Select and other Committees of Parliament.
Pursuant to Order 151 (2) of the Standing Orders, the Committee met and composed the Business Committee and Appointments Committee in accordance with Orders 160 and 172 respectively.
Deliberations
In a report read on behalf of the Speaker, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, the Committee of Selection said its deliberations were guided by the formula adopted by the House on Friday, January15, 2021 for the composition of the membership of committees.
“The Committee was also guided by Article 103 (5) of the 1992 Constitution and Order 154 of the Standing Orders of the House which require that the composition of the Committees shall as much as possible reflect the different shades of opinion in Parliament.”
Recommendations
The Committee after thorough deliberations recommended among others that the Standing Orders of Parliament be reviewed in earnest.
According to the Committee, this has become necessary in view of the fact that the revision would have numerical consequences on the composition of the various Committees of the House.
It said considering the urgent need to facilitate the business of the House and that of the government, the Committee in the meantime composed the membership of the Business Committee and Appointments Committee to the House for approval.
The report stated that the two Committees would work in the interim pending the passage of the reviewed Standing Orders and would stand dissolved upon the coming into force of the new Standing Orders.
In addition, it said after the coming into force of the reviewed Standing Orders, the Committee would submit to the House the list of the chairmen, vice chairmen and other members of all Committees of the House.
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House