Parliament extends sitting days to cover Saturday and Monday
Accra (Greater Accra) 06 July 2002- Parliament has decided to extend its sittings to cover Saturday 6 July and Monday 8 July to enable it to complete its business for the Ninth Week in the Second meeting of the Second Session.
Papa Owusu-Ankomah, Chairman of the Business Committee and the Majority Leader, who said this when presenting the business statement on Friday, said there were a number of outstanding papers, statements and motions to be laid and made, respectively that enjoined the House to make extra effort at addressing them.
He said on Saturday after statements are made there would be the laying of papers on a Report of the Committee on Mines and Energy on the Petroleum Production Agreement between the Government of Ghana, the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation and Tano Energy (Ghana) Limited for the conduct of developing and producing the Tano Fields, offshore Ghana.
On Monday after statements are made, papers would be laid after which there would be a motion on the adoption of the report of the Committee on Mines and Energy on the Petroleum Production Agreement and its Consequential Resolution. He appealed to members to endeavour to attend to the extended sittings to enable the House to complete its work on schedule.
Mr Peter Ala Adjetey, Speaker of Parliament, urged members of the Appointments Committee to endeavour to be present during the recess to go through the vetting of the nominees to the Supreme Court so as not to delay their appointment.
Mr Freddie Blay, Chairman of the Committee, said the members had given the assurance that they were prepared to be present during the break to perform their duty and he was sure they would not fail. Papa Owusu-Ankomah announced that the House was expected to rise sine die after the business of the day on 12 July.
GRi…/
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Accra (Greater Accra) 06 July 2002- Members of Parliament are yet to reach a consensus on who a hero is and when a hero should be honoured. While some said heroes were persons with special qualities who emerged to save their communities during difficult times, others said they stood out and were only acknowledged.
Many believed that living men and women who excel should be honoured, but many others said to avoid controversy, only dead people should be honoured. Mr Samson Otu Darko, NPP-Ga North, on Saturday sowed the seed of controversy in his statement "Honouring heroes before they die."
He said: "Conferring posthumous awards is good, but what good is that to the deceased? None of us here has travelled the way of the dead but I am of the conviction that the dead do not benefit materially from posthumous awards."
He asked that local heroes should be honoured before foreigners are honoured. "It is unfortunate and paradoxical to honour foreigners whilst, for whatever reasons, we treat our own sons and daughters who have proven their merits as great achievers with apparent contempt."
The member quizzed, "are we blinded by cronyism to the extent that we glorify other nationals while our own kith and kin with impeccable track records are literally ignored?" He proposed Professor Frimpong Boateng, Director of the Cardio thoracic Centre for national recognition.
The member said the professor deserves particular mention and a singular honour to commensurate his good work. Latter in the day, a paper on the Petroleum Agreement between the Government of Ghana and Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, Devon Energy (Ghana) Limited and Encana International (Ghana) Limited in respect of Petroleum Exploration and production operation in blocks offshore deep water Keta Basin was laid.
GRi…/
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com