Frank Annoh-Dompreh
The Minority in Parliament on Monday took a swipe at the Majority side over persistent delays in the presentation and prosecution of government business, warning that such inefficiencies were undermining the credibility of the House.
Raising the issue on the floor, the Minority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, expressed deep frustration over the failure of some ministries to present annual reports on time and the continued appearance of incomplete or unready legislative items on the Order Paper.
He cited the Ghana Cocoa Board (Amendment) Bill, which has remained listed on the Order Paper for over a month without action, as a prime example of the Majority’s lack of coordination and readiness.
“Let’s get a bit clinical,” Mr. Annoh-Dompreh stated, adding, “We put out businesses, and we are not ready to prosecute them. If you are not ready, why do you advertise it? This particular item has been there for more than one month.”
The Nsawam-Adoagyiri Member of Parliament (MP) called on the leadership of Government Business to engage more closely with the Table Office to ensure that only ready items are scheduled for parliamentary consideration.
“When this one goes out, what will the public be saying about us? Is that part of your reset agenda? Government side, be a bit clinical… If you are not ready, don’t advertise. We will take strong exception to this. You say you are resetting Ghana – is that how to reset Ghana?” he quizzed.
Mr. Annoh-Dompreh further criticised the widespread delays in the submission of annual reports to Parliament, warning that such setbacks were hampering the work of parliamentary committees.
“When the reports come to this House late, it undermines the work of the committees. The reports must come here on time,” he said and noted, “There are still outstanding reports from a number of ministries. Reach out to them and let them do the needful. That is when the committees can have a locus to work.”
The Deputy Majority Leader, Kweku Ricketts-Hagan, responded by explaining that the delay regarding the Cocoa Board Bill was due to the Finance Minister being out of the country.
He assured the House that the Ministry intended to withdraw the current bill and present a revised version shortly.
“The Minister is aware of it and will be coming to do that in the next day or so,” he said.
Mr. Ricketts-Hagan also agreed with the Minority on the importance of timely submission of reports and referrals, describing the delays as compliance issues that needed urgent attention.
“Once the reports are presented and then they are referred, we also expect the referrals to come on time. These are compliance issues, and I do agree with you,” he stated.
Earlier, Mr. Annoh-Dompreh commended the Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, Ahmed Ibrahim, for his exemplary conduct in presenting up-to-date annual reports to the House.
“Mr. Speaker, we have often bemoaned the delay in the presentation of annual reports to this House. A number of agencies and ministries have defaulted in this regard. To that extent, I want to commend the Minister for Local Government. He has clearly shown some distinction,” he stated.
According to the Nsawam-Adoagyiri MP, the House had only recently laid a series of reports under the minister’s name, with yet another “tall list” tabled before it.
He urged other ministers to emulate this standard, cautioning that delays in presenting such reports undermine the effective work of parliamentary committees.
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House