The various committees in Parliament now have new leaders following a reshuffle that saw most of the well-known Members of Parliament (MPs) taking the back seat.
From the Minority side, Bolgatanga East MP Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, who is also a former Deputy Attorney General, has replaced Bawku Central MP, Mahama Ayariga, as chairman of the Subsidiary Legislation Committee.
Juaboso MP, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has also replaced former Health Minister, Joseph Yiele-Chireh, Wa West MP, as the ranking member on the Health Committee, while the Ketu South MP, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, has been replaced as ranking member on the Trade, Industry and Tourism Committee by Ellembelle MP, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah.
Sampson Ahi, Bodi MP, has also been replaced as ranking member on the Works and Housing Committee by Ho West MP, Emmanuel Bedzrah.
On the Majority side, Collins Owusu Amankwah, Manhyia North MP, is currently the chairman of the Government Assurance Committee.
Yaw Frimpong Addo, Manso Adubia MP, takes over as chairman of the Environment, Science and Technology Committee, which was previously chaired by the late Emmanuel Kyeremateng Agyarko, Ayawaso West Wuogon MP.
Deputy Agriculture Minister, William Quaitoo, who resigned last year, is now chairman of the Local Government Committee.
Apart from the fact that some former committee leaders are serving in the ECOWAS and AU Parliaments, it’s unclear the reason behind some of the changes in the leadership positions.
Ghana has a unicameral (i.e. does not divide its members into separate assemblies, chambers or houses) legislature composed of 275 MPs from single – member constituencies with an Executive President, who appoints ministers, majority of whom have to come from Parliament per the Constitution.
Parliament operates very much on the lines of Westminster, with the existence of various controls.
Again, government cannot enter into any international agreement without the ratification of Parliament.