Parliament reconvenes

Accra, Oct. 21, GNA - Parliament reconvened on Tuesday for the first sitting of the Third Meeting with the presentation and First reading of Bills and laying of papers.

The Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Peter Ala Adjetey welcomed the members back from recess and commended them for attending to outstanding matters during the rest period and prayed that they have rested enough to cope up with the task ahead of them during the third Meeting.

The Minister Finance and Economic Planning, Mr. Yaw Osafo-Maafo presented the Central Internal Audit Bill and was taking through its First Reading as demanded by the constitution and referred to the Finance Committee for consideration and report.

The Legislative instrument for the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme for the regulating and exportation of diamonds was withdrawn to enable the Committee on Mines to repackage it.

The Majority Leader, Mr Felix Owusu-Adjapong, on behalf of the Minister of Energy also laid the paper on Petroleum (Amendment) Regulations, 2003 L.I. 1732.

Parliaments urged to be proactive and exert authority to ensure their independence

Accra, Oct 21, GNA - Members of Parliament on Tuesday called on national parliaments to be strengthened to enable them to maintain their independence and stop over-relying on any arm of government to determine their budget.

The members were contributing to a statement issued by Mr Kwamena Adusa Okerchiri, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in connection with the 43rd session of the Executive Committee and the 26th Conference of the African Parliamentary Union currently taking place in Accra. Mr Okerchiri said the theme of the conference, "National parliament for consolidation of Democracy" is more appropriate in the present context of trying to uplift the image of the African continent.

He said the past 50 years have witnessed the misrule of the continent by despots and autocrats who cared, very little about the well-being of fellow Africans and the result has been the economic and social doldrums and political conundrum that the continent finds itself today.

The Chairman said it has now been recognized that in order for Africa to approach the 21st century with confidence, the continent will have to be rebuilt, its image changed and its performance accelerated through better democratic rule and governance.

Mr. Okerchiri said the role of national parliaments in this endeavour was therefore, paramount and that logistics that are woefully and manifestly lacking in many National parliaments must be made available to enhance the work of Parliamentarians.

"National Parliaments must themselves strive to jealousy guard their independence. They must not be tempted the least to see themselves as appendages or surrogates of the executives struggling for the little mercies to be bestowed on them", he added.

Mr Kofi Attor, NDC - Ho Central said one of the test of democracy is in the establishment of Parliament since without it the voice of the people would not be heard and recognized.

He said national parliaments should seek their independence from especially the Executive and be strengthened and not to be seen as appendages of anybody, and should have the control of its won budget.

Capt. Nkrabeah Effah-Dartey (Rtd), NPP-Berekum said Parliament is a forum for expressing the people's views and the members of Parliament as their representatives must never loose touch with those who voted them into office.

Mr Victor Gbeho, Ind. Anlo noted that the APU was poorly resourced to make an impact on the continent and urged national parliaments to adopt strategies and lobbying to assist APU to ensure the development of good governance.

Mr Kosi Kedem, NDC-Hohoe South regretted that Parliament has not exerted itself adequately and it is in the grips of the Executive and has not been able to play its role as watchdog on the Executive arm of government.

He stressed the need for branches of the APU to be formed in all national Parliaments to give meaning to the aspirations of the Union. He said the independence of parliaments in Africa was very vague and not defined, depended on the Central government and lacks resources to play its expected role of addressing the needs of the electorate.

Mrs Grace Coleman, NPP- Effiduase-Asokore said it was unfortunate the electorate have denied and neglected women the opportunity to rule and that the situation was obvious in all the national parliaments where women parliamentarians are very few, adding that women need to be given the opportunities to also govern.

Mr John K. Ackah, NDC- Aowin Suaman said African Parliaments do not have absolute independence because of economic strangulation by governments who want to have their way.

Mr Felix Owusu-Adjapong, Majority Leader said the problems confronting Parliamentarians were due to their inactions and lack of readiness to assert themselves to contribute meaningfully to their independence. Oct. 21, 2003