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Business News of Thursday, 10 July 1997

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Leadershiop Evasive On Status Of Retained Ministers

Accra, July 8, The leadership of both sides of parliament were today evasive about the status of retained ministers after the house unanimously reviewed its February 14 resolution. However, both sides are emphatic that there will be no more walk-outs when retained ministers appear before the house. At separate press conferences in parliament, Mr J. H. Owusu- Acheampong, majority leader, and Mr J. H. Mensah, minority leader, said both sides will now negotiate and come out with a motion on the status of the retained ministers. "The consequences of the resolution is an on-going process. However, we will allow them audience in the house while we are still negotiating," Mr Mensah said. He pointed out that it will not be practicable to unravel all that the government had done in the past. Mr Mensah said he was satisfied with today's resolution which he described as "an important step in strengthening and sanctifying the constitution and the rule of law". Mr Owusu-Acheampong, while agreeing with the view of the minority, said the new resolution did not rule on the status of retained ministers."That is an issue to be settled later." "What we have done is to review the earlier resolution; what is important is that there will be no walk-outs or boycotts to allow the business of the house to proceed." The February 14 resolution reads: "If a person has been appointed a minister or deputy minister with the approval of parliament and as an incumbent minister he is retained by the president, it shall not be necessary for parliament to give another approval of such minister or deputy minister". This resolution and the subsequent procedure of retaining hold- over ministers fuelled a legal battle at the Supreme Court prompted by the minority who questioned the ministerial mandate of such ministers.