PAC Chairman queries Business Committee of Parliament

Accra, March 14, GNA-Mr. Samuel Sallas-Mensah, Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee on Friday queried why the Business Committee of Parliament failed to provide for the Auditor General's Report on the Consolidated Fund, and the Ministries, Department and Agencies for the year 2006 to be laid, before the House would rise next Wednesday. Mr Sallas-Mensah raised the point on the floor of the House after Mr Abraham Ossei-Aidooh, Chairman of the Business Committee had read the Business Statement for the Ninth Week of the current meeting which ends next Wednesday.

He said the he wished the Business Committee would consider the laying of the Reports, adding; "we don't want to be seen as delaying the Reports of the Consolidated Fund and the Auditor General for the year 2006."

In reply, Mr Ossei-Aidooh said the Reports could not be laid until a ruling had been made on a legal suit that was challenging the eligibility of the present Auditor General.

Mr Doe Adjaho, Deputy Minority Leader said there was no injunction on the work and performance of the Auditor General who still performed his official duties.

The Speaker of the House, Mr Ebenezer Sekyi Hughes referred the matter to the Leadership of the House.

Mr Sallas-Mensah later told the Ghana News Agency in a telephone interview that the Reports had been delivered to the Speaker's office since last July, adding that he (Mr Sallas-Mensah) expected that Reports were laid early enough for the Committee to plan adequately for the second public hearing to be held in the month of June or July this year. He added that Committee would be compelled to organize a press conference on the matter if the Reports were not laid by Wednesday. Meanwhile the House would take the Communication Service Tax Bill, under which the use of mobile phones would attract tax, through the third reading next week. The Bill then would then be passed into law if the majority of members present would say aye.