to house in February 2012

Accra , Jan 27, GNA - Mr Cletus Avoka, Majority Leader in Parliament said on Friday that President Evans Atta Mills would deliver the state of the nation address in February 2012 and that the house may take two week to debate it.

He also announced that the House may rise on March 23, 2012 to enable members to support the forthcoming registration Exercise to be carried out by the Electoral Commission aside other statutory commitments at the international level scheduled for the fourth week of March 2012.

The exact rising date is yet to be determined by members as it is still not clear whether it should be earlier than March 23 or not.

Mr Avoka said this when he read the business statement for the second week ending Friday February 3, 2012.

He said 21 Ministers would be expected to appear before the house to answer questions, including Energy, Roads and Highways, Government and Rural Development, Finance and Economic Planning Ministers.

As usual, bills, papers and reports may be presented to the house for consideration and those already before the house may be taken through the various stages, papers and committee reports may also be presented to the house as well as motions debated and their consequential resolutions taken, if any.

Mr Avoka noted that having regard to the issues enumerated above, the Business Committee proposed that extended sittings be introduced by the third week of February, 2012, adding that this arrangement would enable the House expeditiously dispose of Business before it rose.

He noted that it was envisaged that the debate to thank the President on the message of the state of the nation may be taken in the morning of each sitting day while the afternoons dedicated to other public business before the house particularly Bills.

Mr Avoka, urged the Committees with referrals to expedite work on same and submit their reports for consideration by the House.

The business committee congratulated all members who won in their primaries and also encouraged those who lost not to despair but to look ahead with optimism.

Meanwhile, papers on the Ghana Maritime Authority (Fees and Charges) Regulations, 2012 (L.I 2009), and Ghana Shipping (Protection of Offshore Operations and Assets) Regulations, 2012 (L.I 2010), as well as the report of the Committee on Subsidiary Legislation on the subscriber Identification Module Registration Regulations, 2011 (L.I 2006) were presented.