MPs argue over Minister's qualification to respond to questions

Accra, July 2 GNA - The Minority New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Thursday questioned whether Mr Abdul Rashid Pelpuo, Minister of State at the Presidency, could appear before the House to respond to questions about the Sports Ministry without official notification to Parliament.

They said an official notification to Parliament on the new status of Mr Pelpuo, should be given to the House and Parliament should not rely on the official public announcement made by the President. The Majority side however held the view that an official public announcement was enough notice to Parliament.

The Minority countered the arguments by saying that since the President's travels outside was always officially communicated to Parliament through written communications to the Speaker and not through general public announcements, then it was in order that communication about Mr Pelpuo's new status should be done through written communication and not mere public announcement.

Mr Simon Osei Mensah, NPP member for Bosomtwi, led his side to raise the issue when the Speaker, Justice Joyce Bamford-Addo, called Mr Pelpuo to the despatch box to respond to a question on the level of preparation for the Africa Hockey Championship.

Mr Pelpuo was asked to take charge of the Youth and Sports Ministry, after former Sports Minister, Alhaji Mohammed Muntaka took his leave and subsequently resigned following some charges made against him. Mr Alban Bagbin, Majority Leader, quoting constitutional provisions said the President's communications about his travel outside the country was meant to go to the Speaker and there was no law for the Speaker to communicate this information to the House.

He said it was more of practice and convention to inform the House of written communications from the Presidency about his travels outside the country.

The Minority however interpreted the constitutional provisions to mean that communications giving prior information of the President's outside travel was directly meant for members, although it was addressed to the Speaker.

Mr Edward Doe-Adjaho, First Deputy Speaker, urged the Speaker, however to ignore all arguments and rule on the substantive matter of whether Mr Pelpuo could respond to questions about the Sports Ministry. He also cited a precedent when former Majority Leader and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mr Felix Owusu-Agyapong had to temporarily take over the Roads and Transport Ministry and came to Parliament to respond to questions about the sector.

Justice Bamford-Addo said she had had a letter copied to her, informing her about Mr Pelpuo taking over Ministry of Youth and Sports. She said it was not every communications from the Presidency that needed to be read to members of the House.

Mr Pelpuo later took time to respond to some questions about the Ministry. 02 July 09