Parliament adjourns to prepare for President's State of Nation's Address

Parliament had to adjourn sitting after 30 minutes, on Wednesday to enable the State Protocol Department, to prepare the House for President John Evans Atta Mills State of the Nation’s address on Thursday, February 16.

The adjournment was after Mr James Klutse, Chairman of the Finance Committee and Dr Anthony Osei Akoto Ranking Member of the Committee had argued over an issue at a meeting held by the Committee on Tuesday to correct some anomalies on the three billion dollars Chinese loan which Dr Akoto said members were not informed about.

The paper on the loan, “Report of the Joint Committee on Finance and Poverty Reduction Strategy on the Addendum to the Master Facility Agreement between the Government of Ghana and the China Development Bank for a loan of $3.0 billion to finance Infrastructure Development Projects under the Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda", which is on the Order Paper to be presented was thus deferred.

Dr Akoto noted that the Committee did not advertise the meeting on the Order Paper of Tuesday, February 14, therefore most of the members were not informed and did not attend, adding that "all members of the Poverty Reduction Committee happened to be there by coincidence".

Mr Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, Minority Leader noted that the meeting was attended by only one side of the House.

Mr Klutse disagreed saying some members from the Minority side were not present but there was a quorum.

He said the Committee would issue notices to members after the adjournment of proceedings and Committee of the Whole so that members of the Finance and Poverty Reduction Committees would meet to review the issue.

Mr Klutse disagreed with a suggestion by Dr Akoto for members to meet on Friday saying "It is taking the issue too far as the report was being written to be available for members".

Mrs Joyce Adeline Bamford Addo, the Speaker said members could brief her later on the outcome of the meeting, and moved for adjournment of the House.