Parliament unhappy with Executive and Assembly Press

Accra, Nov 30, - Parliament on Wednesday sent signals to the Executive Arm of Government and the Assembly Press over its displeasure over delay in making documents readily available to the House.

Minority Chief Whip Alhaji Muntaka  Mohammed-Mubarak drew the attention of the House that members were yet to have copies of some documents, including those related to Local Government, Health Safety and Environment and Data Management that had been laid before the House.

Describing it as a worry, Alhaji Mohammed Murbarak said 14 days had already gone, and sufficient copies were yet to be made available to members, wondering if they would meet their 21-day deadline outlined in the provision for the instrument to mature into law.

He suggested that the Executive and the Assembly Press, the agency responsible for the printing of such documents should ensure that enough copies of the documents were handy before they would be laid before the House.

The impression, he said, should not be created as if the Minister would lay the papers, and vanish to make it sound as if some people want to create embarrassment.

Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah- Bonsu said “what is happening is not the best,’’ and repeated the need for enough copies of such documents to be available before they are laid before the House.

He further said that such delays do not inure to openness and transparency of the work of the House.

Prof Aaron Mike Oquaye, the Speaker pointed out that the Assembly Press originally belonged to Parliament, and urged that it should ensure that “what we are facing does not happen,” so that papers meant for the work of the House would be ready at the appropriate time.

Last Friday, the Osei Kyei-Mensa-Bonsu, who is also the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, during the presentation of the Business Statement for this week hinted of a possible engagement with the Executive arm of government on the need for Parliament to take control over the Assembly Press to curb the delays in the printing materials for the legislature.

He indicated that the Assembly Press earned its name due to relation with the legislature therefore it would not be out of place for the legislature to manage it.

At that sitting the Speaker urged the Leadership of the House to meet and resolve all challenges that inhibit the smooth running of their business and called for amended Standing Orders to mandate Ministers of State to make sufficient copies of Bills, LIs and other documents presented to Parliament..

GNA