Parliament defers debate on Transfer of Convicted Persons Bill

Parliament on Wednesday began debate on the Transfer of Convicted Persons Bill but only for a short while.

The short-lived debate followed a submission by the Chairman of the Committee for Defence and Interior, Mr. Eugene Atta Agyepong, who is also MP for Abetifi, that his committee was not part of any meeting to consider the Bill.

The Bill was referred to the joint committee of Defence and Interior and that of Legal and Constitutional Affairs.

A report on the Bill was laid in the House last week to pave way for the debate.

The Bill if passed will allow for Ghanaians serving jail terms abroad to be brought back home to continue their sentence.

Ghana's main opposition party, the National Democratic Congress and civil rights organizations, including the Centre for Democratic Development Ghana say they are opposed to the Bill.

According to them, the passage of such a law will only worsen the overcrowding in the country's prisons.