Apply For The Return Of Assembly Press---Member Of Council Of State

Mr. Sam Okudzeto, Member of the Council of State, has called on Parliament to make a formal application to the President for the return of the Assembly Press to the legislature.

He explained that when the Council met President Nana Akufo-Addo and briefed him about the issue, he was receptive to the idea that the Assembly Press which was originally part of the setup of Parliament should be returned to its rightful place.

Mr Okudzeto made the statement when he led a two-man delegation of the Council of State to call on the Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye at his office in Parliament House.

Mr Okudzeto and Mrs Georgina Wood, former Chief Justice who are members of the Legal Committee of the Council of State have advocated for the returned of the Assembly Press to Parliament to help simplify work of the legislature in terms of printing works.

The mission of the Council members was to dialogue with the Speaker and deepened relationship between the two institutions.

r Okudzeto and his delegation early in the year met the leadership of Parliament to discuss the issue of the Assembly Press, and assured them that the Council of State would meet President Nana Akufo-Addo to consider the matter.

Mr Okudzeto also explained that the Assembly Press was originally part of the setup of Parliament but because of the various military intervention, and the legislature was boycotted the institution was then taken-way from Parliament.

He said the time had come for the Assembly Press to be returned to its correct place to assist the work of the legislature.

He noted that when the Council met the President and briefed him about their earlier deliberations with Parliament about the Assembly Press, his immediate reaction was why has the legislature not made any approach to him.

'It is important for Parliament now to formally approach the President for the institution that was originally part of the setup to be returned to the legislature,' he added.

He said the Assembly Press was still a state property and that there cannot be any argument for the state to acquire it.

Mr Okudzeto also suggested that the relationship between the Council of State and Parliament needed to be formalised through memorandum of standing among others.

He said currently there was no process by which the Council could make suggestion to Parliament on Bills that come before the House and yet sometimes they were expected to advice the President on legislation that has been passed by the House.

He said it was the opinion of the Council for the two institutions to workout modalities for their cooperation.

Mrs Georgina Wood on her part noted that the State had power to revert the Assembly Press to its lawful place in accordance with the law.

Prof Mike Oquaye on his part commended the delegation for the good work done and pledged to ensure that the Assembly Press was returned to its legitimate place as envisaged by the people who set it up.

He said the Council of State had a broad advisory role to play in the current democratic dispensation.

GNA
By Christopher Arko, GNA