Parliament Approves Committees
Current membership of the House comprises the majority NDC-146; minority NPP-123, People's National Convention (PNC)-one and three independent members with two seats – Akatsi South and Buem- being vacant in the 275-member Sixth Parliament of the Fourth Republic.
The two seats have become vacant following the vacation of Akasti South seat by Speaker Doe Adjaho and demise of Buem MP Henry Ford Kamel.
The House further agreed that considering the urgency of the work of the Committee of Selection, Business and Appointments Committees in the facilitation of the business of the legislature and that of government, work on composition of these three committees should be concluded by Friday January 11, 2013.
Accordingly, the House agreed that the Committee of Selection with the Speaker Edward Doe Adjaho as chairperson and 19 of other members should comprise 10 from the majority caucus and nine from the minority side based on the agreed ratio of 55:45.
The membership of the Committee of Selection from the majority side included Dr. Benjamin Kunbuor, Cletus A. Avoka, Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka, Hajia Mary Salifu Boforo, Joseph Appiah Boateng, Alfred Kwame Agbesi, Dr. Hannah Louisa Bisiw, James Klutse Agbesi, Sampson Ahi and Abeiku Crentsil.
Those from the minority side were Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, Dominic Nitiwul, Daniel Botwe, Irene Naa Torshie Addo, Ignatius Baffour Awuah, Papa Owusu-Ankomah, Benjamin Kofi Ayeh, Boniface Gambila Adagbila and Ama Pormaa Andoh.
Members of Business Committee
The membership of Business Committee include Benjamin Kunbuor as chairman, Alfred Kwame Agbesi as vice chairman, Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka, Hajia Mary Salfu Boforo, Adiku Bernice Heloo, Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, Georgina Nkrumah Aboah, Emmanuel K. Bandua, Alhaji Alhassan B. Fuseini, Ahmed Ibrahim and Herod Cobbina.
The rest are Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu as ranking member, Dominic Nitiwul as deputy ranking, Daniel Botwe, Irene Naa Torshie Addo, Major (rtd) Derek Yaw Oduro, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, Mohammed Habib Tijani, Gifty Eugenia Kusi and William Ewurako Aidoo.
Members of Appointments Committee
The Appointments Committee comprise First Deputy Speaker Ebo Barton-Odro as chairman, Alfred Agbesi as vice chairman with the following as members, Sampson Ahi, Dr. Ahmed Yakubu Alhassan, Baba Jamal, Eric Opoku, Dominic A. Azumah and Juliana Azumah-Mensah.
Others are Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka, Benita Sena Okity-Duah and Queenstar Pokua Sawyerr, Mahama Ayariga, Joseph Yieleh Chireh, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and Haruna Iddrisu.
The rest are Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu as ranking member, Dominic Nitiwul as deputy ranking with the following as members, Samuel Atta Akyea, Dr. Stephen Nana Ato Arthur, Gifty Klenam, Joseph Osei-Owusu, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Ursula G. Owusu, Daniel Nii Kwartei Titus-Glover, Kwasi Ameyaw Cheremeh and Robert Nachinab Boameng Mosore.
The Appointments Committee would soon move into action to consider President John Dramani Mahama's ministerial nominees.