Speaker welcomes MPs back

Accra, June 9, GNA - Parliament on Wednesday reconvened with a call by the Speaker, Mr Peter Ala Adjetey on members to put in their best to ensure that a good foundation was laid for the next Parliament in 2005. Welcoming the House back to the First Sitting of the Second Meeting of the Fourth Session of the Third Parliament of the Fourth Republic of Ghana, the Speaker said with only six month to the elections, business in the House would be affected since many members would be very busy campaigning.

He, therefore, urged members to put in as much as they could to ensure that Parliament discharged its constitutional duties. Mr Ala Adjetey said members should not adopt a lackadaisical attitude as the House drew closer towards its dissolution, by saying: "I will do nothing because I'm going away."

He urged both sides of the House to cooperate for a smooth running of proceedings in the chambers.

The Speaker used the occasion to lament the fact that the Legislature, after several years of being in existence, was still grappling with the problem of securing permanent premises. He said although there was little time left now to solve this problem before the dissolution of Parliament, members still needed to start the process of getting a permanent place, "befitting the dignity of Parliament".

Another area the Speaker touched on was the new security arrangement being put in place to protect members and secure their general welfare.

He craved the indulgence of members and told them to bear with any inconveniences associated with the new security arrangements. Mr Abraham Ossei-Aidoo, the Deputy Majority Leader, said a Committee was working closely with the those overseeing the security arrangements to ensure that members had access to car parks and other facilities, which were all geared towards their safety.

The House later went into a closed door meeting to discus the new security arrangement and other matters pertaining to their welfare.