Parliament will reconvene today, Tuesday, January 23, 2018, to commence the first meeting of the second session of the seventh Parliament of the Fourth Republic.
It is expected to be presented with 55 Bills, which will include the Legal Profession Amendment Bill 2018, the Ghana Technology University College Bill 2018, Sugar Bill, Business Regulatory Reform Bill 2018 and the SME Development Bill 2018.
There are also three bills at the Committee level — the Legal Aid Communion Bill on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, the Taxation (use of Fiscal Electronic Device) Bill 2017 currently with the Finance Committee.
Instruments to be laid
In all about 25 Instruments are expected for presentation, — the Heritage Sites Instruments, 2018 Receptive Centuries Instrument, the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (Amendment) Regulations 2018 and the Legal Profession (Professional Conduct and Etiquette (Amendment) Regulations 2018 etc.
The Legal Profession (Professional and Post Call Law course) Regulations 2017 is currently before the Committee on Subsidiary Legislation. A report is expected on same at plenary for further consideration.
Approximately 41 papers will be presented to the House. There will also be motions for debate on the floor of the House. So far, seven motions have been tabled for debate.
Directives from Speaker
A total of 17 directives from the Speaker are before various Committees of the House. The Committee on Roads and Transport is working on the enforcement of the Road Traffic Legislation by the authorities concerned to promote road safety.
A joint Committee on Education and Health is also working on the increasing rate of suicide by students on some university campuses in the country as the call on the university authorities to explore innovative means such as the use of mobile applications to enable counsellors to provide counselling to students intensifies
There are 10 notices of questions to the various sector ministries as 43 referrals of various reports and legislation at the committees.
Recess
Parliament went on recess on Friday, December 22, 2017 after the eight-week session came to an end for the Christmas holidays.
During the period, members were recalled on two occasions to consider a motion filed by the Minority to investigate a case that has become known as ‘cash for seats’ involving the Ministry of Trade and Industry. The second recall was last Sunday when the Speaker was sworn in as the acting President in the absence of the President who was on official assignment in Liberia while the Vice President travelled to the United Kingdom on medical leave.
