Parliament reconvenes after long break

Mr Cletus Apul Avoka, Majority Leader on Tuesday called on members of Parliament who reconvened after a long break in August, to be part of the solution to the strike by doctors.

He appealed to the Ghana Medical Association to exercise restraint and take the lives of innocent patients into consideration and resolve the industrial action amicably.

Mr Avoka made the call after he read the core order of the business of the House, which includes 23 bills to be presented for consideration.

Mr Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, Minority Leader called on the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning to ensure that  the budget is presented early enough to allow members to study it diligently and do the carry out the necessary scrutiny.

The leadership of the House later received a petition from seven senior secondary schools in Accra as a reminder to government of its commitment to meet the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015.

The schools include, Mary Mother of Good Counsel, Christ the King School, St Paul’s Lutheran School, St Thomas Aquinas School, Accra Academy, Accra High School and Odorgonno Senior High School.

Master Edwin Kotey, student of Accra Academy and Miss Julia Necku also from Christ the King school presented the petition.

They said children would be monitoring the efforts of Parliament in the implementation of these goals.

Mr Avoka said the Parliament was up to the task of ensuring that poverty was eliminated.

Mr Mike Oquaye, Second Deputy Speaker who received the petition said the objectives of the MDGs are in line with the Millennium Challenge Account, a US package to assist Africa to alleviate poverty.

Source: GNA