Speaker pleads with Minority to remain calm on Constitutional Instrument

Mrs Joyce Bamford Addo, Speaker of Parliament, on Wednesday pleaded with the minority to remain calm as copies of the Constitutional Instrument (CI) will be made available to them by close of the day.

The CI on the Representation of the People (Parliamentary Constituencies) Instrument 2012 was laid in Parliament on Tuesday July 17, 2012.

She said “we are only pleading.”

This followed concerns raised by members of the minority who said the purported paper had not been made available to members.

Some copies of the paper were quickly brought into the Chamber a few minutes after the minority raised the issue.

Papa Owusu Ankomah, member for Sekondi said the leadership has copies but members do not have.

Mr Frank Agyen Boakye, member for Effiduase Asokore said members were supposed to count 21 days after the paper had been laid but that would be impossible since they do not have copies saying that “we do not have copies so the counting was neither here nor there.”

Mr Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi, member for Asante Akim North said over 90 per cent of members does not have copies and have not seen it.

Mr Edward Doe Adjaho, first Deputy Speaker said the paper was bulky and that the Assembly Press was still printing copies and assured that by the close of the day everyone would have copies.

Mr Cletus Apul Avoka, Majority Leader said the majority appreciated the intervention of Paapa Owusu Ankoma but urged that they exercise restraint.

Minority objected to the way the CI, purported to be numbered 73 was laid in the House, while members were not given copies as they continued to quote Order 77 of the Standing Orders.

Source: GNA