General News of Wednesday, 23 May 2007

Source: GNA

NDC MPs anxious for a debate on energy crisis

Accra, May 23, GNA - The NDC Member of Parliament for Tamale South, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, on Wednesday informed Parliament that he had tabled a motion calling on the House to debate the energy crisis, which had engulfed the country.

Mr Ebenezer Sekyi Hughes, the Speaker, said he had no knowledge of the motion but was subsequently briefed by Mr Edward Doe Adjaho, Deputy Minority Leader that the Table Office was in the processing of bringing the motion to the Speaker's attention.

Mr Adjaho, however, expressed the hope that the motion would feature on Thursday Order Paper, indicating the business agenda for the day to enable the House to debate the issue.

Mr Iddrisu's call for a debate follows closely on the heels of an NDC Member of Parliament, who last Friday urged the House to summon Energy Minister, Mr Joseph Adda before the House to explain how government was handling the energy situation. A copy of Mr Iddrisu's motion jointly sponsored as a Private Member Motion by Mr Iddrisu and Alhaji Amadu Sorogho, (NDC-Abokobi-Madina) was later made available to the Parliamentary Press Corps.

The Motion states: "That this House is disappointed by the government's handling of the energy crisis almost a year after it started and further expresses the lack of confidence in the government's announced programme to end the crisis and that steps be taken to comprehensively deal with the said crisis, which is of grave national importance."

Meanwhile, some NDC members are expressing the hope that the motion would be programmed for debate on Thursday.