General News of Wednesday, 12 January 2005

Source: GNA

Parliament sets up Appointments Committee

Accra, Jan. 12, GNA - Parliament on Wednesday unanimously approved a 26-member Appointments Committee headed by the First Deputy Speaker, Mr Freddie Blay to oversee the vetting of President John Agyekum Kufuor's nominees to ministerial positions.

This was after the House had unanimously adopted the report of the Committee of Selection on the composition of Committees. Of the 26 members, the Majority has 15 slots inclusive of the Chairman and the Minority has 11.

The House also endorsed a 20-member Business Committee headed by the Majority Leader, Mr Felix Owusu-Adjapong.

Earlier, Mr Alban Bagbin, the Minority Leader, called on the House to delete paragraph three of the report, saying, the paragraph contains an "untruth" because the leadership had agreed on a formula for the selection of committee members, which was not reflected in the paragraph.

By the deletion of paragraph three, the Chairman of the Appointment Committee becomes part of the 15 slots given the Majority. The House adjourned early to allow members to attend to business at the committee level.