Debates of 29 Jan 2009

MADAM SPEAKER
PRAYERS 10:30 a.m.

VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS AND THE OFFICIAL REPORT 10:30 a.m.

Madam Speaker 10:30 a.m.
Correction of Votes and Proceedings of Wednesday, 28th January, 2009.
Mr. Emmanuel Opam-Brown Akolbire 10:30 a.m.
Madam Speaker, page 5, item 4 (2), it says, “The following Hon Members were absent” and I have seen my name there as being absent yesterday, but I think I was in the House yesterday.
Mr. Stephen K. B. Manu 10:30 a.m.
Madam
Speaker, the Hon Member's concern is something I want to comment on and to advise. He may have been here physically but perhaps did not sign the attendance list at the Mails Room; that could have caused his being pencilled for being absent. So he may have -- [Interruptions.] That is why I am using the words “he may have not”. So if he did not, then he should go back and sign before he comes to complain. [Interruption.]
Mr. Akolbire 10:30 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I want
to respond. Yes, I accept his advice but I was told right from the day I came that the very time I come, I have to go and sign before entering the Chamber and I have been doing that everyday. I think that is why it is only yesterday and today

that they have marked me absent else all other days that I came they would have marked me absent too. So I want the hon. Member to know that I have been signing all right and I signed yesterday and today.
Madam Speaker 10:30 a.m.
All right.
Alhaj i Mohammed Mubarak
Muntaka: Madam Speaker, I would want to -- for the records -- there is no basis for signing any name in the Mails Room. You can go through our Standing Orders; there is no basis for it. Our names were supposed to be marked present or absent in the Chamber here. So as to whether someone signs or not, it is the duty of the record keepers to be able to locate you in the Chamber and indicate whether you are present or absent. There is no basis for signing in our Standing Orders.
Mr. Kwaku Agyeman-Manu 10:40 a.m.
Madam Speaker, my Hon Friend here made mention of a practice such that hon. Members should be marked present in the House. I am a new Member of the House, Madam. I have taken pains to go through the Standing Orders. I will be very much happy if he could just give reference to the Orders that give that ruling to help me, Madam Speaker.
Madam Speaker 10:40 a.m.
Hon Mubarak, I think since you were referring to the Standing Orders to say that there is nothing there and there is nothing there, can you refer to which Order to help him - the Order which prevents Hon Members from signing?
rose
Alhaji Muntaka 10:40 a.m.
Madam Speaker,
since my Leader is up, I will defer for him -- [Interruptions] -- No, I can answer that question. It is just that my Leader is
standing, other than that I will tell you it is for you to locate in the Standing Orders where it states that when a Member comes he should go and sign.
I am saying that in the Standing Orders we do not have it anywhere that you must sign when you come; and there was a ruling in this House, but I want to yield to my Leader.
Mr. E. T. Mensah 10:40 a.m.
Madam Speaker, this issue came up when the late Hon Peter Ala Adjetey was in the Chair. There is a ruling that you need not sign. It was not necessary to sign and that they do not recognize the fact that people were signing. I have never signed ever since and most hon. Members do not sign but the Table Office will have to make sure that you are marked here in the House. I think that is better. Hon Members, can just sign and go away.
But if you are being marked here, people become more responsible and come to the House. So the intervention that he made is right. Thank you very much.
Mr. K. T. Hammond 10:40 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I want to add to what is going on right now. We might need a clarification in this House. There, of course, was a ruling but the ruling did not indicate that we did not have to sign in at the Mails room. It was to the effect that effectively what was on the register here would count, as to the attendance of a particular person on a particular day. What was not clear was as to whether we also have to sign in there or not.
Indeed, the practice has also been that any time we come to this House we simply go in there and sign in but the Clerks in there do the attendance list. We do not actually know whether they physically
mark us present or absent. All we do is to, Madam Speaker, sign in at the Mails room.
So if we are now going to decide whether we sign in there or we make sure that we sign in here, there must be a clarification to that effect. But of course, there was some such ruling in this House some time ago. That is acknowledged but we need some clarification as to what we have to do when we come in here.
Papa Owusu-Ankomah 10:40 a.m.
Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. I believe these are issues that should seriously engage our attention as a House. Of course, it is not everything that we do that is covered by the Standing Orders. The Standing Orders, of course, govern proceedings within the Chamber; signing the register is not part of the proceedings within the Chamber. But that does not necessarily mean that you ought not to sign the register. It is a grey area and according to the practice of the House, I will suggest that Leadership and Madam Speaker take up this matter so that we can advance the cause of this House.
But before I resume my seat, I just will want hon. Members to note that decisions of a previous Parliament does not bind succeeding Parliaments. A ruling from the Chair in the previous Parliament does not bind Parliament as an institution. It does not bind subsequent Parliaments.
Alhaji Sumani Abukari 10:40 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I agree with him that maybe the Leadership and Madam Speaker may have to revisit this issue of signing of registers. I agree with him perfectly. I think that is the best thing we can do for now but I will want to caution that one of the reasons why it was decided that the Table Office should take note of those who came in or did not come in was that hon. Members simply came down there signed their
Alhaji Sumani Abukari 10:40 a.m.


names and left without coming into the Chamber.

The only way we can ensure that a Member has come to the House is his presence in the Chamber, not his signature down there. So in taking your decision, I will want to advise that we consider the fact that people can go down there and sign the register and disappear. Whereas, if you want to take note of the presence of the hon. Members here in the Chamber, everybody will be compelled to come in here. I think that is the caution I will give, otherwise I agree with him that Leadership can sit with Madam Speaker and take a look at it again. Thank you.
Mrs. Frema Osei-Opare 10:40 a.m.
Madam Speaker, we know that parliamentary work is not always in the Chamber. There could be committee meetings and therefore, to restrict the attendance to only when you are seen at a certain time in the Chamber, for me is not adequate. I think that an age old practice has been developed over the period. It is working and we just have to encourage ourselves to do the right thing -- that is go there pick your mail and sign. We know that that is not the only means by which we can be marked absent or present.
There is absolutely no need for us to really stop this practice that seems to have worked very well just because it is not in the Standing Orders. There are practices that are useful, and I believe that as hon. Members, let us endorse practices that are useful rather than go into technicalities that are of no real value for us. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Alhaji Abukari 10:40 a.m.
On a point of order. Madam Speaker, all I want to say is that there is no such age old practice. She said age old practice had been developed.
Madam Speaker 10:50 a.m.
Hon Members, can I rule now. I have been informed by the Clerk to Parliament and he said it is the people who are in this House who are marked but then the signing of the register, especially when there are new Members, help them to identify the people who are in the House and it is not that alone which is used. This is my information.
If you want a ruling because it has been ruled before, I do not see anything wrong, like the hon. Member said, with signing and then coming here and being recorded again. If you are not here they will not record you anyway. I am informed that they will not go and use that to say that you were present the whole day but that it will help them to know the names of the new Members because they already know the old Members. It is easier.

Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu -- rose
-- 10:50 a.m.

Madam Speaker 10:50 a.m.
Let us hear you; it does not always have to be the Majority Leader.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:50 a.m.
Madam
Speaker, I thought we are now on correction of Votes and Proceedings --
Madam Speaker 10:50 a.m.
This is what we are doing. Yes, I agree but a matter has been raised which could quickly be decided on to put it at rest. So what do you think? Members have expressed their views and what do you think? It has been ruled that it should not be signed; but I would say that if you want a ruling, there is nothing wrong with signing this administrative procedure.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 10:50 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I propose that Leadership does further consultations and then we will accordingly discuss with you the best way forward. I know that in some jurisdictions they even have a roll-call every morning and in the sub-region, that is the recourse, they have roll-calls every morning to assure themselves of whoever is present in the Chamber.
I think that in place of that we had our convention -- to compel signatures in the Mails room. It got truncated along the line because of some serious events that arose in this Chamber. Madam, I think the better way will be for us to put our heads together to advise on the best way forward.
Madam Speaker 10:50 a.m.
Hon Majority Leader, let us have your input into this.
Mr. A. S. K. Bagbin 10:50 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I think I will go along with the view that we should have further consultation on the matter. We have gone this route before and we were actually confronted with a real situation of quorum in the House and Hon Members who were present were talking about the number that was present on the floor of the House and the attendance register had copious signatures of almost all Members of Parliament.
But the issue of quorum raised some
questions as to the decision that was taken on the critical matter. And that is what led to some debate on the floor and the former Rt. Hon Speaker decided that the attendance register was unknown to the law and the rules of the House and therefore, the Clerk's Office should themselves identify people on the floor and mark that and use that as the attendance of hon. Members.
That was what happened, but it is useful to be guided by experience and I believe as we are guided by experience, we also look at the reality of the situation. I will not want to give my opinion, we will do the consultation and we will come out with the right way forward to guide all of us. Thank you very much, Madam Speaker.
Madam Speaker 11 a.m.
I accept that you should put your heads together, consult and come out with something which will inure. But right now, let us carry on with the signing that you were doing before today and very quickly we will come out with a firm ruling on it. I do not see anything wrong with signing and coming in - if you are going to come in, then why would you worry about signing? Anyway, it helps the Clerks to know the new Members. So I will rule that you carry on with the signing now and then when the Leaders come with their recommendations we will make a firm ruling on it; thank you.

We move on to the Official Report of

Wednesday, 28th January, 2009.
Mr. S. K. B. Manu 11 a.m.
Madam Speaker, my name is hon. Stephen Kwaku Balado

Manu, Member for Ahafo Ano South. Madam Speaker, sorry I could not catch your eye when we were dealing with the Official Report of Tuesday, 27th January,

2009.
Madam Speaker 11 a.m.
We have finished
Mr. Manu 11 a.m.
Madam Speaker, they know what I am going to say [Interruptions.] It is not over until it is over.
Madam Speaker 11 a.m.
Hon Members, we are still looking at the Official Report of 28th January, 2009. Any other corrections?
Mr. K.T. Hammond 11:10 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I think that it was proper when Hon Balado Manu said that he had a problem with a portion of the Hansard which he needed to draw the House's attention to.
Madam Speaker, we have sometimes been criticized for not doing things right. This is supposed to be the accurate reflection of what we do in the House. The Hon Member even though belatedly, realizes that there is a problem and he wants to bring it to the attention of the House, he is hooted at, that it is too late he cannot bring it up; then the document goes to sleep with a matter which is inaccurate. Madam Speaker, I think we should look at this issue, it does not matter what stage a Member --
This is not a matter that calls for substantive motion or everything. If an Hon Member spots something, look at the rate that we read. Madam Speaker, you go at a faster speed than those of us going through; so he glances through, trying to make sense of it and comes across a point
which you might have passed over or other hon. Members might have passed over a long time. But I think that it is right that irrespective of the juncture, the time, the hon. Member should bring it up for our consideration and correction.
Madam Speaker 11:10 a.m.
Hon Member, I have ruled on this matter.
MOTIONS 11:10 a.m.

Majority Leader and Leader of the House (Mr. A. S. K. Bagbin) 11:10 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I beg to move that, not- withstanding the provisions of Standing Order 80 (1) which require that no motion shall be debated until at least forty-eight hours have elapsed between the date on which notice of the motion is given and the date on which the motion is moved, the motion for the approval of the membership of the committee to advise the Speaker on the Appointment of other members of the Parliamentary Service Board may be moved today.
Madam Speaker, there are a lot of
urgent matters pending for the attention of the Parliamentary Service Board, but as at now we do not have the Board in place and there is the need for us to expedite action on this matter so that the Committee that would be approved by this House could advise Madam Speaker in composing the Membership of the Parliamentary Service Board. It is in this vein that this motion is being moved without notice and I want to crave the indulgence of my hon. Colleagues to allow us to move this
substantive motion and not raise debate on this matter.
rose
Madam Speaker 11:10 a.m.
I thought the
motion would be seconded first before we hear you.
Papa Owusu 11:10 a.m.
None

Sekondi): Madam Speaker, normally the Minority Leader would have seconded this motion but I am seconding it, subject to this observation. I do not know whether it is a mistake, the person moving the motion is described as Majority Leader and Leader of the House.

Indeed, Madam Speaker, I was once the Majority Leader and I recall that any time the issue came up and I described myself as Leader of the House, the other side of the House would vehemently oppose it; as recent as the latter days of the last Parliament. So I believe that, that is the right designation but I am wondering whether on the part of the Majority Leader he has made a mistake; he is admitting that, that is the right designation, for purpose of the records [Uproar.] It is very important.
Madam Speaker 11:10 a.m.
Except that Hon Member, you said that Majority Leader and Leader of the House, it is all together, is that not it? Making assurances, doubly sure.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:20 a.m.
Madam Speaker, indeed it is not everything that we should situate in our Standing Orders. Our Standing Orders cannot have space for everything and so if the argument is that the Leader of the House is not described in the Standing Orders, I would agree with that. But indeed, the conven-tion in civilized democracies is for the Majority Leader to be described as the Leader of
the House.
Indeed, the Majority Leader is the Leader of the House because if for any reason we would want one person to represent us, that is, all sides of the political devide, I am talking about Members of Parliament, it is no other person than the Majority Leader and so that is the practice; except of course that there had been serious disputations about this position when the Minority side now occupied the other side of this Parliament.

Madam Speaker, I remember in particular my hon. Colleague the Deputy Majority Leader disputing with me at the International Conference Centre that the Hon Majority Leader can never double up as the Leader of the House, and that as far he is concerned he does not recognize the Majority Leader as the Leader of the House.

Mr. Hackman Owusu-Agyemang

(NPP -- New Juaben North): Madam Speaker, I would like to thank you most sincerely for this opportunity. Let me hasten to add that ordinarily, when the Hon Minority Leader has spoken, and I belong to his side, I should have no qualms about it. But in this particular instance, having been in this House for as long as I have, not on a single occasion -- Hon Owusu- Adjapong and all of them were here and they always insisted that the Majority Leader was not the Leader of the House.

If it is now the case, as he says by parliamentary practice, we are masters of our own systems as the Supreme Court
Mr. John T. Akologu 11:20 a.m.
Madam
Speaker, I was specifically mentioned as one person who did not accept that the Majority Leader was also the Leader of the House. I want to correct those who thought that this was what I stated.
[Interruptions.] Please, I have to correct the record. Madam Speaker, at the International Conference Centre, the issue came up as to who was the Leader of the House and of Parliament. I stated that as far as the precedence of order in the House is concerned, the Speaker comes first and therefore, my position is that if the Speaker comes first in the order of precedence, then as a Parliament he or she is the Leader of Parliament and for that matter of the House. I was not alone -- [Some Hon Members: Sit down, sit down!]
Madam Speaker, I was not alone in this school of thought and I want the hon. Minority Leader now to recognize that I should not be the only one to be cited because at that time, even when they were on this side of the House, majority of them there did not also subscribe to the idea that the Majority Leader was also the Leader of the House, they did not subscribe to it. I was not the only person who held that school of thought. I just want to make that correction.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:20 a.m.
Madam Speaker, just to correct some position, the acceptance of the hon. Majority Leader as the Leader of the House really is not by consensus of the House. We are talking about convention and if it is by consensus then maybe the next Parliament could decide that “No, we do not want him as the Leader but that is not the practice. It is the practice of all jurisdictions that the Leader of the House is the Majority Leader. So that should be the position.
I just wanted to make that short correction. But I think that this is procedural, the motion is only procedural and I guess we can go behind it.
Mr. A. S. K. Bagbin 11:30 a.m.
Madam Speaker, it is important to put on record that this whole dispute arose in the First Parliament of the Fourth Republic. At that time, Hon
Dr. Owusu-Agyekum was the Minority Leader and at that time the country was trying to give voice to the Minority group and they did not want the Minority to be put under the Majority. So there was that dispute in the First Parliament. I was here, that was the genesis of the dispute.
It is true that it carried on until the last Parliament and in the last Parliament even civil society was drawn in and then there were some consultants who made some submissions and it was agreed that the Majority Leader is the Leader of the House.

In fact, the Parliamentary Service Act clearly stated in one of the sections that either we have, I think, a Majority Leader or Leader of the House. And that was recognised. We even started referring to hon. Ossei Aidooh as the Dear Leader. But before him we were referring to hon. Felix Owusu-Adjapong as the Great Leader. So, that has been settled and that is what is being continued and the convention should be continued. And my hon. Colleagues will come here to enjoy the same in some years to come.
Madam Speaker 11:30 a.m.
Thank you.
Mrs. Gifty E. Kusi (NPP -- Tarkwa/ Nsuaem) 11:30 a.m.
Thank you Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, what I want to say here this morning is the fact that we on this side are really moving forward. The Majority Leader just said that we were referring to hon. Owusu-Agyapong as the Great Leader and hon. Ossei Aidooh as the Dear Leader. There was never a time that that was written in black and white like this.
We are giving it to them because we believe in peace in this House. If we want to go their way we will never agree to this. But this morning we want to give it to him
as a gift from the Minority. Because he does not warrant it he never gave it out to anybody but he wants to enjoy it.

Question put and motion agreed to.

Resolved accordingly.

Committee to Advise the Speaker

on Parliamentary Service Board Membership
Mr. A. S. K. Bagbin 11:30 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, I
beg to move, that pursuant to clause (2) (b) of article 124 of the Constitution and section 5 of the Parliamentary Service Act (Act 460), the House is invited to approve the following membership of the committee to advise the Speaker on the Appointment of other members of the Parliamentary Service Board:
i. Hon Alban S.K. Bagbin
ii. Hon Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu
iii. Hon John Tia Akologu
iv. Hon Elizabeth Tetteh-Amoah (Mrs.)
v. Hon Papa Owusu-Ankomah. Madam Speaker, article 124 of the 1992
Constitution prescribes the establishment of the Parliamentary Service and under clause 2, the Parliamentary Service Board. Article 124(2) says and with your permission, I beg to quote:
“There shall be a Parliamentary Service Board which shall consist of -
(a) the Speaker, as Chairman;
Mr. A. S. K. Bagbin 11:30 a.m.


(b) Four other members all of whom shall be appointed by the Speaker, acting in accordance with the advice of a committee of Parliament; and

(c) the Clerk to Parliament”

Madam Speaker, we have in this House ironed out a procedure to establish or compose the Committee to advise the Speaker and the convention is what has just been followed as to the membership of the committee to advise the Speaker.

Madam Speaker, the Speaker has the ultimate responsibility in appointing the membership as stated. We advise, but the discretion of the Speaker is very limited because the Speaker acts in accordance with the advice of the Committee. So this one, the Speaker's hands are tied and therefore we have always tried, in trying to advise the Speaker, to discuss the issues with the Speaker, come to some consensus before we allow the Speaker to do the appointment.

I would want to urge that we continue this convention which I believe is one of the best practices and I would again urge my hon. Colleagues to let us go the same way and approve the motion accordingly.
Madam Speaker, I beg to move. Mr. Ambrose P. Dery (NPP 11:30 a.m.
None

Nandom): Madam Speaker, before I second the motion let me make these two points. First of all, the Hon Minority Leader being proposed as a member, in consonance with best international practices cannot second the motion else it will be considered a conflict of interest.

Madam Speaker, article 124, clause (5) of the Constitution, I want to draw
Madam Speaker, I beg to move. Mr. Ambrose P. Dery (NPP 11:40 a.m.


attention to that. With your permission, I beg to read:

“The Parliamentary Service Board shall, with the prior approval of Parliament, make regulations, by constitutional instrument, pres- cribing the terms and conditions of the officers and other employees in the Parliamentary Service and generally for the effective and efficient administration of the Parliamentary Service.”

I think that this appears not to concern the members. So whilst approving this motion, let us bear this in mind as far as the activities of the Board are concerned.

In the circumstances, Madam Speaker, I rise to second the motion.

Question proposed.

Mr. John T. Akologu (NDC --

Talensi): Madam Speaker, in seconding the motion the Hon Deputy Minority Leader (Mr. Ambrose Dery) created the impression that there would have been a conflict of interest if the Minority Leader seconded the motion.

Madam Speaker, I do not know where the conflict of interest would have arisen in this matter and I would want further clarification. Otherwise he has no business just mentioning it and he should have gone ahead to second the motion. Except he wants to create the impression that the Minority Leader is already nominating himself onto the Board and that would have been the conflict of interest.

It is not prescribed here that the Minority Leader should be on the Parliamentary Service Board. Any Hon Member of this

House can be on the Parliamentary Service Board if Madam Speaker so decides, on the advice of the Committee that has just been proposed. So I do not know; he could have seconded it if he so wished. So I do not see why the Deputy Minority Leader should have raised the issue of conflict of interest in this matter.
Mr. Dery 11:40 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I think that the Deputy Majority Leader has missed the point. I said that was an aside and if he needs further explanation; an aside means there is a lighter side of the issue.
Madam Speaker 11:40 a.m.
The important
thing is that it has been seconded. Now, let us debate it or contribute to it; anybody who has something to say or to contribute at this stage --
Mr. S. K. B. Manu (NPP -- Ahafo
Ano South): Madam Speaker, I guess now I am well known not to continue mentioning my name and my constituency. But for those who may not have got it, I am Hon Stephen Kwaku Balado Manu, Member for Ahafo Ano South in the Ashanti Region.
Papa Owusu-Ankomah 11:40 a.m.
On a point
of order. Madam Speaker, it is on the issue of relevance. I believe the Hon Member is a little bit confused. This Committee is to advise Madam Speaker on the membership. This Committee does not consist of the members of the
Mr. Manu 11:40 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I would
only want to crave your indulgence to advise that Hon Members should have the patience to listen till one has landed before they take up the floor, moreso when they are senior Members of the House.
Madam Speaker, what I was saying, and let me say it in one sentence and end it, is that because of the importance of the work of the members of the Board, the advice that would be given on the composition of the Board should take into account a very broad spectrum of things and should not be narrow-minded. That is what I wanted to say. But since my senior Colleague, in fact, Colleague -- we all entered here in 1997 -- my Colleague did not have the patience to listen, I will just urge that next time we learn to listen before we take the floor.
Mr. Alfred K. Agbesi (NDC --
Ashaiman): Madam Speaker, I have looked critically at the membership of this Committee which would advise the Speaker. Madam Speaker, I have no doubt in my mind that with the calibre of persons or Hon Members selected here, very good advice would be flowing to Madam Speaker.
Madam Speaker, we need the knowledge, the experience of the personalities here to give very good advice to our Speaker to be able to do much for us in this House. Madam Speaker, I want to believe that very good advice would be given. Madam Speaker, I thank you very much for the opportunity.
Mr. Isaac K. Asiamah (NPP --
Atwima-Mponua): Thank you, Madam Speaker for the opportunity. Madam Speaker, I have a problem with this whole
Madam Speaker 11:40 a.m.
Well you have
caught my eyes now, so carry on.
Mr. Asiamah 11:40 a.m.
I would proceed to
make my comments on the Advisory Committee that has been composed by the Leadership.
I think it is important that since we have now approved or yet to be endorsed Leader of the House as a member and who has been in this House for almost 16 or 17 years, I believe strongly that he is going to provide the right advice that would advance the cause of parliamentary democracy in this country.
I am also hopeful that whether the Deputy Leader in the House, Hon Kyei- Mensah-Bonsu who has agreed to Hon Bagbin as a Leader, now I should call him Deputy Leader, I do not know. But now that we have Hon Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu on the list I believe strongly that with also his experience in the House and with his vast knowledge of parliamentary practice in this House, he is going to provide the right advice that would enhance parliamentary work.
Madam Speaker, other Hon Members are equally very, very competent in this direction, particularly Hon Papa Owusu- Ankomah, who has been the Leader of the House before and of course who has been a Minister for almost eight years, I believe his rich experience of the fusion system would bear on the membership that is going to be composed.
Madam Speaker, what is more critical and by extension, for me I believe, we should set this record straight, that whether we like it or not Parliament should be supreme at all times. [Interruptions.] Madam Speaker, I have a record of all the issues -- [Interruptions.] It is not by
Mr. K.T. Hammond 11:40 a.m.
On a point of order. Madam Speaker, my Hon Colleague has indicated to me that he wants to withdraw on the point he knows I am going to raise so I will let him withdraw -- the supremacy thing. He got the signal; we have got to deal with it. [Interruptions.] If he has not got it then Madam Speaker, I am drawing his attention that Parliament cannot be what he describes.
Mr. Asiamah 11:50 a.m.
Madam Speaker, it
is so strange, when we talk about the supreme power it is up to the people, and we are the people's representatives in this House. We are representing the voice of the people; so we are supreme in that matter. [Hear! Hear!] We are representing the voice of the people in this country.

Madam Speaker, I think it is not by accident that this House is considering an Advisory Committee to advise on the membership of the Parliamentary Service Board. So what is more critical is that we must here express our opinions on what is best for our Parliament. So it is important that this forum also provide us the opportunity for us to let them know the advice they should give to the Advisory Board. So that is the more reason why I believe, I would want to urge this Advisory Board to look at the Chinery-Hesse Report on how to enhance welfare of hon. Members in general.

Madam Speaker, there are very many

important issues contained in that Chinery- Hesse Report and, for me, I will always say that it would be most hypocritical on the part of any Hon Member here to denounce that Report. That is my last remark. Thank you Madam Speaker.
Prof. M.A. Oquaye 11:50 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I feel obliged to make what I would consider an important point of correction. Under our Constitution, the Constitution is supreme. Parliament may be supreme in England and its law cannot be overturned by any other law but any law passed in our Parliament, if it is found to be inconsistent with the 1992 Constitu-tion, to the extent of its inconsistency it will be null and void and this can be proclaimed by the Supreme Court; and that is the situation in our country.
Madam Speaker 11:50 a.m.
Thank you. I think that was what a learned Member wanted to draw attention to. Thank you for the information.
Question put and motion agreed to.
Resolved accordingly.
Madam Speaker 11:50 a.m.
Item 6 on the Order Paper.
Mr. A. S. K. Bagbin 11:50 a.m.
Madam Speaker,
it is time for committee Sittings and we want to adjourn to enable them sit at the appropriate places. So Madam Speaker, I beg to move that this House do now adjourn to tomorrow at 10.00 o'clock in the forenoon where we will reconvene on this floor of the House again.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu 11:50 a.m.
Madam Speaker, I rise to second the motion that this House should adjourn till tomorrow Friday at 10 o'clock in the forenoon.
Question put and motion agreed to.
ADJOURNMENT 11:50 a.m.