The failure of the outgoing Minister of Health Dr. Kwaku Agyemang-Mensah to appear before the Parliamentary Select Committee on Government Assurances has provoked\u00a0the\u00a0members of the committee.<\/p>\n
According to the members of the committee, the minister\u2019s absence was an affront to their work and threatened to use its constitutional powers to compel ministers to appear before it.<\/p>\n
The explanation of the Minister\u2019s absence by the Chief Director of the Ministry, Dr Sylvester Anemana, was not enough to subside\u00a0the anger of the members of the committee.<\/p>\n
One of the members, Kofi Okyere-Agyekum who during a their meeting on Monday said\u00a0because the minister \u201cfailed to appear before us\u2026 I think it\u2019s about time we apply whatever power that we have under the constitution.\u201d<\/p>\n
He indicated that though a letter was written to the minister who\u00a0subsequently agreed to appear before them on Monday,\u00a0Dr. \u00a0Mensah did not turn up and did not also give them any reason to that effect.<\/p>\n
Another members, Emmanuel Nii Ashie Moore who was not also happy by the absence of the Dr Mensah noted that he could have used the platform \u201cto explain the policies of government especially in the sector of his ministry so I think we have to take this matter seriously.\u201d<\/p>\n
Yaw Frimpong who is also a member of the committee insisted that it was prudent for Parliament to be informed that the minister has been reassigned adding that \u201cas Parliament we\u2019ve not been notified that there is any change so we expect the minister that we know \u00a0to appear before us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Political\u00a0interferences\u00a0stalled our work<\/strong><\/p>\n Government Assurances Committee of Parliament has attributed their dormancy over the years to political interference, lack of resources and ineffective leadership.<\/p>\n \u201cThis committee has not worked effectively in the past as a result of some constraint; resources, political interference, leadership,\u201d the chairman of the committee Emmanuel Kwesi Bedzrah explained.<\/p>\n Work of the Committee<\/strong><\/p>\n The Committee on Government Assurances is composed of not more than 25 Members.<\/p>\n It pursues all assurances, promises and undertakings given by Ministers at Plenary from time to time.<\/p>\n It reports to the Parliament on the extent to which such assurances have been carried out.<\/p>\n –<\/p>\n By: Godwin Allotey Akweiteh\/citifmonline.com\/Ghana<\/p>\n