Minority flays Bagbin over another committee

Parliament in session

The controversy over Mills' penchant for committees reared its head in Parliament on Friday when the Majority Leader, Alban-Sumani Bagbin recommended to the august House the setting up of a Committee by the Business Committee to assist the Public Accounts Committee in its works on the Auditor General's reports presented to the House.

This suggestion was immediately attacked by the Minority Chief Whip, Mr. Frederick Opare Ansah.

According to him, setting up a new committee to follow up on recommendations of the House to deal with relevant matters was a waste of time, since the Public Accounts Committee is effective and has the powers to manage its own affairs properly.

In a swift response by the Majority Leader who doubles as the Chairman of the Business Committee, he described Mr. Ansah's comments as baseless since the House was aware of the workload of the Public Accounts Committee which he believed needed assistance.

“Madam Speaker, members are aware that the workload on the Public Accounts Committee is too heavy. Parliament usually makes a number of important far-reaching recommendations during debate on the Report of the Public Accounts Committee on Auditor-General's Reports presented to the House. That is why the Business Committee is suggesting that another committee be set up to follow up on recommendations of the House,” he noted.

Mr. Bagbin believes that the work of the new committee when set up would ease the workload of the Public Accounts Committee to perform its duties effectively and on time.