THE MINISTER for Finance and Economic Planning, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, yesterday apologised to Parliament for what members of the legislature had described as his disrespect of the August House that unduly delayed government business.
Dr. Duffuor humbly pleaded with the House to temper justice with mercy after appearing late to lay five papers concerning some loan facilities on the floor of Parliament.
He was scheduled to lay the papers, including four Credit Facility Agreements, but was nowhere to be found in the chamber at the commencement of public business, and neither were his two deputies, a situation that incensed the lawmakers from both sides of the House.
According to the Minority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, a similar situation occurred last week when the Finance Minister and his deputies failed to answer some urgent questions on the country�s economy, charging the Ministry of Finance to accord the House with some dignity.
Explaining however, the Majority Chief Whip, Gershon Gbediame, indicated that the Finance Minister was in a meeting with some World Bank officials and none of his deputies could represent him because they were performing other equally important government business.
The First Deputy Speaker, Edward Doe Adjaho, who was in the chair, had earlier ruled that the laying of the papers be deferred following a request by the NDC MP for Shai Osudoku, David Tetteh Asumeng, who felt the minister�s absence in the House was becoming too much and was an affront to the dignity of Parliament.
Giving the ruling, Mr. Adjaho, who is also the MP for Avenor Ave, expressed regret that none of the deputies was around to transact business in the House on behalf of their boss.
According to him, it was only when ministers showed seriousness in transacting business on behalf of government in the chamber, that the lawmakers would also attach seriousness to whatever was brought before them.
Eventually, Dr. Duffuor was allowed to lay the papers but with a caution from MP for New Juaben North, Hackman Owusu-Agyemang.
He charged ministers of state to take the business of Parliament seriously, reminding them that work of the legislature was equally important as the work of the executive and judiciary.
The papers laid included a credit facility agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana and the Fidelity Bank Limited for an amount of Ghana cedis equivalent to 24.11 million Euros to finance the purchase of the remaining two out of the four MI-171 SH Helicopters for the Ghana Air Force.
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