Parliment Registers Newly-Elected Members

Parliament on Thursday began registering all the newly-elected members ahead of their swearing-in to the Sixth Parliament of the Fourth Republic on January 7, 2013. The three-day exercise would enable the 274 members furnish the House with their personal details, in an effort to gather primary data on those who will constitute the next Parliament. The current parliament (Fifth Parliament of the Fourth Republic) will be dissolved on the midnight of January 6, 2013. The GNA observed that a number of the new entrants as well as some members from the Fifth parliament who retained their seats trickled into the exercise, but the rest are expected to avail them of the process during the stipulated time. The 274 members include 97 new entrants and 177 from the current Parliament. The Volta Regional Minister, Henry Ford kamel who topped the number at 275 passed away last Tuesday. A bye-election is expected to ensue for his seat. The National Democratic Congress (NDC) would dominate the House with 148 seats, with the opposition New Patriotic Party grossing 122 seats. Four independents are expected to join the House, with one member from the People�s National Convention.