The much-awaited mining lease Agreement between the government and Barari DV for the exploitation of Lithium at Ewoyaa and Ashanti Bauxite Company for the mining of bauxite at Nyinahini has finally been laid in Parliament. But the process was not a smooth one.
It was characterized by heated exchanges among minority MPs, challenging the decision by the second deputy speaker, and subsequent reversal of the decision by Andrew Asiamah by his boss Alban Bagbin. The laying of two agreements was scuttled by the minority over a lack of quorum on Monday. That impediment was however absent today.
However, minority chief whip Governs Kwame Agbodza strongly pleaded with the second deputy speaker Andrew Amoako Asiamah who was presiding to make the referral to the committee on Lands and Natural Resources and not that of Mines and Energy with John Jinapor as ranking Member. The request according to the Adaklu MP was to ensure no rush job was done.
The meaning read into the comments of the minority chief whip was that John Jinapor would be conflicted if he sits on agreements from the ministry headed by his brother Samuel Abu Jinapor. Mines has been decoupled from Energy in the new committees that came with the new Standing Orders of Parliament adopted by the House which means the committee which has the Yapei-Kusawgu MP as ranking will no longer have supervisory responsibility over the Lands and Natural Resources Ministry with his brother Samuel Abu Jinapor as minister.
The ranking Member for the mines and energy however did not take these comments from his leader and he made that abundantly clear.
Second deputy speaker Andrew Amoako Asiamah consequently referred the two agreements to a joint committee of Lands and Natural Resources and Energy.
The development brought deputy ranking member for the committee on Lands and Natural Resources Alhassan Suhuyini on his feet challenging the decision in the strongest of terms.
When Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin subsequently took back his seat, the decision of his deputy was reversed relieving the Energy Committee of any responsibility for the two agreements. He however tapped the Lands and Natural Resources Committee as well as four members of leadership of both sides and himself to supervise the deals.
The former Nadowli-Kaleo MP further disclosed he will partake in the deliberations on the agreements given the public interest in the matter. Alban Bagbin urged the committee to work under no pressure since it has up to the expiration of the tenure of the 8th Parliament to present its report.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Ibrahim Alhassan
