The First Meeting of the First Session of the Ninth Parliament of the Fourth Republic of Ghana commenced on Tuesday, 7th January 2025, and ended on Saturday, 29th March 2025.
The House held forty-three (43) sittings within eleven weeks, performing its deliberative, representational, oversight, and legislative functions, among others.
This Meeting of the First Session was quite extensive and characterised by many parliamentary-related activities. This article highlights some of the activities during the Meeting under review.
Presentation of Business
Various parliamentary businesses were undertaken, including the presentation of Papers, reading of Bills, presentation of Regulations, Constitutional and Legislative Instruments, referrals to Committees, and reports from Committees of the House, Ministries, Departments, and other agencies.
Bills
A total of eighteen (18) Bills were presented to the House during the First Meeting, namely:
- Electronic Transfer Levy (Repeal) Bill, 2025
- Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2025
- Revenue Administration (Amendment) Bill, 2025
- Special Import Levy (Amendment) Bill, 2025
- Emissions Levy (Repeal) Bill, 2025
- Income Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2025
- Growth and Sustainability Levy (Amendment) Bill, 2025
- Earmarked Funds Capping and Realignment (Amendment) Bill, 2025
- Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2025
- Ghana Gold Board Bill, 2025
- Energy Sector Levy Bill, 2025
- Public Financial Management (Amendment) Bill, 2025
- Minerals Income Investment Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2025
- Petroleum Revenue Management (Amendment) Bill, 2025
- Ghana Cocoa Board (Amendment) Bill, 2025
- Public Procurement Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2025
- Appropriation Bill, 2025
Out of the 18 Bills presented, 16 were passed by the House. These include:
- Electronic Transfer Levy (Repeal) Bill, 2025
- Revenue Administration (Amendment) Bill, 2025
- Emissions Levy (Repeal) Bill, 2025
- Income Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2025
- Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2025
- Special Import Levy (Amendment) Bill, 2025
- Growth and Sustainability Levy (Amendment) Bill, 2025
- Energy Sector Levy Bill, 2025
- Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2025
- Earmarked Funds Capping and Realignment (Amendment) Bill, 2025
- Public Procurement Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2025
- Minerals Income Investment Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2025
- Petroleum Revenue Management (Amendment) Bill, 2025
- Public Financial Management (Amendment) Bill, 2025
- Appropriation Bill, 2025
- Ghana Gold Board Bill, 2025
Regulations
One Regulation, the Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) (Amendment) Regulations, 2025, was presented and referred to the Committee on Subsidiary Legislation.
Annual Reports
Four (4) annual reports from different government agencies were presented, including:
- Annual Report on the Petroleum Funds for the 2024 Fiscal Year
- Report on the Collection and Utilisation of the African Union Import Levy for the 2024 Fiscal Year
- District Assemblies Common Fund Report for the year 2023
- Staffing Position of the Office of the President from 1st January to 31st December 2024
Committee Reports
Seventy-two (72) committee reports were submitted and adopted after debate.
Auditor-General’s Report
One report was considered—on the Statements of Foreign Exchange Receipts and Payments of the Bank of Ghana for the half-year ended 30th June 2024.
Leadership Reports
On Tuesday, 25th March 2025, Leadership presented a report on the formula for the composition of parliamentary delegations and other parliamentary groups and associations.
State of the Nation Address
In accordance with Article 67 of the Constitution and Standing Order 72(1), the President, H. E. John Dramani Mahama, delivered the State of the Nation Address on Thursday, 27th February 2025.
Ministerial and Other Appointments
The President nominated 56 individuals as Ministers, Deputy Ministers, and Cabinet Members. All were approved by the House following public vetting by the Appointments Committee, despite the Minority abstaining from some votes.
Disruptions during the vetting led to the suspension of four MPs—Mr Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, Mr Frank Annoh-Dompreh, Mr Alhassan Tampuli Sulemana, and Mr Jerry Ahmed Shaib—for two weeks. A Committee was also set up to investigate the disruptions.
Budget Statement and Economic Policy
On Tuesday, 11th March 2025, the Minister for Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, presented the 2025 Budget Statement and Economic Policy to Parliament. Members debated the statement, culminating in the passage of the Appropriation Bill.
Motions
A total of 134 motions were moved and adopted, covering the Budget Statement, Committee reports, Bills, and ministerial nominations.
Questions
Fifty-two (52) questions were asked by Members and answered by Ministers, with supplementary questions allowed.
Statements
Ninety-four (94) statements were delivered by Members and Ministers on various national and international matters.
Communications from the President
Fourteen (14) communications from the President were received, covering presidential absences, nominations, and other appointments.
Committee Sittings
The House recorded seventy-three (73) committee meetings on Bills, budget estimates, vetting, and other matters.
Change in Leadership
On Thursday, 23rd January 2025, changes were announced on both sides of the House.
Majority Leadership:
- Hon. Mahama Ayariga, Majority Leader
- Hon. George Kweku Ricketts-Hagan, Deputy Majority Leader
- Hon. Rockson-Nelson Etse Kwami Dafeamekpor, Majority Chief Whip
- Hon. Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe, First Deputy Majority Whip
- Hon. Richard Acheampong, Second Deputy Majority Whip
Minority Leadership:
- Hon. Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, Minority Leader
- Hon. Patricia Appiagyei, Deputy Minority Leader
- Hon. Frank Annoh-Dompreh, Minority Chief Whip
- Hon. Habib Iddrisu, First Deputy Minority Whip
- Hon. Jerry Ahmed Shaib, Second Deputy Minority Whip
Adjournment
Closing remarks were delivered by the Speaker, Majority Leader, and Minority Leader, acknowledging the contributions of the First and Second Deputy Speakers—Mr Bernard Ahiafor and Mr Andrew Asiamah Amoako—and other Members.
Though originally scheduled to adjourn sine die on Friday, 28th March 2025, the Meeting officially ended on Saturday, 29th March 2025.
Source: Media Relations Department, Parliament of Ghana
