In Parliament This Week

President John Evans Atta Mills is expected to deliver his second State of the Nation address to Parliament on Thursday. The State of the Nation address is delivered by the President to Parliament annually in accordance with the constitution.

During the week, three ministers are also expected to appear before the House to answer a total of 19 questions from the floor.

These were contained in the business statement for the House for the week. The ministers expected to appear before the House are the ministers of Energy, Local government and Rural Development, and Education. Key among the questions is one to be posed by the MP for Sunyani East, Mr Kwasi Ameyaw Cheremeh, who is expected to ask the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development what plans are in place to expand the School Feeding Programme to cover all primary schools.

Mr Ameyaw-Cheremeh is also billed to ask the minister when assembly members in the country would be paid remuneration commensurate with their functions and duties. Mr John Agyabeng, MP for Agona East, is expected to ask the minister how stool land revenue paid to district assemblies are untilised while Mr Augustine Collins Ntim, MP for Offinso North, has been billed to ask the minister what pragmatic measures are being urgently put in place to strengthen the country�s decentralization process as a tool for fighting poverty in rural areas.

Also expected to pose a question to the minister is MP for Navrongo Central, who will ask the minister why the caterers for the School Feeding Programme were being asked to reapply while the caterers and food suppliers of other educational institutions have not been told to do so.

The MP for Ablekuma Central, Theophilus Tetteh Chaie, is billed to ask the Minister of Energy what the ministry is doing to ensure that all rented rooms in compound houses are given separate meters.

The MP for Preste/Huni Valley, Mr Francis Adu-Blay Koffie, is also billed to ask the Minister of Energy how much has accrued from the Prestea Urban Electrification from December 31, 2003 to December 31, 2008.

The Minister of Education is also expected to respond to a question from the MP for Offinso South why the 18-unit classroom block for Namong Senior High Schools has been abandoned.

The MP for Atwima Nwabiagya, Mr Benito Owusu-Bio, is also billed to ask the minister when a new classroom block will be constructed for Mfansi District Assembly Primary School, whose existing classroom block has been destroyed by rainstorm.

Source: Daily Graphic