At the beginning of the first Meeting of the Third Session of the Eighth Parliament, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) effected some changes to the membership of the Lead­ership of the Minority Caucus.

The changes necessitated the re-composition of some Committees of Parliament to ensure the smooth functioning of the House.

The report of Committee of Selection, which is chaired by Speaker Alban Sumana Kings­ford Bagbin, shows re-com­position of the Committee of Selection, Business Committee, Appointment Commitment, House Committee, Standing Or­ders Committee, Committee on Privileges, Special Budget Com­mittee, Judiciary Committee and Committee on Environment, Science and Technology.

The re-composition was based on the Standing Orders of Parliament, the ratio 138:137 representing the numerical strength of the two caucuses, convention and practices of the House.

The Business Committee is chaired by Mr Osei Kyei-Men­sah-Bonsu with Mr Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin as Vice Chairman.

Whereas the Ranking Member and Deputy Ranking of the Busi­ness Committee are Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson and Mr Emman­uel Armah Kofi Buah, respective­ly. The Leadership of the Ap­pointments Commitment include Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, Chairman; Mr Alexander Kwami­naAfenyo-Markin, Vice Chairman; Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, Ranking Member and Mr Kwame Governs Agbodza, Deputy Rank­ing.

The Leadership of the House Committee comprises of Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, Chairman; Mr Frank Annor-Dompreh, Vice Chairman, Dr Cassiel Ato Baah­Forson, Ranking Member and Mr Kwame Governs Agbodza, Deputy Ranking Member.

The Standing Orders Commit­tee is chaired by Speaker Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin. Other members of the Standing Or­ders Committee are Mr Joseph Osei-Owusu, Mr Andrew Amoako Asiamah, Mr Osei Kyei-Men­sah-Bonsu, Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson and Mr Haruna Iddri­su. The Committee on Mem­bers Holding Offices of Profit comprises: Mr Andrew Amoako Asiamah, Chairman; Mr Oscar Li­waal, Vice Chairman; Mr Wisdom Gidisu, Ranking Member and Mr Christian Corletey Otuteye, Depu­ty Ranking Member.

The leadership of the Commit­tee on Privileges consists of Mr Joseph Osei-Owusu, Chairman; Mr Akwasi Owusu Afrifa-Men­sa, Vice Chairman; Mr George Kweku Ricketts-Hagan, Ranking Member, Mr Abeiku Crenstil, Deputy Ranking Member and Mr Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, Member.

The Committee on Trade, Industry and Tourism has the following leadership: Mr Kingsley Carlos Ahenkorah, Chairman; Mr Alexander Akwasi Acquah, Vice Chairman; Mr Emmanuel Ar­mah-Kofi Buah, Ranking Member and Mr Yussif Suleman, Deputy Ranking Member.

The Special Budget Committee has the following leadership: Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, Chair­man and Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, Vice Chairman.

The Leadership of the Judicia­ry Committee include Mr Abdal­lah Iddi Alhassan, Chairman; Mr Kwadwo Asante, Vice Chairman; Mr Cletus Apul Avoka, Ranking Member and Mr Richard Acheam­pong, Deputy Ranking Member.

Committee on Environment, Science and Technology Lead­ership include Dr Emmanuel Marfo, Chairman; Mr Yves Han­son-Nortey, Vice Chairman, Mr Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi, Rank­ing Member, Dr Hamza Adam, Deputy Ranking Member and Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Member.

The Committee of Selection is under the Chairmanship of Speaker Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin. Some key members of the Committee of Selection are Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, Mr Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Mar­kin, Mr Frank Annor Dompreh, Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Mr Kwame Governs Agbodza and Mr Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka.

Mr Joseph Osei-Owusu, the First Deputy Speaker, moving the motion for adoption of the report, reiterated that the changes in the Minority Caucus leaders necessitated the re-composition of some Committees in order to ensure the smooth running of the House.

Mr Kwame Governs Ag­bodza, Minority Chief Whip, in seconding the motion, said these changes were required in order to afford the new Leadership of the Minority the opportunity to par­ticipate and deliberate on issues at the Committee levels.

Mr Alexander Kwamina Afen­yo-Markin, the Deputy Majority Leader, urged the new Leadership of the Minority to consult and engage their predecessors.

The Speaker,Mr Alban Bag­bin, urged the Leadership of the House to continue doing con­sultations to ensure that nobody was left out in this matter; saying “we have to move together as a family.”