The over-aged Right to Information (RTI) Bill is key among ten bills at the consideration stage which the third meeting of the third session of the sixth Parliament will deliberate on as the house opens Tuesday, October 27, 2015.
The Legal and Constitutional Committee of Parliament has rejected a provision in the Bill that allows the Minister of Justice to regulate access to information but wants an Information Commissioner post created to bear the responsibility of supervising requests for information defined in the law as a right.
The Bill has been around since 2002 but despite three presidents, it is yet to be passed into law.
The committee has identified over a 1,000 amendments in the 50-page document, Ghana News Agency information indicates.
Summary of agenda for the third meeting of the sixth parliament made available to the GNA by Ms Kate Addo, Deputy Director in Charge of Public Affairs, indicates that there are 25 Bills at the table for presentation.
It includes; Ghana School of Law Bill, Legal Service Bill, Road Safety Bill, Tax Administration Bill and Electronic Communication Bill among others.
There are also 13 Bills at Committee levels, which are still been worked on and include; Companies Bill 2013, Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Bill, Whistleblower (Amendment) Bill 2015, Ghana Aids Commission Bill and Public Procurement (Amendment) Bill, 2015, among others.
The agenda also indicates that there are ten Bills at Consideration stage, which include; the RTI Bill 2013, Conduct of Public Officers Bill 2013, and Intestate Succession Bill 2013, among others.
The session would also consider 25 other instruments to be presented, five instruments at the Committee Level and 40 Papers to be presented, as well as nine motions, which have been tabled for Debate and 88 other referrals of Bills at the Committee.
According to the summary agenda of Parliament, the 2016 budget will be read and appropriate Bills will be passed.
It said the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Africa Region Conference will be held from November 2 to 6, 2015, which seeks to bring various Speakers and Presiding Officers from 18 African countries.
The house will crown its activities with the Nine Lessons and a Carol on December 16, 2015.
Source: GNA
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