Ghana
has a unicameral Legislature composed of 275 Members of Parliament from
single-member constituencies with an Executive President who appoints Ministers
majority of whom by the Constitution have to come from Parliament.
Parliament
operates very much on the lines of the Parliament of Westminster. It follows to
some extent, the Westminster model, making provision for Ministers to be
questioned in Parliament, and also for Members of Parliament to make statements
on matters of public importance, for them to introduce motions on the matters
which they consider important and for them to approve the policies of
Government in general. The Government,
for example, cannot enter into any international agreement without the ratification
of Parliament: and various such controls exist.
Life
of Parliament
A term
of the Parliament of Ghana spans over a period of four (4) years from the first
Sitting day following a general election as stipulated by Article 113 (1) of
the 1992 Constitution. Article 112 (2) of the same Constitution provides that,
a Session of that period between the last and first Sitting of the next Session
of Parliament shall not amount to twelve (12) months. Within a Session of Parliament, there are
periods of Meetings and Sittings.
Session
Of Parliament
A
Session of Parliament is the Sitting(s) of Parliament commencing upon the first
Meeting of Parliament after a dissolution and ending when Parliament is
dissolved. By a Constitutional
Instrument, the Speaker of Parliament exercises the power of summoning a new
Session of Parliament. In practice, the
first Session of Parliament begins on the 7th January after a general election.
On the average, Parliament Sits for 28 weeks and goes on recess for 24 weeks
within a Session. The House Sits from Tuesday to Friday, making an average of
132 Sittings in a Session.
Meeting
of Parliament
A
Session of Parliament is made up of periods known as Meetings. A Meeting is a Sitting or Sittings of
Parliament commencing when Parliament first meets after being summoned at any
time and ending when Parliament is adjourned sine die or at the conclusion of a
Session.
Ordinarily,
there are three Meetings in a Session:
1st
Meeting: January to March
2nd
Meeting: May to July
3rd
Meeting: October to December
Source
: www.parliament.gh/mps
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