Agriculture Minister to brief Parliament on avian flu compensation

Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, the Minister of Food and Agriculture, is expected to brief Parliament next week on the government’s compensation package for farmers impacted by the outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in 2021.

Mr Frank Annoh-Dompreh, the Majority Chief Whip of Parliament, in presenting the Business Statement of the House for the week-ending 1st July 2022, said the Leadership was in discussions with the Minister to enable him to brief the House next week.

He noted that the appropriate date for the briefing would be communicated to Members of the House in the ensuing week.

He said Leadership of the House was also consulting with the Interior Minister, who was also responsible for the National Identification Authority (NIA), to attend upon the House to brief Members on the challenges the Authority was facing regarding the printing and issuance of the ECOWAS Identity Card "also known as the Ghana Card" to the citizenry.

He said Members of the House would be duly informed on the scheduled date for the briefing.

Touching on the Mid-Year Review of the Budget, Mr Annoh-Dompreh said Leadership was in a discussion with the Minister of Finance on an appropriate date for the presentation of the Mid-Year Review of the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana and Supplementary Estimate for the 2022 Financial Year pursuant to the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921).

He said Members would be duly informed on the date the Minister would present the Mid-Year Review of the Budget.

Concerning national security, the Majority Chief Whip said Leadership was firming up discussions with the Minister responsible for National Security to brief Parliament at a close sitting on matters pertaining to the security of the State, particularly having regard to the recent spate of incipient terrorist attacks within the West African sub-region.

He stated that the specific day for the National Security Minister's briefing would be communicated to Members during the ensuing week.

Mr Annoh-Dompreh said in the ensuing week, eight Ministers were expected to attend upon the House to respond to 53 questions - two urgent questions and 51 oral questions.