Parliament mourns former Speaker

Accra, July 16, GNA - Parliament on Wednesday observed a minute's silence in honour of former Speaker, Mr. Peter Ala Adjetey, who passed away on Tuesday. Mr Freddie Blay, who presided over the House, formally announced to members the death of the former Speaker who served from January 2001 to January 2005.

Parliament had delayed sitting for over an hour to pay a visit to the bereaved family at the Labone residence of the late Speaker. Mr. Blay, who was at the head of the delegation made up of leaders from both sides of the House, told the family that they had come to sympathize and pay their respect to Mr. Ala Adjetey. He said the Speaker, Mr Ebenezer Hughes, was out of the country but Parliament as an institution had sent an advanced party on Tuesday following news of the death of the former Speaker to ascertain the veracity of the information He said the leaders of the House had followed up to ask that Parliament be made part of the planning to give the former Speaker a befitting burial.

Mr. Blay said they were not only going to mourn with the family but also to celebrate the life and achievements of Mr. Ala Adjetey. Mr Larry Ala Adjetey, son of the late Speaker, who received the delegation on behalf of the family, said they were yet to formally inform other family members and the traditional authorities of the news and would get in touch with Parliament on arrangements for the funeral. Majority Leader, Mr Abraham Ossei-Aidooh and Minority Leader, Mr Alban Bagbin were among members of the delegation. Earlier, when the House convened for Wednesday's sitting, Mr. Kwame Osei-Prempeh, Deputy Attorney-General, told the House that the police would need to conduct further investigations into the death of Alhaji Issah Mobillah, a leading member of the Convention Peoples Party, before prosecution could start. "Mr Speaker, considering the fact that the courts would go on recess from the end of July until mid October, it is hoped that the police would use the vacation period to do the work required so that prosecution could start in next legal year. The Deputy Minister was responding to a question on the status of the case involving persons suspected to be behind the murder of Alhaji Mobilla.