PARLIAMENT GOES ON RECESS

The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament Ebo Barton- Odro says Parliament will ensure that the rights of Ghanaians are protected even as government works to ensure the country's security.

 He says the interest generated and concerns raised over the Intercepton of postal packets and telecommunication messages bill 2015 which is currently before the house. 

He said prior to the introduction of the bill in the house, he had a meeting with the leadership of the house and officials of the national security as a precautionary measure. He said the meeting shed a lot of light on the bill. Following this, another meeting was held with the defence ans interior committee.

 Mr. Barton-Odro who was reading a speech on behalf of the Speaker, said the house will do a thorough job to ensure the bill acheives its purpose of crime prevention whiles guaranteeing the individual's right to privacy. 

The Majority Leader Alban Bagbin said developments in neighbouring countries give a cause for concern. He says the terror attacks on Mali, Burkina Faso and Cote Ivoire are a call on Ghana to institute additional measures to ensure the safety and security of the precincts of parliament. 

 He also charged Ghanaians to be more security conscious now.

 The minority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah.-Bonsu welcomed the establishment of a Police District Headquaters in Parliament and said the the permanent presence of the police there is a giant leap in the protection of lives and property. He called on the to be timely in the presentation of instruments for the conduct of this years general elections. 

He said for the EC to come out with a fair and satisfying election it must keep all parties in the known in all aspects of the electioneering process. One thing the house identified as the low point of its meeting was the gruesome murder of its member, J.B. Danquah Adu.