Government withdraws Special Prosecutor and Zongo Development Bills 

Government has withdrawn the Special Prosecutor Bill 2017 and the Zongo Development Fund Bill 2017 which were laid in Parliament on the 14th of this Month. 

The withdrawal comes on the back of concerns raised by the Minority Caucus over some procedural breaches in laying the two Bills before the House for consideration. 

The Minority was concerned about the fact that Bills did not meet the required 14 days gazette period before they were introduced into the House. 

The Minority was also not in favour of taking the Special Prosecutor Bill under the certificate of urgency which was the initial plan of government. 

The case on the urgency of the Special Prosecutor Bill was referred to the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee to determine whether the office of the Special Prosecutor Bill 2017 is of urgent nature or not. 

The Committee after careful discussion agreed to allow the Bill go through the full hall instead of it being taken through a certificate of urgency. 

The Majority Leader and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Osei Kyei-Mensa-Bonsu who withdrew the Bills on behalf of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice and the Minister for Zongo Development and Inner-Cities, said the decision to withdraw the Bills  was based on the report of the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee to give ample time to government and the Committee for consultations with key stakeholders.

The Minority Chief Whip Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka said the Minority is vindicated and glad that government has listened to their initial concerns. 

He seconded the motion for the withdrawal of the Bills and the First Deputy Speaker Joseph Osei Owusu who was on the seat asked for the records of the House to be amended to reflect the withdrawal.

GBCONLINE