Minority asks Gov’t to present handing over notes to Parliament

The Minority in Parliament has bemoaned what they term a critical breach in the Presidential Transition Act.

According to the Leader of the Caucus, Haruna Iddrisu, Parliament has not received copies of handing over notes from Ministers in the first administration of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

This he says is an impediment to the smooth functioning of government in the country.

Speaking in Parliament today, Tuesday, January 19, 2021, Mr. Iddrisu asked the government to make all handing over notes available to Parliament.

“Section 6 of the Presidential Transition Act requires that the government prepares to hand over notes 30 days to the presidential election. Whether this has been complied with, I am in doubt. We are demanding respect to the letter and spirit of Act 845 that all handing over notes of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies are made available to Parliament.”

The Presidential Transition Act is a law that highlights the processes for the smooth and orderly transfer of power from one administration to another, after a general election.

Provisions in the Act include the formation of a transition team, the preparation of handing-over notes, and an inventory of all public assets.

Section 6 of the Act requires the Office of the President to prepare handing over notes, which covers activities and programs of the Presidency (President and Vice-President), Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and Regional Ministers, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs).

“The handing over notes shall reflect the accurate development which had taken place during the tenure of office and the projections of development to take place before the end of the full tenure,” the Act adds.