Opposition Chief Whip Christoper Jones, has condemned the Government for not taking the various Parliamentary Committees seriously. 

In presenting his arguments in the 2024 Budget Debate on Monday, MP Jones said the Government appears to be running from scrutiny and accountability by not facilitating regular Sittings of the National Assembly.

He said at the Parliamentary Committees level, the situation is far worse, with many of the Committees hardly meeting, while some others have not met at all.

“Comrade Speaker, Parliamentary Committees plays a crucial role in enabling the thorough of various aspects of government’s policies and administration. The Committees provide a platform for members from all sides of the house, representatives of the people to engage in discussions on matters of national significance, fostering dialogue and importantly, aims to reach consensus on key national issues,” Mr. Jones noted.

Jones said it is reprehensible and disrespectful that several Sectoral Committees have not been meeting.

“At the most critical time in the nation’s history, at a time when we face a rapidly developing oil and gas sector, one which is currently plagued by a lack of transparency, the National Resource Committee for the year 2021 never met, for the year 2022, never met—not one single meeting in those two years,” Jones reminded. 

He also noted that considering all of the challenges that the country faced last year, it was hoped that more frequent Parliamentary Sittings would have been taking place.

“Sir let us not forget, consistently with the PPP style of democracy in 2023, a year that plagued this nation with so many insurmountable challenges and threats, Mr. Speaker, this honorable house only met and astonishing eight times, excluding budget presentation, budget debates and the consideration of the estimates, “Jones said. 

Jones said it appears that the National Assembly’s only task is to approve monies for the Government  

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