Following the Explanatory Memorandum accompanied with the Vigilantism and Related Offences Bill, 2019, expected to be treated under a Certificate of Urgency, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Mr. Ben Abdallah Banda, has indicated that the Committee should be given sufficient time to deal with the Bill.
Mr. Abdallah Banda indicated at the Plenary that there should be sufficient time to enable the Committee to engage political parties, Civil Society Organisations, security experts and other stakeholders, to solicit their views and perspectives towards the enactment of a robust law to combat the menace.
He however stated that the Committee has duly considered the urgency or otherwise of the Bill and determines, by unanimous decision, that the Bill is of an urgent nature and may be taken through all the stages in one day in accordance with Article 106(13) of the Constitution and Order 119 of the Standing Orders of the House.
Urgent treatment of Bills
The Committee noted that the passage of Bills under the certificate of urgency in Parliament is governed by Article 106(13) of the 1992 Constitution, and Orders 119 and 124 of the Standing Orders of Parliament.
Accordingly, when a Committee of the House determines that a Bill is of an urgent nature, that Bill need not to be gazetted at all before being laid in Parliament for passage.
Rather, it is after the laying of that Bill that gazette publication may be made within twenty-four hours or soon thereafter under Order 124 of the Standing Orders of the House.
Source: GhanaJustice/S.Ayisi
