The Chairman of the Electoral Commission has been summoned to Parliament to explain why the District level election cannot be organised.
The election is scheduled for October this year but Kwadwo Afari Gyan who early on appeared before Parliament's Public Accounts Committee to defend the Commission's finances, hinted the District level elections cannot be held this year because of lack of funds.
The EC requested for an amount of GH¢327,179,894 for its operations for 2014 but only GH¢141,082,137 was approved in the budget, leaving a balance of GH¢186,097,575 required to conduct and supervise the district level elections and the expected referendum on amendments to the 1992 Constitution.
Joy News' Parliamentary correspondent Elton John Brobbey reports, the law makers are not happy with the decision by the Commission not to hold the elections.
According to the Deputy Minority Chief Whip, Ignatious Baffuor Awuah the term of office of the current Assembly members will expire before October this year and the expectation is that new polls would have to be held to elect new assembly members.
He argued failure to elect new assembly men would affect administration at the local level.
The Deputy Speaker, Ebo Barton Oduro has therefore summoned the Chairman to the house to explain why the elections cannot be held and the steps being taken to hold the elections.
The law makers believe the district level election is a constitutional mandate and the EC must be resourced adequately to undertake its duty.
Dr Kwadwo Afari Gyan is expected to appear before Parliament next week.
Meanwhile, the Health Minister Sherry Aryittey is also expected to appear before the House to answer a private member's motion filed by Member of Parliament for Nhyiaeso, Dr Richard Anane demanding the abolishment of the capitation policy of the National Health Insurance Scheme.
The MP claims the policy which was piloted in the region has affected service providers and negatively affected health care delivery in the region.
The policy is a payment system in which all service providers are paid, in advance, a predetermined fixed rate to provide services for a given period. The amount is paid whether or not people access health care within the payment period.
The policy is quite different from the NHIS implementation plan in which service providers carry out services and are reimbursed for the services they render.
The capitation policy is expected to be rolled out across the country by end of year, 2014, the Chief Executive of the NHIA, Sylvester A. Mensah has hinted.
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