RE: Ratification8 Nov 2025 08:29
In the Parliament of Ghana, the "presentation of papers" is a formal parliamentary procedure during which a Minister or the Attorney-General officially submits documents, reports, or statutory instruments to the House.
This is a standard item on the Order Paper (the agenda for the day's sitting) and is part of the "Commencement of Public Business".
Key aspects of the procedure:
Purpose: It formally introduces official documents into the parliamentary record, making them available to all Members of Parliament (MPs) and potentially referring them to relevant committees for detailed scrutiny and consideration.
Procedure:
The relevant Minister or the Attorney-General is the designated person to present the paper. Another member, typically the Majority Leader, may present it on their behalf with the Speaker's leave.
The member presenting the paper may provide a short explanatory statement about its contents.
After presentation, the papers are ordered to lie on the table "without question put," meaning no immediate debate or vote occurs at that exact moment.
Statutory instruments that do not require the explicit approval of the National Assembly must also be laid on the table.
Significance: This procedure ensures transparency and allows for due process. For example, loan agreements must be accompanied by relevant documentation and presented to Parliament for approval in accordance with the Constitution and the Public Financial Management Act.