JOINT DELEGATION OF WHIPS FROM THE PARLIAMENTS OF GHANA & KENYA 30 January-2 February 2012 AIM & OBJECTIVES Aim: to explore the role of the Whips within 3 parliamentary democracies; Ghana, Kenya and the UK Objectives. To; 1. Explore how Whips operate: 1.1. Organisation 1.2. Responsibilities 1.3. Relationship with parliamentary administration 1.4. Relationships with and responsibilities for Members 2. Learn more about how the Executive can be held to account by: 2.1 The Committee system – understanding this powerful tool for scrutiny 2.2 Oversight of Parliament’s Budget 2.3 Parliamentary administration of the House, including Parliamentary Commissions and supporting Committees 3. Learn about the work of an MP, including support available: 3.1. In Parliament 3.2. In the Constituency 4. Discuss topical issues such as climate change, the role of the media, the challenges of coalition government, gender, parliamentary ethics 5. Acquire a greater understanding of how the Westminster Parliament operates 6. Witness parliamentary democracy in action DELEGATES Ghana 1. Hon. Gershon Kofi Gbediame MP Majority Chief Whip, Leader of Ghanaian Delegation 2. Hon. Mary Salifu Boforo MP 1st Deputy Majority Whip 3. Hon. George Kuntu Blankson MP 2nd Deputy Majority Whip 4. Hon. Frederick Opare-Ansah MP Minority Chief Whip 5. Hon. Gifty Eugenia Kusi MP 1st Deputy Minority Whip 6. Hon. Benjamin Kofi Ayeh MP 2nd Deputy Minority Whip 7. Mr Peter Telfer Delegation Secretary, Ghana Delegation Kenya 8. Hon. Jeremiah Kioni MP Deputy Government Joint Whip, Leader of Kenyan Delegation 9. Hon. Benjamin Jomo Washiali MP Deputy Government Joint Whip PROGRAMME Sunday 29 January 0620 Ghana delegation arrives at London Heathrow (BA 078 I) Belvedere Road, Transfer by car to Premier Inn, County Hall London SE1 7PB Monday 30 January 0545 Kenya delegation arrives London Heathrow (KQ 102) Belvedere Road, Transfer by car to Premier Inn, County Hall London SE1 7PB 1255 Assemble in hotel lobby, met by Kirsty Jackson (Assistant Director, CPA UK) Depart on foot for Houses of Parliament 1330 Welcome to CPA UK CPA Room Pauline Latham OBE MP (Vice-Chair CPA UK, Conservative) 1345 Oral Briefing on the Whips’ Systems in Ghana and Kenya CPA Room Hon. Gershon Kofi Gbediame MP (Majority Chief Whip, Ghana) Hon. Frederick Opare-Ansah MP (Minority Chief Whip, Ghana) Hon. Jeremiah Kioni MP (Deputy Government Joint Whip, Kenya) 1445 Introduction to Contemporary UK Political Issues & the Westminster CPA Room Parliamentary Scene Rt Hon. Lord Boateng (Chair of the Ghana All Party Parliamentary Group, Labour) 1545 Holding the Executive to Account: the Committee System CPA Room Andrew Kennon (Clerk of Committees) 1630 Depart for hotel on foot Tuesday 31 January 0930 Assemble in hotel lobby, depart for Houses of Parliament on foot 1015 Observe committees in action: Foreign Affairs Select Committee Committee Rm Subject: British foreign policy and the ‘Arab Spring’: the transition to 20 democracy Public Administration Select Committee Subject: Role of the Independent Adviser to the Prime Minister on Ministerial Committee Rm Interests 16 1130- Meeting with the Leader of the House of Commons Leader’s Office 1230 Room 4 Principal Rt Hon. Sir George Young Bt MP (Conservative) Corridor 1245 Lunch IPU Room 1400 Oversight of Parliament’s Budget CPA Room Dorian Gerhold (Clerk of Domestic Committees, Secretary to the House of Commons Commission/Clerk to the Finance and Services Committee) 1500 The Parliamentary and Constituency Work of an MP CPA Room Rt Hon. David Hanson MP (Labour) & James Duddridge MP (Conservative) 1545 Climate Change and the Role of Parliamentarians CPA Room Ms Joan Walley MP (Chair APPG on Climate Change, Labour) 1630 Observe debate in House of Commons HoC Chamber 1730 Depart for hotel on foot – evening free Wednesday 1 February 0920 Assemble in hotel lobby, depart for Houses of Parliament on foot 1000 The Whips’ System - the Opposition Chief Whip’s Perspective CPA Room Rt Hon. Rosie Winterton MP (Labour) 1115- Briefing on Prime Minister’s Question Time (PMQs) CPA Room 1145 Jessica Mulley (DCCS Business Development Manager) 1200 Observe PMQs in House of Commons Chamber HoC Chamber 1245 Lunch hosted by Rt Hon. Sir Alan Haselhurst MP (Chairperson, CPA UK IPU Room Executive Committee, Conservative) 1430 How Parliament Works & the Role of the Clerk CPA Room Robert Rogers (Clerk of the House) 1510 The Role of the Speaker & Deputy Speakers Ways & Means Conference Hon. Lindsay Hoyle MP (Chair of Ways and Means and Deputy Speaker, Room Labour) 1600 The Whips’ System - the Government Deputy Chief Whip’s Perspective CPA Room Rt Hon. Alistair Carmichael MP (Liberal Democrat) 1700- Meeting with the Ghana and Kenya APPGs, chaired by Rt Hon. Lord Steel CPA Room 1730/ 1800 of Aikwood KT KBE DL (Liberal Democrat) 1730 Depart for hotel on foot – evening free Thursday 2 February 0920 Assemble in hotel lobby, depart for Bush House by car 1000 BBC World Service Briefing Bush House London Briefing from Peter Horrocks (Director of BBC Global News) WC2B 4PH Briefing from Solomon Mugera (Head of African Production Unit) Interviews for the “Network Africa” programme 1200 Depart Bush House by car 1245 Lunch hosted by Lady Anelay (Government Chief Whip House of Lords, IPU Room Conservative) 1345 Depart IPU Room for 1 Parliament Street 1355- Meeting with Rt Hon. John Spellar MP (Shadow Minister for the Foreign & Room B, 1 Parl 1440 Commonwealth Office, Labour) Street 1500 The Whips’ System – the Government Chief Whip’s Perspective 9 Downing Street Rt Hon. Patrick McLoughlin MP (Conservative) 1630 Programme Review and Implementation Session CPA Room 1730- Presentation of Certificates, by Dr Roberta Blackman-Woods MP (Vice- CPA Room 1800 Chair CPA UK, Labour) 1815 Delegates return to hotel, on foot Premier Inn TBC Delegates depart hotel for evening events hosted by the High Commissions: TBC 1900 Reception hosted by H.E. Professor Kwaku Danso-Banfo for the delegation from Ghana 1930 Dinner hosted by H.E. Mr Ephraim Ngare for the delegation from Kenya TBC Delegates return to hotel Friday 3 February 1200 All delegates checkout from Premier Inn 1900 Kenya delegation departs London Heathrow (KQ 101) BIOGRAPHIES - DELEGATES Hon. Gershon Kofi Gbediame MP Majority Chief Whip, Parliament of Ghana Leader of Ghanaian Delegation Member of Parliament of Nkwanta South (2005-); Member of Parliament of Nkwanta (1997-2004); Physics and Maths Teacher (1974-1996). BSc (Hons) Physical Dip. Education, University of Cape Coast (1979) Married with five children. Hon. Mary Salifu Boforo MP 1st Deputy Majority Whip, Parliament of Ghana Member of Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP); Member of Parliament for Savelugu (1997-); Treasurer of NDC Women Caucus in Parliament (2001-2004); Member of the Committees on Government Assurances and Food and Agriculture (2001-2004); Member of Judicial Committee (1991- 2000); Member of the Committees on Communications, Legal & Parliamentary Affairs and Scientific & Industrial Research (1997-2000). Regional Best Organiser in Tree Planting (1996); Northern Regional Best Farmer (1994); Northern Regional Best Ruminant Farmer (1993). President and Founder of the Association of Rural Women in Agro-Forestry and Development with a total membership of over 1,800. Hon. George Kuntu Blankson MP 2nd Deputy Majority Whip, Parliament of Ghana Member of Parliament for Mfantseman East (2004-); Elder, Church of Pentecost, AT Nartey Assembly, Takoradi (1998-); District Chief Executive, Mfantseman District (1997-2000); Regional Public Education Officer, National Commission for Civic Education, Western Region (1992-1996). Evangelism Certificate Award from United Christian Church and Ministerial Association of USA (2006); Gold Award on Outstanding African Achievers, Vision Africa (2008); West African Noble Forum Award on Integrity, Hard Work and Accountability (2007); USAID Sponsorship Programme on Education and Democracy, Las Aspin Centre of Education USA (1999). Ministerial Ordination Certificate in Evangelism (Ordination) (1995); BSc Social Sciences (1987). Hon. Frederick Opare-Ansah MP Minority Chief Whip, Parliament of Ghana Member of Parliament for Suhum Constituency (2005-); Chair, Select Committee on Communications; Deputy Minister of Communications (2007); Member of Select Committee on Environment, Science and Technology and Members Holding Office of Profit. Elected Chief Whip of the Minority Caucus (2009); Current Member of Select Committee on Communications and the Standing Committee on Finance. Member of Ghana’s 8-member delegation to the ECOWAS Community Parliament in Abuja ; Member of the ECOWAS Standing Committee on Infrastructure and Industrial Development. BSc Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. Hon. Gifty Eugenia Kusi MP 1st Deputy Minority Whip, Parliament of Ghana Member of Parliament, Tarkwa Nsuaem Constituency, Western Region, Ghana (2001-); Part-Time Lecturer, University Of Ghana Medical School, Department Of Community Health (2007-); Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (Africa—Region) Deputy Representative and Executive Committee Member, Africa Region (2007-); Deputy Government Whip, Parliament Of Ghana (2001-); Member, Parliamentary Standing And Select Committees on Gender And Children, Standing Orders, Business, Health; Chair, Parliamentary Select Committee On Mines And Energy (2005-); Principal Research Assistant, University Of Ghana Medical School (1998-2000). PhD in Philosophy Student, University of Ghana (2007-); Certificate in