MPLA wants periodic debates on common interest issues

MPLA party has defended periodic debates focused on the matters of common interest for the Angolan citizens.

The ruling party in Angola came up with this proposal during a debate held in National Assembly on Wednesday in Luanda.

The political organisation proposed debated on education, health, environment, technology, local governance, territory management, urban planning, protection of children, empowerment of women, among other matters of common interest.

According to the leader of the MPLA parliamentary group, Virgílio de Fontes Pereira, this will make plenary meetings and specialised working committees of the Parliament more dynamic, attractive and effective, "recalling the ágoras of ancient Greece".

The MP was speaking at the 5th ordinary plenary meeting of the 1st legislative session of the National Assembly, dedicated to the appreciation and approval of the General State Account (CGE) for the 2020 fiscal year.

From what he called "Open Parliament", the MPLA MP stressed the need to streamline the functioning of specialised work commissions, becoming more focused on dealing with the concerns of Angolan men and women, children, women, young people , churches, trade unions, communities, among others, without prejudice to their current traditional activity.

In its political declaration, the Parliamentary Group of the MPLA also stressed the need to reflect and study on the possibility of, with clear authorisation of the pecuniaries, publishing, in the various institutional mechanisms of the National Assembly, the suggestions, petitions and complaints of the citizens.

He said that this suggestion can help correct various behaviors of citizens and institutions.

He noted that the ideas presented aim to promote more inclusion and more dialogue in Parliament, "which is the House of the people, setting an example on the need not to lose focus on our Angolan nature and on the need for patriotic cohesion".

According to the politician, only unity, cohesion, peace and orderly and responsible behavior will allow "the people’s will of Angolan men and women to assert itself without deceit or mystification".

As for the General State Account (CGE) for fiscal year 2020, he highlighted the fact that the Executive continues to improve operational mechanisms that ensure greater coverage of reported data, greater transparency in the programming and execution of public expenditures, as well as the subjection to the increasing scrutiny of external control institutions.

He considered it unavoidable that the Covid-19 pandemic had made the financial year 2020 atypical, given the unpredictability surrounding its emergence, which forced the Executive to present a revised budget to the National Assembly.

This action, he said, provided the conditions "for the Executive to propose and implement a set of measures in various areas, in particular public health, ensuring not only the physical safety of people, but also the maintenance of the functioning of institutions and the survival of populations.

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)