Month: August 2010

The NPP Member of Parliament for Fanteakwa, Kwabena Amankwa Asiamah, has defended the comments of the former President of the Methodist Church in Ghana, Rev. Samuel Asante Antwi, describing it as spot-on.

Rev. Asante Antwi says the Mills administration has failed to improve the lives of Ghanaians as promised during the party’s electioneering campaigns and wants Ghanaians to reject the NDC and vote for Nana Akufo-Addo in the 2012 polls.

Rev. Asante Antwi who was addressing a thanksgiving service attended by the NPP flagbearer and leading members of the party in Accra, lamented on a myriad of issues including the increasing spate of indescipline in the country.

“…They said that we (NPP) didn’t do well, what have they done about those things? What about the roads? Now the road toll has been increased how many per cent?… more than a thousand per cent. What have they done with the monies collected? Water, electricity?

Comenting on the issue as a panel member on Peace fm’s morning show on Monday, Hon. Amankwa Asiamah, disagreed with suggestions that as a Reverend Minister who is supposed to lead people to God and preach unity, it was wrong for Rev. Asante Antwi to take such clear political stance.

” The Reverend minister has done nothing wrong in critisizing the status quo, is it not true that the NDC government has failed in improving the lives of Ghanaians as they promised, is there not an increase in indesciple in the country, the seizure of National Health Insurance Scheme offices by NDC footsoldiers, burning of tender documents among others are clear examples, ”he said.

Hon Amankwa Asiamah cited Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa and Rev. Jesse Jackson as some of the most respected Men of God who are known to be politicians and encouraged Rev Ministers to be bold enough to speak up their minds on national issues including politics.

Story by:Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gh

A defeated Presidential aspirant of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Isaac Osei, has jabbed the National Democratic Congress (NDC), describing the ruling party as destroyers.

The NPP Member of Parliament (MP) for Subin in Kumasi contended that because the NDC were destroyers, they had virtually destroyed all the good things ex-President Kufuor left behind.

“If I say that the NDC are destroyers, I know why I am saying so because they have destroyed the National Health Insurance Scheme, School Feeding Programme, the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) and other commendable initiatives the NPP introduced,” the MP noted.

He said the President Mills-led government Ilad clearly demonstrated in its 18 months in office that it was incapable of running the affairs of the country properly.

The former Chief Executive Officer of COCOBOD enjoined Ghanaians to vote against the ruling party in the forthcoming elections.

“We have another opportunity to redeem ourselves from these destroyers by voting against them overwhelmingly in the next elections, before they destroy everything in this beautiful country of ours,” Hon Osei observed.

The country’s former High Commissioner to the United Kingdom made these remarks in Kumasi when he thanked his constituents for their support in the party’s just-ended presidential primary.

Hon Osei, who placed third, in the primary, was among the five contestants who vied for the position to lead the party in the 2012 elections.

The race, which was touted as uncompromising by political pundits, was won by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

Nana Addo secured over 78 percent of the votes in the unprecedented primary to get the nod for the second consecutive time to lead the NPP into an electoral battle.

Though Mr Osei failed to win in his constituency, he stated that he felt obliged to thank delegates in his constituency.

The NPP legislator assembled all the delegates in his constituency at Aseda House in Kumasi on Thursday and expressed his heartfelt gratitude for their support.

Hon Osei emphasized that though he did not win in his constituency, the votes he garnered in that constituency was his highest in all the 230 constituencies where the elections took place simultaneously on August 7.

“I must thank you sincerely for your support because the votes you gave me were my highest throughout the country though I did not emerge as the overall winner,” he observed.

The Honourable MP reiterated his commitment to champion the cause of Nana Addo, the newly-elected flag-bearer, to ensure that the former MP for Abuakwa South becomes the next president of the country.

“I am promising that I will fight with all my might, knowledge, resources and everything to support Nana Addo for him to bring our dear party back to power in 2012,” Hon Osei stated.

He charged the delegates and the general support base of the party to kick-start campaign at their respective areas to ensure that the party’s chances of coming back to power are brightened.

“Begin to wear the ‘T’ shirts of Nana Addo, spread the good news about him and the NPP and make sure that he becomes the darling boy of people in your areas,” Hon Osei charged the delegates.

Stressing that the contest was over, he entreated the delegates to come together in one accord, saying that peace and absolute unity were the basic tools for the party’s success in the 2012 polls.

Story :Daily Guide.

Some 250 members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Adansi Asokwa Constituency have reportedly defected to join the Opposition New Patriotic Party.

The Thursday August 12 edition the Daily Guide News Paper reported that the defectors have pledged support for the NPP Member of Parliament for the constituency, Hon K.T. Hammond.

At a durbar to announce their intentions last week, the Leader of the defectors, Mutala Mohammed, reportedly said the incompetence of the Mills administration, coupled with lack of policy direction for Ghana’s economic growth, were some of the factors that influenced their decision to abandon the ruling party.

Hon. K.T. Hammond who confirmed the reports to Citi News said most of the youth left the NDC because they are disappointed at the deceit that was told them by the party.

”The youth are so disenchanted with the NDC for all the lies. It didn’t surprise me because the NDC party depends on lies and deceit.

”Some of them were in the NPP and they were lied to by the NDC so they decided to come back. I have never wished the NDC well and so if they are going to collapse because of this, then I think it is a manifestation of what is going on everywhere” he said.

He disclosed that there have been attempts by executives of the NDC to convince the defectors to rescind their decision, but they have remained adamant.

But the Ashanti Regional Secretary of the NDC Joseph Yamin has told Citi News the reports are untrue.

According to him, the defectors in question are not known members of the party and that Hon. KT Hammond only wants to score cheap political points.

Professor Mike Oquaye, Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, has called on the Constitution Review Commission (CRC) to treat every recommendation as significant and do a thorough job to ensure the removal of ambiguities from the 1992 Republican Constitution of Ghana.

“In amending this Constitution please tighten the screws; don’t take anything for granted,” Prof Oquaye told the Commissioners last Monday when the CRC held a hearing on party politics in Accra under the auspices of the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA).

“The Constitution must be an instrument for political, social and economic engineering,” the Second Deputy Speaker stated, adding, “We must ensure that there is as little ambiguities as possible.”

He did not conceal his desire to see the review process result in a provision that adequately addresses the appointment of Members of Parliament (MPs) onto boards of state-owned enterprises (SOEs), whether they are wholly or partly owned by the state.

Some of the oft-cited provisions which are said to be tainted with ambiguity include Articles 19 and 267(6) (b). For instance, it has been proposed that Article 19 be further clarified by requiring that in all criminal trials documents available to the prosecution and witness statement in the custody of the prosecution shall be made available to the defendant to enable him to adequately prepare his defence.

Last Monday’s hearing was part of the CRC’s mini consultation process. It offered political parties the opportunity to present to the Commission their views on the many issues of governance that confront the nation. The consultation took the form of a court hearing with political party representatives appearing in the box as witnesses and putting their cases across. They were then questioned by the Commissioners with Prof. Albert K. Fiadjoe, CRC Chair, leading the exercise.

First to appear in the witness box was Alhaji Huudu Yahaya of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), who presented the consensual position of the four political parties with representation in Parliament. The position was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of a recent retreat at Aburi in the Akuapem South Municipality of the Eastern Region.

On behalf of the NDC, New Patriotic Party (NPP), Convention People’s Party (CPP) and People’s National Convention (PNC), Alhaji Yahaya pushed for a “Permanent Commission with an agreed template” to be established “to determine the salaries and allowances of the Article 71 category of office holders at all times and under all Presidents.”

In addition, “An Act of Parliament should determine the retiring benefits and awards of the office holders for all time but with appropriate adjustment formula for inflation and other significant variables.”

Also, the parties propose that there should be no ceiling on the number of Ministers to be appointed from Parliament. This will require an amendment to Article 78 (I). According to this provision, “Ministers of State shall be appointed by the President with the prior approval of Parliament except that the majority of Ministers of State shall be appointed from among members of Parliament.”

Supporting the recommendation to amend Article 78(1), Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, 2008 CPP presidential candidate, testified that he was more effective as minister when he did not double as MP than when he held both offices simultaneously.

Dr Nduom was MP from 2005 to 2009 during which he partly served as minister in the Kufuor-led NPP administration.

He also proposed an amendment to Article 68(5) to allow the President to pay tax. In his opinion, the President must set example by paying tax in order to justify taxation of the citizenry. According to Article 68(5), the salary, allowances, facilities, pensions and gratuity of the President “shall be exempt from tax.”

On behalf of the Commissioners, Prof K. Fiadjoe assured the political parties that their views would be considered, indicating that the Commission would expect further inputs from individual political parties.

The nine-member CRC was set up by a Constitutional Instrument 20 10 (CI.) 64 as a Commission of Inquiry to conduct a consultative review of the operation of the 1992 Constitution after almost two decades of uninterrupted Constitutional Rule under the Fourth Republic.

The Commission was inaugurated by President John Evans Atta Mills in January, giving the members a three prong mandate. First, the CRC is tasked to ascertain from the people of Ghana, their views on the operation of the 1992 Constitution and, in particular, the strengths and weaknesses of the Constitution.

It is also expected to articulate the concerns of the populace as regards amendments that may be required for a comprehensive review of the 1992 Constitution; and finally to make recommendations to Government for consideration and provide a draft Bill for possible amendments to the 1992 Constitution.

Source: Public Agenda

Mr Stephen Amoanor-Kwao, Member of Parliament (MP) for Upper Manya, has advised assembly members to forget about their party affiliations and to work as a team to move their districts forward.

He indicated that by so doing they would be helping government to achieve the “Better Ghana Agenda”.
Mr Amanor-Kwao, also a Minister of State in the Office of the President, was addressing the Second Ordinary Meeting of the second session of the Upper Manya Krobo District Assembly at Asesewa on Wednesday.

He urged them to be united adding that anyone seen to be sabotaging government’s efforts on account of ones party affiliation did not deserve to be in the assembly.
Mr Amanor-Kwao advised them not to put party politics in their work rather, their main goal should be development.

He expressed worry about the situation whereby contracts for some projects, especially roads were awarded direct from Accra without consultation with the assembly and questioned the relevance of the decentralization policy if such situation should be allowed to go on.
The MP charged assembly members to supervise those projects to ensure that the contractors did quality work.

He later donated a cheque of GH¢ 50,000 towards the provision of bungalows at the Asesewa Government Hospital.
Mr Joseph Tetteh Angmor, District Chief Executive said the government had introduced several interventions like reducing the cost of expensive agricultural inputs for farmers to make agricultural production attractive.

He mentioned one of those interventions as the introduction of the Waybill system for farmers.
Mr Angmor said under that system, government was absorbing all overhead costs connected with the supply and sale of fertilizers.

“Thus, a bag of NPK fertilizer, which used to sell at GH¢ 54.00 is now being sold at GH¢ 27.00, Ammonia is also sold at GH¢ 18.00 instead of GH¢ 38.00 while Urea is now sold at GH¢ 24.00 instead of GH¢ 54.00 previously under the coupon system”.

Mr Angmor implored the assembly members to educate farmers in their respective communities to ensure that they bought the fertilizers at those prices.
During an open forum the assembly members expressed concern about the negative activities of Fulani herdsmen in the area and appealed to the security agencies to take the necessary steps to “deal with them.”

The assembly members alleged that those herdsmen who were often armed to the teeth even raped women in the bush.

GNA

Mr Kennedy Agyapong, the Member of Parliament for Assin North, has presented a large quantity of relief items to the flood victims of Agona Swedru, Agona Nyakrom and Agona East.

During a ceremony at Swedru in the Central Region, a truck load of used clothing, wax prints, sandals, and second hand shoes for women, children and men.

Mr Agyapong, who made the presentation at the palace of the Swedruhene, said about two months ago, he made a similar donation to the victims and promised to seek assistance from other well-meaning Ghanaians to support them.

The MP also asked Nana Botwe, Swedruhene, who received the items, to give part of it to other victims in the Gomoa East.

He said the problems facing the displaced persons could be solved by the collaborative efforts of government, organizations and individuals.

The MP appealed to well-to-do people in the country and foreign philanthropists to go to the aid of the affected persons.

Nana Asiedu Kobina Botwe II, Swedruhene, expressed appreciation to Mr Agyapong and Ken City Ghana Limited for the kind gesture and appealed to Ghanaians to assist the displaced persons.

He asked the people in the Agona West Municipality, Gomoa and Agona East districts not to politicise into the donation made by the MP.

Nana Botwe stated that it was being done on humanitarian grounds to support the people who have been hit by the flood, which occurred in June 20 this year.

He also thanked the MP for keeping his promise to return to assist them after donating 50 bags of rice, 30 boxes of cooking oil and 20 bags of sugar to the displaced persons at Agona Swedru, Nyakrom and urged others to learn from his example.

Nana Essieni, Nifahene and Nana Kobina Nyakoh, Wawasehene and other leaders of the Swedruman Council of Chiefs were present.

Source: GNA