Month: September 2010

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Ahafo Ano North in the Ashanti Region, Richard Akuoko Adiyia has bemoaned the invasion of caskets from China into the country.

The MP observed that lately caskets of different brands have been imported into the country in high quantities to the detriment of local carpenters that manufacture them.

Chinese-made caskets, according to him are being displayed in numerous stores in Kumasi “and the question I ask myself is, don’t we have enough casket makers in the country?”

The MP who spoke to the Daily Guide said the presence of these imported coffins displayed in abundance in areas such as Asafo Roundabout, Fante Newtown and portions at Ahodwo have the potential to destroy the businesses of local manufacturers calling on government to do something about the situation in earnest.

“Why should we import coffins from China? We are collapsing our infant industries and wiping out our manufacturing base which is vital to the country’s development,” he added.

Hon. Adiyia wondered why virtually everything from tooth picks and now caskets are being imported into the country as if nothing can be manufactured here.

The country’s over reliance on foreign products, he lamented to the paper has resulted in the collapse of textile industries in Ghana saying “Ghana Textiles exists only in name; there is no textile industry in Ghana.”

He said the furniture industry is also on the brink of extinction all because of the importation of Chinese furniture which is rampant in the country.
The law maker blasted Ghanaians for their perception that anything foreign is better than those made in Ghana, stressing “It’s about time we patronized our local products to help boost the economy.”

Hon. Akuoko Adiyia charged government to do everything possible within its means to protect infant industries and provide an enabling environment for made in Ghana goods to compete effectively with cheap foreign imports.

Source: Daily Guide

The Member of Parliament for the Jomoro Constituency in the Western Region, Samia Nkrumah has stated that she would have voted against the STX housing deal if she was in the country during its debate.

Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Evening Ghana Programme, Samia said she would have disapproved of the deal because she had strong conviction that there was everything wrong with the deal.

The controversial deal between the government of Ghana and Korea will allow the Korean firm, STX Group construct 200,000 housing units at a cost of $10 billion.The same deal will provide 30,000 housing units for the security services.

The deal ignited a long raging controversy among a wide section of Ghanaians including, stakeholders such as the Ghana Real Estate Development Association (GREDA), policy think tanks and civil society groups such as Imani and the Danquah Institute among others. It was finally approved by the parliament inspite of protests and an eventual walk out by the Minority.

The much anticipated signing of the deal between the government of Ghana and Korea on Monday 20th September was postponed indefinitely due to some legal discrepancies in the deal.

Hon. Samia Nkrumah who made her opinion on the deal public for the first time said she did not feel right about the whole deal and questioned why the contract was not awarded to Ghanaian construction firms who could equally do a good job.

‘’ if the deal was awarded to a local company, it would have gone a long way to provide more employment which would reduce the rate of poverty in the country’’, she added.

She urged government to focus its attention more on engaging local experts in developing the country and stop depending on other countries.

Story by : Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gh

The Minority Leader and Member of Parliament for Suame, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, says he will decline to serve as a running mate to Nana Akufo Addo to contest the 2012 elections if he is nominated.

He says for now, he is not entertaining any such thoughts but wants to focus his attention on his current job as a minority leader and MP, to help in the execution of developmental projects for his constituents and the country as a whole.

The issue about finding a good running mate for Nana Akufo Addo, one who will appeal to the floating voters and draw more votes for the NPP begun immediately after Nana Akufo Addo was elected the party’s flagbearer during the August 2010 NPP national congress.

Names such as Alan Kyeremanteng, Nana Addo’s closest competitor and Dr Mahamadu Bawumia, the 2008 running mate to Nana Akufo Addo, featured prominently in several media reports as possible running mates, a development the NPP National Chairman, Jake Obestebi Lamptey described as premature because it was early in the day to be thinking about choosing a running mate.

Speaking on Oman fm’s morning show on Thursday, the Minority Leader, Osei Kyei –Mensah- Bonsu disclosed that he sees himself as an unlikely person to partner Nana Addo, as a running mate because he himself does not believe that a South- South presidential ticket for the NPP will help the party garner the needed votes to win the 2012 elections.

‘’ its unfortunate that in our current political dispensation, Ghanaians base the selection of presidential candidates and their vice on geographical, ethnic and religious balances rather than the competences of the persons’’ he said.

Hon. Osei Kyei –Mensah- Bonsu adds that though he is competent enough to serve in high offices of the land his current preoccupation is to work effectively in the legislature to formulate laws that will ensure the growth of the country.

Story by: Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gh

The Member of Parliament for Ayensuano, Samuel Aye- Paye, says Ghana should begin to formulate policies that will help the country to develop itself independent of foreign countries.

He says the current situation where Ghana always looks to foreign countries is unacceptable and it is important that the country weans itself from the seemingly dependence on such countries to develop.

His comment follows the Government of Ghana securing a 10.4 billion dollar concessionary loan from the Export-Import Bank of China to develop the country’s road, rail, and other sectors of the economy including energy, education and health, and a 3 billion project finance facility agreed between the Ghana government and the China Development Bank, all of which was secured during the visit of President Attah Mills to China.

Contributing to a panel discussion on Adom fm’s morning show on Thursday, the Member of Parliament for Ayensuano, Samuel Aye- Paye believes that with all the natural resources that the country is endowed with, Ghana should not have any difficulty in developing itself.

He notes that some of the loans secured from these developed countries have far reaching consequences as it has conditions attached to it which in some cases are not in the best interest of the country.

‘’ even though we are yet to produce and process oil in commercial quantities, revenue from this product will be used to service several loans’’ he said.

Hon. Samuel Aye- Paye, contends that there is no reason why Ghana cannot be developed just like any of our developing partners, and it is important that the government looks inwardly to realize this dream.

Story by : Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gh

The Minority Leader and Member of Parliament for Suame, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, says he will decline to serve as a running mate to Nana Akufo Addo to contest the 2012 elections if he is nominated.

He says for now, he is not entertaining any such thoughts but wants to focus his attention on his current job as a minority leader and MP, to help in the execution of developmental projects for his constituents and the country as a whole.

The issue about finding a good running mate for Nana Akufo Addo, one who will appeal to the floating voters and draw more votes for the NPP begun immediately after Nana Akufo Addo was elected the party’s flagbearer during the August 2010 NPP national congress.

Names such as Alan Kyeremanteng, Nana Addo’s closest competitor and Dr Mahamadu Bawumia, the 2008 running mate to Nana Akufo Addo, featured prominently in several media reports as possible running mates, a development the NPP National Chairman, Jake Obestebi Lamptey described as premature because it was early in the day to be thinking about choosing a running mate.

Speaking on Oman fm’s morning show on Thursday, the Minority Leader, Osei Kyei –Mensah- Bonsu disclosed that he sees himself as an unlikely person to partner Nana Addo, as a running mate because he himself does not believe that a South- South presidential ticket for the NPP will help the party garner the needed votes to win the 2012 elections.

‘’ its unfortunate that in our current political dispensation, Ghanaians base the selection of presidential candidates and their vice on geographical, ethnic and religious balances rather than the competences of the persons’’ he said.

Hon. Osei Kyei –Mensah- Bonsu adds that though he is competent enough to serve in high offices of the land his current preoccupation is to work effectively in the legislature to formulate laws that will ensure the growth of the country.

Story by: Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gh

With barely four days to go for the 2010 Population and Housing Census (PHC), the Member of Parliament for Ablekuma South, Fritz Baffour, has expressed concern about the low level of publicity on the impending exercise.

He said the publicity on the census must be stepped up to ensure that the general public is adequately informed about the exercise.

Due to the changes in the population distribution and settlement patterns, there was the need for the government to conduct the 2010 census in order to help government in developmental projects.

The importance of the census is to help update the data on demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the national, regional, district and constituencies, as well as locality levels.

The results of the census data would be critical reference to ensure equity and distribution of government resources.

Speaking on e.tv Ghana Breakfast TV programme Wednesday morning, the Member of Parliament for Ablekuma South, Fritz Baffour, called on all involved in the census exercise to efficiently do their duties to ensure a successful exercise.

He noted that as an important exercise it is essential that the general public freely gives out information that will be required when the census officials visit them, as the public will be the direct beneficiaries of the exercise.

Story by : Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gh

The signing of the controversial STX Korea Housing deal between the government of Ghana and Korea, has been postponed indefinitely.

The Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin, who is also MP for Nadowli West and a delegation from STX Korea could not sign the deal at the Osu Castle on Monday September 20 due to some legal inconsistencies.

The signing would have ensured the initial construction of 200,000 Housing Units for the country’s security services.

A Deputy Information Minister James Agyenim Boateng who briefed journalist after the botched signing ceremony stated that the agreement had been referred to the Attorney General for advice and also allow for corrections to be effected on the legal differences before the deal is signed.

The legal discrepancies which are not yet clear were raised by both the Korean and Ghanaian officials, and the date for the signing cannot be immediately stated as the inconsistencies may require some time to be corrected.

The STX Housing project is expected to provide employment for several people and also improve the current housing deficit in the country.

The Minority NPP who were opposed to the deal, had earlier maintained that the cost of constructing the housing units was expensive and that local contractors could have done the same job at a cheaper cost.

The Minority subsequently staged a walkout after it became apparent the Majority side was bent on approving the deal which they later did.

Story by : Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gh

The Member of Parliament for Akim Oda, Yaw Owusu Boateng has called for a concerted effort from all stakeholders to ensure that the increasing spate of road accidents which in most cases result in a lot of fatalities is reduced drastically.

His call comes in the wake of an accident over the weekend where 25 passengers travelling from Zogu in the Savelugu Nanton District in the Northern Region to Tamale to attend a funeral, died in a ghastly accident at Zagyuri, near Kamina. While 18 of the victims perished on the spot, seven of them died later at the Tamale Teaching Hospital.

Investigations reveal that said the accident occurred when the driver of a cargo truck loaded with more than 100 passengers, in an attempt to overtake a tipper truck, veered off the road and plunged into a gutter resulting in the death and severe injuries to the passengers.

Speaking to Ghanamps.gov.gh. the Member of Parliament for Akim Oda, Yaw Owusu Boateng, bemoaned the increased cases of road accident which statistics from the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) indicates cost the country $165 million annually, representing 1.6% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

He questioned why a cargo truck should be allowed to carry human beings and as much as over a hundred people without the police noticing it to correct the anomaly.

‘’It is only in Ghana that you see a cargo truck carrying human beings, and it appears no one sees anything wrong with this, it is almost becoming a culture particularly in the northern part of Ghana and this is very worrying’’, he said.

Hon. Yaw Owusu Boateng urged the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit of the Police Service to take immediate steps to clear from the roads broken down vehicles which are left on the roads unattended to, as this is a contributes to the carnage on our roads.

He added that motorist should adhere to basic road safety precautions to ensure the high spate of accident is curbed or avoided.

Story by : Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gh

The Member of Parliament for Okaikoi South, Nana Akomea, says the former British diplomat, Craig Murray should be praised for the vital role he played in ensuring the NDC did not mar the 2000 elections.

Mr Murray who served as deputy British High Commssioner claims to have been involved in ensuring a transparent election in 2000

The Diplomat asserts in his book ‘The Catholic Orangeman of Togo & Other Conflicts I have Known’ that, the NDC was going to use the power of incumbency to rig the elections, but his contribution together with others foiled the NDC plan.

The book gives a vivid detail of how events took place in both sides of the then ruling government and that of the opposition NPP as well as what transpired at the Electoral Commission.

Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana programme Friday, Nana Aomea, called on Ghanaians not to judge Craig Murray by his personal life but rather focus on the incontrovertible facts in his statements.

He portrayed Craig Murray as someone who believed that the 2000 elections was going to be rigged and so took practical steps to ensure the right thing was done describing that move as brave.
The MP said Craig Murray actually took steps to ensure that the grounds were level to ensure a result that truly reflected the will of the Ghanaian people.

Nana Akomea was however not happy with the NPP for outrightly dismissing claims by Mr Murray that he helped the party to win power, but urged the NPP to deal with the issue disspassionately.

Story by : Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gh

The Member of Parliament for Afram Plains South, Raphael Kofi Ahaligah, has threatened to sue the Daily Searchlight Newspaper for defamation.

The Paper published that the MP had defrauded an expatriate a (Japanese) man after the MP hired a tractor from the man and used it to plough his farms in his constituency for a long time but failed to pay for its usage.

The report further claimed that the MP intentionally issued the Japanese with a dud cheque of Gh¢1000 when he clearly knew he did not have that amount of money in his account.

But speaking to Ghanamps.gov.gh, the Member of Parliament for Afram Plains South, Hon. Raphael Kofi Ahaligah, who refuted the story, described it as a calculated attempt to tarnishing his hard earned reputation.

”I will never involve myself in any shady deal which i know will bring shame to myself and family, as an honourable man fraud will be the last thing to do”, he said.

Explaining further the facts of the case, Hon. Raphael Kofi Ahaligah, disclosed that he hired the tractor about 4 years ago and issued the Japanese a cheque of Gh¢1000 as cost for using the tractor, but the Japanese who had difficulty in cashing the cheque reported back to him where he later paid him an agreed cash of Gh¢800 after realizing that, the period for which he used the tractor cost less than the amount first charged.

He added that after sometime the Japanese who still had the cheque with him started pestering him to buy the tractor which had broken down and had no spare parts to re- fix, but he declined.

Hon Raphael Ahaligah stated that since that time the Japanese has been all over the place with the old cheque claiming that he the MP owed him, but he has vowed to go every length to prove his innocence.

Story by : Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gh