Month: October 2010

The Member of Parliament for Asikuma Odobeng Brakwa, P.C Appiah Ofori has stated that he has no intention of seeking for re-election in the up-coming 2012 elections.

He became the Member of Parliament for the constituency on the ticket of the NPP, in the year 2001 and is currently serving his third term in office.

The MP, who is an anti-corruption campaigner and have been described by some persons as an eccentric character, has been severally criticized for his ‘abusive comment’ made against the Paramount Chief of the Oguaa Traditional Area, Osaberima Kwesi Attah 11, when Nana Akufo Addo, was prevented from exchanging pleasantries with the Chiefs at the recent Oguaa Fetu festival.

PC Appiah Ofori’s defiant posture and refusal to apologize to the Chiefs and People of the Oguaa Traditional Area, has set people wondering and assessing his political future and the possibility of him retaining his parliamentary seat.

But speaking to Ghanamps.gov.gh, the Member of Parliament for Asikuma Odobeng Brakwa, PC Appiah Ofori, stated that he believed he had served his constituency effectively, bringing about a lot of development to the area, and it was time to step down for others to continue.

‘’This is going to be my last tenure as a member of parliament for the constituency, I need to move on with my life and venture into other activities’’, he said.

He however discounted any suggestion that his recent outburst had dwindled his political fortunes and that his decision not to seek for re- election was to avoid any embarrassment at the 2012 election, as defeat was starring him in the face.

Story by : Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gh

The Member of Parliament for Bosomtwi, Simon Osei Mensah has attributed the increased labor unrest in the country to the decision of the ruling government not to spend.

He believes the government is not willing to review upwards the conditions of service for striking groups as that will amount to spending which will violate the directives of the IMF and World Bank that requires government to cut its expenditure.

The country in the past few weeks has witnessed a number of strike actions from interest groups, the latest being the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) and the Polytechnic Teachers Association of Ghana( POTAG) who embarked on the exercise to press home their demand for the review of their conditions of service.

POTAG is aggrieved that government through the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission has failed to negotiate their conditions of service that expired in 2008.

Contributing to a panel discussion on Oman FM today, the Member of Parliament for Bosomtwi, Simon Osei, stated that it was important the government immediately begins to find other sustainable sources to fund the economy other than the IMF and World Bank, whose conditions have over the years had adverse effect on the economy.

‘’ it’s about time our governments wean themselves off the dependence on the Bretton Woods institutions who conditions have been harsh,’’ he said.

He added that the over- reliance on the oil proceeds which is yet to be accrued is worrying and urged government to venture into other schemes such as going to the capital market like the NPP did with the 750 million Euro bond which was very successful.

Story by : Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gh

Former Deputy Energy Minister, Hon K.T Hammond, has threatened to sue the Mills administration over the seizure of a plot of state-owned-land he bought under the erstwhile NPP administration.

On Tuesday, October 12, the Mills administration announced it was reclaiming state lands sold indiscriminately under the NPP regime in a bid to clamp down on alleged abuse of the Accra Redevelopment Programme.

According to the Government, some 15 beneficiaries from the sale of state lands under past governments have received refund of their monies.

However, speaking to Citi News on Wednesday October 13, Hon K.T Hammond, who was named as part of the 15 affected beneficiaries, denied ever receiving any refund from the Government.

“I don’t know of anybody who has received any money so far as claimed, my land is intact, I know there is some encroachments, some wall has been built around the piece of land but nobody has specifically touched my land, nobody has given me any indication, I heard it in the papers and some people are talking about but I have not received any letter so I might have to proceed to court to deal with that”.

Hon. K.T Hammond told Citi News he intends to seek key relief in his law suit with the view to ending what he considers an encroachment onto his land.

“I have been given a lease legally but I have been prevented from acquiring a title to it because the land registrars still haven’t issued me with the title to it so I am asking the court to give me that and then ask the AMA for permission to build on the land…I do know that whoever acquired a land there did so legally. I hear people talking about not following the due process let them prove to us that we did something illegal.”

Source : citinews

The Member of Parliament for Kwadaso in the Ashanti Region, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto says it is disingenuous on the part of the government to create a perception that government lands at prime areas in the capital were sold to public servants only during the NPP regime.

According to the MP, the sale of government lands to public servants dates as far back as pre- independence, and it is important that the NDC government stops the cheap propaganda that it is spewing out as it will not yield any positive results.

The government says it has halted with immediate effect, the “rampant disposal of state lands in some prime areas of Accra” under the Accra Redevelopment Policy.

It has also referred the report of the National Security on the acquisition of such lands to the Attorney General’s office for advice on the future of the policy, which was instituted to facilitate the redevelopment of some government lands and houses in prime areas including Cantonments, Airport Residential Area, Kanda, Switchback and Ridge.

Government says the intervention was necessitated by the abuse to which the policy was subjected, characterized by “reckless and indiscriminate disposal of state lands’’.

Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana show today, the Member of Parliament for Kwadaso, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto stated that he gets increasingly irritated when he hears the NDC blaming the NPP for indiscriminately selling the lands.

He added that successive governments including the CPP, NDC and NPP have all sold public lands and it’s important that a holistic non- partisan view is taken to address the issue.

Story by :Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gov

The Member of Parliament for Asikuma Odobeng – Brakwa constituency, Paul Collins Appiah Ofori, says he will consider responding to the ultimatum issued by the Oguaa Traditional Council, only when he receives a written notification.

The Oguaa Traditional Council has given Mr Appiah Ofori, 14 days to retract statements considered offensive which he made about the Omanhene of the Oguaa Traditional area, Osabarima Kwesi Atta II.

Mr. Appiah Ofori was said to have made offensive remarks about the chiefs of Cape Coast for failing to recognize Nana Akufo-Addo, the New Patriotic Party Flagbearer at the 2010 Fetu festival, although he had been officially invited by the chiefs.

The Traditional Council has said, they will make sure the MP faces the wrath of the law if he fails to render the apology within the time given him.

Speaking to ghanamps.gov.gh, the Member of Parliament for Asikuma Odobeng Brakwa P.C Appiah Ofori, stated that whatever the Traditional Council requires him to do must be communicated to him in writing.

‘’when they write to me and prefer charges against me, I will assess and find out if they have a good case, if they do, I will respond to their request, this must not be done through the newspapers or on radio’’ he said.

‘’I am prepared to apologize if I have done anything wrong, but I don’t think I have, because I spoke to the absolute truth’’, He added.

P.C Appiah Ofori said what happened at the durbar grounds was regrettable and if it was intended to disgrace the Flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party, he as an MP and also a staunch member of the biggest opposition party will not allow such a thing to happen.

Story by :Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gh

The Member of Parliament for Fanteakwa, Kwabena Amankwah Asiamah, has stated that the African Union, (AU) could not have found a better person than Ex President Jerry John Rawlings to serve as a special envoy to Somalia.

According to the Chairperson of the A U, Jean Ping, African leaders asked him to appoint a “high-level personality” who could garner support and generate more attention to the conflict in the Horn of Africa nation, which has not had an effective government since 1991.

Mr Rawlings, 63, will be tasked with “mobilizing” the continent and the rest of the international community to fully assume its responsibilities and contribute more actively to the quest for peace, security and reconciliation in Somalia.

Speaking on Peace FM’s morning show today, the Member of Parliament for Fanteakwa, Kwabena Amankwah Asiamah, was of the conviction that Ex President Rawlings was the most appropriate person to deal with the difficult task of brokering peace in a highly volatile area such as Somalia, considering the vast experience he has gathered over the years as leader of Ghana.

He said, Mr Rawlings, who ruled Ghana for two decades, first as a military leader when he staged a coup, and then later as a civilian elected president, is better placed to broker peace between the Al Shabab rebels and the Somali government who have been involved in fierce battle since 2007.

Hon. Kwabena Amankwa Asiamah expressed confidence that just like former President Kufour helped to bring peace to Cote D’ ivore, Ex President Rawlings will also do Ghana proud by fostering peace in war-ravaged Somalia.

Al-Shabab, which has been fighting Somalia’s government since 2007, recently claimed responsibility for a twin bombing attack in Uganda, which killed more than 70 people who were watching the World Cup.

The group has said that it will continue to undertake strikes in Uganda and Burundi as long as those countries provide troops for the AU peacekeeping force in Somalia.

Somalia has not had an effective central government for nearly 20 years and Al-Shabab controls significant portions of the country.

More than 21,000 Somalis have been killed in fighting since the start of the uprising, 1.5 million have been uprooted from their homes and nearly half a million are sheltering in other countries in the region.

Story by :Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gh

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has appointed Kwaku Agyenim-Boateng, MP for Berekum, as a Deputy General Secretary of the party. Mr. Agyenim Boateng is partnered in the same position by Mr. Abdulai Fulamba.

A statement signed by General Secretary Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie also names Mr. John Krugu and Mr. Kojo Acquah as Deputy National Organizers.

The rest of the appointments made are Ms. Tina Mensah and Ms. Kate Gyamfuah, Deputy Women’s Organizers. The new Deputy National Youth Organisers are Mr. Emmanuel Attafuah and Ms. Helen Adjonyor.

Former Adenta MP Kwadjo Opare-Hammond has been appointed as the new Director of Finance & Administration. He takes over from Mr. Antwi-Adjei, who has now been appointed Director of Protocol at the National Headquarters.

All appointments take effect from 1st October 2010.

The MP for Bawku Adamu Dramani Sekande was on Monday October 4 ordered by an Accra Fast Track High Court to open his defence in a case of dual citizenship brought against him few months after the 2008 general elections by Sumaila Bielbiel, a Cattle dealer in his constituency.

He claims the MP owes allegiance to the UK other than Ghana and that the Constitution disallows prohibited immigrants from contesting for membership in Ghana’s Legislature.

Hon. Dramani Sekande was on July 8 2010, acquitted and discharged of six out of nine criminal charges filed against him in the case. As it stands, Hon Dramani has opened his defense in relation to three other counts which include perjury and false declaration for office.

During hearing on Monday October 4, Hon. Sekande’s Counsel, Egbert Faibille Jnr pleaded with the Judge, Justice Charles Quist, to adjourn the case to the 14th of October 2010, by which time his key witness, a British immigration Lawyer would have arrived in the country from the United Kingdom. This was quashed by the Judge who ordered the accused to immediately “open his defence now” after the State Prosecutor had said that there was a conscious attempt by the accused and his team to prolong the case unduly.

The Judge further warned that he will proceed to pass a ruling if the accused failed to open his defence.

Immediately, Egbert Faibille Jnr pulled his client Adamu Sekande into the docket to answer few questions. The main question that was posed to Hon. Sekande was whether he possessed British Citizenship or not, which he responded, “I don’t hold British citizenship”.

Mr. Egbert Faibille then prayed the court to adjourn the case to enable him continue a thorough cross examination of his client to enable him prove his innocence since they had a short time to open their defense. The Judge granted the request and fixed October 8 2010, for the next hearing although their key witness is expected to arrive in the country on October 11.

Source : GNA

The Member of Parliament for Aburi-Nsawam, Osei Bonsu (O.B) Amoah, has urged government to furnish Parliament with the full list of employees at the Office of the President.

According to the MP, there are some persons including members of the ruling party who by virtue of their frequent visit to the castle present themselves supposedly as staff of the Presidency who in actual fact are not.

Section 11 of the Presidential Office Act (Act 463), 1993, requires the Office of the President to submit an annual report on the staff positions of employees of the Presidency to the Parliamentary Select Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs for its information and necessary action, a requirement that has not been met by the NDC government.

Speaking on Adom FM’s Morning Show, dubbed Dwaso Nsem , the Member of Parliament Aburi-Nsawam, Osei Bonsu Amoah, stated that it was important Ghanaians know persons who have been officially designated to work at the highest office of the land which is the Presidency.

He had no doubt in his mind that if such a list is made public, it would help prevent a situation where unscrupulous people would want to impersonate as employees and engage in criminal activities.

‘’ There are all manner of people whom troop to the castle on a daily basis and no one knows exactly who they are and what work they have been assigned to do’’, he said.

Hon. Osei Bonsu Amoah, added that he would seriously pursue this issue which is a constitutional requirement on the floor of parliament when parliamentary resumes sitting on 19th October 2010 after going on recess in the first week of August.

Story by : Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gh