Month: October 2010

The Member of Parliament for Fanteakwa constituency, Kwabena Amankwah Asiamah, has taken a swipe at the ruling government for reverting the name of the Golden Jubilee House which is supposed to be the official seat of government back to its former name, The Fag Staff House.

According to the MP, it appears as though there is a calculated attempt by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) party, to change the current names of monuments which was previously christened by former President John Agyekum Kufour.

He cites the recent reverting of the name of the Ohene Djan Sports stadium back to the Accra Sports stadium and the Jubilee House back to the Flag Staff House.

The over-$70-million edifice constructed by the Kufour Administration, has office and residential premises for the president, has been the subject of hot debate after President John Mills’ refusal to relocate there.

Earlier this year, a part of it was handed over to the Foreign Affairs Ministry temporarily after their offices were gutted.

Speaking on Peace FM’s morning show Kokrokoo, the Member of Parliament for Fanteakwa, Kwabena Amankwah Asiamah, urged the government to stop its fixation with name changing and rather busy itself by working hard to ensure the well-being of Ghanaians is enhanced.

‘’Look Ghanaians are currently facing a lot of problems, there is inadequate of gas supply, the educational system is in a fix, as we speak now University Teachers (UTAG) is on strike, the government instead of remedying the situation is rather changing names’’, he lamented.

‘’What on earth will changing names put in the pockets of the many poor people in the country, government should not engage itself in trivialities but work to improve the lives of such peoples whose expectations are high’’ he added.

Hon. Kwabena Amankwah Asiamah, questions why the government is unwilling to officially comment on the change of name, urging it to accept responsibility.

Story by : Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gh

The Member of Parliament for Jaman North and Minister of Chieftaincy and Culture, Asum-Ahensah at the weekend, underscored the need for attitudinal change towards the nation’s culture.

To this end, he said, Ghanaians should encourage and promote our creative industries, which hold the key to the development of the country’s creative economy.

Mr Asum-Ahensah made the call, when he addressed a durbar of the chiefs and people of the Shai (Se) Traditional Area, during their Annual Ngmayem Festival at Dodowa.

Ngmayem is an ancient festival of the Dangme people. Mgma (millet) was the staple food of the Dangme Tribes as well as the Gas, which is processed into flour for bread and other kinds of food. Mr Asum-Ahensah, who represented the President as the Guest Speaker, said there was the need for Ghanaians to attach great importance to the nation’s culture ” as the bedrock of our development”, since it covers every facet of human activity.

He urged traditional rulers to acquire skills in conflict resolution and mediation, in order to manage and forestall potential future conflicts, w hich undermined development in the various traditional areas.

“Our forbears used such methods to co-habit peacefully before the western courts were introduced to us.”

The Minister advised the chiefs and people of the Shai Traditional Area, to put their arts together, close their ranks, bury their differences, as far as chieftaincy disputes were concerned, and work hard towards the development of the area in particular, and Ghana as a whole.

Mr Asum-Ahensah disclosed that the National House of Chiefs, with the support of some donor agencies, was collaborating with the Ministry of Justice and the Attorney-General’s Department, to enhance the skills and competencies of chiefs in Alternative Dispute Resolution. He was optimistic that these programmes would contribute immensely to the resolution of several chieftaincy disputes in the country.

The Chieftaincy and Culture Minister intimated that, this year’s edition of the National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFAC), would be held in Tamale, from November 20 to 27, under the theme: “NAFAC-Promoting Unity, Technology and Wealth Creation for a Better Ghana: The Role of the Youth in Nation Building.”

Mr Asum-Ahensah explained that whereas in the past NAFAC showcased and celebrated the unique diversities of the country’s rich cultural heritage and also promoted excellence and creativity in the arts, the focus now was shifting towards development and job creation opportunities for the unemployed youth.
Source: GNA

Over 270 people, mainly the aged in the La Dadekotopon Constituency of the Greater Accra region received free National Health Insurance Identity Cards from their Member of Parliament on Saturday amidst smiles and exclamations of joy.

Nii Amasah Namoale, the MP for the constituency, who is also the Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture in Charge of Fisheries, presented the Government Health Insurance cards to the beneficiaries at a brief ceremony at La.

The entire registration for the 271 people cost GH¢2,904, made up of the MP’s personal support of GH¢1,304 and GH¢1,600 from the MP Common Fund.

Nii Namoale explained that most people especially the aged in the constituency have not registered with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) mainly because they did not have the money to do that.

As a result, he said, in order to put to an end to the growing number of people who come to him to seek assistance to pay their medical bills, he together with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) party constituency executives, decided to enroll them onto the NHIS.

Nii Namoale, counseled the beneficiaries to keep the ID cards safe. “Don’t put the card among metals or a magnet and radio and television sets because it is made in such a way that such things can destroy it. Try to buy some protective leather cover for it.

“Again the card is your national identity. It will be of immense benefit to you in diverse ways. Value it and keep it always,” Nii Namoale advised them.

Mrs Dorothy Mantey, one of the beneficiaries, on behalf of the rest thanked the MP and the party constituency executives for the support.

A former Deputy Minister of Finance has threatened to commence legal proceedings against the Editor –in-chief of the Enquirer newspaper, Raymond Archer.

Dr Anthony Akoto Osei who served in the erstwhile Kufuor administration says a publication by the newspaper in its Friday, October 1, publication, which links him to the alleged purchase of a property belonging to the defunct Ghana Airways by one Albert Osei, was published to smudge his reputation.

According to the publication headlined, “Akoto Osei and Brother Again” the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) deliberately collapsed Ghana Airways to pave way for cronies of the regime to loot the property of the national carrier.

It alleged that one Mr Albert Osei, a brother of Dr Anthony Akoto Osei bought one of the houses which belonged to the defunct airline situated at Number 10 Augustino Neto, Airport residential area at the cost of 680 thousand dollars.

It further reported that Dr Akoto Osei’s brother has fully paid for the facility but it is not clear if he has been able to procure the necessary documents covering the building. The Enquirer’s report emphasized that an official of Ghana Airways Limited who had worked with the airline for so many years expressed interest in acquiring the property but was bypassed by Price Water House Coopers, official liquidators of Ghana Airways.

The NPP government liquidated Ghana Airways with a promise to establish a completely new and modern airline which was profitable. However, by the time the NPP left office, the new airline they established (Ghana International Airline) was indebted to the tune of 55 million dollars.

Speaking in an interview with Xfm an Accra based radio station, Dr Akoto Osei said a closer look at the article is only meant to smear his reputation as “the article has nothing to do with him”. He lamented, “I have read the article and it has nothing to do with me, but this guy Raymond Archer (referring to the Publisher of the Enquirer); I don’t know who is paying him to do this. But I am not even bothered about it, he can continue to do that but at the appropriate time I will get my lawyers to deal with him, the article has nothing to do with me”.

The former deputy Finance minister stated categorically that Raymond archer is being paid to slander his reputation.

“People like that should not be allowed to damage peoples reputation, I don’t know who is paying him to do that but if you read the article you can decide for yourself”

Source: XFM