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Month: November 2010

Government deceived people of Western Region -Balado Manu

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

The Member of Parliament for Ahafo Ano South, S.K Balado Manu, has accused the NDC Government of deceiving the people of the Western Region into voting for it during the 2008.

According to the MP, the Vice President, John Mahama, in the run-up to the 2008 general elections during his campaign to the area, promised the Chiefs and People of the Region of 10 percent of oil proceeds to be given to them for developmental projects.

He said after successfully luring the people to vote massively for the party to win the elections, it has turned its back towards the inhabitants of the Western Region, a situation he described as very unfortunate.

Chiefs from the Western Regional Traditional Council, a fortnight ago petitioned Parliament for 10 percent of petroleum revenues to be awarded them for the development of the region.

But the Joint Committee on Finance and Mines and Energy rejected the petition by the chiefs arguing that it didn’t have the mandate to make a provision for the chiefs’ demand in the Petroleum Revenues Management Bill as the Bill was not designed to distribute petroleum revenues.

However the chiefs were of the view that the rejection of the petition was hasty, unfair and disrespectful.

Speaking on Adom FM Wednesday morning, Hon. S.K Balado Manu stated that the government must be held accountable to the statements its officials made during the electioneering campaigns and made to deliver on its many promises.

“After raising the hopes of the people of the Western region with those promises and they also voting overwhelmingly for you, you now turn around and in a diplomatic manner turn down their request, this is very unfair”, he said.

Mr Balado Manu, further argued that the low level of development in the Western Region is not commensurate with its natural resources and the contribution the region makes to the nation’s economy and it is important that the situation is immediately addressed.

Story by : Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gh

Campaign promises are not always meant to be fulfilled – Sege MP

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

The Member of Parliament for Sege Constituency, Alfred Abayateye has said that campaign promises made by politicians are not always meant to be fulfilled.

He said politicians make all kinds of comments during electioneering campaigns but these promises are not legally binding.

He was reacting to Joe Badu Ansah’s assertion that the Vice President made a campaign promise to allocate a substantial percentage of the oil proceeds to the Western Region which was captured in the Tuesday September 2, 2008 edition of The Ghanaian Times.

Speaking on e.TV Ghana’s morning show on Wednesday, Hon. Alfred Abayeteye stated that he was happy that the Vice President John Mahama said that when he was not the sitting president of Ghana.

“We politicians say things on campaign trail…even if the Vice President made that promise, does it mean every promise should be in the law?”

He explained that he had nothing against the Western Region but that the country’s resources are supposed to be equally distributed across the regions of Ghana.

He cited his home town, Ada, as an example of an area rich in salt but despite its natural resource, the area had not been apportioned a percentage of its resources.

Alfred Abayeteye explained that the NDC is trying to table a law that would govern any other prospective oil find in Ghana and as such, it should not only be restricted to the Western Region alone.

“We are making the law for the land…the law for the land is not for the Western Region, it’s for Ghana”, Mr. Abayateye added.

Story by : Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gh

Chiefs demand apology from joint committee of Parliament

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

The Paramount Chief of the Western Nzema Traditional Area, Awulae Annor Adjaye, is demanding an unqualified apology from the Joint committee of Parliament.

The Joint Committee on Finance and Mines and Energy rejected a petition by the chiefs of the Western Region for 10 percent of petroleum revenues for the development of the region.

The committee argued it didn’t have the mandate to make a provision for the chiefs’ demand in the Petroleum Revenues Management Bill as the Bill was not designed to distribute petroleum revenues.

But Awulae Annor Adjaye said the rejection of the petition was hasty, unfair and disrespectful.

He said when the petition was submitted, the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mr Doe Adjaho, assured the chiefs that if the members of the House found any difficulties with the petition, they (chiefs) would be invited for a discussion.

The chief said the conduct of the Parliamentary committee had breached that assurance by the Deputy Speaker of the House.

“A lot of thinking went into the petition and just to rubbish it without any discussion means that they are taking the chiefs and people of the region for a ride,” he said.

Awulae Annor Adjaye said the chiefs will meet to take a decision on the matter.

Source: joy fm

Border closure: “It is to address security and economic concerns”—Senator Ali Ndume

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume has defended the stands taken by the Republic of Nigeria to close its border as a measure to ensure band goods to not enter the country.

According to Senator Mohamed Ali Ndume, his country had to take this decision to address the security and economic concerns of Nigeria.

He noted in an interview with journalists after the opening of the second Ordinary Session of the Community Parliament that Nigeria did not just close it borders, it was an action taken out of necessity, knowing the consequences.

“We have been at the fore front of ECOWAS, we would not do something that would eventually go against our interest, we are trying to address certain things very mindful of the protocol, we understand the feeling of our sister countries”, he emphasised.

In addition, he added that the issue would be addressed as at last week there were meetings. “Nigeria have not permanently close its border, we are working to re-open it, it is top priority to address security and economic concerns”.

Again,  he agreed  with the concerns shared by the Speaker of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament H. E. Moustapha Cisse Lo in his opening speech of the Session when he condemned the closure of the border.

“It is expected as representative of their people they should voice out, I understand their concerns Speaker coming from Senegal I understand him, we are sorry but we have to do this because of what is happening”.