Month: August 2011

Nii Armah Ashietey, Greater-Accra Regional Minister, on Friday donated medical equipment worth 2,600 Ghana Cedis to the Tema General Hospital for the treatment of the Ashaiman gas explosion victims.

Nii Ashietey who is also the MP for Klorttey Korley said the donation which included bandages, disposable gloves, plasters and cotton wool rolls, was in fulfillment of the promise made during the visit to the hospital three days ago by the Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development.

He used the occasion to express his sympathies to the victims, and hoped the items would help ensure their speedy recovery.

Dr Martin Dum, Senior Medical Officer of the Hospital, received the items on behalf of the authorities, and thanked the Regional Minister for the donation.

Dr Dum expressed the hospital’s appreciation and pledged that the items would be put to good use.

GNA

The Member of Parliament for Adenta, Kojo Adu –Asare says the continues delay of the start of the controversial STX housing project despite government’s assurances, is increasingly becoming a bother to persons who defend government on radio.

According to him the situation makes people like himself feel very much uncomfortable and also look stupid in the eyes of the general public, especially those who regularly listen to them on radio espousing the credibility and viability of the deal.

The MP’s concern follows the failure of the STX Housing project to take off at the end of July 2011, as it was scheduled.

The Minister of Water Resources Works and Housing in an interview on radio on 12th May 2011 stated categorically that “project handlers have finished the feasibility study on the sites and clearing of the land will begin next month (June), to pave way for commencement of the project”.

He added that “we have been blamed for not starting the STX housing project early but it is because we want to do things properly. By July physical houses will be seen sprawling at their various sites” but not even a single block has been laid on the site as promised.

Speaking on Peace FM’s “Kokrokoo show” the Member of Parliament Adenta, Kojo Adu –Asare expresses discomfort over government officials giving out specific timelines about the project when its actual commencement date is not certain.

“Some of us move from radio to television stations on a weekly basis confidently speaking about this STX Korean deal because of our conviction about the project, some of us feel uneasy when things appear not to work out the way we expected” he said.

Hon. Adu –Asare was however certain that by December 7th 2012, at least the flats for the security services will be completed and ready for habitation,adding that the NDC government will not let Ghanaians down

President Mills in early February 2011, cut the sod for the commencement of the proposed construction of 30,000 housing units for security personnel in the country, most of who are currently living in deplorable conditions.

Story by : Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gh

Mr Albert Abongo, Chairman of the Parliamentary Select-Committee on Lands and Forestry, has called on the government to commit more resources to tree plantation programmes across the country.

This, he said, was necessary not only to prevent the investments so far made from going to waste, but also to ensure that depleted forest reserves were replenished.

Mr Abongo, who is the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bongo in the Upper East Region, said this when he and other members of the Committee toured some of the plantations in the Juaso Forest District.

They included the National Forest Plantation Development programme, modified “tuangya” system and model plantations in the South Fomanso and Dome Forest reserves.

The “tuangya”, a collaborative effort to regenerate destroyed reserves by the Forestry Commission (FC) and farmers, is however, fraught with challenges as most of the farmers abandoned the project when the trees out-grew their crops.

Under the arrangement, the farmers are allocated lands in the reserves to cultivate after accepting to plant trees on the farm. They are entitled to 40 per cent share when the trees mature.

Mr Abongo suggested that the system should be modified to encourage the farmers to continue to maintain the trees even after vacating the land.

He urged the farmers to make sure that they nurtured the trees to protect their 40 per cent share.

The Ranking Member and MP for Tano-South, Mr Agyei Yeboah, advocated a reduction in the land size allocated to the farmers to enable them to properly maintain the trees even after relocating their farming activities.

He commended officials of the Forest Services Division for the various plantations in the district.

GNA

The Chairman of the Finance Committee of Parliament James Klutse Avedzi has proposed that government goes for a loan facility at a very low interest rate for the Student Loan Trust Fund, to enable the Fund manage and provide loans to tertiary students across the country.

According to him the students would in turn be expected to pay back the monies collected with interest to sustain the Fund which is currently facing some monetary difficulties.

He noted that after establishing the Fund, there haven’t been adequate resources allocated to the Fund and it is important that a concessionary facility for the fund is secured so that the students can be assisted financially.

His proposal comes on the heels of a recent agitation and demonstration of students of the University of Ghana, who took to the streets of Accra last week in protest against the arbitrary increase in the fees of students of the university for the next academic year.

The University of Ghana recently adjusted user fees upwards to over 45 per cent for the next academic year, and this, the students say, is unjustified and extremely exorbitant, and is demanding an immediate reduction.

Speaking over the weekend on Joy FM’s News File programme, Hon. James Avedzi who is also a Member of Parliament for Ketu North, expressed confidence that if a concessionary facility is introduced for the students who are not financially sound, they would not be too much bothered about the level of fees they are to pay as they visibly appear to be now.

He noted that university education is increasingly becoming very expensive and is necessary that students are made to appreciate the fact that they must be prepared to pay for the cost of their living on the various campuses.

He urged the leadership of the University to engage the students on a regular to determine the fees they are to pay.

Story by : Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gh