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Teye Nyaunu elected Deputy Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament

The blunt speaking NDC Member of Parliament for the Lower Manya Constituency, Michael Teye Nyaunu, has been elected to serve as a Deputy Speaker in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament in Nigeria.

The MP who has been a member of the ECOWAS Parliament for the past five (5) years was voted by his colleague MPs to the high office at a recent meeting of the House in the Nigerian Capital of Abuja.

His elevation comes at a time the beleaguered Lower Manya MP is facing strong opposition from his constituents and other members of the ruling NDC party over his harsh comments about the health and performance of President John Mills over the years.

The MP is noted for constantly launching blistering attacks on the personality of President Mills, a behavior that irks NDC supporters who have pledged to see to his defeat during the up-coming 2012 parliamentary election.

Speaking to ghanamps.gov.gh, the Member of Parliament for Lower Manya Constituency, Michael Teye Nyaunu, stated that his appointment to the high office of the Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament was not solely based on his longevity in that august House, but due to his excellent performance as a legislator.

” My brilliant performance and experience in the House has been acknowledged and rewarded by my colleagues who have seen the qualities in me and want to tape into it”.

He noted that his appointment is a major boost for his campaign to retain his seat as the Member of Parliament for Lower Manya Krobo, particularly when it appears all odds are against him.

“I will explain to my constituents the honour that my appointment has brought to the constituency and the fact that the position has been given to me and Ghana for the next four years, and if I’m not able to retain my seat as MP, the position will definitely be taken away from Ghana, and that will be unfortunate’’ he said.

Hon. Nyaunu was however confident that the many developmental projects he has provided over the years are enough to enable him retain his seat come 2012 elections.

By : Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gh

Parliament fails to discuss $ 3 billion credit facility

Parliament on Monday failed to discuss a 3 billion credit facility from the China Development Bank on its first day of extraordinary sitting.

Parliament was called from recess after four weeks to consider the loan that is expected to finance a number of projects in the country.

Majority Leader, Mr Cletus Avoka said the item which was the first on the order paper could not be laid because the joint committee report of Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and that of Poverty Reduction Strategy was not ready.

He appealed to Mr Doe Adjaho, the First Deputy Speaker who stood for the Speaker, to defer the laying of the papers to the next sitting on Tuesday. Government of Ghana is seeking a 3 billion US dollar Master Facility agreement between the government of Ghana and the China Development Bank to finance infrastructure development projects under the Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda (GSGDA).

A statement released by Mr Okudzeto Ablakwa said the projects include: the Western Corridor Gas Infrastructure Project, Western Corridor ‘Petroleum Terminal’ Project, Western Corridor ‘Oil Enclave’ Toll Road Project, Western Corridor Railway Line Modernization Project- Takoradi-Kumasi, Dunkwa-Awaso Railway Line, Retrofit Phase 1, Western Corridor Infrastructure Renewal project- Takoradi Port Retrofit Phase 1, Sekondi Free Zone Project- Shared Infrastructure, Utility Services and Accra Plains Irrigation Project.

The rest are: Coastal Fishing Harbours and Landing Sites Re-development Project (Axim, Dixcove, Elmina, Winneba, Mumford, Senya-Beraku, Jamestown, Teshie, Tema, Ada, Keta), Eastern Corridor Multi-Modal Transportation Project- Upgrade of Volta Lake Ferries, Pontoons + Landing sites (Kpando-Amankwakrom; Kete Krachi-Kwadokrom; Yeji-Makongo; Tapa Abotoase; Dzemeni), Upgrade of Akosombo and Buipe Ports, Accra Metropolitan Area ICT- Enhanced Traffic Management Project (including urgent road completion components) and SME Projects Incubation Facility.

The House had the second reading of the Ghana Maritime Security Amendment Bill 2011, Ghana Maritime Authority Amendment Bill 2011 and the Ghana Shipping Amendment Bill 2011. The object of the Maritime Security Bill 2011 is to extend the application of the Ghana Maritime Security to Act 2004 (Act 675) to cover fixed and mobile offshore drilling units and other marine installations in an area within Ghana’s maritime jurisdiction.

It also seeks the opportunity to include in the Act International Maritime Organisation (IMO) requirements in the area of maritime security under SOLAS.

The purpose of the Maritime Authority Amendment Bill 2011 bill is to amend the Ghana Maritime Authority Act 2002 (Act 630) to fix specific levies, fees and charges to cover administrative cost of the Authority.

Source: GNA

Majority side were not coerced to vote for STX – Majority Leader

The Majority Leader Cletus Avoka has dismissed assertions that some members of the majority side were forced against their will to vote for the approval of the controversial STX Korean deal last year.

The recent public statement of the NDC Member of Parliament for Adenta, Kojo Adu Asare urging the government to withdraw the contentious STX Korean housing deal, has fuelled speculations that many members on the majority side did not vote on their own volition but were indeed coerced by the leadership of the majority in Parliament.

It appears some NDC parliamentarians are increasingly getting worried about the boardroom wrangling between the Korean and Ghanaian partners of STX which has threatened the success of the housing deal, but are scared to publicly express their discontent about the situation.

However speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem programme on Tuesday 23rd August 2011, the Majority Leader and Member of Parliament for Zebilla, Cletus Avoka stated that his fellow parliamentarians voted for the STX deal based on their own conviction, assessment and viability of the deal which to a large extent if executed would improve on Ghana’s housing deficit.

“We couldn’t have forced things down the throat of our members, they themselves were convinced about the feasibility of the deal as was put before them, and they willingly approved it’’ he said.

Touching on the Adenta MP’s call for the cancellation of the deal, Hon. Cletus Avoka described it as ill- timed and unfortunate especially coming from an MP who goes on both T.V and Radio to defend the party.

He was however hopeful that the current impasse between the STX partners will soon be solved to pave way for the smooth execution of the housing projects.

By : Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gh

Kwesi Ahwoi picks nomination form

The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Kwesi Ahwoi and four other members of the Agona East constituency branch of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have declared their intention to contest the forth coming parliamentary primary.

Eric Kobina Turkson, Manager of Dukes Petroleum Company, George Yankah of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) and Martin Luther Obeng, District Chief Executive for Agona East are the other contestants.

The Constituency Secretary, Samuel Oscar Mensah, told journalists that Maame Pokuah Sawyer, a real estate developer had picked her nomination forms and paid GH¢200 for it.

He said the aspirant would also pay GH¢2,000 when returning the completed forms as demanded by the rules and regulations of the party.

He said the others who had declared their intention are yet to pick up their forms. Mr. Mensah said members wishing to contest the primary had between August 15 and September 15 to collect and submit their completed forms.

He appealed to Mrs. Sawyer to conduct a clean campaign devoid of insults, character assassination and division to ensure peace and tranquility in the NDC. Meanwhile, executives of the constituency have denied allegations of bribery leveled against them.

Oscar Mensah told journalists it is not true that eight of them collected GH¢5,000 from a female parliamentary aspirant to support her candidature.

He described the allegation as a calculated attempt to throw dust into eyes of party members in the Agona East constituency.

Mr. Mensah said no executive member had received the said amount from any of the five aspirants as being peddled in the constituency by some leading members of the NDC. He said those peddling the falsehood should stop because it could breed disunity and hatred in the party.

‘Northern MPs have failed electorate’

A Tamale based business magnate, William Majeed Mahama, has blamed Members of Parliament from the three regions of the north for the under-developed nature of northern Ghana.

He said MPs from northern Ghana lacked the political will to push successive governments to fulfill their campaign promises to the people of the area.

According to William Majeed, the people of northern Ghana will continue to languish in abject poverty unless their MPs especially those whose party is in power whip the government to fulfill some of its major campaign promises.

Mr Mahama was contributing to the topic, “Bridging the yawning gap between northern and southern Ghana: the role of stakeholders from the north” at a symposium in Tamale.

He commended the NDC government for initiating the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) programme but was quick to state that it will have no positive impact on the people of northern Ghana if government does not allocate the required resources needed for its smooth implementation.

William Majeed Mahama charged the Mills-Mahama administration to explain to the good people of northern Ghana why it deposited only Gh¢ 8 million into the SADA kitty instead of the Gh¢ 25 million that was captured on the 2011 supplementary budget.

“SADA is an unquestionable programme that is geared towards bridging the developmental gap between the north and south. Government promised a certain seed capital towards this programme and so far only eight million Ghana cedis has been paid into SADA account, why?”

The Tamale based business magnate charged chiefs in northern Ghana to emulate the shining examples of their southern colleagues who have initiated self help projects to alleviate the plight of their people.

William Majeed Mahama impressed upon the chiefs to place premium on education by establishing endowment funds to help needy but brilliant students acquire higher academic qualifications to help them qualify for well-paying jobs.

“Until we get a political, social and traditional leadership that will truly represent us and inspire and reorient the mentality of our people towards development, central governments handouts would continue to be white elephants” he observed.

Source: Citifmonline.Com

$3bn Chinese loan still on hold as Minority demands details

Parliament has once again postponed debate on the three billion dollar Chinese loan agreement.

The report on the facility from the China Development Fund could not be laid because the Joint Committee on Finance and Poverty Reduction which examined the agreement was unable to conclude its work.

Joy FM’s Parliamentary Correspondent Sammy Darko reported that the MPs are asking for more time because the document covering the agreement is voluminous.

The Minority which has already objected to the deal is yet to officially state why.

Sammy Darko who has been interacting with the MPs however says they are basing their objection on two main points.

According to him, some of the MPs say the agreement is lacking in detail and appears to be an attempt by government to seek a blanket approval to spend the $3 billion as it pleases.

The $3 billion is going to come in two tranches – first, $1.5 billion and the remaining half coming later.

It is the Minority’s contention that although the agreement has stated 12 projects into which the money would go, there is no specificity regarding how much is going into which project.

They also argue that one of the conditions of the agreement is that the Chinese will get exclusive access to the country’s crude oil but the actual volumes they are entitled to and at what price the nation will sell the oil to the Chinese have not been clearly stated.

The Chairman of the Finance Committee, James Avedzi, while saying the concerns of the Minority are not being ignored, maintained that some of their arguments are unsustainable.

“When Parliament approves this $3 billion facility, since the individual projects are not yet before the House, anytime they conclude work on the individual projects, they must come back to the House for members to approve,” he said.

Responding to the Minority’s concerns about the quantum of oil the Chinese are entitled to, Mr Avedzi said, “If already we are getting people willing to buy the oil we should be happy.”

The concern, he said, should rather be to ensure that the price at which the product is sold is not to the disadvantage of the nation.

“We should not be concerned that we have people ready to buy [our] oil; we have the oil which we are selling and we are getting ready market and we are crying foul? Let’s give a break to what is happening this country,!” he snapped.

Source: Myjoyonline.com

Parliament reconvenes to consider $3bn loan

Parliamentarians are today Monday 22nd August 2011, convening to approve a $3 billion loan facility from the China Development Bank.

The facility which is the first tranche of dividends from President Mills visit to China in September 2010 is expected to accelerate the infrastructural expansion and industrial take-off Ghana has been awaiting.

According to government, some of the key projects that the facility will be used for are:

1. Western Corridor Gas Infrastructure Project,

2. Western Corridor ‘Petroleum Terminal’ Project,

3. Western Corridor ‘Oil Enclave’ Toll Road Project

4. Western Corridor Railway Line Modernization Project- Takoradi-Kumasi; Dunkwa-Awaso Railway Line, Retrofit Phase 1,

5. Western Corridor Infrastructure Renewal project- Takoradi Port Retrofit Phase 1,

6. Sekondi Free Zone Project- Shared Infrastructure and Utility Services,

7. Accra Plains irrigation Project,

8. Coastal Fishing Harbours and Landing Sites Re-development Project (Axim, Dixcove, Elmina, Winneba, Mumford, Senya- Beraku, Jamestown, Teshie, Tema, Ada, Keta),

9. Eastern Corridor Multi-Modal Transportation Project- Upgrade of Volta Lake Ferries, Pontoons + Landing sites (Kpando-Amankwakrom; Kete Krachi-Kwadokrom; Yeji-Makongo; Tapa Abotoase; Dzemeni),

10. Upgrade of Akosombo and Buipe Ports,

11. Accra Metropolitan Area ICT- Enhanced Traffic Management Project (including urgent road completion components) and an

12. SME Projects Incubation Facility.

Government has in the last week presented these projects to Parliament’s Finance Committee at a special two-day session in Koforidua, where Ministers of State took turns to explain projects in their respective sectors.

Parliamentary is expected to debate the transaction from the 22nd to the 26th of August, 2011 after which a final decision will be taken on the transaction.

By : Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gh

Punish public officials who embezzle State funds – Adu- Asare

The Member of Parliament for Adenta, Kojo Adu-Asare has said that the public hearing of the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament should result in persons found to have embezzled public funds being prosecuted.

According to him, the hearings based on the Auditor – General’s report over the years have been merely an exercise to expose malfeasance in public service but fail to hold officials accountable for their misdeed.

This year’s annual public accounts hearings revealed staggering revelations of financial impropriety have been made against several public servants with millions of Ghana Cedis going into private pockets.

The committee’s sitting, considerered reports of the Auditor-General (AG) on the accounts of Ghana for 2007, 2008 and 2009.

Contributing to a panel discussion on the Public Accounts hearings on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo show on Monady 22nd August 2011, the Member of Parliament for Adenta, Kojo Adu-Asare stated that government must go a step further and ensure that those found culpable must be prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to persons who also harbour such criminal intent.

“Ghanaians are not interested in only watching the sittings live on national television which is telecast at a huge cost to the ordinary person, where we see here tough tquestions being asked by the Public Accounts Committee members, but are also interested in knowing what sort of punishment is meted out to such criminals’’ he said.

Hon. Adu- Asare called for the speedy establishment of the Financial Administrative Tribunal to deal with recommendations made by the PAC.

According to him, the tribunal when in operation will ensure that recommendations including fines and prosecutions made by the Public Accounts Committee against persons found culpable by the Auditor General’s report are upheld.

By : Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gh

Public Accounts Committee must not be dragged into politics

The Vice Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament, Kweku Agyemang Manu says under no circumstances must the Committee be dragged into politics and unnecessary propaganda.

According to him, the Committee sits to protect state resources and it should not be seen as though it’s a political wing of a party or part of government machinery.

He expressed the sentiments in the wake of the recent allegation by some government officials that the Public Accounts Committee was being mischievous and had deliberately hidden the Auditor General’s report that indicted the former Minister of Information Stephen Asamoah Boateng who is alleged to have misappropriated funds and given huge sums of money to selected media personnel to do the bidding of the then ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) prior to the 2008 elections.

Despite several explanations from the Chairman and other high ranking members of the Public Accounts Committee that such a report had not yet been laid before them, some government officials including the Deputy Minister of Information, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa continued to impugn that the committee which is currently chaired by an NPP member intentionally left out that report to avoid the former appointees being scrutinized.

However speaking on Joy FM News programme over the weekend, the Vice Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee who is also the MP for Dormaa West, Kweku Agyemang Manu, stated that claim by the Deputy Minister was a serious indictment on the Committee which has thirteen members of the ruling NDC government including the substantive Minister of Information as members.

“I don’t see how NDC members on this august committee will connive with us the NPP, to hide such a serious report if indeed it had been put before the committee’’ he said.

Hon. Agyemang Manu added that the Public Accounts Committee is working in the best interest of the state and will not engage in any acts that will undermine good governance in the country, adding that the Committee has advised that the Speaker of Parliament personally sees to the establishment of the Financial Tribunal to retrieve monies embezzled by public officials.

By: Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gh

Gov’t must appoint only professional to the District Assemblies – Kade MP

The Member of Parliament for Kade, Ofosu Asamaoh is proposing that government’s quota of 30% appointees to district assemblies must be made up of skilled technical people whose work will positively enhance the capacity of the assemblies.

According to him, most government appointees to the various district assemblies over the years have been persons who have no skills in specialized fields, but are appointed only on the basis of them being loyal party members.

Per the1992 Constitutional arrangement, Article 242, which is a regulation which set up the district assembly concept, the government of the day is required to appoint 30 percent of the assembly members to the various district assemblies.

Speaking on AdomFM’s Dwaso Nsem programme on Monday 22nd August 2011, the Member of Parliament for Kade, Ofosu Asamaoh notes that the district assemblies are the agents of development, and organs for revenue generation and mobilization and it is important that professional are appointed by government to help the assemblies realize its objectives.

He says the appointees must lead the various assemblies to venture into economic ventures which will generate income to run the activities of the districts, rather than the assemblies relying solely on the District Assemblies Common Fund, which sometimes takes a long time to be disbursed.

Hon. Ofosu Asamoah notes that government’s decision to implement a composite budget system for MMDAs before the end of the year which will enable them become directly answerable to their budget proposals at the local levels is most welcome, but will also require the efforts of technical people at the assemblies to ensure its effectiveness.

By : Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gh