Month: October 2011

The Member of Parliament for Adenta, Kojo Adu –Asare, is urging government to call the bluff of the threat by the United Kingdom (UK) to cut aid to anti gay countries.

According to him, Ghana as a sovereign country must not be terrified by the apparent threat by the UK but rather begin to wean itself from heavily depending on donor countries such as the United Kingdom.

Mr. Cameron in an interview with BBC One’s Andrew Marr Show, threatened to withhold UK aid from countries including Ghana that do not reform legislation banning homosexuality, adding that nations receiving UK aid should “adhere to proper human rights.”

“Britain is one of the premier aid givers in the world,” Cameron said. “We want to see countries that receive our aid adhering to proper human rights.”

Some 41 nations within the 54-member Commonwealth have laws banning homosexuality. Many of these laws are a legacy of British Empire laws.

However speaking on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo show on Monday, Hon. Kojo Adu-Asare noted it is important that the natural resources with which Ghana is endowed must be used to improve the economy and the general wellbeing of the people, so that the country begins drawing itself away from foreign aid.

He said in as much as the UK’s call for adherence of proper human rights is in the right direction, the endorsement of gay practices in Ghana should not be entertained.

“Though Ghana is a circular state with Christians being in the majority, the Ghanaian culture and values does not allow the practice of such “abominable” acts’’ hon. Adu –Asare said.

He said Ghana is not ready to countenance the act of Lesbianism and Homosexuality in the country, as the practice has lots implication for the country.

Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gh

Mr Ata-Akyea, Member of Parliament (MP) for Akyem Abuakwa South, has indicated that since the Constitution recognizes the need for a Right To Information (RTI) regime in the country to enhance the democratic dispensation, nothing must stand in its way.

He said current rhetoric about the RTI remained vague until the law was passed to ensure that systems and structures were put in place to facilitate its smooth implementation for the growth of the country’s democracy.

Mr Ata- Akyea who made the remark at a meeting with a team from the Eastern Regional Coalition on the RTI in Koforidua at the weekend, noted that when passed, the law would clear all rumours and misconceptions since people would be well- informed to make contributions towards socio-economic development.

He said Members of Parliament (MPs) were interested in ensuring that their constituents and for that matter Ghanaians as a whole had the full benefit of the constitution to improve upon their well-being and would therefore give a strong voice for the passage of the bill.

Mr Edmund Quaynor, Regional Coordinator of the RTI Coalition, said the Coalition had raised concerns on certain aspects of the bill currently before Parliament ,mentioning the appeals process and the fee structure as some of the concerns.

He appealed to the MPs to take a critical look at those concerns because experience in some countries had shown that although the law existed, it was not effective because of some unfavourable clauses.

Mr Quaynor mentioned the appeals process whereby people could only appeal to the Minister or seek redress at the Supreme Court as an example and wondered how people in the remotest areas could have the confidence and the logistics to go to Accra to make an appeal.

GNA

A former Minister of Education under the erstwhile Kufuor-led New Patriotic Party administration, Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, has cautioned the leadership and the rank and file of the NPP not to focus their attention on the failures and incompetence of the ruling government but rather concentrate on telling Ghanaians what they intend to offer when given the chance to rule the nation once again.

In the view of Prof Ameyaw-Akumfi, it should not be the main focus of the NPP to educate the electorate about the incompetence and the flaws in the Mills-Mahama led NDC government because the masses have been witnessing it for themselves.

He believes what remains very critical is for the NPP to educate the electorate about the sound programmes the next NPP administration under the presidency of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has in store for the people.

Speaking on TV Africa’s talk-show programme “The Bare Facts” on Tuesday, the former minister noted that members of the NPP were paying too much attention to the happenings in the NDC while neglecting the core duty of explaining the vision of the party’s flagbearer to the masses.

The situation, he noted, could cause a serious problem for the party during the 2012 electioneering campaign. He took a serious swipe at the Mills-Mahama administration over its mismanagement of the national economy, which had led to increasing hardships for the people. “The once expanded economy, left behind by ex-President Kufour, is now shrinking under the incompetent government of President Mills. Now, the government is broken. Loan borrowing, upon loan borrowing has taken place; and yet, the country has achieved nothing,” he lamented.

The MP for Techiman North added: “We are aware that the NDC can no longer make anything better happen to Ghana; this every Ghanaian is aware of. What we need to do as a party is for us to constantly trumpet to the people what Nana Addo and the NPP can offer.”

His belief, however, is that members of the NPP have not been doing enough to let Ghanaians know about the good policies of the party’s flagbearer, stressing that the time had come for them to “make sure Nana Addo’s vision for a prosperous Ghana is trumpeted at all platforms.”

Prof Ameyaw-Akumfi described Nana Addo as ‘the ultimate provider of change’, adding that Nana Akufo-Addo had projected a tough, mature, and presidential image with high card of experience. “He is a great and ambitious man, bursting with energy and ideas. He looks purposeful, serious, and poised to win the 2012 presidential election. He deserves the opportunity to prove his salt, and implement all manner of his ideas to our gradually sinking country,” he stated.

According to Prof Akumfi, the country’s current mood has been moving towards a proper change due to the monumental disappointment of President Mills’ government, echoing that the wild promises he made to the people still remained unfulfilled.

Touching on education, the one-time Director General of the Ghana Education Service reiterated why Nana Addo’s Free SHS education is a every good policy, explaining that apart from the therapeutic potential of education for the individual, Nana is also aware that when education is properly organized, the society as a whole benefits in terms of socio-economic development.

He added that fresh SHS students currently pay various fees and levies that total between GHC300.00 and GHC500.00, while continuing students pay between GHC150.00 and GHC200.00 per term. “The fact that many parents in the country can simply not afford these high fees cannot be contested. Our flagbearer believes that the ‘ability to pay’ should not be a barrier to a child who wants to access basic and secondary education, hence, his determination to abolish fee paying at the senior high school level,” he explained.

He noted that since 2009, the quality and standards of education has drastically fallen, insisting that the nation needs a visionary leader like Nana Addo to salvage the deteriorating situation.

According the renowned educationist, the way forward to reversing the current abysmal academic performance of students at both the JHS and SHS levels requires massive infrastructural development, and provision of more qualified teachers as well as quality curriculum.

These, in his view, are missing in the educational policies of the ruling NDC.

The New Statesman

The Member of Parliament (MP) for New Juaben South, Ms Beatrice Bernice Boateng, has called for a neutral body to handle the Right To Information (RTI) bill to ensure that it was devoid of politics.

She said considering the fact that the Attorney General (A-G), who had been scheduled to handle the bill for it to become law, was a chief legal advisor to the President of Ghana, it would create conflict of interest in the administration of such law.

The MP, who was speaking at a meeting with some members of the Eastern Regional Coalition on RTI, in Koforidua, said neutrality and transparency in the administration of the law must be paramount.

According to Ms Boateng, it was natural that the A-G being a member of the Government of the day could withhold some information from the public in the interest of the Government and that would not ensure the full benefit of the law for the public to have access to information.

She expressed worry about the fee structure of the bill, which she noted looked as if information would be sold, and wondered how a deprived community would go through all the processes involving money to get information that would be crucial to their survival under the law.

Ms Boateng assured the Coalition that the bill would be scrutinized and their concerns would be raised on the floor of Parliament to ensure that the right thing was done.

Mr Edmund Quaynor, the Regional chairman of the Coalition, observed that the bill was drafted somewhere in 2003 and had been to Parliament on three occasion but it had been withdrawn due to inconsistencies.

He said the Coalition had raised of concerns about the bill to ensure that it would be beneficial to the development agenda of the country if passed into law.

Mr Quaynor expressed the hope that MPs would critically address all the concerns raised about in the bill before it becomes law.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for New Juaben South, Ms Beatrice Bernice Boateng, has called for a neutral body to handle the Right To Information (RTI) bill to ensure that it was devoid of politics.

She said considering the fact that the Attorney General (A-G), who had been scheduled to handle the bill for it to become law, was a chief legal advisor to the President of Ghana, it would create conflict of interest in the administration of such law.

The MP, who was speaking at a meeting with some members of the Eastern Regional Coalition on RTI, in Koforidua, said neutrality and transparency in the administration of the law must be paramount.

According to Ms Boateng, it was natural that the A-G being a member of the Government of the day could withhold some information from the public in the interest of the Government and that would not ensure the full benefit of the law for the public to have access to information.

She expressed worry about the fee structure of the bill, which she noted looked as if information would be sold, and wondered how a deprived community would go through all the processes involving money to get information that would be crucial to their survival under the law.

Ms Boateng assured the Coalition that the bill would be scrutinized and their concerns would be raised on the floor of Parliament to ensure that the right thing was done.

Mr Edmund Quaynor, the Regional chairman of the Coalition, observed that the bill was drafted somewhere in 2003 and had been to Parliament on three occasion but it had been withdrawn due to inconsistencies.

He said the Coalition had raised of concerns about the bill to ensure that it would be beneficial to the development agenda of the country if passed into law.

Mr Quaynor expressed the hope that MPs would critically address all the concerns raised about in the bill before it becomes law.

GNA

The Member of Parliament for Sege Constituency, Alfred Abayateye says he will do everything within his power to ensure that the editor of the Africawatch Magazine, Steve Mallory is dragged before the Privileges Committee of Ghana’s Parliament for bringing the nation’s law making house into disrepute.

The editor of the Africawatch magazine has come under heavy criticism after he published the second Political Performance Index in which some 18 politicians were rated as failures, (F). The magazine scored only one person, New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP for Dome-Kwabenya, Professor Mike Ocquaye, with an A while eight others followed with A-. Nine officials earned a B+.

Hon. Abayateye was graded C+, an upgrade of his performance as compared to last year’s ratings where he was rewarded with a C.

Speaking on the Citi Eyewitness News on Thursday, Hon. Abayateye said the US-based editor would not have his way this time around after refusing to appear before the Privileges Committee last year.

The embittered MP who said he is outraged by the audacity of the publishers to purport to grade him vowed to do everything within his power to ensure that the editor of the Africawatch magazine is ‘dealt with’ and prevented from publishing further reports that seek to dent the image of Ghanaian politicians.

“My constituents must assess me and not that Mallory…who is? He has no right to give me a grade because he hasn’t given me any question to answer. The legislature of Ghana will take that guy on because it is an indictment on the parliament.

“Today he may think that he is achieving his goal, tomorrow the net will catch him. Pass it over to [Tell] him that the MP for Sege says the net will catch him. There are many ways of killing a Mallory.

“He thinks he can disobey the laws of Ghana but he has forgotten that the Ghanaian parliament and the House of Representatives of America, we are all legislators”.

By: Kobina Welsing/Citifmonline. com

Mr Dan Botwe, Member of Parliament for Okere, has called on Ghanaians to sustain the country’s prevailing peace as it prepares for Election 2012, considering political crises in some African countries.

He said such turmoil and the polarization of the people could have been avoided if governments had ensured good governance and accountability towards the attainment of peace and unity.

Mr Botwe made the appeal at a durbar of chiefs and people of Aseseeso in the Akuapem North District, organized to climax this year’s Odwira festival over the weekend.

He also appealed to parents and guardians to support the education of children to enable them to acquire skills and knowledge needed for national development.

Mr Botwe said he had invested resources in educational development in the constituency and expressed concern about the low standards of education in the Akuapem area, and promised to launch an education endowment fund to support education in the constituency.

The District Chief Executive for Akuapem North, Mr George Opare-Addo, said the assembly in conjunction with development partners had within the last two years constructed classroom blocks and other educational infrastructure.

Mr Opare-Addo said school children throughout the country had benefited from government educational programmes including Capitation Grant, School Feeding Programme and distribution of free exercise books and school uniforms to school children.

He said government would create more modules under the National Youth Employment Programme to train the youth to acquire employable skills.

The chief of Aseseeso, Okatakyei Kwasi Amoyaw Oboadum I, asked appealed to Government to help the youth to go into agriculture to reduce unemployment in the country.

GNA

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Ahafo Ano South, Stephen Balado Manu, has accused President Attah Mills of engaging in an act of populism by stating that ex Presidents must be given rent allowances instead of building houses for them.

According to him, this populist approach by the president which is intended to show his modesty is deceitful as Ghanaians know he is not.

President John Evans Atta Mills, is said to have proposed to the Professor Ewurama Addy Committee – which he set up to deal with the issue of emoluments for Article 71 office holders that the arrangement be scrapped and instead ex presidents must be given rent allowances to cater for their accommodation.

But speaking on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo programme on Tuesday, Hon. Balado Manu disagreed with the President’s call and added his voice to calls on the President not to attempt to scrap the current arrangement which instructs the state to build houses for ex presidents.

He urged President Attah Mills to desist from the populist approach to such sensitive national issues as that act does him no good.

Hon. Balado Manu questioned whether the President Mills was willing to refuse the benefits given him by the state, demanding that the President must respect the arrangement as it was currently stipulated in the Constitution.

Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gh

The Member of Parliament for Tema West Irene Naa Toshie Addo, has established an endowment fund for the Tema General Hospital which serves the Tema Metropolis and other surrounding areas such as Ashiaman.

The fund is expected to mobilize enough money to help in the renovation of existing facilities at the hospital and the construction of additional facilities to ensure the delivery of quality health care.

The Tema General Hospital which was established in 1954 and has not undergone any serious rehabilitation appears to be in a near crisis state as lots of its facilities continue to deteriorate.

The hospital’s mortuary needs an urgent rehabilitation due to the malfunctioning of the refrigerators and the lack of chemicals to conserve the dead bodies kept there. Some of the doctors have left in search of better conditions elsewhere creating a shortage of doctors to cater for the hundreds of patients who visit the place on a daily basis.

In a bid to stem the tide, Hon. Naa Toshie Addo, has brought together some resourced people, including the various industries located in area to donate monies to prosecute her noble vision.

She disclosed that architects have been contracted to draw plans for the construction of other facilities such as bungalows for the medical staff and also upgrade other parts of the hospital to international standards.

Hon. Toshie Addo who stated that she’ll have nothing to do with the handling of proceeds from the fund expressed confidence that the monies will be put to good use to bring relief to patients who patronize the only major public health center in the habour city of Tema.

Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gh

The Member of Parliament for Tain, Ahmed Ibrahim has noted that the opposition New Patriotic Party is taking advantage of the friction between former President Rawlings and his party, the ruling National Democratic Congress to win him over.

Former President Rawlings at a public lecture last Friday at the University of Ghana, lashed out at the Mills-led administration for what he termed their insensitivity towards him and credited the opposition party for coming to his defense.

But speaking on Adom TV’s BADWAM show on Multi TV, the Tain MP described the former President’s comment as unnecessary adding that it only served as an indication that Mr. Rawlings was beginning to sympathise with the NPP.

Mr. Ibrahim described as a mere political gimmick, the NPP’s hailing of Mr. Rawlings’ criticism of the Mills administration which he said was aimed at helping them win power in 2012.

“If you critically analyse the ex President’s speech over the weekend, you will know that he is gradually tilting towards the NPP. Rawlings has all of a sudden become a saint to the NPP and they are tenderly nursing him. They are no longer accusing him of the 1987 atrocities” Mr. Ibrahim noted.

He drew a comparison between the two former presidents, Mr. Rawlings and Mr. Kuffuor, and concluded that Mr. Rawlings was becoming unpopular with his recent utterances.

But the Fanteakwa MP, Amankwaah Asiamah who was also on the show disagreed with his parliamentary colleague.

According to him, the issues raised by Mr. Rawlings at his public lecture last Friday were valid.

“Doctors strike, insults on media platforms, insensitivity to the plight of the ordinary Ghanaian, hardships and poverty and several other pertinent issues have become an unnecessary evil befalling the nation. Rawlings’ criticisms are true, and that is why the NPP is fully supporting him, it has nothing to do with politics. Ghanaians are suffering, and that is a fact” he noted.

He argued that the former President’s statement should not be taken for granted and called on the NDC to sit up and stop blaming Mr. Rawlings for their shortfalls.

“Rawlings as someone who has ruled this country for 19years is a statesman whose analyses cannot be overlooked” he said adding that “because he is angry over the bad deeds of the current administration and is criticising them, he has been branded as a ‘monster’ seeking the downfall of Mills and his government, which is unfair” he concluded.

Multi TV