Month: December 2011

Parliament has approved the sum of GHs 2,871,680,218 for the services of the Ministry of Education for the 2012 fiscal year.

The amount is to enable the Ministry execute its intended projects which include the completion and furnishing of various ongoing projects such as the 65 dormitory block, 220 six- unit classroom block and rehabilitation of 57 science resource centre’s in selected Senior High Schools (SHS) throughout the country to provide increase access and participation for pupils transiting into SHS.

Betty Mould-Iddrisu in moving the motion for approval of the amount on the Floor of Parliament stated that the Ministry in 2012 will implement performance funding programmes to encourage all tertiary institutions especially the colleges of education to enroll more females and more students from disadvantaged secondary schools.

She noted that the Ministry will vigorously pursue infrastructural development at the 2 main campuses of the Universities of Energy and Natural Resources and Health and Allied Sciences in order to admit the 1st batch of student s for the 2012/2013 academic year.

On teacher incentives and motivation, Betty Mould-Iddrissu stated that her Ministry will initiate actions to provide additional allowances and incentives for trained teachers in rural and deprived communities across the country.

Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gh

The Member of Parliament for the Nkwanta South Constituency, Gershon Kofi Bediako Gbadiame has bemoaned the high rate at which most of the asphalted roads in the country are continuously being damaged due to the transportation of heavy loads.

According to him, the situation is worrying since a lot of monies are used in constructing these roads hence the need for measures to be taken to prevent further damages.

The MP who is also the Majority Chief Whip expressed this concern on the floor of parliament while seconding the motion for the approval of a sum of GHs 907,794,236 for the services of the Ministry of Roads and Highways for the 2012 fiscal year.

He urged the sector Minister to explore the possibility of collaborating with the Ministry of Roads and Transport to desilt the Volta Lake to enable heavy loads to be transported on Lake in order to reduce the pressure on the roads and save it from further deterioration.

Hon. Gbadiame also emphasized the need for routine road maintenance to be taken seriously adding that failure to do so will result in the tax payer’s hard-earned money going waste.

Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gh

The Member of Parliament MP for Ajumako, Enyan, Essiam constituency Forson Cassiel Ato has cut sod for the construction of three 10 seater KVIPs for three communities within the Kwayako Electoral Area in the Ajumako District.

The initiative was part of measures executed by the MP to boost sanitation conditions in the area.

Beneficial communities include Kwayako, Esikado and Aduadze.

In an interview with Ghanadistricts,. the assemblyman for the area Kwame Frimpong also disclosed that 3 schools within the above communities have also been migrated onto the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP).

He further noted that an approximated number of 500 students are currently benefiting from the initiative.

Mr. Frimpong was very optimistic that the recent introduction of the programme into the various selected schools will help improve the level of education in the areas.

In other related educational issues, the assemblyman further stated that the MP is also constructing a 3-unit Junior High School (JHS) classroom block at Aduadze DA school to enhance teaching and learning, adding that the structure is presently at the roofing level and is expected to be completed very soon.

Ghanamps.gov.gh

Parliament on Thursday approved GHC29,201,381 for activities of the Ministry of

Mr John Tia Akologu, Minister of Information, moved the motion which was seconded by Mr Herod Cobbina, Member of Parliament (MP) for Sefwi Akontombra.

Institutions under the Ministry are, Information Services Department, Ghana News Agency, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, National Film and Television Institute, Ghana Publishing Corporation, New Times Corporation, Graphic Communications Group Limited and GAMA Films.

Mr Akologu said next year, the Ministry would continue to ensure free flow of relevant information in pursuance of the transparent and accountable governance.

Others activities would be effective and efficient monitoring and evaluation of public responses to Government policies, programmes and activities and providing timely feedback to government.

The Minister said strategic orientation of the Ministry in 2012, would be to increase partnership with the media based on mutual principled relationship of fairness, objectivity and truthfulness to promote national cohesion and sustainable development, improve government information dissemination and management machinery.

Mr Akologu said the Ministry would educate the public to ensure free, fair and transparent electioneering and subsequent success of Election 2012.

He said to achieve targets set for 2012, the Ministry, its Departments and Agencies projected an expenditure of
GHC42,523,122 from government sources but the Ministry was allocated GHC19,511,521 while Internally Generated Fund (IGF) projection for the Ministry was GHC9,689,860.

Mr Akologu said the increase in government allocation from 2011 levels of GHC17,779,234 to GHC19,511,521, represented an increase of about 9.7 per cent.

He said the priority activities earmarked to be undertaken by the Ministry were rather enormous and estimated at to cost GHC11,622,989.45 and rendered the budgetary increase as non-effective.

The Minister said In addition, there was reduction in IGF from GHC15,081,870 in 2011 to GHC9,689.00 in 2012.

Mr Akologu noted that the Ghana News Agency was positioned to generate sufficient IGF yet not much was realised from that source, which increased from a target of GHC34,699 to GHC101,435 from January to September 2011.

He explained that the increase came from renting the Agency’s extra space at the Head Office and the rest from commissions on advertisements.

The Minister said “While this can be enhanced further given the needed attention and good pricing regime, the main operational area, which could have driven the increase in IGF rather showed a decline in IGF realisation from the projected GHC25,426 to GHC13,380 actuals from Janaury to September, 2011.”

Mr Akologu said the low IGF generation was due to the lack of sufficient funds to be used as seed money to pre-finance advertisements of clients and the inability of the Agency to charge economic rates with regard to subscription fees for news bulletins.

He explained that queries about education of public on the one time premium on the National Insurance Scheme was still an issue, which was being discussed, therefore, there was the need to educate the people to take advantage of the facility.

Nana Akomea, NPP MP for Okaikwei South, called on agencies and departments under the Ministry to make business plans that would show that they were capable to tap into the private sector.

Mrs Catherine Afeku, Deputy Ranking MP on Communication Committee and NPP MP for Evalue-Gwira said there was no need for a media fund but an accurate, timely and truthful information.

GNA

The Member of Parliament for Upper Denkyira West, Benjamin Kofi Ayeh, has expressed surprise at the cold feet attitude adopted by the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) in dealing with its supposed $20 million office facility.

He wondered why the NDC General Secretary who is noted for vehemently defending allegations about the party has this time around decided not to clarify issues surrounding the much talked about edifice.

A Pressure group Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG) has in the past fortnight taken the NDC party to task alleging that the party is putting up a $20 dollar office in Adabraka, an issue that has resulted in the party executives giving conflicting responses.

The group at a press briefing on Tuesday referred to the party’s newsletter in which it was published that the NDC was putting up an office at Adabraka which is in an advanced stage and will be ready for occupation by the middle of next year.

Speaking on Adom FM’s Dea Meehuyi, the Hon. MP urged the party to send journalist to the construction site where the party’s supposed office is being constructed for verification to put the matter to rest.

“ I want the party to apply the same alacrity with which President Mills sent journalist to witness the construction works on going in his house, when he was accused of building a mansion at his Regimanuel Estates, you see how the press were hurriedly taken to the President’s how? I’m sure when the journalist visit the place the truth will certainly emerge’’ he said.

He urged the NDC General Secretary, Asiedu Nketia to come out from his hiding and speak to the issue and also clear the doubts in the minds of the public.

Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gh

Parliament on Wednesday approved a Ghc 2,929,060,871 as budget estimate for the services of six ministries for the 2012 fiscal year, with the health sector garnering the largest chunk of the amount.

The Ministries include Defence, Interior, Local Government and Rural Development, Chieftaincy and Culture, Health and Water Resources, Works and Housing.

Out of that amount, the Ministry of Health was allocated GHc 1,779,434,809, whilst the Interior Ministry was given a budgetary allocation of GHc 406,207,643 for 2012.

The Defence Ministry had GHc 201,251,082 even though the Sector Minister argued that the amount was grossly inadequate for the workings of the Ministry.

The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development was allocated GHc 223,272,127 for its services, with the Chieftaincy and Culture Ministry receiving GHc 15,719,196 for its services.

The Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing had GHc 283, 176,014.

GNA

Parliament has approved a suppliers credit agreement between the government of Ghana and the China International Water and Electricity Corporation for an amount of 162,000,000.00 dollars.

The amount is for the supply and installation of materials and equipment under the national electrification scheme for the Volta and other regions as an extension of the Upper West Electrification project.

The adoption of the resolution was however not without drama as the Minority, raised issues with the inconsistency with the title that read; “For the supply and installation of materials and equipment under the National Electrification Scheme (Upper West Electrification Project)”. They were emphatic that no community in the Upper West has been named to benefit from it, hence the title was misleading.

Ranking Member of the Finance Committee and MP for Old Tafo Dr Anthony Osei Akoto, was the first to raise the issue and was supported by Dr Mathew Prempeh, Member for Manhyia.

Other MPs such as Deputy Minority Leader Ambrose Dery, and the Minority Leader Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, and the Speaker, Mrs Adeline Bamford Addo noted that the loan was meant for Volta Region and other regions and not for Upper West Region so the title must be changed.

Mr Deputy Minister for Finance and Economic Planning Seth Tekpeh, agreed to make the necessary changes as he explained that the loan was sourced from the same place as was in the case of the Upper West Electrification project so the committee considered okay to leave the title as such.

The Speaker asked Mr Tekpeh to move the motion as amended and was seconded by Mr James Klutse, Chairman of the Finance Committee.

The will finance the supply and installation of electrical materials and equipment under the National Electricification Scheme to extend the extent of works of the Upper West Electrification project to cover projects in the Volta and six other regions.

The project covers a total of 600 communities in seven regions with 58 communities in Ashanti, 22 in central, 0 in Eastern, 27 in Greater Accra, 376 in Volta, 24 in Western, 66 in Brong Ahafo, 27 in Northern, Upper East 0, and Upper West 0.

Kwadwo anim/ghanamps.gov.gh

The Member of Parliament for the Okere Constituency in the Eastern Region, Dan Botwe has charged President Mills to as a matter of urgency prompt the NDC’s communication team to stop throwing dust into the eyes of Ghanaians on the controversial NDC office project.

He observed that some personnel from the NDC communication team have over the past few weeks tried to cover up the source of funding over the alleged $20 million mansion purported to be the headquarters for the party.

According to Dan Botwe, if truly there is such a mansion, then the president is aware of it and Ghanaians have the right and are eager to know the source of funding of such a project.

The MP, also a former General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), was speaking on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana show on Wednesday.

He said although there is nothing wrong with the NDC party acquiring a new mansion, the source of funding must be disclosed to the general public.

Godwin Allotey Akweiteh/ ghanamps.gov.gh

A member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) election committee, O. B Amoah, has said creating 45 new constituencies in addition to the 230 seats in Parliament will be too much for Ghana.

According to him, the NPP as a party is surprised about the proposal by the Electoral Commission to create as much as 45 new constituencies as reported by the Daily Guide newspaper in its Wednesday edition.

The Deputy Commisioner of the Electoral Commission, Kwadwo Sarfo Kantanka was quoted by the newspaper as saying, “we have not taken the decision to increase the constituencies yet but we are aware that the population has increased. We are waiting for the official census figures and as soon as we get it, the EC will determine how new constituencies would be created”

Speaking to Citi News, Amoah said the NPP is not against the proposal but challenged the Commission to justify the need for as many as 45 new constituencies.

He said: “We are not kicking against it but the EC must provide basis and facts for arriving at the 45 constituencies they intend to create.

“Looking at the general administrative set up, we think that 275 parliamentarians for almost 25 million people is too much and if we are going to continue this way then we will not be surprised that in 10 years time we would end with 500 Members of Parliament. ”

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Parliament on Tuesday approved a budget of GHs 1,573,195 for the National Labour Commission (NLC) for the year ending December 31, 2012.

Mr Enoch Teye Mensah, Minister of Employment and Social Welfare, moved the motion for the approval and was seconded by Dr Anthony Osei Akoto, Ranking Member of the Finance Committee.

He said the amount was meant to pay compensation for employees, provide goods and services and acquire assets.

Meanwhile in the Committee’s report signed by Mrs Rosemary Arthur Sarkodie, Clerk, Committee on Employment Social Welfare and Mr Prince Jacob Hayibor, Chairman of the Committee, the Commission plans to organise workshops, seminars and produce educational materials to create awareness on labour laws and regulations, research into labour related issues, while labour market information for decision-making would be disseminated.

In addition, the NLC would improve the training and effective use of mediators and arbitrators and sponsor key staff to be trained in specialised labour both locally and abroad.

The Committee recommended that the Commission should educate stakeholders and other social partners on the Labour Act for the Ghana Association of Private Schools.

It also observed that the Commission had only two lawyers which did not augur well for speedy and efficient settlement of industrial disputes and that if it continued, parties to industrial disputes would lose confidence in the Commission and resort to strikes, demonstration and violent confrontation in resolving disputes.

The Committee therefore reiterated its call to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning to grant the Commission special dispensation to enable it employ the requisite staff needed for the successful execution of its mandate.

It observed that no allocation was made for the establishment of regional and district offices in the 2012 estimates of the Commission and called on the Government to raise additional resources to enable it establish offices in the regions and districts.

The Committee urged the Commission to liaise with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Regional Coordinating Councils and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to work out the possibilities of acquiring office accommodations at the local levels.

It appealed to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning to release funds to the Commission to defray the debt for an office accommodation acquired at GHC45, 257 to avoid being dragged to court by the contractors who undertook the partitioning.

GNA