Month: December 2011

The Member of Parliament for Ho West, Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah, has jumped to the defence of President Atta Mills saying he is about the only leader of Ghana who cannot be accused of engaging in corruption or superintending of it.

He said President Mills over the years has demonstrated amply that he abhors corruption and has indeed put in place measures to curb the social canker.

The MP commenting during a panel discussion on e.tv’s BREAKFAST TV show on wednesday, in reaction to the claim by the NPP MP for Asikuma-Odobeng-Brakwa, P.C Appiah Ofori who accused President Mills of lacking enough commitment towards reducing corruption in Ghana.

The anti corruption campaigner had asserted that under President Mills reign, corruption in Ghana has moved from bad to worse , a situation he considers a threat to the nation’s development.

His views followed the Global Survey report, which according to Transparency International indicated that Ghana has moved from number 62 of the world’s most transparent nations last year to number 69 in 2011.

However the NDC MP, rejected P.C Appiah Ofori’s assertions stating that President Mills has demonstrated his commitment for his fight against corruption as he has not hesitated in reliving his appointees who have been involved in any corrupt act of their appointment.

“Muntaka and Dr Sipa Yankee who lost their earlier positions in government due to some perceived corruption issues is a clear case to Ghanaians that he would not shield such appointees.

He also emphasized the need for the judiciary to continue prosecuting corrupt public officials to serve as a deterrent to other officers who have intentions of siphoning state resources.

Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gh

The incumbent Member of Parliament for Adenta, Kojo Adu Asare, who has decided not to contest the seat for a second term at next year’s election, has said he might consider going into acting if it becomes difficult to find a new job.

The MP on Saturday announced that having succeeded in clinching the Adenta seat from the New Patriotic Party (NPP), he believes he has accomplished his mission and the time is ripe to hand over the baton to another person to continue with the good work he has started.

Speaking on the Citi Eyewitness News on Monday, Hon. Asare stated that he would not hesitate playing a role alongside well known actors like John Dumelo and Agya Koo.

“If I don’t find any job to do at all at least I will get into acting,” he said. “I will just enter into the entertainment industry and play some roles there. ”

Hon Asare rejected claims that his popularity had waned in the Adenta constituency hence his decision not to seek a second term.

Asare, who was evasive to provide reasons for his decision to bow out now, added that the parliamentary work was beginning to tear his family apart and felt it was the right time to leave.

“I think that I have served my purpose, I have accomplished the mission and it is better to get somebody to take up the baton,” he stated.

“It has been very erratic on my family and things almost went apart. I am a young man and I must not gain everything and lose my family. ”

Meanwhile, NPP’s parliamentary candidate for the Adenta constituency, Frances Essiam has asked him to be bold and rescind his decision in order to face her for the seat in 2012.

She, however, added that the decision by the incumbent MP not to contest the seat for a second term does not automatically brighten her chances of winning the seat back for the NPP.

Essiam stated that she is ready to battle any candidate who is elected by the NDC to take over from Hon. Asare.

Citifmonline. com

The NPP Member of Parliament for Asikuma Odoben Brakwa, P.C. Appiah-Ofori has stated that Alhaji M.N.D Jawula will make a better running mate than Dr Mahamadu Bawumia, who is widely tipped to partner Nana Akufo Addo in the upcoming 2012 elections.

The MP is confident that Aljhaji Juwula who is also a Chief in the will draw enough votes from the northern regions to improve the electoral fortunes of the NPP in an election which promises to be keenly contested.

According to P.C Appiah Ofori, Dr Bawumiah who was the running mate in 2008 elections failed to add anything to the votes of the NPP in the three regions, a feat that will be achieved if Alhaji Jawula is selected as the running mate to Nana Akufo Addo.

In recent times the issue of who partners Nana Akufo Addo for the 2012 elections has become a topic for discussion on the airwaves as names such as Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia; Lepowura Alhaji M.N.D Jawula and deputy Minority Leader, Ambrose Dery have come up as likely candidates to be picked.

Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen on Monday, Appiah-Ofori noted that the NPP lcould not gunner lots of votes when Dr. Bawumia was chosen to partner Nana Akufo-Addo in the 2008 elections.

He emphasized that Dr. Bawumia who was the former Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG) will be a liability to the party if nominated again as the party’s running mate for the 2012 general elections.

He stressed that looking at the performance of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia in the 2008 elections; he should never be considered for the 2012 elections because the NPP will lose miserably.

Hon. P.C Appiah noted however that if Bawumia is picked by the party he would campaign for Nana Addo but the expected results may not be achieved.

Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gh

Mr. Haruna Bayirgah, Member of Parliament (MP) for Sissala West, has said the cost of tractors is too high and unaffordable by poor farmers, hence the low agricultural productivity among farmers in the northern part of the country.

He said agriculture would continue to record low growth, with high incidence of food insecurity unless the government took a critical look at the cost of agricultural machinery as farmers would have to abandon the use of the hoe and cutlass as their main implement.

Mr. Bayirgah said this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency during the 27th Regional Farmers Day celebration at Gwollu in the Sissala West District.

He said the government was selling tractors to farmers at a cost of 18,000 Ghana cedis and that for farmers in the north before the tractors reached their destination, the cost normally increased to 20,000 Ghana cedis.

He said that price was rather on the high side and vulnerable farmers who had the passion for farming could not afford such money to enable them to acquire a tractor to expand their farms.

Mr. Bayirgah appealed to the government to consider bringing tractor manufacturing companies to Ghana to establish their factories, while at the same time waiving the taxes on those factories to encourage them to produce more tractors at an affordable cost for local farmers.

The Sissala West MP appealed to farmers in the Region to change their obsolete farming practices and embrace modern methods to control climate change and enhance food production.

Mr. Bayirgah advised people in the Region to remain united and not to allow political differences to divide them and nurture hatred among them.

A 54-year-old farmer, Mr. Sulemani Sumaila from Bullu, was adjudged the overall best Regional farmer.

GNA

Mr. Mike Hammah, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, has underscored the importance of Church-State collaboration towards national development.

He said, the Church must wake up from its slumber and ensured that charlatans and fake prophets were eradicated from their midst.

Mr. Hammah made these remarks at the Annual Fund-Raising and Thanksgiving Service of the Grace Congregation of the Presbyterian Church at Haana-Kpone at the weekend.

The theme for the occasion was “Empowered by the Holy Spirit”.

Mr. Hammah, who represented the Vice President, said government recognized the important role of the Church towards nation building.

The congregation, he said, must therefore lead upright and morally good lives worthy of emulation.

The Minister advised the youth to guard against negative and divisive tendencies, reminding them that such unwarranted behaviour might eventually ruined their lives.

He urged them to be respectful, disciplined and above all God fearing, adding that such virtues would go a long way to help them grow into responsible adults.

On the 2012 general elections, Mr. Hammah reminded the Church of her role to pray for peace and God’s blessings.

He was optimistic that politicians would guard against the use of inflammatory words, or issuing statements that would inflame passions.

Nii Laryea Afotey-Agbo, Minister of State, urged Ghanaians to have love and respect for one another.

Nii Afotey-Agbo, who is also the Member of Parliament for the area, advised Ghanaians that in spite of their political affiliations, there was the need for peaceful co-existence.

In a sermon, Mr. Eddie Akwetey, Caretaker of the Church, urged Ghanaians to pray for the leadership of the nation to be imbued with wisdom so as to be able to steer the affairs of the country in a peaceful and smooth manner.

Mr. Joseph Dzokoto, businessman and co-chairman for the occasion, advised Ghanaians to sink their differences and live as one people with a common destiny.

Mr. Hammah and Nii Afotey-Agbo later jointly cut the sod for the commencement of work on the construction of wash rooms for the Church.

About GHc10, 000 was realized in an appeal for funds.

GNA

Incumbent Member of Parliament for Adenta Kojo Adu Asare has declared his intention not to seek re-election as the Parliamentary candidate for the Adenta constituency in the upcoming 2012 elections.

The affable and soft spoken MP presented a letter to the constituency chairman of the party at the Constituency’s general meeting in which he informed the party of his decision not to run any more.

Hon. Adu –Asare has stated that his primary objective for contesting the 2008 parliamentary election was to wrestle the Adenta seat which had been occupied by the NPP for a while.

He said having achieved that aim; he believes it is time to hand over the baton for another person to continue with the good works that he has started.

Mr Adu Asare however assured of his unwavering support to the final winner of the primaries to be held early next year, adding that he would be very active in the electoral campaign to ensure the NDC candidate wins the Adenta seat.

Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gh

The Minority Spokesperson on Communication and Member of Parliament for Okaikoi South, Nana Akomea, has urged the government to allow the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and the National Media Commission (NMC) to handle the implementation of the GH¢l million Media Development Fund, which the government has proposed to set up in the 2012 budget.

“Even though the government’s intention is laudable, such a fund will have the full support of people across the political divide should it be placed in the hands of the GJA and the NMC”, he said when he took his turn in the ongoing debate on the 2012 Budget in Parliament today.

He said the two media institutions were well-placed to implement whatever intentions the government had for setting up such a laudable fund rather than any other body that might be set up for the purpose.

In the budget, the government stated that the fund would be administered by a board of competent trustees which is aimed at improving the professional output and competence of media organisation and personnel in the country.

Donors and corporate organisations will also be invited to contribute to the fund.

He also chastised the government for failing to fulfill most of the promises made both in the previous budgets and the NDC Manifesto.

Nana Akomea added that even though the government was touting its economic achievements, the ordinary man on the street was suffering since prices of commodities kept increasing every day.

The Minority Spokesperson on Communication and Member of Parliament for Okaikoi South, Nana Akomea, has urged the government to allow the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and the National Media Commission (NMC) to handle the implementation of the GH¢l million Media Development Fund, which the government has proposed to set up in the 2012 budget.

“Even though the government’s intention is laudable, such a fund will have the full support of people across the political divide should it be placed in the hands of the GJA and the NMC”, he said when he took his turn in the ongoing debate on the 2012 Budget in Parliament today.

He said the two media institutions were well-placed to implement whatever intentions the government had for setting up such a laudable fund rather than any other body that might be set up for the purpose.

In the budget, the government stated that the fund would be administered by a board of competent trustees which is aimed at improving the professional output and competence of media organisation and personnel in the country.

Donors and corporate organisations will also be invited to contribute to the fund.

He also chastised the government for failing to fulfill most of the promises made both in the previous budgets and the NDC Manifesto.

Nana Akomea added that even though the government was touting its economic achievements, the ordinary man on the street was suffering since prices of commodities kept increasing every day.