Month: February 2012

Parliament is demanding a refund of tuition fees for nearly 700 students of the Central University College whose admissions have been withdrawn by the National Accreditation Board (NAB).

The MPs also want the University to compensate the students for wrongful admissions.

The 695 students are part of 3000 students admitted by the Central University College for the 2011/2012 academic year. The university offered them admission even though they did not meet the admission requirements set by the NAB.

The university was expecting that the students would be able to improve their grades through a remedial course. The university’s policy is against NABs regulations and the the university has since announced a discontinuation of the conditional admission policy.

The University has also stated that it would not make any refunds, but parliamentarians disagree.

The parliamentarians are of the view that since the university made a mistake in breaching the accreditation board’s regulations, they must refund the fees and even pay compensation to the affected students.

Five students have so far applied for a refund of their fees.

The Volta Caucus in Parliament has condemned “the Rambo style arrest” of embattled National Democratic Congress (NDC) financier Alfred Woyome.

Woyome has been charged with conspiracy to commit crime, defrauding by false pretense and corrupting public officials over the GhC58 million judgment debt scandal.

The Caucus on Wednesday visited Mr. Woyome, who is in remand at the Police CID cells in Accra.

Arguing that the businessman like every Ghanaian is entitled to his human dignity under the law, a statement from the Caucus noted that it is not against the ongoing investigation of Mr. Woyome by the police.

“However, in doing so, his human dignity must be protected as stipulated under Article 15 of the 1992 Constitution,” the statement signed by Hon. Captain (rtd) George Nfojoh, the chairman and Hon. Edem Asimah, the secretary, pointed out.

The statement added: “The Volta Caucus would like to put on record the fact that Mr. Alfred Agbesi Woyome is a Member of the Expanded Volta Regional Executive Committee of the National Democratic Congress.

“In the mean time, we appeal to the rank and file of the party (NDC) to remain calm pending the outcome of his bail application,” the stated concluded.

By Citifmonline. com

The outspoken MP for Assin North, Kennedy Agyepong, has made a strong call for the Chief of Staff John Martey Newman, deputy Attorney General Ebo Barton-Oduro and the Finance Minister Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, to resign with immediate effect or be arrested and tried for various roles played in the controversial Alfred Woyome judgment debt saga.

He alleged the infamous judgment debt totaling GhC51 million awarded the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) financier was orchestrated by a “whole syndicate” that goes beyond the persons cited in the Economic and Organised Crimes Office (EOCO) interim report.

He said the above mentioned members of the NDC must all resign to pave way for proper investigations to be conducted into the case because they were all beneficiaries of the GhC51 m judgment debt.

Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Thursday, the NPP business mogul lashed out at the embattled financier of the NDC describing him as a “crook and a shameless opportunist. ”

He said Woyome, who is currently in remand at the Police CID headquarters, was aided by the former Attorney General and Minister for Justice Betty Mould-Iddrisu to dupe the nation.

He added that US$ 30 million of that money is being used to finance the ongoing construction of the NDC head office. According to him, another five million of that money was paid into the accounts of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation for reasons he could not state.

Woyome was on Monday charged and refused bail for conspiracy to commit crime, defrauding by false pretense and corrupting public officials in the contentious judgment debt scandal.

He was charged alongside a Chief State Attorney of Ghana, Samuel Nerquaye-Tetteh and his wife as well as the legal director at the Ministry of Finance, Paul Asimenu.

He said the state was only using the Chief State Attorney of Ghana as a scapegoat, adding that he should be released because he had no role to play in the case.

By: Citifmonline. com

Parliament on Thursday read the College of Education Bill 2011 for the second time.

The Bill when finally passed into law will give the 38 teacher training institutions in the country the legal backing to become fully fledged diploma awarding institutions.

The Bill would also allow both the principals and Vice principals of the colleges to have a specific tenure of office for four years and three years respectively.

It would also be required for the colleges to affiliate with recognized chartered teacher institutions in the country.

Contributing to the discussion on the floor of parliament, the ranking member of the Committee on Education,MP for Assin South, Prof. Dominic Fobih, stated that the elevation of the colleges will require additional infrastructure in the form of proper lecture rooms and offices for senior staff of the colleges

Haruna Iddrissu, Mp for Tamale also adding his voice to the discussion emphasized the need for the colleges to take into consideration the facilitation of ICT to improve the knowledge base of teacher trainees.

The Minority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsui on his part observed that the elevation of the institutions may restrict the number of prospective candidates but suggested that more of such colleges be established whiles existing ones be expanded.

Kojo Anim/Ghanamps.gov.gh

Four ministerial nominees were on Thursday vetted by the Appointments Committee of Parliament for prior to their assumption of office.

They were; Moses Asaga, Minister designate for Employment and Social Welfare, Dominic Azimbe Azumah, Minister of State designate for the Presidency, Fritz Baffour, Minister designate for Information, and Henry Ametefee, Deputy Minister designate for the Volta Region.

Mr Asaga who was the first to appear before the committee among other issues assured of his commitment to address the challenges of the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) scheme, which had achieved 97 per cent coverage.

He said when finally approved he will direct his energy to ensuring that the remaining three per cent coverage is achieved.

Hon. Asaga added that his experience at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning put him in a better position to assist the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission to implement the scheme.

Mr Fritz Baffuor who was the next to take his turn expressed concern over the inability of the National Media Commission (NMC) to exact punitive measures against erring media houses and agreed with calls for the NMC to be given the power to sanction such organizations which flout the media regulations of the country.

The Hon. Member of Parliament for Garu-Tempane, Dominic Azimbe Azumah Minister of State designate at the President at his vetting was not asked any tough questions but was highly commended by his colleagues from both sides of the house for his efficiency and unifying role in parliament.

He called for a concerted effort among feuding factions in the Bawku conflict to put an end to the raging conflict.

Hon. Dominic Azimbe Azumah noted that he together with his other colleague MPs from the Upper East District have actively engaged feuding factions on the need to give peace a chance, adding that he is still committed to achieving this aim.

The Deputy Volta Regional Minister designate, Henry Ametefee, assured to use his vast experience as former District Chief Executive to bring about development in the region as he works to maintain peace in the area.

Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gh

Parliament has amended part of the local government Act 1993 (Act 462) to allow for the easy creation of new municipalities in the country.

Prior to the amendment section, sub-section 4 of the Act required that before the Electoral Commission could make recommendations for the establishment of new municipalities, it has to consider whether the municipality consists of a single compact settlement with a minimum population size of 95,000 people.

This requirement was however an impediment to the creation of new municipalities.

The new Act will therefore allow for the creation of 8 new municipalities and also cater for 8 existing ones which were created in 2004 and 2007.

Ghanamps.gov.gh

A delegation of Parliamentary Whips in Ghana has ended a six-day study tour of the House of Commons in the United Kigdom.

Led by the Majority Chief Whip, Mr Gershon Gbediame, the delegation took part in the day-to-day activities of the House of Commons and gained insight into the whip system in the UK.

Briefing the Ghanaian community at a reception at the Ghana High Commission at Belgrave Square in London last Thursday, Mr Gbediame said Ghana’s parliamentary system which was highly respected by the international community still needed to tap the experiences of other jurisdictions to grow from strength to strength.

He said despite the political differences, the NDC and the NPP enjoyed a good parliamentary working relationship and that underlined the need for all Ghanaians to live in peace at all times.

Mr Gbediame, who is also the MP for Nkwanta, appealed to the media to refrain from raking old wounds and uphold the peace in the country through their writing.

‘Let us build and not divide because the majority and the minority are only looking at the same issues from different angles, ‘’ he added.

The Minority Chief Whip, Mr Frederick Opare- Ansah, added his voice to the need for peace among the electorates, saying : “ Ghanaians are the toast of other African countries and we must preserve that image.’’

The Deputy Minority Whip, Mrs Gifty Kusi, said there was the need for more women in parliament to boost Ghana’s glowing democratic image.