Month: June 2012

The 2nd Deputy Speaker of Parliament Prof Mike Oquaye says President Mills has chickened out of the presidential debate being organized by Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) due to his bad governance and broken promises.

According to him President Mills realizes that issues concerning his inability to fulfill his promises have played it safe by dodging the encounter with a lame excuse of following convention.

The NDC in a statement signed by its propaganda secretary Richard Quashigah stated that President Mills in keeping with the convention of no sitting president taking part in such debate since the year 2000 will also not be part of this years presidential debate.

However speaking on Okay fm, Hon Mike Oquaye disagreed with the reasons adduced saying president mills is afraid questions on his broken promises such as his inability to ensure 40% of ministerial appointees go to women and his failure to ensure that his appointees declare their assets within the first 6 months in office and that to avoid any embarrassment he has decided not to attend the debate.

He asked that even if there has been a convention of sitting presidents not taking part in such debates it is now time to chart a new course under the so called better Ghana governance.

Prof Mike Oquaye indicated that the NPP has no issue with attending the debate and that the party’s presidential candidate Nana Akuffo Addo will seize the opportunity to communicate his vision which will ensure development of Ghana to the general public.

Kwadwo Anim/Ghanadistricts.com

Members of Parliament and staff of the parliamentary service will on Monday July 2, 2012 undertake health exercise and fun games to mark Ghana’s Republic Day anniversary.

Alhaji Pelpuo, Deputy Majority Leader made the announcement on Friday in Parliament after reading the business statement for the eight week ending Friday July 6, 2012.

He noted that members of Parliament and the management team of Parliament would lock horns in a football encounter.

The activities include football, volley ball, table tennis, atlethics, draught, chess, scrabble, tug of war, oware, ludo, sack race, lime on spoon and musical chairs.

GNA

Members of Parliament on Friday bemoaned the continuous absence of that of their colleagues from sittings which is negatively affecting Parliamentary business.

This week has witness MPs not attending Parliament with the situation becoming worse on Thursday where a handful of Parliamentarians were left in the chamber as majority of them had traveled to various parts of the country to attend the inauguration of the new District.

Standing Order 48 of Parliament requires that if less than one third of MPs are not present during sittings, proceedings must be adjourned if quorum is not formed.

On Friday sitting, a few Parliamentarians had gathered a situation which made the MP for Abuakwa North Professor Samuel Amoako to raise the standing order 48 for an adjournment of proceedings which was upheld by the Speaker of Parliament Joyce Bamford Addo.

The MP for Manhyia, Matthew Opoku Prempeh, urged leadership especially the Majority Leader to ensure that MPs are made to attend Parliamentary sitting regularly to ensure government business is effectively executed.

Majority Leader Cletus Avoka, on his part acknowledged the poor attendance in Parliament this week and said the situation if not checked may continue especially as campaigning heats- up for the 2012 general elections.

He however assured the House that leadership will ensure government business is not adversely affected by the continuous absence of MPs in Parliament.

Kwadwo Anim/Ghanamps.gov.gh

Parliament has adopted the Public Account Committee’s report on the report of the Auditor General on the public accounts of Ghana (Pre-university Educational Institutions ) for the year ended 31 December 2005, a total 190 out of 552 representing 34% of pre university institutions failed to submit their annual account for the 2005 financial year.

Non of the 45 institutions in the Greater Accra Region complied with Financial Administration regulations, 2004 (L.I 1802) which demands that educational institutions must prepare and transmit to the Auditor General , the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning and the Controller and Accountant General their annual accounts.

The committee observed that the failure of the institutions to submit their annual accounts on their financial operations for audit inspection by the Auditor General makes it impossible for the auditor general to report the financial standings and the effectiveness of financial controls in the default institutions.

Presenting the report on the floor of the house on Thursday, the chairman of PAC Albert Kan-Dapaah stated that while the committee deliberated on the issue, it became apparent that most Heads of Pre University institutions were ignorant of what it takes to carry out effective management of their institutions even though they bear the automate responsibility.

He noted that as a result there is no complains with regard to the deadline for the submission of the annual account as prescribed by the financial administration regulations, 2004 (L.I. 1802).

He added that to ensure effective and timely monitoring of financial management and performance, the committee recommends that the ministry of education and the GES should impose sanctions on the accountants and heads of defaulting institutions in accordance with the provisions of the financial and accounting instructions for secondary schools, training college and educational unit.

The committee also recommends that the GES should ensure that the heads of pre university institutions are given busy training in financial management.

Kwadwo Anim/Ghanadistricts.com

The Minority in Parliament on Wednesday registered their displeasure over the absence of some ministers in parliament to answer question asked of them.

The Business Statement for the week advertised that, ministers from the ministries of Interior, Employment and Social Welfare, Local Government and Rural Development and Finance will be in the House to answer various question in relation to their sector.

But when parliament conveyed this week both the Order Papers which indicates what issues will be tackled in a particular day for Tuesday and Wednesday indicated nothing about the said questions, prompting the MP for Akropong, W. O. Boafo to question why the Order paper did not capture the question while no explanation was given for that action.

The Majority Leader Clestus Avoka, in responds said the ministers in question have traveled to various parts of the country for the inauguration of the new 46 new districts which will be held on Thursday 28 June 2012.

However the minority was not satisfied with the explanation given and insisted that in the absence of the substantive ministers, the deputy ministers could have taken their place on the floor of the House to answer the question as is done sometimes.

The Majority Leader then considered and said the ministers will be rescheduled and later answer the questions ask of them.

Meanwhile the House continued with deliberations on the university of professional studies bill 2011 which is currently at the consideration stage.

Kwadwo Anim/Ghanamps.gov.gh

The speaker of Parliament Hon. Joyce Bamford Addo formerly declared the Kwabre West seat vacant.

She formerly announced the death of the MP for the area on the floor of Parliament after she was officially notified by the family.

The House on observed a minute in memory of the experience legislator who represented his people for 2 terms.

Hon. Emmanuel Owusu Ansah, a lawyer by profession ones served as the deputy attorney general and Ashanti regional minister from 2005 – 2008.

He also once served as the judicial secretary of Ghana.

Kwadwo Anim/Ghanamps.gov.gh