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Month: June 2012

Strengthening of HNIA yielding positive results- Bagbin

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

The Minister of Health, Alban Bagbin has said that the National Health Insurance Authority has received significant organizational strengthening and implementation of new initiatives in the last threes years which has impacted positively on its efficiency.

According to him the new divisions namely Clinical Audit, Clan and Strategy and Cooperate affairs have all been created under it.

This came to light when the Minister was responding to a question posed by MP for Jaman South Hon. Yaw Afful who wanted to know the staff’s strength at the head office and the regional offices of the National Health Insurance Authority for the year 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011.

Hon. Bagbin said the Internal Audit division has been significantly beefed-up with diverse professionals to be able to provide risk management and assurance services, whereas the regional offices have significantly been strengthened with accountants and monitoring and evaluation staff.

He said some of the initiatives implemented since 2009 include Clinical Audit which have recovered over 18 million Ghana cedis to cover payment to providers by the schemes, scaling up of ICT implementation, and accreditation of health care providers which has contributed to quality of service improvement.

Others include consolidation and automation of claim processing, professionalization of human resource management, scaling up of internal audit, strategy formulation and communication among others.

According to Mr. Bagbin the success of a foregoing initiative has required the emplacement of appropriate human resources both in numbers and skill felt.

This he said has being critical for the successes that has been achieved with fraud and abuse minimization, cost containment, speedy processing of claim, improve stakeholder engagement, improve monitoring and evaluation, strengthening research capacity and improved financial management.

He gave the staff numbers of the NHIA both at the headquarters and Regional offices as 2008= 141, 200o9= 181, 2010= 348, 2011= 414, 2012 fought- up to 424 respectively.

22 questions to be anwsered in Parliament this week.

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

Four Ministers are expected in Parliament this week to answer (22) twenty two questions which have been posed to them.

They include the Ministers for Youth and Sports, Health, Energy and Roads and Highways respectively.

The Minister for Youth and Sports Hon. CLement Kofi Humado is expected to answer a question by MP for Atwima Mponua, Isaac Asiamah on the total income and expenditure of Ghana’s participation in the just ended 2010 Fifa World Cup in South Africa.

On Tuesday the Health Minister, Alban Bagbin will answer a question asked by Joseph Kwaku Nayan MP for Nkwanta North on when the Ministry will begin the construction of the Nkwanta North District Hospital.

The Majority Leader, Cletus Avoka who read out the Business Statement of the House ending Friday 22nd June 2012 stated that announced that the Speaker of Parliament may allow statements to be made on the floor.

Hon. Cletus Avoka also informed the House that it would sit in camera on Wednesday, 20th June at 12 noon to be briefed by the Minister for Interior on the Communal Violence in some parts of the country and entreated MPs to avail themselves at the meeting to participate in the deliberations.

Kwadwo Anim/Ghanamps.gov.gh

DOVVSU official advocates LI on domestic violence

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Sampson Agbeko, Brong Ahafo Regional Director of Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU), on Tuesday appealed to the government and the parliament of Ghana to pass the Legislative Instrument (LI) on Domestic Violence Act.

He said the LI would take care of some of the problems that victims of domestic violence and other stakeholders go through in their endeavour of seeking justice.

The regional director was addressing a press conference on the passage of the LI in Sunyani, which was jointly organised by two NGO’s: ActionAid Ghana and Centre for
Maternal Health and Community Empowerment.

DSP Agbeko said lack of training for some of the staff of DOVVSU in regard to knowledge about domestic violence- related issues, lack of privacy of victims during counselling sessions and the fees demanded from them are some of the things affecting the fight against fighting injustice in the society.

Mrs Olivia Avudzega of the Department of Social Welfare said the introduction of the Domestic Violence Act brought relief to stakeholders working for victims of domestic violence.

She said the Act alone could not be fully effective without the support of the LI to regulate how the law should operate.

Mrs Avudzega said the law would ensure free access to medical care, as well as shelter for victims she asked the public to desist from stigmatising victims of domestic violence and rather encourage them to report cases on time to avoid tampering with evidence.

Mrs Avudzega appealed to family members to avoid the settlement of domestic cases at home and rather allow the law to take its course.

Mr George Ankamah, Acting Regional Director of the Department of Children, emphasised that the LI would help to promote and protect the development of women and
children.

He expressed regret about the low number of women in decision making due to the continued existence of some harmful socio-cultural practices in some communities.

The acting regional director noted that some husbands maltreat their wives and get away with it because after all it would be settled at home.

Mr Ankamah said his outfit would intensify advocacy and awareness creation about women issues to the public “to ensure violence against women and children are… minimised or eradicated from the society”.

Mr John Abaa of ActionAid Ghana entreated the media to help in the sensitisation of people on domestic violence issues.

GNA

Parliamentarians extends olive branch to feuding factions in Hohoe

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

Captain George Nfodjo (Rtd), Member of Parliament (MP) for Ho Central, on Monday entreated the people of Hohoe and the Muslim community to bury the hatchet and begin the processes of peace building.

He said Hohoe has become the commercial hub of the Volta Region and so anything that affects the area has repercussion on the region.

Capt Nfodjo Chairman of the Volta Region caucus in Parliament made the appeal when the Parliamentary Select Committee on Interior and Defence, the Volta and Muslim caucuses in Parliament met with Togbega Gabusu, Paramount Chief of Gbi and the Zongo community in Hohoe.

He urged the leadership of the two groups to advise their supporters to remain calm to allow the peace process to yield fruits.

Dr Mustapha Ahmed, Chairman of the Muslim Caucus in Parliament asked the two sides to mend fences, instead of fighting among themselves.

Atmosphere in Hohoe still tense after Monday’ violence

Last two weeks Hohoe was thrown into a state of pandemonium when Zongo youth vandalised the home of Togbega Gabusu, prompting reprisal attacks.

The violence started when some youth of the Zongo community found the exhumed body of the local chief Imam at the roadside at the outskirt of the town after his burial.

He was reportedly buried in defiance of a ban on the burial of members of the Zongo Community on Gbi land.

The traditional authorities of Gbi imposed the ban after the Zongo youth attacked personnel of Hohoe Government Hospital accusing them that their negligence had led to the death of their colleague who was sent there to be treated for electrocution.

Reports say 22-year-old Abdulai Majid was working in the vicinity of the hospital when the incident happened but staff on duty demanded his National Health Insurance card.

He, however, died before the card arrived.

The Hospital authorities have caused investigations to establish the cause of death and related issues.

GNA

US$18,515,256.83 spent on Black Stars in South Africa World Cup – Minister

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

The Minister of Youth and Sports Hon. Clement Kofi Humado was on Tuesday in Parliament to render account on the monies spent to fund Ghana’s contingent to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

According to the Minister, a total of $18,515,256.83 was received from government, private sponsorship and text and win promotion to fund Ghana’s participation in the World Cup.

He said out of that amount, $16,998,955.37 was spent on the Ghana team leaving a balance of $1,516,301.46 which was paid to government’s chest.

The Minister’s revelation was in response to a question which was asked on behalf of MP for Bosomtwi Simeon Osei Mensah by MP for Atwima-Mponua Isaac Esiamah pertaining to the expenditure breakdown of the $19 million government allocation and private sector contributions for Ghana’s participation in the 2010 World Cup competition in South Africa.

The Minister said $219,800 was spent on per diem allowances where as $3,413,519 was spent on accommodation and meals, $106,794 was spent on scouting and monitoring while $78,560 was spent on sundry expenses (medical), laundry, Visa fees, excess baggage etc.

$16,000, $5,925,000 and $2,541,500 were spent on protocols, appearance fees and wining bonuses respectively.

Transportation cost $38,181 while President’s special package or reward to players and officials amounted to $610,000.

$2,722,571.73, $456,119 and $51,001 were used for air ticket, match and travel insurance respectively.

Publicity (national launch), souvenirs etc and publication (black star magazine) also cost $91,534.06.

$6,944.06, $125,559.09 and $72,741.26 were spent on local camping, world cup reception (float and banner) and administrative expenses respectively.
$61,892.41 was spent on commission (event organization) whereas $34,965.03 was used for refreshment.

During the question time, some MPs including MP for Okere Dan Botwe questioned why $125,559 and $34,965 of the tax payers’ money was used for welcome reception and refreshment respectively wondering if the welcome reception did not include feeding.
However, Kofi Humado answered that the reception involved float, banners etc.

He however told the House that he was prepared to furnish it with certain details such as breakdown of contributions from private sector and how long the team can camp which he did not have answer to at that moment.

He noted that the 2010 account of the Ministry had been duly submitted and auditored by the auditor generals department.

Kwadwo Anim/Ghanamps.gov.gh

We are capable of reducing poverty – Tetteh Chaie

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

Mr Theophilus Tetteh Chaie, Ablekuma Central Member of Parliament (MP), has said poverty alleviation is about adopting pragmatic policies and programmes to empower the youth and assisting the unemployed to find gainful employment.

“Every MP is capable of reducing poverty drastically provided that national issues such as health and education are discussed dispassionately without introducing politics,” he said.

The MP said this at the weekend when he donated GH¢1,000 and 13 sewing machines at the cost of GH¢3,250 to graduates of the Ghana National Tailors and Dressmakers Association after they had successfully completed their apprenticeship in dressmaking.

Mr Chaie said there was the need for every Ghanaian to take advantage of the Local Enterprise and Skills Development Programme (LESDEP) to acquire vocations that would make them economically self-sustaining.

He said vocational and technical education had emerged as one of the best strategies that any nation needed to develop and reduce poverty.

The MP told the newly trained tailors and dressmakers that “you don’t need to be academician before you can progress in life but you have to look at the prevailing opportunities and conditions to create jobs for yourself.”

He advised parents not to give up when their children could not meet the necessary grades to pursue higher academic programmes but encourage them to seize any opportunity in the country to become self-sufficient.

Mr Chaie gave the assurance that the government was prepared to assist technical and vocational institutions to provide skills training for the youth to make them self-reliant.

He said, he was happy to contribute towards the future development of the 13 young women and asked them to be proud of the vocation they had chosen.

Mr Addo Biney, Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the Ghana National Tailors and Dressmakers Association, commended the MP for investing heavily in the programme to provide employable skills to the people.

He said anybody who would see tailoring and dressmaking as an obstacle to progress in life was deceiving himself and advised the graduates to endeavour to render quality services to their clients and attract more customers.

GNA

Don’t make a fuss of President Mills’ health, Nyaunu tells Ghanaians

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

The outspoken Member of Parliament for Lower Manya Krobo, Michael Teye Nyaunu has urged Ghanaians not to make a fuss out of President Atta Mills alleged ailment and his travel outside to America for medical check-up.

The MP who in the past publicly called for the replacement of President Mills as the National Democratic Congress(NDC) Presidential Candidate because of his ill-health condemned the speculation of the President’s demise and the controversy his visit outside has generated saying it would not be in anyone’s interest to wish the President dead.

Rumours of the President Atta Mills death were rife over the weekend after section of the public early in the week were asking of the President’s where-about when he failed to show up in public and also travel to the trouble spot in Hohoe only for him to inform the country on Saturday prior to his departure at the airport that he was traveling for medical check to ready himself for the December general elections.

However speaking to Ghanamps.gov.gh on Monday Hon. Teye Nyaunu expressed disapproval of anyone trying to gain political points out of the President’s state of health and wished him the best of luck as he undergoes medical treatment.

“ He is the father of the land and in such times we should show him support and care and hope that all will be fine with him’’ hon. Teye Nyaunu said.

 Kwadwo Anim/Ghanamps.gov.gh

Kade MP calls for the return of NPP to power

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

Mr Ofosu Asamoah, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Kade, has tasked the New Patriotic Party (NPP) youth to work hard to enable the party to win power in the December polls.

The MP said that the difficulties and suffering Ghanaians were going through should prove the fact that their woes would deepen if they retained the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government in power.

Mr Asamoah, speaking at a forum organized by the youth of the party at Asuom on Friday, declared that there was the vital need to convince especially, the floating voters that their future lay with the NPP’s returning to power.

He challenged them to win as many “converts” as possible and to intensify their campaigns to woo more floating voters into the party. Mr Asamoah said it was only the NPP which truly has the welfare of the youth at heart.

Touching on the NPP flagbearer’s promise to give Ghanaians free education up to the Senior High School (SHS) level, the MP said it was only a visionless leader who would say that was impossible.

He called for unity within the ranks of the NPP and hard work to make victory a certainty in December.

GNA

Posture of Minority PAC members will affect CP findings-Adu Asare

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs
The Member of Parliament for Adenta constituency, Hon. Kojo Adu- Asare says the antagonistic approach by the Minority members of the Public Accounts Committee(PAC) against the Attorney General, Dr. Benjamin Kumbuor may not yield the desired findings from the ongoing investigation into the Construction Pioneers’ settlement debt.
According to him, the Minority members have already preconceived minds on the issue and that was clearly reflected in their conduct during the appearance of the AG before the committee last week.
The Government of Ghana paid a whooping Ninety Four million Euros to CP as settlement debt for certain roads the company constructed several years ago.
Speaking on Joy Fm’s News File on Saturday, Hon. Adu Asare criticized the minority leader, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu for ‘poisoning’ the atmosphere relating to the issues through a press conference he addressed recently, when the AG had not had his day before the PAC.
He said if the mibnority members on the committee should continue with their posture, the AG will be forced to be cagey and will not relieve relevant information about the issue which will be at the detriment of Ghana.
“The Minority see this as an opportunity to nail the NDC government and this is evident in the set of questions they are asking; let us see the interest of Ghana”, Hon Adu Asare said.
Kwadwo Anim/Ghanamps.gov.gh

Parliament Approves Loan for Rural Agric Programme

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

Parliament on Friday has approved the supplementary agreement between the government of Ghana and the International Fund for Agricultural Development(IFAD) of an amount of US$9million for the Rural and Agricultural finance programme.

The purpose of the facility is to support the implementation of the Rural and Agricultural finance programme in providing improved and sustainable livelihood to the rural folks particularly women and vulnerable groups by improving their access to sustainable financial services through enhanced outreach, sustainability and linkages.

To achieve their purpose, the facility will be used to build the capacity of ARB Apex Bank, Rural and Community banks and Rural Micro finance institutions.

Benefits of the programme will accrue directly or indirectly to 125 rural and community banks, 20 other micro finance institutions and at least 30 clients to be trained per annum by the rural and community bank in the micro finance roll out programme.

In 10 years, it is expected that about 62,000 small holder farmers will be actively borrowing for production of value chain commodities supported by government programme/agencies.

Kwadwo Anim/Ghanamps.gov.gh