Month: July 2012

Mr Theophilus Tetteh Chaie, Member of Parliament for Ablekuma Central, has honoured the headmistress of the Abossey Okai Methodist Junior High School (JHS) and a teacher for the performance of the school in the 2011 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).

Mrs Patience Patricia Amelorku and Miss Elizabeth Acheampong, Headmistress and JHS teacher respectively, received one laptop each and 24 laptops for the school’s computer library to be used for the teaching of Information Communication Technology (ICT) programmes. The school’s first appearance in the BECE was over whelming which necessitated the special award by the MP.

The school had 100 per cent in mathematics, science, English, social studies, ICT, religious and moral education, basic design technology and the Ga language.

Addressing the parents and teachers at the award ceremony, Mr Chaie advised the children and students of Abossey Okai Methodist School to cultivate good behaviour and take their studies serious.

He said improvement of quality education within the communities, especially at the public level, requires discipline. The MP said the problem of quality education is everyone’s responsibility.

He assured other schools in the constituency tha tthey would receive similar awards if they excel and urged teachers not to hesitate to contact him for any discussion on the growth and development of their schools.

Mrs Kate Donkor, Greater Accra Regional Manager of Methodist Schools, said the provision of holistic education was surely the key to the nation’s future.

She expressed regret that people have equated education to merely reading and writing. According to her it goes beyond that, adding that, holistic education embraces every faculty of the human development.

“It seeks to train the mind, hands and the heart, which in education is referred to as cognitive, psychomotor and effective domains respectively,” she stressed.

Mrs Donkor said the nation was in dire need of people, who have received good education since; “we are witnesses to what is happening as the youth of today are into all kinds of vices to get rich quick,” adding that, money has been rated high above moral values and norms.

She said the total upbringing of the child and his or her academic performance is a shared responsibility of all stakeholders.

The Headmistress, Mrs Patience Patricia Amelorku, appealed for a Ghanaian language teacher to prepare the children for the BECE exams since it is now a core subject.

GNA

The State on Thursday arraigned Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, New Patriotic Party Member of Parliament for Assin North, before an Accra Circuit Court over alleged inflammatory statements he made on an Accra-based radio station, Oman FM.

He has been charged with provocation of riot and offensive conduct conducive to breaches of the peace.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges and was admitted to self recognisance bail because the prosecution did not object to it as the accused is already on Police enquiry bail.

Mr Frank Davies, Counsel for Kennedy Agyapong, earlier in his submission prayed the court to admit his client to bail since the offence for which the accused had been charged was a bailable one.

He said the prosecution is obliged by law to prove all its case against the accused and not just appear before the court “with facts which have been whittled down by fairy tales.”

He said though the current charges were not as gargantuan as before it was up to the prosecution to state their case before the court.

He said the accused is a Member of Parliament and an industrious entrepreneur with a fixed place of abode and would not interfere with the work of the prosecution.

Mr Davies also said the accused did not incite anybody to war as alleged by the State and that his statements were mere facts which did not amount to the declaration of war against the State.

He said his client had no capacity to marshal the force of arms.

He said the accused is a politician and that his statement must be taken within that context.

He questioned how the accused could declare war against his own State when he could not assemble the force of arms, saying it was an absurdity.

Mr Anthony Rexford Wiredu, Principal State Attorney, said because the offence was a bailable one the prosecution would not object to the court granting the accused self-recognisance bail because he was already on Police enquiry bail.

Mrs Ebenezer Osei Darko, the trial judge, who upheld the submission of the prosecution, consequently, admitted the accused to self-recognisance bail and, subsequently, adjourned the case to July 23.

The accused was arrested on Monday, April 16, after being invited by the Police Criminal Investigations Department over statements he allegedly made the previous Friday, April 13, on his Accra-based radio station, Oman FM.

He was alleged to have “declared war” and vowed to lynch any fake security operative, following the alleged physical attack on Ms Ursula Owusu, NPP Ablekuma South Parliamentary Aspirant and Mr Abu Jinapor, an aide to the NPP Flagbearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, at Tarzan, a registration centre at Odododiodoo in Accra.

The accused reportedly said he would organise supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to defend themselves because the Police had failed to protect them.

On Wednesday, April 18, the Adjabeng Magistrate’s Court in Accra declined jurisdiction in the case of treason, felony and attempted genocide brought against the accused, saying such crimes should be tried by the High Court.

Ms Patricia Quansah, Presiding over the court, said in a ruling after the prosecution had asked for the accused to be remanded that such cases were heard by three high court judges.

She said the Chief Justice on June 17, 2008, released a circular to all judges stating that cases such as treason, murder, narcotics and rape, were to be referred to the Chief Justice, who would in turn refer them to the court.

Ms Quansah asked the prosecution, also led by Mr Wiredu, to refer the matter to the Chief Justice to determine which court should hear the case.

Source: GNA/Ghana

The Leadership of Parliament on Thursday held a crunch meeting to deliberate on the way forward, as far as meeting the 21 sitting days needed for the Constitutional Instrument for creating the 45 constituencies to mature, was concerned.

The Minority Leader of Parliament, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu said the meeting became necessary because Parliament would rise next week Friday, and as such would not be able to cover the 21 sitting days required for the C.I to mature into law.

The Speaker of Parliament, Joyce Bamford-Addo, Wednesday gave what should be the final word on the rightness of the laying of an instrument that will after 21 sitting days, legally confirm the creation of the 45 new constituencies.

The minority NPP vehemently opposed the procedure insisting the C.I could not be laid because there were many suits challenging the creation.

Speaking to Joy Fm, Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu insisted there were faults with the manner at which the C.I was laid before Parliament.

He stated, at the time the Majority leader purported to be laying the C.I before Parliament, he actually never had any Paper to lay before Parliament.

According to the Minority leader, 3 days after the Majority leader supposedly laid the C.I before Parliament, the minority was yet to see the C.I which is yet to be tabled in Parliament.

He stated that “it has to be understood that nobody should be stampeded into doing anybody’s bidding. If it has to be done, it has to be done. But we must be fair to all and sundry and do what is right. To me if it seems what is right is being done, everybody would be clear in his mind…”

He however cautioned that “if indications are that people are purposed and minded to do what is unworthy to gain political advantage, certainly that could be challenged”.

Myjoyonline.com

Mr. Muntaka M. Mubarak, Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health, has called on Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to partner the Ministry of Health (MOH) in enforcing and educating the public on the Public Health Bill.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday in Accra, on the passage of the Public Health Bill, Mr. Mubarak said although the Ministry of Health (MOH) have been given the mandate to educate the public on the implications of this law, it was mandatory for everyone to help implement it.

He explained that the MOH through the Ghana Food and Drugs Authority and the Police Service will facilitate the enforcement of the Public Health Bill.

Mr. Muntaka said any one who breaches the public health bill will face three years imprisonment or pay GHC75000 penalty units as a legal sanction.

Mr. lssah Ali, Executive Director of Vision for Alternative Development expressed his gratitude to President John Evans Atta Mills, his Cabinet and individuals for their hard work, dedication and commitment leading to the passage of the bill.

“We in the Civil Society organization will continue to protect and defend any public policy of government that seeks to enhance the living standards of Ghanaians and people living in Ghana. Any attempt by the tobacco industry to interfere in the Presidential assent and the implementation of the Public Health Bill, especially the Tobacco Control Measures, will be vehemently countered and exposed” he added.

Mr. Ali urged government to increase budget allocation through tax increment on tobacco products in order to effectively implement the Public Health bill.

He appealed to the Food and Drugs Board and the Ghana Health Service to immediately commence consultation with NGOs and other relevant stakeholders on the development of a national action plan to implement the Tobacco Control Measures of the Public Health Bill.

Dr. Iddrissu Sow, the Country Representative of the World Health Organization (WHO), congratulated Parliament and the Government of Ghana for the achievements in the area of public health protection and said, to the WHO, this is one of the greatest accomplishments that a country can achieve.

He said the WHO is willing and ready, in close collaborations with alldevelopment Partners, Non – Government Organizations and the Civil Society, to support the Government to develop regulations as soon as possible, particularly in the prohibitions of smoking in public places; pictorial health warnings on tobacco products; the testing of tobacco and tobacco products; as well as guidelines for treating people addicted to tobacco among others.

The press conference was organized by the Vision for Alternative Development (VALD) in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

GNA

Some NDC Members of Parliament on the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) have explained that they boycotted Wednesday’s sitting because the Chairman is trying to run a ‘one man’ show.

According to them, the inability to provide them with transcripts requested for and the chairman’s attitude could make the final report of PAC bias.

The NDC MPs did not join their colleagues from the minority side, when they could not access transcripts and documents on previous proceedings involving the former Attorney General, Betty Mould-Iddrisu.

They had requested for such documents and appealed to the chairman to postpone sitting after the supplementary budget was read in Parliament. MP for Salaga Constituency, Ibrahim Dey Abubakari in an interview with XYZ News, said they will return to continue with the committee’s sittings when their requests are granted.

He added that the Chairman, Albert Kan-Dapaah must also change his attitude and cooperate with members of the committee to make their work transparent.

“A committee work is not a one man show and if the chairman is trying to have a one show, fine, then let him go ahead.

“This attitude can make the report bias. We want to maintain the integrity and the dignity of the committee. Once the public is divided with the PAC then you can imagine that the report will also be divided”.

Source: radioxyzonline.com

The Member of Parliament for Adenta, Hon. Kojo Adu Asare has urged members of the government communication team to shift their focus on discussing the issue of judgment debt and rather focus issues on concerning the achievement of President Mills to Ghanaians.

According to him, as the general elections draws near in December there is the need for the unprecedented achievements of the Mills- administration to be made known to Ghanaians to ensure the re-election of the NDC party.

Speaking on Peace FM, Hon. Adu Asare stated that the continues discussion of issues concerning judgment debt has obliterated the “Green Book” which factors the good deeds of President Mills.

“I want to see more of the green in circulation, by this time there should have the part 2 of the green book in circulation for all Ghanaians to know what the NDC has done but we are here spending quality airtime on discussing judgment debt”. He said.

He emphasized that Ghanaians who want to know the achievements of President Mills and his three and half years in power to clear the section, that the NDC government made the payment of judgment debt its priority.

Kwadwo Anim/Ghanamps.gov.gh

Parliament has assured the African Women Lawyers Association of Ghana (AWLA) and the general public that it is seriously working on the Intestate Succession bill for its passage.

The association at a news conference accused Parliament of using its male dominance to thwart the passage of the Intestate Succession bill into law.

The women lawyers believe that the male chauvinism had eaten deep into the work of the male dominated Constitutional Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee such that the committee dragged its feet in passing the law.

The bill which was first laid in parliament in 2009 when passed into law will ensure that the distribution and inheritance of the deceased family member is done fairly.

The committee which worked on the report barely a month ago requested further consultation from the public to enrich the bill before its passage but the women lawyers were of the view that the exercise unduly delayed the passage of the bill.

However prior to moving a motion for deliberation on the bill which is currently at the consideration stage on the floor of the House, the Deputy Majority Leader Rashid Pelpuo, pledged parliament’s commitment to see the bill passed as soon as possible.

He said in as much as the bill seemed delayed there was the need for procedure of the House to be followed in formulating a good bill.

He was supported by the Minority Leader Osei Kyei Mensah Bonus who also said that requesting further input from the public was worthy an exercise which was in the best interest of the country as the issue of Intestate Succession over the years generated a lot of confrontations in various families.

Kwadwo Anim/ Ghanamps.gov.gh