Month: October 2012

The Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram who doubles as Minister of Water Resources Works and Housing, Hon. Enoch Teye Mensah has assured that the acute water shortage problem affecting parts of the Old and New Ningo will very soon be a thing of the past.

Although the Minister believed water problem was a national issue, he said extensive plans are being adopted by government to bring the situation under control including deprived areas in the newly created Ningo Prampram District in the Greater Accra Region.

He added that surrounding communities such as Ada would also be covered in the water project.
“I sometimes feel bad when I see people at my own backyard suffering from water crisis,” he lamented.

Hon. E.T. Mensah was speaking at the first meeting of the Ningo Prampram District Assembly since its inauguration in June this year.

He indicated that his outfit was working assiduously to ensure that the entire Ningo Prampram District was provided with potable water but blamed the delayance of the project on improper settlement in the area.

The Minister however charged the District Planning Department in the newly created district to work out their best to ensure proper layouts in the area to enhance development.

He also admonished the Assembly to collaborate with stakeholders in the area to help bridge the development lapses in the district.

Emmanuel Frimpong Mensah/Ghanadistricts.com

The Member of Parliament for Ellembele, Emmanuel Armah Kofi says majority of Ghanaians will be swayed to vote massively for the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) after tonight’s performance of President John Dramani Mahama at the Institute of Economic Affairs(IEA) Programme dubbed “Presidential Encounter’’.

According to him, several floating voters are sure to make up their minds and retain the NDC in power as President Mahama will seize the opportunity when he takes his turn today to explain in details the programmes and policies of the government that will further improve the lives of Ghanaians.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) had under the leadership of the John Evans Mills refused to participate in the programme citing what the party said was a convention that no incumbent president had taken part in the event but that decision was later overturned.

President Mahama will be the fourth presidential candidate to appear on the IEA programme after Flagbearers of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Convention People’s Party (CPP), and People’s National Convention (PNC) had already taken their turn.

Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana show on Thursday, Hon. Armah Kofi Buah who is also a Deputy Minister of Energy stated that education and health continue to be pivotal in the development of the country and attention will be devoted to those sectors if Ghanaians retain the NDC government in power.

‘He will re-emphasize the achievement of the NDC with the removal of thousands of schools under trees across the country about 40%, the building of educational infrastructure all over the country, though free SHS is laudable what is critical now is the expansion of educational infrastructure that is why the NDC wants to build 200 additional secondary schools to accommodate our students’’ he said.

Hon. Kofi Buah noted that President Mahama will also sell the NDC’s vision of ensuring that villages without community clinics will be provided with CHPS compound to deal with the health needs of the people.

He added that the President being a tried and tested leader, very intelligent and with good communication skills will dazzle the entire country with his well thought through presentation that will endear him to majority of the electorates.

Kwadwo Anim/Ghanamps.gov.gh

Mr Isaac Osei, New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Subin Constituency on Wednesday vowed for the integrity of the party’s flag bearer Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

He said: “Nana Akufo-Addo is not corrupt and can never be corrupted; I have known him for over 40 years now, both in private and public life, and I can vouch for that”.

In a statement to the Ghana News Agency in Accra signed by the MPs Special Assistant Chief Obosu Mohammed, alleged that corruption within the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) “is of gargantuan proportions and has contributed to retarding economic growth.

“Under the Presidency of Nana Akufo-Addo, God-willing, the country’s resources will be used judiciously for the benefit of all Ghanaians and not some greedy few”

The MP said election is about choices and the trading of ideas…“It is important the electorate weighs the manifestos of the various political parties and choose among them, one that can transform lives and the nation”.

He urged the electorates to vote back the NPP to power so they can get the opportunity to enhance their livelihoods through policies such as: “Free Senior High School, strengthening of the National Health Insurance Scheme and Job creation”.

Mr Osei added that “every child must have the opportunity to go to school no matter the circumstance of their birth”.

The MP entreated the Christians to pray for candidates; “Please pray for Nana Akufo-Addo, President John Dramani Mahama, NDC Flag bearer; Dr Michael Abu Sakara Foster, Convention Peoples’ Party Flag bearer; and Mr Hasan Ayariga, Peoples National Convention Flag bearr.

“Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom,of the Progressive Peoples Party and Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings of the National Democratic Party, and all those who seek to lead Ghana in the highest office of the land”.

Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, Minority Leader and Member of Parliament (MP) for Suame, has inaugurated two school blocks built for the New Suame Methodist and Salvation Army Junior High Schools (JHS).

Each of the six-unit classroom block, funded by the Ghana Education Trust (GETFund), comes with offices, stores and washrooms.

Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said education was critical in national development saying it rallied all stakeholders to work together to improve the quality.

He said he was confident that the successful completion of the classrooms would create adequate space to help end the “shift system”.

The MP re-affirmed his determination to continue working hard in support of the promotion of education saying he had been assisting not only in the construction of schools’ infrastructure but supplying computers, books and other teaching and learning materials.

Added to these, is the award of scholarship to brilliant but needy students.

Mr Samuel Sarpong, the Kumasi Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), reiterated the government’s commitment towards the development of the nation’s education.

He said this was evident from the construction of more classrooms, expansion of the school feeding programme, capitation grant, free school uniforms and books.

Mr Joseph Nsiah, Suame sub-Metropolitan Education Officer, described the performance of basic schools in the area as impressive.

The sub-metro, last year, topped the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) performance league in Kumasi.

He thanked the MP for spearheading the projects and the GETFund for the funding and said there could be no doubt that enrolment in the beneficiary schools would shoot up.

Madam Elizabeth Oppong, Head teacher of the Salvation Army JHS, appealed to the assembly to assist in walling the schools to check the nuisance of stray animals and people using the compounds as thoroughfare.

Nana yaw Dani II, the Chief of Suame, advised parents to invest more in the education of their children.

GNA

Mr Dan Botwe, Member of Parliament (MP) for Okere, has promised to fund the construction of an Information Communication Technology (ICT) centre at Adukrom.

He said this when the Adukrom community at the weekend handed over a site to a contractor for the construction of the ultra modern ICT centre which is estimated to cost GH¢ 120, 000.

Mr Botwe said since he became MP for Okere, he had assisted a number of communities with development projects and promised to continue in that regard to help raise the standard of living in the area.

He said some of the projects include the construction of a three unit classroom block and a computer room for the Bethel Presbyterian Junior High School (JHS) at Adukrom, the renovation of the Adukrom Health Centre which had not seen any major renovation over the past 20 years, and the construction of a clinic at Apirede.

Others were construction of Asuokaw Primary School, assisting the construction of a six unit classroom block for the Awukugua Methodist Primary School with GH¢5,000 and 100 bags of cement.

Awukugua Seventh Day Adventist Primary School also benefited with 100 bags of cement and GH¢ 5,000 to support the completion of a three unit classroom block for the Junior High School.

Mr Botwe said he had also donated GH¢ 10, 000 to Aseseeso community to complete the construction of a school block which was started by the community and presented a cheque of GH¢ 6,000 to Nanabanyin community for the renovation of a clinic.

The MP said he had so far spent more than GH¢ 75, 000 on scholarships to assist brilliant but needy children in the area at both the Senior High School (SHS) and other tertiary institutions.

Mr Botwe reiterated his commitment to help maintain peace in Okere before, during and after the general election saying everything would be done to ensure that the people in the area continued to enjoy peace and security.

He urged traditional authorities and all other stakeholders to continue to champion the crusade of peace to ensure the development of the society.

The MP said one of his major concerns was to see academic performance of school children in the area going up hence the decision to organize extra classes for pupils and urged parents to see the education of their wards as an investment and support them.

Mr Botwe said it was against this background that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Presidential candidate, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, had promised free SHS education to ensure that every Ghanaian child could at least possess a secondary level education.

He appealed to traditional authorities, parents and all stakeholders in the education sector to support the NPP campaign for free SHS to achieve the intended objective of providing quality education.

Mr Botwe said another ICT centre would also be built at the cost of GH¢ 38, 000 for the people of Awukugua to enhance teaching and learning in the area saying materials for the project were ready and was only waiting for the chiefs to release land for the project to begin.

He appealed to the residents to support the contractor to enable him complete the project on time.

A Deputy Minister of Energy Inusah Fuseini has rubbished allegation made by pressure group Alliance for Accountable Governance(AFAG) that the ruling National Democratic Congress(NDC) has received campaign paraphernalia (T-shirts, cups, key holders etc) worth millions of USDs from Chinese Communication giants Huawei group.

According to him, AFAG has not produced any evidence that could stand scrutiny to back their baseless accusations.

The pro opposition group, in a press conference in Accra made startling claims to the fact that the government had taken custody of the items from the Chinese company in clear breach of Act 574 Section 23(1) which explicitly states that, “only a citizen may contribute whether in cash or in kind to the fund of a political party, and in return awarded the Huawei group the E- Government platform Project worth whooping USD127, 500,000 million on 15th December, 2011.

However speaking on e.tv’s Breakfast TV show, Hon. Inusah Fuseini Central who is also the Member of Parliament is for Tamale Central stated that AFAG could not use photo copies of supposed invoices covering the purchase and receipt of the items to make their case without further proof.

“ These days out of mischief certain unscrupulous persons come up with all sorts of materials to hang their political opponents, and this may well be one of the ploys’’ he said.

Hon. Fuseini noted that the NDC government had done nothing wrong with waiving taxes on logistics for the Huawei Company as the erstwhile NPP government did the same to several international firms that they did business with.

“ I was fortunate to become an MP during the NPP regime, they should come out and tell us publicly that in any of the international transaction they entered into during their eight year rule , they asked the foreign companies to pay tax they should come and tell us, this is nothing difficult to find out’’ he added.

Kwadwo Anim/Ghanamps.gov.gh

The New Patriotic Party Member of Parliament for Ahafo Ano South, Stephen Balado Manu had his hopes of returning to Parliament dashed a second time after he lost at the NPP primaries held in the newly created Tatale Constituency in the Northern Region.

He lost the primaries held in the Ahafo Ano South constituency early this year and was hoping to use another route to parliament but has that ambition and wish fizzling out following his defeat.

Hon. Balado Manu who is very vocal on the floor of Parliament lost the elections after the MP lost to his competitor James Wunbeye who won with 49 votes.

The three-term MP with vast experience in parliament is one person who excites the House and enriches debates with his comments especially with anecdotes and occasionally expressing his thoughts in French language which most of the time throws the House into a state of excitement.

Kwadwo Anim/Ghanamps.gov.gh

Mr Johnson Asiedu-Nketia, General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has described the Minister of Health Mr Alban Bagbin as an excellent candidate who should be retained as Member of Parliament for the Nadowli West Constituency.

He appealed to voters in the constituency not to change him for any other candidate saying “my only problem with Mr Bagbin is that he is too good for everything, any position you put him he excels. He has obviously become a good material that cannot be thrown away or exchanged for someone else”.

The NDC General Secretary made these remarks at the launch of Mr Bagbin’s campaign for the Nadowli West seat in Parliament at Nadowli in the Upper West Region on Saturday.

Mr Bagbin has won all parliamentary elections in the constituency on the ticket of the NDC since 1992.

The NDC General Secretary called on the people to vote massively for President John Dramani Mahama and all the NDC Parliamentary candidates for them to complete the “Better Ghana” Agenda.

Mr Nketia said the NDC had no independent candidates and cautioned party supporters against voting skirt and blouse in the coming elections.

Alhaji Amidu Sulemana, Upper West Regional Minister, cited the extension of electricity to over 400 communities in the region, the construction of five polyclinics, the establishment of two new Senior High Schools and two health training institutions as some of the evidence of the achievements of the NDC in the region within the past few years.

He also mentioned the construction and tarring of some roads in the region, the expansion of classroom infrastructure in addition to other pro-poor educational interventions spread across all basic schools and urged the people not to be deceived by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for they have seen their performance in the past eight years.

Mr Bagbin thanked President Mahama and the NDC party executives for graciously endorsing his candidature and appealed to the party supporters not to go to sleep after the launch of the campaign but to work harder both day and night to ensure victory for the party in the December elections.

He said in the Nadowli District every Day Nursery, Primary and Junior High School was now benefiting from the School Feeding Programme as against only two schools during the NPP regime.

The Health Minister said the government of the NDC had done a lot to transform the country and would have its mandate renewed based on its incomparable performance.

GNA