Month: June 2013

Mr Samson Abu, Member of Parliament (MP) for Lawra on Thursday sought government support to develop the Kabaa dam and other affordable irrigation schemes along the Black Volta in the Upper West Region.

The call is in line with government intention to promote the efficient utilisation of existing irrigation schemes especially in drought prone areas, rehabilitate viable irrigation infrastructure and develop appropriate dams, boreholes and other water harvesting techniques.

Mr Abu is also calling for the irrigation of 15,000 hectors of land under the Pwalugu multi-purpose hydro-electric schemes.

The MP who made the call on the floor of Parliament said plans to construct the Kabaa dam was mooted since 1953 and yet successive governments have not had the political will to bring it to fruition.

He said communities like Brifo, Gbeiri, Dkpe, Bagre and some communities along the same river in the Nandom and Wa West constituencies ought to be given serious consideration by government in the development of irrigation schemes.

Mr Abu said the project would boost food production and curb the migration of the youth to the south for none existing jobs.

He called on government to energise Savannah Accelerated Development Authority to facilitate agricultural production in Upper West Region so that they can be part of the better Ghana Agenda drive.

This, the authority said could be done through the creation and sustainability of dams in the Region.

Dr Benjamin Kunbuor, Leader of Government Business and MP for Nandom noted that in the third Parliament of the Republic of Ghana he raised the issue of Kabaa dam but no impact was made.

He said various scientifically unsubstantiated conclusions have been drawn to the issue to serve as the basis to frustrate the start of the project.

Dr Kunbuor said it not advisable for the nation to generalise failures of large scale irrigation dams elsewhere.

Mr Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, Minority Leader said if irrigation facilities are extended to Upper West Region it would boost the production of long grain rice and other food crops.

Mr Joe Gidisu, MP for Central Tongu, appealed to his colleagues to use part of their common fund to undertake irrigation schemes in their constituencies.

Mr Annor Dompreh, Member for Nsawam Adoagyiri said issues concerning agriculture should be a matter of concern to all and called for the utilisation of research findings in the sector.

GNA

A former General Secretary of the new patriotic party and now member of parliament for Okere Constituency in the Eastern Region, Dan Botwe has said that he would have sacked ‘loud mouth’ Dr.Charles Wereko-Brobbey in less than three hours if he was still the party’s general secretary.

I believe the national leadership made a wise decision to suspend Dr. Wereko-Brobbey for loudly going out on the party as we battle our petition in court”, he noted.

Dan Botwe disclosed this on Hello FM on Saturday as a panel member on the “Akoko Abon” programme.

He added that the New Patriotic Party is tolerant and that suspending somebody for misconduct does not mean that the party is intolerant.

Article 3 D 4 of the party’s constitution spells it out clearly and that nobody should blame the party for the decision taken…I throw the challenge to you, find out if anybody objected to the decision of suspending Dr.Wereko-Brobbey, that is by the party’s constitution and that does not make the new patriotic party intolerant as is being peddled by some”, he reiterated.

He added that; Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobbey has bitten more than he can chew and that he must dance to the music being played.

peacefmonline.com

The Member of Parliament (MP) for New Juaben North, Nana Kwasi Adjei Boateng, has toured parts of the constituency to see how best to address the challenges confronting the people.
The MP also used the opportunity to brief his constituents about projects he intended to undertake in the various communities.

Nana Adjei Boateng interacted with the chiefs and people in the area and discussed issues bothering on the development agenda of the constituency which included education, health, water, sanitation and security.

He expressed gratitude to the chiefs and people for the confidence reposed in him by electing him to represent them in Parliament and pledged to work with them to help develop the constituency.

“I thank you all for the honour done me,” he said, admitting that though the work of a parliamentarian was not easy, he would not disappoint the constituents.

According to Nana Adjei Boateng he would do what was within his power to improve the standard of living of the constituents with education and health being his major priorities.

He urged the constituents to unite to develop the constituency and work hard to fight poverty, filth, and diseases which were barriers to development.

Nana Adjei Boateng stressed that he would lobby for more projects such as construction of roads, provision of quality education, quality health care and interventions to improve the well-fare of the people.

He reiterated his commitment to help maintain peace in New Juaben Municipality.

“New Juaben has remained calm and peaceful all these years and everything possible would be done to ensure that the people in the area continue to enjoy that relative peace,” he said.

Nana Adjei-Boateng advised the youth in the area to spend their energies on productive activities that would benefit them and the constituency and urged them not to engage in social vices that could jeopardize their future.

He expressed concern about the sharp decline in educational standards in some rural communities and called on the traditional authorities to take steps to address the situation.

He, therefore, urged parents to see education of their wards as an investment and support them.

The MP later interacted with assembly members from the area on how to collaborate to push the development agenda forward.

The assembly members expressed concern about the shift system being practiced in the educational sector in the area and appealed to the MP and the Municipal Assembly to come together to abolish it.

They urged the MP to provide security lights at the Community Health Planning Services (CHPS) compounds to improve health delivery services.

Some of the communities the MP visited were Effiduase, Asokore, Oyoko, Jumapo and Akwadum.

GNA

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Ablekuma North, Mr Justice Joe Appiah, on Wednesday said a major challenge confronting the constituency was the poor drainage system which needs urgent attention to avert any future disaster.

Justice Joe Appiah said this while touring some areas in the constituency, which include Sakaman, Mallam Market, Otaten, Tweneboa and Busia Link to inspect the drainage systems there.

He was accompanied by some officials from the Department of Urban Roads, the Hydrology Department of the Ministry of Water Resources Works and Housing, Assembly Members and New Patriotic Party (NPP) Constituency Executive.

Mr Joe Appiah stressed that the areas toured needed storm drains to allow the free flow of water during the raining season.

“Ablekuma North is a low-lying area and it’s prone to flood, putting the lives and properties of residents at risk, especially during the rainy season,” he said.

Mr Joe Appiah indicated that even though he did a lot during his first term as MP, there was still the need to do more and promised to do his best to liaise with the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and the relevant Government Agencies to improve the drainage systems, among other challenges confronting the people in the area.

In a related development, some victims of the fire disaster, which occurred at the Mallam Market about eight months ago, have repeated an appeal to the Government to come to their aid.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on the side line of the MP’s tour, one of the victims, Ms Dorothy Ennin, a wholesale dealer in cosmetics and wigs, said she lost everything in her shop at the market worth about GH¢ 50,000.

According to Ms Ennin, a mother of three, the disaster put her in a very difficult and embarrassing situation.

She said her bankers and other creditors are on her back with some even taking her to court despite her very difficult financial challenges.
GNA

MP for Tema East, Hon. Daniel Titus-Glover has said Ghana risk losing its investors as well as potential ones as a result of the continuous fire outbreaks recorded in the country in recent times.

He said the investors may feel the country was not secured enough for their welfare and properties’ saying that they may also feel the country was too porous for any disaster to happen at any time.

“Investors can even be scared that Ghana is not safe because you bring your investment here and the slightest thing your property is burning,” he asserted.

The MP who made the comments when he featured on Joy TV’s AM show said the security agencies need to do more in helping to solve the rampant fire issues which have become a source of worry for many especially market women in the country.

Within the last six weeks, six markets have been engulfed in fire, culminating in the destruction of large quantities of wares, stalls and shops.

Godwin Allotey Akeiteh/Ghanamps.gov.gh

A 3-unit classroom block under construction for the Bikumbo Primary school is at advanced stage of completion.

The structure which comes with other facilities including offices, uninal and toilet facility has gotten to the roofing stage to be followed immediately with plasting and painting.

The Member of Parliament for the area, Jabaa John Bennam who is providing the structure expressed worry about poor educational infrastructure in the area adding that though government had showed a lot of commitment to help address the situation across the country, the enormity of it requires assistance from other stakeholders to quicken the pace of development.

The intervention is therefore in fulfillment of ensuring that teaching and learning goes on in rather conducive atmosphere students especially to protect students and their teachers from excessive heat from the sun and rain which usually disrupt classes.

He is confident more classroom blocks will be added as soon as this one is completed.

Dominic Shirimori/Ghanamps.gov.gh

The entire sixty (60) communities in the Sekyere Afram Plain Constituency are dependent on only two CHPS compounds for health delivery.

The Mp for the area, Alex Adomako-Mensah indicated that though the area lacks a lot of basic amenities, the absence of a hospital, clinic or health centre is more worrying and needed to be tackled now.

He is particularly worried that the roads in the area are also not motorable to facilitate transportation of sick persons to hospitals outside the constituency posing serious danger to residents especially in emergency situations.

He admitted the low level of social amenities in the area is attributed the newness of the district which was created not too long ago but added that the newness should rather be the basis for which more attention and resources should be channeled to the area to rise its status for residents to also have relieve.

Mr. Adomako-Mensah was however confident that having made the plight of the constituency known to authorities, the necessary interventions will come especially in the health sector from government as there are already plans to provide districts without health facilities with on.

Dominic Shirimori/Ghanamps.gov.gh

The deputy Minister for Gender, Children And Social Protection and Member of Parliament for Gomoa Central Constituency, Hon. Florence Rachael Appoh has cautioned the youth to desist from reckless driving especially during funeral events.

The Legislator gave the advice when she visited some accident victims at the Swedru Government Hospital who had sustained various forms on injuries when two taxis collided head-on at Gomoa Akropong on Friday.

According to her, over speeding and careless driving form a greater percentage of the causes of road accident in the country and thus called on especially the youth to desist reckless driving since it can lead to their untimely deaths.

The deputy Minister however noted that the accident claimed four lives on the spot, including one of the drivers, adding that the incident which could have been avoided occurred when one of the drivers carrying about nine mourners, drove recklessly when they were attending a friend’s funeral.

She therefore urged the youth to value their life and that of others as well.

Emmanuel Frimpong Mensah/GhanaMPs.gov.gh

MP for North Dayi Constituency in the Volta Region, Hon George Loh has pointed accusing fingers at the Director of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) over the influx of illegal Chinese miners in the country.

He said the Immigration service has the mandate of regulating the movement of migrants’ into the country, yet they allow some insincere people to slip down their sleeves unnoticed.

“We didn’t give you a house, we didn’t give you a four wheel drive with all the pegs of an office to sit in the office to oversee these kinds of things; so I think the Director of Immigration should be taken to task,” he asserted directing it to the Director of the GIS.

The MP observed that some immigration officers proudly defend illegal activities of such migrants anytime they were captured. This situation he believes would not help the progress of the country hence calling on the GIS to up the game.

He made those comments on Joy TV’s AM show today.
He cautioned that when we are done flashing them out from the system the government should make sure they don’t come back into the country “through the back door”.

He however commended the government’s Inter-Ministerial Committee against illegal mining for doing a wonderful work of waging war against illegal mining in the country whiles urging them to keep the fire on.

Godwin Allotey Akweiteh/Ghanadistricts.