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Ghanaians tired of excuses for poor power supply – Buah

Energy Minister Emmanuel Kofi Buah says Ghanaians are no more interested in the excuses adduced by both past and present governments for poor power supply.

Speaking at an editors’ forum in Accra last week, Mr. Buah said the same excuses have been recycled time and time again by virtually all government that have come to power since the start of the fourth republic in 1992.

“…It is very clear that if you look at the crisis we’ve gone through from all governments, we cannot make the energy sector and power situation a political football because it is not,” Mr. Buah said.

According to him, “as we were going to the crisis, frankly I went through the records and picked some of the reasons for power outages and looked at it from PNDC, NDC-1, NPP Governments and it sounded as if we were saying quite frankly the same thing over and over and it is obvious to us that the people of Ghana are not interested. They want the lights to stay on so that their businesses can grow”.

He says the current administration is therefore determined to address Ghana’s power sector in a “real way”.

The minister said the funds expected from the Millennium Challenge Authority, will be channeled into developing the energy sector.

“All those funds are going to be dedicated to address all the bottlenecks in our distribution, basically helping the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and the power sector to solve all the problems”.

Nkwanta North MP, two NDC members declared wanted

Three persons including the Member of Parliament (MP) for Nkwanta North John Oti Bless and the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) constituency secretary for the area have been declared wanted by police.

They are wanted to assist investigations into the cause of last week’s rioting in the area.

The Police are also hunting for another constituency executive, Gando Mohammed, also for his alleged role in the disturbances.

Joy News sources at the Volta Regional Police Command says fresh intelligence picked up strongly suggest the three have a hand in last Thursday’s vandalism.
NDC’s Nkwanta North Constituency Secretary Joseph Wombe who described the allegations as ridiculous, denied any involvement in the rioting.

“If the party wants me to suffer for something I have not [done], I will submit myself for I know that I am innocent.”

Myjoyonline.com

Retract and apologize, KT Hammond instructs newspaper

Member of Parliament for the Adansi Asokwa constituency, Hon. K.T. Hammond has instructed the Herald newspaper to immediately “publish a retraction and to render an unqualified apology” for a publication he deems as “extremely libelous.”

In a letter addressed to the newspaper from his lawyers, Paintsil, Paintsil & Co. Legal practitioners, and cited by citifmonline.com, Hon. Hammond noted that: “The allegations are a fabrication, untrue and without foundation.”

The Herald newspaper on Monday reported that Hon. K.T Hammond owed the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) accumulated bills running into hundreds of millions of cedis. It also indicated that he had refused to pay and had claimed his post paid electric meter was faulty.

The letter further indicated that “the allegations are meant to discredit and tarnish the hard earned reputation of our client who is well known in the country.”

The letter further noted that despite the “client’s (K.T. Hammond) instructions to institute legal action… we (lawyers) have however decided to provide you the opportunity to immediately publish a retraction and to render an unqualified apology to our client. Matters will then proceed from there.”

Citifmonline.com

Mechanized borehole project soon for Nyankpanduri-Bunkpurugu MP

Residents of Nyankpanduri in the Bunkpurugu district will shortly obtain a standard water facility that will provide the whole township and beyond with potable water, following an intervention by the Member of Parliament for the area, Boar Namlit Solomon to construct mechanized borehole for the town.

The move is intended to consolidate efforts geared towards improving the water system of the district, through some quality measures that could support sufficed the needs of residents in water issue for the meantime.

All things being equal, actual works on the project would kick start in September this year, the MP assured.

He said he was on the verge of finalizing talks with parties involved (some NGO’s) in respect of this project so that it would be implemented duly as scheduled.

Hon. Namlit Solomon indicated that, the district had a terrible water situation, which has left some residents with no option than to depend on poor streams nearby which might be prone to water borne diseases.

He explained supporting the community with this facility would have a far reaching influence on accessibility to potable water in the town and its surrounding environs and also promote good health for the locals.

He claimed the project will gradually stretch to include other areas after the Nyankpanduri project, as arrangements are being done to lay PVC pipes around to sustain this programme.

Jonathan Jeffrey Adjei/Ghanamps.gov.gh

Publish GYEEDA report or mar support from dev’t partners – Amankwa Asiamah

Member of Parliament for Fanteakwa North, Kwabena Amankwa Asiamah has opined that the continuous concealing of findings on the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Agency (GYEEDA) by government would affect the support that Ghana gets from its development partners.

According to him, government will do the country a great service if it quickly comes out and publish the findings contained in the report to demonstrate its readiness to deal with corruption, which would further boost the trust that Ghana’s development partners have in the country when it comes to transparent and accountable governance.

Government has decided to appoint another team headed by Senior Advisor, Paul Victor (P.V) Obeng to review the GYEEDA report after the Ministerial Committee concluded an earlier investigation into the misappropriation of public funds and then submitted it to the Youth and Sports Minister who commissioned it.

The committee that investigated the operations of GYEEDA recommended the cancellation of government’s contracts with Zoomlion Ghana Limited, ZEERA Group another service provider.

The committee said Zoomlion and other service providers under the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Agency were engaged in gross financial malfeasance and government must cancel all contracts with them. It also indicted six top GYEEDA officials for corruption and fraud and has recommended their arrest and prosecution.

However contributing to a discussion on Peace FM on Tuesday, Hon. Kwabena Amankwa Asiamah wondered what informed the President to constitute another committee, which is widely seen by section of the public as a way of covering up his indicted appointees.

He challenged President Mahama to make the report public in earnest if he has nothing to hide and further prosecute the officials found culpable to demonstrate his commitment to the fight against corruption.

Kwadwo Anim/Ghanamps.gov.gh

Freda Prempeh donates to Muslims

As part of efforts to make this year’s Eidl-Fitr enjoyable, the Member of Parliament for the Tano North Constituency, Hon. Freda Prempeh has donated food items and other essential materials to the Muslim community in her constituency.

The items worth GHs6000 include 40 bags of rice, 10 bags of sugar, 300 mats and 300 butars all of which are geared towards bringing the meaning of the celebration and its importance to humanity to bear.

Hon. Freda Prempeh also used the opportunity to urge Muslims to help pray for peace and togetherness in the country.

The MP has on several occasions donated to residents in the Tano North constituency; a means she believes was to make life enjoyable for them.

Godwin Allotey Akweiteh/Ghanamps.gov.gh

Gomoa Central MP assures farmers of support

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for the Gomoa Central in the Central Region, Ms Rachel Florence Appoh, has assured farmers in her constituency of support in their farming activities.

She said the major occupation of her constituents is farming and pledged to provide the necessary assistance to farmers to better their lot.

Ms Appoh, who is also the Deputy Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, gave the assurance in an interview after she had toured her constituency to distribute farm inputs to farmers.

She noted that the support would be in the form of free distribution of seedlings, fertilisers, weedicides and other farm inputs that farmers find it difficult to purchase due to its cost.

The MP distributed about 800 new machetes, 50 knapsack spraying machines and five mistblower cocoa spraying machines, all at a cost of GH¢30, 000.

As part of the tour, she visited 14 towns which included Gomoa Lome, Gomoa Asikuma, Dahom, Gyaman, Oboasi, Ofaso and Awhiafitamu. The rest are Akwamu, Kwame Adwer, Afransi, Beseadze and Fante Yamoah.

She also interacted with the chiefs and people of all the towns she visited before handing over the items to the farmers.

According to Ms Appoh, it was her goal to assist farmers to fend for their families and to improve their standard of living.

Ms Appoh indicated that as MP for the area for the next four years, she would use part of her common fund to support farmers as well as to encourage the youth to venture into agriculture.

She added that she would liaise with financial institutions to support farmers in their work.

She called for peace and unity to prevail in the constituency saying, “due to the emergence of various camps, such a trend may affect the chances of the party in future elections.”

She urged party supporters to support whoever would be appointed by the President as district chief executive for the Gomoa East District.

Nana Oguaman Ankomah X, Tufuhene of Gomoa Lome, lauded her for the items saying “such a gesture has never happened in the constituency.”

He wished the MP well and urged her to work hard to leave an indelible mark in the constituency and transform the district as well.

Graphiconline

Bunkpurugu MP funds construction of footbridges for two areas

Two communities under the Bunkpurugu district, in the Northern region including Kpentaung and Nanyiar have been considered to benefit from the construction of separate footbridges to enhance their road system.

Actual works on the project will kick start by 17th August 2013 for the two communities, which would be supervised and set under the ambit of the District works Department in the Assembly.

The Member of Parliament for the Bunkpurugu constituency, Boar Namlit Solomon is funding the project through his share of the MP’s Common Fund, he revealed in an interaction with Ghanamps.gov.gh.

He said implementation of the project forms myriads of project he is rolling out for constituents specifically this year.

Also, under education, the MP has collaborated with the Ghana Education Trust Fund(GETfund) to initiate moves towards alleviating the infrastructure deficit in the educational system of the district.

In the wake of this, it has jointly resolved to construct a 6 unit classroom block facility to Jagook community to boost the existing school blocks for the beneficiary school.

The MP indicated that the project was being pursued heartily to ensure that it will see the light of the day very soon so it could ease congestion in the classroom.

He said currently the project is being awarded for contract in the district.

Jonathan Jeffrey Adjei/Ghanamps.gov.gh

ECG, detractors will not intimidate me – K.T Hammond

Minority spokesperson on Energy and Member of Parliament for Adansi Asokwa, K.T Hammond, has denied accusations that he owes the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) GHC 30,000 in unpaid bills.

Speaking on Citi Prime News Mr. Hammond said, “there is not a single atom of truth in it. It is simply not true. This sort of thing isn’t going to intimidate K.T Hammond.”

According to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP, “I didn’t put the meter there by myself. It was installed by ECG and it has been installed for over 12 years now.”

Mr Hammond told Citi News he had been counselled by his lawyers to pursue a leagl option against the Herald Newspaper.

The Electricity Company of Ghana has meanwhile also denied The Herald Newspaper publication.

Manager of the ECG, Dominic Afesi in an interview said the facts as reported by the newspaper, were misleading.

The Monday edition of the newspaper carried a front page story which claimed that the home of the Minority Spokesperson on Energy has, for years, been illegally connected to the national grid.

According to the Editor of The Herald Newspaper, Larry Alan Dogbey, the publication did not set out to deliberately damage the outspoken MP’s reputation.

“If the facts as presented to us by the ECG official that we spoke to were not exactly the same, we will apologies to K.T Hammond.”

Evans Effah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Freda Prempeh commits to extend electricity to constituents

Member of Parliament for Tano North, Freda Prempeh has expressed her commitment to ensure extension of electricity to all parts of her constituency.

According to her, the provision of electricity to an area is essential to the growth of that community and that she’ll stop at nothing to ensure that her constituents have access to this all important utility.

In an interview she disclosed that even before she became an MP for the area, she took it upon herself to ensure electricity expansion to four communities’ namely Subriso, Krofuom, Sukumu 1&2 have lights.

She said she was working towards extending power to Nsuapem, Ohene Nwantabisa which is expected to be completed by December this year since the contractor working on the project has already been supplied with the materials.

Hon. Freda Prempeh was confident that this will improve the academic performance of the students in the areas as they would have the opportunity of studying in the night.

She urged her constituents to give her the needed support and cooperation to ensure that her vision for the constituency which is to help improve the living conditions of the people is achieved.

Kwadwo Anim/Ghanamps.gov.gh