Month: September 2013

Mr Ebow Barton Oduro, Deputy Speaker of Parliament, said traditional rulers must come out with pragmatic projects and effectively execute them to mark their annual festivals as a way of bringing development to their areas.

He said it was not enough for traditional rulers to use festivals only for merry making but there was the need to undertake specific projects to enhance the development of their communities and give real meaning to festivals.

Mr Oduro, who is also the Member of Parliament for Cape Coast North, made the call on Saturday at a durbar of the chiefs and people of Oguaa Traditional Area to mark the 49th anniversary of Oguaa Fetu Afahye in Cape Coast.

The week-long celebration was under the theme: “Harnessing the Human Resource Potentials of the Youth in the Oguaa State for Effective Development”.

The MP said although festivals were meant to take stock of the past as well as bring about family reunions, it was time for people to set achievable targets and execute them to ensure sustainable growth of their areas.

Mr Oduro expressed concern about the large numbers of children who loitered around the Cape Coast Castle area and other tourists’ sites on daily basis and called on parents to endeavour to enrol their children in school and ensure that they stayed in school.

He warned that the Metropolitan Assembly would soon arrest and prosecute such children and their parents in the law courts.

The MP was also unhappy that many children in the metropolis patronized video centres and also attended wake-keeping and funerals and urged parents to restrain their children from such activities.

Mr Kweku Rickets Hagan, Member of Parliament for Cape Coast South, said it was time for people to leave the Supreme Court ruling behind and unite to move the nation forward.

He gave the assurance that the government would continue to champion the course of the youth and urged them to lead meaningful lives since the future of the nation depended on them.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, is stepping up economic engagement to woo Africans in the Diaspora to invest in the various sectors of the economy.

Ms Hanna Tetteh, the Sector Minister said government has created the relevant policy framework and platforms to deepen economic ties with the Diaspora, whilst institutions had been set up to work on a National Migration and Development Policy to mainstream migration into the national development framework.

Ms Tetteh made this known at the launch of the maiden Ghana Diaspora Business Summit on Friday.

She noted that the policy seeks to determine the best and most cost-effective approaches to enhance engagement with the Diaspora to contribute to sustainable development

“Migration and development which have risen to the top of the international policy and political agenda had become an integral part of national strategies,” she said.

Ms Tetteh said government is determined to promote the Diaspora as an important source and facilitator of research and innovation, technology transfer and skills development.

The Minister said the Diaspora Support Unit of the ministry is working hard to challenge the business community to develop innovative products and services.

Ms Tetteh said the Unit would provide government institutions and the private sector a feedback on the operations of Diaspora entrepreneurs, their challenges, and how stakeholders in national development could enhance their cooperation as well as collaboration to optimise national development.

Myjoyonline

Mr Dan Botwe, Minority Chief Whip and Member of Parliament (MP) for Okere, has appealed to members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to stop discussions about who should lead the party in 2016.

He said such a discussion is premature.

Mr Botwe said such a debate should rather focus on how to restructure the NPP to build a solid ground at the grassroots ahead of the 2016 general election.

Speaking to journalists in Koforidua, Mr Botwe pointed said the party’s priority should be how to deepen democracy and finding a way forward after the landmark election petition.

The NPP filed the petition challenging the validity of the Electoral Commission declaring Mr John Dramani Mahama as President.

 “Who leads the party in 2016 should not take the centre stage of discussions now,” he stressed.

Mr Botwe said according to the party’s constitution, a presidential candidate would be elected in 2014.

He said the exercise is preceded by polling station and constituency elections.

“All these activities are geared towards strengthening the party and making it attractive for 2016.

“If you look at the role Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo has played since the formation of our party, and the commendation he had received from both local and international community after the Supreme Court verdict on the election petition, nobody can stop him from leading the party in 2016 if he so wishes, ”he said.

He pointed out that it is important that Ghanaians respect the decision of Nana Akufo- Addo to stay off politics for some time.

Mr Botwe expressed the hope that the NPP would come out stronger to capture power in 2016.

“If we are able to build our structures well, no matter who leads the party, we shall win power,” he said.

GNA

The Member of Parliament for Wassa Amenfi Central Constituency, George Kofi Arthur is to supply assorted building materials to schools in his constituency to help in renovation works.

The items will include cement, roofing sheets as well as nails.

Mr. Arthur said about GHs1, 400 for part payment for some quantity of cement is already available including 100 packets for roofing sheets.

According to him, it is important to revive the culture of maintenance in Ghanaians to avoid important edifice deteriorating, adding that if most school blocks had received the needed attentions in terms of renovation the current deficit of school blocks would not have existed.

It is in view of these that he has decided to assist the basic schools in his constituency especially those that need some work to get them strong enough to have them carried out.

Ghanamps.gov.gh

The Member of Parliament for Techiman South Constituency in the Brong Ahafo Region, Hon. Adjei Mensah has called on youths in Ghana especially those in his constituency to eschew any form of deviant behaviours which result in violence.

He said some of those social vices have the tendency of affecting the socio-economic development of the country and should be out-rightly ignored.

Hon. Adjei made the call when he joined folks of New Techiman to celebrate their annual Munikosea Yam Festival.

For his part, Nana Agyeman Badu-Kaakyire, New Techimanhene and Asamanhene of Techiman Traditional Area appealed to the Electoral Commission, to create an electoral area for community.

Godwin Allotey Akweiteh/GhanaMPs.gov.gh

The Member of Parliament for the Effutu constituency, Alex Afenyo Markin is calling for an end to what seems like a policy of shoot-to-kill in combating crime.

This follows the killing of two Police officers in Winneba in the Central Region after they were mistaken for armed robbers.

According to the lawmaker, the Police will have to revise its strategy due to the loss of innocent lives in similar circumstances.

He suggested that “some more rational approach could have been adopted because I believe that in such situations, communication is the key.”

Mr. Markin recalled that the Police on some occasions have used the shoot-to-kill strategy where a good Samaritan who called the Police about a robbery attack “eventually lost his life because the Police mistook him to be an armed robber…So I would want some introspection on this matter and the IGP should look at it.”

Meanwhile, the Director of Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service, DSP Cephas Arthur has denied the existence of a shoot-to-kill strategy.

“The Police Service hasn’t got any policy or any strategy known as shoot-to-kill. There is nothing of the sort. We continuously study, re-train…so that we can always be at par with changing times and for that matter, the Police has already commenced such training.”

citifmonline

Member of Parliament for Ablekuma West, Lawyer Ursula Owusu has added her voice to the pile of condemnation heaped on Senior Lawyer Tsatsu Tsikata, after he singled out Justice Annin Yeboah and accused him of bias against the ruling NDC party in the just ended 2012 election petition case.

Mr Tsikata, Counsel for the NDC in the land mark case alleged that Justice Anin Yeboah always does the bidding of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) because he was appointed by former President Kufuor to the Supreme Court and that he was not surprised the way the Judge voted in the case.

The tough talking MP said lawyer Tsatsu’s logic can imply that the nine justices of the Supreme Court who presided over the election petition case allowed their political considerations and alignment to shape their judgment instead of the rule of law.

‘’If you as a former lecturer in law; descend into personal attack on judges, you are bringing yourself, the judicial service; all of us into disrepute and great disservice… scandalizing the court because when you refer to one, you are referring to all of them collectively…it tells you the kind of person he is” she said.

Speaking on PEACE FM’s Kokrokoo Morning Show on Thursday, Hon. Ursula Owusu stated that the fact that he (Tsatsu) accused Justice Anin Yeboah of doing the bidding of the NPP because he was appointed by former President Kufuor makes his argument more baseless.

“He singled out Justice Anin Yeboah for the wrong reasons because even if you look at the voting pattern of Justice Anin Yeboah, you will realize that he sometimes voted for the respondents. Even in the final judgment, he granted the respondents three of their claims and granted the petitioners three of their claims and so you cannot say that consistently he voted against the respondents’’ she added.

Hon. Ursula Owusu noted that Mr Tsikata should have known better and not uttered the words he did, adding that his posture and staments that he does not owe anybody an apology when all had condemned him, shows how arrogant he can be.

Kwadwo Anim/Ghanamps.gov.gh

Member of Parliament for Ahafo Ano South West, Johnson Kweku Adu will next Tuesday present 1,000 exercise books with his picture imprinted to form 1 Junior High students in his constituency.

The items worth GHC 1,500 and secured with the MPs own funds are expected to equip the students in their academic work for the new term and beyond.

It forms part of his activity for the ‘’ My first day at school’’ which is held annually on the school re-open day of every academic year.

Speaking to Ghanamps.gov.gh, Hon. Johnson Kweku Adu stated that his move is to encourage more students in the area to attend school, as he has realized some students have resorted to truancy which is bound to affect their academic performance if not checked.

‘’ I’m donating the books to get these truant students back in school, because they will be shared among only those who turned up in school on the first day. If they realise that their absence from school prevented them from getting their share, they will try to make amends next time’’ he said.

Hon. expressed his commitment to ensure an improvement in the quality of education in the area, adding that he would do everything possible within his means to ensure the objective is achieved.

Kwadwo Anim/Ghanamps.gov.gh

Member of Parliament for Tano North, Freda Prempeh has assisted some electoral areas in her constituency with streetlights.

She has so far distributed 50 pieces out of a total of 100 to areas such as Koforidua, Susuanso, Tanoso, Zongo and Duayawnkwanta, while the rest of the streetlights are expected to be distributed by the end of next week.

 Speaking to Ghanamps.gov.gh, Hon. Freda Prepeh stated that the assemblymen of the beneficiary communities who expressed their gratitude were beside themselves with joy as the lights are anticipated to illuminate the place and enhance security.

She expressed her commitment to work with the appropriate agencies to ensure extension of electricity to all parts of her constituency.

Hon. Freda Prempeh noted that the provision of electricity to an area is essential to the growth of that community adding that she’ll stop at nothing in ensuring her constituents have access to this all important utility.

She related that even before she assumed the position of an MP, she took it upon herself to ensure electricity expansion to four communities’ namely Subriso, Krofuom, Sukumu 1&2 have lights.

Hon.Freda Prempeh said he was working towards extending power to other areas who are still not connected to the national grid.

Kwadwo Anim/Ghanamps.gov.gh