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GYEEDA bill to be laid before Parliament soon – Mahama

President John Mahama has announced, a bill on the restructured Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Agency (GYEEDA) will be laid before Parliament soon.

The President announced this on Wednesday when he met Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in Accra.

Last year, he ordered a complete overhaul of GYEEDA’s operations after investigations revealed massive corruption and misuse of public funds under the programme.

The President disclosed that the GYEEDA bill is expected to ensure proper oversight and efficiency in the management of the Agency.

“I foresee a more decentralized GYEEDA implementation which is focused at the district level and I believe that this will ensure a better supervision and more efficient use of the GYEEDA resources,” he said.

He said he is expectant that in the restructuring of GYEEDA, “systems will be put in place to ensure transparency and accountability.”

The Kufuor administration instituted the National Youth Employment Programme, (NYEP) but the programme was transformed into GYEEDA under the Mills administration.

It is an initiative set up to lessen the economic pressure on the unemployed youth in Ghana.

The programme is primarily to provide the unemployed youth with skills and short-term jobs.

But with the emergence of reports of financial malfeasance in the Agency, President Mahama ordered the management of GYEEDA to freeze all modules under the programme until ongoing reforms come to a close.

The programme is being restructured and officials indicted in the GYEEDA investigation have been processed for court.

The Financial Court division of an Accra Fast Track High Court is currently hearing the GYEEDA case.

citifmonline.com

Nii Laryea Moves to help Amasaman jobless youth

The New Member of Parliament for Amasaman Constituency, Hon. Emmanuel Nii Okai Laryea, has begun the implementation of alternative employment initiative for crop farmers who have lost their means of livelihood due to the recent infrastructural development and the unemployed youth in his constituency.

According to him, over the past 3 years, the constituency which was inhabited largely by food crop farmer has seen significant infrastructural development and that has gone along to deprive the farmers access to farm land to plant crops.

He indicated that this phenomenon has contributed to the massive rise in unemployment in the constituency and requires swift response before it gets out of hand.

Speaking in exclusive interview with this reporter, Hon. Nii Okoi Laryea revealed that with assistance from the Ministry of Agric, displaced farmer interested in animal husbandry would be provided piglets and other animals freely for a period of one year.

He said, “The exact number of animal, let say piglets given to the beneficiaries would be returned after a period of one year when they would have doubled or possibly tripled”.

Aside the option of rearing animals, he said he is in talks with the NVTI to enable him enroll those interested in vocational training.

“I am also in discussion with the Beauticians Association to provide discount to enable me sponsor those who would be interested in becoming professional beauticians”

According to him, he has met some private individuals who want to set up rural bank and have manage to convince them to locate it in the area so that the people, after passing out from the vocational training, access the credit facility to enable them set up their own venture.

He indicated that he will negotiate flexible loan terms so that the people can make the most out of the money they receive.

He further revealed that, together with the Municipal Chief Executive of the Ga West Municipal Assembly, they are setting up an educational fund which the general public, business and churches within the Assembly and Constituency would be called up to make contribution into the fund to enable the many brilliant but needy children further education.

The soft spoken legislator entreated every concerned citizen with the means to contribute into the fund so that it can make a huge impact in the lives of the many deprived people in the area.

According to him, until the rich help elevate the poor, the poor and those without hope will continue to use foul means like fraud and armed robbery to get their pound of flesh.

“The best way to reduce crime is to give people sense of optimism about the future and provide them with realistic avenues to attain their goals in life” He concluded.

Speaker has breached the Constitution -Minority

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Parliament has accused the Speaker of Parliament, Edward Doe Adjaho of unilaterally taking decisions on the Constitution Review Commission’s recommendations on entrenched provisions.

At a press conference in Accra on Wednesday, the MPs said the Speaker failed to bring the amendment being proposed by government to the House.

The NPP caucus said Mr. Adjoho, on his own forwarded the document to the Council of State without recourse to Parliament.

MP for Bekwai, Joe Osei-Owusu, who is also Chairman of Parliament’s Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Committee in an interview with Citi FM’s Parliamentary correspondent, Richard Dela Sky said the Speaker’s action “is inappropriate”.

“… Parliament is not in session, the speaker is not a Member of Parliament and so that action that he is purporting to take on behalf of Parliament is inappropriate. The speaker acting alone does not have the constitutional power to initiate any law making process,”

He went on to say that “the Speaker is not a Member of Parliament. To that extent there is no legislative power vested in him, acting alone. Article 290 deals with the legislative process which any partition of the constitution may be amended”.

Mr. Osei-Owusu added that the speaker should have placed the matter before Parliament before it was forwarded to the Council of State.

citifmonline.com

MP donates ambulance to Hohoe Municipal Hospital

The MP for Hohoe, Dr Bernice Adiku Heloo, has stressed the need for concerted efforts to complement the health needs of patients in all public health institutions all over the country.

That, she explained, would help to make health delivery services accessible to all Ghanaians across the country.

She made the call at a ceremony at Hohoe in the Volta Region when she handed over a Benz Sprinter ambulance to the Hohoe Municipal Hospital.

The donation forms part of her pledge to support health institutions in her constituency. In her quest to be elected as the first female MP for the Hohoe Constituency during the 2012 elections, she made a promise to support the hospital.

She said the Hohoe Constituency could boast 19 health facilities, made up of one hospital, five CHPS compounds and 13 clinics.

The doctor to patient ratio is, however, very high at 1:53,669, while the nurse to patient ratio is 1:1,248.

“The situation on the ground clearly shows that the municipality needs a lot of health facilities and equipment to make quality health accessible to all patients,” she stated.

She said the donation formed part of her efforts, as well as those of  ICH Germany, a philanthropic organisation, to assist in providing healthcare services for the people.

The Paramount Chief of the Gbi Traditional Council, Togbega Gabusu, thanked the MP and her partners for responding to the health needs of the people in the area.

Dr  Heloo also thanked the  ICH Germany team and King Bansah for providing major support for the Hohoe Municipal Hospital.

graphic.com.gh

MP for Gomoa West to rehabilitate roads

The Member of Parliament for the Gomoa West Constituency, Mr Francis Kojo Arthur, is to undertake spot improvements on a number of feeder roads in the Gomoa West District to facilitate free movement of people and transportation of goods in the area.

Notable among them are the Gomoa Achiase-Akropong, Gomoa Debiso-Okwahu and Asempanyin-Gomoamaim feeder roads.

The MP has decided to use part of his District Assembly Common Fund (DACF) to fund the rehabilitation of the roads.

The Gomoa West District Chief Executive, Mr Theophilus Aidoo-Mensah, made this known during the first ordinary meeting of the fourth session of the sixth assembly of the Gomoa West District Assembly at Apam.

He noted that the road from Kyirenkwanta to Ajumako Mando had been awarded on contract and that all the necessary reviews had been completed and the contractor would soon start the work.

According to him, the construction of the Ankamu-Dawurampong road is going on and this has created a lot of inconvenience to motorists.

He, therefore, pleaded with users of the road to bear with the contractor as he tried to complete the project ahead of schedule.

He mentioned that for the first quarter of 2014, the assembly collected a total of GH¢68, 267.12, representing 81.6 per cent of an estimated figure of GH¢83, 629.50 of internally generated fund.

He stressed that in order to raise the level of revenue receipts from the assembly’s traditional sources, a number of measures had been put in place in accordance with the resolutions of the assembly, which included the transfer of Mr Ndziba, the District Revenue Superintendent, to Cape Coast, to be replaced by Mr Isaac Donkoh from the Assin South Assembly.

The district chief executive added that the assembly had signed a service agreement with Case Consult and Management Services Limited for the collection of revenue, adding that the assembly was awaiting clearance from the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development Service Secretariat to enable the firm to start its operations in the district.

He stated that the assembly was considering a proposal from Heins Integrated Company for an agreement for the building of a comprehensive and reliable database for IGF to maximise the assembly’s revenue.

He noted that the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF) allocation for the third quarter of 2013  amounting to GH¢134, 704.05 had been received by the assembly.

Mr Aidoo-Mensah explained that the assembly had made a strong case to the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing for the extension of potable water to some communities which included Asempanyin, Ajumakoansa, Bibiano, Gomoamaim and Manso No.2. The rest were Apam, Kyiren, Ngyiresi, Amanfo, Obirin and Fawomanye.

He stated further that under the Sustainable Rural Water and Sanitation Project (SRWSP), construction of borehole pumps were ongoing at all seven communities, namely Abamkrom, Ngyiresi, Adda, Achiase No. 2, Akwakrom, Manso No.2 and Debiso.

On education, he stated that the MP had decided to use part of his common fund to construct a two-unit kindergarten school block at Gomoa Abaasa at a contract sum of GHc 88,710.30 to support basic education in that area.

graphic.com.gh

Parliament urged to consider best oil & gas practices

Parliament has been urged to consider best practices in the oil and gas industry in relation to metering before approving the Petroleum Exploration and Production Bill.

The Executive Director of the African Center for Energy Policy, ACEP, Dr Mohammed Amin Adam, made the call at a Stakeholders’ forum on the Petroleum Bill organized in Takoradi by ACEP and Friends of the Nation.

It was attended by representatives of fishermen associations and traditional leaders.

Dr Amin Adam said the issue of metering has been the bane of most developing countries which produce oil. He said Nigeria for instance is reported to have lost about 62 Billion Dollars as a result of metering defects and cautioned that the authority for the installation of meters must not be left alone to the International Oil Companies.

He suggested that the Bill should be consistent with policy and the Minister of Energy and Petroleum must not be given discriminatory powers as it was contained in the bill presently.

Dr Amin Adam proposed that the fund must be differentiated as in Canada where there is a separate fund for the indigenes from the area where the oil reserve is found in line with the local content factor.

The Chairman of the Ghana National Canoe Fisher Council, Nana Kodwo Conduah asked the various fishermen associations to unite and make an input to the bill before it is passed by Parliament.

The Chief of Essippong, Nana Kofi Abuna expressed satisfaction with the convening of the forum which, he said underscores the need for community concerns to be factored into the bill before it is passed.

The Chief of Lower Dixcove, Nana Kwasi Agyemang advised fishermen to seek the services and assistance of technical persons to help them engage duty bearers with their challenges and concerns.

The Paramount Chief of the Western Nzema Traditional Council, Awulae Annor Adjaye who presided over the forum advised the fishermen associations to employ the services of a lawyer as is the practice in the United States of America, since most of the issues involve legalities.

GBC

TRIVIA: Amasaman MP is the youngest legislator in Ghana

Thirty-one (31) year old Emmanuel Nii Okai Laryea, Member of Parliament for the Amasaman Constituency is the youngest Legislator in Ghana as at now, information available to GhanaMps.gov.gh has revealed.

This implies that the MP was twenty-nine (29) when he was elected by the people of Amasaman to represent them in the Law making body of government.

Hon. Nii Laryea, before his election as an MP was a government appointee for the Ga West Municipal Assembly.
He was a business man and CEO for Commanex Investment Limited in the Greater Accra Region.

He has a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Political Science and Information Studies from the University of Ghana (UG) and LLB from the University of London.

Karaga MP, Hon. Sualihu Alhassan Dandaawa is the second youngest MP, also 31 this year but is older than the Amasaman MP with just six (6) months.

He is directly followed by Ms. Sarah Adwoa Sarfo MP for Dome-Kwabenya Constituency, 33 years.

For full list of young Mps in the Sixth Parliament of Ghana by age click here.

Godwin Allotey Akweiteh/GhanaMps.gov.gh

MPs call for collaboration among politicians

Papa Owusu-Ankomah, Member of Parliament for Sekondi Constituency on Monday called for collaboration among politicians in accelerating the development agenda of the country.

He said politics was an opportunity to serve better lives of people irrespective of the government of the day.

Papa Owusu-Ankomah said this when he together with other four New Patriotic Party MPs participated in the first meeting of the fourth session of the sixth assembly sitting of the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly.

The four are: Mr. Joe Ghartey, MP for Essikado-Ketan, Mr. Joseph Cudjoe, Effia, Mr.Joe Baidoo-Ansah, Kwesimintsim and Kojo Okyere-Darko, MP for Takoradi.

The five MPs took turns to address the Assembly members on issues such as road infrastructure and sanitation.

Mr. Okyere-Darko called on the assembly to re-position itself as the twin-city of Africa through proper branding of the assemblys works and achievement.

Mr. Ghartey called for the inclusion of traditional authority in assembly sittings as they are in direct contact with the people.

Mr. Cudjoe called on the assembly to improve the drainage systems within the metropolis.

Mr. Baidoo-Ansah noted the important role of assembly members in ensuring development at the local level and urged them to form closer collaboration with their MPs.

Capt Anthony Cudjoe, the Metropolitan Chief Executive, said the assembly bagged over1.6 million cedis as revenue for the first quarter of the year.

GNA

Parliament not able to initiate its own laws is unfair – Minority Leader

The Minority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, is urging the Constitutional Review Implementation Committee to amend the law which prevents Parliament from initiating its own laws.

According to Article 108 of the 1992 Constitution, Parliament cannot on its own initiate laws unless it is laid by an external body or emanating from the executive.

But Minority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu argued such a position weakens the role of the legislature in formulating laws as a major arm of government.

“Parliament is a law making body or institution. Unfortunately by the prescription of Article 108 in our Constitution, Parliament is not being liberated on its own to initiate laws.

“That to me is unfair to our Parliament,” he lamented.

He said calls for successive speakers to give a “purposeful interpretation” to that provision have proven futile.

“It is one defect that may have to [be] redressed by a constitutional review process,” he pointed out.

Joe Appiah to build library for Odorkor Cluster of Schools

The Member of Parliament for Ablekuma North, Hon. Justice Joe Appiah has pledged to donate a total of 20 desktop computers to the Odorkor Salleria Cluster of Schools.

The MP who observed that ICT is gradually gaining its roots into the Ghanaian setting believes the facilities would help boost the learning of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in the schools.

He also promised to build a modern library for the schools.

Hon. Joe Appiah made the pledge during the inauguration ceremony of a GH¢800,000 three-storey 18-unit classroom block for the Odorkor Salleria Cluster of Schools last week.

Being the fifth to be inaugurated out of the eight millennium city schools built by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) so far, the Odorkor Salleria Cluster of Schools is meant to augment the efforts of the assembly to abolish the shift system in public schools in the metropolis.

Hon. Appiah however advised the teachers and students to take good care of the facility to ensure that it lasted for generations yet unborn.

Godwin Allotey Akweiteh/GhanaMps.gov.gh