Month: September 2014

A number of institutions in the Asante Akim North Constituency in the Ashanti Region have received supports from the Member of Parliament for the area, Kwadwo Agyemang Baah.

It is the MP’s way of ensuring a congenial working environment for the institutions to be able to offer the best services to the constituents. According to the MP, the items were requested for by the people when he toured their offices and decided to honour their request since government could not adequately resource them since it is a newly created district.

In all six institutions in the constituency including Agogo Police Service, National Service Secretariat, Ghana Education Service, Agogo Magistrate Court, and Owerriman Senior High School received sets of computers while Agogo Hospital was presented with 45” Flat screen TV with Multi TV decoder.

The MP urged the institutions to continue to give off their best to the public as a service to the nation adding that he will also continue to support them in his small way as and when funds are available.

Dominic Shirimori/Ghanamps.gov.gh

The Member of Parliament for Obuasi West and a member of Parliament’s Finance Committee is accusing the Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG) of manipulating the interbank foreign exchange rates.

Kwaku Kwarteng described the act as illegal, saying it “deviates drastically from the official rates quoted by Ghanaian banks and rates prevailing in the Ghanaian currency market.”

Mr. Kwarteng’s accusations were contained in a letter addressed to the governor of the Bank of Ghana, Kofi Wampah.

The letter also said “Governor, the interbank foreign exchange rates the Bank of Ghana is currently publishing are not just irregular, they are also illegal. The conduct of the Bank of Ghana constitutes ‘Multiple Currency Practice.”

Mr. Kwarteng is not the only member of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) who has accused the BoG of publishing what he described in his letter as irregular data.

The 2012 vice presidential candidate of the NPP. Dr. Mahamadu Bawumiah last month accused the BoG and the Ghana Statiscal Service (GSS) of “cooking up” the foreign exchange and inflation data.

In a statement, Dr. Bawumia said: “A simple look at the the interbank market exchange rates indicates that the cedi has not only been depreciating daily, but is currently trading between GHC3.7 and GHC 4.1 per dollar with an average of some GHC3.8 per US dollar.”

According to him, “the large spread between the Bank of Ghana exchange rate and the interbank exchange rate indicates that the Bank of Ghana rate is being administratively set and not market driven.”

citi

Member of Parliament for Ayawaso Central, Hon. Henry Quartey has said he gets frightened whenever he hears government expressing its intention to establish a new fund, as that has become an avenue for siphoning state funds.

According to him, the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) government has failed to prudently manage funds that have been set up ever since it assumed power and that it will be waste of public resources to set up a new fund.

Government has scrapped the book and research allowance for lecturers of tertiary institutions. This follows the authorization of the Controller and Accountant General to open an account and transfer an amount of GH¢3,750,000.00 into the Research and Innovation Facility.

The new fund replaces the book and research allowances normally paid to lecturers in the country and it is to encourage more research work in tertiary institutions; whilst realizing its full benefits.

Hon. Henry Quartey made the comments while contributing to a discussion on Peace FM’ Kokrokoo show Thursday in relation to the calling off of the strike action by the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) after they reached an agreement with government on Wednesday.

The strike was in protest of non-payment of market premium arrears and book allowances government owed them.

He said his skepticism about the Research Fund stems from the poor manner in which funds like the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GET Fund) and the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) have been inefficiently managed, adding that “ this Research Fund is just for chop chop”.

Ghanamps.gov.gh

Member of Parliament for Tema East Constituency, Daniel Nii Kwartei Titus Glover has said he will be traumatized if aside Joe Ghartey, the three [3] aspirants left to battle for the party’s presidential slot quit for Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

Many within the NPP fraternity are of the view that it would make more sense if the NPP saves its resources now and use it to campaign vigorously to topple President John Mahama in 2016.

These NPP frontrunners argue that with the party in opposition now, it does not have much resource to campaign. As such, it will not be necessary for the NPP to use its low-cut resources to organise another congress in search of a flagbearer while the majority favored the party’s two-time presidential candidate, Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo.

However, after Joe Ghartey’s withdrawal, many have called on the three who qualified alongside Nana Addo to step-down ahead of the party’s October 18, National Delegates’ Congress.

But speaking on Madina-based OMAN FM, Hon. Titus Glover insists that, forcing contenders [Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, Addai Nimo and Osei Ameyaw] to step aside is constitutionally wrong.

According to him, if any of the three are persuaded to bow out of the competition, then they are “chickens”.

“The NPP must work in a more civil and united way. We should not force anyone to quit the flagbearership contest. If any of them [Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, Addai Nimo and Osei Ameyaw] quit, then that person is a coward. They have began well so they should finish the race,” he said.

Adding that, “Nana Addo himself is ever ready for completion and believes in democracy”.

Peacefmonline.com

The Member of Parliament (MP) for the Ablekuma West constituency, Ursula Owusu, has warned of possible violence in the 2016 elections if the electoral reforms are not implemented.

Last Friday, the country marked a year since the Supreme Court’s verdict declaring John Dramani Mahama as the legitimate winner of the 2012 presidential election.

The Supreme Court in the ruling made recommendations for electoral reforms and hoped that the Electoral Commission would implement them and help eliminate some of the flaws in Ghana’s electoral system as exposed during the election petition case.

Madam Owusu, however, believes that the issues from the previous general elections that were exposed during the hearing have not been resolved by the EC.

“The EC’s conduct during the petition itself demonstrated that even with the foreign registrations they conducted themselves, there were issues. They have gone ahead without dealing with the flashpoints in 2012 and have done this limited registration,” she stated.

Madam Owusu told Citi News that she believes the register needs to be audited as there is “a risk of having figures that nobody will have confidence in without a credible register.”

She added that the inability of the Electoral Commission to “fix the fundamentals of our electoral system,” could lead to “violence in subsequent elections.”

Citifmonline.com

Mr Kofi Osei Ameyaw, presidential hopeful of New Patriotic Party (NPP) has thanked the delegates who ensured that he remained in the race for the next round of the contest.

Mr Ameyaw, who is the Member of Parliament for Asuogyaman in the Eastern Region was the fifth contender in the Super Delegates Congress of the NPP held on Sunday, to whittle down the number of aspirants from seven to five as the constitution of the party demands.

The legislator in a statement issued in Accra on Tuesday told the delegates that “You kept your word to ensure that I, Kofi Osei-Ameyaw, would be among the five shortlisted”.

“You the delegates assured me that those who had shown leadership and have worked very hard to build the party and its structures would be rewarded.

“I sincerely thank you for acknowledging my contribution by ensuring that I remained in the race for the next round of the contest in October. Your endorsement is well appreciated,” he said.

The lawmaker also commended the party leadership for ensuring a successful congress, and hailed the other contestants for their comportment and for their avowed commitment to upholding the values of our party.

He said: “We have completed the first journey by God’s grace and just as we started, it is my prayer that the good God directs and guides us to our next destination. I also pray that God gives us strength as we prepare for the October showdown.”

Mr Ameyaw urged members of the party to walk in unison to enable the NPP realise its aim of wresting power from the National Democratic Congress.

“With this journey, unity should be our hallmark. I would therefore entreat all of us to close our ranks and unite to ensure that the party pulls a resounding victory in the 2016 polls.

“From all indications, Ghanaians are yearning for an NPP comeback and we must stay focused and united to get their mandate.

“We cannot afford division in our front – we must stand firm and resolute in our pursuit for power. The people of Ghana must not be denied their will a third time.”

Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo, two-time presidential candidate of the party topped the contest, garnering more than 80 per cent of the votes cast. Alan Kojo Kyeremanteng, Francis Adai Nimo, Joe Ghartey, and Kofi Osei-Ameyaw also made it through the votes.

Mr Stephen Asamoah Boateng and Dr Kondau Apraku dropped from the race. Mr Joe Ghartey, who is the current second-Deputy Speaker of Parliament has decided not to continue the race.