Member of Parliament for the Buem constituency in the Volta region, Daniel Kwesi Ashaiman has launched a project, dubbed electronic (e)-Ghana Volunteers Academy aimed at equipping young people in rural communities with basic Information Communication Technology (ICT) skills.

According to the MP, the project which is his initiative in collaboration with Nana Otimpong Otibribi III, a sub-Chief of Old Baika is solely targeted at the rural youth who have been marginalized for no-fault of theirs.

He noted that the rural youth need ICT knowledge to catch up recent happenings in the country hence the need to equip them adequately.

The e-Ghana Volunteers academy comprises of young graduate volunteers who are willing to impact ICT knowledge to young people in rural communities to help bridged the yawning gap between rural and urban communities.

Volunteers would travel to rural communities in the country to impact ICT knowledge and skills to the rural folks on camp basis until the desired impact is attained.

The Buem lawmaker calls for support from selfless dedicated and all stakeholders to help bridge the gap.

He appealed to all young people especially those with ICT skills to volunteer to help support young rural folks.

The MP assured to use his resources to help realize the goals of the academy.
He also appealed to Nana Addo government to continue with the fiber r optic cable laying project started by John Mama to help connect all communities with ICT.

The e-Ghana volunteers’ academy project which was launched at the Rev Fr Dogli Memorial Technical Institute, Baglo in the Jasikan District is expected to be based on the Ghana Education Service syllabus for training the rural youth.

By Christian Kpesese/ ghanamps.com

Members of Ghana’s Parliament have called for stiffer punishment measures against perpetrators of sexual violence to serve as deterrent to potential culprits.

The lawmakers in unison decried the recent defilement of a four-year old girl at Assin Adadientem in the Assin South District of the Central Region condemned all forms of sexual violence which they said defiles the body of victims and affect their self-esteem and sexual relationships in the future.

The call by the legislators followed a statement made by Member of Parliament for Assin South, Rev. John Ntim Fordjouron the floor of Parliament condemning the defilement case which occurred in his constituency.

“I strongly condemn the alleged dastardly act in no uncertain terms. It grossly violates the fundamental human rights and dignity of this innocent girl,” Rev. Fordjour said.

He disclosed that education campaigns will be organize in the area to educate residents on the negative implications of rape, defilement and other sexual attacks.

The Assin South legislator appealed to Parliament and other relevant stakeholders to join efforts to collectively fight to root out from society “the unfortunate trend of defilement, rape and all other sexual abuses within the shortest possible time.”

He also commended the joint action of the Ghana Police Service, the Gender, Children and Social Protection Ministry, the media and other stakeholders to ensure justice is done to the victim.

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey expressed worry about the security and safety of the girl and observed that the actions of the parents of the victim can easily identify the residence and the child.

The Member of Parliament for Anyaa Sowutuom said the perpetrator of the act must be made to face the law instead.

Helen AdjoaNtoso, Member of Parliament for Krachi West,noted that such issues often happen at low income areas and rural communities and advised irresponsible men to go and pay good money to have responsible women rather than paying small money to have their way.

She called on responsible agencies such as the Ministry and the Social Welfare to take up the responsibility of affected children to relief their families from the difficulties that arise in such situations.

Minority Chief Whip, Alhaji Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak said Ghana’s laws on sexually related violence are too lenient and must be toughened to punish people who engage in such crimes.

He urged the Gender Ministry to bring a proposed amendment of the Children’s Act to Parliament for a review to propose more deterrent measures.

The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu, abhors public expression of sympathy towards offenders.

This he said was largely to blame for the persistence of sexually related violence and called for an end to out of court settlement in rape and defilement cases.

Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye, directed that the Gender Committee collaborated with stakeholders to curb the menace of sex violence in the country at large and report to the House in due course for action.

By Christian Kpesese/ ghanamps.com

Energy Minister, Boakye Agyako has suggested to Parliament’s Mines and Energy Committee that Ghana will be better off if the Africa and Middle East Resources Investment group LIc (AMERI) Energy deal is abrogated because the previous NDC government failed to follow due process.

He suggested that the financial and economic implications of the contract on the country will be far better should the deal be cancelled rather than maintaining it in its current state but the NPP government will however consider available options before making a final determination.

The Minister also noted that combined efforts of local Independent Power Producers (IPPs) such as Sunnon Asogli could have generated a total of 560MV of power as compared to 230 MV that Amery Energy produces if they were supported.

Mr.  Boakye  Agyarko who made these claims when he testified before the Mines and Energy Committee of Parliament on Tuesday has therefore urged Parliament to review terms of the controversial $ 510 million AMERI power deal.

The Committee meeting was part of discussions on a motion that Parliament rescinds its decision to approve the Build, Own, Operate and Transfer Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana and Africa and Middle East Resources Investment Group LIc (Amery Energy) for the installation of ten (10) GE TM2,500+ aero derivatives gas turbines, operate, maintain, transfer and provision of support services that the House took on March, 20 2015 for reasons of gross misrepresentation.

According to the Energy Minister just after Parliament ratified the deal in August 2015, some agreed terms of the contract were changedby government without recourse to parliamentary approval, for instance the replacement of APR energy who where original partners to the contract to PPR, a Turkish firm.

He described the Amery Power deal as lopsided, overpriced transaction which does not serve the interest of the country.

Mr. Agyarko said the cost of abrogating sections of the deal would be $ 580 million but if maintained cost of capacity charge would be $ 680 million for 13 years and suggested that one year of excess liability would cancel the cost of abrogation.

He however assured government would do cost benefit analysis of all options available based on the establishment of fraud, malfeasance and possibly push a case of annulment of the deal.

By Christian Kpesese /ghanamps.com