The Member of for Juaboso and deputy minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Mintah Kwabena Akando has described as unfortunate the recent explanation by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Petroleum Authourity Mr. Moses Asaga over the authourity’s rationale behind the recent petroleum hike in the country.

According to Mr. Asaga , Ghanaians could afford to purchase USD 60, 000 BMW luxurious cars, which is equivalent to the amount sold in Germany but may protest paying USD 6 per-gallon of fuel price in Germany if such prices were imposed in Ghana.

He further described Ghanaians as being hypocritical in their protest against the recent adjustment in fuel prices, adding that fuel prices  Ghana was much affordable compared to other neighbouring countries. The CEO burst out this when he was granted interview by Accra-based Joy News on Multi TV.

Meanwhile, speaking on Adom TV’s Badwam morning show programme Tuesday, the deputy minister condemned the CEO’s utterances and said his words could merely be as a result of the continuous pressure mounted on him and NPA over the recent hike.

In his bid to explain the reason for the recent increment, Hon. Akando said the recent hike was strategically based on the continuous depreciation of the cedi to the other major foreign currencies and the fall in crude oil prices on the world market.

He said government was still liaising with the various transport operators to suspend any increment in transport fees in the country.

However, former MP for Evalue Gwira, Mrs. Catherine Afeku also expressed regrets on Mr. Agalga’s words, adding that he failed in his test to  compared the two countries in terms of pricing fuel.

He urged the NPA to rescind on its decision since Ghanaians were currently facing tough times has with recent erratic power supply in the country.

Emmanuel Frimpong Mensah/Ghanamps.gov.gh

Majority Chief Whip, Muntaka Mohammed has urged the Member of Parliament for Talensi to resign and vacate his seat as his recent enskinnment as Chief, bars him from active politics and also continuing to occupy his seat.

He said Hon. Robert Nachinab Doaneng must do the honourable thing expected of him as an MP so as not to be seen as a legislator who should know better, but is flouting the constitution with impunity.

Hon. Muntaka noted that the absence of Hon.Doaneng in Parliament for a week is indicative of the fact that he is now a chief.

Hon. Robert Nachinab Doaneng was enskinned as a Paramount Chief of Tongo Traditional Area at a colourful ceremony a fortnight ago.

Per Article 276 of the constitution; (1) A chief shall not take part in active party politics; and any chief wishing to do so and seeking election to Parliament shall abdicate his stool or skin.”

However the Minority has challenged the call describing it as misplaced since there is no evidence that Hon. Robert Nachinab Doaneng has been enskinned.

They argue that per the constitution, until an enskinment or enstoolment is gazetted, one cannot be recognised as a chief.

Going by the rules of parliament, a seat will be considered vacant if an MP fails to attend parliament for 14 consecutive days.

In the event that he resigns a by-election will have to be held in the constituency to elect a successor to occupy the Talensi seat.

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Mr. Alex Afenyo Markins, the Member of Parliament for Effutu Constituency said he will continue his non-partisan role to ensure his constituency and Ghanaians in general  benefit from the national cake.

Mr. Afenyo Markins who stated these at a ceremony to mark the third anniversary of the Effutu Youth Association at Effutu Ansaful, a suburb of Winneba in the central region added that equitable distribution of development should be the priority of every MP.

He charged the youth especially to abjure politics and support the development of the constituency. That is the only way to benefit from the nations development cake,  he said.

The MP hinted that land dispute between Effutu’s and Gomoa’s had been resolved awaiting world bank approval of loan to commence pavement work at the winneba Junction main lorry Station to minimize the dust and do away with difficult situation when it rains to ensure conducive working environment for both drivers and travelers, whilst the ongoing pavement project at the Winneba Town lorry station is about 80 percent complete.

On tourism, the MP urged the youth work together to promote the Aboakyer Festival to generate funds for developments of Effutu State.

“As a Member of Parliament, I will not play politics with my reach festival, so I will never go to the durbar ground if or whenever I realize the festival is characterized by too much politics so that I will not be tagged by people, I am a politician not a chief”, he explained.

Mr Markins said the JHS building project is almost completed and plans are also advanced to provide an Ultra-Modern Library Complex to ensure quality education in the area.

Mr. Eric Appiah, the Central Regional Chairman of the Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS) giving the history of the town said, Effutu Ansaful was established in 1898 by Nana Ansaful whose direct descendants are Nana Kwesi Ansah, Nana Amankosam III (Nana Bedu) Nana Kobina Nkrumah.

All these chiefs according to him stood for quality education; therefore there is the need for parents and stakeholders to play their roles for children in the community to benefit from quality education.

He said education stimulates economic growth and development as well as produces knowledgeable and skillful persons with the right attitudes and values to participate fully in national development and called for quality educational system in the Area.

He said education should be the top most priority of all Parents, guardians and stakeholders in the sector since it is the only key to success.

The Chairman of the Effutu Ansaful Youth Association, Leenam Abeiku Akotia said, the association since its establishment had assisted the Effutu Ansaful community in areas of Communal labour, organization of vacation classes for primary and JHS ,watch dog with support from Ghana police service among others.

He said the association is planning to enter into areas where they will generate funds to support its members who will in turn develop their lots and that of the family to alleviate poverty in the Community.

The anniversary was used to generate funds to support the CHIP compound project to ensure quality Health Care delivery in the area. The MP donated GHc2, 000 as his contribution to the project.

Paa Paintsil/Ghanadistricts.com

Member of Parliament for Afigya Kwabre North, Nana Marfo Amaniampong, has said he contesting unopposed is ample evidence that he has executed his mandate effectively ever since he won the seat.

According to him, the fact that no individual stepped forward to challenge him during the opening of nominations puts more responsibility on him to help improve the living conditions of his people.

At the end of nomination on Thursday 30th April, no individual had filed to contest hm.

In several constituencies across the country there are lots of campaigning activities among competitors who are employing all sorts of strategies to win the primaries and become the Parliamentary candidate for the 2016 elections, however Hon. Amaniampong  has no cause to worry, as he’ll only have to be endorsed by the delegates when the polls are held in June 2015.

Hon. Amaniampong who is a Banker by profession won the seat in 2012 obtained 17,597 votes out of the 25,377 valid votes cast=69.34%.

Meanwhile, six other MPs in the Ashanti Region, including Dr. Anthony Osei Akoto, Old Tafo Pankrono, Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh aka Napo, Manyhia South,  A.C. Ntim, Offinso North; Nana; Francis Adabo, Ahafo Ano South-East, Salisu Bamba, Ejura Sekyeredumase and Johnson Adu, Ahafo Ano South-West,  are contesting the seats unopposed as no candidates picked nomination forms in their constituencies.

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Member of Parliament for Kpandai, Mathew Nyindam has accused the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) party of being responsible for the seemingly unending in-fighting in the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP).

He said, the NDC has cast a spell on the NPP, which explains why the largest opposition party is not able to deal with its myriad of problems.

The NPP has been in the news in recent times for all the wrong reasons, as the party continues to boil with so many controversies.

Over the last seven months the NPP has seen no peace as there is deep seated suspicion among the national executives which has resulted in accusation and counter-accusations among them and further threatening the unity and cohesion of the NPP as the party goes into the 2016 elections.

The rift at the apex of the party has trickled down to the regional level as party faithfuls in the Upper East region on Thursday; distracted a planned meeting between the National Chairman Mr Paul Afoko and General Secretary, Kwabena Agyepong and some party executives, on suspicion that the two leaders were in the area to undermine efforts in ensuring victory for the NPP’s Presidential candidate Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo.

Contributing to a discussion on Asempa FM’s Eko sii sen show, Hon. Mathew Nyindam averred that the ongoing impasse in the NPP must be put at the door steps of the NDC as it has employed spiritualists to deepen the woes of NPP by bewitching the party.

“The NDC has consulted Juju Men and other such persons to cast a spell on the NPP but all this will come to not, since the NPP will put itself together and wrestle power from the clueless ruling NDC government” he said.

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Deputy Minister of Water Resources Works and Housing, Hon. Sampson Ahi has said the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) is currently sowing seeds that will result in the party losing the 2016 general elections which promises to be keenly contested.

According to him, the conduct of the party’s parliamentary primaries which has been fraught with a lot of agitations in several constituencies is sure to see the NPP still languishing in opposition.

The NPP recently held its parliamentary primaries nationwide to select parliamentary candidates for the upcoming 2016 elections. The aftermath has recorded a lot of upheaval following the disqualification of some aspirants, while others have threatened to contest as independent candidates.

The party hierarchy has also had its first share of problems after some of the national executives held an emergency steering committee meeting in the absence of the National Chairman and General Secretary, which generated tension in the party with accusation and counter-accusations among the executives.

Contributing to a discussion on Adom TV’s Badwam show on Thursday, Hon. Sampson Ahi who is also the Member of Parliament for Bodi, stated that the NPP will have itself to blame if it should lose the 2016 elections, they dare not cry wolf in that event.

“We’re all witnesses to the self destruction that is going on in the NPP, they shouldn’t waste our time by going to the Supreme Court like they did three years ago when they lose again” he said.

He asserted that the “NPP has amply demonstrated that it was not ready for power and cannot indeed govern this country, since they are not even able to solve their small internal problems, how much more the entire country” he asked?

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The Central Region continues to enjoy an appreciable infrastructural upgrade under the Mahama-led administration.

The last few years has seen this development agenda nursed and shaped by persons who represent the government at the local level.

One of such individuals is Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Kweku Ricketts-Hagan, who is also Member of Parliament for Cape Coast South.

Ricketts has and continues to lead an agenda built on the need to give his constituency and the region a facelift.

In what has so far been hailed as a forward-looking progressive effort, he has led several cutting-edge projects. While some were government projects that received his championing efforts and backing, others were solely financed by him.

At the very heart of Ricketts-Hagan’s effort, is compassion, his constituents say.

Recently, while submitting his forms to contest the 2016 seat of the Party in the constituency, he paid some 2000 cedis in surgery bills for an ailing man.

That singular act of kindness is just a tiny fraction of a bigger plan to ensure at all times the region wins in terms of visible developmental projects.

Four major roundabouts, 17 completed sheds for the fisher folks with 13 more under construction lead the projects he’s worked on.

Ricketts-Hagan’s efforts at ensuring that a new Kotokraba Market is built for the chiefs and people, has translated into the speeding up of works to about almost 80%.

Recently he was part of the team that led the Vice President to inspect works on the Cape Coast Stadium, which is some 90 percent done, with a planned official opening date slated for December.

Adding to these, is an ongoing registration of 10,000 people onto the National Health Insurance Scheme, as well as a pension and welfare scheme for fishermen, footballers, taxi drivers and market women.

Education, which the region has for years been hailed as having the best schools, is also receiving support from Ricketts-Hagan. A designated school bus, donated by Ricketts-Hagan pick students to and from their various institutions. This is done with his usual donations of educational items to students. Recently, he donated pencils, mathematical sets and pens to some 2000 students who took part in the BECE.

Every year, students get scholarship aid to attend school through Ricketts-Hagan’s efforts while some 75 to 100 people receive ICT training every three month.

On health, Ricketts has financed a hospital ward which is being constructed at Adisadel. He has also set up a microfinance company called Kotokraba Microfinance Ltd to cater for the credit and debit needs of the local market women.

Near and future to Ricketts-Hagan’s dream of building a self-sufficient constituency is a garment and shoe factory, with work beginning soon. In the past, he’s worked on water projects to make available portable and clean drinking water to the chiefs and people.

All these, he hopes to complement by pushing for work to be completed on a 25 kilometre road in the Cape Coast township.

Cape Coast South will for years see unrivalled growth thanks in part to Ricketts-Hagan’s resolve to nurture both his personal ambitions and that which he has for the constituency and the region at large.