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Month: March 2017

NHIS must absorb kidney treatment – Manso Adubia MP

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

The Member of Parliament for Manso Adubia, Yaw Frimpong Addo has called for the inclusion of the treatment of Kidney disease on the list of the National Health Insurance Scheme(NHIS).

He argued that the move is necessary to help encourage patients report symptoms to the hospital for early treatment.

Speaking on the floor of parliament on the occasion of the International Kidney Day, the MP believed the high cost of treating Kidney disease must be absorbed by the scheme.

He added: “The trauma of the disease coupled with the high cost of treatment drains the patient emotionally and economically making it absolutely impossible to live long with the disease.

Today March 9 marks the World Kidney Day, an event that since 2006 has raised awareness about kidney health and chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Hundreds of events take place worldwide, from public screenings to awareness creation, aimed at spreading the word about how to prevent kidney disease and tips on living with this ever-growing illness.

World Kidney Day is a joint initiative of the Brussels-based International Society of Nephrology (ISN) and the International Federation of Kidney Foundations (IFKF), headquartered in the Netherlands.

This year’s World Kidney Day themed, “Kidney Disease and Obesity,” is aimed at reminding the public how diabetes and high blood pressure are critical risk factors for CKD.

 

GNPC’s Black Stars deal wasteful – Majority Leader

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

Majority leader in parliament Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu has condemned the state’s petroleum firm GNPC over their use of a 30% of the national kitty on sponsorship to the football sector.

The legislator has questioned GNPC’s decision to pump a huge sum of its investments into sponsoring the Black Stars and paying huge sums to its coaches at a press briefing on Tuesday.

GNPC signed a five-year deal with the Ghana FA in 2013 to become the headline sponsor of the Black Stars in a three million dollar deal, but the politician thinks it is waste of resources.

“On our oil money, many people will agree GNPC’s allocation is not sustainable. We are therefore going to divert some of their allocations to other very productive ventures in the country.

“GNPC cannot just be using government funds to sponsor supporters of the Black Stars, fat salaries for coaches et al and I think this is not the way to go”, he told pressmen,

Meanwhile, newly appointed Chief Executive Officer of GNPC, K.K Sarpong, has promised to divert a chunk of the money into other sectors of football during his reign.

Probe KTI and Police clash – Subin MP urges CID

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

MP for Subin constituency, Eugene Boakye Antwi has called on the Criminal Investigations Department (CID ) of the Ghana Police Service to conduct comprehensive investigations into the incident that happened on Tuesday, February 14, 2017, in which some students of the Kumasi Technical Institute (KTI) clashed with some policemen.

He believes that the investigations will help unearth what really triggered the incident in which several students sustained various degrees of injuries while a couple of them were hospitalized.

He made this observation when he delivered a statement on the incident on the floor of Parliament, Tuesday, March 7, 2017.

Continuing, he said as “MP in whose jurisdiction the incident happened, I will not take sides but rather call for calm from the authorities of KTI and the Police Service”.

He said in as much as the conduct of the student body was very reprehensible, that of the Police Service in using live bullets and tear gas in their approach was not the best either.

Tatale/Sanguli Assembly complex completed and handed over-Minister

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

 

Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Alima Mahama has revealed to Parliament that Tatale/Sanguli District Assemble office complex has been completed and handed over.

According to the Minister, Akufo &Associate, a consultant carried out completion inspection and certified that work was satisfactory.

“Mr. Speaker, consequently the Ministry was notified of the handing over of the project on the 16th of November 2018”.

The Minister made this remarks when Simon Acheampong Tampi MP for Tatale/Sanguli wanted to know why works on the proposed office complex has not been completed and steps being taking to ensure the completion of the project.

She further told the House the District is one of the forty-two Municipal and District Assemblies created in March 2012.

The office complex was awarded a contract sum of one million, four hundred and fifty eight thousand, six hundred and sixty four Ghana cedis sixty three pesewas (GHc 1,458,664.63) to Ayouni Limited. Work commenced on the 10th of July 2014 and the project was expected to be completed in April 2016.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Blame Majority Leader for ECOWAS Parliament embarrassment – Haruna

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Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu says the Majority Leader Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu is partly to blame for the embarrassment that was caused the country in Abuja last month.

He said Mr Mensah Bonsu must accept some responsibility that he failed to pay attention to protocols which spelled out who is a member and when that person ceases to be a member.

According to him, a Member of Parliament, Dr Assibey Yeboah brought the issue of respecting the protocol up on the floor of parliament but he was ignored which ended up embarrassing Ghana in Nigeria.

“Morally, he may be right but legally he was wrong and it amounted to disrespect which we conveyed to the ECOWAS Parliament,” he said.

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Effutu, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, in February notified the Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament his decision to step down from Ghana’s delegation to the Regional Parliament.

His action was to save Ghana more embarrassment after a disagreement on the number of MPs that should make up the delegation.

Earlier the leader of Ghana’s delegation, Kwasi Ameyaw-Cheremeh wrote to inform the Speaker of Mr Afenyo-Markin’s decision explaining it was to make room for another room the MP for Suhum, Fred Opare Ansah.

This follows the Speaker’s decision Friday not to swear in the reconstituted Ghanaian delegation because Ghana had presented nine members instead of eight when the House reconvened in Abuja, Nigeria.

The situation came about following the refusal of Mr Ansah to withdraw his membership from the ECOWAS Parliament, although he had informed the delegation of his desire to continue to serve increasing Ghana’s delegation by one.

Mr Ansah did not make the reconstituted delegation by the Majority Leadership which included Bawku Central MP, Mahama; MP for Bodi, Sampson Ahi; Effutu MP, Alexander Afenyo-Markin; MP for Akwapim South, O.B Amoah; Akrofuom MP Kwabena Appiah-Pinkrah, MP for Anlo, Clement Kofi Humado and Juaben MP, Ama Pomaah Boateng Andoh.

The Suhum MP is reported not to have been informed about the decision to reconstitute the delegation contribution to the confusion in Abuja.

Bribery in Parliament: Mahama Ayariga found guilty of contempt

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The Ad Hoc Committee tasked to investigate the bribery allegation that hit the Appointments Committee and its Chairman, Joseph Osei Owusu, has found Hon. Mahama Ayariga guilty of contempt.

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The Committee has therefore recommended that the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Prof. Aaron Michael Oquaye reprimands him in accordance with Section 35 of the Parliament Act, 1965.

In effect, the Bawku Central Legislator is to render unqualified apology to the House, purging himself of contempt.

“The Committee took notice of the fact that the Hon. Mahama Ayariga is not known to have engaged in acts that tend to disrupt the smooth proceedings of Parliament. Neither does he have a penchant nor reputation of engaging in activity which can bring the image and dignity of Parliament into disrepute. Accordingly, we view the recommendation relating to the sanctions adequate in the circumstances,” Hon. Joe Ghartey’s Committee report in part read.

The Committee, according to its report, came to that conclusion because Hon. Ayariga “failed to prove that indeed Hon. Boakye Agyarko gave money to Hon. Joseph Osei-Owusu to be distributed to Members of the Appointments Committee with a view to bribe them.”

The Committee was tasked with the responsibility among other things to establish whether the 1st deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei Owusu took money (GHC100,000) from the Minister of Energy, Boakye Agyarko and gave oy to the Minority Chief Whip, Hon. Mohammed Mubarak-Muntaka for it to be distributed to Members.

The Ad Hoc Committee was to also establish whether there were attempts to bribe the Appointments Committee Members.

Arrest the falling Cedi – Minority tells NPP govt

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

The Minority National Democratic Congress (NDC) Caucus in Parliament has called on the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia led government to as a matter of urgency put in the necessary measures to arrest the continuous fall of the Ghanaian Cedi against major trading currencies on the world market.

“The exchange rate of the Ghana Cedi remained relatively stable. Overall, the Ghana Cedi depreciated by 9.6% against the US dollar and 5.3% against the Euro. It in fact, appreciated by 10.0% against the Pound Sterling in the interbank market in 2016.”

” This relatively strong performance has virtually been eroded as the Ghana Cedi has lost about 6% of its value against major trading currencies once Akufo-Addo-Bawumia government took office just over a month ago”, Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu told journalists at press conference on Friday, Mar h 3, 2017.

The comments by the Minority Leader was in response to the 2017 budget which which was presented to Parliament on Thursday, March 2, 2017.

Hon. Iddrisu commenting further said the fall of the Ghana Cedi is the most pressing concern for many small scale and large scale businesses and the earlier steps are taken to address it the better.

“The Finance Minister filed to outline clear policies to address this important issue affecting the Ghanaian economy today i.e. the near a uncontrollable fall of the Ghana Cedi which is now considered the worst a performing currency in the world. This is especially regrettable in view of the stability the Ghana Cedi enjoyed in the 2016 fiscal year under the NDC’s agenda for transformation. Again this is regrettable because this budget stifles exports and stimulates imports”, noted the Minority Leader.

2017 Budget unsettles NDC – Akoto-Osei

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

 

The National Democratic Congress have been frightened by the level of innovation and decision taken in the 2017 budget, according to Monitoring and Evaluation minister Dr. Anthony Akoto-Osei.

The Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta on Thursday, March 02, 2017 announced major tax cuts in government’s first budget presented to Parliament. The tax cuts are in fulfilment of promises made by the Akufo-Addo-led government ahead of the 2016 elections.

The tax cuts include the scrapping of the 1% Special Import Levy, Kayayei Market Tolls, 17.5% VAT/NHIL on financial services, 17.5 % VAT/NHIL on selected imported medicines, that are not produced locally and duty on imported Spare parts.

The minority has, however, described the budget as deceptive and populist. According to former deputy Finance Minister, the budget doesn’t preserve the medium term objective of the country.

But Dr. Akoto-Osei said the NDC is just shocked that the Akufo-Addo led government has been bold and kept its promises in its first budget.

“I think they are frightened that we are able to deliver on our promises. The budget has frightened them. How we are able to do it is the difference between us and them,” Dr. Akoto Osei told Class FM.

The Monitoring and Evaluation Minister added: “That is why we keep saying there is a difference in the style of economic management plans between us. They are just frightened.

“They know they have sent the country into a bad state and they don’t think we could come out of it. But we have been innovative enough, we are implementing our promises and the economy is going to be back on growth path.”

 

NDC MPs flout ban on displaying of placards in Parliament

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

The NDC Minority Members in Parliament on Thursday defied the directive by the leadership of the House against the showing of placards during the presentation of the 2017 budget.

This directive was communicated to legislators last Friday, after the Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu argued that the trend is against best practice in parliamentary procedures and casts the Ghanaian legislature in a bad light.

The minority was criticized for their behavior during the president’s state of the nation address recently.

This is not the first time MPs have been cautioned on showing placards on the floor.

In November 2013, the then Speaker of Parliament, Edward Doe Adjaho maintained that it is un-parliamentary for members to display placards in the House.

But when it was expected that the Legislators will turn on a new leaf and show a departure from the wrong bad today, the NDC caucus went back to the old order.

They were seen displaying white A4 Sheets with the inscription 419, amidst shouting on top of their voices which made the House momentarily unruly, apparently in disagreement with certain pronouncements of the Finance Minister.

Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon. Prof. Mike Ocquaye had a hell of a time restoring order, as the NDC MPs will not budge. He was heard shouts “Order…Hon. members order, but it took more than five minutes to restore normalcy.”

Ghana cannot borrow its way out of its challenges – Finance Minister

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Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Attah has called for the triggering of a national sense of urgency to deal with the country’s huge deficit.

According to him, its continual presence curtails the nation’s capacity to leverage its many opportunities and resources.

Presenting the Akufo Addo led-government maiden budget in Parliament on Thursday, March 2, 2017, Hon. Ken Ofori Attah stated that Ghana cannot borrow its way out of its challenges, as that will be tantamount to creating and sharing poverty which only leads to a loss of the country’s fiscal sovereignty.

“We must as a nation come together to confront our realities. The President mentioned nine days ago that he was in a hurry…Mr Speaker we must all be in a hurry to grow our way into prosperity, which this 2017 budget seeks to do.”

He added that the Akufo Addo led-administration is committed to sowing seeds that will bear sufficient fruits to make this and future generations prosperous.

“This will be done by unleashing the creative abilities of Ghanaians, facilitate increased economic activity which will lead to the improvement of peoples lives. Mr Speaker, there are exciting times ahead and there is every reason to be optimistic that our country is ready to work again…Ghana is ready because the people are ready, and in NPP they have a govenment that is ready.”