Month: June 2017

The deputy Northern Regional Minister and Member of Parliament for Bunkprugu constituency, Mr. Solomon Boar, has hinted on a number of interventions by government such as the implementation of Domestic Violence, Human Trafficking and the Disability Acts to ease challenges being faced by women.

The Minister said this when he participated in this year’s “The Young Urban Women” Conference at the Catholic Guest House, Tamale in the Northern Region.

The conference, which was organized by the Action Aid and the Northern Sector Action on Awareness Center (NORSAAC), was aimed at empowering young women in the region and strengthening their collective power to actively participate in their own development and the development of their communities, region and country as a whole.

Speaking at the Conference, Mr Boar lauded their efforts for standing up to be part of the development process in their communities and encouraged them not to relent on their efforts but continue to strive to add value to whatever jobs or activities they are engaged in.

He also urged them to grab any leadership position as that was the sure way of getting their numerous demands and grievances timely addressed.

He noted that the Akuffo Addo led administration sees the youth especially women as the major element to Ghana’s human capital, adding that government was therefore committed to supporting the youth to strengthen their health and wellbeing.

He pledged to lobby to ensure that 50% of MASLOC funds are set aside for female applicants to support their craft enterprises in the region.

The Minister also commended the Action Aid and the Northern Sector Action on Awareness Center (NORSAAC) for their support and encouraged them to continue to partner government’s effort in bringing development to the people.

The minister, who later received a signed petition on behalf of the President also to assured them that their grievances will swiftly be addressed by government.

Adam Abdul-Fatawu /Alice Abubakari/ Ghanadistricts.com

The Minority in Parliament are calling for immediate interdiction of the Managing Director of the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation (BOST) Company, Mr. Alfred Obeng Boateng over the sale of 5 million liters of contaminated fuel.

The Minority Spokesperson on Mines and Energy, Mr. Kofi Armah Buah addressing a press conference on Tuesday noted that, the transaction between BOST and an unlicensed company, Movenpiina, is fraught with irregularities and possible corruption to the tune of 14.25 million cedis.

And added that, the amount should be retrieved by surcharging the offending officials at BOST in line with the recent Supreme Court decision.

He further called for immediate withdrawal of the contaminated product from the market to protect consumers and give assurance that such incident will not recur.

“We demand to know what culminated in the interdiction of the General Manager of Terminals, Mr. Fred Adarkwa and Manager of Trading Department Mr. Nana Obeng. Was it because they strongly kicked against the clandestine process of selling these product|”

“Whiles our check revealed that the contact number on Movenpiina is the same number of the BOST MD’s private office in Airport residential area”, Mr. Kofi Buah added.

Minister of Interior and Member of Parliament (MP) for Nandom, Mr. Ambrose Dery, has indicated that vigilante groups who offended the law are being dealt with. He noted that currently they are being tried, “has it ever happened in our history as a Nation, we need to move forward and do more” he said.

As to whether he will disband the vigilante groups in the Country, he stated that “you see you are missing the point; there is a freedom of association as long as an association does not commit an offence”.

“Show me an NPP person who has committed an offence and I have allowed the person to go, I will get that person arrested”.

He further pointed out that six months after election, there is still the fear syndrome among Ghanaians and gave an example to illustrate his point. “When I was growing up we had this funny story that when someone touches you, your genitals disappear and lead to mob action we need to educate ourselves about”.

He praised the media for its crusade against wrongs in our society, “the party that I belong to will prefer an aggressive media over a silent one” he said.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Deputy minority leader James Klutse Avedzi has expressed doubts about government ability to secure a $15 billion credit facility from the Chinese government to implement its flagship campaign promises.

He also expressed surprised to see government run to China for the facility which he said was in total ad variance to the NPP`s stance on loans during the electioneering period.

The Ketu North Member of Parliament says he does not believe the deal would come to pass judging by attempts by the previous NDC administration to secure just $ 3billion facility was not successful.

He however stated that the minority is keenly waiting for terms of the agreement between Ghana and China in order to have an informed position on the announcement by the Vice President Dr Mahamadu Bawumia.

“We would like to know what kind of facility, if it’s commercial loan, credit, and purpose of facility to make an inform decision’’ he stated.

Mr Avedzi cautioned government to hasten slowly is raising the hopes of Ghanaians on the deal.

He explained that such deals take a minimum of two years to realize hence the need to tread cautiously.

Member of Parliament for the North Dayi constituency, Joycelyn Tetteh has called on all Ghanaians to join hands in consolidating the gains and work hard for a better future as Ghana celebrates 57 years of her Republican status.

She salutes all senior citizens who have played very important roles in the nation building process through their sacrifices.

According to her, we have come far as a people and as a country hence the need for all to pray for the realization of the goals of self rule.

“We must pray for us to achieve the reasons we have wind ourselves off colonial rule’’ he said.
According to her Ghana has achieved a lot over the years since gaining a republican status with the Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah as her first President.

She mentioned the peaceful elections and the peaceful transitions of power from one elected party to another government especially since the advent of the fourth republic and the continuous unity and peaceful coexistence as some of the positives over the period.

She noted Ghana has also witnessed massive infrastructure development since becoming a republic.
The North Dayi lawmaker who is a youth herself challenged young people to take over from where the forebears have left off for the progress of the nation.

She urged the youth to play their part in the nation building process through hardwork and dedication to duty.

Ms Joycelyn Tetteh also cautioned young people to desist from social vices for a better future.
Ghana become a Republic on July,1 1960 relieving itself from British rule with Dr Kwame Nkrumah as her first President.

By Christian Kpesese

In fulfillment of his desire to enhance the standard of education, Member of Parliament for Okaikwei Central constituency, Patrick Yaw Boamah has launched an educational fund with seed money of Gh₵100,000.00

The fund is expected to be disbursed annually among brilliant but needy students in the constituency from Junior High School and tertiary which includes suburbs such as Abeka, Tesano, Lapaz among others.

Mr Patrick Boamah said the gesture forms part of desire to give back to society which has given him the opportunity to reach where is he today

“My believe is that the country has offered me the opportunity, I must also support the young ones to also get to where I am today, that is where I take my inspiration from.

This is a constituency in Accra but has a lot of poor people within the community who needs help, sometimes you go round the schools, the shoes that the kids wear, the books, pencils, basic teaching materials are lacking” he said.

The MP expressed worry about the poor state of school infrastructure in the constituency and hope that students would be able to compete fairly with others from more endowed schools in the country.

He believed there is a lot all stakeholders could do including government in order to enhance education delivery in the area.

The Okaikwei Central representative expressed his believe in government’s commitment in supporting the educational sector with the various initiatives to support parents to sponsor their own kids to attain the heights in the educational ladder.

Mr Patrick Boamah has printed some 5,000 books for schools within the community to complement the President`s vision of providing quality education to every child in the country.

By Christian Kpesese / ghanamps.com

The Member of Parliament for Ablekuma West, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has called on Party sympathisers to ensure sanctity in all electoral activities to promote peace and tranquillity. in the constituency.

Mrs Owusu-Ekuful, who is also the Minister of Communications, said the NPP continued to record petty avoidable conflicts during elections particularly at the primaries level, which hampered the integrity of the Party in the Constituency.

She was addressing hundreds of Party members and sympathisers at the Ablekuma West Constituency Annual Delegates Conference in Accra to deliberate on the progress of the Party and the way forward. This is in fulfilment of the Party’s constitutional provision, which enjoins the Party executives to call an annual delegate conference at the constituency level ahead of its regional and national delegate conferences.

Mrs Owusu-Ekuful said government was resolute to fulfil the promises in the Party’s manifesto and what it needed was “patience and maximum co-operation from the public”.

She assured the constituents that she would bring to bear her experience to propel the efforts of government to create more jobs to mitigate the menace of unemployment.

“We know you are looking forward to enjoying the benefits of your toils. Be assured that government is working assiduously to address your needs, and very soon, you will reap from your sweat,” she said.

The Minister said the public sector had limited job opportunities and that, government was directing its energies into harnessing the potentials of the private sector to become a viable source of jobs.

She said the NPP government needed more support as the Party inherited “almost empty coffers” left over by the previous government.

“We inherited huge debts, so we are fixing things to regain progress in our economy. God is with us, and very soon we will get there.

“We are investing hugely in information technology, which is a great source of employment opportunities for every country.”

Mrs Owusu-Ekuful cautioned the Party members and sympathisers against all forms of indecent behaviour saying “President Akufo-Addo is a man of justice and will not spare anyone who flouts the law and retards the progress of the nation irrespective of your party affiliation”.

“The President is a president for all Ghanaians and not for only one party. Let us note this and act accordingly,” she added.

The Member of Parliament (MP) for North Dayi, Ms Joycelyn Tetteh is gearing up for an outreach programme to educate her constituents on the sickle cell disease.

“Don’t marry just because you are in love, do all the necessary checks before you get married or commit yourself to have children,” the MP advised.

She gave the assurance in an interview with journalists after contributing to a statement at the floor of Parliament made by Ms Francisca Oteng Mensah, MP for Kwabre East on the disease as the world marked World Sickle Cell Day last Monday.

Sickle cell is a genetic condition which affects the red blood cells and causes it to break down with other accompanying diseases, which include the damage of lungs, heart, kidneys, liver, and eyes amongst others.

Ms Oteng Mensah said available data indicated that 18,000 children were born in Ghana annually with the condition, of which 50 per cent died before five years.

Ms Tetteh expressed the need for prospective marriage mates to include in their counselling issues about the disease.

She said she would initiate discussions and organise outreach programmes for people to become more aware of the disease.

According to her, she is putting health issues as a priority in the area, and invited individuals, groups, governmental and non-governmental organisations to help in the health drive in the constituency.

Ms Tetteh concurred with Ms Oteng Mensah that, “We need all hands on deck as Ghanaians to fight against the sickle cell disease.

“I am calling on the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders such as Sickle Cell Foundation of Ghana, to regularly visit schools, churches, mosques, work places, football clubs and other associations to create awareness and educate people about the disease.”

The World Sickle Cell Day is set aside to help increase public awareness on the disease and the struggles carriers and their families go through.