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Tina Mensah to set up vocational institute

The Member of Parliament (MP) of the Weija- Gbawe constituency, Tina Naa Ayeley Mensah has admonished the youth in the area; especially young ladies to acquire vocational skills which will enable them become useful in societies which they reside.

Mrs Tina Mensah noted this when she took delivery of equipment meant to set up a vocational institute in her constituency. The items include sewing machines, hair dryers among others.

Receiving the items on behalf of her constituents, the legislator noted that: “I have long awaited this to arrive in the country to set up something like this to help my dear ladies and gents to acquire employable skills which will enable them live meaningful lives to themselves and the society in which they live”.

According to her, the move was in fulfillment of a promise made to her constituents in the run up to the 2016 general elections to ensure that persons who could not afford to further their education to tertiary levels are given the opportunity to acquire vocational trainings.

She added that, that is the only means of ensuring equity and equal opportunities for all citizenry and alleviate poverty.
Touching on healthcare, Mrs Tina Mensah, who also double as the deputy minister of Health in the Akufo Addo administration noted that, the constituency has taken delivery of 150 LED street lights and hospital equipment to be distributed to deserving communities and health facilities to help improve security and healthcare delivery respectively.

She intend to award certificate of participation to trainees that will be enrolled into the training scheme.

Haruna Iddrisu consoles Tamale flood victims

The honorable Minority Leader in Parliament and Member of Parliament for the Tamale North constituency in the Northern region, HarunaIddrisu has sent words of consolation to the victims of a flood disaster which has befallen the Tamale Metropolis as a result of heavy downpours Tuesday morning.

The MP has therefore appealed to government to as a matter of urgency take remedial steps to complete the main storm drains from Guruau to Gumani in order to minimize the effects on residents in the area.
His call came in the wake of the lost of lives and properties worth millions of cedis as a result of the heavy down pours with devastating effects on suburbs including Gumani, Choggu, Kanvile,Sagnarigu, Kunyavila, Kasalguand Guruau.

Two persons, a woman and her child have been confirmed dead following a heavy downpour in the Tamale metropolis that lasted for about four hours on Tuesday.

The name of the deceased mother was given by the Police as Hajia Fati Dabuni, a teacher who was said to be driving a Toyota RAV 4 vehicle with registration GT 8271-11 which was swept away by the flood water.

Christian Kpesese/ ghanamps.com

MPs demand Gov`t action to fix premix brouhaha

Two Honorable Members of Parliament for the Ningo-Prampram and Ada Constituencies, Sam George and Comfort Doyoe-Ghansah have asked President Akufo-Addo to call the Minister of Fisheries, Elizabeth Afoley Quaye to order over her handling of challenges confronting fisher folks along the coast.

According to them, fisher folks along communities in their constituencies have been without premix fuel to carry out their fishing activities which has been their livelihood.

Speaking at a joint press briefing, the MPs indicted the Minister of not following the right security measures for the fishermen in the setting up of a task force to check illegal fishing activities along the shores.

“She set up a task force made up of fishermen, not the security services. On the floor of the House she said she had assurances from the Ministry of  Defence. That again is incorrect because she had told the Fishermen at a stakeholder meeting that the Navy and Marine police unit are corrupt and always bribed and so she does not trust them to combat light fishing and so she empowered a group of fishermen to go onto the seas and act as a vigilante force”.

“Some of these fishermen are from my constituency and the question I ask the Minister is what training and what welfare package has she put in place for this task force? Today as we speak, five of the young men in my constituency who were part of this task force have been injured and I have to take care of them by myself,” Mr. George complained.

Christian Kpesese/ ghanamps.com

PWDs to receive 30% Gov’t contracts –-Adwoa Safo

The Minister of State in charge of Public Procurement and Member of Parliament for the Dome/Kwabenya constituency in the Greater Accra region, Sarah Adwoa Safo, has disclosed that 30% of all Government contracts or projects shall be awarded to Persons with Disability (PWDs), women and those in youth employment activities.

This, according to her falls within government`s policy where 70% of all contracts and projects shall be awarded to local contractors as part of efforts to strengthen their capacities.

“It is a policy the government under the leadership of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is committed to implement. And very soon, my office [Ministry of Public Procurement] will come out with how it is going to be done,” she stated.

The deputy Majority leader in Parliament disclosed this when she paid a working visit to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA). She urged management to re-align their operations to fit into the government’s public procurement policy.

The visit forms part of the Ministers scheduled activities to public or state owned institutions or companies that are heavily involved in procurement activities.

She hinted of her ministry’s efforts to harmonize the two existing laws (Public Procurement Act, (Act 663) and Public Procurement (Amended) Act (Act 914) that governs Public Procurement in the country.

Christian Kpesese/ ghanamps.com

Minority questions K T Hammond’s proposed urgent motion

The Minority in Parliament has questioned the motive behind an advertised urgent motion standing in the name of Member of Parliament for Adansi- Asokwa asking Parliament to rescind its decision on the Ameri Emergency power deal secured under the former government.

They fear repealing that deal could return the country into the dark days of power crisis and pose serious economic consequences.

“As far as we [Minority] are concerned it was to deal with an urgent energy crisis justified that we needed to increase the generational capacity of the country and we entered into a contractual arrangement,” he said.

The $510 million Ameri Power Plant was one of such urgent deals entered into by the past government to resolve very serious power crisis which bedeviled the nation since 2012 until late December, 2017.

Christian Kpesese/ ghanamps.com

Special Prosecutor Bill withdrawn

Following pressure from the Minority side of the House and the controversy surrounding the Office of the Special Prosecutor Bill, government has withdrawn the Bill.

Zongo Development Bill, 2017 and the Office of the Special Prosecutor Bill, 2017 were laid on the floor of the House under a certificate of urgency.

Committee on Constitutional Legal and Parliamentary Affairs rejected a request by government to take Office of the Special Prosecutor Bill under a certificate of urgency.

As the committee recommended that due to the nature of the Bill it should be taken through the normal process. The Minority raised issues of constitutional breach asking that the bill be gazetted when it was first laid on Tuesday the 18th of July 2017.

President Akufo-Addo while campaigning for the position in 2016, announced that his government would create an office of a special public prosecutor to prosecute ‘certain’ corrupt cases in the public sector.

He said the office of the prosecutor would be created within six months in office if he won the election.
The Bill for the Zongo and Inner City development has also been withdrawn by government.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Agriculture Minister first to appear before Government Assurance Committee

The Minister for Food and Agriculture will be the first sector Minister to appear before the Government Assurance Committee second week in October 2017, Mr. Yaw Frimpong Addo  Chairman of the Committee reveal in an interview  with ghanamps.com.

He noted that the committee will embark on field verification trips first on the line will be to farms that were invaded by army worms as public funds have been voted to deal with the problem.

In addition the trip will cover planning for food and jobs which is under the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.  And further made known next to come before the committee will be the Minister of Energy as the committee will visit most of the institutions that produce power, ascertain their difficulties and assess what has been done to end the power outages permanently.

Mr. Yaw Frimpong also stated that the Minister of Finance will feature prominently at the Public hearing of the committee and made known that it is not too early to start the first public hearing of the Committee this year.

‘Nobody should see our work as a witch hunting exercise and stated that Ministers and Regional Ministers, are the category of people our works cover”.
The Committee has developed a manual first ever of a committee in the House to train members of the committee on its workings.

According to the chairman of the Government Assurance Committee, a subcommittee is working in cutting out all promises made on the floor of the House in the Parliamentary Hansard to be used.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Gov’t must walk the talk- Salaga North MP

After seven month since assuming the reigns of governance, Member of Parliament for Salaga North constituency in the Northern region, Alhaji Alhassan Mumuni says President Nana Addo and his government are not walking the talk they promised Ghanaians during the 2016 campaign period.

He explained that even though he does not expect the government to perform miracles in just seven months, initial events cast their shadows hence his call on government to walk the talk promised the good people of this country.

Citing several instances including the appointment of 110 ministers and deputy ministers of State and their assistants, security threat caused by activities of vigilante groups, corruption allegation such as the BOST Saga, $ 2.25billion bond as some instances to buttress his argument, the Salaga North MP says the future looks  bleak if steps are not taken immediately.

Alhaji  Mumuni stated that it was only the NPP party lead by Nana Addo which had the luxury of a whole month to constitute a government since 2001 because other elections went through a run- off to determine winners.

The inaction on the part of government the MP noted was affecting the work of Parliaments because the legislative arm of government depends on the Executive to work properly hence the need for it to up its game.

“Today, government business in the house is nothing to write home about, I know that there a number responsibilities that Members of Parliament would have to perform but as government, government, government business is directed by the Executive and so if they don’t bring business to the house, there is nothing to deliberate on” he said.

He expressed concerns about the lack of serious law making business in the house resulting in many statements being made in the floor of the house.
According to him, MPs have a responsibility to make statements on current happenings in their constituencies and the country and also ask Ministers of State questions, and that they will continue to do so but believes there is the need for government to act seriously.

The Salaga North lawmaker assured of the Minority, NDC would ensure that it puts government on its toes to ensure that the right thing is done at the right time for the ultimate good of every Ghanaian.

Christian Kpesese/ ghanamps.com

Maame Pokua advocates care for the aged

The honorable Member of Parliament for the good people of Agona East constituency in the Central region, Mrs Queenstar Pokua Sawyerr, aka Maame Pokua has urged her colleague Members of Parliament to set aside some resources aimed at the welfare of the aged populace in their respective constituencies.

According to her, the living conditions of the elderly in society are a reflection of how society cares for them hence it is incumbent on all to care for the aged in their families and communities at large.

The Agona East representative who made the call in a statement on the floor of Parliament also prayed the current government build upon the sound foundation laid by the previous administration for the care of the ageing population.

She enumerated that the erstwhile government has instituted a legal framework through the National Ageing policy, the Eban welfare card for the elderly and the inclusion of the Elderly who are aged 65 and above unto the LEAP programme.

Other initiatives of the former government include the creation of Aged desk at Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection and the registration of over 25, 000 aged free of charge on the National Health Insurance Scheme as some of the initiatives to cater for the aged.

Mrs Sawyerr who was the former Deputy Central regional Minister called for an all stakeholder approach to care for the aged who are repository of knowledge and custodians of the nation’s cultural values instead of waiting till they become helpless.

“They are a fountain of knowledge with good insights, experience and good judgment.
They are regarded as a repository of knowledge. Mr Speaker, they are the custodians of our cultural values and heritage of the nation and must be celebrated as such” she admitted.

Approximately, 1.6 million of Ghana`s population is aged, thus above 65 years.

Christian Kpesese/ ghanamps.com

Odododiodoo MP Counsels students

The Member of Parliament for the Odododiodioo constituency in the Greater Accra region, Edwin Nii Lantey Vanderpuye has advised pupils and students in the region to take their studies seriously to enable them become responsible individuals for themselves, families and society at large.

According to him, education is the only key that has the potential to help the pupils and students unearth their talents to greater heights.

The MP said these when he interacted with members of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) Club of the Eddy Grey Memorial School, Ablekuma in the Ablekuma South constituency on behalf of Dr Alfred OkoeVanderpuije, who is MP for the area.

Emmanuel K D-Baah, Senior Civic Education Officer at the Ablekuma Sub Metro said the Commission is committed towards educating the public on their civic responsibilities for the betterment of society.

According to him, the formation of Civic Clubs in schools serves as a vehicle for reaching out to pupils and students to understand their civic responsibilities and rights who will in turn educate others.

A teacher and patron of the NCCE Club at the Eddy Grey Memorial School Ishmael Neequaye said the objective of the club’s visit to Parliament was meant to practically expose the pupils to parliamentary proceedings.

The aim of the Club among other civic duties is to educate the public to be law abiding citizens.

Christian Kpesese/ ghanamps.com