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Small scale miners to the registered biometrically – Minister

Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, John Peter Amewu has revealed that small scale miners across the country will soon be registered biometrically.

He noted that the move is to help his Ministry to effectively monitor activities of the small scale miners in the country.

“We are going to give the small scale miners a license and an ID card to make sure with the ID we can locate them”, Mr. Amewu said.

The sector Minister’s announcement comes in the wake of demonstration against governments six month ban on all forms of small scale mining.

And noted that the concerns of the miners of the small scale miners will be addressed, “they have to be patient the ban will come to an end in six months”.

Hundreds of small scale miners in the Ashanti region last week Tuesday demonstrated against the ban, arguing that the suspension had elapsed.

“This ban is a six month ban and if you do recollect, it started somewhere in May and we expect it to end somewhere in October and so if they really have to adhere strictly to the directive, we should be expecting the ban coming to an end in October. I am expecting my good friends and small scale miners to exercise patience.

Government in April imposed a six-month ban on all forms of small scale mining as part of measures to deal with illegal mining, popularly referred to as Galamsey.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

MPs must have a say the selection of the Special Prosecutor – Minority

As to who becomes the first Special Prosecutor of the Republic of Ghana, Minority has given a strong indication it wants Parliament to play a major role in the selection process.

Committee on Constitutional, legal and Parliamentary Affairs is working on the Bill to be presented to the House when it reconvenes back from recess next month.

Minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu is calling for additional clauses that will make selection of the Special Prosecutor subject to Parliamentary approval.

Currently the Bill requires that the Special Prosecutor be nominated by the Attorney General and approved by Parliament before any appointment.

Mr. Haruna Iddrisu’s call for additional clause is to make the office strong enough to deal with corruption.

Deputy ranking member on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee, Dr. Dominic Ayine agreed to the need to engage more in the process leading to appointment of a prosecutor.

“The issue was raised as to whether this is a simple majority requirement of approval or it is going to be a two-third majority requirement or what is called a super majority requirement,” Mr. Ayine noted.

The Office of the Special Prosecutor is to enable the government deal with issues of corruption, especially among state officials.

Under the Bill, an independent prosecutor will head the office and prosecute corruption offenses by state officials. It was one of the major promises made by President Akufo-Addo as part of his plans to deal with corruption in government.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Ho Airport to have a training school attached- Aviation Minister

 

Minister of Aviation and former Member of Parliament (MP) for Bantam, Cecilia Dapaah has revealed at the ongoing public hearing of the Public Account Committee that, a training school for crew and pilots will be built attached to the Ho airport.

She noted that the Ministry had to do some thinking out of the box and they are seeking an investor to help this dream come through. .

He added that Ho has one of the cute airports in the country, as she paid a working visit around all the airport facilities we have in the country.

In addition, she revealed that works on the construction of the Ho airport which was supposed to be completed in December 2017 will run into next year February 2017 as a result of the rains and again the short distance from Accra and. the low traffic.

We have good intentions towards the Ho airport the Minister told members of the Public Account Committee on Friday.

This came to light when chairman of the committee, Dr. James Klutse Avedzi sort to know from the Minister why she left out briefing to the committee on Ho airport.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

 

 

Workshops outside parliament expose MPs to bribery-Majority Leader

Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Majority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu has stated that workshops by Committees outside the precincts of Parliament expose the lawmakers to the problem of bribery allegations whiles in the discharge of their services.

“We have come to the realization that, the many workshops that we are having outside Parliament is creating problems for us, because all manner of people, all manner of Committees meet at various places and you wouldn”t be able to know what goes on there, and people come with all kinds of allegations against Members of Parliament” he said.

Responding to a question on measures being pursued to protect the integrity of Parliament in the wake of bribery allegations, the Suame Member of Parliament noted that development may be a contributing factor that promotes bribery allegations against Members.

He disclosed that going forward into the next sittings of Parliament, there would be an insistence for Committee meetings to be held within the premises of Parliament since the advent of the Job 600 complex has provided more meeting rooms.

Parliament, he stated has also halted the trend where Committees of Parliament hold meetings with Ministries, Departments and Agencies which they are supposed to exercise oversight responsibility at the Ministries offices.

This he said is expected to prevent any compromises since the lawmakers are also humans’ who are susceptible to influences.

The Majority leader expressed hope that the code of conduct for MPs would help address the excesses.

He made these comments during a Press Soiree held by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs in partnership with Parliamentary News Africa.

By Christian Kpesese/ ghanamps.com

Odododiodoo MP indicate intention to contest flagbearer ship

 

Member of Parliament for Odododiodoo Edwin Nii Vanderpuye has given indication to contest in the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearership race, if former President John Mahama does not contest to lead the NDC in the 2020 elections.

According to the former Sports Minister, he is the only one who can beat President Nana Akufo-Addo in the 2020 elections if former President Mahama does not contest, he said on Accra base private radio station OnuaFM.

A lot of people have expressed interest to lead the opposition party in the 2020 election, with two years to go for the NDC congress.

Former appointees of the Mahama led administration are lacing their boots for the contest of the flagbearership contest.

Some of the party big weight who have indicated their intention to contest are, MP for Nadowli-Kaleo and second Deputy Speaker, Alban Kingsford Bagbin, Mr. Sylvester Mensah former NHIA boss and former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Professional Studies(UPS) Professor Joshua Alabi.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Adaklu MP threatens to sue CHRAJ over demolishing

 

Member of Parliament for Adaklu, Kwame Agbodza has threatened to sue the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), if it goes further with its demolition exercise of Ghana’s old Parliament building.

As to when, he noted that he is talking to his lawyers on Wednesday 2017 and will let Ghanaians know the next move.

According to Mr. Agbodza, he cannot understand the kind of justice CHRAJ will administer if they cannot protect a National heritage of this Country, “the fact that you have been given a state property to work with does not mean you can do anything with it”

Is just like when a chief director of a state institution gets a vehicle he can just go out there and rent it out to anybody, he said.

He lamented that the demolition is an embarrassment to CHRAJ, because the Accra Metropolitan Assembly boss has indicated that, they did apply for permit to undertake the demolition exercise but permit has not been given yet.

Again the path they have taken is misbehavior because they do not have the permission to do that, “I will take all steps to protect that site; they cannot just build an office there because they need space”.

“Parliament needs space, some MPs do not have space at the moment that does not mean we can annex all other buildings around Parliament House and stay in it, and they must come out quickly and tell us why they did what they did”.

The demolished building is an old structure that housed the Gold Coast Legislative Assembly from 1951 when Dr. Kwame Nkrumah became the leader of Government Business under the British. Kwame Agbodza said it was a heritage site that needed to be preserved for future generations.

The Commissioner of CHRAJ, Joseph Whittal, defended the action saying although they failed to secure a permit from the Accra Metropolitan Assembly before pulling down the structure, it was necessary for safeguarding the health and safety of the workers of CHRAJ.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

I never gave permit for demolition of old Parliament House – Okoe Vanderpuije

Former Mayor of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije expressed shock in an interview over the demolition of the Old Parliament building, saying he never granted any permit for that exercise.

“I was about calling the current Mayor to find out if he granted the permit, when I heard him on air saying he had not granted any permit for demolition”.

According to the Ablekuma South legislature there is the need to find out who gave the permit for the demolition exercise to take place, government should have come to AMA to seek approval he said.

“Someone has to answer why they went to a national site to pull down a property, I was preparing to go to court before I heard another member is doing that”, he added.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Sagnarigu MP urged forgiveness in NDC

The honorable Member of Parliament for the Sagnarigu constituency in the Northern region Alhaji Fuseini Bashir Alhassan has called for total forgiveness of each other’s wrong to pave way for unity in the opposition National Democratic Congress NDC) as that is the only panacea for victory in the 2020 general election.

Addressing party faithful at Tamale during the party’s unity walk, ABA Fuseini said the NDC cannot afford to be in opposition beyond 2020 hence the need for unconditional unity among the rank and file of the party.

Alhaji Fusieni who is the Ranking Member of the Communications Committee of Parliament urged his fellow comrades to truly forgive each other their wrongs for the sake of the party.

Blame game become the order of the day where party loyalists accuse leadership at all levels for being responsible for the NDC’s defeat in the 2016 polls.

Former President John DramaniMahama however accepted total responsibility for the lost but some aggrieved members still continue to play the blame game.

The MP’s call is expected to revitalize the party’s unity agenda for a comeback after 2020 polls.

Christian Kpesese/Ghanamps.com

Sports Minister urged fair playduring 2017 WAFU tournament

 

Ghana’s Minister for Youth and Sports and Member of Parliament for Mponua Nwabiagya in the Ashanti region, Isaac Kwame Asiamah called on countries participating in the 2018 West African Football Union (WAFU) Cup Tournament to exhibit high levels of fair-play on the field of play to ensure that the best team wins at the end of day.

Ghana he said is privileged to host the WAFU tournament and urged all participating teams to exhibit high sense of sportsmanship on field of play.

According to the Minister, we are one people with a common destiny hence the need to showcase that on the field of play devoid of animosity.

Mr Issac Asiamah also challenged match officials to be fair in their officiating duties to ensure that the best team wins at the end of the tournament.

The locally based players who constitute the Black Stars team for Ghana failed to qualify to the 2018 continental CHAN tournament beat Gambia one to nil in the opening match on September 9.
The tournament involves national teams from all sixteen West African countries, will be staged in Cape Coast and Elmina.

Winner of the tournament which ends on September 24, will take home USD 100, 000 prize money.
The tournament is organised by the West Africa Football Union with sponsorship from US sports television company, Fox Sports.

Christian Kpesese/Ghanamps.com

Afenyo-Markin chairs Ghana Water Board

 

The newly sworn in Board Chairman of the Ghana Water Company Limited and honorable Member of Parliament for the Effutu constituency in the Central region, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin has assured of the board’s commitment to help resolve challenges facing the smooth operations of the company.

According to him it is a privilege for members of the Board to be chosen to serve the country by helping to find lasting solutions to the water sector challenges confronting the nation.

Speaking on behalf of the Board after their swearing-in ceremony in Accra, the MP thanked the President for the confidence reposed in him especially and members of the Board whiles assuring to deliver the mandate given them.

Minister for Water and Sanitation, Kofi Adda who performed the swearing- in ceremony charged the board to work assiduously to help fix the challenges of the company.

Other members of the Ghana Water Company Ltd include Dr Clifford A. Briamah, Joseph Obeng-Poku, Michael Ayensu, NaabaSigriGewong and Kwame TwumasiAmpofo (former MP).

The rest are; Clement AlosebunoKaba, Dr Forster Kum-AnkamaSarpong and Maria Aba Lovelace-Johnson.

Christian Kpesese/Ghanamps.com