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Month: October 2017

Change Costal Development Authority—Minority demands

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs
Minority in Ghana’s Parliament is demanding a change of name for the proposed Coastal Development Authority to the Southern Development Authority.
The proposed development authority has a mixture of Coastal and Forest zones hence appropriate to change the name to Southern Development Authority, Richard Quashigah said in an interview.
“One of the issues that came up when we went on the stakeholder’s conference around the country is the issue of the title – Coastal Development Authority. Meanwhile, this is an Authority that covers the whole of the Western, the Greater Accra and the Central Regions.
We know too well that the coastal aspects of these regions are very minimal, and it appears the various stakeholders have a problem with the name. They propose that it should rather be referred to as the Southern Development Authority, instead of Coastal Development Authority,” he said, while supporting the motion during the second reading of the Coastal Development Authority bill on the Floor of the House.
Mr. Richard Quashigah, who is also the Member of Parliament for Keta, further stated that, the implementation of the programmes of the Authority must not be politicized.

“We believe strongly that, one of the challenges that have bedeviled the forward march of this nation has been politicization of almost all the institutions that we have in this country. With this development authority, it appears it gives too much power that a president needs in that, the appointment to the board largely falls within the domain of the president.”

Parliament is currently considering bills for the establishment of the Coastal, Middle and Northern Belt Development Authorities, which according to government, will be key in carrying out some audacious social intervention promises made by President Nana Akufo-Addo, with particular mention of the one million dollars for every constituency pledge.
By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Speaker is now respecting the Minority—Ashiaman MP

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs
Member of Parliament(MP) for the Ashiaman Constituency, Ernest Henry Norgbey has revealed that  the Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye is now giving the Minority its due respect and recognition, since the start of the third meeting of the first session of the seventh Parliament of the fourth Republic.
Mr. Norgbey who was speaking in an interview with Ghanamps.com further pointed out that, their protest against the  Speaker’s conduct of not recognizing leadership of the Minority, in the second meeting has send clear message and gone down well with the Speaker.
The Minority must always have their “say” whiles the Majority must have its “way”, if that is ignored by any Speaker, you do that at your own peril, he said.
According to the Ashiaman legislator sometimes one needs to put some military force to get what they want, the Speaker was not trying to see “eye to eye with us in the previous siting”.
“And we did the thinkable thing to let the Speaker see, “eye to eye with us”, we had to put it to him   that we were unhappy with his conduct in the chair”.
Mr. Norgbey said he has observed that the Speaker, has changed in the way he conducts himself on the floor of the House, and gives attention to the leadership of the Minority.
Again when the Speaker does not hear from the leadership of the Minority say, thank you Mr. Speaker,   he will enquire are you done?
He further revealed that whiles in the Minority, during late Speaker Ala Adjetey’s time they fell in love with his conduct and pushed that he should be maintained all because of the way he conducted business in the House, despite the fact that he did not belong to their party.
“We expect Speaker Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, does same he should allow the Minority to have their say”.
It is only a “fool”, who does not change his or her mind set, beginning of everything has its own challenges, moving along the line you will try to correct yourself.
By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Wa East MP declares:”I am not dead”

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) legislator for Wa East, Godfrey Tangu has dispelled reports on social media on Tuesday morning that he was dead after battling a strange illness.

He dispelled the news of his death stating that those eager to see his exit must wait for four more years.

The Wa East lawmaker indicated to the ghanamps.com that he had not been well and underwent a surgery for a waist problem.

“I know the enemy is at work. In fact it has been going on for some time now. People have been fabricating stories about my health situation”.

Mr. Tangu also dismissed rumors that he had written to the speaker of parliament of his inability to continue as MP, saying that he had sought permission from the Speaker and Majority leader respectively to go for treatment.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Zongo Development Bill will generate a lot of heat-Yilo Krobo MP

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs
Even before the Zongo Development Fund Bill 2017 comes before the floor of the House for second reading, Member of Parliament for Yilo Krobo, Magnus Kofi Amoatey has indicated that he expects a heated debate on the floor of the House.

The Bill is expected to be introduced on the floor of the House for second reading, as the Northern Development Authority Bill 2017 has gone through second reading, same apply to the Middle Belt Authority Bill 2017.

Early interview with chairman of the Local Government Committee working on the Zongo Development Fund Bill 2017, Kennedy OseiNyarko revealed that the Bill will be withdrawn same day and re-laid.

Another Bill to generate heated debate on the floor of the House and controversies is the Office of Special Prosecutors Bill,2017 which will be introduce in the House this week.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Governments are weakening and destroying private sector – Haruna

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

Member of Parliament for Tamale South and Minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu is lamenting over the practice where successive governments through their conduct are contributing to weakening and destroying the private sector in the housing industry.

He observed that, contractors go and borrow money to  distill your gutters, build houses and construct roads,  but it takes  two to three years to pay them and you think if this is going to be a potent private sector no,  all their  money is absorbed by interest of the Bank charges.

Again let us be sincere with the private sector, Ministries give out contracts and they decide they want to supply cement and iron rods let us go back to the records.

His comments comes in the wake of the celebration of the world habitat day, which witness the Minister of Works and Housing coming to the floor of Parliament to make a statement to commemorate the day.

According to the former Trade and Industry Minister, successive governments have failed Ghanaians when it comes to delivering housing.

“International donners will not give Ghana money to improve its housing sector when they have same challenges to address”.

“Again let us be sincere with the private sector, Ministries give out contracts and they decide they want to supply cement and iron rods let us go back to the records”.

Mr. HarunaIddrisu pointed out that some of the challenges the Ministry of Works and Housing will have to deal with is, rethinking financing housing and how to deal with land titles since they are not vested in the state and rather vested in stools and skins.

The current rent Act should be reviewed helping the ordinary Ghanaian none of us have been able to help address this as MPs, how many of us are not property owners who take rent for two three and five years advance, he questioned.

“We want to be deceptive to the ordinary Ghanaians that we want to help them no,  we must respond to this housing challenge that is why the Minister must have our support even this year when you ask him how much budgetary allocation does he have for housing you will be sad to hear it”.

“Mr. Speaker as we meet constituent all they tell us is, Honorable help me pay my rent, what is worrying is that the landlords say we should pay two years rent advance” he lamented.

Parliament must resolve to help him increase the budgetary allocation for the Ministry of Works and Housing and sort to know if the Minister has been able to accommodate all his Ministers, no, obviously he remarked.

Mr. Speaker because we could not meet some of this basic needs, the public confidence in us as politicians is eroding, we do not have money for housing but you have it for other sectors the country can make better use of our pension money.

He advocated that the sector Minister takes a trip to Morocco and Turkey to learn how housing can change the situation of a people when you are going on pension in Morocco you know where you will be staying, the Tamale MP pointed out.

He further advised that high rising buildings will also help address the housing issues, adding that the issues with housing also affect productivity in many ways.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Ayawaso East MP donates 5 tricycles to constituency

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

Member of Parliament for Ayawaso East, Hon. Naser Mahama Touree has donated five (5) tricycles popularly known as “Motor King” to the constituency as a way of alleviating the high unemployment rate among the youth.

The comprehensively insured tricycles which cost GHC 20,000 is to be given to some selected unemployed youth to use on “work and pay” terms to earn them income, after which they have to pay for the tricycles at a yet to be determined time, following which it becomes their property. This will enable other unemployed youth to benefit from the scheme.

Using the “Motor King” has in recent times become the most popular means of carting goods from markets and also hauling waste, an exercise which fetches the owners some good money.

Presenting the facility, Hon. Naser Mahama Touree stated that the donation is in fulfilment of the pledge he made during his electioneering campaign last year to help find jobs for the teeming number of youth in the densely populated area.

The MP funded the purchase of the tricycles with his own resources promising to secure more of the facility if the current beneficiaries handle them with care.

Hon. Naser Mahama Touree emphasized his commitment to honouring all his campaign promises which will go a long way in improving the living conditions of his constituents. Mr Olabode Williams, the Constituency Chairman on receiving the tricycles expressed gratitude to the MP for his kind gesture and promised to ensure that the facility is well taken care of

Kwadwo Anim/GhanaMPs.gov.gh

Anyimadu Antwi

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

The Majority leader in Parliament,Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu has noted that the creation of three development Authorities by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government will complement efforts of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) rather than exercising control over them to deliver development.

According to him the 1992 constitution clearly specifies that no action should be undertaken to exercise control over District Assemblies or incompatible with their activities.

He emphasized the necessity of the creation of the three development authorities to help bridge the development disparities between them.

He noted the need for the three authorities to be adequately resourced in order to deliver the needed development whiles urging Parliament to critically consider the funding sources especially for the authorities.

The Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Member of Parliament for Suame stated that the effort must be sustained and not allowed to fail for any reason.

‘Mr Speaker’ I agree that this endeavour should not fail, vested time endeavour should not fail, if it does they will be fatigue from both Members of Parliament and donors who would not be willing any longer to put anything in the basket of our national development he cautioned.

By Christian Kpesese/ ghanamps.com

Govt to take over assets of SADA

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

Parliament’s select Committee on Employment, Social Welfare and State Enterprise has recommended for the consideration of Parliament to allow government to takeover assets and liabilities belonging to the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA).

The recommendation comes in the wake of government’ s move to establish three different development Authorities for the Northern, Middle belt and Southern sectors of the country which hitherto is being overseen by SADA.

Presenting a report on the Northern Development Authority Bill, 2017, chairman of the Committee, Kwame Anyimadu Antwi stated that, provisions of the Bill especially clause 34 made provisions for government to take over assets and liabilities of SADA since its operations covers parts of Volta, Brong Ahafo regions where it has properties, offices and personnel.

Mr Anyimadu Antwi who is the Member of Parliament for Asante Akim Central said the committee observed that jurisdiction of the proposed Northern Development Authority according to the bill is limited to the three regions of the north including Northern, Upper West and Upper East regions hence the recommendation.

The new authority is expected to lead and coordinate development initiatives through public private partnerships, investment drives and facilitation of credit facilities for local enterprises that operate within that catchment area and promote a sense of ownership whiles opening job avenues for the people.

SADA was established by an Act of Parliament, Act 805 by the else-while government to help bridge the development gap between the Northern and Southern sectors of the economy.

By Christian Kpesese/ ghanamps.com

Parliament, Presidency to be powered by solar energy

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs
Minister of energy has indicated to Members of Parliament on the floor of the House that, Parliament, the Presidency and public facilities would be powered by solar energy.
He made this remarks when the House on Tuesday 3rd October 2017, ratify an agreement framework to join an establishing International Solar Alliance.
According to Mr. Boakye Agyarko, the Ministry has started taking the power profile of Parliament which will be a major component of its power supply, as Flag Staff House will enjoy similar facility.
Again Public Universities will also enjoy the solar facility with University of Ghana taking the lead role combined with Bio gas.
He further pointed out that 36,000 Junior High Schools and 681 Senior High Schools will also benefit from the solar power supply.
He remarked that all of these will be promoted through private investment space, and that is how come, joining this alliance becomes very important and as soon as it is ratified, we will work with the India government to access our first share of the 2billion credit facility that is on the table.
The Committee on Mines and Energy observed that Ghana would derive increase in access to off-grid solar solutions to remote communities that can never have access to the national grid.
By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Election of MMDCEs will take place in 2019—Osei Nyarko

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs
Chairman of the Committee on Local Government and Rural Development, Kennedy Osei Nyarko has reveal that, government will ensure that election of Metropolitan Municipal and District Chief Executives comes on in September 2019.
He noted in an interview with Ghanamps.com that, the current government’s promise of election in 2018 could not come off because, the turn of the current Assemblies come to an end in 2019 September.
And cited a litigation by a fisherman who took the Electoral Commission to court, “we cannot have an election when the term of office of the current Assembly has not come to an end”.  Again government will have to clear the necessary amendment that will trigger the election of the MMDCEs”.
Mr. Kennedy Osei Nyarko further noted that the first step in this whole process is to conduct a referendum. “It is a serious Constitutional amendment and not an amendment of an act”.
By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com