Month: November 2017

Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Alban Kingsford Sumani Bagbin has questioned President Akufo-Addo’s commitment in fighting corruption.

He indicated that the President’s campaign were funded by some Ghanaians in his attempts to become leader of the Nation and noted the financiers were not “Father Christmas” and will also seek to benefit from his position.

According to the second Deputy  Speaker, the financers of  the President are calling the shots and “when I speak out I am being lambasted and insulted but it is the truth and you cannot take it away”, he said .

“Recently I was talking about Nana and I said well after fighting three world wars and becoming President, all those three world war people funded you and now you say you are going to fight corruption, you think they are Father Christmas?”
He therefore charged the President to lead the way in cleansing the system, redefine politics and also reduce the cost of political business in Ghana.

“So what I expect the President to do is to lead us to cleanse the system. We change the system, we redefine politics, we redefine political campaign and reduce the cost of this business and make sure it is free.

Once you are able to do that you can still have your conscience, your integrity, your willpower, and you can take decisions that will benefit the people of Ghana”.

He was speaking to students’ Parliament at the University of Education Winneba- Kumasi Campus, on the theme; ‘Parliamentary Democracy in Ghana- a practitioner perspective’ when he made these comments.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Ranking member on foreign Affairs, and Member of Parliament(MP) for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has said the President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo should be seen to be assertive in the Togolese crises.

He noted in an interview that, the Ghanaian President should position himself to afford him the opportunity to be able to mediate, ensuring that the opposition and incumbent have a common understanding on the way forward in getting a new constitution.

According to the ranking member on Foreign Affairs, there is uneasy calm in Togo and pointed out that on the surface things may look calm but below the waters there is a lot of tension and rumbling.

“Togo is at the brink it is not good, we keep an eye and ensure there is a smooth transition of a new constitution, which both sides agree on”.

It is an issue of who qualifies as a Togolese when the new constitution is implemented,  this is where the African Union(AU) comes in and should assume leadership to appoint a mediator which both sides have confidence in, he said.

And pointed out that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) cannot unfortunately play any role because, its chairman is the Togolese President who is involved in issue being discussed.

Again let us see more engagement on the issue we should not just sit back and allow things to escalate, we do not need that, already life’s  have been lost and properties destroyed he said.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Member of Parliament (MP) for Okaikwei Central, Yaw Patrick Boamah has called on Parliament to find a strategy of checking the vehicles of MPs when they are entering the premises of Parliament House.

He noted that the current system put in place by the marshal of the House were MPs’ vehicles are scanned before their vehicles enter the premises of the House is causing unnecessary traffic and discomfort to members.

According to the Okaikwei Central law maker, order 36 (c) states “to carry out Mr. Speaker’s direction for maintenance of order in the House and its precincts”.

He suggested that the marshal should provide members with adequate security, but scanning of MPs vehicles is causing a lot of traffic build up at the entrance of Parliament House, hence alternatives should be made that will free members from the inconveniences.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Minister of Interior Ambrose Dery has said investigation into the killings in Asawase will not shield anybody, hence anyone with information on violation of the human rights to the suspects should come forward.

He noted in an interview that, all the factors into the shooting incident will be looked into, “we will check if the shooting was against standard operations what time was it done day or night?”

However, he was quick to point out escaping from lawful custody, the police are right in taking steps to try and stop anyone from doing so but the intention will not be to shot and kill rather is to demobilize and noted that there is assessment within the police force.

And emphasis that the police force does not take the life of a person for granted as some people will want Ghanaians to believe.

According to Mr. Dery the President has made it clear that his administration is going to ensure Ghanaians are safe and so fight against robbery, land guards, and galamsey.

“You are same person telling me Ghanaians feel unsafe and I have told you government is doing all within its powers to bring safety to Ghanaians”, he said.

As to what steps are being taken to address the agitation of the youth at Aboabo, he noted that no one can take the law into his or her hands.

“No group or individuals can take this nation to ransom, the law is the law everybody is equal before the law and whatever we do, we must respect the law”.

You cannot say my relative is killed, so I should feel agitated and take the law into my hands, we going ahead with our investigation and anybody found culpable will be dealt with, he said.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Member of Parliament for North Tongu(MP), Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has alerted Parliament to haul the Minister for National Security, Albert Kan Dapaah before the House to brief and involve representative of the people in the counter-terrorism simulation exercise it intend to embark on.

He drew the attention of the House to this exercise when the leader of government business, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu presented the business statement on the floor of the House.

According to the North Tongu legislator, a press conference has been organized by officials from the National Security during which the impending anti-terrorism simulations exercise was made known.
As representatives of the people, “we be informed about this exercise and why it must be organized as quickly as possible”.

The news about a simulation exercise comes at a time when some foreign missions have hinted of the possibility of terror attack on Ghana.

In its security alert to its citizens visiting Ghana, the Canadian Embassy, in August this year said, “there is a threat of terrorism.

Terrorist targets could include shopping malls, government buildings, and public areas such as bars, restaurants, hotels and sites frequented by Westerners. Be aware of your surroundings in public places.”

Around that same period, the UK Embassy in Ghana also stated “terrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in Ghana.

While there have been no recent attacks in Ghana, terrorist groups in West Africa have demonstrated their capability and intent by mounting attacks in 2015 and 2016 in Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso and Mali, targeting beach resorts, hotels, cafes and restaurants visited by foreigners”.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Member of Parliament (MP) for Ningo-Prampram, Samuel George Nartey has said harmony on the floor of the House is in the interest of the Speaker of Parliament Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye and his government.

He lamented over the second time in running, where the Speaker has failed to recognize the leadership of the Minority, Muntaka Mohamed and his deputy Ibrahim Ahmed.

According to the Ningo-Prampram legislator, the Speaker has been giving a “funny ruling” which is a deviation from what is known in the House.

“He is setting a new precedent which is alien to the House for over 25 years in this House, when have you heard if a Minister fails to show up in the House an MP loses his opportunity to ask a question because the answers have been printed”.

The Business Committee should allocate enough questions so that it does not exceed the allotted time, “why do you programme 8 questions when you know you can take just two questions and come tell the 6 MPs their time has elapsed”.

They are internationally doing this to deprive people from asking question,  our job here is to ask questions on behalf of our constituency if we are not allow to ask questions in the House then we do not have business in this House, he lamented.

He further pointed out that, the House will be rising soon and the Minority will be needed to pass the appropriation without which government machinery will not run, this is the bastion of democracy.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Deputy Minority leader, Dr. James Klutse Avedzi has disagreed with the ruling of the Speaker that since answers have been printed in the order paper and a sector Minister is not around it is deemed that answer has been provided to a question.

He noted that it has been the practice of the House that when a Minister is not around to answer a question, it is stand down and rescheduled for the Minister to come back to the House to answer.

In an interview with ghanamps.com Dr. Avedzi questioned why the Speaker should rule that, the time allotted to Communication Minister to answer questions on the floor because he was not present and the answers have been printed, the opportunity is lost for the Member of Parliament in whose name the question was asked to ask a follow up question.

“The order paper cannot give an opportunity to an MP to ask oral question which is supported by our standing orders, the Speakers ruling was wrong”, he said.

As to whether he want the Communication Minister to come back to the floor of the House to take her question, he responded in the affirmative, “the trend has been that such questions are rescheduled for the Minister”.

If they want us to work they should listen to our views, we want the right thing to be done, Ghanaians are watching they should not think they have the numbers so they can do anything he said.

“The whole world is watching this is a democratic state, we are in Parliament and they are going to need us to pass the appropriation Bill “.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com