Month: December 2017

The Minister for Works and Housing, Samuel Atta-Akyea is advocating better ways of supporting his outfit to roll-out its activities.

His concern comes in the wake of Parliament’s approval of a total sum of Ninety-one Million, Four Hundred and Eighty-one Thousand and Forty-five Ghana cedis (91, 481,045.00) for the implementation of programmes and activities of the Ministry of Works and Housing for the 2018 fiscal year amidst an indebtedness of One Hundred and Thirty-six Million, Six Hundred and Sixty-three thousand, Three hundred and five cedis, Fifty-one pesewas (GHC 136, 663, 305.52) to contractors.

The amount represents 7.8% of the total indebtedness of the Ministry which is woefully inadequate to even settle the debts owed contractors.

The Minister therefore proposed new means for funding infrastructure projects outside the Government of Ghana funding sources which is woefully not sufficient to support the Ministry.

He also expressed concern about Ghana’s poor approach to planning in the past which has resulted in the many floods and challenges in the past.

He hinted of a paradigm shift in tackling the engineering challenges of the country for a long term benefit for the country irrespective of the cost implications.

Ghana he said must look out for ways to fix critical areas of the economy and help deal with the sewage works in Accra especially at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle into a world class facility.

Mr Samuel Atta- Akyea appealed to Parliament to be ready to support new housing finance legislation proposals that will emerge from his outfit for a credible mortgage system to provide decent housing facilities for Ghanaians through a renewed pension fund.

By Christian Kpesese/ ghanamps.com

The honorable Member of Parliament for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Frank Annor-Dompreh has paid glowing tributes to the memory of one of Ghana’s illustrious son, Scientist and academician, Professor Kofi Ampenyin Allotey for his immense contribution to the learning and teaching of Mathematics in the world.

Professor Allotey as he is popularly known was credited for his famous”Allotey Formalism “or Allotey formula which arose from his work on soft X-rayspectroscopy has widely been acclaimed for making the learning of mathematics easier for students.

In a statement on the floor of Parliament to eulogise the passing on of Prof Allotey, Mr Annor-Dompreh described his contribution to academia in Ghana, Africa and beyond as “outstanding and virtually unparallel”.

He stated that the demise of the late academician should be the time for the African youth to advance knowledge into research in the field of mathematical sciences to propel the development of the continent.

Mr Annor-Dompreh noted that Prof Allotey who was the first Ghanaian to introduce computer education to Ghana had a deep insight and the ability that brought people together from all walks of life during his life time as exhibited in his love for science and mathematics.

Ghana, Africa and the world, he said, have lost a great leader and a role model. All members of Parliament who contributed to the statement praised the late professor for his numerous contributions for Ghana and the world at large.

Parliament after several tributes from members observed a minutes silence in his memory. Prof Francis Kofi Allotey was born at Saltpond in the Central Region of Ghana in 1932 died last month aged, 85.

He was a founding fellow of the African Academy of Sciences, in 1974, he became the first Ghanaian full professor of mathematics and head of the Department of Mathematics at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).

By Christian Kpesese/ ghanamps.com

Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture, George Oduro has told Parliament that 1,303 aggregators have been registered and given licenses through the National Food Buffer Stock Company to purchase produce from local farmers for 2017/2018 cropping session.

He noted that to sustain the initiative much is dependent on providing ready market for farmers under the program, under the planting for food and job.

And further added that, measures have been put in place to purchase harvested farm produce under the Planting for Food and Job initiatives.

Member of Parliament for Kintampo North Kwasi Etu-Bonde, sort to know from the Minister of Food and Agriculture how many market linkage contracts have been established between crop farmers. And produce off-takers under the on-going ‘planting for food and jobs’.

The Deputy Minister noted that, the project has six thematic pillars improved seed production and promotion, one village one dam, improved extension service, monitoring and e-fertilizer, promoting and stringing market linkage as well as increasing productivity.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Member of Parliament (MP) for Ashiaman Ernest Norgbey and his colleague for Juaboso Kwabena Mintah Akandoh have been scolded by the Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo for adding the title “honorable” to their names while they filed a writ in court.

The two legislators had gone to court to seek the revocation of the appointment of the Minister of Gender Children and Social Protection, Otiko Afisa Djaba.

The two Minority MPs went to court to annul Otiko Afisa Djaba’s appointment over her failure to undertake a mandatory National Service and in the writ both MPs added “honorable” as title to their names.

On Tuesday when the case was called, the Chief Justice expressed concern about how the names of the two MPs were written.

She described the act as improper, by revealing that the two legislators were not supposed to add such titles to their names.

She further said, “The people who developed the tradition do not do this”.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Majority leader, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu has come to the defense of the Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyeman Manu that he will not “run away” from coming to Parliament to answer questions.

He noted that the Minister has been in the House on three occasions within last week, when he had to brief the House on the death situation that occurred in Kumasi Academy.

Minority Chief Whip, Muntaka Mohamed expressed worry on the floor of the House on Tuesday when the Deputy Minister of Health Gyedu Kingsley Aboagye, came to the House to answer a question on behalf of the substantive Minister.

He noted that Ministers must find time and come to the House and noted that since the House is now dealing with approval of the budget estimates of the various Ministries, it will be worrying for deputies to stand in for their Ministers.

However, Leader of Government Business was quick to point out that, the Health Minister was in Geneva Swaziland chairing an AIDS conference.

And noted that it will be wrong for the impression to be created that he does not respect the House, as he is one of the most diligent Ministers who attend to the House to answer questions.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

As part of Government’s flagship programme of “one village one dame”, Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, George Boahen Oduro, has indicated that 180 dams have been earmarked for construction.

Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture was answering questions on behalf of the sector Minister on the floor of the House.

He further noted that, 131 facilities have been identified for expansion as well as general habitation making a total number of 311 earmarked intervention.

This response came to light when the MP for Bole/Bamboi Yusif Sulemana wanted to know the state and progress of work on the one village one dam initiative.

The Minister for Food and Agriculture further noted that, actions to be carried out were implementation of detailed studies and designs and submission of draft report and works procumbent.
Again preparation of tender documents and bill of quantities, sensitization and training on the use of the dams.

He further pointed out that his Ministry, the Ghana Social Opportunities Project (GSOP) under the Local Government and Rural Development in collaboration with the Ministry of Special Project are the lead institutions implementing the programme.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, George Boahen Oduro has indicated to Parliament that the Uwasi dam would be completed June of 2018 with the contractor on site working hard to meet the deadline.

Member of Parliament (MP) for Builsa South, Dr. Clement A. Apaak sort to know from the Minister when the dam will be completed.

The Minister further noted that the dame located in the Upper East Region is one of the small scale water resources project initiated by Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA) for all year round crop production for export and local markets.

According to the Agriculture Minister, Government of Ghana (GoG) is funding the project under the Livelihood Support Improvement Project (LSIP).

The contract was awarded to Messrs Munisco Limited at the cost of GHc 8, 556, 450, and the contractor took possession of the site on the 27th of August 2015 which coincided with the rainy season.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Second Deputy Speaker, Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin has said it is wrong for any Speaker of the House to receive communications from Ministers and decide on it, instead of bringing it to the House for a decision to be taken by the House.

He further noted that a Speaker is the servant of the House, he listens and implement decisions of the House. According to the Second Deputy Speaker, a Minister cannot by unilateral fiat be amending business of Parliament.

His comments came to light, when five sector Ministers, Railways, Lands and Natural Resources, Employment and Social Welfare, Regional Reorganization, and Works and Housing sent a written letter to the House that they could not make to the House to answer questions.

The sector Ministers took permission to attend the funeral of the late queen mother of Ashanti Kingdom, leading to no question being asked on the floor of the House last week Thursday.

Mr. Alban Bagbin noted that, the Majority leader OseiKyei Mensah-Bonsu could be under pressure to sermon the Minsters to the House, if he kept defending their absence and for not being in the House to answer questions.

Deputy Minority whip who did not take kindly to the absence of the five Ministers, noted that the current government had been voted for barely a year ago.

“Mr. Speaker if you look at the order paper, Business Committee cannot go and arrange business for the day and not even a single business is ready for execution.

If they cannot handle the power given to them by Ghanaians, they should give it to us we are ready to handle, five Ministers of state failing to come before the House to do Business”.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com