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Month: March 2018

RTI bill must cover private sector players -Speaker

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

If the fight against corruption is to succeed, the proposed Right to Information Bill must make provision to include the private sector, Speaker of Parliament, Prof Aaron Michael Oquaye has suggested.

According to him corruption in the public sector is largely influenced by players in the private sector hence cannot be left out by the law which is aimed at making information readily available to help stem the canker.

He raised concerns that the Bill which is yet to be introduce to Parliament by its current form does not make provisions to allow the private sector including businesses, expatriate, consultants, business promoters among others to make information available to the public to help fight corruption.

He noted that there is symbiosis between private and public sector players for corruption.

The Speaker stated that the bill though a good one but is crafted to shield private entities and must be made compellable on private firms to make information available as well to help fight corruption.

Prof Ocquaye was speaking at the African Parliamentarians Network Against Corruption (APNAC) 2018 Biennial General Meeting held in Accra.

The Speaker also took a swipe at the so-called big men in society including chiefs, pastors, political leaders who always intercede on behalf of criminals in society when they are arrested for wrong doings.

According to Prof Mike Oquaye such practice is affecting the legislature, government and the judiciary efforts in combating corruption in the country.

By Christian Kpesese/ ghanamps.com

Poverty is the cause of teenage pregnancy—-Ken Agyapong

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Ken Ohene Agyapong, has attributed poverty to teenage pregnancy in Ghana, noting that in homes where parents can afford you hardly see their teenage girls getting pregnant.

According to the Assin Central MP, legislators from the rural areas statistically teenage pregnancy are on the high side because parents can’t afford to take care of their children.

As someone coming from a rural constituency I must say, homes where we have parents being irresponsible you get most of their girls getting pregnant, he stated.

He called on government to come out with a policy where girls in Ghana will be given scholarships in terms of helping them stay in school.

Again in America, there is a policy for girls to go to college to study, “Math, Science and Information Technology”, as a way of encouraging girls to get involve in difficult subjects so that girls are able to take up those courses, same way as a nation I think we can do so by given special preference to girls going to school to reduce burden on parents, he added.

“Mr. Speaker you see women lineup with their kids coming for school fees and other assistance from MPs when you ask them where your husband is, they tell you either their husband are dead or since I had the child I have not seen him. When you probe further you realize that they are around they connive with these women this behaviour does not help.”

“We will begin to miss the point if we blame teachers for girls teenage pregnancy, rather the blame should go to parents and girls should be educated to take their destiny into their hands”.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Appointment committee enforces Speakers directives

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

Appointment Committee of Parliament on Monday morning at 10:25am ensured that the directives of Speaker Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye that only ten supporters of a nominee be allowed to sit at the vetting was adhered to.

Chairman of the committee Joseph Osei-Owusu directed that persons who were not among the ten persons allowed were walked out of the vetting room.

Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye has given a stern warning that members of the Ghanaian public should accord same respect they would give the High Court, to the Appointment Committee of the House.

According to the Speaker, Parliament is going to insist that only ten members of a nominees close relations like spouse friends and others can be in the vetting room.

“Marshal can you enforce the directives of Mr. Speaker”, and the Marshal together with the security men and women around enforced the directives.

Minister designate for the Savannah Region, Salifu Adam Braimah was the first to come before the committee.

Whiles checks done by ghanamps.com can reveal that there were a lot of people gathered at the reception of job 600 to watch the proceedings of the committee live on televisions provided, with others also gathered in front of the committee building.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.coma

State must support health care for former MPs —Okoe Boye

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

Member of Parliament for Ledzokuku, Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye, is advocating for the state to support former Members of Parliament by taking care of their medical bills having committed all their energy in serving the Nation.

According to Dr. Okoe Boye, it is quite shameful that the end of service benefit paid to former MPs cannot even take care of their medical bills.

He further recounted that, civil servants in Government Agencies and Department have schemes in place to provide health care for their members when they exit the service.

The Ledzokuku legislator made this remarks when MPs paid tribute for the late, Ledzokuku MP Nii Nortey Dua on the floor of the House.

Minority Chief Whip, Mohamed Mubarak Muntaka, said a lot has been talked about the plight of former MPs, but nothing has been done and recounted that with Professor Oquaye taking over as Speaker, he has made it a point that former MPs and their spouse can visit the Parliamentary clinic.

He recounted how the late MP worked under him as a Deputy sports Minister though he was older than him but was so humble and gave brotherly advice to him during difficult situations in their working relation.

Mr. Mubarak Muntaka recalled how difficult it was for the late MP to pay his medical bills to the extent that he sold some asserts of his to take care of his medical bills and noted that as he speaks as the Minority whip he has a request before his table to support a former MP who needs a wheelchair.

And called on other MPs to remember a grave yard inscription which said. “I was like you, tomorrow you will be like me”.

The former Ledzokuku legislator will be laid to rest on Tuesday 20th March 2018 and the Minority Whip urged MPs to support during the burial.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Kwabenya, Brekusu residents to vote against MPs if

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

Residents of Kwabenya and Brekusu communities within the Dome/ Kwabenya and Akwapim South constituencies have threatened to vote against Members of Parliament (MPs) if elections are organized any time soon if their problems are not resolved.

According to them their elected representatives especially the MPs promised to fix the roads linking the two communities if voted for but over 15 months after winning power, the roads are still in very deplorable states.

The situation they claim has resulted in increasing crime including armed robbery cases in the areas.
The residents also complained of transportation challenges as it is difficult to get cars on the roads due to its poor nature.

The resident who spoke with ghanamps.com in an interview are therefore appealing the MPs for Dome/ Kwabena and Akwapem South, Sarah Adwoa Safo and O.B. Amoah respectively to redeem their promises in order to make life comfortable for them.

By Christian Kpesese/ ghanamps.com

Ho West NDC hails MP over APNAC job

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

The Youth wing of the Ho West constituency of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has congratulated the Member of Parliament for the area, Emmanuel Bedzrah on his election unto the Board of the African Parliamentarians Network Against Corruption (APNAC).

In a congratulatory message signed the Ho West NDC constituency Youth Organiser, Big Shaka Kwao, the youth commended the MP for lifting the flag of the Volta region high.

By his election, Mr Bedzrah replaces Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu and now represents West Africa on the African Regional Body of Parliamentarians working against Corruption.

Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu who is also the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs is the immediate Past President of the APNAC Board after serving two two- year terms in office.

The Ho West MP who was elected at the group’s Biennial General Meeting in Accra over the weekend is also the Chairman of the Local Ghanaian Chapter of APNAC in Parliament.

By Christian Kpesese/ ghanamps.com

Speaker demands action on Affirmative action bill

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

The Speaker of Parliament, Prof Aaron Michael Oquaye has debunked public perception that the House is reluctant to take action on the Affirmative Action Bill and stated categorically that the bill is not before Parliament.

He noted that an impression has been created as if Parliament was not acting but there is nothing before the House to that effect.

“Many of our country men and women think for example that there is an affirmative action bill is before this honourable House, this is not correct as at today” he stated.

He has accordingly directed the Women caucus in Parliament, the Ministry for Gender, Children and Social Protection and Committee of Gender issues to follow up and collaborate in ensuring that the proposed bill is brought before the House for consideration within the shortest possible time.

The Speaker again charged the women caucus and the select Committee on Gender to follow up and initiate processes together with the sector Minister for the introduction of the proposal for action as a matter of urgency.

The Speaker observed that Rwanda has now attained over 50% of women representation in Parliament, this he said is a challenge to Ghana to set out to think about how that is done.

Prof Oquaye suggested that the creation of seats exclusively for women as an affirmative action so that men do not feel threatened. “An additional seat for women is a real possibility so that we can have a minimum of seats to be competed for by only women alone to automatically bring for example 30 women to the House” he proposed.

Prof Oquaye’s call came in the wake of separate statements made on the floor by Chairperson of the Women Caucus in Parliament, Sarah Adwoa Safo and Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Otiko Afisa Djaba to mark the 2018 International Women’s Day celebration on the theme: ”Time is now: Rural and Urban Activists Transforming Women’s Lives”.

By Christian Kpesese / ghanamps.com

13 Ministers to appear before Parliament before recess

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

As Parliament goes on recess on the 23rd of March 2018, 13 Ministers of President Akuffo Addo’s government will appear before the House to address 27 questions from Members of Parliament.

But some MPs complain of their question not being advertised, despite asking those questions for more than a year now.

Some Ministers to attend to the duty of the House are Minister for Roads and Highways who has 6 questions in his name, Energy Minister has same, Food and Agriculture has 3 questions, Communications Minister has 2, same applies to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration whiles the remaining have a question each to address.

Again there is an urgent question to be asked whiles the remaining 26 are oral questions to be taken on the floor this week.

Statements will be allowed by Mr. Speaker whiles Bills, Papers and Reports will be laid on the floor of the House.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Update us on local firms printing pharmaceutical labels—Afenyo-Markin

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

Member of Parliament for Effutu, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, is demanding that the Leadership of the House requests the Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kyeremanten to update the House on steps being instituted to ensure that local printing firms are awarded with printing of pharmaceutical labels.

According to the Effutu lawmaker, the Trade and Industry Ministry announced that some 49 drugs were being restricted by way of importation; the essence is to allow local pharmaceutical companies produce those drugs.

In effect, local printing firms will be allowed to print labels of those drugs, and this will create jobs and increase the capacity of the local companies than overseas printing.

But Mr. Alexander noted that since May last year up to date nothing has been heard, as there was an Executive Instrument in this regard.

All I want is the Majority leader will follow up on the assurance given by the Trade Minister as to the steps taken to address the concerns of the local printing firms; we want more people to get more jobs, he said.
“Again the President said he wants “Ghana beyond aid” this are some of the steps when taken and followed up properly we will get out of the situation we find ourselves. I am there for asking that the House follow up on the assurance given by the Trade Ministry”.

“Why should drugs be manufactured locally and the labels for it be imported from overseas, the local printing industry will engage more, increase capacity, and introduce innovative ways that will help benefit the Ghanaian economy”, he emphasised.

Majority Leader responded by saying, “the member knows what to do; he either comes by a motion, a statement and a question.”

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Time of providing Presidential staffers has not expired—Osei Kyei

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

Leader of Government Business has said the time of providing the list of Presidential staffers has not yet expired with a lot of demand being made for the list to be provided to Parliament.

According to the Majority Leader last year in July 2017 the President took over 7th January 2017 he could not report on the previous administration, “Mr. Speaker I wonder why people will want to litigate where there is no litigation. “

He further added that the President Nana Akuffo Addo is supposed to report on his tenure , he could not report on the previous administration when he has not even met them, he has to report within three months after the expiring of a financial year.

And the year ended in December 2017, “three months is March 2018 and we are not yet through with March so the President is within time”.

“In any event Mr. Speaker, I know that this document may be hanging somewhere I know that it has been prepared “long long ago” and it will be here Parliament will not go beyond March 2018 in this meeting.”

He made this remarks when the MP for Tamale South Haruna Iddrisu for the fourth time in this meeting demanded for the list of the Presidential staffers.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com