Government is leaving no stone unturned in readiness to curtail the devastating effects of floods in Accra which has become an albatross on the Nation perennially.

To this end, additional works have begun on critical drains within the city, Minister for Works and Housing, Samuel Atta Akyea has told Parliament.

“The Ministry of Works and Housing is currently finalizing the procurement process for some additional works to be undertaken on other critical drains within the city, that is, Santa Maria, Sowutuom, Madina Maye Hot, Roman Ridge, Hatso-Papao, West Legon Pipe, Madina Ritz Area, Gbawe-Lafa, Ashiyie Culvert. Dormi Market, North Legon and Lapaz” he said.

The Minister who stated these when he appeared before Parliament House to answer questions on the negative impact of flooding in the country bemoaned what he described as a paltry allocation of GH₵5.5m in the 2018 financial year for the Ministry to undertake the short term measures.

The short term measures that has begun comprises: dredging or desilting of drains in South Kaneshie, Awudome Cemetary area drains including the Ring Road West roadside drains, Adabraka-Odawnaa drain to outfall into the Odaw drain, culvert at Agbogba and Gbawe Electricity sub-station area.

Other measures include: updating the hydro and urban geographical maps and conduct of hydro geological studies on a basin-by-basin basis, assessment of the cost of removing obstructions and compare with other options that is creating diversions for water movements, identification of sources of finance for migration measures, awareness creation in order to get support from the general public, demolition and removal of building and structures on water ways.

Additionally, dredging and desilting of hot spots, that is deepening and widening of channels and retention basins and ponds, building the capacity of Regional Spatial Planning Committees, District Spatial Planning Committees and Technical Sub-committees for effective enforcement of regulations.

Mr Atta Akyea who is Member of Parliament for Abuakwa South called for Ministerial collaborations with the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources (MSWR), Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development(MLGRD) and all Departments and Agencies in the region to undertake short term to long term measures to reduce the risk of flooding.

Medium-term measures also include : dredging and desilting of drains and the flood retention basin/ponds and removal of all obstructions, construction of new drains and sea defense structures, reconstruction of poorly functioning drains, revision of existing Land Use and Spatial Plans.

He also added that long term measures consist of enforcement of planning and land-use control regulations, enforcement of buffer zones and extenstion and full implementation of landuse and drainage masterplans.

“In arriving at the total cost to mitigate the impact of flooding in Accra, there is the need for a feasibility study. Currently, one feasibility study is on-going covering only the Odaw river basin. I will make it available to this august House as soon as the figure is available”.

The Minister also maintained that flood management is an integrated effort and is capital-intensive which includes both structural and non-structural infrastructural facilities to provide protection and security of lives, livelihoods and properties.

Mr Atta Akyea was responding to a question posed by Member of Parliament for Adaklu, Kwame Governs Agbodza on what measures the Ministry was putting in place to curb the perennial floods as the rains sets in.

By Christian Kpesese / ghanamps.com

Deputy Majority Leader, Sarah Adwoa Safo is advocating the empowerment of women economically in order to address gender disparity in the country.

The Dome/Kwabenya Member of Parliament noted that empowering women leads to immediate gains for nutrition, health, savings and reinvestment at the family, community and ultimately national level.

“The economic empowerment of women remains one of the surest way of addressing gender disparity in this country” she said.

Ms Adwoa Safo who is the chairperson of the women caucus in Parliament made the call when she presented a statement on the floor to mark International Women’s Day 2018.

According to her it is imperative to continue to retool women with entrepreneurial skills and support them grow their business.

A World Bank data reveals that, nearly 70 percent of women-owned SMEs in developing countries including Ghana are either shut out by financial institutions or are unable to receive financial services on adequate terms to meet their needs.

This means that access to financial services is a critical obstacle to the growth of women-led enterprises or start-ups by women; “Government and the private sector activism to deal with this challenge is crucial”.

She also reinforced government’s commitment to supporting women with the provision of a GH₵10m Fund for women entrepreneurs in the country.

The Fund which is expected to be rolled out in April this year and will be disbursed at low interests rate of less than 10percent across all regions.

“I call on my fellow countrywomen to take advantage of this golden opportunity to improve on their lot. I also appeal to the private sector to come up with similar initiatives to complement the efforts of the government”.

The Deputy leader urged the Gender Ministry and the Presidency to bring to Parliament for passage the Affirmative Action Bill and related bills [Spousal Right Bill and Intestate Succession Bill] into laws to address gender inequality and to empower women at all levels of society.

By Christian Kpesese / ghanamps.com

The honourable Member of Parliament for Adaklu, Kwame Governs Agbodza has prompted government over the readiness of the nation in wait for floods in the capital as the raining season approaches.

In an urgent question to the Minister for Works and Housing, Mr Agbodza sought to know what measures are in place to prevent flooding as the rains set in.

According to the Member, almost every year, the capital city Accra gets flooded leading to the destruction of properties and loss of human lives.

This he said must not continue hence the need to know government’s preparedness to curb the perennial occurrence of floods and its attendant problems.

The Sector Minister, Samuel Atta Akyea in a respond assured of his outfits determination to help prevent the disaster from occurring.

According to the Minister, short term measures that have begun comprise: dredging or desilting of drains in South Kaneshie, Awudome Cemetary area drains including the Ring Road West roadside drains, Adabraka-Odawnaa drain to outfall into the Odaw drain, culvert at Agbogba and Gbawe Electricity sub-station area.

Others include updating the hydro and urban geographical maps and conduct of hydro geological studies on a basin-by-basin basis, assessment of the cost of removing obstructions and compare with other options that is creating diversions for water movements, identification of sources of finance for migration measures, awareness creation in order to get support from the general public, demolition and removal of building and structures on water ways.

By Christian Kpesese/ ghanamps.com

The Member of Parliament for the Ayawaso West Wuogon, Emmanuel Agyarko has urged the public to avoid associating superstition with kidney diseases to ensure early detection and treatment.

Speaking on the floor of Parliament in support of a statement by Ledzokuku Member of Parliament, Dr Bernard Okoe Boye to mark World kidney Day, Mr Agyarko said it is important for society to know the potential causes of the condition to prevent superstition.

The former Chief Executive Officer of the Foods and Drugs Authority also raised concern that claims that herbal preparations cure the condition and advertisement of alcoholic beverages were not helping matters.

He said kidney diseases and deaths are partly attributed to herbal and bitters which have taken over the Ghanaian media airwaves.

He urged the public to acquire blood pressure and sugar monitoring kits for constant checking to help protect themselves from sugar and Diabetes.

The MP urged all to pay attention to the causes of kidney diseases and constantly check their blood pressure and sugar levels.

By Christian Kpesese/ ghanamps.com.

The Member of Parliament for the Kade constituency in the Eastern region, Kwabena Oheneng-Tinyase has challenged Ghanaians to control their eating habits in order to prevent kidney diseases.

He stated most diets today are full of carbohydrates with no or less fibre in them resulting in ingestion when consume.

The MP also noted that late eating has contributed to cases of hypertension and diabetes especially among young people.

Speaking on the floor of Parliament in support of a statement by Ledzokuku Member of Parliament, Dr Bernard Okoe Boye to mark World kidney Day, Mr Ohemeng-Tinyase called on young people especially to control their diet, sugar levels and general lifestyle.

By Christian Kpesese/ ghanamps.com

The honourable Member of Parliament for Adaklu, Kwame Governs Agbodza has stated that in a situation where the Speaker of Parliament has no respect for the leadership of the House, the life of Parliament is in jeopardy.

The interventions of leaderships of the House, he noted, are key for the smooth running of business hence where that is ignored, the House would be in jeopardy.

He made comments in an interview with ghanamps.com in the wake of concerns that the Speaker, Prof Aaron Michael Oquaye has consistently failed to acknowledge leadership of the Minority anytime they rise on their feet.

The MP believes there’s something fundamentally wrong which must be resolved as early as possible.

On the way forward, the Adaklu lawmaker called for dialogue to resolve the issue amicably stating that the issue cannot be allowed to linger on.

By Christian Kpesese /ghanamps.com

As the World marks International Women’s Day, Member of Parliament for Pusiga Laadi Ayii Ayamba is calling on government to make 30 percent of government appointees Women in the various Assemblies.

According to the Pusiga legislator time has come to end the lip service paid by the various political parties where party A says we will give 30 percent position to women whiles party B talks of 40 percent.

She lamented over her Assembly having only one woman who is even a government appointee.

The ranking member on gender women and children committee charged the various political parties and the President Nana Akuffo-Addo who has been made champion of women issues to take up the matter seriously.

Affirmative Action Bill has to be introduced in the House I have spoken to the Gender Minister, the President should also do good with his words as promised during the State of the Nation Address, she said.

“We must have stakeholders meeting on this affirmative action Bill, it has to be properly done are our men ready to support this bill”.

Again it should not be said that we want just women to occupy positions, we need women of substance women who have confidence and are going to undertake leadership role as expected, she remarked.

The Speaker Professor Mike Aaron Oquaye supported her call and noted that the country needs more women at the Assembly level.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanadistircts.com

The good people of Mampong- Akuapem will soon enjoy portable drinking water since water is essential in our day to day activities.

This came into light when the Member of Parliament (MP) of the Akropong Constituency in the Eastern Region, Madam Nana Ama Dokua Asiamah-Adjei witnessed the commencement of the construction of a community water project.

This water project was as a result of a landmark reforms of resolutions passed at the just ended Water, Education, Sanitation and Revenue (WES-R) stakeholder’s round table discussions held at Royal Lee’s Hotel in Tutu-Akuapem.

The MP, Madam Dokua Asiamah-Adjei, stated that, the water project is expected to be completed in the next two weeks and will be replicated across all electoral areas under the Akuapem North Municipal Assembly.

The assembly member of the Assinbrom Electoral Area; Mr Ani Welbeck thanked the MP and the Assembly for the project.

By: Alice Abubakari/ghanadistricts.com

Deputy Minority Leader, Dr. James Klutse Avedzi, has ranked the Speaker of Parliament Professor Mike Aaron Oquaye as the “worse Speaker” among the past five Speakers the House has had so far under the fourth Republic constitution.

According to Dr. Avedzi, this is the only Rev Speaker, we have had and this is the way he is behaving.

He made this remarks in an interview with ghanamps.com when it sort to know why  the Minority embarked on a sit down strike on Wednesday, when the Speaker failed to recognize the Minority leader who had been on his feet for quite some time.

As to whether the Minority Leadership would not engage the Speaker, he said “we have engaged the Speaker so many times he would not change”. “Our democracy is failing, can the House run without the Minority?”

He further added that Ghanaians would judge the Speaker by his conduct and call on civil society to speaker out on the issues happing.

Dr. James Klutse Avedzi noted that the Speaker is just an individual and cannot hold the whole country to ransom, the Minority Leader had an issue because there were questions for the Trade Minister which were not answered, and you would not recognize him.

“If they do not want us to work we can go home for a year and we will take our salary, the Speaker said they can work without the Minority”.

As to why the Minority back bench moved out of the chamber, the Deputy Minority Leader responded by saying, “if they have anything to do outside the chamber that would help this Nation they would have to go and do it since the Speaker would not recognize them”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com