Month: April 2018

Mr Kwame Agbodza, Member of Parliament for Adaklu, has toured communities hit by heavy rainfall accompanied by strong winds in the Constituency and consoled victims of the disaster.

The visit was for the MP to ascertain the magnitude of the disaster and commiserate with the about 100 victims.

A rainstorm that lasted for about 40 minutes ripped off the roofing’s of seven houses, including a church and destroyed personal belongings of victims running into thousands of cedis at Adaklu Vodze and Have.

The thunderstorm also levelled large hectares of cassava and plantain farms, Mr Nicholas Kodzo Amafu, the District Director of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) told the Ghana News Agency (GNA).

Mr Mateo Nonu, Regent for Adaklu-Have, said the victims were putting up with relatives and friends.

Mr Agbodza expressed great concern over the situation and promised to mobilise some support for the victims.

A middle-aged woman, who is a victim, said they needed clothing, roofing sheets and foodstuff.

Speaker of Parliament Professor Mike Aaron Oquaye has exercised Order 42(3) by recalling all the 275 legislators back from recess to consider “urgent business”.

Order 42(3) “Mr. Speaker may, if he thinks fit, call a sitting of the House before the date or time to which it has been adjourned or at any time after the house has been adjourned sine die”.

The House will sit from Thursday 26th to Friday 27th April 2018 at ten o’clock in the forenoon each day to consider some urgent Parliamentary business.

In a statement, the Acting Director of Public Affairs, Kate Addo noted that the principal purpose of the urgent recall is for the consideration of and ratification of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement.

She further noted that Ghana is hoping to host the Secretariat of the Africa Free Trade Organization as other agreements will be considered.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

After public hearing of the, Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in the Northern Sector touching on Pre-tertiary Institutions, Metropolitan Municipal and District Assemblies and Poly technical Universities, PAC has started the South Sector of the Auditor General’s report of 2015/2016 in the Western Region which would also deal with the Central Region.

Chairman of the Public Account Committee and Deputy Minority leader, Dr. James Klutse Avedzi indicated that the committee would be in the Western Region for a week looking at five reports of the Auditor General.

Technical Universities would appear before the committee, Metropolitan Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) and pre-tertiary institutions.

The Committee is expected back in Accra next week and would be going to the Volta and Eastern Regions as it looks at the Auditor General’s report from 2015/2016.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Professor Mike Aaron Oquaye has not taken any money as rent advance, the Public Affairs unit of Parliament has dismissed media reports suggesting that despite official accommodation provided to the Speaker.

The Acting Director of Public Affairs, Kate Addo in a statement pointed out that at the beginning of every term, Members of Parliament are paid some allowance towards their rent, however, the Speaker by his position is not, “entitled to such allowance and was therefore not paid any such advance”.

And added that the Speaker has been allocated an official residence which he uses for official purpose and yet to move into his residence since renovation is yet to be completed in May.

As a result of the situation, the Speaker was only given a monthly stipend for rent while he awaits his official residence.

Parliament therefore wants the media to crosscheck with its offices before publication, saying it takes a strong exception to the reportage in sections of the media which seeks not only to bring the Speaker’s name, but the entire institution into disrepute.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

The Parliamentary select Committee on Lands and Forestry is currently holding a stakeholders forum on the proposed Land Bill, 2018 which is before Parliament.

Chairman of the Committee, Francis Manu- Adabor who is also the Member of Parliament for Ahafo Ano South East said the meeting is aimed at discussing views and perspectives of Civil Society Organizations and other stakeholders.

According to him, everybody is a stakeholder in the land administration system of the country hence the need to show keen interest in the process.

He urged participants to express their candid opinions on what should be added or removed from the proposed Bill.

Ranking Member of the Committee, Collins Dauda urged all to bring their rich expertise to bear in drafting a law that will stand the test of time to address the land administration challenges of the country which has become a canker.

Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, John Peter Amewu in March, 2018 introduced the Land Bill, 2018 to Parliament and was subsequently referred to the Committee on Lands and Forestry by the Speaker of Parliament.

By Christian Kpesese/ ghanamps.com

A thirteen (13) member team of volunteers from the e-Ghana Volunteers Academy have arrived in Jirandongo, a farming community within the Kpandai District of the Northern region with the sole aim to impact schools pupils with Information Communication Technology (ICT) skills from Monday, 9 to 13th April, 2018.

The exercise dubbed “e-Ghana project camp for Junior High Pupils is on the theme: “Bridging the technology gab between rural an urban communities” will be held at the Jirandogo Junior High School.

On arrival in the community, the team held an entrance meeting with the Chief and elders of the community on the purpose.

The co-originator of the e-Ghana academy volunteers academy concept, Daniel Ashaiman said the initiative is aimed at empowering the rural child with basic ICT skills to become competitive with their urban folks and more useful to themselves, their communities and the nation as whole.

Mr Daniel Ashaiman who is also the honorable Member of Parliament for the Buem constituency pledged the team’s resolve to move round the country to impact ICT knowledge positively to rural young people irrespective of their geographical location.

He assured of the teams determination to leave a lasting imprint on the lives of beneficiary students in the Jirandogo community over the five day period.

The Chief of the community who was filled with gratitude for the initiative said he and his people have been praying for such an opportunity.

He prayed for God’s guidance for the team during their stay in the area.

The e-Ghana volunteers academy was attracted to intervene in bridging the ICT gab in the Jirandogo community following a news item carried out by an Accra based Joy news TV in November, 2017 which echoed the disadvantaged nature of the Jirandongo Junior High Schools as far as ICT knowledge is concerned.

e-Ghana volunteers academy is organizing the five day ICT basic proficiency camp in collaboration with the Kpandai District Education Directorate.

Christian Kpesese/Ghanamps.com