As registration exercise being undertaken by the National Identification Authority has a day more to end, pressure lessen on the NIA officials compare to the first week, when staffs and Majority Members of Parliament rush to take their Ghana Card.

In an interview with ghanamps.com, officials of NIA indicated that this week there has been less  pressure on their machines because MPs and staff trickle in one after the other not in huge numbers as they experienced within the first week.

Whiles MPs from the Minority maintain their boycott of the registration exercise and had given indications to go to court, Majority MPs have taken advantage of the situation to get their card.

Despite earlier announcement that staff of Parliament should not bring their friends to participate in the NIA registration exercise, some have taken advantage of the reduced numbers to have their relatives registered.

Friday the 22nd of June, 2018, NIA’s registration process in Parliament would come to an end.

In an earlier interview some officials of NIA indicated that if the Minority change their mind and decide to participate, with green light from their boss they would come back to register the Minority MPs.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Minister for Trade and Industry, Alan Kwadow Kyeremanten has said on the floor of the House that Business promoters would determine the structure design for each factory under the “one district one factory”.

This the Minister indicated would be done taking into consideration the nature of process and technology required as well as the environmental condition within the vicinity of the factory.

He further indicated that, the One District One factory initiative is designed to be private sector led with the support of government through the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

Mr. Speaker, the private sector investors interested in the programme are setting up their own enterprise by taking advantage of the various incentives the government is offering under the programme.

Again to ensure that the structural design of the factories do not pose a threat to the survival of communities in and around the factories, the District implementation support team includes members of the Environmental Protection Agency, he said.

He further pointed out that, Food and Drugs Authority, District Planning Officers, Water and Sanitation Agency and Ghana Standards Authority, would help guide the structural design of these factories.

Member of Parliament for Buem, Daniel Kwasi Ashiamah wanted to know if there were, standardized structural design for the “One District One Factory” and who would be responsible for providing it.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Government would play a significant role in the implementation of the “One District, One Factory”, programme by creating an enabling environment to stimulate private sector investment for the programme.

According to the Minister of Trade and Industry, despite IDIF is designed to be private sector led, government would create access to finance.

He noted that, both local and foreign financial institutions would provide financial support to entrepreneurs under the initiative.

And investment would not be more than thirty percent equity in District Enterprises where required and again ensure timely release of budget allocations meant to support the District Enterprises with infrastructure such as power, water and roads, he said.

On access to market, Ghana Export Promotion Authority and Ghana Missions abroad to support the development of export markets for companies established under the programme.

Also facilities negotiations with both local and foreign off-takers and public sector organizations as anchor customers using the local content policy.

Mr. Kyeremanten pointed out that other responsibility of the Ministry would be to monitor the status of implementation of each District Enterprise project against key performance indicators (KPIs).

Also hold consultations with the District Assemblies, Members of Parliament, Business Promoters and other relevant stakeholders in the districts to validate and endorse each project to be supported under the initiative, he said.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

There are technical issues that need to be addressed, again the cost involved in the whole process is too exorbitant, these are clear issue that Ghanaians need to be careful with, he said.

According to the Tamale North lawmaker Ghanaians would seriously have to pay hid to the issues the Minority is raising, allowing Ghanaians to register with their voter ID and taking a second look at the cost involved in the whole process.

As to whether the Minority would go to their constituency to register, he said in an interview that “absolutely no” they would maintain their stands to ensure that the issues they have raised are addressed.

This registration exercise should not be for only one political party, but we should take into consideration all Ghanaians, he pointed out.

What the NIA is requiring in terms of document to register is unconstitutional and does not conform to the 1992 constitution of Ghana he said.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Some Minority Members of Parliament, who were bill to ask questions on the floor of the House, were absent due to the ongoing executive elections by the opposition National Democratic congress.

The affected members who were not on the floor to ask questions, sought permission, and the Speaker of Parliament Professor Mike Oquaye directed that their questions be rescheduled.

Minority leader Haruna Iddrisu pleaded with the Speaker for other MPs to ask questions in the name of MPs who were not around but his request was denied.

Professor Mike Aaron Oquaye noted that he is the only available Speaker and there had been arrangement at an earlier meeting that, due to the volume of work on the floor there should not be delay.

The Speaker further noted that there would be Parliamentary service board meeting of which the Minority Leader is part and there should not be any move to cause undue delay of business.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Speaker of Parliament Professor Mike Aaron Oquaye on Thursday after adjournment around 1:00pm took his turn to register for the Ghana Card.

The acting Executive Secretary of National Identification Authority (NIA), welcomed the Speaker and assisted him to kick start the process of getting his Ghana Card.

Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Majority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu also took advantage with a day more to go for the exercise to end to register for his Ghana Card.

The lobby of Parliament where the NIA officials were undertaking the registration process witness a lot of people rushing to get their Ghana Card ahead of Fridays deadline for the registration exercise.

Machines being used by the NIA officials for the registration exercise jammed up on Thursday, making the registration exercise a bit slow, resulting in only five Ghana Cards being produced from 8:00am to 11:30am.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com