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Month: August 2018

Appointment committee to start vetting four Supreme Court justice nominees

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs
The Appointment Committee of Parliament would start vetting four nominees to the Supreme Court from the 20th to 23rd of August 2018.

President Nana Akuffo-Addo had earlier nominated the following persons to be Justices at the Supreme Court; Professor Ni Ashie Kotey, Justice Agnes Mercy Abla Dordzie, Nene Abayaateye Ofoe Amegatcher and Justice Samuel Kofi Marful-Sau.

Pursuant to Standing Order 172(3) members of the general public are notified of the nomination done by the President Nana Akuffo-Addo and there would be public hearing of the above nominees 10:00am each day as one nominee per day would appear before the committee.

However not later than the 14th of this month Ghanaians have been invited to present memoranda on the nominees, address to the clerk to the Appointment Committee.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Renegotiated KARPOWERSHIP agreement is corruption-ridden—Minority

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs
Minority in Parliament, especially those on the Energy and Mines committee, are raising the red flag over government’s intentions to renegotiate the KARPOWERSHIP agreement.

According to former Deputy Minister for Energy, John Abdulai Jinapor who addressed the Minority press conference, the renegotiation of the KARPOWERSHIP agreement is scandalous ridden with corruption.
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He further noted that, the sector Minister’s move is worse than AMERI novation agreement presented by the Minister to Parliament. The KARPOWERSHIP agreement is 450MW.

“Indeed the renegotiated deal stinks to the heavens with big fishes in Government superintending the looting of the state under this new deal”, he lamented.

Mr. John Abdulai  Jinapor promised to engage Ghanaians and give more details in the coming days, but felt short of putting names of the big fishes in government out.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

“We want to turn Parliament from only spending to income generator”—Oquaye

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs
Speaker of Parliament Professor Mike Aaron Oquaye has said he wants to leader a crusade to turn Parliament from only spending to an income generating institution and has backing from the Parliamentary Service Board.

According to the Speaker, Parliament as an institution would not only be spending machinery but would also engage in income generating activities to run the institution efficiently.

He further announced that Parliament is working towards a “paperless system” and hope that all those associated with the process would help Parliament achieve its desire.

“Parliament has lost a lot of lands and is unable to account for lands that belong to the institution, we are taking steps to protect and retrieve our properties”, he lamented.

He again revealed that the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources is assisting Parliament in this direction and future help to acquire part of its lands on the Ring road that are being released and those at Adenta for us to have housing for MPs and the staffs in general.

“We are moving into Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement to maximize the use of these lands to the benefit of Parliament to ensure that our precious assets are guarded”, he said.

Welfare of MPs and staffs would receive considerable attention and approval by the Parliamentary service board, the Speaker emphasised.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Lateness by MPs to proceedings should not manifest in third meeting—Speaker

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs
Speaker of Parliament Professor Mike Aaron Oquaye had admonished Members of Parliament not to allow lateness to proceedings be part of them in the third meeting of the second session of the seventh Parliament for the fourth Republic.

The Speaker made this remarks on Saturday the 28th of July 2018 when the House break for a three month recess to return in October this year.

Member of Parliament for Adaklu Kwame Agbodza has had cause to complain about the late start of proceedings in the House, more so when young students had to travel from far and near and had to sit in the public gallery for longer hours before proceedings start.

Professor Mike Aaron Oquaye noted that the Right to Information Bill 2018 which is at the consideration stage, was expected to be passed, “on our return from recess would be worked on and passed”, he said.

He further praised the Finance Ministry for releasing Parliaments subventions in time for it to carry out its duties.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Loans should be brought early for thorough work—Majority Leader

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs
Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensa-Bonsu has agreed to suggestions from the Parliamentary that Governments need to bring loan agreement to the floor of the House early enough for Members of Parliament to do a thorough scrutiny before they are passed.

According to the Majority leader, the practice did not start from the current government, it has been the practice of Parliament in previous administrations.

He made this remarks when members of the Parliamentary Press Corps met with leadership of Parliament, for the leaders to brief Journalists on how the second meeting of the seven of the fourth Republic had been and for Journalists to seek answers to some developing issues in Parliament.

“I agree with you that it is not the best of practices, some of them had to do with the midyear review so we have to wait for the midyear review budget to be presented and we would know the way forward”, he said.
Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu added that there are some of the loans before the Economic Management Team for consideration, “I belong to a government committee many of the loans are before us.”

“I am not able to attend because I have a lot of work in Parliament; again I have to co-chair a cabinet committee with the Local Government Minister many of the loans have piled up”.

And added that in West Minister system of government in the United Kingdom where all the Ministers come from Parliament, they are still able to perform their functions as Ministers and MPs. In Ghana were we have some Ministers who are not MPs it should rather be easy for us to combine both functions as Ministers and Members of Parliament, he said.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Chief and queen mother storm Parliament to reinforce need for electricity

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs
The Chief of Akyem Kotoku Mponuahen Pankese Dr. Nana Boakye Darkwa III and the Queen mother Nana Serwaa Asantewa stormed Parliament House to give weight to the need for some communities in the Abirem Constituency to be connected to the national electricity grid.

According to the queen mother, Journalists in Parliament should visit the Abirem Constituency, if they want to know the meaning of some of the communities that have been name after human sex organs.

She further added that roads leading to the communities were not in good shape hence children are not encouraged to go to school and appealed to government to come to their aid.

Dr. Nana Boakye Darkwa III bemoaned a situation where children do not have light to prepare for examination and said he hopes by Christmas this year they would be connected to the national grid to enjoy electricity.

And also added that the communities name after human sex organs were done by their fore fathers, but had reasons for that and believe something might have occurred for them to give them those names.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

North Dayi MP introduces students to workings in the legislature

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs
Students from St. Joseph R. C Basic School in Anfoega-Agatayigbe in the North Dayi constituency were on Thursday the 26th of July 2018 introduced to workings in the legislature, when they visited Parliament.

The Students who were more than fifty in number visited Parliament and sat in the Public gallery to observe proceedings in the House.

Member of Parliament for North Dayi, Jocelyn Tetteh, is on the fourth occasion in the Seventh Parliament given young girls and boys at the basic and junior high schools the opportunity to visit Parliament and learn at firsthand how the legislature works.

In an interview with ghanamps.com when questioned what her motivation was, she noted that growing up from a humble background in her school days she always traveled outside her comfort zone to Accra to experience city life.

And as someone who is particular about the girl child could not leave the boy child out as a mother for all, she has allocated money to ensure that twice a month she brings students from her constituency to visit Parliament.

Again I also want to give them the exposure to understand what they are taught in the classroom about the legislature, she said.

As to whether students who embark on visit from her constituency appreciate what she is doing, she responded in the affirmative and indicated that, students are always eager to have the opportunity to visit Parliament.

The North Dayi legislator further revealed that, students who are extremely brilliant and well cultured and are of good behaviour are selected from their various schools to visit the legislature.

She also advised the young girls to ensure they are not deceived by boys and men to engage in any negative tendency that would shut the bright future they have ahead of them.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Drama in Parliament: As sex organs surface as names of communities

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs
Drama unfolded on the floor of Parliament when names of some communities named after human sex organs in the Abirem Constituency in the Eastern Region were mentioned.

Prior to the question being allowed or disallowed, Members of Parliament from the Minority and Majority side could be seen on the floor looking at the order paper and laughing among themselves, and showing keen interest in the question and how it was going to be answered.

Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu noted that the mention of the communities could amount to chaos if allowed to be mentioned on the floor of the House.

Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu indicated to the House that since they were communities and the MP representing those communities should be seen as working the question should be allowed on the floor of the House.

The Member of Parliament for Abirem John Frimpong Osei wanted to know if there was plan to connect the following communities with off- grid electricity;, “Etwe Nim Nyansa, Kote ye Aboa, Hwoa ye Mmobo, Akyekyeresu, Tetteh Brofo, Asarekrom, Alhajikrom and Yaw Broni, since it was difficult connecting them to the national grid.

First Deputy Speaker Joseph Osei Owusu who was in the chair directed that the names be mentioned and the question taken since they are only community names.

Minister of Energy Boakye Agyarko at the initial stage find it difficult to mention the names of the communities, but with the pressure from both Majority and Minority MPs who looked so excited with the mention of names had no option than to mention the names.

He noted that the objective of the National Electrification Scheme (NES) towards the achievement of the universal access is to provide electricity to all the communities either through the National grid extension or off-grid or mini-grid solutions for remote or island communities.

And added that for the Abirem constituency which are difficult to be connected to the national grid, the Ministry will explore the possibility of connecting them through off-grid or mini-grid solutions.

He further said the Ministry would conduct engineering survey to determine the best means of providing electricity to the above communities in line with the electrification programme.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

“Go and ask leadership why they postpone committee report”—Osei-Owusu

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs
Chairman of the Privileges Committee of Parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu has advised journalists to go and ask leadership of the House why motion 20 of the privileges committee was postponed to next meeting.

This was when members of the Parliamentary Press Corps were not given any reason why motion 20 – which deals on the privileges committees report which inquire into allegations of contempt against Assin Central MP Ken Ohene Agyapong was not taken before the House adjourned proceedings and went for a three month recess.

But the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu explained that this was to make sure Parliament recessed without any tensions.

“We had a pre-sitting meeting and we said we wanted to leave on a very good note so we decided that when we come back, we would then come and consider the matter  we all felt that we should leave on a point and on issues that bind us together rather than issues that divide us,” he told the media.

The Committee in its report found Mr. Agyapong guilty of having made contemptuous comments about Parliament.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com