Month: September 2018

The honourable Member of Parliament for the Ningo-Prampram, Samuel Nartey George has alleged that government’s decision to award contract to StarTimes for the expansion of digital terrestrial TV space, is aimed at safeguarding the billions of dollars in loans from China.

Sam George who is a Member of the Communications Committee of Parliament wondered why the current administration through the Ministry of Communications is eager to deal with the same Chinese firm which failed to deliver the same contract it was awarded in 2012 leading to its abrogation in 2014 by the former government.

The MP noted that the failure of StarTimes to deliver the contract partly contributed to Ghana’s inability to migrate fully from analogue to digital television broadcasting.

He revealed that StarTimes proceeded to seek arbitration at London-based International Court of Arbitration after failed in a law suit against the government of Ghana at the High Court as well as the Supreme Court for claims following the abrogation of the contract.

According to the lawmaker, the current government, in its quest to remain in the good books of China for loans ended the arbitration process even though Ghana had a solid case.

Mr Samuel Nartey George gave these disclosure on Accra based Joy fm Wednesday.

By Christian Kpesese/ ghanamps.com

The Ranking Member on the Mines and Energy committee of Parliament, Adam Mutawakilu is calling on the New Patriotic Party (NPP) led government to as a matter of urgency scrap the special petroleum tax to mitigate the plight of Ghanaians as the prices of petroleum products are witnessing constant hikes.

The tax he said has outlived its usefulness because now the world market prices allow government to make a windfall of 10 million dollars per day from its crude exports.

He indicated that the current price of crude per barrel is $77 as against the benchmark of $57 per barrel as presented to parliament in the 2018 budget statement hence the taxes must be scrapped.

”In the 2018 budget, this [Akufo-Addo] government presented to Parliament a benchmark price [the price at which we sell our oil] of $57 per barrel. But as we speak now, the price per barrel is $77 per barrel. That means government is making surplus of $20 per barrel. And currently we produce at almost 200,000 barrels. So if you multiply this $20 barrel excess by 200,000 we are talking about $10 million surplus every day.”

“That means every day government is making surplus of $10 million. By this, the special petroleum tax has nowhere to fill in the gaps in respect to the oil prices. And that is why we are calling on President Nana Akufo-Addo to as a matter of urgency scrap the special petroleum tax. Currently, it’s about 46 pesewes per litre, and if it’s about 5 litres a gallon, you are talking about Ghc2.2. If you calculate it as a percentage that’s about 10%,” he explained.

Speaking to Journalists in Accra, the Damongo Member of Parliament emphasized the need for government to be sensitive to the plight of citizens since petroleum products are currently selling at Gh 5 or more at the pumps.

By Christian Kpesese/ ghanamps.com

Chairman of the Communications Committee of parliament, Kennedy Agyapong has chastised the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo-led government of lying to Ghanaians about the actual percentage of the cedi depreciation.

The Assin Central Member of Parliament who earlier blamed former President John Mahama and the NDC’s over the cedi depreciation separately on Adom and NET 2 TV said the NPP government is also to be blamed for the poor performance of the cedi.

“The cedi which is falling is because people are afraid and are now buying dollars. I don’t want any NDC member to argue about this cedi depreciation because they caused it. They establish banks and then when it dies then they leave to establish another one.

“I expect the NPP to argue the depreciation of the cedi on the lawlessness of the NDC because they caused it,” he stated.

The MP however believes comparison and blame games are not the way to go because the NPP government has performed poorly in managing the cedi and said the cedi is falling because people have lost confidence in the bank and have ended up trading dollars.

The cedi is currently trading at the range of about GH?5.00 against a dollar, the highest ever since the cedi started depreciation against the dollar and other major currencies since the NPP government came to power in January 2017.

By Christian Kpesee/ ghanamps.com

Government of Ghana is not responsible for the operational challenges confronting Menzgold, Member of Parliament (MP) for the Tarkwa Nsuaem, George Mireku Duker, has stated.

He urged sympathisers of the gold trading firm to stop blaming government for the actions being taken by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in order to sanitize its operation before the unfortunate happen.

The Tarkwa Nsuaem MP who has not been comfortable with the firm’s activities noted that the company which started as Menzbank in October 2014 subsequently changed to Menzbanc and now Menzgold despite several warnings by the Bank of Ghana.

“it is the activities of the institution (Menzgold) itself that have resulted into this…It’s the behavior of some people which won’t augur well for the nation…It is not the government” the MP stated.

Speaking on an Accra based, radio station, Peace Fm, Mr Mireku Duker urged Ghanaians to leave government out of the issue because Menzgold had created its own woes.

SEC in a letter to Menzgold Ghana demanded an immediate stoppage of its activities relating to trading in gold without licence.

The regulator has also asked the company not to take new contracts (investments) and also halt the broadcast and publishing of all its adverts.

By Christian Kpesese/ ghanamps.com

The Brong-Ahafo Regional Minister-designate, Evans Opoku-Bobie, has disclosed that Government will employ additional 9,000 graduates under the double-track system by the close of the year in order to make the free SHS sustainable.

Mr Opoku-Bobbie who gave the disclosure in an address to members of the Brong-Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs (BARHCs) during its Second General Meeting in Sunyani said the implementation of the Free SHS programme had been associated with some challenges and efforts were being made to ensure total success.

The Minister designate who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Asunafo North Constituency commended the traditional authorities and all stakeholders in the educational sector for their support towards the programme.

Mr Opoku-Bobie emphasised the important role of traditional authorities towards facilitating accelerated national development and noted that any government, which neglected the essential roles of chiefs, and queens would not succeed.

He assured that the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) would leave no stone unturned to ensure that the existing political impasse between supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Asunafo South, particularly Kukuom and Sankore was resolved.

By Christian Kpesese/ ghanamps.com

A Deputy Education Minister in-charge of basic education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, has cautioned staff of the Computerised School Selection & Placement System (CSSPS) against accepting bribes in order to place unqualified students or change their placement to other schools.

He warned that offenders will be handed over to the law enforcement agencies for prosecution and will never have the opportunity to work with the CSSPS ever again.

“If we get hold of anyone, of course we’ll deal with him. We are working so hard, breaking our backs for the system to work, and, so, if you want to accept money, go ahead and accept money, when we get hold of you, we’ll hand you over to the law enforcement agencies and you’ll never work at the CSSPS again…” Dr Adutwum cautioned.

The Deputy Minster who is also the Member of Parliament for Bosomtwe’s caution comes in the wake of many challenges facing the placement of some students into senior high schools whiles other wanting change of school for one reason or the other.

By Christian Kpesese/ ghanamps.com

Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram Samuel George Nartey said it is not true that the failed one District one Factory (1D1F) programmes is behind the steel factory in Lakpleku in the Ningo-Prampram Traditional Area of his constituency.

According to the Ningo-Prampram lawmaker, B5 Plus manufacturing company had started working in Ghana in the Kpone Industrial enclave since 2016.

He further added that government of Ghana had no had in this steel company as it is privately owned and came into operation before the current New Patriotic Party (NPP) came to power.

Mr. Samuel George Nartey noted that the company as part of its expansion of operation by acquiring land in Lakpleku in the Ningo traditional area there was a land litigation between the company and family from which the company bought land from.

This delayed the ability of the company to move to their site to commence work and as the MP for the area the company engaged him to intervene with the family head to allow them start work pending a court determination, he said on his facebook post .

The Ningo-Prampram MP noted that the case was concluded six weeks ago giving B5 plus legal entry to the land to commence business, he said.

“Not only would factories spring up in my constituency, my next target is to get the management of factories to ring fence certain quota of their work force for the indigenes”, he emphasized.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Member of Parliament for North Tongu in the Volta Region, Samuel Okudzato Ablakwa, has visited four communities in his constituency to interact with chiefs and Zongo leaders.

The MPs listening and visitation tour took him to communities like Fodzoku, Torgorme, Dorfor and Volo.

Mr. Okudzato Ablakwa at the end of his visitation noted that legislators can serve their constituent better when they consciously make the effort to listen to those whose mandate they carry.

The North Tongu lawmaker used the opportunity to explain to his constituents stains taken by the Minority not to register for the Ghana card.

His constituents talked about the need to get portable water and an ambulance that would carry sick persons in times of emergencies.

Former Central Regional Minister and flagbearer hopeful of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Kweku Ricketts-Hagan has said, the party needs an unblemished presidential candidate for election 2020.

According to the Cape-Coast South lawmaker the time has come for the party to have a new leader to be able to make the work lighter.

He further added in an interview that the party has to drop some of its baggage to be able to forge ahead, because there were a whole lot of things that we were tagged with, issues of “incompetent and corruption they were false but we could not shake it off”, he lamented.

The current government has not been able to find anyone, so far who is corrupt, but we were tagged with corruption which we were never able to shake off; they would continue to do this, we need a fresh start, an unblemished candidate, he pointed out.

Mr. Kweku Ricketts-Hagan was quick to point out, “I am not saying former President Mahama is blemish, but we were tag with such an allegation”.

Our message for the election 2016 was not there, there are certain issues like free Senior High School (SHS), nurses’ allowance and other things that this people New Patriotic Party (NPP) are going to bring up, what is going to be our position.

I have a position on education, I believe in free education and can be funded in a much better way than this “guys” are doing; National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) nobody should go to hospital and be waiting for his or her relatives to go and bring money before they are operated upon, he remarked.

In addition, I have a plan how I would create a sustainable health system, I am an investment banker, as a fund manager I know how this schemes are funded.

“I was not a believer of one term premium payment scheme, I have always believe that people who can pay should be made to pay and those who cannot should be supported”.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com