Month: November 2018

Minister designate for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Cynthia Morrison has revealed that the likely plight of the Fufu, banku sellers and hawkers saved Ghana from being band by Federation of International Football Association (FIFA).

According to the Agona West lawmaker she was part of the normalization delegation that met FIFA in Zurich, Switzerland after the scandal in Ghana football that warranted the intervention of Government of Ghana.

She further pointed out to the Appointment Committee that when the Minister of Sports spoke on football issues, Deputy Attorney General spoke about laws in Ghana, whiles Deputy Chief of Staff spoke on government position.

“I was the fourth to speak and in my case I spoke about Women football, I appealed to them that if they suspend us then it means the women cannot have the opportunity of playing. Again I  also chip in the point of hawkers at the stadium, some sale water to make a living, the fufu and banku sellers too cannot sell”, she lamented.

Mrs. Cynthia Morrison told the committee that coming from that point of view, I notice the panel were just “nodding” just after that we were given the green light to go and prepare.

“It was amazing that the banku and fufu sellers made the day that is how we got  our football running in Ghana again”, she said.

She disclosed this when Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa asked her to brief the committee on her role as a member of the normalization committee that went to FIFA and missing from her curriculum vital hobby sports.

Mrs. Cynthia Morrison indicated to the committee that she is an ardent supporter of local club Asante Kotoko but she stopped going to the stadium to watch football because of an unfair goal scored by Accra Hearts of Oak.

“I was in my Kotoko t-shirt that day at the stadium, it became very difficult for me to go home since then I have been watching dead matches” she said.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Member of Parliament (MP) for Akrofuom, Kwabena Appiah-Pinkrah has told members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament that women in Ghana are elected to represent their constituencies on competitive basis.

According to the Akrofuom lawmaker women are not appointed as is the case in other Sub-regional National Assemblies. He gave this explanation at the ongoing second ordinary session at Abuja, when legislators wanted to know if women are reserved seats or appointed to its lawmaking body.

He further told his colleagues any woman who wants to contest to represent her constituency is allowed to do so and if strong enough she wins.

“Women representation in the 2012 general election was less than twenty-five, but in 2016 the number had improve we have thirty-five (35) female representation which is encouraging and huge”, he told the sub-regional legislative body.

Again the political parties are now being sensitive to issues of gender, and they subsidize the fees women pay to contest and “we hope to increase the numbers as we go along”, he pointed out.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Deputy Minister of Finance, Kwaku Kwarteng has revealed that government would auction abandoned gallopers parked for eighteen years at the Local Government Institute.

According to the Deputy Finance Ministers due to issues in court relating to those vehicles in the past made it difficult for customs and government to proceed to dispose of the vehicles, “a lot of those matters had been resolved now and the rate at which they are deteriorating   we have made a decision to dispose of them”.

In an interview with journalists in Parliament just after debate on the 2019 budget was brought to a close and the House adjourned, the noted that this exercise would be undertaken before the end of he year.

The vehicles numbering 86 were brought in to be used by District Chief Executives across the country under the Rawlings administration.

Successive governments thereafter failed to reach an amicable settlement with the importers of the vehicles, African Automobile Company Limited for them to be used.

“Given the rate at which those vehicles are deteriorating, we have made a decision to dispose of them and that the government is looking to do that before the year ends”.

“I can confirm the decision to dispose of the vehicles has been made and we will do so. All of us are concerned that the mere presences of those vehicles suggest to tax payers that their monies won’t be put to good use”, he lamented.

He indicated that government feels extremely concerned about that and it is the reason they are taking steps to ensure that those vehicles are disposed of as soon as possible.

He further pointed out that since duties have not been paid on the abandon vehicles government could come under the customs Act to dispose of them as an overstay vehicle.

By:  Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Minister for Special Development Initiative, Mavis Hawa-Koomson has said the Minority Leader cannot scrape her Ministry since it was set up by President Nana Akufo-Addo.

According to the Minister the President knows what he wants to do with the Ministry that is why he created it, “I did not create that Ministry”.

“This Ministry was not created for people in the communities to collect money and put in their pocket for consumption, we are to use it to address infrastructure issues”, she lamented.

As to whether she is worried with the stands taken by the Minority, she noted that she is not bothered at all, “my budget was approved in 2018 why not in 2019?”

She noted that Haruna’s constituency he has two prefabricated warehouses, six toilet facilities with water system, and wondered why he should be complaining. All these are being done under the office of the Special Development Initiative.

“He is not the only person having it, all the others have it, the 275, they all have the project they are there when you go to their constituencies.

The Minister added that November 2017 was when the Bill for the Development Authorities under her Ministry were passed, and definitely they could not have done anything. “I think that is their problem”, she said.
“They wanted me to wait for the Development Authorities to come and start with their work, do that they would have the opportunity to blame government for using Development Authority as an excuse”.

Again we are not conflicting with the District Assemblies, they have existed for so many years now, we still have toilet infrastructure deficiencies.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Deputy Minister of Finance, Kwaku Kwarteng has promised to respond to issues raised by the Minority that the seed money promised to build a cathedral cannot be located in the 2019 budget.

According to the Deputy Finance Minister he would have to take a critical look at the figures in the budget and understand the claims being made by the Minority in an interview with journalists in Parliament.

“We have always taught through interventions before we put them in the budget, we would find ways of actualizing the commitment we have made, in specific terms what have not been provided for and what have been provided for”.

Mr. Kwaku Kwarteng promised to look at the figures carefully and give proper response as to the actual figures. He said, he has to talk to the relevant Ministry since the Finance Ministry is not handling directly issues to do with the cathedral.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com