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38,940 public sector workers retired from 2016 to 2018

Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Ignatius Baffour Awuah has told Parliament that from 2016 to 2018, thirty-eight thousand, Nine hundred and forty (38, 940) public sector workers have gone on retirement.

According to the Minister in 2016 fifteen thousand and fifty-nine (15,059) people went on retirement in the public sector of Ghana.

Again in 2017, eleven thousand two hundred and sixty-three (11, 263) went on retirement in the public sector.

Whiles in 2018 twelve thousand, six hundred and eighteen (12, 618) went on retirement in the public sector.

The Minister’s information was in response to the Member of Parliament for Keta, Richard Mawuli Kwaku Quashigah, who wanted to know the number of public sector workers that have gone on retirement since 2016 till date.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

President Akufo-Addo presents third state of the nation address

President Nana Akufo-Addo is scheduled to deliver a message of the state of the Nation address on Thursday the 21st of February, 2019, in accordance with article 67 of the constitution.

Members of Parliament have been urged by the Business Committee of the House to be early in the chamber latest by 9:15am as it would not be courteous for MPs to enter and exit the chamber after the President had entered.

Majority Chief whip, Kwasi Amenyaw-Cheremeh in presenting the Business statement for this week indicated to members that they should not enter the chamber with their guest as it would be a breach of protocol.

There would not be much activities on the floor of the House on Thursday because of the message of the state of the nation address, the only two activities to be witnessed on the floor is presentation of papers and committee sittings.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

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Four Ministers to answer thirteen questions this week

Four Ministers of the President Nana Akufo-Addo’s administration would be on the floor of the House to answer fourteen questions on the floor of the House.

Majority Chief Whip, Kwasi Ameyaw Cheremeh whiles presenting business statement on the floor of the House made this known to Members of Parliament on Friday the 15th of February, 2019.

Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan Kwadow Kyeremanteng, would be in the House to answer five questions, whiles Minister of communications, Ursula Owusu Akufo would take a question.

Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwesi Amoako Atta would answer three questions, as the Minister for Food and Agriculture Dr. Afriye Akoto would take four questions for his sector.

There would be four urgent questions whiles nine oral questions are taken on the floor of the House this week.

Speaker of the House would allow statements to be made on the floor of the House, whiles Bills, papers and reports would be presented on the floor of the House.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

INEC reschedules Nigeria’s 2019 general elections

Professor Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Nigerian Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in a statement has rescheduled the 16th February and 2nd March 2019 for the country’s general elections.

According to the chairman, following a careful review of the implementation of its logistics and operational plans and the determination of a conduct of a free, fair and credible elections, the commission came to the conclusions that proceeding with the election as scheduled is no longer feasible.

“Presidential and National Assembly elections rescheduled to Saturday 23rd of this month, Governor, state House of Assembly and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections rescheduled to Saturday 9th March 2019”.

He noted that this would afford the commission the opportunity to address identified challenges in order to maintain the quality of the election.

“This is a difficult decision for the commission to take, but necessary for a successful delivery of the elections and the consolidation of our democracy”.

He, added that the commission would meet key stakeholders to update them on the development by 2:00pm Nigerian time.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

We have not celebrated the “brand Ghana” enough —Chairman

Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Frank Annoh-Dompreh has expressed worry over the brand Ghana not being celebrated enough.

According to the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee just after the 2016 election almost all the key international players were coming to Ghana, not just because of the President, but the peace we enjoy as a country.

“The brand Ghana unfortunately, we have not celebrated enough, we must look at the brand Ghana and celebrate, going forward we should celebrate Ghana”.

And recounted how Ghanaian peace keeping force have distinguished themselves, troops have been loyal to the country and other destination where they have assisted in keeping peace.

“The committees tour to our missions across the world, one thing that came out clear in all our interaction across the globe, the name Ghana has always resonated positivity good reactions from our peers, so the brand is huge, but unfortunately those of us who live in the country have under rated it”, he lamented.

His remarks comes in the wake of contributing to a statement made by ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa commending Ghanaians occupying prominent positions in international organizations.

Mr. Frank Annoh-Dompreh further called for the building of capacity of young diplomat in Ghana, which he pointed out that Legon Center for International Affairs is doing and receiving support from government.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Ghana’s foreign policy transits party politics—Dr. Rawlings

Member of Parliament (MP) for Korle/Klottey Dr. Zanetor Rawlings has commended the country for its foreign policy that has transited party politics and urged that it continues.

Dr. Zanetor Rawlings commended sons and draughts of Ghana who continue to make the country proud internationally and urged more Ghanaian youth to emulate it.

“The youth of this country need to emulate, inspire and look up to Ghanaians serving international organization as role models, they should aspire to get to the level of the men and women of substance”.
She discounted the tendency, in the youth of Ghana having to aspire to get rich quickly.

She further call for introspection, if we want to live up to the ideals of the United Nations (UN), African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States ( ECOWAS), and not simply be signatory to treaties.

“We as individuals and collectives must understand this ideals that make up a body like the UN AU and ECOWAs, they are not abstract concept this are things we can live up to and live by so as we celebrate these men and women we can emulate this attributes that have gotten them to this levels”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Decentralize Scholarship Secretariat—Nsawam Adoagryiri MP

Member of Parliament for Nsawam Adoagryiri, Frank Annoh-Dompreh is calling for decentralization of the scholarship secretariat.

According to the chairman of the Foreign Affairs committee, there are brilliant but needy children in remote areas who had to travel all the way to Accra but most of the time do not have money to travel.

He further added that many of such brilliant children have never traveled to the national capital and do not even know the existence of a scholarship secretariat with bursary support, even if they do, they are not away with the ways and means to get it.

“Having taken interest in the situation since my school days, it had always been my wish to champion and advocate for the decentralization such an important institution to our regions and districts by extension”.

Mr. Frank Annoh-Dompreh noted that it is highly commendable that a positive action is being made to bridge the gap arising from remoteness to the scholarship secretariat in other regions of the country.

“Having cited a letter from the secretariat requesting all Regional Coordinating councils to team up and collaborate with Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCE’s) across the country, to meet a team from the secretariat to discuss  the roadmap leading to the achievement of the decentralization objective, gives me so much respite and hope, a boost to our decentralization drive”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Ghanaian youth should not dodge French language—Mahama Ayariga

Former Minister of Education and a member of the Ghanaian representative to the Economic Community of West African State (ECOWAS) Parliament, Mahama Ayariga have urged young Ghanaian students to take French language at their basic schools seriously.

He further called on Ghanaian students at the basic level not to hate their French teachers, the “young ones should take every opportunity afforded them to learn the French language”.

According to the community legislature representatives of the people who are multi-lingual are getting jobs in the international arena.

The Bawku Central lawmaker called on Ghanaians who work with the international organizations and are aware of opportunities out there to share with Ghanaians back home these opportunities.

“So that we can put together a strong lobby, to be able to get many Ghanaians in these organizations, so that we can adequately represent in many of the international organizations”.

He further pointed out that Ghanaians turn to be handicapped when people are being put in international organization, “that is why I support the statement made by the ranking member on foreign affairs commending Ghanaians appointed to serve with international organizations”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Dome/Kwabenya Executives give out thousand chairs to branches

Current crop of Executives of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) at Dome/Kwabenya constituency, have donated thousand plastic chairs to one hundred and ninety-nine (199) branches within the constituency.

According to the constituency chairman, David Lamptey he indicated to the party supporters that, the new crop of Executives promised two thousand chairs, but to start with they are donating thousand.

“We would ensure that the remaining thousand comes in to redeem the promise we made whiles going through our primaries to elect constituency Executives”.

At a first awards ceremony organized by the constituency, the constituency party chairman explained to party supports during the elections that a lot of toes were stepped on, hence the Regional Executives and opinion leaders have come to help with reconciliation.

And pointed out that the awards ceremony would be a yearly event to appreciate hard working party members which saw all fifty-four members (54) receiving award.

“I am making sure that all the branches are well equipped that is what we have started, the moment you appreciate members and not executives, during elections they would come out in their numbers”.

In addition, for the past twenty-six years the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has dominated this constituency, we only took this seat in 1992, “NPP people have seen the hardship and bad roads, they cannot do anything about it because they love their party”.

“Today, Ghanaians are seeing the difference between John Mahama and President Nana Addo, things are though, and we are going to ensure there is another change in 2020, this time for John Mahama to come and continue his good works”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

“NPP and Akufo-Addo are on their way out, guns can’t help”—Ofosu Ampofo

Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, has told party supporters, at Dome/Kwabenya signs on the wall are very clear that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and President Nana Addo are on their way out.

According to the chairman any political analyst cannot sleep with the signs written very clear on the walls, with the just ended Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election.

“Guns cannot save NPP, neither delta nor invisible forces, election 2020 it’s about bread and butter, it is about how we survive Ghanaians cannot survive under Akufo-Addo. The harsh economic realities, Ghanaians are saying enough is enough, let us fire our people for them to know victory is on its way we would be swearing an NDC President 2021”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com