Month: April 2019

Members of Parliament on the Minority side of the House expressed worry over the delay in answering urgent questions and normal questions.

Member of Parliament for Biakoye, Nyanpong Kojo Aboagye raised this issue on the floor of the House and noted that some of the questions are of national importance and when raised, MPs do not get responses in good time.

In response to the issue raised on the floor of the House, Deputy Majority Leader who presented the Business Statement on the floor of the House noted that, he should let her know which specific questions and will draw the attention of the clerks.

She indicated that, that notwithstanding, order 66 of the standing orders talks about admissibility of questions; “Mr. Speaker shall be the sole judge of admissibility of a question”, so merely presenting a question to the clerk’s office does not mean it has been admitted by the Speaker, this is the sole responsibility of the Speaker, she clarified.

She was however quick to say that the remarks would be taken on board and questions followed up because there are a lot of questions that had been filled and has to do with addressing issues at their constituencies and national levels.

“This week a lot of public business will  be done because we have to go on recess Friday the 12th of April 2019, we have  major Bills we are looking at companies Bills we need to deal with”

Speaker in reacting to the issue on questions that had been raised on the floor of the House noted that himself and the first Deputy Speaker Joseph Osei Owusu have been concerned about issues to do with questions filled by MPs.

“It is only in few instances when a question does not comply with our rules, we quickly pass them on for them to be answered even where there are few issues with questions the owners of those questions are invited and some anomalies with the questions addressed. The first Deputy Speaker has been helping in addressing this particular matter, thereafter it is a matter of time table and availability of space”.

Speaker Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye noted that the rules allow a member to follow up on his or her questions, to the table office as have been said already.

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The resolution was submitted by the Netherlands calling for an urgent resolution to support the three African countries.

IPU emergency resolution called on all Parliamentarians to contribute to flash appeals by the UN for the three countries. And asked the world body, to focus on the most vulnerable people stranded without clean water, food especially women, children and the elderly.

And further urged, countries in a resolution to take more action on climate change to meet the goals of the Paris agreement by investing in climate-resilient programmes for the most vulnerable and supporting affected countries in developing resilience mechanisms and disaster risk reduction.

In 2018, at the 139th Assembly of the IPU, members voted on an emergency resolution put forward by a group of Small Island Developing States, demanding immediate action on climate change.

The IPU has been working with Parliaments to help them implement the Paris Agreement and find ways of mitigating the effects of climate change.

At a panel discussion at the Assembly, Parliamentarians also evaluated polices to reduce energy, poverty by mobilizing more investment in renewable energies, and saw the launch of the new IPU-UN environment publication – “shades of green: an introduction to the green economy for Parliamentarians”.

The cyclone was one of the worst tropical cyclones on record bringing torrential rains and high winds to Southern Africa; causing widespread flooding and landslides, and leaving a trail of devastation in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi.

It is estimated that well over seven hundred people died, one thousand five hundred were injured while well over ten thousand people were displaced.

Effects of the cyclone is likely to have exacerbated by environmental degradation, such as deforestation, cyclone Idai made landfall in Mozambique on the night of 14-15 March 2019, the day the One Planet conference began in Nairobi.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com Qatar/Doha

The funds would be a five year initiative to support Parliamentary action to disrupt and mitigate the effect of terrorist activities.

Under-Secretary-General from the UN office of Counter Terrorism, Vladimir Voronkov underlined the importance of Parliamentary action to bring legal framework in line with international counter terrorism instruments and agreements.

Delegates at the 140th IPU Assembly heard the testimony of Falmata Bunu, a community leader from a displacement camp in Maiduguri, Nigeria, who escaped after being abducted by Boko Haram.

In addition, the Assembly adopted a new resolution condemning the use of mercenaries and foreign fighters.

Ukraine and Jordan, Parliamentarians reaffirm the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity of the states, and non-interference in the domestic affairs of other state.

The resolution expressed grave concern at he scores of human rights violations perpetrated by mercenaries and foreign fighters against civilian populations, particularly women and children. And set out a framework for Parliamentarians to take legislative measures to prevent the recruitment, financing, or transit of mercenaries or foreign fighters.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com  Qatar/Doha.

Over eight hundred (800) Members of Parliament (MPs) from one hundred and sixty countries convened in the world’s biggest platform, for global Parliamentary exchange.

The final Doha declaration endorsed at the Assembly, Parliamentarians underlined the critical role of education to enhance peace, security and the rule of law.

President of the IPU, Gabriela Cuevas noted that IPU is celebrating its 130th anniversary which in itself is proof of continuity and the importance of the global organization of Parliamentarians to seek effective and sustainable solutions to ensure a peaceful and inclusive future.

“Access for all to equality education is vital for all to quality education is vital to fight xenophobia, extremism and ensure viable democracies that work for all the people”

Secretary General of IPU Martin Chungong, on his part noted that it is important for the meeting to reaffirm the global role of IPU as a bridge builder between Parliamentarians.

He noted that Peace building and mediation is in the DNA of the IPU which was founded on the values of dialogue, exchange and understanding, – “130 years later, these values are still very much at the heart of what we do”.

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The North Dayi lawmaker joined the chiefs and People of Botoku to cut sod for the start of the project which is a two classroom block, staff common room and a store with the provision of toilet facility for boys and girls.

A non-government organization (NGO), Pencils of Promise is providing eighty percent of the materials for the building whiles the community is suppose to provide twenty percent, which had been taken over by the MP with the provision of sand, stone chippings while the community provides water and labour.

Madam Joycelyn Tetteh thanked the indigence of Botoku for coming out in their numbers to support the project, “I am happy that you came in your numbers, you did not go to your farms, neither did you say we are in opposition it’s the MP who had gotten her project she should go a do it”

She further pointed out that at a District Assembly meeting the chief and elders of Botoku approached her and said, “our daughter, we do not have classroom for our kindergarten pupils”.

The MP was met by the women and men of Botoku singing to the durbar grounds, where good boboboo music was played to welcome everyone.

“At a Volta River Authority resettlement meeting, I met the Country Director of the NGO after presenting a list of communities to be helped and I had to choose one; I had to settle on Botoku”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com