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Month: May 2019

ECOWAS Boycott: “Speaker should have allowed more room for debate”—Ayariga

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs
A Ghanaian representative to the Economic Community of West African states (ECOWAS) Parliament, Mahama Ayariga has expressed worry over decision taken by the Parliament to pull out of all activities of the Inter-Parliamentary-Union (IPU).

According to the Ghanaian lawmaker, Speaker of the Community Parliament, Mustapha Cisse Lo should have given room for an exhaustive debate on the matter.

He further pointed out in an interview the Speaker started with his position right from the beginning, how he was not accorded the necessary courtesy by IPU when he attended the 140th meeting in Qatar Doha.

“I hate to say this, but this Parliament under this Speaker does not give room for debate or discussion, if you observe he did not give room for an exhaustive debate “.

Again, when you are a Speaker and you make your position known right from the beginning it becomes embarrassing for you to “beat a retreat”.

He should have raised the issue, “this is my experience at IPU, what do you think about it as MPs, do we continue spending money on it?” He would have helped the debate by hearing from the pros and cons, he added.

In conclusion, he would have said: “I join those who think as members of this Parliament we should not continue spending money to attend IPU; “right from the beginning you stated that you will not attend and you will not send any body”.

Mr. Ayariga was also not happy the Speaker even recommend that his successor should never attend the IPU. “Who will openly want to go and speak against the Speakers position on the matter, it becomes a very intimidating situation. He should not let his personal position be known before we debate the matter, he should put it out there let us debate it”.

“It is not about you as a person, it is about the Parliament, if you have an issue with how you were treated as the Speaker of the community Parliament, between the last meeting of IPU and the upcoming one; that is a space of time for you to dialogue with IPU. Write to them and receive their response, let the Secretary General, John Azumah write to them, this is the position of ECOWAS Parliament at IPU”

Mr. Mahama Ayariga in addition pointed out that the Speaker indicated that other regional Parliaments like the Pan African Parliament had been given some status, which he did not enjoy, work for that status, but you do not withdraw.

“This is an important platform as a regional Parliament which this is an important platform to meeting Parliaments all over the world”.

Also we have to know that all Parliaments have their constitutions and decides who is a member equally who are not members of a Parliamentary union, and state who is an observer.

“We have to study the constitution of IPU, find out how the regional parliaments are placed, you cannot just get up go to IPU to say you should be given all the needed recognition you think you are entitle to”.

In addition the Speaker should send an ordinary member of the House to go and observe more activities at the IPU for the House to maintain its network and relationship to that institution (IPU).

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Late Ho East MP family call on Speaker

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

Family of the late and former Member of Parliament for Ho East, Steve Senu Akorli has paid a courtesy call on Speaker of Parliament Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye to inform him about the death and funeral arrangements of the late lawmaker.

Mr Akorli served as an MP from 1993 to 2004 when he voluntarily retired. He also served as a Minister during the Rawlings administration.

Professor Oquaye noted that the late MP was someone who was very enthusiastic and inquisitive and was always asking questions.

Second Deputy Speaker Alban Bagbin on his part noted that the death of the late Mr Akorli was a great lose to Parliament and Ghana.

He added that, late Steve Akorli was chairman of the Technical Committee of the Parliamentary Service that restructured the Job 600 building that is currently serving as offices for MPs.

Late Steve Akorli was taken ill on 24th April 2019 and admitted at the Volta Region Hospital in Ho but was later airlifted to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital where he later died.

He will be buried on April 25, 2019 at his home town of Adaklu Kpetsure after a church service at the Global Evangelical Church, East Legon.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Adaklu MP is an example of punctuality — Speaker Oquaye

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs
Speaker Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye has praised the people of Adaklu for producing some of the finest and quality Members of Parliament for the country.

According to the Speaker, the current Adaklu MP, Governs Kwame Agbodza has done well for himself in his ability to contribute to duty and the ability to be punctual to the work of the House, which he noted is crucial for Ghana’s democratic journey.

He describe the Adaklu MP as an example of “most example of punctuality” and one of the most respected MPs currently, “if there’s an example of punctuality, it is the man sitting right there”.

Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye made this observation when the family of the late former MP for Ho East, Steven Akorli called on him to inform him of the death and funeral arrangement of the late MP.

“It just occurred to me, this Adaklu people how do they do it, very soon I am going to ask others to go to Adaklu to learn something.  It is very important but it is true, it is not because he you are here”,
Otherwise, I myself, I don’t know the people am working and dealing with, so we appreciate your MP”, the speaker told the visiting delegation.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

First Light drainage to be completed in two weeks — GAMA Coordinator

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs
Coordinator of the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA) Sanitation and Water Project, Engineer George Aseidu has given assurance that the Kaneshie first light drainage construction work which had delayed would be completed in two weeks time.

According to the coordinator of GAMA, the project which should have been completed a month earlier that was March 31, 2019, had delayed because they uncounted major Ghana Water Company (GWC) pipeline which had to be relocated in the course of construction.

“These are major pipelines so we needed to work on them in working on them there was the need to divert some of the pipelines properly so that we would not have future problems, again we were confronted with major activities which were not part of what we had to do and to do it well has taken us almost four weeks”.

Speaking in an interview, he pointed out that the development accounted for a little delay in the expected time of completion of the work and added that when the drainage work is done in two weeks the remaining time will be used to instate the roads.

The World Bank is pumping seven million Ghana cedis into this project to end the perennial flooding.
At the time of the visit to the project site, a delegation from the World Bank were on location to visit progress of various works they had sponsored.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

First Ordinary session of ECOWAS Parliament commences today

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

The first ordinary session of the Economic Community of West African states (ECOWAS) Parliament would commence today 8th May 2019.

The three weeks session is expected to end on the 3rd of June, 2019. The three weeks long Session will be declared open by the Speaker of Parliament, Moustapha Cisse Lo.

President of the ECOWAS Commission, Jean-Claude Kassi Brou and President of the Community Court, Justice Jerome Traore, Speaker of the National Assembly of Burkina Faso, Alassana Bala Sakande, that of the National Assembly of Nigeria Yakubu Dogara and their counterpart from Morocco are expected at the opening ceremony.

A statement from the communication division of the community Parliament says during the twenty-eight (28) day session, the meeting will adopt and draft agenda and draft work programme of the standing, joint and Ad hoc committees.

MPs will also consider and adopt draft report of March 2019 Extra Ordinary Session and the programme of activities of the Parliament for the second quarter of 2019.

Similarly, the session will feature presentation of country reports; that of standing committees, joint and ad hoc committees and reports of Parliamentary fact-finding Missions in plenary.

MPs would also have the opportunity to hold interactive sessions with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) – Nigeria on the theme, “Kampala Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa”.

And with the International campaign to abolish nuclear weapons (ICAN) on the theme “United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons”

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Media owner’s urged to resources journalists to perform professionally—Odoom

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs
Member of Parliament for Twifo Atti Morkwa Abraham Dwuma Odoom has urged media owners to pay media practitioners well to do their work professionally.

According to the Twifo Atti Morkwa lawmaker, it is worrying development that service condition of “our” journalists is so low that it renders them vulnerable to many issues including scandals.

“All of these scandals can be trace to poor service of condition and it is important to bring the issue to the fore to be discussed”.

He was contributing to a statement made on the floor of the House to commemorate world press freedom day on Friday on the floor of the House made by Ablakwa and presented by the Minority leader Haruna Iddrisu.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Rawlings foundation receives donation from former Mayor

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs
Former Mayor of Accra Metropolitan Assembly and Member of Parliament for Ablekuma South Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije has led a delegation to present an undisclosed sum of money in support of former President Rawlings’ foundation.

According to the former Mayor of AMA, the undisclosed amount is towards supporting underprivileged persons who require assistance with their health, education and other basic needs.

He further disclosed he and some of his constituents recognise the challenges the former President face in supporting many vulnerable persons who seek his assistance regularly so have decided to join force to support his work.

Former President John Rawlings, who received the contribution thanked the delegation for their kind gesture and noted that he will channel the contribution to help retired police officer, Chief Superintendent, Ben Mensah, who needs assistance for a kneecap replacement surgery.

The former president said Chief Supt Mensah, amongst a few others, had dedicated most of his working life to the good of the country and faced some precarious situations during the revolutionary period. He disclosed that the cost of the surgery is valued at GHS65,000 and called on other well-meaning personalities and institutions to contribute toward it.

Apart from  Vanderpuije, the other members of the Ablekuma South delegation comprised Rev. Charles Ankamah Tetteh, Mr. Raymond Nii Quaye Kotey, Madam Esther Naa Amerley Vanderpuije (Madam Indomie) and Mr. Emmanuel Nii Ankrah Vanderpuije, a junior brother of the MP.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

La Astroturf to develop great football stars- MP

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

The Member of Parliament for the La Dadekotopon Constituency in the Greater Accra region, Vincent Odotei Sowah has stated that the construction of an artificial pitch at La by the McDan Group of Companies is a good omen for the development of great football stars for the country.

He described the project as historic and expressed hope that the likes of Black Stars players including Nii Laryea, Godwin Attram and Ben Kai will emerge from the La community again for the nation.

According to him, the pitch is one of its kind in the country and pray for its maintenance to generate revenue for the area.

“This is a full-size artificial pitch. We don’t have more of such pitches in the country. If we maintain it well, other football clubs could pay for its use and it will generate revenue for us,” he stated.

The MP who is also a Deputy Minister for Communications said the project is timely and will facilitate sports development in the area whiles commending the McDan group for the gesture.

The new project when completed will replace the old La Park which has and continues to host the annual McDan Ga-Adangbe football competition and peace cup as well as key community events of the people of La.

The company is expected to extend the same project to Okponglo at East Legon soon.

By Christian Kpesese/ ghanamps.com

Let’s conserve tuna from extinction—Ranking

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs
As the world marks tuna day, Tuesday 2nd May, Ranking member on Food Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs Erick Opoku is calling for measures to ensure that tuna is conserved and prevented from extinction.

According to the Ranking member Ghana is the largest producer of Tuna in Africa and fourth in the world, as the sector employs over ten thousand people directly and indirectly and rakes in over three hundred and fifty million dollars ($350,000m) annually.

He further added that fish oval is used in producing animal feed particularly for poultry and fish oil is used for aquaculture feeds, hence it has zero waste.

Laws of Ghana allow foreigners to partner indigenes in the tuna business only on the basis of fifty percent beneficial shareholdings.

Mr. Erick Opoku further lamented that Ghana has no training program for this important sector, the Regional Maritime University has not trained skippers for the sector for a long time leading to the dominance of foreign crew.

“Skippers and engineer officers are generally non-Ghanaians and even the general composition are mostly not certificated as required by the law due to the absence of programmed training regime”.

Again,  fuel cost with it attendant taxes  in Ghana are very high over two hundred dollars ($200) more per ton than what vessels buy at high seas, compelling over ninety percent of the vessels to buy from foreign vessels at high seas.

In addition, these vessels spend over one twenty million dollars annually to buy fuel at high seas due to price differentials in Marine Gas oil.

“Tuna consumption in Ghana is very low and no effective market is also created in neighboring countries particularly land-lock countries for trading in the product, making EU enjoy trade monopoly with Ghana”.

Also this monopoly comes with unfriendly conditions and sometimes unbearable sanctions, Ghana had the unpleasant situation of a trade ban from the EU in 2014 resulting in a yellow card and major losses to industry and processors.

“We need to support the sector by providing financial assistance and training for the Ghanaian to manage the sector and operate vessels”, he advised.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

“For grips of security we need to re-visit Act establishing ECOWAS”—John Azumah

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs
Secretary General of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament, John Azumah, is calling for revisiting of the Act that established ECOWAS, if it wants to get full grips of the security of the sub-region.

According to the Secretary General of the community Parliament, if ECOWAS is to have a standing army force to take care of security situation, it should be derived from the Act which should be revisited.

He further pointed out that as things stand now the establishment of ECOWAS is purely based on pure economic consideration.

“If things have changed and we have realized that this is the situation there is the need to look at the Act, since we have sovereign states belonging to community and to be able to address security situations we need to really put checks in place and discuss how to deal with things as a full bloc”

He made this remarks on Starrfm, a private radio station in Accra – Ghana when questioned on how ECOWAS can get full grips of security situation in the sub-region with the spate of terror attacks.

Mr. John Azumah recall that ECOWAS started as an economic state, the idea first was allowing people to move freely, trade freely to improve upon their lives.

“As we went along there were political considerations, we were becoming more important and influential to an extent if we did not have a good political system, the trade system will not look good that brought the political side of it”.

Again, internally we had military regimes that had to be converted to democracy and added that ECOWAS has moved from economic to the political platform which is now, very important to have because of growth.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com