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Month: June 2019

Menhyia North MP to help raise constituency football team

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

The Member of Parliament for Menhyia North, Collins Owusu-Amankwa has pledged to sustain and expand community gala competition among major communities in the constituency.

This follows the successful organization of the first competition and the MP who was behind the event said he was thrilled by the interest shown in it by the constituents and would have to do more in that regard.

The main reason for the event apart from building healthy relationship among the various communities is to identify talented young footballers who will be nurtured to become stars or make a living out of it. “There are a number of up and coming talented young footballers who need help and all we have to do is to identify them and provide the necessary assistance” he stated.

Another important focus of the inter-community football competition is to build a formidable football team in the constituency which the people can be proud of.

Dominic Shirimori/Ghanamps.gov.gh

Speaker Mustapha’s outburst: “As a leader you should manage issues”—Olujimi

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

Minority Leader of the eighth Senate of Nigeria, Senator Biodun Olujimi, one of the thirty-five representatives to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament, has said the outburst of Speaker Mustapha Cisse Lo against his first Deputy, Sulaimon Lasun Yussuff for absenteeism and blocking his per diem was too personal.

According to her, plenary and Parliament is not a place where you attack individuals especially, “if you are a leader you should be able to manage issues in close doors”.

She made this remarks at the closing session of the first ordinary session for this year held in Abuja Nigeria.

“It is not everything you put up on the floor of the House, Parliament should be a place where you distil information, and you formulate policies, it is not a place where petty personal issues would be brought. I am not in favor of anyone not attending to business in the House, however, Sulaimon Lasun Yussuff is the Deputy Speaker of the Nigerian House of Representative, he is a busy person”.

She further argued that the Speaker Mustapha Cisse Lo was put there so that he can over see affairs when there is overlap once a while, and pointed out that the last time, the first Deputy Speaker Sulaimon Lasun Yussuff came to the House, he was not allowed to chair affairs of the House.

“The Second Deputy Speaker was asked to sit and chair affairs, you saw him, he took his book and walked away. If you treated him that way were you going to expect him to come back? I believe the Speaker should be a little more receptive with information and should be able to call people and ask questions either than come and vituperate in the Parliament”.

As to whether Parliament has fulfilled its mission, she pointed out that there is the need to look at the curriculum once again which would make it better; the way we are going “if we do not have quality leadership we would lose truck of what the founding fathers envisaged”.

She further added that elections of lawmakers in the community Parliament would have been better because they would go back and ensure whatever decision are taken are affirmed, Parliament itself has not arranged itself in a way for ideas to be taken out of here so for us to be able to domesticate everything we agree upon.

On the issue of Nigerian lawmakers taking per diem and walk away, she questioned, “have you ever come with us to any other country apart from Nigeria?”

“What happens is simple, when you are at home as a legislator say you would not attend to a bill being taken on the floor of the House, better to call the community lawmakers and ask them what the problem is. That is the mark of a leadership and you have to attend to ECOWAS Parliament it is not possible, rather than vituperate it is when you want to lead you should be able to make allowance to see peoples fault help in making it better”.

The best is brought to ECOWAS Parliament and these are people who are always having things to do. In my case, I am the Minority Leader, I sit in Parliament every morning, so what I do is I go to the House of Representatives early and I come back here latter. If you are at home it is a different thing all together, when we visit other MPs in their home countries it is like that, she explained.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com/Abuja

Barbara Oteng-Gyasi present 4,464 mathematical set to BECE candidates

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

As part of assisting with efforts to improve educational standard  in her constituency, Member of Parliament for Prestea Huni/Valley and Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Barbara Oteng-Gyasi has presented candidates sitting for this year’s  Basic  Education Certificate Examination (BCE) 4,464  mathematical sets.

The Prestea Huni/Valley lawmaker over the years had been embarking on this good will gesture to BECE candidates in the constituency to ensure that candidates have the required basic inputs for their examination.

A total of four thousand, three hundred and sixty-nine   (4,369) candidates from both the private and public schools, would take part in this year’s examination.

Presenting the items, to St. Mathew Anglican School, the MP appealed to the students not to wane their responsibilities but rather learn to become responsible citizens in the future since education is important to socio-economic development of a nation.

She further revealed that presentation of the mathematical sets annually symbolizes a collective target of the Assembly and her office to seek quality education in the constituency.

“You need to build confidence in yourselves and give off your best in the exams and bring positive results on the investments made in you by your parents, also register a remarkable pass rate to show an improvement against previous years”.

The MP reiterated government’s commitment in improving education in the country, hence the introduction of the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy to make secondary education  affordable by bridging the gap between the rich and he poor and also absorb the increasing number of students graduating.

She also cautioned the candidate to avoid any examination malpractices to prevent cancellation of their examination since their future depends on it.

The teachers and candidates expressed gratitude to the MP for her kind gesture, and her continuous support towards quality education in the constituency.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Deputy Minister supports Bechem Presbyterian SHS, Education Directorate

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

Deputy Minister for Ahafo Region and MP for Tano South Constituency, Benjamin Yeboah Sekyere has donated Musical Instruments to Bechem Presbyterian Senior High School.

The Municipal Education Directorate also received 10 motorbikes from the MP to enhance their operations.

The donations according to the MP is in fulfillment of requests put forward by the two institutions for assistance from his office.

Mr. Sekyere said the motorbikes will enhance the work of Circuit supervisors whilst the musical instrument will also improve the entertainment activities of the school. He promised to provide free internet facility to the school to help both students and teachers to carry out research on problems affecting the academic activities of the school.

Bridging the gap between the poor and rich, the MP said government has introduced free senior high policy to support pupils and urged the beneficiaries of the programme to take their studies seriously.

The government under the leadership of Nana Akufo – Addo, he said, will continue all uncompleted projects started in the municipality by the previous government to ensure citizens are provided with their basic necessities.

Municipal Chief Executive, Collins Offinam Takyi said the government through the Tano South Municipal Assembly is working assiduously to execute development projects in the municipality and urged students to exhibit good behaviour to make their teachers impart their knowledge to them and become good future leaders.

He advised students to desist from immoral activities that may hinder their academic activities and performance and catalogue some of the achievement of the government.

Mrs Mabel Botokro, the Municipal Education Director thanked the deputy minister and MCE for their kind gesture and promised to take care of the items and use them for their intended purposes. She said the released of the motorbikes to the directorate will go a long way to address some of the challenges confronting circuit supervisor.

By : Barnie K. Agyeman/Ghanadistricts.com

Speaker Mustapha Cisse Lo blocks first Deputy Speaker’s per diem

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

Speaker of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament, Moustapha Cisse Lo has blocked the payment of per diem to his first Deputy Sulaimon Lasun Yussuff for absenteeism.

He made this known on Friday June 1, 2019, before delivering his closing speech for the end of the First Ordinary Session of the fourth legislature for this year, held from May 8 to June 3.

Mr. Sulaimon Lasun Yussuff is the former Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives in Nigeria and currently the first Deputy Speaker of the community Parliament.

According to Speaker Moustapha Cisse Lo he is being forthright, as the first Deputy Speaker Sulaimon Lasun Yussuff is being paid fully meanwhile he is never here at the plenary in Abuja.

“It is unacceptable, he is neither here for bureau conference but being given full payment and I have blocked his payment for this reason, if payment must be done must be to all”.

He directed the acting chief protocol officer, Ezekiel Fwangder to deliver a message to him, “go and do your work, I am the Speaker of this Parliament, those of you from Anglophone countries can you hear me? This remark came when the interpreter translating from French to English could not be heard.

When Mahama Ayariga, a Ghanaian representative raise his hands to make an intervention, the Speaker said he was not going to allow anyone to make any intervention.

“Those who do not want to listen to me are free to walk out; I am going to deliver a message, can I continue? I am not here to give the floor to anybody, I lost my temper this morning, it was as if I was out of myself”.

Speaker Mustapha Cisse Lo further pointed out that he gave authorization as his role demands for the attendance of each day to be looked into. “Second Deputy Speaker Aminata Kamara Toungara from Cote d’lvoire was absent, she did not get all her payment and those who never came had their full payment”.

“I ask to see the documents and I saw how serious it was and this things have been going on for ever and we should bring a stop to it. That is the only case if you must be paid everybody should be paid for the session it is not my money”, he stated.

“You pay the first Deputy Speaker money that belong to the community, next time I would stay at home so that you manage the session so that I come and take my per dime and get out of here, I have a lot of things doing here at an opportunity cost, I am losing billions, yet I come here and somebody does not come here and he is being paid”.

Again it is unacceptable, and do you think it is right if you “protest” I would write personally to President Buhari, this is unacceptable and I need to make this point distinguished Members of Parliament”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com/Abuja

Speaker cautions ECOWAS MPs against signing for per diem and vanishing

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

The First Ordinary Session of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Parliament for  this year ended on Saturday  the 1st of   June 2019 in Abuja Nigeria.

Speaker of the Community Parliament Mustapha Cisse Lo cautioned lawmakers he would no longer tolerate the practice of MPs coming to sign for their per diem and vanishing from the session.

“We did say MPs needed to be here, as I deliver the closing speech today it is part of our programme, to some extent a review of our work once we are through with the closing there would be no debate”.

According to the Speaker he gave instructions for Members of Parliament to sign the attendance list and it is mandatory because if there is no one at the session there would be no plenary session.

And I have taken far reaching decisions and this would be adopted by the bureau those who would not be here would not have the right to any claim for per diem which would be adopted by  the bureau.

As this would determine the mode of payment and for the good operations of the Parliament, people would have to be here, he emphasis.

“I am the First Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly in Senegal, also President of the chamber of commerce in my working relations as an economic operator I spend the whole month here people leave and they sign and take money”.

He further pointed out that there is the need to put an end to the practice, “I am not going to tolerate this anymore let us be clear in our minds on this issue we can’t be into this gymnastics”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com/Abuja

“With elected ECOWAS MPs we would not have things pushed on us”—Ohuabunwa

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

Pioneer of the Economic Community of West African States, (ECOWAS) Parliament Senator Ohuabunwa Mao A. has said election of lawmakers would  ensure that resolutions by the commission  are not just pushed on MPs.

According to Ohuabunwa Mao A. he is an advocate for direct suffrage so that, “you do not have to be a serving MP”.

He further added in an interview that electing MPs would enhance quality of the ECOWAS Parliament, “to give us a slight level I would not say total independence, where you know your allegiance it totally to the ECOWAS Parliament not matter the country you represent”.

Mr. Ohuabunwa Mao A. made this remarks on Friday 31st of May 2019 when he express a strong reservation, when the committee on Infrastructure, Energy, Mines and Industry presented its report for adoption but did not contain a referral fill, he wished lawmakers could have a looked at before being sent to the ECOWAS Commission.

“Now there are dual role some people are playing to the gallery, to please their Presidents which is not really what I think the Act that brought in ECOWAS Parliament intended to achieve, I am privileged to be a pioneer member of this Parliament”.

We have a vision and by the grace of God we would achieve it, but for now we still have along way to go.
“When the next Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament comes the approach would also change,  like I say most often, it is not the office that makes a man is the man that makes the office the way you relate and intemperate things”.

As an optimist, I believe we would gradually get there, if we have reboots lawmakers it would increase and add value towards law making, as countries collectively decision making would enhanced  effective development of the ECOWAS region.

“How long have we been talking about free movement of persons and services where are we, we have talked about single currency which one has materialized, we need reboots arguments people would take certain decisions that would be binding.  You would see that there would be rapid development we are not there yet but I believe things would work out”.

“Most of the time we do not reach a resolution, we would not want to get to the level of dividing the House all the same we should give people the opportunity to say yes or no as human we all have our approach of doing thing but let us do things rightly”.

Also we are not given enough time as ECOWAS MPs to go through documents thoroughly, we should have enough time to debate and digest documents we need very active debate and the committee to convince us on the resolution for us to adopt it.

Majority opinion is what should carry the day, because it is said, “Minority would have their say but Majority would have their way, what the Speaker (Mustapha Cisse Lo) did I do not know what we are adopting it is just a one man approach of doing things”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com/Abuja