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Month: October 2019

djoa Safo calls for second look at sexual harassment in Ghana

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

Deputy Majority Leader and Member of Parliament for Dome/Kwabenya, Sarah Adjoa Safo, is advocating for a second look at what constitute sexual harassment in Ghana.

According to the Dome/Kwabenya lawmaker, Ghana needs to tackle the issue of sexual harassment through legislation and regulations and the issue should not be only restricted to the, sexual expose revealed on Legon campus.

She further pointed out that women leaders in Ghana and the Women caucus in Parliament view the sex for grade expose investigation by the British Broadcasting Cooperation (BBC) investigation team, with the two lecturers involve as disappointing.

The Dome/Kwabenya lawmaker made this remarks on Friday 11th October, 2019 when she marked International Girls Day which brought together female students from Legon, GIMPA, UPSA, Wisconsin Universities and Dome Community Day Senior School to his office.

Deputy Health Minister Tina Mensah, Deputy Works and Housing Minister Barbara Asher Ayisi and their mail counterpart George Mireku Duker were around to share their experience with the students and encourage them to aim higher.

She further called for imbibing in the younger girls the spirit of serve- help to shape the vision and goals of the younger female leaders as to what they want to be, and not necessarily political leaders.

She said the motivation in bringing the girls together was to ensure they do not only see her on television as Deputy Majority Leader but, “I should have interaction with them so that they see leadership as something achievable not a myth; again you tell them your struggles and challenges”, she stated.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

ECOWAS and AU should ostracize leaders wanting to elongate turner-Speaker Oquaye

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye is advocating for African Presidents who attempt to elongate their stay in power to be ostracized from the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West Africans (ECOWAS).

According to Speaker Oquaye, an issue like “he is the Chairman of AU or ECOWAS and it is his turn”, should be done away with and rather the focus should be on democratic principles; “we should have standards”, he added.

“Some parts of Africa people ruling today have no limitation of turner, they undermine democracy; when the European Union (EU) started Spain and Portugal apply to join despite being Europeans they were refused because their democratic credentials were not strong enough. In Africa everybody feels they have national flag and should be member of AU and ECOWAS”.

Professor Aaron Oquaye emphasised that African leaders who insist they would go their own way should be ostracized out of the Union otherwise they would pollute the Union, “ground rules should be established”.

He made this remarks when the Speaker of Gambia’s Parliament Rt. Honorable Mariam Jack-Denton called on him, as part of a study tour of Ghana’s Parliament.

“We have the West African Court of Appeals, West African Examination Council”, but lamented over the absence of West Africa Cocoa Research Institute, and queried how can ECOWAS be strong and relevant when we don’t have blocks?

According to him, the biggest form of instability on the African continent has to do with elections, and wondered why can’t we sit together, have measures in place so that no Ghanaian can register in Togo and the other way round.

“Electronic means we should have a common electoral register so that it is not possible to have your name in Togo or Ghana register,  no good citizen would want to vote in two countries, we should be meeting more and learn from each other’.

Also we have not finished learning, we have had our difficult times as a nation and we are still working hard to deepen our democracy and exchange in this regard we consider to be very useful.

“Democracy is facing much difficulties otherwise you would not see what is taking place in the United States of America, though out my life I have not seen the Supreme Count of England being called to make and interpretation of political matter, even those we learn from are complaining this are the realities”.

We should learn the dynamics of disagreeing to agree and know that no one country has what I call the best model to be adopted, we continue to learn, he said.

“We are lucky our military interruptions did not end up in wars, we manage our situation to get us off crisis that others have gone through and we are going through constitutional reforms and we trust the fourth Republican constitution would be the last”

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

LISAG urged to address disproportionate representation across regions—Sulemana

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

The Executive Secretary of the Lands Commission, Sulemana Mahama has called on the, Licensed Surveyors Association of Ghana (LISAG) to address disproportionate representation on the Lands Commission across the regions.

According to the Executive Secretary almost all the surveyors are based in Accra, Ashanti, Western and Eastern Regions at the neglect of the rural areas where most of the agriculture activities take place.

“You are virtually absent any time we are reconstituting the Lands Commission in the Upper East and West Regions, we find it difficult to reconstitute, as we get your representation from Accra, with your complain being it is less rewarding financially being in the other regions apart from the key ones”.

He made this remarks when he addressed the maiden general meeting and seminar in Accra on the theme, “Land Ownership and Registration: the role of the licensed surveyor”.

Mr. Sulemana Mahama pointed out that the relationship between LISAG and the Lands Commission has huge potentials going into the future, looking at the assistance giving in designing a social policy framework before cabinet.
“We have embarked on a supply city redevelopment programme across the country and we are doing that in consultation with you, trying to see the development of our urban states by 2030, but we should not neglect the rural areas otherwise we would continue to see migration to the neglect of our food production areas and distort the country’s economic development paradigm”.

In addition, leases of government land made before 1969 ended 22nd August, 2019, and were all reverted back to Government. However, identifying them by Lands Commission is a very herculean task, LISAG can provide us with your assistance renewing these with attractive rate with our goodwill towards you, he said.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Colombian Ambassador calls on Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

The Colombian Ambassador to Ghana, Mrs. Claudia Turbay Quintero has called on the Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament Professor Michael Aaron Oquaye.

To assist the Speaker to receive the Colombia Ambassador was chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee Frank Annoh Dompreh and his ranking Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.

The media was allowed to take pictures there after they moved into an in-camera meeting where the media had to leave for them to have closed door meeting, at the request of the Ambassador on Friday the 11th of October 2019.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Minority Leader commend Gambia for re-joining CPA

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

In 2013, the Gambia withdrew from CPA, as the 2016 elections ushered in a new coalition government under President Adama Barrow. Since coming to power, the new government has worked on the restoration of diplomatic ties with partners.

He made this remarks when, he joined the Speaker Professor Oquaye to welcome Speaker of Gambia’s Parliament Rt. Honorable Mariam Jack-Denton and her eight member delegation on a four day study tour to Ghana’s Parliament.

Sharing some useful experience with the Gambia delegation, he noted that the Parliamentary Service Board is a creation of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana established under Article 124 and chaired by the Speaker.

“We have the Majority and Minority Leaders serving on the board, our current Speaker has gone further by allowing the first and second deputy speakers to attend our meetings”.

In addition we operate the hybrid system of legislature where we have majority of lawmakers that is two/thirds being Ministers and our parliament is guided by our standing orders, and every four years both the President and lawmakers seek re-election, he stated.

Mr. Haruna Iddrisu further explained to the delegation that parliament shall have no power to make law in Ghana where the nation would have one party state and there is respect for Minority rights.

He however indicated that Ghana will also learn from the Gambia; indicating that there would be something interesting that Ghana can also pick from Gambia.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Dr Zanetor calls for legislation to admit more women into National Assemblies

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

Member of Parliament for Klottey Korle Dr. Zanetor Agyeman Rawlings is calling for legislations within the National Assemblies of the West African sub-region to pave way for more women in the Assemblies.

According to Dr. Rawlings, National Assemblies should move beyond the debate of getting quota for women and move towards getting favourable environment for more women to participate in politics and getting more female lawmakers.

She further lamented over the Affirmative Action Bill which keeps dancing forward and backward, but, noted that, “Ghana has an open door for women to participate in our politics, we do not have reserved seats for women and persons with disabilities”.

Again, it is about paradigm change of our society for them to understand that it is not only about quota system for women in our politics, but addressing issues that mitigate against women involvement in politics.

She made this remarks when the Speaker of the Gambian Parliament called on the Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, on a four days study tour.

Dr. Zanetor also added that the current Speaker of Ghana’s seventh Parliament of the fourth Republic has given more opportunity to women, but there is the need to improve women representation.
“We have only thirty-eight (38) women out of the two hundred and seventy-five (275) chamber that we have”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Parliament reconvenes October 22 for third meeting

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

Parliament of Ghana would reconvene for its third meeting of the third session on Tuesday the 22nd October 2019 for the seventh Parliament of the fourth Republic.

Speaker of Parliament Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye in accordance with standing order 37 of the House gives notice of the commencement of the House.

In an interview with the Majority Chief Whip, Kwesi Amenyaw Cheremeh he had given indications that the House would consider an amendment bill which takes power away from the President from appointing,  Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Exclusives to be elected.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

“Selfish elements within NPP and NDC kicking against election of MMDCEs”-Cheremeh

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

Member of Parliament for Sunyani East, Kwesi Amenyaw Cheremeh  has said “selfish” elements within the ruling New Patriotic Party government  (NPP) and opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), are the ones kicking against election of  Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in Ghana.

According to the Majority Chief Whip the two dominant political parties have had the opportunity of ruling the country since, the return to democratic rule.

“These selfish elements think once they had worked for the party and it is elected and they have lost their Parliamentary bid or are chairman of the party they want to be Chief Executives of the various Assemblies”.

He added that now that the process has started for way to be paved for elections they are resisting it, knowing that with elections in a particular constituency either the NPP or NDC is strong and they cannot be victorious when election is conducted.

But same people forget that in Parliament NPP does not have 275 members same with the NDC,   no political party can win all the constituencies in this country, there are certain communities in our country which would like to vote for either an NPP, NDC, CPP or  PNC person as a Chief Executive.

Elections in Ghana have shown that in some constituencies, we vote “skirt and blows”; they vote for a Presidential candidate but vote against his MP and the other way round.

Mr. Cheremeh further added that it shows the level of maturity Ghanaians have gotten, “why does one party that does not win hundred percent of votes want to control all the districts in Ghana, today it is NPP tomorrow it would be NDC and a day after CPP, PNC or PPP”.

Again, nobody should ever think they can control power in perpetuity, it would never happen one day you would be out of government, you would then say I should have taken advantage of the opportunity to do the right thing, he said.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanadistricts.com

Election of MMDCEs would not slow development at local level-Majority Whip

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

As Ghana prepares for a referendum on December 17, 2019, to pave way for the election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), Majority Chief Whip, Kwesi Amenyaw Cheremeh allays fears that election of MMDCEs would not slow development at the local level.

Accord to him, it would rather fast track development in the districts and in addition introduce competition.

“You can have two adjourning districts with two chief executives, one being controlled by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the other by the National Democratic Congress (NDC), where residents would make reference to development going on in each districts”.

Again, the principle of accountability would work, not a case where today the sector Minister calls chief executives to order.

“If a President is visiting a district, the chief executive had to provide budget to host the president, meanwhile he or she cannot even clear refuse in the district, because the president appointed him. He or she has to look for the money to host the visiting president instead of addressing the local needs of the people”, he lamented.

He further pointed out that he started the whole campaign of electing MMDCEs as far back as 2002 at a roundtable discussion but many people did not agree with him, “but it has caught up with us today”.

“Despite the fact that the constitution prohibits political parties in participating in elections of MMDCEs, it is done privately; we are only amending the constitution to make it legal”.

He made this remarks at the launch of a sensitization programme by the National Catholic Secretariat ahead of the December referendum.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Speaker of Gambia’s Parliament on four day study tour to Ghana

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

Speaker of the National Assembly of the Gambia, Rt. Honorable Marian Jack-Denton has called on his Ghanaian counterpart Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye on Monday 7th October 2019 as she tours to learn from the experience of Ghana.

She was accompanied by Majority Leader Kebba K. Barrow, Minority Leader Samba Jallow,  Muhamed Magassy and Fatumatta Njai both lawmakers, all members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament.

Others are Clerk Momodou A. Sise, Human Resources Rabiatou Jallow, Sally Secka principal accountant, Kalipha MM Mbye director table office Gibairu Janneh director of protocol and Kelepha Nyassi senior protocol officer.

Rt. Honorable Marian Jack-Denton first female lawyer of the Gambia left the shores of Ghana forty-three years ago as student of University of Ghana and had been speaker for two and half years.

“Gambia has come from a very difficult past; we have had twenty-two years of dictatorship nothing worked as Parliament was an extension of the Executive arm of Government that had no independence. Always taking instructions from the Executive, in 2016 things changed and was not business as usual there is a lot to be done”, she told speaker Oquaye.

The visiting Gambia speaker further noted that Ghana has had its difficult moment but had transformed over the years, and are in to learn from experienced lawmakers in Ghana as she would want to leave legacy in Gambia.

They visited the Ghanaian chamber and would be holding meetings with head of research and budget office, to discuss financial and administrative independence, learn from the experience of the Parliamentary Service Board in the coming days.

“We have had good working relation with Ghana where as a lawyer we have had Ghana’s Court of Appeal judges come to work in the Gambia, even at the High Court’s they came there as   judges they help to enrich our jurisprudence”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com