Month: February 2020

Leadership of this year’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) planning committee met members of the Parliamentary Press Corps (PPC) to outline measures they had put in place to ensure a successful address by President Nana Akufo-Addo on Thursday 20th February 2020.

First Deputy Majority whip Moses Anim represented the Majority side as Benson Tongo Baba represented the Minority side on the Committee, with the briefing moderated by the Director of Public Affairs, Mrs. Kate Addo.

Mr. Moses Anim commended the media for the work they perform by taking the event of SONA to the door steps of Ghanaians and further explained that there is not enough space in the House and the media would have to manage well the small space allotted to them.

He further revealed that the media houses should take a second look at how they approach members when they want interview just after the Presidents delivery because there has been complains of harassment for interview by some MPs.

“We want to avoid unnecessary confrontations that would lead to misunderstanding where journalists would think he or she is not being treated well and allow to work, we want to you to work with the Director of Public Affairs”.

Again, wherever the President or his Vice goes, the National Security takes full charge of the environment, “we are trying to alert you to avoid any confrontation”.

On the issue of rubbish generated after SONA by the media who have their stands at the entrance leading to the main chamber, Mr. Anim noted that dust bins would be provided.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

The crusade to get more female lawmakers into the yet to be inaugurated fifth Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) was high on the agenda during the latter part of the life span of the fourth Parliament.

In an interview with the Administrative Head of the sub-regional Community Legislature, John Azumah on the female representation on the reconstituted list presented by fourteen out of the fifteen countries, he said: “the list is not encouraging”.

He indicated that the names of females in a current list of eighty (80) presented out of one hundred and fifteen (115), it was obvious they have a long way to go.

The Secretary-General also noted that the Supplementary Act says Parliaments are encouraged to give one-third (1/3) of their delegation to the female parliamentarians invariably this is not respected. There are so many issues involved in this in allocating positions especially involving our female folks”.

According to him, though men always talk about supporting women, “hardly do we practice it”.

Mr. John Azumah further confirmed to Ghanamps.com that in the reconstituted list of Ghana, there is only one female in the name of Mrs. Ama Pomaa Boateng.

Ghana, for example, has eight membership but there is only one female, “even if they were not given three slots, two should have been the case but a blind eye has been turned to that, and the same applies to other countries”.

He further revealed that for the allocation of the female MPs it is not being respected as in the regulations.

In an early interview with Leader of the Gambian delegation in the fourth Legislature Mr. Kebba K. Barrow he pointed out their reconstituted list to the fifth Parliament has only one female madam Fatoumatta Njai out of the five.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Government Assurance Committee has taken its verification tour to the Central Region where it members visited a pineapple plantation that feeds Ekumfi Fruit and Juice Limited.

Director of Operations at Ekumfi Fruit and Juice, Frederick Kobbyna Acquaah before the Committee visited the plantation walked the committee through the operations of the company from the growing of the pineapple, its harvest and processing.

And there was a question time where members of the committee sought further explanation. One of the key things that Mr. Acquaah told the committee members was that the factory under 1D1F was hundred percent Ghanaian owned.

He further revealed to the Committee members that the lands on which the pineapples are grown are leased to the company for thirty years, and the farmers and all those working are properly documented.

It was also revealed that the pineapple farms are not only located in Ekumfi but other places like Gomoa, Winneba among other places.

The Committee’s first place of visit after the briefing was a pineapple plantation at Ekumfi, whiles the last stop of the field trip on the third day of visit was the factory where the pineapple was being processed into juice.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com