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Month: May 2020

“We upgraded status of RSA to address carnage on the roads”—Agbodza

Posted on by Kwaku GhanaMPs

Ranking member on Roads and Transport, Kwame Governs Agbodza has said the then Roads and Safety Commission was transformed to its current status Roads and Safety Authority to strengthen them to deal with carnage on Ghanaian roads.

According to him there are statistics to show number of lives lost on Ghanaian roads but the story is never told of the causes of the carnage on the Ghanaian roads.

“As a House, we change it from Commission to Authority to give them better leverage to come out with policies to minimise road accidents. Our part as a House has been carried out and we are waiting to see how the Authority would reduce carnage on our roads”.

Mr. Agbodza was contributing to a statement made on the floor of the House by Member of Parliament for Awutu-Senya West, George Nenyi Kojo Andah   on curbing the increase carnage on the nation’s roads.

He stated, “Mr. Speaker on the list of the causes of accidents is human errors. It is either through the failed judgments of drivers wanting to overtake without knowing the capabilities of their cars or because they cannot see clearly if there are incoming vehicles.

Again, we are told some drivers drive under the influence of alcohol and further pointed out that when one takes a prescribed medicine, the person is told not to drive because it would reduce his or her sense of judgment. “Unfortunately, it is ignored leading to catastrophic road carnage”.

In addition, he emphasized that mechanical faults run low on the list of things that cause carnage on the Ghanaian roads.

Also if you are driving the required speed, you are in a better position to control the vehicle should anything happens.

“I am not aware of any road in Ghana where you are allowed to drive 120 kilometers per hour but we all buy vehicles that do 160 kilometers per hour and we are not supposed to drive 160klm on the motorway”.

The Ranking member pointed out that people drive beyond 100km and when you are driving the required speed on the motorway those over speeding look at you as if you are standing and not moving on the motorway.

“It is wrong for people to say they drive better when they drink, how would you feel when a pilot says I control the aircraft better when I take wee?”, he queried

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Nine Ministers to take eleven questions next week

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As Leader of Government Business, Osei-Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu presented Business Statement on the floor of the House on Friday, he indicated that nine Ministers would be on the floor of the House to answer eleven questions.

The Minister of Roads and Transport would take three questions, whiles the following would take a question each. Finance, Tourism Arts and Culture, Education, Sanitation and Water Resources, Youth and Sports, Trade and Industry, Railways Development and Local Government and Rural Development.

Mr. Osei-Kyei indicated to the House that apart from the previous meeting between Leadership of the House and Leadership of the various Committees, the Committee proposed another meeting between Ministers of state and Leadership of various Committees, to prioritize government business.

“Mr. Speaker, the Business Committee propose that bills at the consideration stage early hours of the day within the week be devoted to it to enable clearing of the piles of Bills at the consideration stage be cleared, he announced.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Parliament COVID-19 testing ends today

Posted on by Kwaku GhanaMPs
The testing exercise for Parliamentarians and staff for COVID-19 as directed by the Parliamentary Service Board would end today.

The exercise started on Wednesday the 20th May 2020 where most of the lawmakers and staff of the Legislature participated in the exercise in their numbers.

Friday’s exercise saw mostly Journalists and workers in Parliament trooping in their numbers to undertake the exercise.

The medical doctor in charge of Parliaments clinic, Dr. Prince Pambo in an interview noted that it is an exercise that everybody is supposed to be doing in Ghana.

“You cannot make the testing mandatory because there is no national policy to that effect. Medically and ethically we do not force people to do those tests, we are in abnormal times so when you appeal to people they come out to do it”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

 

New standing orders to be in use at next meeting —Majority leader

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Leader of Government Business, Osei-Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has told the House that the Standing Orders review Committee of the House is done with its work and lawmakers would be provided with the revised one for them to make their input.

According to him he would need the input of members because when the Subsidiary-Legislative to which the new standing Orders would be referred finishes with its work there would not be room to effect changes.

Welcoming MPs to the start of the Second meeting of the fourth Session of the seventh Parliament of the fourth Republic, he commended the Standing orders review Committee for their good work in concluding on the review of the standing Orders.

“Every member has been served with copies of the old one for now”, adding when work is concluded on the new revised one at this meeting, MPs would be served with copies, and it would come into effect in the next meeting.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

“It’s too early for MP who double as Ministers to be absenting Parliament”—Muntaka

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Minority Chief Whip Mohamed Muntaka Mubarak has said Members of Parliament who double as Ministers should not take duty on the floor of the House for granted.

According to him with the start of the Second meeting of the four Sessions it was too early for three Ministers, Minister for Monitoring and Evaluation, Dr. Anthony Akoto Osei, Transport Kweku Ofori Asiamah and Finance Ken Ofori-Atta not to attend to the House to lay their papers.

However Minister for Communications madam Ursula Owusu Ekufful who was in the chamber at the time the comments was being made on Wednesday drew the attention of the Speaker that as much as possible the current Ministers who are serving lawmakers take Business of the House serious.

“I am confused with the comments of the Minority Whip, we are here to participate in the workings of the House as Ministers who double as MPs, the evidence is clear, I am here the Road and Transport Minister is here, we are participating in Business of the House”.

And added that Ministers who double as MPs do not in any way show disrespect to the House and would want to be in the House to do Business.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Gov’t must come clear on free water promised Ghanaians—Ho West MP

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Ranking member on Works and House Committee Mr. Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah has called on government to come clear on earlier promise of providing free water and regular flow of water through taps in Accra.

According to him the mobile tankers that are supposed to deliver water to areas where there is no water have not been seen.

In a statement, the Ranking member noted that in the era of COVID-19 pandemic Accra which is most populous city and at the epicenter of the coronavirus cases in the country over the past week has been experiencing nauseating water shortages.

“This is really biting hard without any explanation from the authorities in charge and the situation is getting out of hand in areas such as Adenta, Madina, Teshie, La, Achimota, Ashaiman, Tema and Kasoa”.

The Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources later corroborated the President’s announcement by providing details of the directives to the general public.

The Minority Caucus would like to find out from the Government; why water promised Ghanaians, particularly those living in Accra and its environs is not being made available as announced?

Secondly, he also sought to find out whether the Water Producing Companies; Community Water and Sanitation Agencies, Ghana Water Company Limited are facing any technical or financial challenges to make them deliver on the government’s promise?

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Give us the legislative agenda for this meeting —Haruna

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The Minority Leader Mr. Haruna Iddrisu is demanding from Leader of Government Business, Osei-Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu a legislative agenda of government for the second meeting of the four session of the Seventh Parliament of the fourth Republic.

According to him, there is the need for Government to prioritize Business of the House as lawmakers are uncomfortable in being in the facemask for longer hours.

“Majority Leader has to guide us on the nature of Business Mr. Speaker this is not normal times and I fail to see the urgency in a bill like charted of Human Resources Management Bill, if it is not a matter of finance to address COVID-19. Mr. Speaker we should define the nature of business so that when we come from ten o’clock to midday we dispatch the business and move on ”.

The Minority Leader made this remarks on the floor of the House when he was commenting on business statement for this week.

In response, Leader of Government Business Osei-Kyei noted that legislative business of government is still in the process of being determined to sort out the urgent ones and as he related there are thirty-six new bills.

“Leadership met all the Ministers to know the priority areas of bills for the second meeting as of yet we are yet to make a final determination once it is done we would let members have the legislative agenda for this meeting”, he said.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

COVID-19 Testing: “Don’t test only MPs test the ordinary Ghanaian to”—MP

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Member of Parliament for Sekyere Afram Plains, Adomako Alex Mensah has urged that Members of Parliament alone should not be tested for COVID-19, instead the ordinary Ghanaian should also be tested.

According to him, of what benefit is it when lawmakers are tested and after the exercise they get back to the constituencies where their constituents have not been tested and they are infected?

As first the MP to undergo the test, he noted in an interview that taking the test at the foyer was a normal thing and nothing complex.

“They took my details and asked where I have been in the past few two weeks and if I had been outside Accra and should be any case they can trace and I ensure that my name was labeled very well so that my tube could to be misplaced with another person”.

He encouraged all MPs to undergo the test to free themselves of any doubt and it would prove to the ordinary Ghanaian that the disease is real as there are people who have some misgivings about the COVID-19.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

MPs and staff of Parliament begin testing for COVID-19

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As early as 9:00am on Wednesday, 20th May 2020 before the House started its 10:00am sitting as direct by Speaker Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye lawmakers from both side of the House and staffs of Parliament has started testing against COVID-19.

The Speaker under the direction of the Parliamentary Service Board yesterday directed all staff and Members of Parliament to make themselves available for testing against COVID-19.

As early as 7:30am the staff were seen seated in the foyer of Parliament waiting for the medical staff of Parliament’s clinic to start the testing exercise they have been directed to undertake.

Members of Parliament (MPs) as early as 8:30am were seen queuing for their turn to be tested as directed by the Speaker.

MPs were given the privilege to take their test quickly, while members of staffs were seen struggling among themselves to get their testing done as quickly as possible so that they can get back to continue with their works.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Minority Leader demands that EC brief House on road map to 2020 elections

Posted on by Kwaku GhanaMPs

Minority Leader is demanding that Ghana’s Electoral Commission shares with the House its road map ahead of this year’s Presidential and Parliamentary elections.

According to him whether there is COVID-19 or not the nation’s democracy has to revolve and the House has to know what the road map is, going forward.

“We would not accept any excuse for the inability of the EC to leave up to their calling under Article 45 of the 1992 constitution”.

In his welcome address Mr. Iddrisu noted that his side would engage in constructive debate and cooperate with the Speaker in the discharge of his obligation in moving the country forward as he acknowledged that the country is in extra ordinary times.

The Minority demanded the Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta in the face of COVID-19 threat comes to the House with a revised mid-year budget for the necessary approval and provide room for greater accountability and details of money approved by the House for the fight against the spread of the disease.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com