Month: June 2020

Former Deputy Minister of the Interior, James Agalga has taken a swipe at the Ghana Police Service, Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for inviting chairman of the Peoples National Convention (PNC), Bernard Mornah for his advice to the Electoral Commission on the new voters register.

“Do we want to see this country in flames if someone does his analysis and points out, why should that form basis for police invitation?”

According to him, the PNC chair is a citizen of Ghana and if in his analysis what is happening relative to the decision of the EC to compile new voters register can lead to chaos, he has to voice it.

He noted in an interview that by stretch of imagination no one should think he want to breach the peace of the country and rather he was warning the nation that EC is taking the nation down a very sloppy ground if care is not taken.

“EC would ignite a problem for the country that advice should not constitute basis for an invitation. What they did was reckless, we in the Minority would not tolerate the police for trying to suppress freedom of speech”.

Mr. Agalga further explained that he was at the police headquarters as part of the legal team of the PNC chairman and confirmed some of his colleagues were there to show solidarity.

And expressed disappointment in his colleague second Deputy Majority Chief Whip Mr. Matthew Nyindam for describing the conduct of his colleague marching up to the police headquarters as “stupid”, all of a sudden we cannot show support?”

The Ranking member on Defense and Interior pointed out in shock that he would represent his colleague the second Deputy Majority Whip should he be arrested, and the argument by his colleague that the Minority marching up to show support, was not allowing the police to do their work was unfortunate.

In addition, he noted that even in America people are demonstrating and it is their right which should be respected same with the case under discussion.

“Under the current government increasingly the right to demonstrate is being eroded and should be resisted”, he said.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayokor-Botwe has told Parliament government has plans to evacuate stranded Ghanaians abroad in phases following the alert by the World Health Organisation that COVID-19 would remain global health issues until a vaccine is developed.

According to her, her Ministry together with Ghana’s missions abroad, Interior and Aviation with the Immigration Service have been working closely to bring back home stranded Ghanaians in several countries.

Madam Ayokor Botwe further told the House the phases of evacuation was informed by financial and logistical consideration such as capacity of isolating centers to hold huge numbers of evacuees as wells as the human resources capacity of the National COVID-19 Task Force comprising various security agencies.

This was when ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa wanted to know plans to evacuate Ghanaians currently stranded abroad due to closing of international borders and measures to prevent the importation of COVID-19.

The Minister noted that the stranded Ghanaians abroad are in four categories, the ability to pay, they comprise private individuals, business sponsored employees as well as government, student yet to complete their courses but without any compelling reason insist on returning home.

As their evacuation requires Government to provide travel documents and guarantee safe passage as well as Ghanaian residence permit holders including diplomats and their dependents.

The second is government funded evacuation made up of government officials who travel for official business as well as government sponsored students yet to complete their course but who are compelled to leave their place of residence.

Third categories comprises of distressed and destitute: these are Ghanaians who traveled to various countries before the advent of the pandemic whose circumstances have been worsened due to the crisis and consequent travel bans and other restrictions imposed by different countries around the world.

Final categories are deportees that is Ghanaians who have been scheduled for removal from various countries.

In the case of phases two arrivals by charter flights on Saturday June 6 2020 nineteen Ghanaians from Mauritania, fourteen from Burkina Faso, thirty-five from Washington D. C, five from Turkey and seven from Nigeria.

Whiles phases three June 17, 24 and 28 2020 evacuation by KLM three hundred from Washington D. C. two hundred and ninety-nine and four hundred thirty-four from the United Kingdom.

She was however quick to point out that the arrangement was subject to requirement in the host countries, such as permits, over flight and landing clearance, which may result in changes in the scheduled dates of arrival.

And further told the House negotiation are underway between Ghana’s mission in Beijing and Ethiopian Airlines for the evacuation of some six hundred and seventy-five stranded Ghanaians in China.

The same with the county’s mission in Abu Dhabi where discussion with the UAE authorities for the evacuation of over five hundred Ghanaians stranded in that country.

Whiles one hundred and forty-one Ghanaians students who have completed their language proficiency courses in Benin last month using STC buses, “now arrangements are in place to evacuate them on June 13 2020.

The Foreign Minister added that plans are far advanced to evacuate Ghanaians stranded in Canada, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, South Africa, Italy, Spain, Netherland, Niger, Norway, Kenya, Switzerland and Ethiopia.

“Priority would be given to urgent evacuation request that require minimal Government intervention, such as pre-arrangement charted flights awaiting landing clearance from Government”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Ranking Member on Road and Transport, Govern Kwame Agbodza has pointed out that President Nana Akufo-Addo is trying to ignore the solid contribution of former President John Mahama when it comes to infrastructure development of the country.

According to him the opposition National Democratic Congress is a party of infrastructure and Akufo-Addo cannot match the record of former President John Mahama.

He further pointed out in a briefing with journalists in Parliament that for the past four years the current administration has not been up to the task when it comes to social infrastructure in education, health, transport or aviation.

“The President suspended all cocoa roads pretending that those projects were awarded wrongly, others said wrongly inflated, whiles others said they did not exist; four years down the line they have not been able to produce a report despite they paid dollars to get a committee to produce a report”.

He challenged the media to demand the audit report on the cocoa sector roads and share with the Ghanaian public.

He further added that former President John Mahama sought help from the Japanese government in 2015 and got a grant for the construction of the Tema Motorway Roundabout which needed not come to Parliament for approval.

In his last state of the nation address and manifesto, the project could not be stopped as it has nothing to do with the current administration.

Mr. Agbodza placed on record that there is a very worrying practice by President Nana Akufo-Addo where he ignores the contribution of his predecessor, with the sod cutting for the Kumasi Airport project.

Again, the previous government envision building of six lanes on the motorway roundabout which was part of the Meridian Ports and Services project and the current administration did not carry it out; they were rather looking for a concessioner, hence the project is in “abeyance”.

In addition, he pointed out Article 35 (7) which says it is the responsibility of every government to continue a project started by the previous government and there is nothing wrong for President Akufo-Addo to continue with projects started by former President John Mahama.

“Former President John Agyekum Kufuor started the Bui dam and did not complete it but was actually built by the NDC government we are honest people,  have you heard any NDC person say they initiated it?”

He added that President Akufo-Addo should be straight forward with Ghanaians and acknowledge the works of former President Mahama as he commissioned the Tema Motorway Roundabout.

The Sinohydro project envisaged by the current administration, he noted that, they came to Parliament,  he predicted that it would  amount to nothing , hence no one should blame the inability of  the project to  started on COVID -19.

“Sinohydro collapsed before COVID-19 and how many of the critical projects have been done, the President has failed the road sector, his hope on the one point six billon cedi road fund unfortunately he took two point two billion cedis for the four years instead of allowing that money to be used in paying the contractors to do more projects”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Majority Leader, Osei-Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has told the House he would follow up with the chief of staff at the presidency to provide the six missing names from the list the Presidency provided as staff to the House this week.

Ranking Member on the Committee of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa raised this issue for the second time on the floor of the House when he wanted to know why some six names have been missing from the list provided to the House.

According to him Act 463 section 11 has been complied with by providing the list of Ministers of state at the presidency.

He noted that appendix C page seven had six Ministers of state provided for 2019 fiscal year comparing it to that of 2018 there are some names missing from what had been submitted recently.

“They are Dr. Anthony Osei-Akoto, Professor George Gyan-Baffour, Mr. Daniel Kwaku Botwe, Mr. Ibrahim Mohamed Awal, Mr. Yaw Osarfo Marfo and Mrs. Mavis Hawa Koomson, the House is not aware of any reshuffle that has been done or resignation”.

He further added that as MPs they need correct data and if there is a correction to be made it should be made since the list is coming from the presidency the sanctity of the report should be protected.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Minister for Works and Housing, Samuel Atta Akyea has assured Parliament that his Ministry would tackle identified drainage problems immediately the Finance Ministry gives it financial space.

According to him due to the critical nature of drainage problems in Djankrom area, the Hydrological Service Department of the Ministry has identified other areas that require urgent attention.

This came to light when Member of Parliament for Nsawam-Adoagyiri Frank Annoh-Dompreh wanted to know when the drainage works in Djankrom area and its environs would be completed.

He told the House Messrs Prompto Logistics and Services Limited is the company contracted to carry out works on Djankrom.

Mr. Speaker over the years the Ministry has been implementing the National Flood Control programme across the country, an intervention in areas with critical drainage and sewage problems.

Under the 2018 National Flood Control programme, the contract was awarded on the 12th of July of February 2019 at a sum of one million nine hundred and ninety nine thousand, seven hundred and seventeen Ghana cedis, seventy five pesewas (GHc 1,999,717,75).

Under the contract, drainage improvement works were carried out at three (3) areas in Djankrom as directed by the District Assembly, as works to be carried out are concrete drains covering a total length of six hundred and ninety-two meters and also channel improvement works.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com