Month: July 2020

Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Sam George Nartey has said less than hundred days in office should former President John Mahama be re-elected as president by Ghanaians, the electricity and water problems of B5 Plus Steel Company would be addressed.

According to him, he is worried that B5 Plus Company, the largest steel company in West Africa which employs a huge number of his constituents still has problem with regards to constant supply of electricity and water.

He lamented over the inability of the current government under the leadership of President Nana Akufo-Addo to address their issues despite the fact that the nation needs industrial drive.

Mr. Sam Nartey in an interview pointed out that the issue of B5 Plus is sad because the current government was quick to put up a sign board that the company was one of its flagship programme; “One District, One Factory” initiative, despite the company being in existent for a decade.

“You would have expected that government being quick in taking credit, there would be dedicated line to provide B5 Plus with power, this is an eighty million dollars investment. And their plants are not working at the capacity in which they should work despite the claim that they are interested in industrialization”.

The lawmakers alleged that government is giving B5 Plus competition by giving tax exemption to a company that is bringing cheap steel despite the fact that B5 Plus is a local company and added that government is not giving the needed support.

“B5 Plus, a steel company located in the Prampram industrial enclave needs water to run its coolers and electricity to fire its plant, three of them at the moment only one is working because they don’t have adequate electricity power supply”.

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Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Samuel George Nartey has said with the ongoing voter registration exercise, he has observed during his rounds to the various registration centres that, it has been difficult for people to observe the safety protocols against the spread of COVID-19.

According to him, he does not want to be a Member of Parliament over unhealthy constituents and would want his people to observe the safety protocols.

In an interview, he pointed out that last week Tuesday, June 30, 2020 when the registration started the challenges Ningo-Prampram  had was breaking down of EC’s machine but has been managed and they have kept going.

“Day two of the registration processes there was heavy military detachment and the following day heavy police presence with the excuse that of maintaining peace should there be a problem, eventually there has not been any problem”.

Mr. Nartey further revealed that the numbers of voters who have registered are quite impressive and his constituents are not intimidated by the presence of the military.

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Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Osei-Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has questioned the value Professor Naana Opoku Agyeman would bring on board patterning former President John Dramani Mahama as a running mate in the December 7, 2020, presidential election.

According to him he finds it extremely difficult to point out, despite the fact that he acknowledged that she is an acclaimed woman and speaks good English but that does not satisfy the tick to ensure quality improvement in governance.

“Perish the thought, let us assume that John Mahama becomes President tomorrow and is no longer there, is this woman capable to be described as the President of the Republic? It has nothing to do with her person, we are talking about quality in governance”.

He further questioned if Professor Jean Naana Opoku Agyeman can impact this country, “I don’t think so, that is where I have my problem but as a person she is an acclaimed woman, nice character, but I do not think that alone can rule this nation”.

The business of governance is acquired he said and added that one can’t be picked from the road side that is his problem either than that she is a good woman and has the brains but the ticket, “I don’t see that”, he said in an interview.

Mr. Osei-Kyei further backed his argument by pointing about that some women in the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) have demonstrated competence and have risen through the ranks and Parliament.

Madam Hannah Tetteh, former MP and Foreign Affairs Minister has learnt the rules and competent to partner John Mahama, same as former Attorney-General, Marietta Brew Appiah – Opong is solid. Again Betty Mould Iddrisu but has some skeleton with regards to the Woyome either than that she is okay.

According to him, John Mahama is a communicator and whoever would partner him should add value to the governance architecture through experience, be it economics going to impact the economy. “I was thinking he was also going to settle on either Dr. Kwabena Duffuor or Dr Nii Moi Thompson

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Sam George Nartey has said choosing Professor Naana Opoku Agyeman as running mate of John Mahama, presidential candidate of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) was perfect.

According to him picking of Professor Opoku Agyeman would work the trick for the NDC to be victorious in the upcoming 2020 presidential elections five months away.

“She is not only a woman but honest with integrity and proven track record. Twenty four hours after her nomination, with the attack on her no member of the ruling government, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has said she is corrupt, dishonest or lack integrity”.

He further noted in an interview that both the NPP and NDC should be proud of Professor Opoku Agyeman because of three qualities; Ghanaians look for honesty, integrity and not being corrupt.

In a related development, when questioned on some developments making the rounds that the people from the Volta Region in the party are not happy about the running mate not coming from their region considering their contribution to the party, he pointed out that the Volta caucus has issued a statement congratulating the running mate and pledged their support to work with her extensively, and that is all that matters. “People would have their wishes it is legitimate but at the end of the day the larger interest of the party is what is needed”.

“Our party is a national party and has people from all the regions, rather the high handedness and lack of development in the region by this administration is an insult to them”.

The intimidation and attack on the people from the Volta Region is enough for them to kick out this “insensitive government”. The region is entitled to its fair share of the national cake and the region remains key on the agenda of the NDC.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu has expressed worry over the current Constitutional Instrument (C.I 94) laid before the House on behalf of the Electoral Commission by the Majority Leader Osei-Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu on election regulation 2020.

According to him with the current C I, the 2020 presidential and parliamentary, elections would be on a provisional register unlike previously, where the register was certified, registered and clarified.

“You saw that I was struggling to bring this to the attention of the Speaker, by the virtue of Article 11 of the 1992 Constitution, parliament can only watch and neither add or subtract and delete because it is inferior legislation to the parent Act 11. It gives me much to be concerned and worried”.

He stated that without fear of contradiction, the 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections is likely to run on a provisional register and not a final certified voters’ register because; “A person whose name appears on a provisional register not as it was in CI 94 on a certified final register it mean that, the EC is running behind time what the ramification would be on the 2020 presidential and Parliamentary elections your guess is as good as mine”.

And further explained at a hurried press conference that the nomination for the presidential and parliamentary elections would be on a provisional register and wanted to draw the speaker’s attention, so that it is addressed.

“EC is supposed to make certified copies of the provisional results to the political parties for the conduct of the elections, this exposes Jean Mensah’s unpreparedness, incompetent and threat to sustain our democracy”.

Mr. Iddrisu urged the media to be interested in what is going on with the registration exercise as many of the registration centers are non-functional and pointed out his fear of many people suffering because of the inefficiencies of the EC.

As to whether the issue was not raised at the Business Committee, he noted that there was an attempt to define new C.I. but revealed that the current state of the C.I would see elections conducted on a provisional and not final certified register.

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Minister for Communications, Ursula Owusu-Ekufful has said the need to observe social distancing during the Electoral Commission’s registration exercise is for the benefit of individual Ghanaians, and they are not doing it for the state.

According to her observing the protocols against the spread of COVID-19 would protect ones family especially those who are older in the family; fathers, mothers, aunties and uncles.

In an interview, she pointed out that in her rounds to observe the registration exercise by EC, she noticed that when her constituents see her they start observing the social and physical distancing protocols but when she goes away they relax it.

Again, note that it is not that people do not have the facemask, they do, it is either in their pocket, bag, they are holding it or they have it on and it is under their chin. “Yes the state would enforce mask wearing, we should not be chased with whips, it’s for our own safety, we need to take responsibility for our safety”.

The Ablekuma West lawmaker further pointed out that the coronavirus does not have legs, it is human beings that move it and it needs a host to carry it, “we should not allow ourselves to be that host”.

“If you feel you are invincible and you cannot get it what about your children, wearing of facemask is something we have to do for the foreseeable future until we find a cure for COVID-19, and you see as a country our numbers keep increasing”.

On  the argument whether the registration done by the EC is necessary, she pointed out that the Supreme Court has given a ruling on it and as a nation we have gone beyond that debate, “whether limited registration or not those who turn eighteen years would have registered and there would have been queuing”.

And urged the media to help educate Ghanaians on the safety protocols to enable Ghanaians exercise their civic responsibility. “We should not take chances as a people let us observe the safety protocols against the spread of COVID-19”, she observed.

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Member of Parliament for North Tongu Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has requested that Parliament be told who is acting for Ministers affected by COVID-19 as the norm has been for other Minister to act for those not at post.

According to him if a Minister is not at post currently the executive arm of government appoints another minister to act on his or her behalf.

He pointed out that key Ministries  like Health, Education and Regional Re-organisation do not have their Ministers  at post at the moment due to COVID-19 infection, hence there is the need to know those acting so that if lawmakers have issues they can reach out to them.

Addressing his concern as raised on the floor of the House, Majority Chief Whip, Kwesi Ameyaw-Cheremeh who presented the Business Statement on behalf of the Majority Leader Osei-Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu noted that, that issue was not within the purview of the Committee.

“If the Executive makes this information available to the Speaker it would be announced on the floor of the House, for now let us hold our guns”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com