Month: March 2021

Minority Chief Whip, Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak on Tuesday, March 2, 2021 raised the red flag when he noticed that his colleagues from the Majority side of the House were bringing in more chairs despite earlier directives to observe COVID-19 protocols and more chairs were not needed.

According to him some MPs were supposed to be in the offices to observe proceeding.

“Mr. Speaker, if we have decided that we are all negative hence we want to disregard the protocols let it be said, I know it was for good reason that we chose to respect the protocols and I hope you would give the necessary directives”.

The Majority Chief Whip Frank Annor Dompreh on his part noted that he has noted the concerns raised by his colleague but need to correct the wrong impression because the only chair being brought in was for the First Deputy Speaker.

“I have not seen any extra chairs being brought in apart from that of the First Deputy Speaker, it can be corrected if there is an extra chair, but my colleague should not exaggerate the issues”.

Rt Hon Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin underscored the need to observe the physical distancing protocols and he would be making a statement on the floor on the matter after consulting with leadership of the House.

“We should come out with figures, I am in a privilege position and have information in relation with MPs health when it comes to COVID-19, cringe when I see some of you getting close to your colleagues, I am not in the position to disclose”

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

In the wake of a leaked purported Minority members of the Appointment Committee rejecting three of the nominees, Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu has clarified that his side has not come out with any assessment and rejected nominees based on arrogance.

According to him there is neither the Majority nor Minority Appointment Committee, “we are working as a Committee.

He noted that they are looking at temperament, integrity and not arrogance that is not the work of the Committee, rather they are looking at the contribution of nominees to public service.

And added; the Minority side on the Committee had some concerns with regard to some nominees that had been before the Committee. With Hawa Koomson they wanted the status of the shooting incident and since investigations have not been concluded they wanted better particulars.

And on the Agriculture Minister designate, they were unhappy with the termination of contract at the Ghana Ports and Harbor Authority which occasioned some losses, a major disincentive to investors.

On Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, they wanted clarification on his Micro Finance and Bank of Ghana’s position as to whether he owes and on Health Minister-designate Kwaku Agyeman Manu,  they demanded that someone must be responsible for the Frontier Health Care Services workings at the airport.

“We are not getting clear answers on the matter on how the procurement was done and others including the La Polyclinic, I visited there to appreciate what is going on there”.

On the issue of the Minister-designate for Communications and Digitization they wanted to look into assurance given with the Keli GVG and looking at the closure of some radio stations.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Chairman of the Appointment Committee Joseph Osei-Owusu has said the Committee has no powers to reject any nominee that comes before them as the Committee can only make recommendations.

According to him the plenary would either decide to accept or reject the recommendations of the Appointment Committee and urged members of the Committee to be clear on this.

He said this on Tuesday. March 2, 2021 before the Committee started it work for the day in the wake of some purported Minority rejection of three nominees.

“We should stop pretending that we have the powers to make such decisions, let us present our report and stop discussing it in the media. Every discussion should be at the plenary, I encourage members to move away from that”.

The Chairman further revealed that during the meeting yesterday, none of the matters being discussed in the media were in the report, the matter was brought to his attention and such conducts undermined the integrity of the committee.

And further pointed out that the matters being raised if you compare them to the videos the Committee has, there is so much difference, and had not mandated anyone to speak for the Committee.

“It is being discussed in the media, this is more unbecoming of us as Members of Parliament, and by our own standing orders you can be taken to the privileges committee when you discuss matters on the committee intended for the plenary”.

Again, we can agree to disagree, that is why it is a democracy and let us not take matters out of the Committee to the public domain, he advised.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Speaker of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament, Rt. Hon. Sidie Mohamed Tunis has arrived in Bamako the capital of the Republic of Mail on a fact finding mission.

The mission is to gather necessary information from stakeholders on the progress made on the transitional process to civil rule in Mali.

In a related development, the Speaker of the Community Parliament would hold a briefing with the Malian delegation to the Parliament.

Speaker Tunis held a successful meeting with members of the National Transition Council that is the Interim National Assembly of Mail and their First Deputy Speaker.

“We expressed how impressed, we were with progress being made by all stakeholders towards the consummation of lasting peace and democracy in Mali, and pledged the ECOWAS Parliament’s support at every stage of the transitional process”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com