Month: June 2021

The Minority in parliament has filed a parliamentary motion for a bi-partisan probe into the procurement of the Sputnik V vaccine through an intermediary and processes leading to the award of contract to Frontiers Healthcare Services.

Government has come under heavy criticisms over attempts to procure the Sputnik V Vaccine at $19 and $26 through a third party.

At a press conference on Thursday, June 24, 2021 Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu served the last warning to government to drop the deal.

According to the Minority Leader the contract signed was not in the interest of Ghanaians and the report which would be produced by the bi-partisan probe would advise them on their next line of action.

He further pointed out that President Nana Akufo-Addo’s government is blaming COVID-19 anytime there are challenges in the country but it has benefited a lot from COVID related activities, and gave examples of the Act on presidential emergency powers, and contributions to support a fund to combat the novel coronal virus.

He lamented over why the Health Ministry should deal with a middle man to procure sputnik V vaccine at $19 instead of $10 that all countries are getting theirs. And since this is an international transaction the Minority would be waiting to hear the views of Attorney General and Minister for Justice on the matter.

“Failure to have a parliamentary approval in this transaction in itself is illegal and the Minister said he dealt with the deputy Russian Ambassador; there is not position like that, we are not convinced”.

Additionally, he pointed out that the World Health Organisation has cautioned countries against buying vaccine from middle men because of their potency and despite the cordial relation Ghana has with Russian their embassy in Ghana was not contacted to help procure the vaccine.

“Our Foreign Affairs Minister Shirly Ayorkor Botwe has let the country down and more worrying is President Nana Akufo-Addo who had occupied that same position before and under his watch we had such a thing go on, even we in the Minority have access to the Russian Embassy in Ghana”.

 Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

The Public Account Committee of the 8^th Parliament has surcharged the Ministry of Works and Housing, Roads and Highways for failing to appear before it on Thursday, June 24, 2021 when it had its first public hearing.

According to the Chairman of the Committee Dr. James Klutse Avedzi the two Ministries would bear the cost that Parliament incurred for organising the meeting on Thursday, despite the fact that he does not know the cost, it could easily be ascertained from the accounts department of Parliament.

He further pointed out that the cost incurred by the national broadcaster Ghana Television (GTV) would be borne by the two Ministries, and directed that the two Ministries appear before them on Friday, June 25, 2021 at 2:00pm.

The Committee would sit today and the following Ministries have to appear before the Committee, Ministry of Education and Ghana Education Service at 9:00am, Communication and Digitalisation midday and Lands and Natural Resources 1:00pm.

Chairman of the Committee was happy that members turn up in their numbers and believe they would do a good job in the interest of the country.

He cautioned Ministries that are supposed to appear before the Committee today that they are cloth with powers under Article 103 clause 6 of the 1992 Republican Constitution with the powers of a High Court.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

The Minority in Parliament has described the COVID -19 testing contract between the government and Frontiers Healthcare Services Limited, a private company as a deliberate effort at ripping the state off revenue.

The Minority is of the view that for a government that has appealed to the private sector and individuals to contribute to a COVID Trust Fund to help deal with the pandemic, it would have been prudent to engage the Nugochi, to perform this at a less cost to the state.

Addressing the media at a press briefing in parliament, Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu indicated that that agreement was so poor and insensitive to the state to the extent that out of a colossal $16.3m dollars that accrued for charging travellers US$150 for the less sensitive and inferior antigen test, between September to December 2020, only a paltry $1million was handed the Kotoka International Airport and the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority, who are partners in this whole arrangement. The rest goes to the private company, Frontiers Healthcare Services Limited.

“Government, you could sign 20 – 80, 60 – 40, 70 – 30 agreement, you are still not the dominant player but 16 million dollars for 1million dollar, when Nuguchi could’ve undertaken this exercise and other countries are undertaking this cheaper”, the Minority Leader indicated.

And noted that Noguchi was in a better position to carry out the testing and use the proceeds to improve its institutional capacity and be more prepared to deal with such investigative health demands on the country in the future.

“We have always been of the opinion that an institution like the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research should have been given that contract instead of a veiled foreign owned company whose ownership we cannot clearly delineate.”

And also expressed surprise that neither the Minister of Health, the Ghana Health Service nor anyone in authority seems to know the processes that led to the award of that contract, even as they continue to demand answers about the whole contract.

“We wish to serve notice that the NDC caucus has prepared a motion demanding a bi-partisan parliamentary enquiry into the Frontiers affair”.

Dominic Shirimori/Ghanamps.com

Rt Hon Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin on Wednesday, June 23, 2021 inaugurated the management Committee of the Parliamentary Friendship Association of the 8^th Parliament of the fourth Republic of Ghana.

He explained that, the association is established to help deepen the unwavering bond, friendship and excellent relationship between Parliament of Ghana and their respective countries.

And further indicated that, as at the end of the seventh Parliament, the association had already been established with thirty-eight (38) countries and had really helped improve the cordial relationship among them.

Mr.  Bagbin further said, the world in our time has become a global village due to the great strikes made in science and technology, and in same vein emerging challenges confronting this world turn to be trans-generational.

He said, in view of this challenges, no nation on earth can claim the exclusive know-how to deal with the emerging issues around the world and such issues requires countries strengthen up bonds to build stronger networks to be able to apply the best practices and contribute to solving current bunch of problems in the world.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

The Minority led by Deputy Minority Leader, James Klutse Avedzi boycotted the approval of the 8th report of the Appointment Committee on Wednesday, June 23, 2021 which sought to approve four (4) deputy minister-designates.

According to him the Minority members on the Appointment Committee were not in attendance on the June 11, 2021 where Chairman of the Committee, Joseph Osei-Owusu organized the vetting process of the four nominees despite directives from the Speaker that MPs should participate fully in the ‘Green Ghana’ exercise to plant trees to recover the lost vegetation of the country.

The four names on the 8th report of the Appointment Committee are;

1. Diana Asonaba Dappah deputy designate for Attorney-General and Justice
2. Lariba Zuweria Abdul deputy designate for Gender, Children and Social Protection
3. Martin Adjei Mensah-Korsah deputy designate for Local Government and Rural Devotement
4. Amidu Issahaku Chinnia deputy-designate for Sanitation and Water Resources

“Chairman of the Committee has not been fair to the Minority side of the Committee, whiles we were obeying directives from the Speaker, there was a meeting that was vetting deputy minister-nominees”

And further pointed out that, “our side would not support the four nominees and I want to draw your attention to it”.

“Mr. Speaker I want to draw your attention that we are walking out when you finish with the approval we would come back”.

In a related development, Majority Leader Osei-Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu appealed that the issue should not divide the House, as they have come a long way in consensus building in carrying out businesses of the House.

“What I gathered from the statement of the deputy Minority Leader is that there is a mix up in communications”. And called on the Second Deputy Speaker who presided over the House to engage the leadership of both sides in matters of this nature.

And added that if the Speaker has been more consultative, the current issues would not have arisen, and to the extent that nobody has any strong point against the four the speaker should put the question for the approval of the four.

 Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Parliament on Wednesday, June 23, 2021 adopted the Eighth Report of the Appointments Committee on the President’s nominations for Deputy Ministerial appointments and consequently approved the nominees for their various portfolios.

This brings to finality the approval of President Akufo-Addo’s list of 40 nominees for the position of Minister of State and 39 Deputy Ministers submitted to the Speaker of Parliament on April 21, 2021 for vetting and approval.

The Report tabled at the plenary covers the vetting process of four deputy ministerial nominees comprising,

1. Diana Asonaba Dapaah as deputy Minister designate for Attorney-General and Justice.
2. Lariba Zuweira Abdul deputy minister designate for Gender, Children and Social Protection.
3. Martin Adjei Mensah-Korsah, deputy minister-designates for Local Government and Rural Development
4. Amidu Issahaku Chimnia deputy minister designate for Sanitation and Water Resources.

Chairman of the Appointments Committee and First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei Owusu presenting the Committee’s Report stated that President Akufo-Addo submitted the list of nominees for the position of Minister of State and 39 Deputy Ministers appointed under 24 portfolios to the Speaker of Parliament on April 21, 2021.

The Committee, according to him, duly considered the President’s nominations for the Deputy Ministerial appointments and recommended them for approval by consensus after ensuring that they met all constitutional provisions among other considerations.

After a brief debate, the Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Andrew Asiamah Amoako who was then presiding over the sitting put the motion to a voice vote where he ruled that the four nominees have been approved by the House.

The House, he said, will proceed to communicate the decision to His Excellency President Nana Akufo-Addo as Parliament having given prior approval to the nominees.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Leader of the Liberia delegation to the Community Parliament, Malvin Edwin Snowe Junior has said there is the need to adjust as to the way business is done in the House, as later parts of the First Ordinary Session witnessed absenteeism on the part of lawmakers, adding that it would not be business as usual.

According to him the observation of Ghanamps.com is right that towards the end of the Session there were a lot of empty seats and business should be taken seriously. “Things would change for the better under this new dispensation”.

When questioned in an interview as to why things have not changed for the better when it comes to participation of Community lawmakers, as he led a crusade against absenteeism under the fourth Legislature, under Speaker Moustapha Cisse-Lo, he said, “I agree with you, because I am one of the key people behind this current administration, there are things we are seeing that we need to adjust and I would hold a word with Rt. Hon Sidie Mohammed Tunis, things cannot remain the same”.

And further added that, as a parliament they need to have true reflection of democratic tenet and there would be consultation, “are things going as expected? I will say no, we need to work to improve things?”

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com/Abuja