Month: June 2021

A member of the Nigerian delegation to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament, Abiodun Olujimi has questioned who the elected MPs would report to in his or her home country should the direct adult suffrage be implemented?

According to her the crusade for direct election of MPs for the Community Parliament is not going to be an easy one, indicating that “if we do, those elected would they be under the presidency, or how do they get paid, do they have a parliament to report to?”

In an interview at the end of the 2021 First Ordinary Session, she further questioned how the elected Community MPs would carry out assignments given them, and pointed out that what the current MPs nominated by their national Assemblies do is a balancing act, serving their national Parliament and the Community Parliament.

Again, in Nigeria we are a growing nation, how do we have elections and share 35 among 37 states that is also a problem we need to look at it very well, for member states that have five (5) to eight (8) representation it is easy, she stated.

On the issue of Nigerian lawmakers not attending the 2021 First Ordinary Session in their numbers looking at their numerical strength of thirty-five (35), she said “the reason why our people cannot attend is simple, if you are here you are burdened with several events, you have to go to your parliament and come here too, how do you do all the jobs assigned to you?”.

She further pointed out that, when they go to member states, lawmakers from member states where they attend delocalised or Extra Ordinary meetings, their lawmakers are unable to attend meetings and concentrate.

She was however, quick to point out that Nigerian lawmakers to the Community Parliament do attend session later in the day, and same applies to member states.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com/Abuja

The Government Statistician at the Ghana Statistical Service, Prof Samuel Kobina Anim has told Parliament that, Ghana has so far put in an amount of Five Hundred and Twenty-One Point Three million Ghana Cedis (Ghc 521.3 million) in the ongoing Population and Housing Census.

He said, the cost for this exercise is very moderate compared to many African countries that carried out similar census exercise and the cost involved. Citing Kenya as an example, he said they held same exercise about two years ago with a Population close to forty-eight million (48 million population) and spent equivalent to about One Hundred and Eighty million Dollars (Dollars180).

Prof Kobina Anim further explained that, the census night is not meant for enumerators (officers) to be knocking at people’s door in their houses for counting but rather, it I s meant to count some targeted groups on the night of 27 June, 2021 such as people who are homeless, people who will be in transit and those who are going to spend the night at guest houses and hotels.

He made this information known to Parliament, when the Ghana Statistical Service appeared before the House for briefing on the ongoing Population and Housing Census and the cost involved, on Tuesday, June 22,2021.

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Minister for Lands and Natural Resource Samuel Abu Jinapor, has said the Committee set up to look into the issue of land dispute between the military, La Traditional Council and the youth would present its report by the end of June 2021.

The Committee chaired by his deputy Benito Owusu-Bio he noted was given two weeks to report but the time had to be extended due to survey works that had to be carried out and further meetings between the parties involved.

According to him, he inherited from his predecessor the disputed land in question between the military, La Traditional Council and the youth and compulsory land acquisition issues are complex issue.

He has had a meeting with all the parties involve and has come to a firm conclusion that it is import to move into the issue and find out if the land acquisition is established by law and if the necessary compensation were paid, and that is the terms of reference given to the committee set up to look into the issue.

This came up on the floor of the House when Member of Parliament for Dadekotopone Rita Naa Odoley Sowah on Tuesday, June 22, 2021 asked a question on the floor of the House to know, what steps had been taken to resolve the land dispute which resulted in the military brutalizing some journalists and youth of La on April 15, 2021.

Mr. Abu Jinapor told the House if the said assault occurred it’s regrettable but it’s a matter that should be dealt with within the security agencies, and the committee set up is to find a solution so that the matter is resolved and, in the future, there would be no such incidents.

Member of Parliament for Okaikwe Central Patrick Yaw Boamah sought to know from the Minister in a follow up question if there are petition before the Minister on lands acquired by the state that owners are asking that it be reverted to them. This, the minister confirmed to have a lot of petitions before his desk on lands acquired compulsory all over the country, and there is work on going to resolve those issues in question.

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Parliament of Ghana on Tuesday, June 22, 2021 approved twelve deputy ministers designate as the third batch of the deputy ministerial nominees.

Presenting the committee’s report to the House, the first deputy Speaker of Parliament who doubles as Chairman of the Appointment Committee, Joseph Osei Owusu said, the nominees are considered fit for the positions and were made to answer questions on eligibility, their integrity and questions in respect to areas they have been nominated.

The Chairman further said, at the end of the vetting and consideration, the committee concluded that, the nominees of his Excellency, the President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo-Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s deputy ministerial appointments have demonstrated enough competence and professionalism and therefore request for the approval by the House.

The House unanimously voted yes in approval of all the twelve deputy ministers, when the Rt Hon Speaker of Parliament Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin put the question for approval or otherwise.

The names of the deputy ministers that were approved are as follows:

1: Bright Wereko-Brobey deputy designate for Employment and Labour Relations

2:  Michael Okyere Baafi deputy designate for Trade and Industry

3: Dr. Mohammed Ameen Adams deputy designate for Energy

4: Stephen Banbim Jalulah deputy designate for Roads and Highways

5:  Thomas Imbomba deputy designate for Foreign Affairs

6: Abduali Abanga deputy designate for Works and Housing

7: Herbert Krampah deputy designate for Trade and Industry

8:  Fatimatu Abubaka deputy designate for Information

9:  Mark Okraku Mantey deputy designate for Tourism Arts and Culture

10: Mahama Assei Fuseini deputy designate for Health

11: Alfred Tuah Yeboah deputy designate for Attorney General and Justice

12: Hon Gifty Twum-Ampofo deputy designate for education

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As the House approved the first and second batches of vetted deputy ministers of President Nana Akufo-Addo’s government, the Rt. Hon Speaker, Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin has caution them not to sacrifices the primary mandate given them by Ghanaians for electing them as Members of Parliament.

According to him being a deputy minister is an additional responsibility given to them by H. E. the President Nana Akufo-Addo and that is secondary.

“Your primary duty is to the people of Ghana as the representatives of the people. The people elected you to represent them in Parliament, you owe that primary duty to the people and to Parliament.

You have been given additional responsibility by the President that is secondary.  If you decide to sacrifice the mandate and the legitimacy of the people for that of the President, you do that at your own peril. Parliament will continue to hold you responsible to the people of Ghana.”

He used the opportunity to thank leadership of the Appointment Committee for listening to his council on Thursday and working to approve the ministers-designate on Friday, June 18, 2021 as the House could not approve the second batch due to three deputy ministers who had issues and needed further consultation.

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The time has come for political parties to redefine their structures and ensure the active participation of the youth in decision making, the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban S. K. Bagbin has said.

He noted that the present political system in the country does not adequately respond to the needs and challenges that confront young people, and therefore, called for a more inclusive approach to addressing such issues.

The Speaker made the appeal in an address to mark Denmark’s Constitution Day and 60 years of diplomatic relations between Denmark and Ghana.

The event, was held virtually under the theme, “Inclusive party governance and the future of democracy”.

Acknowledging the strides Denmark had made over the years in deepening inclusive party governance, including women and youth participation in decision making, he said there was a lot Ghana needed to learn from that country.

“Governments have a critical role to play with respect to the inclusiveness of policy-making processes, and of the outcomes that they seek to promote, so advocating for inclusive governance requires strong processes and institutions,” he said.

To help the country to emulate Denmark’s achievements in that regard, the Speaker expressed his commitment to partner civil society organizations to reach out to political parties and its leaders to create the needed awareness and education for more inclusivity in decision making.

The Speaker commended the Danish Government for the many developmental projects it had carried out in various parts of the country and called for a further deepening of cooperation between the two countries towards attaining mutual goals.

For his part, a former Speaker of the Danish Parliament, Mr. Mogens Lykkotoft, also underscored the need for democratic countries to build strong institutions particularly the legislature, which he said, must have the muscle to hold the executive accountable for the people.

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