Month: June 2021

Deputy Majority Leader Alexander Kwamena Afenyo Markin has said the Minority’s posture in the wake of withholding the approval of Gifty Twum Ampofo has to do with consensus building.

According to him nobody in the leadership of the Minority caucus has told him they want to hold back a vote against any nominee that has come before the Appointment Committee, “the NDC caucus has not said they are against Gifty that is not what I have heard”.

And further pointed out in an interview with journalists in parliament after adjournment on Friday, June 18, 2021 that there ae some outstanding reports of the last deputy ministers designate to be laid for approval on the floor of the House on Tuesday, June 22, 2021 since the Committee is done with its hearings.

When asked a question if the nominee would be approved by consensus, the Vice chair of the Appointment Committee noted that the issue should not be preempted, but rather all should wait and see what would happen on Tuesday.

And recalled that at the vetting of the deputy energy minister-designate, Egyapa Mercies, there were issues and the media went to town that he would not be approved, but after every vetting each day they meet to take a decision and it is the right of any member to express concern.

“Mr. Egyapa was part of the names that was approved by consensus and it is only fair for a nominee to be given the opportunity to address an issue, we should not pick and choose, there is not controversy, we have built consensus on most of the nominees”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Member of Parliament for Tamale North Alhassan Suhuyini has said Parliament’s decision to withhold the approval of deputy minister for Education, Gifty Ampofo should not be seen to have anything to do with him.

He said he was left with the feeling that the nominee’s conscience was not alive to the threat of corruption to Ghana’s democracy after her vetting.

According to him it should not be how he felt when the nominee accosted him after their interaction at the vetting. “It is about the motivation for us to ensure that at all times people are alive to the threat of corruption, even when we are found to have done things that are not worthy of our status as honourable members”.

He told journalists after the House was adjourned on Friday, June 18, 2021 that lawmakers should have the presence of mind to admit and express some regret in dealing with issues that go against them, so that people can pardon them, given the reality to address the needs of society.

And added that, as lawmakers they need to understand that it is not their desire to allow corruption to fester in the Ghanaian society.

Deputy Educational Minister designate’s brouhaha arise when she appeared before the Appointment Committee and the Tamale North MP pointed out to her about civil society organization, Centre for Democratic Development (CDD) research that point out to issue of corruption during the parliamentary primaries of the nominee.

Also, the Tamale North lawmaker pointed out that there is a report which point to the fact that corruption in Africa is driven by the needs of society, and it is difficult for one to suggest that it can be washed away and there can never be corruption free in “Africa”.

“The little steps we make towards the fight against corruption should not be killed and we should have conscience to fight against corruption. I was not satisfied with her answers, I want to thank the leadership of the Minority and the caucus for their solidarity”

Again, this gives him inspiration that indeed when it comes to doing what is right and it is approached in the right way, the Minority side would always rise to the occasion and after further consultation with leadership it was decided that the name of the nominee should be stepped-down for further consultation before the House takes a decision.

  Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Government is making efforts to effect payment of the outstanding water bills to the Water and Sanitation Management Team (WSMT) of Dzodze for the free water supplied by WSMT to residents under the covid-19 relief programme, the Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah has said.

The people of Dzodze are currently faced with acute water shortage following government’s inability to pay that outstanding bill to enable the Community Water Board to carry out system maintenance to continue to supply the people with water.

But the Member of Parliament for Ketu North, James Klutse Avedzi who raised the issue with the minister in a question to know the plans of the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources to solve the acute water shortage of the people of Dzodze was not enthused with the response as the minister failed to put timeline on the payment.

Mr. Avedzi did not take it kindly when the Minister sought to praise the president and the finance minister for already paying some huge amounts of money in settling similar debts for other communities.

The MP was more concerned about the difficulty his people are going through to get potable water, and wanted to know if there was any interim measure to alleviate the crisis at Dzodze.

But the Minister only assured that efforts are being made to address the situation, saying “the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, and the Community Water and Sanitation Agency are liaising with the Ministry of Finance to effect payment of the outstanding bills for the free water supplied by Dzodze WSMT to the residents, as well as other outstanding bills owed across the country.”

Madam Abena Dapaah said Dzodze and other communities including Agordome, Akatsi, Abor, Klikor-Agbozume, Aflao, Greater Lome and its environs have been considered to benefit from the Sogakope-Lome Transboundary Water Supply Project as part of the government’s ‘Water for All’ agenda, which mandates that all communities along the transmission line from the water source and distribution lines.

Dominic Shirimori/Ghanmps.com

Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu has given indications that they would file a motion demanding that a by-partisan Committee be set up to look into the procurement of COVID-19 vaccine for Ghana, which has emerged that Ghana paid 19 dollars for a dose instead of 10 dollars accepted internationally.

He further wanted to know why some Chief Executives of public institutions have not been appointed, same with the Road Fund Board, as contractors who are Ghanaian entrepreneurs and have undertaken projects have not been paid.

“President Nana Akufo-Addo should ensure that the Road Fund Board is properly constituted, and Chief Executives to some of the Public Institutions. We do not want to believe it is deliberately being done”, he indicated.

And commended the deputy Leader for giving indications that the House would close early next week Thursday, to allow MPs to participate in the census exercise which is national in character.

In response, the Deputy Majority Leader Afenyo Markin noted that debate on motion is allowed and the Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu is welcome with his motion.

 Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Member of Parliament for North Tongu Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa is unhappy that his urgent question to the finance minister which was not taken this week despite it being advertised on Wednesday, June 16, 2021 has still not been listed for next week.

He drew the Speaker’s attention to this when the Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo Markin presented the Business Statement for the ensuing week on Friday, June 18, 2021.

“I was told yesterday by the clerk at table Jetro that, Ken Ofori Atta is asking for more time, I was expecting that, that question would be programmed for next week, but that is not the case. I have gone through the business statement”

Again, he added that his question is an urgent question and under normal circumstances urgent question should not go beyond ten days. “My question is simple cost of the president travel”.

Mr. Ablakwa, again pointed out that since the Interior and Defence Ministers would be coming to the House, provision should be made for them to come and brief the House on the security situation in the wake on armed robbers attacking bullion vans.

“A police officer was killed and Ghanaians are concerned with the current state of insecurity”.

In response to the question posed, deputy majority leader, Alexander Kwabena Afenyo Markin noted that a firm indication has been given that the finance minister would come and attend to his question. “You need the facts and he would be here to do that, he was here yesterday”.

And ones the facts the member is looking for are available, the Minister would be in the House to attend to him.

On the issue of security, he noted that it is the reason why there are various Committees and encourage the Committee on Defence and Interior to take the security issue up and a report would come to the floor of the House.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Member of Parliament for Bole/Bamboi, Yusif Sulemana has asked the Minister of Energy, ….to consider installing transformers for Chibrinyo, Babato, Gbagda, and Nsunia communities to enable residents enjoy electricity.

the MP’s call follows the Minister’s disclosure that Chibrinyo, Babato, Gbagda and Dogli do not form part of the Ministry’s ongoing SHEP-5 rural Electrification project in the Bole/Bamboi District.

However, the MP who was confused by the Minister’s disclosure contest that these communities have already been connected to a point with poles, and what is left is transformers, hence the disclosure that there is no immediate plan but those communities would be considered for connection to the national grid in subsequent phases is baffling.

Meanwhile, the minister of Energy assured that the situation would be investigated and his request considered. And assured that he would ensure all communities are connected to the national grid.

According to the Minister, the ongoing SHEP-5 Rural Electrification project in the district covers only Noryiri, Bekwaikura, and Nsunia, while

Chibrinyo, Babato, Dogli, and Gbagda have not been captured yet.

He attributed delays in completion of works under the SHEP-5 in the district to shortage of the type of transformers. He however assured that “the ministry is arranging to procure some of these transformers and subsequently release them to the contractors to complete the works when the Ministry takes delivery of same”.

“High Voltage (HV) and Low Voltage (LV) network construction works have been completed in the communities, and the outstanding works in these areas are substation (transformers) and Customer service installation works.”

List of registered customers have been submitted by the utility, Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) and it is being processed for release to the contractor for installation in the communities”

Dominic Shirimori/ghanamps.com

Ranking Member on Roads and Transport, Governs Kwame Agbodza believes one of the reasons why Ghana is unable to build more roads in the era of President Nana Akufo-Addo is due to sole sourcing.

According to him cocoa roads under the current NPP government who were earlier before coming to power complaining, now offers cocoa roads of four thousand six hundred kilometers at a cost of almost fourteen billion Ghana cedis.

He noted at a media briefing on Wednesday June 16, 2021 that the previous NDC government with two thousand nine hundred kilometers of those cocoa roads cost five point one billion Ghana cedis. “Why has projects cost gone up astronomically under the NPP? And they are awarding projects in foreign currency against the advice of the Bank of Ghana?”.

Then candidate Nana Akufo-Addo and his vice Dr. Bawumi said they would ensure that sole sourcing becomes exceptional when they win power in 2017, but it’s the norm now, and noted that his colleague Adowa Sarfo was the procurement minister in the previous regime.

“Out of the one hundred cocoa roads, seventy-six were sole sourcing, this government can never be trusted, NPP has told so many untruths when it comes to cocoa roads and have inflated cost of roads”.

Again, they say they have paid contractors but in reality, there is real trouble because government does not care about roads, one billion cedis was approved in the budget for roads, how are we going to build roads? “You ask they say we are going to borrow; we are waiting”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Ranking Member of the Appointment Committee, Haruna Iddrisu has urged Ghanaians to provide the committee with credible information to help facilitate their work when Ministers-designate come before them.

According to him this would assist them in their work to do a thorough job and it is for the same reason why they send memoranda inviting the public to provide them with information that has to do with criminality.

“It should not be just mere allegations but should be credible information as Article 94 of the 1992 constitution enjoins them to examine the nominees that comes before us on criminality”.

He made this remarks on Wednesday, June 16,2021 when report on the first batch of Deputy Ministers vetted came to the floor of the House for approval.

On the Deputy-designate for Lands and Natural Resources Benito Owusu-Bio, the Minority Leader noted that he had improved in legislative business on the floor of the House, and urged him to help address an issue of a PPA, where some contractors have not been paid and was raised at the committee level.

On the Deputy Finance-designate, Abena Osei-Asare, he noted that she should help the sector minister improve on revenue mobilization, and wondered why would they budget for ten dollars and go and buy COVID vaccine for 19 dollars?

He also attests to the fact that Communication digitilisation holds the key to the future, aa such we need to make ICT part of our national activities, when he touched on Minister-designate for Communications Ama Pomaa Boateng.

“Under the NDC, John Mahama extended internet facility, I find it interesting that now students are talking about extending intent facility to their campus, we extended internet to the University of Development Studies during our time”, Haruna indicated.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com