Month: August 2022

There was mad rush for free fuel for some commercial drivers in Akyem Oda when Member of Parliament for the area, Alexander Akwasi Acquah, decided to dash 103 gallons of fuel ahead of the official opening of his newly established radio station, “the Community Radio.”

The Community Radio (103.3), the newest among the businessman cum MP’s empire of businesses and located at Akyem Oda is expected to start full operation on Thursday September, 1st 2022.

Ahead of the official opening tomorrow, the MP who also owns other businesses in both Accra and Oda doled out 103 gallons of petrol and diesel at some pump stations in the area.

Speaking in an interview with radio show host Kofi Appiah Kubi, Mr Akwasi Acquah, commended residents of the area, especially commercial drivers in the area for embracing the new station prior to its official opening.

He, however, debunked assertions that the free fuel is being shared to only known drivers, but said that it was being shared randomly to all taxi drivers in the area.

He revealed that efforts are being put in place to ensure that each and every taxi driver receives a fair share of the fuel.

“Kofi let me clarify something, all the calls I have received so far are people who are expressing their appreciation for the free fuel, no one complained of biased distribution or whatsoever. We have for this reason decided to share even more in the coming days. We will share 40 more gallons today”, the MP noted.

Some drivers who spoke in interview could not hide their joy over the free fuel distribution.

According to them, the distribution has relieved them of the financial burden of buying fuel at exorbitant prices considering the recent hike in fuel prices in Ghana due to some external factors.

“Petrol is currently sold for GHs 50 per gallon, so the MP’s free fuel has really helped our work this week”, a taxi driver said.

“I want to thank Honorable Akwasi Acquah for the fuel and also considering us (taxi drivers) ahead of the opening of his new FM station, God richly bless him” another beneficiary driver noted.

Meanwhile, Management of the new Community Radio says the station will begin full operation from September, 1, 2022.

Programmes expected to be aired include; political talk shows, drive time, newspaper review, religious programmes among others.

Ghanamps.com

The Member of Parliament for Akim Oda, Alexander Akwasi Acquah has delivered on his promise to drivers in the constituency as he gives out one hundred and three gallons of fuel to the drivers in his bid to showing appreciation to his listeners on his new radio station – “Community FM”.

According to sources, he is using one week to share the fuel which started on August 29 to 2nd September 2022.

Each driver who benefits is entitled to two gallons each.

Listeners are advised to keep listening so they will know which filling station will be the next to dash out the fuel. Some of the driver’s show their kind gesture to the Member of Parliament for the effort.
Ghanamps.com

The Member of Parliament for the people of Afram Plains North constituency in the Eastern Region, Betty Nana Efua Krosbi Mensah has once again reached out with her philanthropic gesture to some abandoned Island communities in the Afram Plains enclave.

The MP during her regular tour of over 60 selected communities on the Dwarf and Digya Islands presented several items to help improve the living standards of the people.

Items presented to the communities each according to their specific need base include educational materials, health equipment and logistics, food processing equipment, building materials, lightening systems, sporting paraphernalia among others.

Twenty eight communities including Tegeni, Badu, Battorkope, Avutoe, Ada Ntetia, Zion, Avudzega, Galilea,Menekofe and Akwetekofe on the Dwarf Island received items such as bags of cement, roofing sheets, exercise books, footballs and sets of jerseys amd exercise books.

The rest of the items received are teachers desks, dual desks, Solar lights, generators, plastic chairs, galvanized pipes, gari processing machine, aprons, nose masks, wheel chairs, Blood Pressure Monitors and hospital beds.

Other communities on the Dwarf Island that received the MPs gesture are Canan, Foase Torganu, Kedekofe, Kpatalidza, Ativorkope, Nyakuikofe, Yiborkope, Cidikope, Torgome and Fitikope which received Ghc 1000 for the procurement of door keys and window for the completion of their clinic project.

Inhabitants of the Digya Island were not left out of the benevolence of Ms Betty Krosbi Mensah as she presented similar items to communities including Dodi, Kwaehunu, Hedzro, Akplahayo, Kronaka, Kolekope, Manchare, Kwaku Dade, Anwiaso, Apapasu Battor, Congo, Kpekudzi No 1&2 which received a complete set of corn mill and several others.

According to Madam Betty Krosbi Mensah who is known variously among her constituents as “Adwumawura” “Mamaga Dorwortor” and several other names due to her hard working nature, she felt obliged to reach-out with her widows mite to the island communities which have been neglected for far too long and lack basic social amenities.

She was hopeful the intervention will help limit the sufferings of the Island dwellers to some extent even as she looks for more resources to help them.

The Afram Plains North lawmaker recently with support from some NGOs in Cananda donated several health and educational logistics including incubators, hospital beds, hundreds of dual desks and exercise book, story books, and bicycles to health facilities, schools school pupils and farmers in the area.
The young MP expended over Ghc 90,000 of her own personal resources on freight and transportation charges to transport the items to Donkokrom for distribution to the beneficiary institutions and individuals.
Ghanamps.com

During the 65th CPA General Assembly which took place at the 65 Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Canada, Members of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) elected Hon. Ian Liddell-Grainger, MP (United Kingdom) as the new Chairperson of the CPA Executive Committee.

 He has held the role of Acting Chairperson of the CPA Executive Committee since April 2021.

The CPA Chairperson is elected for three years by the CPA General Assembly and works with the CPA Secretary-General and the CPA Headquarters Secretariat to lead the Association.

Members also endorsed the appointment of Hon. Shri Anurag Sharma, MP, and Member of the Lok Sabha at the Parliament of India as the new CPA Treasurer.

 The Treasurer, who is a Member of the Association nominated by the Executive Committee, is appointed for three years by the General Assembly and works with the CPA Secretary-General and the CPA Headquarters Secretariat to monitor the finances of the Association.

The CPA Treasurer also heads the Trustees of the Association.

The 65th CPA General Assembly was followed by a meeting of the new CPA Executive Committee during which Hon. Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, MP, Majority Leader and Member of the Parliament of Ghana was confirmed for the position of Vice-Chairperson of the CPA Executive Committee. The position of Vice-Chairperson is for a term of one year and the holder is also a Member of the CPA Co-ordinating Committee.

The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) organises its annual Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) to address global political issues and developments in the parliamentary system through conference workshops and sessions for leading Parliamentarians representing Parliaments and Legislatures throughout the Commonwealth.

The CPA is an international community of around 180 Commonwealth Parliaments and Legislatures working together to deepen the Commonwealth’s commitment to the highest standards of democratic governance.

Ghanamps.com /CPA news

Majority Leader of Ghana’s Parliament Osei-Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has been elected as the sole candidate for vice chairmanship position of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.

Ghanamps.com can confirm that at the ongoing 65th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association conference in Canada, the Executive Committee unanimously chose Ghana’s Minister for Parliamentary Affairs as sole candidate on Wednesday, August 24, 2022.

His confirmation for the position is scheduled to take place tomorrow, Thursday, August 25, 2022, during the plenary session of the ongoing 65th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference. The personal aid to the Minister noted that so far the various meetings have gone on well as planned.

The lawmaker expressed optimism that the conference recognised Ghana’s enormous contribution through his intervention in the Commonwealth parliament.

“I guess they have all appreciated Ghana’s contribution and my interventions, the result is that, by unanimity, the Executive Committee has resolved to put me up as the sole candidate for the Vice Chairmanship of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. It will be done tomorrow at plenary”, he said

In a related development, a UK MP Hon. Ian Liddell-Grainger was also elected as the sole candidate for the chairmanship position.

If confirmed the two parliamentarians would be working together to steer  affairs of the Commonwealth Parliament Association.

The UK MP is also the Chairperson of the CPA UK Branch Executive Committee.

Ghanamps.com

The Minority in Parliament has taken a swipe at government for the current increases in utility tariffs; electricity and water stating that it would worsen the already difficult economic hardship of Ghanaians, particularly so when the performance of the cedi against other major trading currencies keeps deteriorating. They noted that the Cedi has in recent times witnessed a free fall-reaching almost 50% and currently rated amongst the worst performing currencies in the world.
The Minority in a statement signed by John Abdulai Jinapor, Ranking Member, Mines and Energy Committee said “the country is already reeling under a galloping inflation estimated at about 32%, thus, this utility tariff increment will only exacerbate the current high cost of living and will thus worsen the plight of the already impoverished Ghanaian”.

Even more troubling is the fact that prior to this electricity tariff increment, “Petroleum products at the pumps have witnessed a colossal increment of about 100%.”So far the Energy Debt Recovery Levy has seen an increase of 20%; the Price Stabilization and Recovery Levy is up by 40%. The Unified Petroleum Pricing Formula has been increased by 164%, whilst the BOST margin has been increased from 3 Pesewas to 9 Pesewas representing 200% increase. As if this is not enough, the fuel marking margin levy has also been increased by another 233%”.

They also debunked the misleading conclusion that the PURC has increased the Electricity tariffs by 27% for all consumers. “A critical look at the tariff structure as announced reveals that all residential consumers who falls between 0-300 kWh bracket have witnessed a price increase from GHp/kWh 65.4161 to GHp/kWh89.0422, representing an increment of almost 34%. It should be noted that the bulk of residential consumers fall within the 0-300 kWh bracket and will therefore be adversely affected by the 34% adjustment”.

In view of this, the Minority is calling on the government to take measures to cushion Ghanaians who are going through unimaginable hardships with ever worsening poverty levels. They argued that government has made unexpected windfall of about USD500,000 from Ghana’s share of petroleum resources from crude exports which accrued in the 2022 mid-year budget statement, which can be used to cushion the struggling masses.

Ghanamps.com

The Member of Parliament for Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abirem (KEEA), Samuel Atta Mills has lobbied Ghana Gas to construct Astroturf and an ultramodern classroom with ICT center in Komenda as part of bringing development to the people of Kissi in Komenda. A sod cutting ceremony has been held to officially commence works on the projects which would also see improvement on the drainage system in the area where the facility will be constructed.

In an interview with Ghanamps.com, the lawmaker for KEEA pointed out that there are a lot of second division teams in his constituency and the youth are more than eager to do something meaningfully with their God given talents, and believes the construction of the astroturf will really help showcase their talents and be able to play football at higher levels; “who knows any of the kids here could end up playing for the Ghanaian national team or outside the country”.

Mr. Samuel Mills further pointed out that Kissi in Komenda where the astroturf would be constructed has problems with flooding when it rains; and as part of the facility, there would be works on the drainage to improve the flow of water in the town and stop the flooding. According to him, Ghana Gas is embarking on the projects as part of their corporate social responsibility; “this is where I was born, and went to school, and I know what I have gained out of education in this town, and it’s a nice way to pay back and glorify Ghana’s former late President John Atta Mills.

This is where “he trained as a sports man and it’s good to do something befitting like these in our hometown”. Touching on the Komenda Sugar Factory, he noted that when it was operational previously the town of Komenda and Kissi were very vibrant; it brought in quite a lot of people who help with development. And was an idea of his late big brother John Evans Atta Mills as it creates seven thousand direct and indirect jobs and will boost the economy of KEEA. As such he is going to fight for it, and recounted that when he was young he used to sell ‘sweet bad’.

He assured that this will not be the only project that he will lobby for his constituency as there are so many other projects that he has gone to lobby for the constituency. “This is the first one that has come on at Kissi, there are several projects that are coming on and other projects for KEEA, and this is not the only astroturf coming to KEEA, there is a second one coming and the appropriate time the town will be named”, he stated.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

The Parliament of Ghana has approved a loan facility agreement between the Ghana government and African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) for an amount of $750 million to finance capital growth-related expenditures in the 2022 budget.

The $750 million facility for budget support comprises two tranches – tranche A is made up of €200 million and $101 million while tranche B is made up of $350 million.

The financing terms of the loan facilities include three years grace period for each of the stated amounts, whereas the repayment period for both the €200 million and the $101 million is four each, while that of the $350 million in seven years.

The interest rates for the €200 million, the $101 million, and the $350 million are 5.57 percent per annum, 8.81 percent per annum, and 8.81 percent per annum respectively.

Proceeds from the loan would be used to finance critical infrastructure related to sectors such as roads, energy, railways, and health as captured in the 2022 budget. The list of projects to be financed from the $750 million loan facility is listed above.

The Member of Parliament for the Atebubu-Amantin constituency, Sanja Nanja has pledged his support for a ‘child parliament’ project in his constituency.

The project undertaken by the Atebubu-Amantin municipal office of the National Commission For Civic Education with funding from World Vision Ghana is aimed at imparting onto the children drawn mainly from first and second year pupils in junior high schools in the municipality, the workings of parliamentary democracy as well as the functions and importance of the legislative body.

According to Mr. Patrick Tampugre, the municipal director of the Commission, it also seeks to imbibe in them the art of public speaking, lobbying skills, and advocacy especially on issues affecting child well-being in their communities.

Addressing the child-parliamentarians at an inaugural ceremony in Atebubu, the MP urged them to take the opportunity to study the duties of a Member of Parliament to help address some of the misconceptions that go with the functions of that office.

He praised World Vision Ghana for the numerous interventions in the municipality over the years and called for adequate resources for the NCCE to enable it better execute its mandate.

Hon. Sanja Nanja made a cash donation for the refreshment of the children.

A representative of World Vision Ghana, Mr. Michael Clottey said the ‘child parliament’ concept is in tandem with the focus of his outfit which is to ensure the wellbeing of children.

He said as the non-governmental organization gets ready to exit the municipality, it is concerned with the sustainability of the gains it has made hence the decision to fund the project which he hoped will help children advocate for the necessary resources and facilities that will make life a bit more comfortable for their communities especially children.

The forty member house deliberated on the issue of child marriage looking specifically at the causes, effects and remedies after which they took an oath of office administered by Hon. Gariba Issa who deputized for the municipal director of education.

Present were Mr. Eric Boakye who represented the immediate past Member of Parliament for the constituency Hon. Kofi Amoakohene, Mr. Abdul Aziz Suglo Toyibu, Planning Officer of the municipal assembly who stood in for the Chief Executive and a number of teachers.

Daniel Oduro-Steward/Ghanamps.com