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Month: November 2022

B5 Plus pleads with gov’t to help resolve land litigations issues

Posted on by Kwaku GhanaMPs

Management of B5 Plus, a steel manufacturing company based in the Kpone Katamanso Municipality in Ghana wants government to intervene to resolve some land challenges hindering their expansion drive.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Company, Mukesh Thakwani briefing the parliamentary press corps during their industrial visit to the place stated that land litigation has taken a toll on their quest to expand their operations.
According to him, three supposed owners have so far surfaced on the 660 acres of land they acquired to expand their operations.

He stated that though they initially purchased the land from a company here with clear land title with the Ministry of land, other group surfaced which they had to negotiate with just to proceed with their operations.
But just when they started work on the land, a third group came forward claiming to be the true owners, a situation that stalled every development on the said land.

The CEO said it’s been five years since this issue lingers on, but expressed gratitude to the Ghana Investment Promotion Council (GIPC) and the Ministry of Trade and Industry for their support in partially resolving the issue.
Unfortunately, they are unable to continue developing the land as people keep worrying them each time they try doing so.

He believes that if land issues as this are sorted out seperately and directly since they have land tittles to it, it would help make the “made in Ghana dream” come true, as they (B5 PLus) and other manufacturing companies would be able to create a lot of employment, if the expansion drive is carried out, and this would bring in a lot of foreign currency to help stabilize the cedi.

Established in 2002, B5 Plus is a leading Ghanaian steel manufacturing Company that produces steel products for Ghana and West Africa.

B5 Plus Steel Company is a one-stop shop for high quality steel products, ranging from beams, to stainless steel plates, reinforcing bars, scrap bars, roofing and nails, among many others.

B5 Plus has constructed one of the largest, strategic, state-of-the-art steel manufacturing plants in Africa, under the 1D1F (One District One Factory) programme, in line with the vision of the Government and their mission to promote “Made in Ghana” products.

Ghanamps.com

Ken Ofori-Atta gets a week relief, as censure motion is referred to ad hoc committee

Posted on by Kwaku GhanaMPs

Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta has been given a week of relief as the Speaker has instituted an 8-member ad hoc committee to look into the vote of censure motion brought against him.

This was after the Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu moved the motion of censure which was duly seconded by the Minority Chief Whip, Muntaka.

The Committee co-chaired by K.T Hammond- MP for Adansi Asokwa, and Dominic Ayine- MP for Bolgatanga East.

Majority side of the House

The Committee is expected to present its report in seven days to pave ways for the substantive debate to commence on the floor of the House.

The rest of the members include:
• Zanetor Rawlings – MP Korle Klottey
• Samuel Okudjeto Ablakwa – MP North Tongu
• Bernard Ahiafo – MP Akatsi South representing the Minority
• Patrick Boamah -Mp Okaikwei Central;
• Andrews Agyapa Mensah -MP Sekondi;
• Kwame Anyimadu Antiw- MP Asante Akyem North

The Minority’s motion contained 7 grounds on which they argued the finance minister is not fit for purpose and must be sacked.

Prior to the Speaker directing the motion to the ad hoc committee, the Majority led by the First Deputy Speaker, Afenyo Markin called for fair hearing and due process to be followed.

Mr. Afenyo Markins thus lauded the Speaker’s ruling which directed the motion to the ad hoc committee.

Ghanamps.com

 (NADMO) is providing food and non food items to affected victims—Minister

Posted on by Kwaku GhanaMPs

Minister for the Interior Ambrose Dery has said the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) will continue to work assiduously to save properties and lives in times of flooding and other disasters. According to him NADMO is providing food and non food items to affected victims of flooding and hard work is going into saving life and property.

He further told parliament on Thursday, November 10, 2022 in recent times some districts in the Northern part of the country have experienced flooding due to the spillage of the Bagre dam by Burkina Faso and also in Ashanti and Eastern Region. In towns like Manso Nkwanta, Abuakwa, Koforidua, Kyebi, Suhum, among others being affected part of the Greater Accra Region, like Weija Gbawe Ga East and West as well as Buipe and its surroundings in the Savannah Region has also been affected.

And before the spillage intensive sensitization programme was carried out to educate the population and same is ongoing in the Akosombo and Kpong and its environment to prepare the community towards a probable spillage of the Akosombo and Kpong dames which are at their fullest peak.

Dr. Zanetor-Agyeman-Rawlings Member of Parliament for Klottey-Korle wanted to know measures being put in place to mitigate the devastating impact of the most recent floods on persons living in the affected areas. She further wanted to know the collaboration between the Interior Ministry and Works and Housing to create reservoirs downstream for excess waters to be stored for use given the erratic nature of our rains.

This, the Minister said the Ministry and NADMO take care of the impact on persons and property Works and this Housing has got plans to deal with the flooding and is working on some infrastructure which include creation of dams along the line of rivers and the details of that would be known by the Minister for Works and Housing.

But at their level they have to sometime use equipment to open up gutters and drains to let the water follow the more physical construction prgrammes are left for the Ministry of Works and Housing in some cases Roads and Housing.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

ODA MP CALLS FOR URGENT ACTION TO ACCOMMODATE THE POLICE DIVISIONAL COMMAND

Posted on by Kwaku GhanaMPs

The Member of Parliament of Akyem Oda constituency, Hon. Alexander Akwasi Acquah has urged the Interior ministry to make a commitment towards the building of a befitting edifice to house the divisional command of the Ghana Police Service which is headquartered in Akyem Oda.

This call was made when the Minister of Interior, Hon. Ambrose Derry appeared before the house to answer questions from some MPs. The Akyem Oda MP had filed to ask the Minister, that what effort was his ministry making to accommodate the Oda divisional a police Command in a very appropriate premises as the command has been operating in a rented apartment since it was created. In the answer of the Minister, he recounted that the Police Administration was allocated an 89.81 acres of land in 1979 through an executive instrument.

However resource constants have been a major factor to the construction of both office accommodation and barracks for the Oda divisional command. The minister revealed that a group of oda citizens resident in the United States of America (USA) has proposed to construct the Divisional Police Headquarters on the allocated land.

The Minister said the Police Command is however yet to engage the leadership of the Association to discuss the way forward.

Hon. Alexander Akwasi Acquah said even though he has confidence in his constituents commitment to help the Police Administration in constructing the commands headquarters, the minister must give a firm commitment and assurances to his people on the construction of the edifice.

He also wanted to know if the Minister was aware that portions of the allocated land had been encroached upon and any further delays of the project could affect the size of the allocated lands.

The Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumani Babgin, intervened and assured the MP that the assurance committee of parliament was available to ensure that the ministers promises are upheld.

Ghanamps.com

Police Administration yet to develop 89.81 acre land in Oda—Interior Minister

Posted on by Kwaku GhanaMPs

The Minister of the Interior Ambrose Dery has told Parliament the Police administration is yet to develop the eight-nine point eight one acre of land allocated to the Oda divisional police command in 1979 through an Executive Instrument.

According to the Minister, resources constraints have been a major factor to the construction of both office accommodation and barracks for Oda Divisional Command, but noted that some citizens have notice of willingness to help develop the land.

“Mr. Speaker, in spite of the setback, a group of citizens from Oda resident in the United States of America (USA) has proposed to construct the Divisional Police Headquarters on the allocated land for the Oda Divisional Police Command. The Police Command is yet to engage the leadership of the Association to discuss the way forward.

This came to light when the Member of Parliament for Akim Oda, Alexander Akwasi Acquah wanted to know the effort being made to accommodate the Oda divisional police command as they are in a rented apartment.

The MP who disclosed that some portions of the land have already been encroached added that the continues wait would worsen the situation.

But the Minister calls for collaboration as to how to deal with the issue of encroachment of the land but promised to draw the attention of the police administration to the issue that the MP has put up.

He, however, admitted that the best way out of the situation is for the construction to be undertaken, and noted that his ministry would want to build a lot of police stations.

He assured that there is no lack of commitment from their side, just that they do not have resources, and that when resources are gotten, they would develop the facility very fast.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Rt. Hon Bagbin apologies to Ghanaians for late start of business

Posted on by Kwaku GhanaMPs

Speaker of Ghanas Parliament, Rt. Hon Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin on Thursday, November 10, 2022 apologized to Ghanaians for the late start of business for the day as proceedings started few minutes to midday.

I would on your behalf and on my part apologies sincerely for the delay it was due to the usual communications, because of the impending business for today it is historic day.

And gave MPs assurance he would explain why today is a historical day and further assured members of the general public that parliament takes business of the House serious.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanapms.com

Minority to move vote of censure motion against Ken Ofori-Atta today

Posted on by Kwaku GhanaMPs

Parliament is expected to witness some drama today as the Minority is expected to move its vote of censure motion against the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta.

The Minority cited seven reasons why the finance minister must go including
1. Despicable conflict of Interest ensuring that he directly benefits from Ghana’s economic woes as his companies receive commissions and other unethical contractual advantage, particularly from Ghana’s debt overhang.
2. Unconstitutional withdrawals from the Consolidated Fund in blatant contravention of Article 178 of the 1992 Constitution supposedly for the construction of the President’s Cathedral:
3. Illegal payment of oil revenues into offshore accounts in flagrant violation of Article 176 of the 1992 Constitution;
4. Deliberate and dishonest misreporting of economic data to Parliament
5. Fiscal recklessness leading to the crash of the Ghana Cedi which is currently the worst performing currency in the world;
6. Alarming incompetence and frightening ineptitude resulting in the collapse of the Ghanaian economy and an excruciating cost of living Crisis;
7. Gross Mismanagement of the Ghanaian economy which has occasioned untold and unprecedented hardship to the people of Ghana.
Though the Majority Caucus has also made its stance clear for the Finance Minister to be sacked, it is unclear if they will support the Minority in the secrete vote to get the finance minister out of office.
Already there are indications, the Majority will stage a walkout and this will deprive the Minority of any attempt to secure the two-third votes to give meanings to their quest for the finance minister to go.

Ghanamps.com

Ken must go, but we will not support the NDC

Posted on by Kwaku GhanaMPs

The Member of Parliament for effiduase- Asokore,  Nana Ayew Afriye speaking on behalf of the Majority Caucus said they remain resolute for the Finance Minister to be relieved of his position as stated earlier.

He said even though they have initially agreed to heed the president’s suggestions to allow the Finance Minister present the budget, recent comments by the Finance Minister has given them reason to reverse back to their initial position.

That is to say the finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta must not be the one to present the budget, and must not be the one to present the appropriation.

This, he said would very soon be their position. “We are going to be positively defiant on that posture until that action is taken”.

The Majority however made it clear that they would not support the Minority in their vote of censure in the chamber.

Mr. Afriyie indicated that the course of the NDC is premised on falsehood, propaganda and reasons that are not justifiable.

According to him, the Minority’s position might look like theirs but it is not the same.

He asserts that they (Minority) cannot come to the chamber to level claims that border on criminality over a person that would not be able to come to the chamber to defend himself.

He said they don’t have any personal issues with the finance minister, but their confidence in him has dwindled and he must go and that is the general feeling.

Ghanamps.com

“PIAC’s engagement with Parliament should not end after submission of report”—Eric Defor

Posted on by Kwaku GhanaMPs

The chair of the Communications sub-committee of the Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC) Eric Keyman Defor said their engagement with Parliament should not end after their submission of report to Parliament.

According to him beyond submission of their report, there should be an open door policy where the engagement should be continuously done.

“So that if Parliament has an issue that they are not clear about there should be that level of engagement to enable PIAC inform them on, why we made the recommendations that we made. The law mandates us to collate data from all relevant stakeholders and duty bearers and put them into a report”, he stated.

He further added that, the report is submitted to Parliament and the Executive for the necessary action to be taken once that is done, they expect Parliament to invite them regularly. “They do once a while for clarification but beyond that, the responsibility is on parliament entirely as to what they do with our report and recommendations”.

Mr. Defor made this known in an interview with Ghanamps.com when PIAC and GIZ organize a workshop over the week for journalists to interrogate their semi-annual report at Koforidua.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

This president will hand over to the duly elected president of Ghana – Nitiwul

Posted on by Kwaku GhanaMPs

The Minister of Defence, Dominic A. Bingab   Nitiwul has called on Ghanaians to dismiss any alleged recruitment and training of mercenaries to disrupt the 2024 elections.

“This president and all that we are doing will hand over to the duly elected president of Ghana on the 7th of January 2025.

The duly elected president would be chosen by the people of Ghana, and nobody will interfere in the choice of the people of Ghana; not from the military, not from the police, not from any politician.

The people of Ghana will lineup on the 7th of December, 2024, cast their votes, who ever emerges president will be sworn in on the 7th of January 2025, and would be given the mandate by this president”.

The Defence Minister who was responding to the Minority’s call for a bipartisan prove into an alleged training of mercenaries at Asutuary thus urged all political parties to go out there and campaign to win the hearts of Ghanaians, adding that nothing of such is taking place.

The Minority in their presser stated that their “attention has further been drawn to an expose by a Ghanaian journalist based in the USA, Kelvin Taylor which suggest the recruitment and training of mercenaries by government operatives based at the Jubilee House to cause chaos and mayhem in the country and blame the political opposition”.

This, the Interior minister said was not true. “No such thing is taking place this government has not brought anybody into the Jubilee House who is not a soldier, who is not a police, who is not into national security. We have not done it since we came to power, and we don’t intend to do it. No evidence of that nature”.

He, however, admitted to an enhanced security arrangement at the seat of government, adding that is a prerogative of government, but government has not recruited anybody outside the recognised security forces.

Ghanamps.com