The Deputy Health Minister-designate and Member of Parliament for Akim Oda in the Eastern Region, Alexander Akwasi Acquah, has proposed a strategy to address the issue of unemployed nurses by suggesting their training and exportation to generate funds for the country.
Amid concerns raised by stakeholders about health professionals leaving Ghana due to unfavourable working conditions, a December 2023 report by the Ghana Health Service revealed that 3,688 health personnel had departed the country in the last three years.
In an interview on Eyewitness News on Citi FM with Selorm Adonoo on February 16, 2024, Mr Acquah emphasized that Ghana possesses numerous nursing training institutions capable of training and shaping more unemployed health professionals. Exporting them could provide a means to generate funds for national development.
He noted that despite the demand for individuals entering the nursing field and the existence of institutions capable of training them, the quota system poses a challenge. While recognizing the government’s efforts in employing many nurses, Mr Acquah highlighted that there are still unemployed nurses, leading to the proposal of exporting them.
Mr. Acquah urged the reconsideration of the quota system, advocating for its removal to allow for the training and exportation of more students. This, he believes, would not only reduce unemployment levels in the country but also contribute to generating revenue.
“We have Nurses today in Ghana who want employment. As a politician, as someone on the health committee and someone who has links to many hospitals, you have a lot of people coming to you that I want the job. I mean they have finished school, postings have not come, government is not able to place all of them even though the government has done so well.
“This government has employed so many people, the backlog has been cleared up to this point but we still have some few nurses at home. So if these have been trained and packaged well, and they are taken out, we have a lot of people, because we have a lot of training schools now and we have a lot of people who want to enter into the Nursing profession because not everyone wants to go the university and the other training institutions.”
Ghana’s fourth republican dispensation has so far seen a number of Speakers over the period. However, majority of these Speakers have only managed to serve a parliament.
The fourth republic, has thus recorded only one Speaker who had the opportunity of serving in two different parliaments. Thus, the first and second parliaments.
Meet Justice Daniel Annan – Speaker of parliament from 1993 through to 2001.
There are indications that the president Nana Akufo-Addo will in the coming days have a meeting with the Majority Caucus is parliament to discuss issues on the a possible changes in the leadership of the caucus.
Though the majority caucus at a press conference on Tuesday, February 20, 2024 rebuts all speculations about changes in their leadership and any contemplation to that effects, there is an evidence to the contrary as the party at one of their executive meetings had ‘changes to Parliamentary leadership as one of the items on the agenda for discussion which was subsequently skipped.
Mr Appiah Kubi, the Member of Parliament for Asante Akim South, speaking on TV3’s Ghana Tonight Show on Tuesday, February 20, 2024 confirmed attending such meeting by the party and seeing the said item on the agenda specifically as the fifth item for discussion but was dropped subsequently.
He, however, assured that the new Standing Orders of Parliament which came into force in January this year gave power to the caucuses/groups to constitute their own leadership, a position that is a departure from the previous system which allowed the party to do so.
As such, he said they are satisfied with their leadership and are solidly behind them, adding that whatever anybody or groups will put forward to be done to the Majority Caucus’ leadership would be treated as a suggestion to be tabled before the caucus for discussion.
The Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Hon. Ignatius Baffour Awuah, is set to meet key stakeholders in the pension industry regarding the refund of outstanding 4% Tier 2 contributions to the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT).
The discussion is expected to begin this month. Indeed, the 2022 Auditor-General’s report highlighted SSNIT’s inability to fully retrieve the 4% contributions from the Tier 2 Fund Managers. These fund managers were entrusted with managing the funds on behalf of contributors following the enactment of the National Pension Act, 2008 (Act 766).
This came to light when the Director-General of SSNIT, Dr. John Ofori-Tenkorang, appeared before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament today to answer questions relating to the findings raised by the Auditor-General in its 2022 reports.
DG SNNIT
With the enactment of the National Pensions Amendment Act, 2014 (Act 883), a total of 105,124 contributors from both public and private sectors had already made contributions to SSNIT. These contributors, whose 4% contributions were managed by private fund managers, are now retired and receiving full pensions from SSNIT.
As of the beginning of 2021, the fund managers owed SSNIT GH¢483,365,156.60. However, only GH¢6,076,705.05 was received by SSNIT in 2021, leaving an amount of GH¢477,288,451.55 yet to be retrieved from the fund managers.
Dr. Ofori-Tenkorang noted that the Trust is making significant progress to retrieve all outstanding funds owed SSNIT.
Appointment of Auditors for subsidiaries
The Auditor-General’s report further indicated that 10 sampled subsidiaries of the Trust appointed their own auditors to audit their financial statements contrary to Article 187 of the 1992 Constitution and Regulation 204 of the Public Financial Management Regulations, 2019 (L.I. 2378).
In his response, Dr. Ofori-Tenkorang stated that the Trust’s subsidiaries operate as independent limited liability companies in accordance with the Companies Act, 2019 (Act 992) with powers to appoint their auditors.
“Pursuant to the Companies Act, it is the Board of Directors of the company that has the mandate to appoint auditors on behalf of the shareholders. We have communicated this legal opinion in writing to the Auditor-General and we are waiting for a formal response”, he added.
However, the Auditor-General disagreed with the SSNIT DG’s position, prompting the Chairman of the Committee, Mr. James Klutse Avedzi, to intervene accordingly and resolve the matter.
“The Auditor-General audits the public accounts of Ghana and the same Auditor-General audits the accounts of Public Boards, Corporations and other Statutory Institutions. So, per that provision in the Constitution, the Auditor-General audits the accounts of SSNIT”.
“Now, SSNIT owns a company, which is a limited liability company governed by the Companies Act. So directly, the Auditor-General cannot audit that private company. So whatever decision is taken, (by the company) it’s incorporated into SSNIT’s accounts which is audited by the Auditor-General. So, there is no need for the Auditor-General to audit the subsidiaries”, Mr. Klutse Adedzi clarified.
Overpayment of Advance Mobilisation
Regarding the advance payments of 15% contract sum threshold as stipulated in the Public Financial Management Regulations, 2019 (L.I. 2378), the Deputy Director-General of SSNIT, in charge of Investment and Development, Mr. Kofi Bosompem Osafo-Maafo, noted that the Trust accepts the recommendations.
He added that Management has put in measures to ensure that subsequent payments do not exceed 15% of the contract sum threshold.
The Chairman of the Committee enquired from the auditors if they were satisfied with the response provided by SSNIT and the representatives of the Auditor-General acknowledged that they were satisfied with the response.
Need to increase investible funds to the Treasury Sub-Asset Portfolio
The Auditor-General in its report advised SSNIT’s Management to increase the investment outlay in the Treasury Sub-Asset Portfolio to surge its liquidity reserve to support the Trust.
The Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Klutse Avedzi sought to know whether SSNIT has complied with this recommendations from the Auditor-General.
In his response, the Director-General of SSNIT said “the recommendation is well taken. The only reason we have fallen below threshold happened in years where we have not received adequate contributions. But we are committed to ensuring we have healthy liquid treasury portfolio that will solve the liquidity ratio problem”.
The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudjeto Ablakwa has announced that all 600 occupants of the newly commissioned North Tongu MP and Partners Safe Alternative Housing Projects will not be required to pay any rent.
The MP wrote on his facebook post saying, “Glad to announce that all 600 beloved occupants of our newly commissioned North Tongu MP & Partners Safe Alternative Housing Projects in Mepe & Aveyime will enjoy free rent & free utilities for the next three years.”
According to him, his vision is to convert both facilities into a Nursing Training Institute leveraging on the famous Battor Catholic Hospital after three years when it is hoped that all the VRA spillage victims would have been resettled permanently.
“May God bless our good intentions and recovery efforts. In this together, rising together”, he said.
Citi News has gathered that Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the current Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, is to be replaced by Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the current Deputy Majority Leader.
There is no immediate indication as to whether the Suame MP will keep his role in government as Minister for Parliamentary Affairs.
What is clear, however, is that he is likely to be named as the Chairman of the NPP’s 2024 Manifesto Committee.
Frank Annoh Dompreh, the present Majority Chief Whip and MP Nsawam-Adoagyiri will ascend to the role of Deputy Majority Leader, thereby creating space for Habib Iddrisu, the current First Deputy Chief Whip, to assume the position of Majority Chief Whip.
Sources indicate that Patricia Appiagyei, is likely to be named as the First Deputy Majority Chief Whip.
This vacancy comes after the incumbent, Lydia Seyram Alhassan, was recently nominated by President Nana Akuffo-Addo as Minister for Water Resources and Sanitation.
The position of Second Deputy Chief Whip, according to sources, is likely to be filled by Alex Tetteh Djornobuah, MP for Sefwi-Akontombra.
A key meeting of the NPP’s National Council is scheduled for Monday to carry out, among other things, a shakeup of the majority front bench, following President Akuffo-Addo’s Valentine’s Day Ministerial Reshuffle last week.
Meanwhile, the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, is expected to present his campaign team to the National Executive Committee and National Council of the party today, Monday, February 19, 2024.
Names of members of the campaign team are expected to be announced after this meeting.
According to Citi News sources within the party, the former Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Dan Botwe, is likely to be named as campaign manager for the 2024 general election.
Mr. Dan Botwe was part of the ministers who were relieved of their post last week in a reshuffle done by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Rt. Hon, Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has stated that, the January 2024 Standing Orders of Parliament offers an opportunity to address the evolving needs of Ghana’s dynamic and hybrid parliamentary democracy.
According the Speaker, the processes and procedures in the House is challenged, with time and practice exposing the gaps and deficiencies in the November 2000 Standing Orders.
He further indicated that, the present composition of the House has brought those gaps and deficiencies into sharper focus even though, those deficiencies surfaced as far as the early 2001.
“We must start aligning the conduct of business in the House with the evolving and changing trends and requirements of our Parliament. We need to know how to apply and cope with the January 2024 Standing Orders which has replaced the 2000 Orders. These are some of the reasons we are here today. As we say in Africa, “When the drummers alter their beats, the dancers must adjust their steps” he added.
Speaker made this statement in his opening address at the orientation workshop for Members of Parliament and Procedural Staff on the new Standing Orders in Ho, over the weekend.
He stated that, the attendant composition of the House has brought to the fore several challenges with the old Standing Orders.
These led to diverse interpretations of some procedures and practices, constant and acerbic verbal one-upmanship on the floor of the House, increased tensions, near fisticuffs, and eventually, including the pronouncement of the Supreme Court regarding the November 2000 Standing Orders.
The current Standing Orders of Parliament which came into effect on the 2nd of January 2024 assures for effective and efficient performance of Parliament and Parliamentarians.
The Speaker indicated that, the Parliament of Ghana’s Standing Orders are deeply rooted in the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana and drawing on the Darwinian concept of a “living organism.” It is a dynamic document that continues to evolve and therefore, the metaphorical representation of a “living Constitution” is a testament to its capacity to adapt to society’s ever-changing needs, reflecting the evolution of laws, policies and preferences. He borrowed the words of Laurent Fabius, the former Prime Minister of France, “The revision of legal documents may not be without imperfections, but at least it won’t be rigid. It will be a necessary step towards building the institution and country we desire.”
He advised Hon. Members of Parliament, to approach their work with diligence and innovation, given the fact that Parliament is confronted with an increasing level of public distrust, which must be tackled through their approach to work. To him “The 2020 general elections presented incontrovertible evidence of this and alerted us to the potential future shifts and turns in our country’s socio-political landscape”.
The Deputy Majority Leader and MP for Effutu, Hon Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin in his remarks on behalf of the Majority Leader indicated that, the only weapon for an MP is the rules book (Standing Orders) and cited himself as example that, when he entered the chamber in 2013 and found himself fumbling, the only saviour was the rules book.
He therefore, advised his colleagues that, the only way to survive and stand on your feet and make meaningful contributions on the floor of the chamber in the midst of all intimidation is to stand firm and indicate that, you are within the rules.
He was therefore of the opinion that his colleagues should not take the rules for granted. “For the outgoing MPs, do not forget about the rules book as you are likely to come back and for those who would be retained, take the rules seriously”. He advised.
The Minority Chief Whip and MP for Adaklu, Hon. Kwame Governs Agbodza congratulated the Rt. Hon. Speaker for spearheading the revision of the Standing Orders and bringing it into operations. He was of the opinion that, the orientation will address members concerns and bring them up to speed on the new provisions and the rationale behind them. He entreated his colleagues to commit their attention to all the facilitators.
In his welcome remarks, the Clerk to Parliament, Mr. Cyril Kwabena Oteng Nsiah, indicated that, since the commencement of the previous Orders, Parliaments have been confronted with contemporary challenges such as the Covid-19 pandemic; institutionalization of mechanisms to promote the Open Parliament Concept; the hung nature of the Eighth Parliament, which is the first of its kind since the inception of the Fourth Republic, presented a number of novel situations and challenges that were not clearly provided for under the previous Standing Orders.
He mentioned some of the practices and procedures that has been introduced in the new Orders which includes the recital of the National Pledge on the first day of Sitting for each week, the conduct of a roll call of Hon. Members of Parliament, at each sitting of the House, at the behest of the Rt. Hon. Speaker. He added that, Parliamentary Committees have increased from thirty-one (31) to forty-four (44) to emphasise the new focus and direction of the House, as part of efforts to expand and improve parliamentary oversight of activities of state actors.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Sunyani East Kwesi Ameyaw- Cheremeh on Friday, 16 February 2024 was elected as Speaker to chair affairs of the day.
Ghana’s standing orders permit the House to elect another MP to preside over proceedings in the absence of the Speaker and his deputies.
MPs have been discussing business for next week. Per standing order 12(4), “whenever the Speaker, the first deputy and the second deputy speaker are unavoidably absent, the Clerk shall chair the sitting for the election of a Member to preside at that sitting.
Mr Cheremeh was nominated by Mr. Annoh Dompreh and seconded by minority chief whip Governs Agbodza.
As the House approved the nomination, Mr. Cheremeh proceeded to take the chair as the Member Presiding to start the day’s proceedings.
He’s the first MP in the 4th republic to preside for a day. A couple of MPs rose up to congratulate Mr. Cheremeh for his one-day ascension to the chair as Speaker for today’s sitting with some calling it ‘historic’ in Ghana’s parliamentary jurisprudence where an MP is made to chair proceedings in the Speaker’s absence.
Deputy Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin and Member of Parliament for Effutu on Thursday, 15 February 2024 arrested the third reading of the promotion of proper Sexual Right and Ghanaian Family value Bill 2021 popularly know as anti-gay bill 2021.
He raised concerns over the imprisonment of individuals for their sexual orientation under the Bill and called on the House to take a second consideration to enable him to move some amendments on the custodial sentencing.
The Bill proposes a six-month to three-year jail term for those caught in the act and three to five years jail for promoters and activists of LGBTQ.
Coming under Standing Order 1711, Afenyo-Markin advocated amendments that would see prison sentences replaced with community service.
While expressing support for the overall objectives of the bill, Afenyo-Markin argued that penalizing individuals with jail terms for their sexuality could undermine Ghanaian family values and human sexual rights rather than protect them.
He said, “Jailing a person for their sexuality is not the solution in maintaining the Ghanaian family values and ensuring proper human sexual rights.”
The third reading would have signified the passage of the anti-gay Bill by Parliament, which would then be submitted to the President for assent.
Hon disclosed that the government is on the verge of introducing a Community Sentencing Bill, which aims to offer non-custodial sentences as alternatives to imprisonment. He urged the House to consider this approach by amending the anti-gay bill to include community service options.
This measure, he said, will lead to a more compassionate and effective judicial system.
“I strongly hold the conviction that the integration of community service as an alternative to incarceration will substantially bolster the efficacy and compassion of our judicial system.”
“The essence of this motion is for the august body to thoroughly consider amendments proposed to the bill with a view of substituting community service for incarceration,” Afenyo-Markin stated.
The Deputy leader subsequently introduced 13 amendments after his motion for a second consideration stage was carried.
Parliament’s Committee on Selection is to recompose various Committees in the wake of President Nana Akufo-Addo’s reshuffling of his Minister for the first time under his eight (8) years mandate.
According to the Speaker of Parliament, there is the urgent need for the Committee on Selection to do their work immediately in other to aid the Appointment Committee to do its work.
Rt. Hon Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin further noted that the House should take action so that the president’s re-composition of his government can be worked on.
