Month: February 2025

There is heavy presence of Police in the precinct of Parliament House, as vetting of Deputy Ministers designates kick starts.

National Service Personnel and staff of Parliament have been directed to displace their Identity Cards without which they will not be allowed entering the precinct of Parliament.

As early as 7:00am ahead of the start time of 10:00am, there was a VIP bus full people parked in Parliament when Ghanamps.com entered the House but occupants of the bus could not get off the bus as the Committee Room 1 & 2 cannot take them.

Nominees are allowed to invite only ten of their supporters and visitors as at the time of filling this story the marshal was very strict in not allowing those who are not supposed to be in the Committee Room to be there and move around the corridors of the vetting Room.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

A member of the Appointment Committee in the ninth Parliament, Umar Alhassan, and Member of Parliament for Zabzugu has expressed confidence that the vetting of Deputy Ministers designate starting today, Monday, 24 February 2025, will not result in any physical fight.

“We do not expect what happened the last time to happen; if it does then it will be unfortunate”, said in an interview.
According to him things have been planned such that today, Monday, 24 February 2025, only three of the deputy Ministers designate will come before the Committee, unlike the vetting of then Ministerial Nominees in which a day was missed hence a day had to be added on which brought a lot of pressure resulting in the chaos.

He further pointed out that instead of the Minority on the Committee asking questions related to portfolio of the nominees, “they were asking trivial questions and personal questions. “I do not know if they were trying to prove issues of credibility”.

Again, if they have evidence on anything, they should put it before the person and we have standards for this kind of work; and there will always be an opportunity for opinion, as to whether we should follow what is done in the United States of America.

“Why can’t it be the Ghanaian or African way as a benchmark? This time round, we should not follow whatever is done in the US and look up to it as the standard. In the case of the US you are talking about, they are given minutes to ask their questions; you have your clock before you for that purpose. And if you do not have questions, you pass your minutes to whoever is prepared for the kill of the day; we do not have it here in Ghana they tell you three questions whiles one person has unlimited questions. Ranking has unlimited questions that is not how it is done”, he stated.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

The Appointment Committee of Ghana’s Parliament would start vetting the first batch of President John Mahama’s Deputy Ministers designate today, Monday, 24 February 2025.

Minister designates for Public sector Lydia Lamisi Akanvariba will be the first to appear before the Committee, followed by Thomas Nyarko Ampem deputy finance minister designate.

Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi deputy designate for the Interior and deputy Trade, Agribusiness and Industry designate Sampson Ahi would be last for the day.

Investigation conducted by Ghanamps.com revealed that security would be very tight at the precinct of Parliament following the chaos that happened during the vetting of then Ministers designate where unauthorised members of the public besieged the Committee Room 1 and 2.

The nominees have been admonished to invite only ten visitors to the Committee Room and the number of media personnel to be allowed to the Committee Room has also been limited.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

The Minority Leader, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin said he has not defied the directive given by the leadership of the New Patriotic Party, NPP to boycott all Media General platforms.

He said the decision to call into TV3’s KeyPoints program on Saturday, February 22, 2025, was not to speak on behalf of or for the NPP.

According to him what happened was that, the Majority Chief Whip, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, alleged that he was using 50 military personnel as convoy.

This, he noted was a direct attack on him (Afenyo-Markin) and not the party, NPP. Thus, it necessitated his intervention to challenge Dafeamekpor and to set the records straight, which he did.

Hon Dafeamekpor, following Afenyo-Markin’s intervention, withdrew his statement and apologized for same.

Under this circumstance, I couldn’t have been accused of defying the directive of the party’s leadership. I couldn’t have allowed such lies and misinformation to be peddled by Dafeamekpor to go unchallenged, he stated.

He thus urged the general public to disregard any news item or information that goes contrary to the explanation given.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

The Member of Parliament for Jirapa, Cletus Seidu Dapilah has a different view on the debate regarding the election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs).

He said the conversation should rather be about making the Assemblies independent before bringing in the conversation of how MMDCEs are chosen.

“Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) should not be elected; rather the Assemblies should be made independent and well resourced”.

He affirmed that the first step should be to amend the constitution to make the Assemblies independent and also ensure that they generate their own funds and also involve themselves in business ventures to keep the Assemblies working.

Again, the Assemblies should be able to contract loans and have investments of their own, “before we think of conducting elections for MMDCEs”.

In an interview with Ghanamps.com the former District Chief Executive of Jirapa further revealed that MMDCEs are under Article 71 holders and the President is supposed to appoint them.

Additionally, the Assemblies are to write proposals and get the support of government to contract loans.

“What are the criteria in electing the MMDCEs? Are you going to open it up for whoever qualifies to contest, like the way people can contest Assembly elections same with parliamentary elections?” He queried.

Let us look at the law and review it; the Local Government Act, does not allow Assemblies to contract loans so they are not independent. “Many of their challenges hinges on inadequate funding, the MMDCAs are not financially sound, and rely on the benevolence of Central government, he added.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

The Member of Parliament for Dome/Kwabenya, Faustina Elikplim Akurugu has resurrected the call for her constituency to be divided.

She said the size of her constituency is like five or six other constituencies put together, thus making it one of the largest constituencies in the country.

With constituents numbering about Two hundred and eighty-five thousand, she said it was difficult and tough during the campaign, adding that it also affects how quickly they are able to attend to the needs of the people because when resources/slots are being allocated to constituencies, they will not say Dome/Kwabenya should have more because of its size, “so you can imagine the kind of efforts that goes into meeting the needs of the constituency.”

The MP who was speaking in an interview with Ghanamps.com asserts that even though it lies in the domain of the Local Government Minister and the Electoral Commission to decide either or not to create a new constituency, she will be advocating for this to happen at Dome/Kwabenya; saying, “I prefer it is divided to the benefit of the constituents, so that they can get their fair share and have opportunities”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin said Ernest Kumi, the Member of Parliament for Akwatia has not been treated fairly, adding thatbthe Minority will come out fully with their position after they receive briefing from the lawyers.

The Koforidua High Court on Wednesday, February 19, 2025 sited the MP for contempt of court for availing himself to be sworn in as MP despite an injunction placed on him.

Afenyo-Markin addressing members of the press in Parliament noted that the Minority is yet to procure the ruling of the High Court and further briefing as a caucus.

“We will come out with our decision and all necessary steps will be taken to ensure our colleague is law abiding and that the right thing is done. We are dissatisfied with the approach and we think that he has been treated unfairly. We will come out fully with our position when we have full briefing from the lawyers”

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Alexander Akwasi Acquah, Member of Parliament for Akim Oda has reminded the President John Dramani Mahama led ruling government of its promise to pay Assembly members, saying, “We are waiting for the NDC’s promise of paying Assembly members”.

According to him if the government is able to fulfill this promise, it will help attract people to voluntarily avail themselves to be elected as Assemblymen and women to contribute their quota to the development of the Assemblies.

This, he stated, should also be accompanied by ensuring that resources are made directly available to the electoral areas to work with.

The MP who was contributing to a statement in parliament on the “Challenges faced by Unit Committee members”, reminded the House that Dr. Bawumia, the 2024 flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party would have made this possible as he had promised that portion of the Common fund was going to go to the electoral areas; “unfortunately, we did not vote for him”, he stated.

He emphasized that looking at the structures of our local governance system; it is only the Assembly members and the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) that are seen performing; whereas the performance of Unit Committees and the other structures are hardly noticed because they do not have the empowerment.

“How, do we have the empowerment without looking at the financial capacity or a system that would allow them to have access to finance?” He queried.

He disclosed that in his constituency, the usage of the common fund was a major campaign issue during their primaries; so he promised his constituents that in other for them to have full access to the use of the common fund; he was going to disburse it to the 18 electoral areas in the constituency.

Again, when I got elected, every common fund that was released, it was done as we wanted. We have the various electoral areas led by the Assembly members opening electoral area accounts, and these monies were disbursed from the Assembly into those accounts. It made it easy for me to account for the common fund of every quarter despite not having any major project standing in my name for every electoral area, he stated.

“You go, there is something to show; this is what the MPs common fund has been used for” adding that it is one major area that if you are not careful they will definitely use it to campaign against you.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

The Member of Parliament for Dome/Kwabenya, Faustina Elikplim Akrugu has expressed the view that finding solutions to challenges confronting Unit Committee members in the local government architecture will lead to improved local governance and community development.

In a statement on the floor of the House, she noted that local governance continues to form the bedrock of Ghana’s participatory democracy, ensuring that governance is brought closer to the people.

Ghana’s decentralization system, established under chapter twenty of the 1992 Constitution and the Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936), provides the framework for grassroot governance with metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies as the highest political and administrative authorities at the local level.

The Unit Committee, as the lowest structure of the local government, is essential in engaging communities, mobilizing citizens for development, and implementing policies at the grassroot level.

“I met with representatives of Unit Committee Members Association of Ghana; the membership, according to them, is 43,500. They asked me to present their challenges on the floor of this august house. In a petition presented to me, they requested an urgent intervention in addressing the following issues”.

• Lack of empowerment
The Unit Committee Members feel disempowered due to insufficient authority and participation in the decision-making process. They therefore, want to urge the Ministry for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs to provide clear guidelines that enhance their role in the decision-making process.

• Low Recognition and Remuneration
Again, the Unit Committee members state that there is a noticeable low, if not absent recognition and financial remuneration for them. According to them this lack of acknowledgement demotivates them and undermines their commitment. They propose that a structured remuneration framework be put in place to reward and motivate them for their time and efforts.

• Neglect by Central Government
There is a growing concern among Unit committee members for neglect by the Central Government. According to them, this neglect is made manifest in limited communication, inadequate funding and a lack of involvement in policy formulation that affects local governance. As a result, Mr. Speaker, they seek amendment in the Act to promote inclusiveness and participation in decision making process and more engagements with the Central Government regarding local issues.

• Capacity Building and Training Needs.
According to her, the unit committee members reckon that there is an urgent need for capacity building through training programs tailored specifically for committee members. Such training should be tailored to enhance their skills in governance, project management, conflict resolution, and community mobilization.

• Misunderstanding with Zonal Councils.
Finally, Mr Speaker, the Unit Committee members complained of rising misunderstanding with Zonal Councils which disrupts collaboration and effective planning for community development. They recommend the establishment of regular dialogue sessions to foster understanding and cooperation.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

The High Court in Koforidua, Eastern Region, has convicted the Member of Parliament for Akwatia, Ernest Yaw Kumi, for contempt of court.

The ruling follows his defiance of an interim injunction barring him from being sworn in as a legislator. Presiding Judge, Justice Senyo Amedahe, also issued a bench warrant for Kumi’s arrest after he failed to appear before the court for sentencing.

The court had earlier restrained the MP from presenting himself for swearing-in, pending the resolution of a legal dispute. However, despite this directive, Kumi proceeded to take the oath of office in Parliament. Citing overwhelming evidence of willful defiance, the court ruled that the lawmaker had acted in contempt.

Attempts by the Minority Caucus in Parliament to justify his absence from the hearing through an official letter were dismissed by the judge, who maintained that Kumi had disregarded the court’s authority.

With the bench warrant now in effect, authorities are expected to enforce his arrest and ensure compliance with the court’s ruling.

Neil Nii Kanarku/Freshhope1.org