Author: Akumaa GhanaMPs

The Member of Parliament for Madina, Amadu Sorogho has taken a swipe at some Assemblymen in the La Nkwantanan Madina Municipal Assembly for consistently promising to relocate sacked traders, when it’s not in their power to do so.

According to him, the action of these Assemblymen is not in the interest of the Assembly and warned them to desist from the shameful act which does not auger well for the development of the assembly.

Officials of the La Nkwantanan Madina Municipal Assembly last month led its guards on a decongestion exercise to eject market women who had taken over the Zongo junction stretch of the Tetteh Quarshie-Pantang Highway, demolishing and clearing all illegal wooden structure that had been positioned there to make the Highway more accessible for the contractor to continue work.

The traders have moved into two newly-built markets at Madina Estates and Ogbojo, whose market is known as the Nsamanpom Market. However the traders have complained of high cost of sheds in the new markets.

But Hon. Sorogho urged the assembly to remain resolute in their effort to ensure that the traders do not return to the road.

He warned against disunity adding that he was deeply worried when he heard that there was misunderstanding among some assemblymen and the Chief Executive, a development he cautioned would undermine the work of the assembly.

“If we don’t unite and remain divided in our activities and these traders retain to their former place it would then be difficult for us to drive them away’’ he said.

Kwadwo Anim/Ghanamps.gov.gh

A pressure group, Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG), has called for a Parliamentary enquiry into the sale of SSNIT’s 61.12% shares in the Trust Bank to the Ecobank Transitional.

The group also called for the immediate dissolution of the Board of Trustees and the resignation of the SSNIT Managing Director.

AFAG insisted that the four organized labour representatives on the SSNIT Board comprising Mr. Kofi Asamoah, Mr. Robertson Allotey, Mr. Dian Okine and Mr. Amo Dako should be sacked.

“We are calling for a Parliamentary enquiry into the sale of SSNIT’s 61.12% shares in the Trust Bank (TTB) to Ecobank Transitional (ETI),” AFAG said.

“We are also calling for the dissolution of the SSNIT Board of trustees, resignation of the SSNIT MD and the immediate removal of the four organized labour representatives, Mr. Kofi Asamoah, Mr. Robertson Allotey, Mr. Dian Okine and Mr. Amo Darko from the SSNIT Board of Trustees.”

Addressing a news conference on Tuesday, AFAG’s President Dr. Nana Ayew Afriyie, claimed the sale of the SSNIT shares in the TTB has resulted in the loss of Ghs 179 million to Ghanaian workers investment.

“AFAG will like to inform Ghanaians that the sale of the SSNIT shares in the TTB has resulted in the loss of GhC179 million cedis to workers investment; why should the future of workers be placed at such risk in order to satisfy the selfish interest of some few persons?”

He emphasised that there was no need for the sale of TTB because it was performing well.

“Though the Bank of Ghana requires a minimum of 60 million Ghana cedis as recapitalisation for local banks in Ghana, TTB’s recapitalisation is 125 million Ghana cedis which mean that it is capable of operating two more local banks.”

Dr. Afriyie further called on all Ghanaian workers to join AFAG’s gargantuan forum scheduled for Tuesday, March 20 in Koforidua.

“AFAG is calling on all workers to join us at our “Gargantuan” forum starting Tuesday 20th March in Koforidua where we will collect signatures from workers and the general public in support of our quest at bringing sufficient pressure to bear on the legislature to initiate a Parliamentary enquiry into the sale of the SSNIT shares in the TTB, reverse the sale and identify all those corrupt men behind the sale for prosecution without fear or favour.”

Source: Citifmonline.com/Ghana

Mrs Elizabeth Amoah-Tetteh Member of Parliament for Twifo Atti Morkwa on Wednesday appealed to the constituency executives of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to remain resolute and loyal to the party.

She said the government had performed creditably since it took over the governance of the country in 2009 and asked the people to give the NDC a second mandate in the 2012 general election.

Mrs Amoah-Tetteh made the appeal when she addressed the constituency executives of the NDC at an end of year party at Twifo Praso.

Mrs Amoah-Tetteh who is also a Deputy Minister of Education also donated 64 pieces of spraying machines worth GH¢ 2,240.00 to the branch executives to support the cocoa mass spraying exercise in the constituency.

She donated 72 sewing machines to the women organisers of the party and wellington boots, cutlasses and pieces of wax print to the youth organisers.

Mrs Amoah-Tetteh gave GH¢ 1, 000.00 to the Manaritha Women’s Association to establish a bakery.

GNA

Mr Dan Botwe, Member of Parliament (MP) for Okere, has distributed 100 sewing machines and hair dryers to some vocational training institutions and individual trainers to support training of 182 young ladies in apprenticeship to acquire skills in dressmaking and hairdressing.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview on Monday after the distribution of the items to the beneficiaries, Mr Botwe said his main aim was to ensure that the ladies acquired skills which could land them jobs or make them self- employed after completing their training within the next two to three years.

The MP said since he became MP he noticed the high rate of unemployment among the youth in the constituency and tried to find a solution to that problem.

Mr Botwe said as a way of solving the problem, he realized that there were a number of the young people who could not get employed even if thousands of jobs were opened due to lack of employable skills and decided to use part of his common fund to train the young ladies.

He said the next batch of the sponsorship would go to young men who wanted to acquire skills in carpentry, automobile mechanic (fitting), tailoring, masonry and driving.

Mr Botwe said all the beneficiaries completed Junior High and Senior High Schools and could not further their education due to financial difficulties and added that such categories of people should not be left to their fate.

He commended the trainers who agreed to accept GHC 200.00 each per trainee instead of the normal fee of GHC300.00.

The Assembly Member for Adukrom Methodist Mission Electoral Area, Ms Angelina Konadu Addo, who received the items on behalf of the beneficiaries, commended Mr Botwe for his efforts to solve unemployment problems in the area.

One of the beneficiaries, Ms Rosina Ofori, on behalf of her colleagues thanked Mr Botwe for the gesture.

She told the GNA that some of the apprentices had completed Junior High School for more than three years, but due to financial difficulties they could not further their education.

One of the trainees told GNA that the programme had come at the right time and that they would complete the training to make them useful to society.

GNA

Mr Enoch Teye Mensah, Minister for Water Resources, Work and Housing on Friday cut the sod for the construction 5,000 housing units christened Nyame Dua Estates at Kpone near Tema under the Mass Housing Project.

Mr Mensah said Sethi Realty of India is executing the project in a private-public partnership agreement in which the government of Ghana is providing the land and the costs for the project is being borne by the real estate company.

He said there would be tax exemption for building materials imported purposely for the project.

“It gives me great joy to be part of this ceremony to commence a project, which will deliver 5,000 housing units to persons in the low and middle income brackets,” he said, adding that “my joy comes firstly, from the fact that, the project is going to supply urgently needed housing and the fact that apart providing jobs and incomes it will further stimulate the general economy of Kpone and its surrounding areas.”

The Minister said the housing sector employs literally thousands of people directly and indirectly and acts as boost for other industries and sectors, from primary to tertiary.

He said the importance of housing in national development is not in doubt as it provides the basic need of shelter.

Mr Mensah said that Ghana faces a huge housing shortfall estimated to be 1.7 million housing units and explained that to be able to clear this deficit alone the nation would require an annual delivery rate of about 170,000 units for the next 20 years.

He said regrettably, current annual supply ranges between 40,000 and 50,000 units.

He commended Sethi Realty for their intervention and for choosing to invest in the area and thereby bring the needed stimulation to the local economy.

Mr Manab Pattnaik, Chief Executive Officer of Sethi Realty, gave the assurance that his company would deliver the project at an affordable cost to the low and middle-income people.

He said housing was very important to every society and was full of praise for the Mr Alban Bagbin, the former Minister of Water Resources, Work and Housing for initiating the project whiles in office.

Mr Parag Date, Architect and Town Planner of the company, said they were into the construction of smart cities, which aside the residential facilities would have a school, hospital, church, market, open parks, packing lots, among others.

He explained that the project, located on a 90-acre piece of land, would include the construction of two to three bedrooms apartments at affordable costs.

The sod cutting ceremony was witnessed by Ajaneesh Kumar, Deputy Indian High Commissioner to Ghana, Mr C. S. Sethi, Chairman Sethi Realty Group Ltd, Alhaji Yahaya H. Yakubu, Director Housing of the Ministry and Mr Joe Abbey, Managing Director of Tema Development Corporation.

GNA

The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament and a Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya Constituency, Prof Mike Quaye over the weekend commissioned three projects valued at One Billion Cedis at Taifa in the Greater Accra Region.

The projects included a building to house a police station, a hospital and an ICT Centre.

Professor Mike Oquaye said whiles serving the constituency over the past two terms, he had been he had been able to construct an ECG-Office, Taifa Community School, a Post Office and a Yam Market at Haatso.

He said his tenure also facilitated the supply of water tanks and electricity poles to other communities within his constituency and this has created cottage industries for many.

Prof Mike Oquaye paid tribute to all who have contributed in diverse ways towards the development in his constituency and presented the keys of the projects to the Municipal Assembly.

He said for the ICT centre, he had acquired 30 computers added that the facility be made free to all children within the area.

He said the numerous projects he had initiated would be continued by the incoming MP Lawyer Sarah Adwoa Sarfo and thanked the NPP ward members who assisted him whiles serving the constituency.

Mr John Kwao Sackey, the MCE for Ga-East Municipal Assembly, said the new police station would help curb armed robbery within their vicinity and reminded the party functionaries on the need to maintain peace of the area in the coming elections.

Lawyer Adwoa Sarfo, the NPP Parliamentary candidate for the constituency, praised Prof Oquaye for the various infrastructural developments undertaken in the constituency during his tenure and also appealed to the gathering to ensure that peace prevails in the area.

In attendance at the commissioning included a former IGP Mr Ernest Opoku, Assembymen, Chiefs, and political party activists.

GNA

Mr Enoch Teye Mensah, Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, on Thursday donated four computers and five motor cycles to the Methodist Church, Ghana to aid in the mobility of the mission’s evangelizing activities.

The donation was also with the support of Civil and Local Government Staff Association (CLOSAG).

Mr Mensah stressed the need for the prospective riders of the motor cycles to constantly wear the crash helmet and to observe road safety regulations whiles riding.

Most Rev Prof Emmanuel K Asante, Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church, Ghana, expressed appreciation to Mr Mensah and CLOSAG for the kind gesture.

GNA

Member of Parliament for the Sunyani East Constituency, Hon. Kwasi Ameyaw-Cheremeh has renovated a four-unit classroom block for the St. Anselm’s Anglican Junior High School (JHS).

The block, which also has an office and a computer laboratory, was funded from the MP’s share of the Common Fund at the cost of GHs34, 000.

Mr. Adu Gyamfi Gyan, Regional Manager of Anglican schools was grateful for the project and called on others to emulate the good works of the MP.

Hon. Ameyaw-Cheremeh for his part said he had sponsored over 1,500 students with scholarships at all levels of education.

He however advised the pupils to put up their best to improve on their academic status.

Ghanamps.gov.gh

The Member of Parliament for Kwabre East in the Ashanti Region Hon. Kofi Frimpong has commissioned three (3) separate classroom blocks for some schools in the constituency.

Beneficiary schools include Asante Gyapong Roman Catholic primary school at Aboaso (6-unit), Kenyase D/A Primary School (6-unit), and Sarfo D/A Junior High School (3-unit) and were funded from the MP’s share of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund).

Hon. Frimpong commissioning the separate projects advised the people to maintain the structures and urged parents to send their wards to school.

Nana Gyamera Pinsan II and Queenmother of Aboaso for their part commended the MP for the projects.

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