Author: Akumaa GhanaMPs

Member of Parliament for Anlo, Clement Kofi Humado has said the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission is putting in place measures to tackle youth unemployment in the sub-region.

According to the Anlo lawmaker and a representative of Ghana to the community Parliament, certain governments within the sub-region have not put in place institutional arrangements to deal with issues of accessing finance.

“Unemployed youth are getting desperate and a lot of them are getting across to Europe, with high mortality along the way and has become a disgrace to governments in West Africa, as unemployment has reduce the youth  to taking such perishable journeys”, he lamented.

He made this remarks after attending two joint delocalized meetings of the ECOWAS Parliament in Guinea Conakry, where committee on Education Science and Technology and Information Technology met for this meeting.

Mr. Clement Kofi Humado further added that, the theme: (Add the theme) was relevant because, it touched on contributions of Small Medium Enterprise (SMEs) to reducing unemployment particularly among the youth in West Africa.

“Sixty percent of our populations are youth, if you add the children they are seventy percent of our population, a large section of this youth are unemployed meanwhile we have the potentials of creating jobs”. This is what the ECOWAS commissions want to tackle head on all fronts and the immediate target group is the SMEs.

“Due to lack of capital we cannot rely on, heavy industries to generate these jobs for our youths, some of these heavy industries are using labor serving devices to work, the area we think we can make impact is with the SMEs that produce hand crafts, small machines”.

In Ghana for example SMEs contribute fifty-five (55) percent of the National Gross Domestic Product GDP that is SMEs in Agriculture, Trade and Industry together they contribute about 55 percent of the GDP most of them are not identified and recognised because they belong to the informal sector.

“Our trip to Guinea Conakry, we sought to know from them if government itself had put policies in place to promote SMEs, and try to look at various countries in the sub-region. We brought resource persons to speak on the subject matter”.

He further added that Ministers and Chief Directors from their host country, came to speak on measures put in place to address the youth unemployment likewise a resource person from the Commission, “it was an interesting meeting”, he said.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

President Nana Akufo-Addo has commended the Speaker of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament, Mustapha Cisse Lo for getting personally involved in bringing the institution closer to the door steps of the people.

According to President Akufo-Addo it has always been his view that one handicap the continental project of unity has faced is the fact that there has not been bottom up involvement of the process and has been very much of the politicians. He called for the involvement of the ordinary people within the West African sub-region.

He made this remarks when the Speaker Moustapha Cisse Lo called on him at the presidency on Wednesday evening with section of the lawmakers with the community Parliament.

“It is good we have a Speaker who is going round himself introducing yourselves to the various leaders holding conclaves in various countries, it’s a way of strengthening and empowering the attachment of our people to the community Parliament”.

Again, he commended the Speaker for the meeting that was held in Dakar Senegal, all in the effort to gather more momentum for the single currency.

“It is sad that decisions taken by ECOWAS community are not followed to the later, on the issue of remuneration of the community MPs, if our boss President   Muhammadu Buhari says he is going to bring it up I am very confident about that in our next meeting”.

President Nana Akufo-Addo told the visiting Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament he will have the support of Ghana in the crusade to get remuneration for MPs and pointed out that he expects to see the Speaker and his team in Ghana another time.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Member of Parliament for Suhum and a representative of Ghana’s delegation to the Economic Community of West African State (ECOWAS) Parliament, Fredrick Opare Ansah has urged his colleagues attending a localized meeting in Accra to use their stay to deepen the, community integration process.

According to the Suhum lawmaker, his colleagues in the West African sub-regional community Parliament, should never wait until there is a meeting in Accra before they travel down to Ghana.

“We need to come together beyond our meetings, hence the reason for inviting former Ghanaian MPs of the community Parliament to join us for dinner, on Tuesday evening, a lot of you are new to them but it was nice for them to be part of opening of our meeting to”, he said.

He made this remarks when he addressed his colleagues from the community legislature at a dinner on Wednesday evening, after calling on the President Nana Akufo-Addo at the presidency.

The week long localized meeting is on the theme, “Public-private partnership: An alternative Sources of funding for community programmes and projects”

Three committees are attending this localized meeting in Accra including Joint Committee on  Trade Customs and Free Movement,  Economic Policies; private Sector and NEPAD and   Administration, Finance, Budget Control and Audit.

Mr. Fredrick Opare Ansah on behalf of his colleagues in the community Parliament thanked, the institution for selecting Ghana for this particular meeting.

And also added that, Ghana is solidly behind the integration process and appreciate the effort of the Community Speaker in its effort to ensure that there is a common single currency, hence earlier meetings in Dakar Senegal.

Meanwhile on behalf of his colleagues and the Speakers of the Community Parliament, Edwin M. Snowe Junior thanked the Ghanaian delegation for their hospitality shown them since their arrival in Ghana.

“For some of us this is our second home, and for all of us this is part of our region, we thank the first Deputy Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament for the warm reception”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Speaker of the Economic Community of West African states (ECOWAS) Parliament, Moustapha Cisse Lo, has said the fourth legislature of the community had conducted field visit to accelerate the sub-regional integration process.

According to the community Speaker, good results have been achieved because in many countries of the region, “we are recognised”.

“We need to continue to have a greater visibility with our field visit and visibility of the community Parliament and also promote the acceleration of the integration process”.

Mr. Moustapha Cisse Lo made this remarks when she called on the President Nana Akufo-
Addo at the presidency on Wednesday evening, in the company of Secretary General of the Community Parliament, John Azumah and Fredrick Opare Ansah one of Ghana’s representatives to ECOWAS Parliament and some selected MPs from the Community Parliament.

He further briefed President Nana Akufo-Addo within a year ECOWAS Parliament holds two ordinary sessions, lasting for a week each, and in addition four delocalized meetings together with field visits.

“Mr. President, we need greater support in terms of resources to be more successful, we are counting on you and also the support of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration.

One important issue we have to address is the remuneration of Members of Parliament, we are near the end of the fourth legislature that will be next year February, we have had discussions with President Buhari and he has given us he gave us his work of support us on this issue”.

Again this matter is being discussed at the level of Council of Ministers; we need your support on this point, Ghana is very important to the community and particularly to the legislature.

Three committees are attending this delocalized meeting in Accra – Joint Committee on Trade customs and free movement; Economic Policies, private Sector and NEPAD and   Administration Finance Budget Control and Audit.

The week long localized meeting is on the theme, “Public-private partnership: An alternative Sources of funding for community programmes and projects”

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

In the wake of flooding with the early rains, Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah has revealed that government has approved hundred and ninety seven million Ghana cedis to control flooding in the country.

According to the Sanitation and Water Resources Minister, the amount has been allocated to the Ministry of Works and Housing, the Hydrological Works Service and they are up to the task, and added that they just had a meeting last week Friday.

“To make room for the numerous vulnerable groups we have flood control is on the mind of all Ghanaians, as the rains have started kicking in, it looks like we are having early rains and the country must prepare for it. We are very grateful for the rains, but unfortunately the rains can also cause havoc through flooding at unexpected places, if the floods get away into the sea we do not have a problem, when people do get locked up in their homes then we do have a problem”, she lamented.

She made this remarks when she visited the Greater Accra Metropolitan Areas (GAMA) sanitation and water project offices at the Institute of Local Government studies at Madina.

And further noted that desilting of gutters and drains will be carried out, and when this is being done we do not “expect any body to drop anything in our gutters”.

“We are all fed up with people pouring their garbage and rubbish into the gutters and drains if you are caught you will be jailed”, she lamented.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

First Deputy Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, Joseph Osei Owusu has urged lawmaker within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament to support Ghana host African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA),   head quarters.

At a dinner hosted for the community lawmakers, the first Deputy Speaker urged to work together to ensure that Ghana will host the head quarters of African Continental Free Trade Area.

“We all particularly for our brothers from Nigeria you will walk down here easily and I am pleased to announce that the Nigerians feel comfortable to come and  spend the weekends in Accra, that should really tell you Ghana is a home for everyone. We are doing all to make Ghana safe place for you”.

He further pointed out that if MPs with the Community Parliament have not started, he encourages them to come for free weekends in Accra enjoy the weekend and go back.

In addition he used the opportunity to give gifts to the visiting Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament and lawmakers, a Ghanaian kente cloth.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Members of Parliament on the Minority side of the House expressed worry over the delay in answering urgent questions and normal questions.

Member of Parliament for Biakoye, Nyanpong Kojo Aboagye raised this issue on the floor of the House and noted that some of the questions are of national importance and when raised, MPs do not get responses in good time.

In response to the issue raised on the floor of the House, Deputy Majority Leader who presented the Business Statement on the floor of the House noted that, he should let her know which specific questions and will draw the attention of the clerks.

She indicated that, that notwithstanding, order 66 of the standing orders talks about admissibility of questions; “Mr. Speaker shall be the sole judge of admissibility of a question”, so merely presenting a question to the clerk’s office does not mean it has been admitted by the Speaker, this is the sole responsibility of the Speaker, she clarified.

She was however quick to say that the remarks would be taken on board and questions followed up because there are a lot of questions that had been filled and has to do with addressing issues at their constituencies and national levels.

“This week a lot of public business will  be done because we have to go on recess Friday the 12th of April 2019, we have  major Bills we are looking at companies Bills we need to deal with”

Speaker in reacting to the issue on questions that had been raised on the floor of the House noted that himself and the first Deputy Speaker Joseph Osei Owusu have been concerned about issues to do with questions filled by MPs.

“It is only in few instances when a question does not comply with our rules, we quickly pass them on for them to be answered even where there are few issues with questions the owners of those questions are invited and some anomalies with the questions addressed. The first Deputy Speaker has been helping in addressing this particular matter, thereafter it is a matter of time table and availability of space”.

Speaker Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye noted that the rules allow a member to follow up on his or her questions, to the table office as have been said already.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com