Author: Akumaa GhanaMPs

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Berekum East in the Bono Ahafo Region, Dr. Kwabena Twum Nuamah has express dismay and denied allegations that he was part of a committee in Parliament which awarded contracts to companies without the approval of the August House.

According to him, August 14, 2013 front page publication of The Herald Newspaper captioned “Hon. Twum Nuamah Takes Advantage Of Victoria Hammah’s Gaffes To Be Popular” was set to tarnish his reputation at the right thinking members of the society and has threatened to sue the “paper and writer” of the article for defamation if an apology is not rendered to him.

The Herald Newspaper further stated that; “I am not happy because some people have decided to repose their confidence in one man, who was to go and represent them in Parliament; unfortunately that person (Dr. Twum Nuamah) is not fit for the responsibility.

“…This man was in parliament when contracts were awarded to companies without Parliamentary approval, for which they later came to demand judgement debt. It took the vigilance of the Judiciary, i.e. the court to reverse the trend. Wouldn’t it have been productive and worth his time, if the MP would look into contracts awarded to companies without the blessings of Parliament?

“..First of all, this is the first time I am hearing of the existence of Dr. Nuamah, I want to pardon him, based on the fact that he is also taking advantage of an obvious blunder on the part of the Deputy Minister to be popular. What is his (Hon Twum Nuamah) contribution in Parliament, I seriously want to know?” the paper questioned.

In an interview with Peacefmonline.com, the NPP MP categorically stated that “I am shocked of the publication and how the paper maliciously addressed me. If they (The Herald Newspaper) want to know what I do in parliament, they should send their reporters there to monitor me. Why would I take advantage of Victoria Hammah (Deputy Communication Minster) to be popular? They will justify this in court”.

Peacefmonline.com

The Member of Parliament for the Tema East Constituency in the Greater Accra Region has pledged to preach peace at all times no matter where he finds himself.

He said as an MP he has the responsibility of contributing his quota to ensuring that the tenets of peace were adhered to in his constituency and the country as a whole.

He made the pledge when he along with other delegates from political parties within the area met with the Tema Regional Police to deliberate on ensuring that peace prevailed within the country at all times.

The meeting, according to ASP Seidu, formed part of directives given by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Ahmed Alhassan to hold conference across the country.

Representatives of the parties took turns to pledge their support for peace and ensure the unity of the country.

They again agreed to hold a peace-walk through some principal streets of the area.

Ghanamps.gov.gh

Member of Parliament Ahafo Ano South West, Johnson Kweku Adu is to soon begin the construction of a new party office in the constituency for the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

The new office will serve as the administrative centre where activities of the largest opposition party would be carried out.

Speaking to Ghanamps.gov.gh, Hon. Johnson Kweku Adu stated that the party in the constituency is currently operating from a rented house which comes at a huge cost to the party and that in a bid to lessen the financial burden he has decided to put out the party’s own structure.

He disclosed his preparedness to personally fund the construction of the building as his contribution to ensuring further development of the party.

Hon. Kweku Adu noted that since he would be using his own money and not use any of the monies from that allocation that come to him such as the MPs share of the Common Fund, he expects to adopt a gradual approach and complete the foundation structure of the building by the end of the year.

He added that the completion of the party office will end the periodic situation where the party is indebted to owner of the building that serves as the party office.

Kwadwo Anim/Ghanamps.gov.gh

Former Majority leader and Member of Parliament for Nadowli West, Alban Bagbin, says the country’s political leadership should be held accountable for the reckless manner their members communicate to the public.

His comments come at the back of Wednesday’s comments by President of the panel of Judges hearing the election petition case at the Supreme Court, Justice William Atuguba, that indiscipline has eaten into the country’s body politic.

“We have left things just to fester, I think that we should make a conscious effort to educate people…to bring people up to what we mean by parliamentary democracy and the culture of democracy”, said Mr Bagbin.

Mr. Bagbin told Joy News politicians must not allow the culture of irresponsible public speaking to continue.

National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, also told journalists the political leadership in the country has a duty to educate their members to be cautious about their language in public.

“We the leadership of the NPP and the other parties must listen to what the learned judges said and be much more proactive in directing our people to respect the institutions of government”, he said.

Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, Member of Parliament for Odododiodoo in Accra has called on chiefs to end the indiscriminate selling of lands within their jurisdictions.

“This attitude is making a mockery and destroying our efforts and is about time we end it,” he said.

Nii Vanderpuye made the appeal at North Kaneshie, a suburb of Accra, at the handing-over of the refurbished Ga Mantse Palace last Thursday.

The cost of the refurbishment was estimated at GHȼ283,000.

Nii Dodoo Nsaki II, Otublohu Mantse and the Acting President of the Ga Traditional Council and Mr Vanderpuye jointly cut the tape to open the renovated palace.

Nii Vanderpuye said the Gas deserve more than what had been done for them; “nevertheless, with what I have seen today, I see hope being restored, I see light coming to Accra and our vision and dreams are being fulfilled,” he said.

He urged the chiefs and their subjects to settle their differences, saying the frequent societal disturbance amongst them had been a source of worry and was not helping in the development of Accra.

“Let us give respect to our chiefs, elders and their stools and let unity prevail amongst us for the progress of the area,” he said, adding that “we should use this year’s Homowo to wake up from our slumber to forge ahead in unity.”

Mr Henry Seidu Danaa, Minister for Chieftaincy Affairs, expressed joy at the renovation of the palace, saying for chieftaincy to move ahead in the country, the Ga Mantse Palace being the oldest in the capital city, could not be left out.

He urged the chiefs to use the facility to work assiduously in settling all chieftaincy disputes among them so that the newly installed chiefs would be gazetted for development to thrive in the area.

Mr Danaa also urged other assemblies to emulate the example of the AMA and collaborate with the Ministry to settle all chieftaincy matters.

Mr Alfred Oko Vanderpuije, the Mayor of Accra, who handed over the refurbished palace, appealed to the chiefs to unite and support the government to realize its vision of making Accra the millennium capital city.

He said the AMA would continue to help them in developing the city and that the Osu, Ngleshie and other palaces in Accra would also receive their share of support for refurbishment and renovation saying “this is not the first and the last”.

GNA

It was all joy and jubilation as the people of Aboabo, a small community near Akyem Tafo in the Eastern Region, for the first time been supplied with electricity.

The community with a population of 400, lies half a kilometre off the Apedwa-Bunso stretch of the Accra-Kumasi Highway.

Because of the small nature of the community which lies within the Abuakwa North Constituency, it had, since its creation nearly 80 years ago, been denied the necessary basic social amenities, especially electricity, as a result of which the people relied on lanterns.

Aboabo produces cocoa and foodstuffs.

However, most of the inhabitants, due to poverty, could not afford to regularly purchase kerosene to fuel their lanterns, so they relied on locally made lanterns which emitted smoke, making it unsuitable for use in the bedroom.

Realising such a difficult situation, the Member of Parliament for the Abuakwa North, Mr J. B. Danquah-Adu, had to personally finance the extension of electricity to the village.

In addition, the MP gave out 60 cutlasses to the adults and promised to follow up with additional supplies to make it possible for all the inhabitants to continue with their farming activities, which is the mainstay in the area.

The transformer which serves the villageThe transformer which serves the villageInaugurating the facility in the village at the weekend, Mr Danquah-Adu said it was unfortunate for the people in the community to be denied the basic necessities of life just because they were few.

“It is sad for a community to be left out in the sharing of the national cake and that is why I have decided to ensure that you also benefit from the cake”, Mr Danquah-Adu stated.

Mr Neku Okantey, the Odikro of the village, the New Patriotic Party Abuakwa North Constituency Chairman, Mr Douglas Asare, and the assembly member, Mr Ebenezer Kissi, were all grateful to the MP for his assistance which to them would boost the economic activity in the village which would ultimately bring improvement in the living conditions of the people.

WO1 (rtd) Nelson Avedzi of String Electricals, which worked on the power extension project, offered to be available at all times to assist the villages on any aspect of the installation.

A. Kofoya-Tetteh/Daily Graphic/Ghana