Author: Akumaa GhanaMPs

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Manhyia North, Collins Owusu Amankwaah has lambasted the Mahama-led National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration for its lackadaisical approach towards the implementation of the recommendations in the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Agency (GYEEDA) report.

The report, as submitted by a committee set up by the Youth and Sports Minister, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah is so damning and stinking that the government wants to do everything possible to put it under the carpet, hence the dragging of its feet in taking concrete action on the report findings, according to the MP.

Speaking to a section of the media on the sidelines of a Youth Forum organized by the MP for Tano North at Duayaw Nkwanta in the Brong Ahafo Region last Friday, the Manhyia North MP said that “I have personally gone through the report and I can confidently say that it is stinking having realised that trillions of cedis cannot be accounted for.”

He expressed concern about the level of corruption and financial malfeasance at GYEEDA, pointing out that the huge monies misappropriated by certain individuals could totally transform the whole Tano North constituency.

Mr. Owusu Amankwaah took a swipe at President Mahama for referring the report to another committee led by PV Obeng for further study.

He described PV Obeng’s committee as “unnecessary and an indictment on the earlier committee set up by the sector minister, since it is an attempt to undermine the work of the first committee.

The MP hinted that Parliament is eagerly waiting to deliberate on the report, which indicted some service providers in the country, as well as top officials of the agency.

He expressed grave concern about the lack of political will by the President to dispassionately implement the recommendations in the report so as to retrieve huge amounts of money.

Daily Guide

Member of Parliament for Kpandai in the Northern Region, Mathew Nyindam has assured Ghanaians that the Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party, (NPP) Nana Akufo Addo would not hold the country to ransom after the Supreme Court finally gives its verdict on 29th August 2013.

He said Nana Akufo Addo has amply demonstrated over the years that he is a man of peace and would not do anything untoward to plunge the country into turmoil and disturb the peace that Ghana is currently experiencing.

The MP made the comments while contributing to a discussion on the impending Supreme Court ruling and the attendant issues that have arisen on Accra based Hot FM.

Ahead of the final verdict, a section of the public have expressed their worst trepidation about the aftermath of the verdict fearing that the country might implode but the security agencies have expressed their readiness to deal with any eventualities that might occur.

A governance think tank Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) has asked whoever loses the case among the two parties in court not to seek a review of the case, a statement that has generated a lot of public discussions among a cross section of the general public.

However speaking further on the issue Hon. Mathew Nyindam stated further that Nana Akufo Addo would be the last person to cause mayhem in Ghana as he has demonstrated his commitment to ensuring a peaceful Ghana by proceeding to the court to decide the matter and not resorting to the streets to express his displeasure about the polls.

Kwadwo Anim/Ghanamps.gov.gh

Deputy Minister of Gender and Social Protection, Benita Sena Okity Duah has said she wants to leave a good legacy which is hard work and humility after she has exited office.

She said ‘’I want to be remembered as that deputy ministry who was full of humility and hard work at the end of my tenure of office.

The Deputy Minister who is also the Member of Parliament for Ledzokuku is one of the young persons and first term MP who have had the opportunity of serving as ministers/deputy ministers and selected from a party that can boast of very experienced politicians who have been ‘side-lined’ for the younger ones to play a role in government

Some of her critics have questioned her claim to fame in politics as she is only known to have been a former Miss Ghana in the 90’s and the fact that she lacks the requisite experience to be handed a deputy ministerial position.

However speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem programme, Hon. Sena Okity Duah stated that she would not be distracted by such comments but remain focused on delivery the mandate assigned to her.

She expressed confidence of being efficient in her duties saying ‘’ I am an achiever and whatever I set my eyes on to do, I make sure I execute it to the end’’ she said.

Hon. Okita Duah stated that working under her boss Nana Oye Lithur who herself is very hardworking, they are sure to deliver the Better Ghana Agenda.

Kwadwo Anim/Ghanamps.gov.gh

All old boreholes in the Upper West Akim Constituency in the Eastern Region are being rehabilitated to boost their efficiency.

Currently five of such boreholes have been repaired while other new taps have been built to supply the constituents with potable water to avoid the contraction of diseases.

According to the Member of Parliament for the area, Sam Amankwanor, since it cost a lot of money to build new boreholes, the rehabilitation of the old boreholes is a better option and would not cost as much as it would when a new borehole is built.

He disclosed that government would save an estimated amount of GHC 4,000 – GHC 5,000 when it decides to rehabilitate instead of constructing a new one.

Hon. noted that he had detailed officials to go round the constituency to find out all the broken and old boreholes for rehablitation, an exercise which would be done with proceeds from the Districts Assemblies Common Fund.

He emphasized his commitment to ensuring that the constituents are supplied with potable water, adding that he do all within his capacity to ensure this is achieved.

Kwadwo Anim/Ghanamps.gov.gh

Abuakwa South Legislator, Samuel Atta-Akyea says he is a “very serious lawyer” who knows his stuff and so should be spared criticism concerning Daily Searchlight Managing Editor Ken Kuranchie’s imprisonment for contempt.

“Everybody who knows me knows me as a very serious lawyer,” he told XYZ News on Sunday.

The lawyer-MP’s riposte follows a counsel given to the General Secretary of the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, to not hire the lawmaker as defense counsel if he is to avoid possible imprisonment over his contempt of court hearing, scheduled for this week.

A member of the governing National Democratic Congress’ communication team, Prince Derrick Adjei, offered the counsel when he appeared as a guest on Radio XYZ’s news analysis programme “The Analyst’ on Saturday August 10, 2013. Mr. Derrick Adjei fears the Abuakwa South Legislator could mess up Sir John’s defense and possibly worsen his case.

“I hope that if he takes a lawyer, he does not go for Atta-Akyea because if he does, and he goes the way Ken Kuranchie goes, that will be a very sad situation for the NPP,” Mr. Derrick Adjei advised.

Mr Atta-Akyea, however, defended his representation of Ken Kuranchie saying: “What happened happened. I run my commentary sufficiently. What I didn’t believe in I said it. They should go and get the best lawyer they believe is the best; let him go and bow down to the Judges for the man to walk free. “It’s up to them. If you have a very very good lawyer – as to who a good lawyer is, it is up to people to judge – then you go and go and beg and you go home [then] get one like that and go”.

The MP and Yaw Owusu Addo represented the Daily Searchlight Managing Editor when he got summoned for publishing contemptuous comments concerning the election petition case, just as the NPP General Secretary and one of the party’s Communicators, Hopeson Adorye, have been found to have done.

Mr. Kuranchie ended up serving a 10-day sentence after the Tuesday July 2, 2013 hearing. Some pundits, including Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jr, blamed Mr. Kuranchie’s imprisonment on the posture of his lead Counsel, Samuel Atta-Akyea.

As far as Mr. Pratt was concerned, Ken Kuranchie was misled by his lawyers. He said on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana programme the day after the contempt hearing that: “…I don’t think he got the best of legal advice”. According to him, “any lawyer with a passing knowledge of the laws of contempt and given the atmosphere in the Court and so on, ought to have realised that he needed to [have] conduct[ed] himself in a certain way”.

Ken Kuranchie, when he appeared before the nine-member-panel of Justices, attempted explaining himself to the Court and ended up engaging the bench in a back-and-forth argument.

He also repeatedly gave conditional apologies despite promptings by the Court to either render an unqualified and unreserved apology or stand his ground that he was right and the Court was wrong.

His posture was perceived as belligerent and unremorseful by the Court and so was given 10-days.

Mr. Kuranchie’s episode with the Bench followed an attempt by his Lead Counsel to extract clarifications from the Bench about the nature of offense of his client.

His imprisonment was in connection with a front page publication by his newspaper which questioned the basis of the Court’s invitation of Deputy Communications Director of the main opposition New Patriotic Party, Sammy Awuku, for describing the Bench as “hypocritical and selective”.

Another Contemnor, Stephen Atubiga was given a lesser sentence of 3 days in prison for vowing on radio that President John Mahama and the governing National Democratic Congress will not hand over power even if the Court ordered so at the end of the election petition hearing.