Author: Fred GhanaMPs

Second Deputy Whip of the Minority and Member of Parliament for Banda, Ibrahim Ahmed has revealed that the budget presentation by the Finance Minister would have been boycotted by both sides of the House, but for the committee of the whole meeting that saw the Administrator of the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF) and the Deputy Finance Minister as well as the release of the DACF.

“The caveat was, without the second quarter of DACF being paid we were not going to participate in the 2020 budget presentation; the Finance Minister should respect the constitution that created his office and respect the quarterly releases prescribe by the constitution”, he added.

He noted in an interview that thae Finance Ministry released a total of four hundred million Ghana cedis for the first quarter of this year.

And pointed out that there was a disagreement between the offices of the Finance Minister and the Administrator of the DACF over the amount that had been released, hence a seven member committee had been set up to try and reconcile the outstanding.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Members of Parliament from both sides of the House raised issues with delay in the release of the Districts Assembly Common Fund (DACF) when the Administrator of the fund together with the Deputy Minister of Finance meet Parliamentary Committee of the whole.

According to the Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Sam George the meeting was evidently clear the delays in the release of the fund are not the fault of the Administrator and simply an issue of the Finance Ministry not meeting its obligations.

“It is a liquidity problem because the Finance Ministry could not give any solid reasons, it is simply government is broke; this whole issue of technical alignment we knew what the bench marks were from last year November”

He further pointed out in an interview that the finance Ministry has been given a deadline of today 10:00am to ensure that the releases are made before the Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta present the budget.

“They tell us they would meet the deadline, we are the representative of the people it is a demand we are making on the Finance Ministry, the Deputy Minister has given us assurance by close of day Tuesday the administrator would get credit on her account so that she can make disbursement first thing Wednesday”.

The Ningo-Prampram lawmaker indicated that MPs would confirm that yes the administrators account has been credited for her to do the disbursement, “we would hold them for their words”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament Joseph Osei-Owusu has challenged his former school Juaben Senior High School to endeavor to advance to the finals of the National Science and Maths quiz (NSMQ) competition.

According to Mr Osei-Owusu who is also the Member of Parliament for Bekwai, it is the performance of students which makes their schools famous and not just the name of the schools.

He made the call when a section of the students visited Parliament called on him. He promised to take up the cost of the school if they qualify for the finals of the NSMQ in the schools debate.

Mr. Osei-Owusu urged the management of the school to furnish his office with the total budget of what it would take for the school to achieve the set target.

The Bekwai lawmaker said the time has come for the school that produce the likes of him and the Member of Parliament for Adansi Asokwa, K. T. Hammond to be counted among the best in the country hence his call.

He urged the students to avail themselves to the opportunities that teachers offer them and make maximum use of the little resources at their disposal.

And further, encouraged the students to cultivate the habit of reading novels and story books irrespective of their courses at all times, “every knowledge you seek is in the book and would help you attain your life goals”, he added.

The first Deputy Speaker used the opportunity to educate the students about parliamentary proceedings and the oversight functions of the legislature. Parliament, he said, is a platform for debating all national issues and not just lawmaking.

The visiting students accepted the challenge posed by the first Deputy Speaker and assured him of working hard towards achieving the set goal.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

In the wake of the brouhaha surrounding the closure of the Nigerian boarder to protect the country against banned goods entering its country, Member of Parliament for Wa Central Dr. Rashid Pelpuo contributing to a statement on the floor of the House noted that Ghana should start re-examining what would be in its interest as Nigeria is doing.

According to the Wa Central lawmaker, in 2004 Ghana banned rice importation but pressure was brought on her to reverse its decision in 2006.

He lamented over the conduct of Nigeria despite being part of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and not following the protocol of the sub-region, saying “Ghana would have to take a second look if we should not take such a decision”.

Dr. Pelpuo added that it would protect the interest of Ghana to improve trade in the private sector and boost revenue and advice Ghana to start early to consider such steps.

And further lamented over the action taken by Nigeria and pointed out that it would affect most of the countries in the West African sub-region that do business with Nigeria since their trade is informal.

On a smaller scale there is movement of goods and services across the border with Nigeria in a manner that is not very much regulated, Benin has fifty percent of its informal trade with Nigeria, and this is causing pain.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Member of Parliament for North Dayi, Joycelyn Tetteh on Thursday November 7, 2019 paid off bills for patients at the Anfoega Catholic Hospital who had been discharged for weeks and months but could not afford to settle their bills.

The MP came to the aid of the patience whose economic conditions could not allow them settle their bills at the hospital.

The Lawmaker made the intervention when she honored an invitation to join the hospital celebrates its 60th anniversary.

Miss Tetteh in her message congratulated the hospital for the crucial service it had offered the people for over six decades and their commitment to improve their services in the years ahead.
“I have no doubt the hospital will deliver as the people also have so much trust in the quality of the personnel”.

She further gave assurance that as a legislator, she would continue to diligently discharge her duties as their representative, influence positive changes of progressive development in the constituency even as she is not a development officer.

In addition, she reiterated the commitment of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in ensuring the health sector is expanded when it returns to power come 2021.

“We have already begun the rescue mission to save Ghanaians from the challenging times confronting them”, and requested that prayer be offered for the entire medical staff of the Anfoega Catholic Hospital. She also admonished the staffs to continue being tolerant and professional in the discharge of their duties towards patients.

The MP assured the hospital that it would not be the last they would be seeing of her as she hopes to do great things once the will and the ability is there.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Leader of Government Business, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu is lamenting over delays in the submission of committee reports to the floor of the House for discussion.

He was not happy the reports unnecessary delay at the various committee levels and do not find their ways to the floor on time.

He listed sixteen reports before the Constitutional Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee, budget performance report office of the Attorney General, Annual Report on the presidential office staff, passive settlement for international dispute report, and performance of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs report for the year 2018 among others.

At the Finance Committee, we have exemption Bills before them, annual report of the energy sector levy, conduct of the mandate of the Bank of Ghana review 2016, and in all there are twenty-eight referrals before the Finance committee.

According to him, he was going through the list because often times they have to adjourn early in the day because the committee’s reports are not ready, and it makes it appear as if there is nothing for Parliament to do.

Committee on Education has ten referrals before them, some are Ghana Agency Book Development Bill, Education Regulatory Service Bill among others. Committee on Roads and Transport has eight reports before it.

“Mr. Speaker the House cannot achieve much results if the committees do not bring their reports to us in the plenary”.

For three weeks in running the Leader of Government Business has been advocating for the committees to expedite work before them as the budget statement would be presented to the House and there would not be time to look a the budget carefully.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com