• +233 20 230 9497

Author: Fred GhanaMPs

Ministers should not continue to determine Parliamentary business—Dr. Averdzi

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs
Deputy Minority Leader, Dr. James Kluste Averdzi has told Parliament it should not allow Ministers to dictate to it how it should conduct its business.

According to the Deputy Leader, it is not right for the Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kyeremantey to tell the House when it is convenient for them to come to the floor of the House to answer questions that had been sent to them way ahead of time.

He made this remarks on Tuesday 5th of November 2019 when the Minister did not turn up on the floor to answer a question base on prior committee. The Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu presented a letter with regard to that on the floor of the House.

According to the Majority Leader, though the House received communications from the Minister who would want to come personally to deal with the question, commitments to other pre-arranged programme made it impossible to be present. He however indicated that if the table office can communicate with him he would be available on Friday.

But Mr Avedzi argued that, “He has deputies who can come and answer questions if he is not available, I believe the Minister had given indications that he would come that is that is why we do have the question programme. We should be firm on this issue because there are questions asked by MPs which has been on the drawing board for more than six months”.

Mr. Mensah-Bonsu noted that his colleague the deputy Minority Leader should not jump into conclusion because he is not aware of when the question was transmitted to the Minister of Trade and Industry.

Again, the communications from the Minister to the House said the Minister has a pre-arrangement and if any other day or Friday since Tuesday was not workable.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Docket on Nyantakyi completed and court case imminent—AG

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs
Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Gloria Akufo has told Parliament, review of docket on ‘The Republic versus Kwesi Nyantakyi’ has been completed and the presentation of a case in court is imminent.

According to the AG, on the November 2 last year, her office received a duplicate docket numbered PRO.93/2018 from the Headquarters of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service on the case.

Under the cover of a letter dated 01 November, 2018 and bearing reference number CID/AR.238/2018/17.

The AG made this revelation on the floor when MP for Mion, Mohammed Abdul-Aziz wanted to know the status of the investigation of the complaint made by the President against former President of the Ghana Football Association, Kwesi Nyantakyi.

The letter indicated that the former GFA Chairman had been secretly recorded by undercover private investigator, Tiger Eye P.I engaged in corrupt conduct.

After initial review of the docket by a team of prosecutors, the police were requested on the 10th of January 2019 to furnish the office with some further documents to facilitate the completion of the review.

Additionally, the AG told the House Tiger Eye in March 2019 was requested to furnish the team with an updated report covering all videos submitted to the Office of the Attorney-General.

Eventually, the document requested from the police as well as the undated report from Tiger Eye were submitted by the police in May 2019.

Unfortunately, Mohammed Suale, a member of the Tiger Eye and a principal witness with who the prosecutors directly engaged in the preparation of the case was tragically killed on the 16th May this year. The death of the journalist has unavoidably stalled the preparation of the case.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Seven Ministers to address twelve questions this week

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs
Seven Ministers’ would be on the floor of the House to answer twelve questions from Members of Parliament this week.

Minister for Roads and Highways Kwesi Amoako Atta as usual would be on the floor to answer five questions concerning his sector on Friday with the Health Minister Kwaku Agyeman Manu addressing two questions bothering on his Ministry.

Ministers for Communication, Food and Agriculture, Trade and Industry, Education, Attorney General and Justice Ministry would take a question each for their respective sectors.

For the second time running, the Business Committee of the House has urged committees with referrals to meet their sector Ministers and deal with them fast for reports to be presented on the floor before the presentation of next year budget second week in this month.

The committee commended the Standing Orders Committee for resuming work on the standing orders of the House and recommend that they speed up for onwards representation to the House as soon as practicable.

All MPs were encouraged to be on the floor of the House on Thursday the 7th of November 2019 as the House would have a joint caucus meeting to address issues concerning MPs after adjournment of the House.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Cost of small earth dam is GHc 250,000 on the average—Minister

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs
Minister of Special Development Initiative, Hawa Koomson has told Parliament that the cost of a small earth dam in the five regions in the north is two-hundred and fifty thousand Ghana cedis on the average.
According to the Minister each site has its unique topography and unique design as a result of that the size of the dams are not the same.

She further told the House the Ministry is constructing small earth dams under the one village one dam initiative which is ideal for villages and communities in the five regions in the north.

This came to light, when MP for Garu wanted to know the cost per dam under the Infrastructure for Poverty Eradication Programme (IPEP) in the regions in the north in 2017 and 2018.

“Mr. Speaker, last year the Ministry in collaboration with Ghana Irrigation Development Authority, the Northern Development Authority and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies in the Northern Regions identified a total of five hundred and sixty sites for the construction of the small earth dams.

Each constituency in the Northern part of the country have been allocated a total of ten small earth dams”, she added.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Narcotics Control Commission Bill 2019 goes through second reading

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs
Narcotics Control Commission Bill 2019 was taken through second reading on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday, October 30, 2019, when the Defense and Interior Committee presented its report on the floor of the House.

The Bill seeks to address the weaknesses in PNDCL 236 which came into force before the commencement of the Fourth Republic Constitution.

The current legislation restricts the confiscation of illegal properties to drug related ones and does not adequately deal with the freezing of accounts of drug dealers.

The Commission would be responsible for measuring to prevent the illicit use of precursors, coordinating the treatment and rehabilitation of drug addicts and their developments in consultation with other public agencies, find alternative means of livelihood for farmers  who cultivate illicit  narcotic plants.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

“Let’s deal with our challenges for the good of our people”—Senate President

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs
Senate President of Nigeria, Ahmed Ibrahim Lawan in a speech presented on his behalf by his First Deputy Speaker, Ovie Omo-Agege at the opening of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament has called for unity to deal with challenges confronting the sub-region.

According to the Senate President lawmakers in the community Parliament need to deal with common challenges for the good of the people of the sub-region when he gave his goodwill message.

He further noted that lawmakers should not relent in making the people of the sub-region happier, as over the years their identified common problems are poverty, problem of accountability and transparency.

The First Deputy Speaker commended the lawmakers for working towards an agreement towards the regional integration, with the sub-region being steadfast towards moving up on higher grounds.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com/Abuja

DACF: Gov’t releases GHc 465m as promised

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs
As Members of Parliament raised issues with the delay in the release of the District Assembly Common Fund, Government has fulfilled its promise it made to MPs before moving into a crucial meeting between MPs, DACF Administrator and Deputy Finance Minister.

Government released four hundred sixty-five million Ghana cedis to the Controller and Accountant General’s Depart for onwards disbursement.

According to the Ministry of Finance, an amount of two hundred million Ghana cedis (GHc200m) was expected to have been released on Monday 11th of November 2019 with the remaining two hundred and sixty-five million Ghana cedis (GHc265m) to have been paid on Tuesday the 12th of November 2019 as the second-quarter payment to the DACF this year.

Deputy Finance Minister, Abena Osei-Asare made this known after a crucial meeting between the Finance Ministry, Administrator of DACF Irene Naa Torshie and Members of Parliament on Tuesday.

The meeting follows weeks of agitation by Minority MPs complaining of serious constrains at the Assemblies bringing activities to a standstill because of lack of liquidity.

First Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei-Owusu who was in the chair last week Friday directed that the Tuesday’s meeting be held to bring finality to the issue.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

NADMO has open account since 2017 to deal with disasters-Minister

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

Minister of Interior Ambrose Dery has told the House that the Governing Council of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has since 2017 opened an account in accordance with section 41(2) of Act 927 to receive funds to deal with disaster related issues.

According to the Interior Minister the account was opened with UniBank now Consolidated Bank to receive monies coming into the fund.

This came to light when Member of Parliament for Builsa North, James Agalga wanted to know if the government would set up a disaster fund, under Act 2016 (Act 927).

The Minister answering questions on the floor of the House noted that moneys appropriated for the organization by parliament would go into the fund, while other monies that may in any manner become lawfully payable to the organisation will also go into the fund.

He further noted that advances from the contingency fund referred to in Article 177 of the Constitution would go into the fund, whiles three percent of the share of the District Assemblies Common Fund for each District subject to the formula approved by parliament in accordance with Article 252 of the constitution.

And Fees and charges accruing to the organisation in the performance of its functions under the Act would as well go into the fund.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Media needs to be engaged in successful implementation of AFCFTA—NGO

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

Mr Yaw Afful, Country Director for African Continental Free Trade Area – AFCFTA, Policy Network Ghana and Diaspora, an international non-governmental organisation said there is no way the Continental Free Trade Area agreement would thrive without the media.

According to him, the African Union has made it clear that the media is going to be key in the implementation of the Continental Free Trade Area agreement, “the media is our partner”.

“We need one voice so that we can get back to the AU, what you say is what we would put together as a communiqué”.

He made this remarks at a day’s symposium for the media in Accra to educate and train them ahead of signing the phase two of the Continental Free Trade Area agreement next year.

In addition, he emphasised the need for the ordinary Ghanaian to be provided with information as there would be free movement of people, “so that when people get to some territories people do not think there is influx of people where xenophobia and other things would set in”.

Again, competition is setting in, and people need to know they can export their skills, they should know most visas had been waived through the agreement, and that you can go to another African country without a visa, people might not know they need to know through the media.

World Bank has given about forty million dollars to Ghana in the tourism sector, but we are not taping into it, why, because the tourism Ministry does not have many technical experts to draft serious tourism models.

“Our network has one hundred and forty-eight members over the globe, we are prepared to provide policy documents to them”.

He noted that phase two of the agreement has to do with international property rights and investments. This, has to be negotiated with the involvement of the private sector, but that is not to be, instead government is going to do the negociation.

“It is a problem, because the voices of the people would not be put out there as to what they want”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

 

Ministry secretly recruiting personnel into security agencies—Minority

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

Ranking Member on Defence and Interior, James Agalga has said the Interior Ministry is secretly recruiting personnel into the Prisons and Police Service and the Ghana Immigration Service, in total disregard for established procedure.

According to the ranking member last year the President Akufo-Addo announced that financial clearance had been given to the police service to recruit four thousand personnel into the service.

As in the first instance, two thousand prospective recruits applied through the e-recruitment model, with an academic requirement of six credits in Maths and English.

At a press conference addressed by the ranking member just after Wednesday adjournment noted that the current government ordered the former Inspector General of Police Asante Apeatu to suspend the recruitment exercise until further notice.

After the police administration had compiled list and provided it to government, but the process was truncated at the tail end and taken over directly by the NPP government contrary to its own communications to stamp out fraud and cronyism.

Several qualified applicants who had been short listed and were only waiting to be invited for medical screening have been denied the opportunity to serve their country.

“Only those connected to the NPP government in one way or the other were selected and trained”, he lamented.

The story is not different with the Prison and Immigration Services. Both services like the police have not advertised for recruitment in 2019, with Immigration Service secret invitation to cronies of the NPP have been taken through screening and medical examination at the prisons training schools.

In all the Immigration Service is hoping to secretly recruit seven hundred junior officers and one hundred and fifty senior officers.

The Minority demand the immediate cancellation of the secrete recruitment exercise embarked upon by the police, prisons and immigration services in 2019.

“We also call upon President Akufo-Addo to institute measures to root out, cronyism and nepotism with respect to the recruitment into the security agencies”,

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com