Author: Kwaku GhanaMPs

The Committee on Health is holding an in-camera discussion with the social cluster of Committees to discuss non-release of funds to the National Health Insurance Authority.

Committees that are to appear before the Committee for discussion are the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, the National Health Insurance Authority and the Controller and Accountant General Department.

The initial public hearing of the Committee’s meeting turns up to be an in-camera discussion after which the chairman of the Committee Dr. Nana Ayew Afriye assured the media they would be briefed after their discussion.

As to what is informing the sudden turn around, the chairman of the Committee told journalists this is a standard practice; and apart from the Appointment Committee of Ghana’s Parliament they are a Committee that had held public hearing.

Ranking of the Committee Kwabena Minta Akando had a different view of the chairman and pointed out that since this is a public institution there is nothing to hide.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Director General   National Lotteries Authority (NLA) and NPP Parliamentary Candidate for Akuapem North, Lawyer Sammi Awuku has donated a motor bike to the Tutu Presbyterian District Minister, Rev Johnson Obou Manu.

The donation is a surprise gesture to help the Reverend Minister with his evangelical works in the district.

Mampong Akuapem Apesemakahene, Nana Yirenkyi I, who presented the motor bike on behalf of the NPP Parliamentary Candidate for Akuapem North in the church last Sunday, narrated that Sammi Awuku had paid a visit to Rev Obuo Manu and he pleaded for a motor for evangelism in the district.

In fulfilment of his promise to that request, lawyer Sammi Awuku gave a motor bike out for onward presentation to Rev Obuo Manu.

Rev Obuo Manu thanked Sammi Awuku for supporting the work of God and prayed for his dream to come true.

Ghanamps.com

 

The Minority in Ghana’s Parliament has expressed worry over move by the Akufo-Addo and Dr. Bawumia led government to give away the nation’s 5G spectrum to a shadowy entity, Next Gen Infraco Limited for the next ten to fifteen years.

According to the Minority next Gen Infraco limited has exclusive right to build, own and operate the entire 5G infrastructure network across the country for the use of all mobile network operators, internet service providers and other interested entities.

In a press statement issued by the Minority Leader on Monday, June 3, 2024 Dr. Ato Forson noted that executive approval was given by the president on August 22, 2023 barely one week after the company was incorporated in August 16, 2023; and was done through a non-transparent arrangement without any competitive process whatsoever.

The Minority caucus sees the deal as inimical to the national interest after preliminary study leading to the opaque transaction and says so because of the following reasons.
1. Lack of value for money
Our conservative analysis shows that the State could have generated up to USD400 million to USD$500 million upfront if the government had opted for a more competitive process.
This revenue could have been channeled into critical development projects in this time of economic bankruptcy and excruciating hardships. Sadly, the corrupt Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government is giving away this important asset for a paltry USD$125million payable in yearly installments on a work-and-pay basis over the next 10 years.

2. Unfair monopoly and exclusivity.
This opaque ‘work and pay’ 5G agreement will ensure that: i. NEXT GEN INFRACO would be the ONLY COMPANY to offer wholesale 5G mobile DATA and VOICE services in the country for a period of 10 years.

ii. All existing Mobile Network Operators (MNOs)-MTN, AT, TELECEL and Internet Service Providers ((ISPs) in the country cannot offer DATA and VOICE services to their numerous customers nationwide without passing through NEXT GEN INFRACO.

iii. NEXT GEN INFRACO would control substantial 62.5% of every DATA/VOICE bundle package every mobile user buys, with only 7.5% going to Government and 30% for Mobile Network Operators and Internet Service Providers. We hold the view that the monopoly and exclusive rights granted Next Gen Infraco under this opaque deal is unfair to other industry players and unacceptable.

3. Absence of Parliamentary Approval
This 5G spectrum transaction awarded to Next Gen Infraco Limited is a multi-year contract, hence subject to parliamentary approval per section 33 of the Public Financial Management Act 2016 (Act 921). Unfortunately, the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government is almost concluding this deal at the blind side of Parliament. This renders the entire transaction unlawful, null, void, and of no legal effect whatsoever.

4. Some of the entities in the Consortium which are the beneficiaries of this opaque transaction, are mushroom entities owned by cronies of President Akufo-Addo and the Minister for Communication, with questionable track records.
As a matter of fact, some of these entities have been engaged by this same government in similar arrangements that have offered no value for money for the state.

5. The regulatory framework and operational modalities and guidelines for this opaque arrangement have not been clearly defined by the Akufo Addo/Bawumia government, which appears to be in an indecent haste to give away the country’s 5G spectrum for a pittance.

6. The investment that this Consortium is expected to make to justify their humongous 63% stake in Ghana’s 5G network services revenue has also not been clearly defined. The NDC Caucus in Parliament holds the view, that at a time that the country is in dire need of foreign exchange and non-tax revenue, it is unconscionable that the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government will hand over the precious and highly sought-after 5G spectrum of the country to a shell company for a pittance.

Clearly, this deal for all intents and purposes is inimical to our national interest and the NDC Minority Caucus has, therefore, flagged this transaction for eagle-eye scrutiny.

In the coming days, we shall be addressing the media and, by extension, the Ghanaian people on these vexed matters and collaborate with other stakeholders to ensure that our national interest is upheld.

Ghanamps.com

A seven-member delegation from the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) in South Africa has called on the Clerk to Parliament, Mr. Cyril Kwabena Oteng Nsiah, to solicit views on how to enhance female participation and equality on a number of issues within the African continent.

Briefing the gathering on the purpose of the visit, the leader of the delegation, Mr. Gali Massa Harou, noted that the Pan-African Parliament is in the process of putting together an African Model Law on Gender, which will serve as a guide to all African member countries that have difficulties in implementing laws bordering on issues of gender.

Equal access to education, employment, land, law, reproductive rights, and protection of women, as well as economic and social opportunities for women were few indicators listed by the delegation.

Responding to the subject matter, the Deputy Clerk in charge of Corporate and Financial Management Services, Mr. Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, who represented the Clerk to Parliament, was of the view that the model laws must be tailored to fit the culture and religious values of member countries.

He cited the Property Rights of Spouses Bill as having been in the books of Ghana’s Parliament for the past 20 years, stressing that the Bill has not been passed due to issues with a few clauses, including a cohabitation clause that seems to create disagreement among Members of Parliament and some civil society groups.

He added that if such an African Model Law was implemented, it could be useful to Ghana’s Parliament in passing the Property Rights of Spouses Bill.

He, however, cautioned the delegation to do extensive consultations before finalizing its report.

The delegation was taken through a number of Acts and policies that would help its cause. They include articles 12 and 35 of the Constitution, which talk about equality and inclusiveness; the Domestic Violence Act; the abolition of female mutilation; and the Criminal Offences (Amendment) Act.

Also present at the meeting were Coordinators of Departments, Directors, and some senior officers of the Parliamentary Service.

Ghanamps.com

The Majority caucus in Parliament has taken a swipe at the Minority in Ghana’s Parliament led by its leader Dr. Ato Forson for leading the charge to obstruct government business on its policy of one District One Factory (1D1F).

The Majority Leader Alexander Kwamena Afenyo Markin putting the matter in a proper perspective said the government’s policy on 1D1F requires certain tax incentives be given out to producers.

However, “the Minority has been stampeding this whole policy and they have not given up on these efforts and they have been throwing dust into the eyes of Ghanaians led by the Minority Leader”, he said at a press conference on Thursday, May 30, 2024.

Again, the Minority Leader is leading this charge on behalf of the Minority caucus and the main aim is to obstruct government business and to prevent the people of Ghana the needed economic growth which would result in some businesses investing in the country and expanding their businesses.

According to him, on May 17, 2024, when the Speaker recalled the House, the issue of 1D1F was part of the issue to be dealt with. Unfortunately we could not deal with the referrals that were before the finance committee for over three years.

But we know that in 2016, this country experienced the most outrageous tax giveaways ever seen in Ghana, when the NDC led by John Mahama handed a tax waiver of eight hundred and thirty two million dollars to Meridian Port Services at the time they apply for a tax waiver nine hundred and eighty two million for the port project and through the vigilance of the Minority then we short it down to eight hundred and thirty two million dollars.

And we saved the government and the people of Ghana some hundred million and even requested that some further work be done. Those who led the charge in parliament were Seth Tekpe, the Finance Minister and Dr. Atto Forson, Deputy Minister of Finance then.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

As the push for full Legislative powers for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament surges, leader of the Liberian delegation to the 6th Parliament, Senator Edwin Melvin Snowe Jr. has cautioned for the push to be carefully done as Heads of States have their own concerns in this regard.

According to him, in national parliaments of member states there are times where the Executive arm of government and the parliament clash.

“And we do not want to do a regional clash, so we have to nature this process and assure the Heads of states we are not ruing for legislative powers because we want to rub shoulders. Rather, we want to enhance the tenancy of democracy, work with them and project the true image of ECOWAS like is being done in the European Union (EU).

He assured that they are going to work on this, adding, “I am happy that we have a Speaker now who was part of the past Bureau; those things that the past Bureau did not achieve, she would put them on the front burner so that she as a Speaker in her tenure would be able to achieve them.”

As to whether there are better days ahead for the sub-regional Community Parliament, he noted that there are challenging times, but he is hopeful as a person that things are going to get better, more especially as the Parliament has Guinea back in its fold.

In addition, like the Speaker noted in her acceptance speech, he chaired the Committee on selection; one of the provisions was that they would make provision for Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso in the different Committees.

So that, they still have slots there and those are some of the things we would take to them whenever we meet them and engage them to return to the fold of the sub-regional bloc.

He was speaking in an interview on the sideline of the just ended Extraordinary Session in Kano Northwest of Nigeria.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com