The Deputy Education Minister, Rev Ntim Fordjour said the Ghana Education Service has adopted play-based education system as the way to train children at their early stages in school.
He explained that, GES has realized that, early childhood education is very vital that’s why GES has partnered Lively Minds, Liberty Creation, Right to Play and others to use playing to introduce formal education to Ghanaian children at their early stages in order to build their interest in learning.
The deputy minister added that, government is training about 48,000 teachers that would be handling kids in the kindergarten and nursery to help build children with such knowledge in their local languages (mother tongue).
Rev Ntim Fordjour made these comments soon after he contributed to a statement made by MP for Tamale North, Mr Suhuyini Sayibu Alhassan on how to design educational programs through playing for children in early childhood education.
Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the Member of Parliament for Suame, has officially declared his resignation as Majority Leader.
He made this announcement in Parliament on Friday, February 23, clarifying that the decision was solely his and not influenced by external pressure, as speculated in some media reports.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu encouraged members of the Majority Caucus to extend their support to his successor, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, by providing all necessary assistance.
“On Wednesday, February 21, at a meeting with the caucus and the President, I formally announced my decision to resign as the Majority Leader in order to still the storm and facilitate the peace and unity for the party at this time,” he said.
Below is the new front bench of the Majority Caucus
Majority Leader: Alexander Afenyo-Markin, MP for Effutu
Deputy Majority Leader: Patricia Appiagyei, MP for Asokwa
Majority Chief Whip: Frank Annoh Dompreh, MP for Nsawam/Adoagyiri
First Deputy Majority Chief Whip: Habib Iddrisu, MP for Tolon
Second Deputy Majority Chief Whip: Alex Tetteh Djornobuah, MP for Sefwi Akontombra
The first deputy Speaker of Parliament and MP for Bekwai, Mr. Joseph Osei Owusu said, he is disappointed that Mr. Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu took the decision to resign.
He asserts that Mr. Kyei-Mensah is a fantastic leader and the caucus should have kept him to the end of the 8th Parliament.
He explained that, Mr Kyei Mensah has been extremely hard working both in his role and leadership as majority leader.
Mr Osei-Owusu added that, though he was disappointed, their caucus will take steps to fill his position with equally qualified person who would be able to hold the fourth peacefully.
He denied the speculation that, the NPP caucus has elected Mr. Alexander Afenyo Markin as the Majority Leader and that the caucus will remain focused in achieving its objectives.
The lawmaker shot down the suggestion that the former Leader, Mr Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu was forced to step down.
Mr Joseph Osei Owusu made these comments at a press interaction soon after the adjournment of proceedings on Thursday.
The minority through its ranking member on the Health Committee of parliament and MP for Juaboso, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has called on the Majority side in Parliament to cooperate with the Minority to investigate into the COVID-19 expenditure.
He explained further that, an Ad-hoc committee involving both health and finance committee which was constituted by the Speaker to investigate into the expenditure has failed to do its work since it was formed.
Mr Akandoh further said, the Chairman of Committee, Dr Ayew Afriyie is not showing any seriousness about the mandate assigned to them as a committee and has called for meeting just once.
Mr Akandoh used the opportunity to call on the Chairman to show leadership by calling members on the committee to begin the investigation immediately for Ghanaians to know everything about the COVID-19 expenses.
The Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo Markin has withdrawn his proposals to the Anti-Gay bill.
His motion was to give an alternative to convicted persons a community service instead of custodial sentence were all shot down by the House.
The leader was surprised about Speaker’s directive to withdraw his amendments since those proposals are alien to the process of law enactment in the House.
On another proposal from Mr Afenyo Markin on the mandatory commission of counselling to the convicted persons was also shot down and finally withdrawn from the Bill.
It is the sense of the House that there will be no further delays in the passage of the Bill.
The Nigo- Prampram MP, Mr Samuel Nartey George argued that the proposal of Mr. Afenyo Markin which seems to introduce a mandatory counselling will put cost on the consolidated fund which is contrary to the constitution of Ghana on private members’ Bill.
But the Deputy Majority Leader argues that the custodial sentence in the current form still puts a charge on the consolidated fund.
In a meeting on Wednesday, February 21, 2024 with President Nana Akufo-Addo and the National Officers of the ruling NPP party, Majority Leader Osei-Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu turned in his resignation letter as leader of the caucus.
He thanked President Nana Akufo-Addo for the opportunity to serve the Party as its Majority Leader.
“I have served the Party diligently ever since I entered Parliament on the same day, January 7, 1997, with the President. I believe I have served the Party very well to the best of my ability, and I have no regrets.
There is a difficult battle ahead of us, to which enterprise all of us must commit ourselves. We are at a critical juncture that requires absolute unity and peace within our ranks to successfully prosecute the “Breaking the 8 Agenda”.
In my absence from the Country, certain issues had been raised to which I have been connected. I do not want to be the eye of the storm. Nothing should be done that would precipitate cataclysmic consequences. That is why I am stressing peace and unity, he stated.
He extended his sincerest gratitude to his colleagues for all the partnership and assistance they have provided to propel the agenda of the Party, and latterly, government.
“At this stage, I would want to inform Mr. President, the Members of Leadership, herein present, the Leadership of the Party, and all others, that I voluntarily declare my intent to step down as the Majority Leader before you my colleagues here and now, in order to afford the Caucus the opportunity to choose their leader.
I thank you Mr. President for the opportunity afforded. Thank you all once again.”
The Deputy Health Minister-designate and Member of Parliament for Akim Oda in the Eastern Region, Alexander Akwasi Acquah, has proposed a strategy to address the issue of unemployed nurses by suggesting their training and exportation to generate funds for the country.
Amid concerns raised by stakeholders about health professionals leaving Ghana due to unfavourable working conditions, a December 2023 report by the Ghana Health Service revealed that 3,688 health personnel had departed the country in the last three years.
In an interview on Eyewitness News on Citi FM with Selorm Adonoo on February 16, 2024, Mr Acquah emphasized that Ghana possesses numerous nursing training institutions capable of training and shaping more unemployed health professionals. Exporting them could provide a means to generate funds for national development.
He noted that despite the demand for individuals entering the nursing field and the existence of institutions capable of training them, the quota system poses a challenge. While recognizing the government’s efforts in employing many nurses, Mr Acquah highlighted that there are still unemployed nurses, leading to the proposal of exporting them.
Mr. Acquah urged the reconsideration of the quota system, advocating for its removal to allow for the training and exportation of more students. This, he believes, would not only reduce unemployment levels in the country but also contribute to generating revenue.
“We have Nurses today in Ghana who want employment. As a politician, as someone on the health committee and someone who has links to many hospitals, you have a lot of people coming to you that I want the job. I mean they have finished school, postings have not come, government is not able to place all of them even though the government has done so well.
“This government has employed so many people, the backlog has been cleared up to this point but we still have some few nurses at home. So if these have been trained and packaged well, and they are taken out, we have a lot of people, because we have a lot of training schools now and we have a lot of people who want to enter into the Nursing profession because not everyone wants to go the university and the other training institutions.”
There are indications that the president Nana Akufo-Addo will in the coming days have a meeting with the Majority Caucus is parliament to discuss issues on the a possible changes in the leadership of the caucus.
Though the majority caucus at a press conference on Tuesday, February 20, 2024 rebuts all speculations about changes in their leadership and any contemplation to that effects, there is an evidence to the contrary as the party at one of their executive meetings had ‘changes to Parliamentary leadership as one of the items on the agenda for discussion which was subsequently skipped.
Mr Appiah Kubi, the Member of Parliament for Asante Akim South, speaking on TV3’s Ghana Tonight Show on Tuesday, February 20, 2024 confirmed attending such meeting by the party and seeing the said item on the agenda specifically as the fifth item for discussion but was dropped subsequently.
He, however, assured that the new Standing Orders of Parliament which came into force in January this year gave power to the caucuses/groups to constitute their own leadership, a position that is a departure from the previous system which allowed the party to do so.
As such, he said they are satisfied with their leadership and are solidly behind them, adding that whatever anybody or groups will put forward to be done to the Majority Caucus’ leadership would be treated as a suggestion to be tabled before the caucus for discussion.
The Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Hon. Ignatius Baffour Awuah, is set to meet key stakeholders in the pension industry regarding the refund of outstanding 4% Tier 2 contributions to the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT).
The discussion is expected to begin this month. Indeed, the 2022 Auditor-General’s report highlighted SSNIT’s inability to fully retrieve the 4% contributions from the Tier 2 Fund Managers. These fund managers were entrusted with managing the funds on behalf of contributors following the enactment of the National Pension Act, 2008 (Act 766).
This came to light when the Director-General of SSNIT, Dr. John Ofori-Tenkorang, appeared before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament today to answer questions relating to the findings raised by the Auditor-General in its 2022 reports.
DG SNNIT
With the enactment of the National Pensions Amendment Act, 2014 (Act 883), a total of 105,124 contributors from both public and private sectors had already made contributions to SSNIT. These contributors, whose 4% contributions were managed by private fund managers, are now retired and receiving full pensions from SSNIT.
As of the beginning of 2021, the fund managers owed SSNIT GH¢483,365,156.60. However, only GH¢6,076,705.05 was received by SSNIT in 2021, leaving an amount of GH¢477,288,451.55 yet to be retrieved from the fund managers.
Dr. Ofori-Tenkorang noted that the Trust is making significant progress to retrieve all outstanding funds owed SSNIT.
Appointment of Auditors for subsidiaries
The Auditor-General’s report further indicated that 10 sampled subsidiaries of the Trust appointed their own auditors to audit their financial statements contrary to Article 187 of the 1992 Constitution and Regulation 204 of the Public Financial Management Regulations, 2019 (L.I. 2378).
In his response, Dr. Ofori-Tenkorang stated that the Trust’s subsidiaries operate as independent limited liability companies in accordance with the Companies Act, 2019 (Act 992) with powers to appoint their auditors.
“Pursuant to the Companies Act, it is the Board of Directors of the company that has the mandate to appoint auditors on behalf of the shareholders. We have communicated this legal opinion in writing to the Auditor-General and we are waiting for a formal response”, he added.
However, the Auditor-General disagreed with the SSNIT DG’s position, prompting the Chairman of the Committee, Mr. James Klutse Avedzi, to intervene accordingly and resolve the matter.
“The Auditor-General audits the public accounts of Ghana and the same Auditor-General audits the accounts of Public Boards, Corporations and other Statutory Institutions. So, per that provision in the Constitution, the Auditor-General audits the accounts of SSNIT”.
“Now, SSNIT owns a company, which is a limited liability company governed by the Companies Act. So directly, the Auditor-General cannot audit that private company. So whatever decision is taken, (by the company) it’s incorporated into SSNIT’s accounts which is audited by the Auditor-General. So, there is no need for the Auditor-General to audit the subsidiaries”, Mr. Klutse Adedzi clarified.
Overpayment of Advance Mobilisation
Regarding the advance payments of 15% contract sum threshold as stipulated in the Public Financial Management Regulations, 2019 (L.I. 2378), the Deputy Director-General of SSNIT, in charge of Investment and Development, Mr. Kofi Bosompem Osafo-Maafo, noted that the Trust accepts the recommendations.
He added that Management has put in measures to ensure that subsequent payments do not exceed 15% of the contract sum threshold.
The Chairman of the Committee enquired from the auditors if they were satisfied with the response provided by SSNIT and the representatives of the Auditor-General acknowledged that they were satisfied with the response.
Need to increase investible funds to the Treasury Sub-Asset Portfolio
The Auditor-General in its report advised SSNIT’s Management to increase the investment outlay in the Treasury Sub-Asset Portfolio to surge its liquidity reserve to support the Trust.
The Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Klutse Avedzi sought to know whether SSNIT has complied with this recommendations from the Auditor-General.
In his response, the Director-General of SSNIT said “the recommendation is well taken. The only reason we have fallen below threshold happened in years where we have not received adequate contributions. But we are committed to ensuring we have healthy liquid treasury portfolio that will solve the liquidity ratio problem”.
The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudjeto Ablakwa has announced that all 600 occupants of the newly commissioned North Tongu MP and Partners Safe Alternative Housing Projects will not be required to pay any rent.
The MP wrote on his facebook post saying, “Glad to announce that all 600 beloved occupants of our newly commissioned North Tongu MP & Partners Safe Alternative Housing Projects in Mepe & Aveyime will enjoy free rent & free utilities for the next three years.”
According to him, his vision is to convert both facilities into a Nursing Training Institute leveraging on the famous Battor Catholic Hospital after three years when it is hoped that all the VRA spillage victims would have been resettled permanently.
“May God bless our good intentions and recovery efforts. In this together, rising together”, he said.
