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I suggested to Prez Kufuor in 2006 to relocate the capital —Kwabena Agyepong

Aspirant in the flagbearership race for the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) Kwabena Agyei Agyepong said he believes the capital of Ghana should be relocated from Accra in the wake of population explosion.

According to him he made this suggestion to former President John Agyekum Kufuor way back in 2006 more especially when the country worn the bid to host CAN 2008 and AU conference.

“If I had my own way there is a place between Kintampo and Salaga; there is a big space very close to the Volta River that can be a very prime area for the capital of Ghana; we could move the Jubilee House there; the new Tamale Stadium we could have built it there”.

Explaining further, he stated that the AU buildings in Cantonment could have been put up there being a new capital then you plan it properly with all the roads, avenue with everything properly schemed up; that is how you begin a new human settlement, he said.

Engineer Agyepong, emphasised the need for Ghana to change its human settlement, saying, if you take Accra right now it has to be regenerated even the urban population the way we live is not the best before God as our standard of living is very low not in terms of money but just the way we live; the neatness of our surroundings, making sure the street are properly laid when we are designing an area, if this is a church avenue, we should have playground, this place is for recreational.

“We need to stick to a plan, which does not happen in Ghana. Today you have mix development, you are there then they come a pull down a building and put up a church; all those things we can ensure that the needed rules and plans are followed”.

He cited Nigeria as a good example where they have Lagos as their commercial capital and political capital in Abuja.
When questioned by Ghanamps.com if the issue of relocating Ghana’s capital should become a topical political issue, he noted that he would not push it to look for votes but rather things should be such a way that everybody in Ghana should feel being part of the country – Ghana. For example why should we have cocoa processing factory in Tema and not in areas like Hohoe or Sehwi?

He queried the impact of the tree crops authority to the country since its establishment some three years ago.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

PAC holds public hearing in Tamale

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament has commenced sitting in Tamale to consider the 2020 Auditor General’s Report on Technical Universities, Reports on the Management and Utilisation of District Assemblies’ Common Fund and other Statutory Funds for the year ended 31 December, 2020 in the Northern, North East, Upper East, Upper West and the Savanna Regions.

The report is a consolidation of the significant findings and recommendations emanating from the Auditor General’s routine audits of the 10 Technical Universities in the country and covers the period 1 January to 31 December, 2020.
The Committee’s work has been divided into four (4) Zones; Northern, Middle, Central and Southern zones.

Dr. Hilla Limann, Bolgatanga and Tamale Technical Universities had management issues, including failure to seek approval from Central Review Committee, non use of the Ghana Integrated Financial Management Information System, un-receipted school fees and under-deduction of rent.

The Committee also found that Bolgatanga Technical University auctioned the University’s vehicles without approval from the required authority. Officials from the same institution were also found by the Auditor General’s report transferring funds to undisclosed SDF project account.

The Chairman of the Committee, Mr. James Klutse Avedzi urged public institutions to ensure that they work in accordance with the Public Procurement Laws and the Financial Management Act to avoid violating the laws that could result in sanctions.

Most of these institutions have been made to refund various sums of funds misappropriated to government within two (2) weeks.

The Committee will spend six (6) days in the Northern Zone before moving to the Middle Zone in the Bono East Region and the Savanna Regions.

Ghanamps.com

Kwabena Agyei Agyepong lauds NPP National Council decision

As the National Council of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) puts out the time table for the Presidential and Parliamentary primaries, an aspirant for the Presidential race Ing Kwabena Agyei Agyepong has lauded the move to hold the primaries at different times despite the strong lobby to hold them simultaneously.

The Npp has slated the opening of nominations for presidential from May 26th to June 24th, 2023; Special Delegates conference on August 26th, 2023 if at the close of nominations there are more than five presidential aspirants and eventually the National Delegates Conference 4th November, 2023.

According to Ing Agyepong the upcoming presidential primaries are very crucial coming at the end of the sixteen year tenure of the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia era. The election of the new Flagbearer and possibly the next President places a huge responsibility on the party and that’s not the time to experiment with holding the two elections together.- “you do not want to create confusion in the minds of the electorate, the same electorate votes for the Member of Parliament”.

In an interview, he pointed out that to put those two critical decisions on one day (voting for presidential and Parliamentary primaries) and to converge at one place, the delegates would possibly lose focus.

“We want a focused campaign; for the party to take the all important decision on who becomes the Flagbearer that for me is most important. The National Council has done the right thing, this has been the practice of this party from time immemorial”

Mr. Agyepong noted that the (NPP) has always elected its presidential candidate first, and thereafter the parliamentary election, “We are conforming to what we are used to; it’s nothing different”.

Again, the time table complied with the party’s constitution as the party has rules and regulations that runs these presidential primaries. The former Press Secretary to President Kufuor opined that most of his colleague presidential aspirants are satisfied with the arrangement; it’s only the media that is trying to make issues out of it, he stated.

According to him, the presidential aspirants need to be given enough time to reach out to the delegates to send their campaign message efficiently and effectively so that at the end of the process everyone will be satisfied with the results declared.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Effia MP charges NLA to develop their own platform for gaming

The Minister for Public Enterprises and Member of Parliament for Effia Constituency, Joseph Cudjoe, has charged Management of the National Lottery Authority-NLA to develop their own gaming platform to increase revenue.

According to him, the NLA has been using platforms of different countries to be playing it games when the Authority has the potential to create its own platform and even export.

“Let your IT guys develop a lottery platform which would be used to play your games. You have been using the platforms of others for years and they are the ones benefiting from it. Your IT guys are young and they have the potential to develop a friendly gaming platform to generate more income for the Authority”, Mr. Cudjoe counseled.

The Minister made these statements when he paid a working visit to the NLA on Wednesday, 5th April, 2023 to engage Management and staff and through that familiarize himself with the Authority’s operations, challenges and find ways to assist them.

Mr. Joseph Cudjoe thus shared solutions to some of the issues raised during the meeting, and indicated that the NLA, should explore all the opportunities the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) could offer to expand into other African countries on the back of the integrity built over the years.

The Director General, Mr. Samuel Awuku, while welcoming the solutions observed that Management has plans to expand to other countries as part of their revenue mobilisation strategies.

Ghanamps.com

Family planning to be front burner issue under “President” Kwabena Agyepong

An aspirant in the flagbearership race of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) Kwabena Agyei Agyepong has said family planning would be on his front burner should he emerge victorious and become President of Ghana.

According to him there is population explosion in Ghana hence the need to get back to the drawing board and take a critical look at the family planning concept, “ especially the have-not in our society are the ones who give birth a lot, then the children become a burden to the society”.

In an interview, he emphasised the importance of having public education to enable us as a nation to reduce the family, as he pointed out that ideally having two, three or four children was okay, you can take good care of them.

Mr. Agyepong was of the view that, in the wake of population explosion we do not have commensurate number of jobs to match those in need of jobs especially in the rural communities; hence population explosion is one of his priorities.

He asserts that he has gone round the regions, and there is the need to spread development across the regions; citing example of Germany in cities like, Stuttgart, Hamburg, Berlin and Dusseldorf where because of the spread of development it becomes difficult to see the difference and even know which one is the capital.

“That is how we should develop a country; all the developments we have in Accra and Kumasi, we should have in every region”, he emphasised.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Bawku Central MP condemns killing of members of the security agencies

Member of Parliament (MP) for Bawku Central Mahama Ayariga has condemned the shooting that led to the killing of members of the security agencies in his constituency on Monday, April 3, 2023 with some getting injured in the process.

The MP in a statement described the development as most reprehensible and should not be repeated again; and called for investigation into the matter and perpetrators brought to book.

He expressed condolences to the families of the deceased security personnel and extends the constituency’s prayers to the wounded.

He further urged government to be proactive in advancing a lasting peace process in Bawku.

“On 3rd April, 2023, at about 2000hrs, three (3) immigration officers; Asst. Inspt. Philip Motey stationed at Missiga, Asst. Inspt. Lawrence Afari stationed at Kulungugu and Asst. Inspt. Eric Ayidiya of Pulimakom border post were shot at by unknown gun men in front of Bawku Police station. They were in their private car to town to buy food when the incident happened”.

They were rushed to Bawku Presbyterian Hospital but Philip Motey was confirmed dead whiles the other two sustained gun shots injuries and are in critical conditions.

Eric Ayidiya was transferred to Tamale Teaching Hospital yesterday but Lawrence Afari is still at Bawku Presbyterian Hospital. Both officers are currently responding to treatment.

Meanwhile, the body of Philip Motey is still at Bawku Presbyterian Hospital.

Ghanamps.com

Malaria elimination agenda: “We need more resources” — Programmes Manager

As Ghana Health Services moves into a different strategic approach in dealing with malaria, which is malaria elimination programmes, manager of Ghana National Malaria Control programme Dr. Keziah L. Malm has emphasised the need to get the needed funds to push the elimination agenda.

According to her the strategy the nation operated on from the year 2021 in the fight against malaria is being changed into malaria elimination.

In an interview with Ghanamps.com she noted that if one looks at the strategic plan previously they did not mobilize all the resources that they needed to implement that strategic plan; they had eighteen districts which were eligible for one of their key interventions which is indoor residual spraying.

“But, we did not have the resources to do that. Now with the support from Parliament, some funds have been allocated to two districts out of the eighteen, which means that there is a lot to be done. This intervention was one that was done in the Upper West Region and has brought malaria prevalence down quite well”.

Dr. Malm further pointed out that other interventions especially around education and getting people to understand the interventions and accept them is a lot more that they need to do.

And emphasised adequate resources when Ghanamps.com enquired if that would be a game changer.

According to her, they are hoping that as they improve on their work with Parliament Select Committee on health, “they would appreciate what needs to be done better and what resources are needed to do things better; and what and how they can help us in the fight against malaria in this elimination agenda”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Nantom MP involved in an accident ahead of crucial vote

The Member of Parliament for Nanton, Mohammed Hardi Tuferi is reported to have been involved in an accident ahead of a crucial vote on the government’s revenue bills currently being considered by Parliament.

It is not immediately known how the whole thing occurred. But he was spotted near the male washroom.

Later a stretcher was moved up towards the male’s washroom but the Nantom MP did not go on it rather he was held by his colleagues into an ambulance that was packed at the entrance to Parliament.

The MP who is a member of the Majority Caucus was however sent to Parliament via an ambulance to report to the leadership of the House and later sent to the hospital.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Haruna Iddrisu takes visitors through workings of Ghana’s Parliament

Member of Parliament for Tamale South, Haruna Iddrisu on Friday, March 31, 2023 took some Ghanaians in Diaspora who visited Parliament through the workings of the Ghanaian Parliament most especially governance.

According to him the system of parliamentary democracy Ghana has is the unicameral legislature made up of two hundred and seventy-five (275) lawmaker where as in the United States of America they have bicameral legislature which is made up of House of Representative and Congress.

And that Ghana’s Parliament is established under Article 93 of the 1992 Republican constitution mandated and responsible for legislation despite the fact that it can do other function other than legislation.

Haruna Iddrisu noted that beyond legislation, they exercise representative role and they also play an investigative role and unfortunately this parliament has not been up and doing in that direction, rather the parliament cover things up.

Unlike their counterpart in the United States, they have that role of investigative and gave an example of tick talk investigation that went on in the US and added that they play an oversight role as a parliament.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

“Ghana is wining the fight against malaria”—Dr Keziah Malm

The programmes manager of Ghana’s national malaria control programme of the Ghana Health Service Dr. Keziah L. Malm has said Ghana is wining the fight against malaria as the number of people who die from malaria related diseases has drastically reduced.

According to her in year 2010 and 2014 the nation was counting deaths of malaria in our health facilities in thousands, but last year’s record was one hundred and fifty five (155) deaths in our health facilities.

In an interview with Ghanamps.com she further noted that in the year 2018 Ghana recorded deaths around four hundred and twenty –eight (428) hence malaria is no more in the top ten caucus of death in Ghana’s health facilities.

“But we still have challenges; we still are not where we want to be, we record high number of malaria cases in our health facilities last year, we recorded five point one million cases of malaria and that is quite a huge number”.

She further pointed out that looking at the number of school days children have to lose and parents and guidance have to lose to take care of their wards, it means as a nation we still have a lot to do as it still remains the number one cause of out- patience attendance.

As to whether the policy to push for malaria elimination is doable due to the attitude of some Ghanaians, Dr. Malm noted that, there is the motivation to push for malaria elimination agenda because it is doable.

She asserts that there is quite a number of tools that would help us in this fight of elimination agenda, stating that as they have just started, they are currently writing the strategic plan for the elimination fight. “if you look at the countries that have eliminated malaria, it just didn’t happen; it even took them some deliberate years of efforts; that is why I said it’s doable, it may be twenty or fifteen years but with deliberate efforts it can be done”.

And further pointed out that, it is not surprising that people do not know about the elimination agenda, they are still in the process of defining their strategies and plans. Once that is done then they would educate Ghanaians on what is expected for each of us to push this agenda.

But when it comes to people knowing that mosquitoes transmit malaria that is well known but the acceptance of the intervention to fight this diseases is where we need to do more, she stated.

She further recounted that on an oversight field visit by the Select Committee on health of Ghana’s Parliament to Berekum East and the Ashanti Region it came out that some things were not going on right hence the need for more to be done in the fight against malaria.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com