Author: Enestina GhanaMPs

Minority Leader Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin is advocating for re-introduction of a conversation for a new chamber befitting the legislative arm of government, though the current structure is still fit for purpose.

Speaking at the inauguration of the ninth Parliamentary Service Board on Monday, March 17, 2025, he stated that the Speaker Rt. Hon Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin, spoke about security in Parliament, and recounted his visit to the British Parliament House of Commons where even within the chamber there was enhanced security.

“Here in the public gallery anybody at all can throw anything at a Member of Parliament and there is no security; I am therefore looking forward to enhance security in the chamber.”

The Effutu Member of Parliament further added that MPs in the ninth Parliament have some concerns which have to do with their welfare, and he believes that they would put in place the necessary support systems for MPs to function effectively; same with the staff who provide them support should be well equipped, adding that when this comes before the board, the board would be able to deal with it.

“Two things I’m looking forward to happen in the ninth Parliament; hospital for parliament. If it does happen in accordance with the Speaker’s vision it would be a great milestone.

In addition, he noted that they are a political class, and their health issues are to be known within certain confines because of confidentiality and all that, noting that people travel abroad at great costs for medical support. As such it would help if they are able to deal with it.

He also asserts that Parliament has seen great transformation since the Rt. Hon Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin assumed the chair as Speaker in the eighth Parliament and now Parliament is closer to the people than it was before.
It’s therefore our turn to support Speaker to do more and he should be rest assured that we are committed in this direction, he concluded.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga has vehemently rejected suggestions by his counterpart the Minority Leader, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin for Parliament to have its own hospital.

Mr. Ayariga who was commenting on the Minority Leader’s suggestion at the inauguration of the 9th Parliamentary Service Board said “I do not believe a hospital should be the priority of this parliament; we are very close to the Ridge Hospital which I personally believe is adequate to provide the services that staffs here would need. And I do not believe at this stage with the finance of this country a political class building a hospital specially for itself and not wanting to mingle with ordinary Ghanaians”.

“We have a clinic which we have been keeping with what most establishments have, and I believe that if anything at all we should just improve the services at the clinic like basic services. If you need serious care, you can use the facility at Ridge hospital which is not far from here to Korle Bu”.

On the issue of security, he states, “I do agree we need to re-think the way the compound is arranged that affects the security of our offices and the chamber. I don’t think the security issue warrant discussion of building new chamber, that I totally reject as well that we should be discussing the construction of a new chamber as well at this age when this country is confronted with multiple financial issues. What we have has served us well over the years; we can continue to do well in the facility”.

In addition, I believe that our effectiveness, efficiency and success depend on the service that facilitates our work. I want to assure the Speaker that we would work with the board to make sure that right decisions are made to make us more effective and efficient and better parliament that remains the envy of many parliaments across the world.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Ninety percent of challenges facing the road sector are financially related; Minister for Roads and Highways, Governs Agbodza stated on the floor of Parliament and lamented over the inability to judiciously apply the scares resources we have as a nation.

According to him, one point nine million dollars ($1.9 billion) had been earmarked for the dualization of the Accra-Kumasi Road, with a variation of one point seven billion dollars ($1.7 billion), stating that he has not seen such a worse situation before.

Governs Agbodza further added that to address issues of road construction, enough preparations on drawing and design should be done and funds secured for its execution.

“Ghanaians are not getting the needed value with a lot of roads being built and the Accra to Kumasi is design and build, one point nine billion and has one point seven billion variations to it”, stating that it is the more reason that under the Big Push program, President John Mahama wants redesign done and built.

Additionally, the sector Minister noted that a drone shot was captured of the site for the dualization of the Accra-Kumasi road; and it was later noticed that galamsey activities were on some portions hence the cost of construction went overboard.

The Minister received a lot of heckling from his colleagues from the Minority side of the House, who pointed out that, the Accra-Kumasi dualization project was signed by civil servants and not by President Nana Akufo-Addo.

“Sometimes, as politicians we take blame for things we are not supposed to take blame for; it is civil servants who carried the work out and put the contract document together. Why are politicians taking blame for things we are not responsible for? I am happy you are feeling uncomfortable about this revelation and it would help the Majority side not to repeat the mistakes you did”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

The Techiman, Sawla to Wa roads would benefit from President John Dramani Maham’s big push agenda; the Minister for Roads and Highways Governs Kwame Agbodza revealed on the floor of the House.

According to him half a billion dollars is needed to address it and President John Dramani Mahama has instructed that be done, hence the Ministry is putting together a full design and cost to avoid unprepared reactions to addressing the road issues.

Contributing to a statement made by the Member of Parliament for Daffiama/Daffiama/Bussie/Issa Dr. Sebastian Sandaare who appealed for an urgent rehabilitation of the Wa-Bole-Techiman Road to allow easier movement and boost economic growth, the road minister recounted that he has traveled around the country extensively during the 2024 elections, and it is true that you could get to parts of the country and you would wonder whether that is still within the boundaries of Ghana; whether the people staying in those areas also feel they are benefiting from the efforts of the country.

I agree that we have a lot of problems, but some are bigger. The Western corridor right from Elubu to Hamele is very strategic because if you consider the fact that, if you are coming from Hamele you can easily go to Takoradi.

Furthermore, we know that some agriculture products from Ivory Coast can easily come through that part; and the areas have mining potentials too for Ghana, he disclosed.

He noted that the western railway is supposed to be tailored on the same route; “you should try the rout and you see the horror story, something we should have done like yesterday and the stretch is about six hundred and seventy kilometers”.

Mr Agbodza stated that it would cost us one million dollars per kilometer without dualizing it, double surfacing and other things. “If you add interchanges and others it could easily be more than one point two billion dollars”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson said this year’s budget is people centered for the poor and creation of jobs.

He pointed out that the budget is in to re-set the Ghanaian economy as they recognize that the economy is in crisis but most importantly the John Mahama led government is putting measures, innovations and interventions to address it.

Again, the budget provides incentives for the private sector growth for job creation. It introduces innovations to address key funding concerns, growth-oriented interventions to support national development, he stated.

Addressing his colleague Members of Parliament at a post budget workshop in Parliament, he noted that the budget for 2025, the overall GDP growth is 4 percent and inflation of 11.9 percent; primary balance at a surplus of 1.5 percent of GDP and gross international reserve that would cover not less than three month of import cover.

He said they have outlined a number of revenue and expenditure measure to support the achievement of their fiscal objectives and target and call on the House to pass various legislations that would operationalize the measures.

Among the initiatives proposed for implementation in the budget include;
• the 24- Hour Economy to support inclusive job creation;
• the ten billion Big Push Project Policy starting this year; and
• the establishment of Ghana Gold Board to support foreign exchange inflows.

The gold reserve accumulation to benefit our dear country aside implementing the agriculture for economic transformation, we want to use government procurement to drive made in Ghana goods and drive local participation in our economy and also social protection through the introduction of various social intervention programs to complement existing programs to alleviate the current economic hardship, he emphasised.

Dr. Forson further added that, they are undertaking key structure reforms to support inclusive fiscal growth and debt sustainability, sound public financial management, an efficient public service delivery and good governance.

“We want to promote fiscal discipline and debt sustainability by amending the fiscal responsibility act to include debt ceiling and the establishment of independent fiscal council to monitor and adhere to it”

We intend to rationalize VAT and Covid levy later this year after stakeholders’ consultation to receive the technical assistance from the IMF and that of the rationalization taskforce that we would be commissioning in the coming days.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Minority Leader Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin has mocked the Majority Members of Parliament for abandoning business on the floor of the House to chase for work at the presidency.

On Thursday, March 13, 2025, it took the Minority Leader to raise issues with the worrying practice of the Majority MPs abandoning business on the floor to compel the deputy whips to whip MPs on the Majority side to rush to the chamber to avoid issues of quorum.

“Mr. Speaker why are the Majority MPs making the work of the deputy whip comfort Doyoe very difficult, she is moving around to ensure that MPs come to the floor”, Afenyo queried.

On Friday, March 14, 2025, when the finance minister appeared before the House to lay some papers around 1:00pm only forty MPs from the Majority side were present in the chamber.

It is also said that some of the MPs have also abandoned the chamber only to monitor proceedings on the floor from their offices.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

The orientation organized for Member of Parliament in the ninth Parliament has been very beneficial as it is helping to address the persistent lack of quorum syndrome, Member of Parliament for Pru-East, Emmanuel Kwaku Boam has stated.

According to him leadership of the Majority has had series of meetings, and the whips are whipping their side in line to address the absenteeism that leads to the Minority most of the time raising issues of quorum.

In an interview, he pointed out that an MP can move out to look for opportunities for his or her constituents, but their constituents look forward to making sure they are duly represented on the floor of the House.

Furthermore, constituents might have their own definition to what an MP should do, they equally know that an MP is elected to be on the floor of the House to put forward their plights for actions on them.

“Whatever is supposed to be discussed on the floor, their voices should be heard. Inasmuch as government business needs not surfer, we equally have to be at the chamber. This week it has been okay, and I believe it’s going to continue, and leadership has taken a lot of strategic approach which I cannot disclose here”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

The Member of Parliament for Sunyani West, Millicent Amankwah Yeboah has expressed her disapproval to the expression “women are their own enemies”.

Contributing to a statement on the floor of the House to mark International Women’s Day, she called for conscious effort to erase that perception.

“It is society that has discussed this and this was a conversation that someone started, and we can end that by pulling each other with love, care, compassion and supporting each other; and this needs to start from the home”.

She advocated for conscientizing the young girls to develop self-esteem, confidence and self-actualization then we move to youth and women in leadership; “let us get closer to our young ones”.

The Sunyani West lawmaker also noted that there are many areas that women can lead including politics, business, ministry among others; and urged society to push women to the top, stating that she is happy because this year’s theme is on accelerated action.

“We are moving quickly, and I am pledging to be part of the army to rise and accelerate women, in equity and equalization. I would pledge and encourage the House and our community, we have a lot of women there let us start from our doorstep; with unity we would be able to achieve a lot”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim has told Parliament the University of Local Government and Development Bill would be re-laid on the floor of the House soon as a joint Bill between himself and the Minister of Education.

According to him, the Bill was submitted to the House last year in the 8th Parliament, but its lifespan has terminated hence the need to re-introduce it.

This came to light on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, when the Member of Parliament for Offinso North Dr. Fred Kyei Asamoah wanted to know when the Bill would be re-introduced to allow the operationalization of the University in Akomadan in is constituency.

He further told the House that Cabinet has just been formed and the 2025 budget presented recently, hence the Ministry would take steps to resubmit the joint request for Executive approval by President John Mahama and subsequently re-laid for Parliamentary approval as soon as practicable.

“Mr. Speaker, it is envisaged that once the necessary approvals are sought, the university will promote academic and professional excellence in local government and development”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Former Minister for Finance has taken a swipe at President John Dramani Mahama and Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson for lamenting and describing the Ghanaian economy as ‘economy in crises.

He noted that not only had the President stated it during the Message of the State of the Nation Address but same was repeated by the Finance Minister, Dr. Ato Forson at the presentation of this year’s budget statement.

He affirmed, however, that the budget presented on Tuesday, March 11, 2025 by Dr. Ato Forson showed that the economy is strong and not in crises as the new government would want Ghanaians to believe.

Addressing the media on the budget, the former Finance Minister noted that the current Finance Minister was hesitant in announcing the growth figures, same with debt to Gross Domestic Product level.

“The reality is that as at the end of last year 2024 real GDP growth rate was 5.7 percent and this was released by the Ghana Statistical Service confirmed by the Minister of Finance on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, when he presented the budget”.

Again, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) took over from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) with a growth of 3.4 percent in 2016 against 5.7 percent, and if you come to the projected growth for 2025 that is disturbing and disappointing.

Dr. Amin Adam further pointed out that, a resting economy as we are being told is projecting to grow by 4 percent, “how can we say this reset economy would be better than an economy which President Mahama says it was criminally mismanaged, and which grew at 5.7 percent by the immediate past NPP government”.

In terms of Gross International Reserves, again, by the end of 2024 we left 8.9 billion dollars equivalent to four months of import cover while in 2016 they handed over to us 3.5 months of import cover, he added.

In the 2025 budget they are projecting three months of import cover which is worse than what they recorded in 2016. “Are we moving forward or backwards? If a broken economy could leave 4 months of import cover how come a reset economy is contemplating on going back to three month of import cover?”

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com