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Category: General

TOR MD resigns in the wake of $2.5m bribery scandal

Posted on by Kwaku GhanaMPs

Managing Director of Tema Oil Refinery, Mr. Asante Berko has resigned in the wake of a bribery scandal of two point five million United States dollars.

President Nana Addo Dankwa on Wednesday the 15th of April, 2020 received his letter of resignation after it was submitted by Mr. Berko.

A statement signed by the Director of Communications at the Presidency, Mr. Eugene Arhin noted that the President has accepted Mr. Asante’s resignation letter and would duly notify the Board of Directors of TOR about the development as the President wished him well in his future endeavors.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Majority of MPs desert chamber during law crafting stage

Posted on by Akumaa GhanaMPs
Majority of lawmakers from both sides of the House deserted the chamber during law crafting stage on Friday May 29, 2020.

A House of two hundred and seventy-five lawmaker’s was left with less than twenty lawmaker.

On Friday afternoon less than ten lawmakers were actively participating in law crafting with the Education Regulatory Bodies Bill 2019 at the consideration stage.

Whiles the First Deputy Speaker Joseph Osei-Owusu was in the chair presiding over affairs, some MPs who could not contribute towards the Bill which was at the consideration stage were seen busily discussing their own business.

Again, some lawmakers were eating at the café shop whiles other MPs were seeing heading towards the office at Job 600.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Prof. Oquaye, Speaker of the Seventh Parliament is 76years old today

Posted on by Kwaku GhanaMPs
Professor Michael Aaron Oquaye is 76-years old today having been born on April 4, 1944 to Mr. E.G.N. Oquaye of Osu, Accra (a cocoa merchant) and Mrs. Felicia Awusiki Oquaye, (nee Azu) of Odumase-Krobo.

He is the third of 7 children, he  was brought up at Asamankese in the Eastern Region where he attended the Catholic and Presbyterian Schools before proceeding to Presec., Odumase-Krobo (O’Level) and Apam Secondary School (A’ Level), the University of Ghana, University of London and Lincoln’s Inn, London . He holds B.A. Hons. (Political Science); LL.B. Hons., B.L. and Ph.D degrees.

His working life has been mainly a combination of private legal practice, lecturing in political science, doing active politics and pastoral work.

A barrister of the Supreme Court of England and Wales, he is also a senior member of the Ghana Bar. As an academic. Prof. Oquaye achieved the singular distinction of winning within four years, the coveted International Rockefeller Senior Scholar Award (1993) and the Senior Fulbright Scholar Award (1997).

The Fulbright is considered the highest award in Academia. He was a Visiting Scholar in connection with these in London (SOAS), and Virginia (George Mason), USA, respectively. He was Head of the Department of Political Science, University of Ghana, Legon (Oct. 1999-Jan. 2002.). He was Vice-President of the African Association of Political Science (AAPS), with headquarters in Zimbabwe (1997-1999).  He won the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences Silver Award for his published doctoral thesis, among several awards.

He has researched and written extensively, on good governance, conflict, political education, decentralization and development, human rights, military intervention in politics, NGOs, rural development and gender issues.  He is a keen advocate of the rights of women including affirmative action. His numerous books and articles have been published in England, Canada, USA, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Ghana.

Prof. Oquaye attained renown as a diplomat, legislator, politician etc. He served as Ghana ’s High Commissioner to India (2002-04); Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya (2005 to 2013); Minister of Energy (2005-06); Minister of Communications (2006-07); The Second Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana (2009-2013).

Prof. Oquaye is currently the Speaker of the 7th Parliament of the Fourth Republic.

As a Baptist Pastor from early 1980’s till now, his theme has been: Contending for the Faith once delivered. He is a Baptist Fundamentalist, opposed to unbridled liberalism and those tendencies which have led to such modern deviant.

Prof. Oquaye is married to Mrs. Alberta Oquaye (nee Asafu-Adjaye) (Major Rtd.) with children. His hobbies include soccer, table tennis, reading, writing and music.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

COVID-19 Trust Fund Bill 2020 goes under certificate of urgency

Posted on by Kwaku GhanaMPs

The Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs has unanimously recommend to the House to pass the COVID-19 Trust Fund Bill 2020 under a certificate of urgency in the light of the threats possessed by the Pandemic.

This Bill when passed would ensure the establishment of a management fund which was presented to the House on Thursday April 2, 2020 as it went through the first reading on the floor.

Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Gloria Akuffo urged the Committee to consider the Bill under certificate of urgency.

The Committee found it laudable that individuals and organizations were generously responding to the clarion call by government in the fight to reduce the spread of the disease and provide adequate care for those affected and limit the effect on socio-economic life of Ghanaians.

In the debate on the urgency of the Bill when it went through the first reading the House unanimously agreed that it pass under a certificate of urgency.

Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye, Speaker of the House referred the report to the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs to work on the Bill to come before the House same day to go through the necessary process; second reading, consideration stage and third reading, then pass into law.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Sanitation Ministry donates to frontline staff in crusade against COVID-19

Posted on by Kwaku GhanaMPs

The Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah has donated two thousand packs of G-water bottle drinking water to the frontline medical staffs managing the outbreak of the COVID-19.

The gesture is part of the government’s appreciation of the work of the frontline medical staff during this critical period of combating the spread of the virus.

Beneficiary health institutions include, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge), 37 Military Hospital, Tema General Hospital and other facilities in the Ashanti Region.

According to the Minister, she is of the believe that the donation would help ease the burden of leaving the workplace in search of water to quench their test as the work around the clock to save lives.

Madam Dapaah used the opportunity to urge Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to use the period of the lockdown to intensify their cleaning and cleansing activities as well as emptying of litter bins to keep their cities cleans.

And reminded the general public to continue to be responsive to the personal hygiene protocols directed by government through the Health Ministry and the Ghana Health Service in order to contain the spread of the COVID-19.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Finance Minister to seek proper approval in the wake of COVID-19

Posted on by Kwaku GhanaMPs

The Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta told Parliament on Monday he would be in the House on Tuesday 31st March 2020 to seek the appropriate approval to deal with the fight of Coronavirus that is spreading in the country.

According to him in this moment of history as a people we need to stand together to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic to keep Ghanaians alive and safe to have a future that would be built on heritage.

He commended the Minority for their insightful comments when he made a presentation on the floor of the House on the financial implication and how the economy would be affected in the wake of the COVID-19 curb.

“We need to push in one direction, as a people the issues that have to be addressed are technical issue that we can take care of as we see major empires falling, it is not about what reserves you have but really the rules are being rewritten”.

In his address to the House yesterday, he noted that the Bank of Ghana and the Finance Ministry have engaged commercial banks to discus supporting the private sector to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Mr. Ofori-Atta noted that a syndication facility of three billion Ghana cedis would be given to support industries especially those in the pharmaceutical, hospitality, manufacturing service industries as mention by the President.

Granting of six-month moratorium of principal repayment for selected businesses and reduction of interest rate priced off the Ghana Reference Rate (GRR) by 200 basis points at two percent per annum.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

CWSA to seek assistant of Assembly to rehabilitate Adeiso water supply-Minister

Posted on by Kwaku GhanaMPs
Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah has told Parliament the Community and Water Sanitation Agency is seeking the assistant of the Assembly to take over the rehabilitation and expansion of water supply to Adeiso.

According to her, it would improve the water supply and meet the demand of the increasing population of the area.

She further told the House that in the light of this her Ministry is seeking policy approval toward amendment of CWSA Act 1998 (Act 564) to transform CWSA into a utility service organization, with provision of managing and providing rural water supply and water-related sanitation and hygiene services.

“Mr. Speaker in the long term Ghana Water Company Limited may take over when the population of Adeiso and surrounding communities go beyond the threshold for a small town water system and there is the basis for a lager water supply”.

Currently costing done for the extension of the Nsawam water supply system to Adeiso is about two million seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($2, 750,000).

They are extension of about 17km of 250mm HDP pipeline at the cost of $2,600,000 and construction of a 100m elevated water tank at $150,000.

She made this revelation on the floor when the Member of Parliament for Upper West Akim Mr. Derek Ohene Assifo Bekoe wanted to know plans to connect Adeiso to water supply from Ghana Water Company Limited.

The Urban Community Management model in consonance with current rural water management policy, the Adeiso Water Supply System was handed over after construction in 2001 to the Water and Sanitation Management Team (WSMT) with the active support of the District Assembly.

And of the fifty-five (55) small town water supply systems provided by Government in the Eastern Region, twenty-nine (29) are managed by the WSMT whiles CWSA manages twenty-six (26).

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

“It’s petty for MPs to renege on an occasion like this”—Speaker Oquaye

Posted on by Kwaku GhanaMPs

Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye has said he feels petty for Members of Parliament who renege on coming to Parliament to pass a stimulus package for Ghanaians on Saturday.

He thanked members of the Majority side who were sitting on his right hand side who showed up in their numbers.

“We should be mindful of the fact that for very obvious reasons, the state is in an emergency and emergency measures including sacrifices are expected in such circumstances; some are laying down their lives so that others may live in hospitals and in homes. And throughout the World I pray that we would continue to show this kind of sense of patriotisms in the light of our present circumstances which is pleasing to all concern Ghanaians”.

Professor Oquaye further noted that if sacrifice is not shown to the nation now he does not know when again the House can die for the nation.

He noted that the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta has been ready to address the House on matters concerning financial implications and the present state of affairs but has to stop this for Monday, adding that sometimes we want to see him in the House to present papers and when he is ready to come to see to such matters which would bring about the appropriate response from MPs, it’s so petty for MPs to renege on such an occasion.

Another development is when MPs raise the issue of quorum, and stated that this does not give positive image about the House as it is obvious that the nation is standing at a moment of national emergency. It is a state of life and death and thanked the Majority side for showing up on Saturday morning, “we would continue at the service of our nation”.

Meanwhile, the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu had indicated to the House two weeks ago that sitting on Saturdays are not part of their meeting days and in the wake of the coronavirus where MPs need to rest and boost their immune system he cannot guarantee that his side of the House would be coming to the House on Saturdays.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

ECOWAS offices in Lagos and Abuja close from March 31 to April 13, 2020 — President

Posted on by Kwaku GhanaMPs
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President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission Jean-Claude Kassi Brou has directed that all of its agencies having offices in Abuja and Lagos be closed down from March 31 to April 13, 2020.

According to him all staff of ECOWAS Institutions in Abuja and Lagos should stay and work at home during the period and to follow the guidelines and advisory on COVID-19 pandemic issued by the West African Health Organization (WAHO).

As they continue to monitor the situation at the regional level and would inform staff of development as and when it becomes necessary.

He gave this directive in as statement in the wake of West African sub-region recording eight hundred and ninety-four cases with twenty-four deaths in the fourteen member states excluding Sierra Leone.

Nigeria hosts the ECOWAS Commission, Court of Justice and Parliament with coronavirus cases rising to the level of one hundred and eleven with one death.

H. E. Muhammadu Buhari, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has initiated a fourteen days lockdown with all business and offices in Abuja and Lagos to be closed.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

COVID-19: Ghana’s economy would be affected seriously—Finance Minister

Posted on by Kwaku GhanaMPs

The Finance Minister, Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta has told Parliament in a statement that the Ghanaians economy would be seriously affected in the wake of the pandemic.

He further briefed Members of Parliament on measures government is putting in place to address the corona virus pandemic.

He said, the budget made for 2020 has seriously been affected due to unexpected expenditure that came up through the prevention of the disease from spreading further in the regions of 18.9 billion Ghana cedis (4.7%) to 30.2 billion (7.8%) of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

He further touched on programs the President has put in place in making sure that, government reduces the accumulation of economic situations from the coronavirus.

And said, the President is determined to cushion the economic and social difficulty the virus is introducing to Ghanaian businesses and the people at large.

“The government’s economic team has also been tasked to minimise the job losses and the impact of Job losses and also to maintain fiscal discipline to make sure that the people have money to spend”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com