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Category: General

Docket on Nyantakyi completed and court case imminent—AG

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs
Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Gloria Akufo has told Parliament, review of docket on ‘The Republic versus Kwesi Nyantakyi’ has been completed and the presentation of a case in court is imminent.

According to the AG, on the November 2 last year, her office received a duplicate docket numbered PRO.93/2018 from the Headquarters of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service on the case.

Under the cover of a letter dated 01 November, 2018 and bearing reference number CID/AR.238/2018/17.

The AG made this revelation on the floor when MP for Mion, Mohammed Abdul-Aziz wanted to know the status of the investigation of the complaint made by the President against former President of the Ghana Football Association, Kwesi Nyantakyi.

The letter indicated that the former GFA Chairman had been secretly recorded by undercover private investigator, Tiger Eye P.I engaged in corrupt conduct.

After initial review of the docket by a team of prosecutors, the police were requested on the 10th of January 2019 to furnish the office with some further documents to facilitate the completion of the review.

Additionally, the AG told the House Tiger Eye in March 2019 was requested to furnish the team with an updated report covering all videos submitted to the Office of the Attorney-General.

Eventually, the document requested from the police as well as the undated report from Tiger Eye were submitted by the police in May 2019.

Unfortunately, Mohammed Suale, a member of the Tiger Eye and a principal witness with who the prosecutors directly engaged in the preparation of the case was tragically killed on the 16th May this year. The death of the journalist has unavoidably stalled the preparation of the case.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Seven Ministers to address twelve questions this week

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs
Seven Ministers’ would be on the floor of the House to answer twelve questions from Members of Parliament this week.

Minister for Roads and Highways Kwesi Amoako Atta as usual would be on the floor to answer five questions concerning his sector on Friday with the Health Minister Kwaku Agyeman Manu addressing two questions bothering on his Ministry.

Ministers for Communication, Food and Agriculture, Trade and Industry, Education, Attorney General and Justice Ministry would take a question each for their respective sectors.

For the second time running, the Business Committee of the House has urged committees with referrals to meet their sector Ministers and deal with them fast for reports to be presented on the floor before the presentation of next year budget second week in this month.

The committee commended the Standing Orders Committee for resuming work on the standing orders of the House and recommend that they speed up for onwards representation to the House as soon as practicable.

All MPs were encouraged to be on the floor of the House on Thursday the 7th of November 2019 as the House would have a joint caucus meeting to address issues concerning MPs after adjournment of the House.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Narcotics Control Commission Bill 2019 goes through second reading

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs
Narcotics Control Commission Bill 2019 was taken through second reading on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday, October 30, 2019, when the Defense and Interior Committee presented its report on the floor of the House.

The Bill seeks to address the weaknesses in PNDCL 236 which came into force before the commencement of the Fourth Republic Constitution.

The current legislation restricts the confiscation of illegal properties to drug related ones and does not adequately deal with the freezing of accounts of drug dealers.

The Commission would be responsible for measuring to prevent the illicit use of precursors, coordinating the treatment and rehabilitation of drug addicts and their developments in consultation with other public agencies, find alternative means of livelihood for farmers  who cultivate illicit  narcotic plants.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

“Let’s deal with our challenges for the good of our people”—Senate President

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs
Senate President of Nigeria, Ahmed Ibrahim Lawan in a speech presented on his behalf by his First Deputy Speaker, Ovie Omo-Agege at the opening of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament has called for unity to deal with challenges confronting the sub-region.

According to the Senate President lawmakers in the community Parliament need to deal with common challenges for the good of the people of the sub-region when he gave his goodwill message.

He further noted that lawmakers should not relent in making the people of the sub-region happier, as over the years their identified common problems are poverty, problem of accountability and transparency.

The First Deputy Speaker commended the lawmakers for working towards an agreement towards the regional integration, with the sub-region being steadfast towards moving up on higher grounds.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com/Abuja

DACF: Gov’t releases GHc 465m as promised

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs
As Members of Parliament raised issues with the delay in the release of the District Assembly Common Fund, Government has fulfilled its promise it made to MPs before moving into a crucial meeting between MPs, DACF Administrator and Deputy Finance Minister.

Government released four hundred sixty-five million Ghana cedis to the Controller and Accountant General’s Depart for onwards disbursement.

According to the Ministry of Finance, an amount of two hundred million Ghana cedis (GHc200m) was expected to have been released on Monday 11th of November 2019 with the remaining two hundred and sixty-five million Ghana cedis (GHc265m) to have been paid on Tuesday the 12th of November 2019 as the second-quarter payment to the DACF this year.

Deputy Finance Minister, Abena Osei-Asare made this known after a crucial meeting between the Finance Ministry, Administrator of DACF Irene Naa Torshie and Members of Parliament on Tuesday.

The meeting follows weeks of agitation by Minority MPs complaining of serious constrains at the Assemblies bringing activities to a standstill because of lack of liquidity.

First Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei-Owusu who was in the chair last week Friday directed that the Tuesday’s meeting be held to bring finality to the issue.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Media needs to be engaged in successful implementation of AFCFTA—NGO

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

Mr Yaw Afful, Country Director for African Continental Free Trade Area – AFCFTA, Policy Network Ghana and Diaspora, an international non-governmental organisation said there is no way the Continental Free Trade Area agreement would thrive without the media.

According to him, the African Union has made it clear that the media is going to be key in the implementation of the Continental Free Trade Area agreement, “the media is our partner”.

“We need one voice so that we can get back to the AU, what you say is what we would put together as a communiqué”.

He made this remarks at a day’s symposium for the media in Accra to educate and train them ahead of signing the phase two of the Continental Free Trade Area agreement next year.

In addition, he emphasised the need for the ordinary Ghanaian to be provided with information as there would be free movement of people, “so that when people get to some territories people do not think there is influx of people where xenophobia and other things would set in”.

Again, competition is setting in, and people need to know they can export their skills, they should know most visas had been waived through the agreement, and that you can go to another African country without a visa, people might not know they need to know through the media.

World Bank has given about forty million dollars to Ghana in the tourism sector, but we are not taping into it, why, because the tourism Ministry does not have many technical experts to draft serious tourism models.

“Our network has one hundred and forty-eight members over the globe, we are prepared to provide policy documents to them”.

He noted that phase two of the agreement has to do with international property rights and investments. This, has to be negotiated with the involvement of the private sector, but that is not to be, instead government is going to do the negociation.

“It is a problem, because the voices of the people would not be put out there as to what they want”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

 

ECOWAS gender mainstreaming in energy featured highly at third ESIF forum

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs
The third Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Sustainable Energy Forum held in Ghana featured highly investment opportunities in women-led energy business in the sub-region.

Mr. Mike Salawou, Divisional Manger, Infrastructure and Partnership Division of the African Development Bank (AfDB) moderated the well attended session in Accra.

Ms. Monica Maduekwe, Coordinator of ECOWAS Gender Mainstreaming in Energy Access,   in an interview noted that the session is for women led business opportunity tied to the ECOWAS policy on gender mainstreaming and energy access, a policy adopted by ECOWAS heads of states in June 2017.

One of the aim of the policy is to increase the number of women in the private sector running energy policy tied to the regional policy because the sector is male dominated. “We know there are women who are interested in participating in the sectors business and investments.

Women need the requisite technical capacity and understanding of the sector. Somehow it does not favor women that is why we came out with this policy to recognise the challenges and close the gap; create an opportunity for men and women who are interested in the sector.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

AfDB pushes for women to tap into investment opportunities in energy Sector

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

 

As part of measures to bridge the dominance of male in the energy sector in West Africa, the African Development Bank (AfDB) is giving opportunity to six Women to participate in the African investment forum in South Africa next month.

According to the Coordinator of ECOWAS on Gender Mainstreaming in the energy sector with ECOWAS Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE), Monica Maduekwe, last year was a huge success.

She said in an interview that Women in the West African sub-region who would want to venture in energy business on a larger scale, would be taken to where the capital is so that they can tap into it.

In addition, ahead of March 2020 energy forum being organized by the United Arab Emirate (UAE) to gather investors and prepare them to pump funds into the energy sector in West Africa, Monica Maduekwe pointed out that women would be taken along to get investors ready to sponsor projects in the sector.

“Since ECREEE started its program, a lot of women had gone into more ambitious business in the energy sector. Formerly you turn to see women in smaller business in the sector what their own money can do for them”.

The Coordinator at ECREEE noted that the process has been a learning one for them to understand why women hold back from going for a large scale projects in the energy sector, “we are helping them to break that barrier, that kind of fear not wanting to commit themselves to projects that require huge amount of investment and getting access to capital”.

She underscored the need for more women to run more ambitious business but noted that there are some kind of restrain since the sector is new to women. “You need a good amount of equity, we have had women who are shy to branch to more capital businesses”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

 

No report, no foreign travel for MPs and clerks-Speaker Oquaye warns

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye has given serious indications to deny any committee in Parliament future traveling opportunities if they do not present reports on their previous travels.

According to Speaker Oquaye, no committee of the House has served the House with any report on conferences attended since the beginning of the year.

Addressing Members of Parliament after the House resumed sitting Tuesday for the third meeting of the third session of the seventh Parliament of the fourth Republic, he said it is mandatory for committees to present a detailed report of events that took place at all conferences for evaluation.

“Delegations are reminded that reports are required of them after participation in these trips,” he said.
The reports, which he described as the property of Parliament is to be presented to the House before a deadline of December 2019.

“We require both hard and soft copies are presented to the house”, he said.

The Speaker revealed that his office has not been served with any such report since January 2017.
”I must add that this is also the responsibility of the chairmen of committees,” he stated.

Professor Oquaye stated that all committees who fail to comply with the directive would face a sanction of not having other possible future travel opportunities.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

 

Abuja to host 4th edition of ESEF 2020 – ECREEE

Posted on by Fred GhanaMPs

The Executive Director for ECOWAS Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) Mahama Kappiah, at the just ended third edition of the forum in Ghana announced that Nigeria is the next country to host the fourth edition.

The ECOWAS Sustainable Energy Forum, an annual event hosted by ECREEE is used to address the challenges facing renewable energy in West Africa and celebrate successes chalked within the industry.

In an interview with the Executive Director of Rural Electrification Fund Nigeria, Dr. Sanusi Ohiare pointed out that preparations start the very day Nigeria was selected to host the 4th edition, adding it is a world class event that needed all the seriousness it deserves.

“You know Nigeria when we do things we do things big, the Executive Director of ECREEE would be in my country next month to meet with the sector Minister and other people for preparation of the event; we welcome you all to Abuja next year”, he added.

As to what Nigeria would be doing differently, as it was announcement that Nigeria should not do worse than what Senegal and Ghana has already done, he said, “I would live that as a surprise so that when Ghanamps.com attends you would tell the world”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com