Second Deputy Speaker and flagbearer hopeful of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has revealed that when elected as flagbearer and President of Ghana he is in a better position to improve governance.

According to the NDC flagbearer hopeful delegates in the upcoming Presidential primaries of the party should vote for him based on his record and outstanding performance which is clear for all to see in the country.

As the longest serving lawmaker, he noted that he is into leadership to serve and in addition he is a humble person and down to earth, “most importantly I have integrity this business is quite a tricky business to be in for a long and not be found wanting”.

“I have been in leadership in Parliament since 2001 of my party, and eighteen good years on international bodies, International Union of Parliamentarians against corruption”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Speaker of Parliament Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye has said it would be contemptuous for any lawmaker to carry placards to the chamber.

According to the Speaker upon serious consultation with leadership of both sides of the House and caucuses it was agreed that the seventh Parliament should put an end to placards.

He further pointed out that calling of names and other allied activities take away the dignity of the House.

“Our standing order prohibit placards, it is our decision and all of us that, no matter the political party in office, the President of the Republic whether New Patriotic Party (NPP) or National Democratic Congress (NDC) shall be greeted in this honorable House with decorum”

We have all agreed as it would constitute contempt of the House, the “Seventh Parliament has something which has never happened in the political history of this country, and should be recorded as a good example, I congratulate both side of the House”, speaker said.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Minority in Parliament has expressed disappointment in the Ministry of Energy’s attempt of deceiving Ghanaians in believing that there is a new discovery of five hundred fifty million barrels of oil by Aker Energy.

According to the ranking member of Energy and Mines, Adam Mutawakilu in a statement indicated that action and inaction of government have resulted in a loss opportunity for the country to earn money.

He called on government to explain to Ghanaians why Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) did not exercise the option to acquire ten percent share in Hess block.

In addition why is Aker Energy not required to bring in a local partner as LUKOIL did when it acquired its shares in the Hess Block?

“Where is the forty seven million dollars (US$ 47m) approved by Parliament and subsequently transferred to GNPC?”

The Minority is demanding that all well meaning Ghanaians, including the Institute for Energy Security (IES), the African Center for Energy Policy (ACEP), and the Natural Resources Governance Institute to assist Ghanaians in demanding accountability from Government with respect to the subject matter.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

A Deputy Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Joseph Diodiok Kpemka is leading a high powered government delegation to the United Arab Emirates for a possible extradition negotiation arrangements with Authorities of that country for the prompt extradition of embattled Menzgold CEO, Nana Appiah Mensah to face prosecution back home in Ghana where an arrest warrant has been issued against him.

The delegation’s mission according to the deputy minister will be to “try to strike a deal with the government of the Emirates to see to it that he is brought back to Ghana to face justice.”

“We are going to elevate this through law and diplomacy so that we try and get to the bottom of the matter there. If there are no specific charges he is answering in the UAE all will be done within the remits of the law and diplomacy to get him extradited to face justice and to answer to charges that have been proffered against him.”

The diplomatic engagement has become necessary because there is no existence of an extradition treaty between Ghana and the UAE, that binds them to extradite Mr. Appiah Mensah to Ghana upon request and there is also no clarity about whether or not NAM 1 traveled on a Ghanaian passport.

Other members of the delegation include a representative from the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), the Bureau of National Investigation (BNI), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and National Security.

Nana Appiah Mensah popularly known as NAM 1 is reported to be in the Emirate Police custody since December 7, 2018 for an alleged gold deal offence which is not related to the Menzgold case in Ghana where he is unable to pay hundreds of Ghanaians their investments.

The decision to travel to UAE for the negotiation was taken after a crucial meeting of security chiefs after it emerged that NAM1 was arrested in Dubai.

Christian Kpesese/ ghanamps.com

The Minority National Democratic Congress (NDC) caucus in Parliament has expressed surprise at the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) of its attempt at deceiving the Ghanaian populace of making a new 550 million barrels discoveries of oil by Aker Energy.

According to the minority in a statement the discoveries were rather made between 2011 and 2013 by Hess as the explorer under the erstwhile NDC government.

The minority stated that, what Aker Energy did since 2018 after taking over from Hess was to conduct drilling Appraisal wells based on Hess’s acquired data to determine the commercial nature of the discoveries that were made in 2012 and 2013.

The press release issued by Ranking Member on the Mines and Energy Committee, Adams Mutawakilu provides details of the work done by Hess under the former regime to counter the claim by government.

“The exploration period for the Deepwater Tano Cape Three Point Block was seven (7) years. As such, the exploration license expired on 18th July 2013.

During the exploration period, the Operator (Hess) had acquired a total of 300 Sq. Km of Seismic data, drilled eight (8)  Exploratory wells and made seven (7) successive discoveries; Five (5) for oil and two (2) for gas between 2011 and 2013. This translates into about 87.5% success rate of discovery,” the Minority clarified.

The NDC said government’s actions and inaction following the oil find have rather resulted in a loss of opportunity for the country to earn money.

The release further questioned the whereabouts of $47 million approved by Parliament, and its subsequent transfer to the Ghana National Petroleum Company to purchase a 10% share of Hess Ghana in 2015.

The Minority also provided details of the discoveries with name of Well and date of discovery as indicated below:

Paradise 16th May, 2012, Hickory North 8th Jun, 2012, Beech 3rd Sep, 2012, Almond 11th Oct, 2012, Pecan 6th Dec, 2012, Cob 22nd Jan, 2013 and Pecan North 18th Feb, 2013.

Aside Paradise and Hickory North which carried gas, the rest are oil discoveries.

Aker Energy however announced that its oil exploration in the deepwater Cape Three Points since last year showed that its Pecan4A well in the block could be holding some 450 to 550 million barrels of oil.

The Pecan field is approximately 166 kilometres southwest of Takoradi in Ghana, to a vertical depth of 4,870 meters in 2,667 meters of water, containing seven discoveries.

This however did not go down well with the minority, hence the response.

Christian Kpesese/ghanamps.com

Two National Democratic Congress (NDC) Members of Parliament, Alhassan Suhuyini and Ernest Henry Norgbey, have dragged 35 mining companies, the Attorney-General and the Minerals Commission to the Supreme for allegedly violating Ghana’s constitution.

According to the Tamale North and Ashaiman MP, the mining firms including Newmont, Anglogold Ashanti, Golden Star Resources, Ghana Bauxite Company, among others, have effectively been engaging in illegal mining without the ratification of their leases, while the supervising authorities looked on unconcerned.

The young lawmakers claim all 35 companies violated article 268 of the 1992 Constitution by carrying on mining operations at a time when Parliament had not ratified their mining leases in accordance with article 268 of the constitution.

They argue that unless and until Parliament gives approval to a mining agreement, the holder of the mining agreement cannot carry on any mining activity.

The MPs are therefore praying the Court to order the defaulting mining companies to refund all monies or financial benefits that have accrued to them as a result of illegality.

“A further declaration that all revenues and financial gains (proceeds) made by 3rd to 37th defendants pursuant to carrying out the exploitation of mineral rights and other natural resources in violation of the provisions of article 268 of the 1992 Constitution, must be declared and accounted for to the government of the Republic of Ghana, from the date when they respectively started such exploitation of minerals and natural resources” they stated in the writ.

Mr Ablakwa and Norgbey also want the court to restrain the firms from further operations until the necessary ratification is done.

“An order of perpetual injunction restraining 3rd to 37th defendants from carrying on any exploitation of minerals or other natural resources unless and until their respective transactions, contracts and undertakings with the government of the Republic of Ghana, are ratified or exempted from ratification by the Parliament of the Republic of Ghana, in accordance with the provisions of article 268 of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana,” they added in their writ.

Christian Kpesese/ ghanamps.com

The Minority in Parliament in its new year message has called on President Akufo-Addo’s administration to re-examine it priorities and desist from revising Ghana’s history in favor of familial considerations by bringing to an end the free for all corruption that has engulfed the current government.

In a statement issued by the Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu, he urged the current administration to cut down on the one hundred and eleven  Ministers immediately and present a new policies that would alleviate the hardship Ghanaians have been subjected to since the NPP took over power.

Mr. Haruna Iddrisu further indicated that the Minority is concerned about the worsening financial sector crises which has led to massive job losses, loss of investment and general lack of confidence.

“We implore Government to urgently confront reality and formulate concrete interventions to rescue Ghana’s troubled financial sector”, he lamented.

The Minority avails itself of the opportunity to assure Ghanaians to expect a more vigilant, thorough and battle ready team resolutely determined to pursue nothing but he national interest.

In addition, the Minority was thankful for the support and collaboration they received from all persons both home and abroad in performing their onerous constitutional duties of oversight lawmaking and safeguarding the country’s democracy, assessing the impact of executive policies on the people.

And further noted that the Minority remain encouraged and inspired by the overwhelming solidarity from the people they serve and allies such as the media, organised labour and civil society.

“We can deepen our engagements based on the principles nationalism, trust, mutual respect objectivity and fairness as we collectively work to demand social justice and accountability”.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com