Category: General

Deputy Minority Leader Dr. James Klutse Avedzi is demanding that the Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta should avail himself to workings of the House.

According to Deputy Minority Leader the Finance Minister was not on the floor of the House yesterday and the Deputy Finance Minister Abena Osei-Asare was urged to inform him to be on the floor of the House but that has not been done.

Deputy Majority Leader, Sarah Adowa Safo on her part indicated that the Finance Minister is working on presenting a good budget to the floor of the House.

This issue came to play on the floor of the House on Wednesday the 31st of October 2018 when the Finance Minister was to present a paper on the floor of the House on an agreement establishing the Trade Insurance Agency Treaty (ATI).

When the House questioned the where about of the Minister, the Deputy Minister of Finance Abena Osei-Asare indicated to the House that the Finance Minister is not in but conducting a business that would benefit the country.

Speaker Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye cautioned that in the future the Deputy Majority Leader should not indicate that the Finance Minister was preparing a good budget being the reason why he is not on the floor and rather state why the Minister is absence.

Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye further allowed the Deputy Minister to lay the paper on behalf of the Finance Minister.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Former Minister of Power, Dr. Kwabena Donkor is urging leadership of the House to ensure that the Petroleum Commission report is presented to the House as the House is in the third meeting and the second session is coming to an end.

He made this remarks when the Leader of Government Business, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu presented business statement on the floor of the House on Tuesday to start the third meeting of the second session of the seventh Parliament of the fourth Republic.

Act 821 (3) “the petroleum commission through the Minister must present to this house an annual report our petroleum resource”.

He further pointed out that, it  is of importance to this country,  it has emotional and economic importance if at the end of October this House has not still been briefed we would be failing in our oversight responsibility if this House attention is not drawn to it, he added.

Meanwhile former Deputy Minister of Education in charge of tertiary, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa called for reports of Public Universities to be presented to the House as it has delayed for a lot of academic years.

He indicated that he had raised this issue previously but there had not been any change, but added that per the University Act, National Council for Tertiary Education through the Education Minister should present this report.

“If the report comes, it helps the House carry its oversight responsibilities to draw attention to some of the issues that are problematic”.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Minister designate for the Upper East Region, Paulina Tangoba Abayage has given assurance to the Appointment committee of Parliament when approved she would be a “mother for all” no matter ones political persuasion.

According to the Upper East Regional Minister designate she is prepared to work with all Members of Parliament (MP), Municipal and District Chief Executives (MDCEs).

She further pointed out that her “trump card is a mother” and as a mother she would do her best to bring all together to help build bridges rather than the “walls” that have been built.

Miss Paulina Tangoba Abayage gave this indications when the Minority Chief Whip, Kwasi Ameyaw Kyeremeh wanted to know what the nominee would do to help address the conflict between MPs and MDCEs.

Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu questioned, if the Minister designate would “breast feed” the MPs and MDCEs. She responded that she would rather give them T-Z, the local food prepared in the Northern Ghana and would not pick and chose by discriminating against anyone.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Supporters of Upper East Regional Minister designate Paulina Tangoba Abayage storm the Appointment committee on Monday morning in their numbers despite the early morning rain.

The committee room was very full to capacity that had a lot of people standing to observe the vetting process.

Journalists who were late in covering the vetting process had to stand throughout the vetting of the first nominee with only four Journalists occupying seats that were meant for them.

Security personnel in Parliament had a tough time trying to indicate to some supports who would not understand why they are being prevented to move to the committee which was full to capacity.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

The Appointment Committee of Parliament would conclude today vetting of second batch of appointees for the position of Deputy Ministers in President Nana Akufo-Addo’s first reshuffle of Ministers.

On Friday the 26th of October 2018 the first batch comprising Minister designate for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Cynthia Morison Minister designate for Gender, Children and Social Protection and Evans Bobie Opoku designate for the Brong Ahafo were vetted.

Those to be vetted on Monday, October 29 are Minister designate for Upper East Region, Paulina Tangoba Abayage, the immediate past Ghana’s ambassador to Italy,  Deputy Minister designate for Brong Ahafo Region, Martin Oti Gyarko, who is the NPP MP for Techiman North, and Deputy Minister designate for the Eastern Region, Samuel Nuertey Ayertey.

As early as 8:00am supporters of Paulina Tangoba Abayage had ignored the heavy early rain and were in the committee room one and two in their numbers, waiting for the vetting to start at 10:00am.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Speaker of Parliament Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye has summoned the House to resume from recess and start the third meeting from the 30th of this month.

Speaker of the House drew his powers from standing order 37 (1) “There shall be a session of Parliament at least one in every year, except that a period of twelve months shall not intervene between the last sitting of Parliament in one session and the first sitting thereof in the next session”.

A trip to Parliament by ghanamps.com witnessed most committees with referral as advised by the Speaker during the emergency recall, are rapping up their works as the third meeting would be a budget meeting.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

One year, three months on, the burnt positions of Job 600, 10th floor West wing has been left unattended to despite Member of Parliament for Hohoe, Dr. Bernice Adiku Heloo raising the issue on the floor of the House.

Dr. Bernice Adiku Heloo in the second meeting of the second session had drawn the attention of leader of government business on the floor of the House on the burnt portion of the floor of the House on three occasions.

The Hohoe lawmaker had expressed worry about the exposed fire portion which has a wood hanging on the roof, which could fall and injure any one.

Leader of government business in the House, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu had given assurance on all occasions that the issue had been raised that it would be attended to and further indicated on one occasion that funds are being sought from the Finance Ministry to address the problem.

When ghanamps.com visited the 10th floor of Job 600 last week Friday the exposed portion of job 600 West wing is still unattended to despite concerns expressed and assurance given for the issue to be addressed.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin is the best material to deliver victory for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2020 general elections, declares Fritz Baffour as he announces his support for Bagbin and accepts to be his Director of Campaign and Communications.

Speaking at a press conference at the Secretariat of team “ASK Bagbin” to announce his choice for the Second Deputy Speaker as flagbearer of the NDC, the 66 year old former Member of Parliament for Ablekuma South constituency in the Greater Accra region declared that he fully and proudly endorsed Bagbin as the best leader to lead NDC for victory in the 2020 general elections.

Mr Baffour stated that his choice of Bagbin is based on his admiration for sense of duty and purpose.

According to him the longest serving Member of Parliament is a good man, a team player and open to suggestions.

He explained that his choice for ASK Bagbin not based on malice for any of the aspirants but it is because he (Bagbin) a good man and has no hatred for any of the aspirants.

Mr Baffour assured to bring aboard the ASK Bagbin agenda his experience as media and Communications consultant.

The NDC he said is the party for the vulnerable, the voiceless and a party for the man on the streets hence that true message of hope is the yardstick for the ASK Bagbin team for which he is part of.

The Campaign and Communications Director of team ASK Bagbin said he will eschew adversarial politics in the conduct of his duties.

By Christian Kpesese/ ghanamps.com.

Former Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Nana Oye Lithur has urged the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) government to continue with the elderly care policy the previous National Democratic Congress (NDC) started.

According to the former Minister when she was the sector Minister, she launched a policy frame work created for the elderly, among which included; Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP), elderly were registered to join public transport free of charge,  they do not queue at the hospital and able to access social service for free.

“What we are asking this NPP government is to continue,  these laudable interventions that were started by the NDC government because the elderly knows no political color it is our responsibility to ensure that the elderly are cared for” she lamented.

She further added that, the elderly had toiled, as carpenters, farmers, market women and fisher folks for mother Ghana.

“When you are at your old age of your life, it is the responsibility of government, youth and every able body Ghanaian to support and care for the elderly”, she said.

The former Gender, Children and Social Protection Minister, made this remarks when she supported the Ellembele Member of Parliament (MP), Kofi Armah Buah to mark three years anniversary of Aya community centre that cared for the aged in the constituency.

She added that, life expectancy for the ordinary Ghana has increased, hence the need for government to increase its support for the elderly and emulate the good works of the Ellembele lawmaker.

Nana Oye Lithur commended the Ellembele lawmaker, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah for his initiative and said it is a first of its kind in the Western Region and noted that his former cabinet colleague did deliver as a Minister for Energy, and also made people of his constituency proud.

“His passion for the elderly and lover, is the reason why after three years the Aya community centre for the elderly is still in operation”, she said.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Second Deputy Speaker and flagbearer hopeful of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Alban Bagbin has unveiled Fritz Baffour as his director of communications and campaign.

The former Chairman of the Defense and Interior was introduced at a press conference held in Alban Bagbin’s campaign head office in Accra.

Speaking to the media on Monday, the former Ablekuma South lawmaker said he had known the second Deputy Speaker over thirty years before he went into politics and had always admired his sense of duty and purpose, and again his sense of service.

According to him, his choice to support Mr Bagbin “was not based on any malice. It’s because I feel he’s a good man. All the contestants for the NDC flagbearership are people I know and I have a lot of respect for. But this is a democratic dispensation and a process and so I have come out to support Alban Bagbin.”

“I am a staunch believer in the values of the NDC transparency, probity and accountability and Alban Bagbin among all the about 13 persons hoping to lead the NDC into the 2020 elections is the only embodiment of those values”, he said.

He noted that, Alban Bagbin upholds all the values of the NDC. “Again we are the party of the vulnerable, we are the party of the voiceless, we are the party of the man in the street and we believe in equal opportunity for all and that we should be the ones to ensure means for people to have access to best things in the society I do not believe in adversarial politics”.

“I’ll not hurl insults to anybody or manufacture insults and invectives at anybody”, he pointed out.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com