Category: General

The Minority in Parliament has indicated its opposition to government’s buy out deal of Ameri to Mytilineos on grounds that the entire procedure is fraught with fraud.

According to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Minority caucus, they acted swiftly by storming out from the funeral grounds of the late Vice-President, Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur to Parliament in order to state their position on the new deal to prevent the Majority from smuggling the deal through for passage by the House.

Addressing Members of the Parliamentary Press Corps, the Minority contends that the new deal in its current form will rip Ghanaians off their hard earned money and called on all well-meaning citizens to speak against it.

Former Deputy Power Minister and Member of Parliament for Yapei-Kusawgu, John Jinapor who addressed the press said the erstwhile NDC government as at the time it was living office, payments to Ameri was steadily on-course.

He disclosed that letters of credit were written for it to be honoured by the incoming administration but due to the vindictiveness of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration led by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, they failed to honour those letters of credit.

“Immediately they assumed power, they wrote to the VRA not to honour payment to Ameri”, he stressed.

The NDC Minority stated categorically that if the old deal worth US$510 million is fraud, they could confidently state that the new deal with payment which will span across fifteen years and worth US$1.1billion is “sakawa”.

Parliament, on the eve of recess after the second meeting came to a gridlock when Members failed to reach a consensus over the new Ameri deal in which the government is seeking for Mytilineos to buy out the entire deal.

For failing to reach a consensus, the new deal was deferred to next meeting with the Minority Members who are kicking against the deal calling for a secret ballot to settle the matter.

By Christian Kpesese/ ghanamps.com

The Minority in parliament has cautioned government that the projected deficit target of 4.5 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) will be missed due to excessive expenditure.

Ghana’s fiscal deficit has been projected to go down to 4.5 percent in 2018, according to the International Monetary Fund, but the Minority have expressed concern to achieving the target.

“The projected deficit target of 4.5 percent would be missed due to huge deviations in revenue and expenditure and the financial sector related cost”, Ato Forson, ranking member on Finance told the gathering at a special roundtable breakfast dialogue on the Mid-year Economic Performance and Projections-the Minority’s Perspective in Accra recently.

According to Ato Forson, government is accumulating arrears and sweeping them under the carpet, there is also a prior decision by government to cut down expenditure up to an amount of GH¢850 million on already-starved key sectors of the economy purposely to make enough savings to meet the demands from specific expenditure.

He also added large fiscal slippages are being created by the government’s inability to raise the needed additional revenue to meet the unrealistic promises that are increasing expenditures.

Furthermore, the Minority also disclosed that government intends to follow through a plan of raising GH¢3.8billion from selling state assets, prepayment of license fees, and monetization of mineral royalties.

“The Public Debt is expected to increase further by GH¢3.8 billion – (1.7 billion + 1.4 billion + 0.7 billion)–should the financing plan of selling state assets, prepayment of license fees, and monetization of mineral royalties, fail to materialize.

In addition to this, the government has issued a bond worth GH¢2.2 billion to GCB in respect of its assumption of the collapse of UT and Capital Banks. This has added to the public debt and will be borne by the poor tax payer”.

Furthermore, the Government has earmarked GH¢2.3 billion as possible cost to the tax payer should Unibank collapse. This means that the Financial Sector related costs for 2018 will also increase the Public Debt by GH¢4.5 billion – (GH¢2.2 billion + GH¢2.3 billion).

The Minority also contend that, by their projections for the year 2018, government will be adding about GH¢25 billion to the Public Debt stock.

This will add to the total borrowing for 2017 of some GH¢ 26 billion. The Public Debt therefore, can be projected at about GH¢173 billion by end-December 2018, which will take our debt to GDP ratio well beyond the 70% HIPC threshold.

AtoForson also indicated that government’s decision to cap transfers to statutory funds is gradually collapsing it.

“The capping law was introduced purposely to free some revenue for government to undertake opulent expenditure but this has rather proven woefully inadequate due to the huge fiscal burden emanating from the introduction of new expenditure” he noted.

Mr. Forson also bemoaned the continuous nosedive of the Ghana cedi, which he says is showing no sign of improvement despite lofty talk from government and the Bank of Ghana.

“It is currently trading at GH¢ 4.8 to the dollar and appears almost set to reach GH¢ 5 to the dollar if the trend is not curbed immediately. This has in turn led to steep rises in the prices of goods and services leading to more hardships for the people. Fuel prices have increases astronomically as have transport fares”.

By Christian Kpesese/ ghanamps.com

Parliament has by a unanimous decision approved a loan amount of €47,163,000 for expansion works (Phase II) on the University of Ghana Medical Center (UGMC).

This follows the approval and subsequent adoption of the report of the Finance Committee on ASHRA Export Credit Facility agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana and Bank of Hapoalim B. M. for an amount of up to €40,643,000.00 and a Tied Commercial facility agreement in the amount of €6,520,000.00 between the Government of the Republic of Ghana and Bank of Hapoalim B. M.
Phase II of the project which is expected to be funded under these agreements will focus on the strategic income generating services for short, medium and long-term sustainability of the hospital including a technical assistance package.

The project will also target new clinical services and medical interventions that will give the health facility a competitive edge over others in the country as well as the sub-region.

The services include a nephrology unit, facilities for cardiothoracic and neurosurgery, facilities for Assisted Reproductive Technology, additional VIP wards for Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Internal Medicine and Surgery with additional specialized medical equipment and the provision of drug and non-drug consumables.

Phase II of the project further includes; income generation items such as a commercial pharmacy, additional housing accommodation units and a commercial morgue with facilities for funerals.

The objective of the project, according to the report of the Finance Committee, is to establish a state-of-the-art training facility for medical education that will facilitate the relocation and accommodation of all institutions of the College of Health Sciences to the University of Ghana, Legon campus to serve as a nerve center of the proposed Medical Village.

The Center is to function locally as a referral hospital and operate at a specialized level to attract clientele beyond the borders of Ghana to take advantage of the specialties offered in the country which is expected to be first class in the sub-region.

Further to that, the health facility is expected to serve as a center for medical tourism for those in need of medical services within the sub-region and beyond for super tertiary care and specialties.

By Christian Kpesese/ ghanamps.com

The Mallam Junction to Kasoa stretch of road, where the Ghana Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA) Sanitation and Water project with support from World Bank constructed a major drain would be closed to motorist on Sunday 5th August, 2018, at 10:00pm to Monday 6th August, 2018, at 10:00am.

According to the GAMA Coordinator, Ing George Aseidu who briefed journalists indicated that the closure is to allow for the section where the drain has been construction on the main road to be asphalted.

He further revealed that on the 8th of August 2018, next week Wednesday at 10:00pm to the following day Thursday 10:00am the road would be closed for the asphalting work to continue on the portion where the drain was constructed through the main road.

Hence the Kaneshie to Kasoa bound road would be closed to traffic and there would be diversion to the Kasoa to Kaneshie stretch, Ing George Aseidu told Journalists in his briefing on Friday morning.

On Saturday the 11th of August, 2018 at 10:00pm the Kasoa to the Kaneshie section would be closed to traffic till the following morning Sunday 10:00am the 12th of August 2018, which would be the final lap of asphalting, whiles traffic would be diverted back to the already asphalted portion on the phase one.

The GAMA Coordinator noted that the time were chosen deliberately because, they were looking at a situation where the traffic would be very low which was mainly in the night.

Again starting from today, “we would start preparatory work to prepare the place but would not necessitate us closing the road and we want you to alert motorist to be careful when they go through this section of the road”.

He further added that sections of the road that were bad before the drain was constructed would be repaired whiles, thirty meters to the right and left of the sections that the drain construction passed through would be asphalted.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Speaker of Parliament Professor Mike Aaron Oquaye has said as part of reforms in Parliament House, Joseph Osei-Owusu, first Deputy Speaker and Alban Bagbin, the second Deputy Speaker are now members of the Parliamentary Service Board.

According to the Speaker, previously the two were not part of the board, but their inclusion has helped tremendously, as they have put their experience to bear.

He further added that, other MPs in leadership have been included in the early morning pre-sitting which has gone a long way to help with service delivery, as sometimes both the Minority and Majority Leaders had to attend to other urgent matters.

Professor Mike Aaron Oquaye in his closing remarks before the House went on recess indicated, with approval from the Parliamentary Service Board, the House had proceeded with the establishment of   drafting and legal department, “this is something which had never existed”, he said.

“We are lucky to have a consultant in the person of Justice, VCRC Crab who had been approached, he has agree to help us and an office is being prepared for him”.

In this regard once the process has started we should expect a private members Bill would start to be introduced in this House soon, he said.

On the matter of a new chamber block, the Parliamentary Service Board has engaged the public procurement authority on, procurement of a consultant which process would be completed very soon, he added.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

The Appointment Committee of Parliament would start vetting four nominees to the Supreme Court from the 20th to 23rd of August 2018.

President Nana Akuffo-Addo had earlier nominated the following persons to be Justices at the Supreme Court; Professor Ni Ashie Kotey, Justice Agnes Mercy Abla Dordzie, Nene Abayaateye Ofoe Amegatcher and Justice Samuel Kofi Marful-Sau.

Pursuant to Standing Order 172(3) members of the general public are notified of the nomination done by the President Nana Akuffo-Addo and there would be public hearing of the above nominees 10:00am each day as one nominee per day would appear before the committee.

However not later than the 14th of this month Ghanaians have been invited to present memoranda on the nominees, address to the clerk to the Appointment Committee.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Minority in Parliament, especially those on the Energy and Mines committee, are raising the red flag over government’s intentions to renegotiate the KARPOWERSHIP agreement.

According to former Deputy Minister for Energy, John Abdulai Jinapor who addressed the Minority press conference, the renegotiation of the KARPOWERSHIP agreement is scandalous ridden with corruption.
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He further noted that, the sector Minister’s move is worse than AMERI novation agreement presented by the Minister to Parliament. The KARPOWERSHIP agreement is 450MW.

“Indeed the renegotiated deal stinks to the heavens with big fishes in Government superintending the looting of the state under this new deal”, he lamented.

Mr. John Abdulai  Jinapor promised to engage Ghanaians and give more details in the coming days, but felt short of putting names of the big fishes in government out.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Speaker of Parliament Professor Mike Aaron Oquaye had admonished Members of Parliament not to allow lateness to proceedings be part of them in the third meeting of the second session of the seventh Parliament for the fourth Republic.

The Speaker made this remarks on Saturday the 28th of July 2018 when the House break for a three month recess to return in October this year.

Member of Parliament for Adaklu Kwame Agbodza has had cause to complain about the late start of proceedings in the House, more so when young students had to travel from far and near and had to sit in the public gallery for longer hours before proceedings start.

Professor Mike Aaron Oquaye noted that the Right to Information Bill 2018 which is at the consideration stage, was expected to be passed, “on our return from recess would be worked on and passed”, he said.

He further praised the Finance Ministry for releasing Parliaments subventions in time for it to carry out its duties.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

The Chief of Akyem Kotoku Mponuahen Pankese Dr. Nana Boakye Darkwa III and the Queen mother Nana Serwaa Asantewa stormed Parliament House to give weight to the need for some communities in the Abirem Constituency to be connected to the national electricity grid.

According to the queen mother, Journalists in Parliament should visit the Abirem Constituency, if they want to know the meaning of some of the communities that have been name after human sex organs.

She further added that roads leading to the communities were not in good shape hence children are not encouraged to go to school and appealed to government to come to their aid.

Dr. Nana Boakye Darkwa III bemoaned a situation where children do not have light to prepare for examination and said he hopes by Christmas this year they would be connected to the national grid to enjoy electricity.

And also added that the communities name after human sex organs were done by their fore fathers, but had reasons for that and believe something might have occurred for them to give them those names.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Drama unfolded on the floor of Parliament when names of some communities named after human sex organs in the Abirem Constituency in the Eastern Region were mentioned.

Prior to the question being allowed or disallowed, Members of Parliament from the Minority and Majority side could be seen on the floor looking at the order paper and laughing among themselves, and showing keen interest in the question and how it was going to be answered.

Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu noted that the mention of the communities could amount to chaos if allowed to be mentioned on the floor of the House.

Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu indicated to the House that since they were communities and the MP representing those communities should be seen as working the question should be allowed on the floor of the House.

The Member of Parliament for Abirem John Frimpong Osei wanted to know if there was plan to connect the following communities with off- grid electricity;, “Etwe Nim Nyansa, Kote ye Aboa, Hwoa ye Mmobo, Akyekyeresu, Tetteh Brofo, Asarekrom, Alhajikrom and Yaw Broni, since it was difficult connecting them to the national grid.

First Deputy Speaker Joseph Osei Owusu who was in the chair directed that the names be mentioned and the question taken since they are only community names.

Minister of Energy Boakye Agyarko at the initial stage find it difficult to mention the names of the communities, but with the pressure from both Majority and Minority MPs who looked so excited with the mention of names had no option than to mention the names.

He noted that the objective of the National Electrification Scheme (NES) towards the achievement of the universal access is to provide electricity to all the communities either through the National grid extension or off-grid or mini-grid solutions for remote or island communities.

And added that for the Abirem constituency which are difficult to be connected to the national grid, the Ministry will explore the possibility of connecting them through off-grid or mini-grid solutions.

He further said the Ministry would conduct engineering survey to determine the best means of providing electricity to the above communities in line with the electrification programme.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com