Category: General

The fate of Assin Central MP would be decided by the plenary as the Privileges Committee of Parliament has recommended sanctions against him over his claims that Parliament is cheap.

The Privileges Committee of Parliament has recommended sanctions against the Assin Central Member of Parliament Kennedy Agyapong over his claims that Parliament is cheap.

The committee chaired by the First Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei-Owusu has recommend the suspension of Kennedy Ohene Agyapong for the rest of “this session”.

The Committee arrived at this decision after finding Mr. Agyapong to have been in contempt of Parliament for the remarks he made that “Parliament is cheap” and “Parliament is useless”.

Prior to arriving at this final decision, the Committee was divided as to which sanction to recommend to the plenary to for consideration.

“The Committee noted the apology rendered by the Member and therefore did not consider expulsion as a sanction to be imposed. The Committee was however in favor of either a reprimand or a suspension. After extensive deliberations, the Committee put the two options to a vote. Out of a total membership of thirty-one (31), twenty (20) Members were present at the time of the voting. Ten (10) Members voted in favor of reprimand as a sanction and ten (10) Members voted in favor of suspension as a sanction. In view of the split ballot, the Committee recommends to the House to determine which of the two sanctions to be imposed on the Hon. Ken Ohene Agyapong”, the report of the Privileges Committee on the breach of privilege and contemptuous comments allegedly made by Hon. Member for Assin Central constituency, Mr. Ken Ohene Agyapong, in part read.

Section 35 of the Parliament Act, 1965 (Act 300) provides that “Where a Member of Parliament is found by Parliament to be guilty of contempt of Parliament; Parliament may direct that the Member be reprimanded in the Member’s place by the Speaker”.

Section 36(1), (2) (a) and (b) of the Act also provide that:

1. “Where a Member is found by Parliament to be guilty to be guilty of contempt of Parliament, Parliament may suspend the Member from the service of Parliament for a period not exceeding nine months, whether or not that period extends beyond the end of the Session.

2. Where a Member is suspended from the service of Parliament, the Member (a) shall forthwith leave the precincts of Parliament and shall not enter them again while the suspension continues; (b) shall forfeit the allowances to which the Member would otherwise be entitled as a Member in respect of the period of suspension”.

Section 37 (1), (2) (a) and (b) of the Act also provide that:

1. “Where a Member is found by Parliament to have been guilty of conduct which, whether or not it amounts to contempt of Parliament, is so grossly improper as to indicate that the Member is unfit to remain a Member, the Member may be expelled by Parliament.

2. A resolution for the expulsion of a Member under subsection (1) shall be of no effect unless (a) at least seven days’ notice that it was to be moved was given in the manner required by Standing Orders for the giving of notices of motions, and (b) it is supported by the votes of at least two-thirds of the total number of Members”.

In the view of the Committee, they found Hon. Agyapong to have been in contempt of Parliament after carefully watching the video evidence submitted to it by the Complainant in the person of the Minority Chief Whip, Hon. Mohammed Mubarak-Muntaka.

“The Committee was convinced that contrary to the denial by Hon. Agyapong, he indeed made those disparaging comments that “Parliament ay3 foo” meaning “Parliament is cheap” and “Parliament foo” meaning “Useless Parliament”, the report in part noted.

It added “The Committee determined that the comments by the Hon. Member affront the dignity of Parliament and he is therefore guilty of contempt of Parliament in terms of Article 122 of the Constitution and Order 28 of the Standing Orders of Parliament”.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

The Parliamentary Press Corps have their second media encounter with leadership of Parliament, as the second meeting of the second session comes to an end on the 28th of July, 2018.

Acting Director of Public Affairs of Parliament Kate Addo noted that the media encounter would afford the leadership of the House, to brief the media on how workings of the House has been in the second meeting of the second session of the seventh Parliament of the fourth Republic.

A similar encounter was organised at the beginning of the meeting where the Minority leader addressed the media and the Second Deputy Majority Leader Sara Adowa Safo represented the Majority Leader.

She noted that the Clerk and the Whips of both the Majority and Minority would join the media encounter, but if they are unable to make it, then it has to do with the busy nature of the House as it has a lot of work to do.

For the various departments in Parliament to understand and appreciate the work that the media does, the Acting Director of Public Affairs pulled along Mr. William Kafui Asem to seat in the media encounter.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

National Coordinator of the “one district one factory” Gifty Ohene-Konadu has said the project is not a government project.

According to the Coordinator, government is only helping the private sector and the private entrepreneur to create jobs and employ people, at the same time would generate foreign exchange for the nation.

She said in an interview that the private sector would have its peace likewise government, again these businesses would pay tax to government, and hence government would have funds to develop our nation.

Mrs. Gifty Ohene-Konadu further indicated that some of the district might have more than one factory.

As to whether there had been much information and communications about the project, she said yes, whiles we are educating people others are at the background destroying and confusing people especially those who go on radio, she added.

Response I get from the secretariat, means the promoters have understood the concept very well, whiles the entrepreneurs who want to set up the factories have also understood it very well, she said.

“Those engaging in propaganda are the ones confusing people, but we have established some of the factories and people who are in the districts and can see some of these factories would attest to it”.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

The Women caucus in Parliament have condemned the police officer who abused a nursing mother who went to the premises of the Midland savings and loans to withdraw her own money.

According to the chairperson of the caucus and Deputy Majority Leader, Sarah Adowa Safo the brutality had gone viral on social media and called on the Inspector General of Police to take every step to ensure that the policeman is dealt with punitively according to the law.

“As a mother I wept uncontrollably watching this poor woman being subjected to severe physical abuse, the unbearable part was the fact that she had in her hands newly born baby”, she said.

Her worry was officials of the Midland savings watched proceedings closely without any intervention to save this woman from the torrential blows from the police man.

Chairperson of the Women caucus noted that at this age that women advocacy has been very pervasive, it is most despicable to see such a barbaric and vicious act being meted out to such a poor woman.

The mandate of the Police is to protect the poor and the vulnerable, “this is a clear case of the violation of the right of the poor woman”, she lamented.

I am reliably informed that the IGP has urgently caused the arrest of the said policeman and commended the IGP for the swift action and called for the arrest of the bank officials who looked on without intervening.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Twenty-five members of the Parliamentary Press Corps are undergoing a training workshop in Prampram to sharpen their reporting skills in Parliament, as Members of Parliament have had course to complain about the way some of the correspondents report on issues in Parliament.

According to the Dean of the Parliamentary Press Corps, the training is meant for some new and older members of the press corps, whiles others would benefit at a later date of same workshop.

He noted that usually with such workshops the directors of Parliament are brought as resource persons to deal with some critical topics that Journalists need to equip themselves with as they go about their duties.

“This time around, we brought the national coordinator of one district one factory, madam Gifty Ohene-Konadu to brief us on updates on one district one factory”, he said.

This training workshop was on the theme “Parliamentary reporter as an effective link between parliament and the public”.

Mr. Obed Appiah who represented the acting director of Public Affairs of Parliament, Kate Addo, indicated her boss would want the media to voice out their challenges as would be noted by him for onward delivery to her boss to help address the challenges.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

As the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Presented Business statement for this week he indicated to Members of Parliament that seven Ministers would be on the floor of the House to address seventeen question this week.

Minister of Education Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh would address five questions whiles same number of question would be addressed by the Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources Joseph Kofi Adda.

Trade and Industry Minister, Boakye Agyarko would tackle two questions whiles Alan Kyeremanten Minister in charge of Trade and Industry would handle two questions.

To address a question each would be the Minister of Health, Interior, Lands and Natural Resources.

Pursuant to standing order 70 (2) Ministers of state and MPs may be permitted by the Speaker to make statement on the floor of the House, whiles Monday the 23rd of July 2018 would be the last Monday for the House to sit before it goes on recess on recess.

Parliament has changed its original day of going for recess from the Friday the 27th July to the 28th July 2018 based on the packed of activities the House would undertake, the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs said.

Mr. Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu further told the House the Business Committee had programmed that the House sits midday on Friday the 27th of the month, in view of the burial service of the former Vice-President Paa Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur.

Whiles on Thursday the 26th of July 2018 the House would sit at 10:00am but suspend sitting at 2:00pm to observe the one week observation of the former MP for Sunyani East Joseph Henry Mensah and resume sitting around 4:00pm, leader of the House said.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Minister for Aviation has said improving connectivity and easy access to the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) is an integral part of ensuring a seamless air travel in the country.

According to the Minister per the master plan of KIA, a parcel of land has been earmarked for intermodal transport.

She further noted that her Ministry through the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) intends to partner investors to undertake the development of an integrated bus and train terminal on the earmarked land through public Private Partnership (PPP).

“We anticipate rise in passenger numbers as a result of the up-coming opening of terminal 3, discussions have already been initiated with the Ministry of Transport, Interior, Roads and Highways and the Defense Ministry among others for an integrated transport mode and alternatives to manage and address congestion to the KIA” she said.

The Minister made this remarks on the floor of the House when Member of Parliament of Adaklu Kwame Governs Agbodza wanted to know, whether her Ministry and other relevant Ministries are taking steps to provide adequate space for the development of an integrated bus and train terminal at KIA.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Minister of Aviation, Cecilia Dapaah has said to Parliament that the Sunyani Airport would be reopened for business by the fourth quarter of 2019.

According to the Minister Ghana Airport Company Limited (GACL) has strategized to use Internally Generated Funds (IGF) for the rehabilitation, due to its current weak financial position.

He further added that rehabilitation work would end in the fourth quarter of 2019 to pave way for the recommencement of commercial activities.

In March of 2016 commercial operations at the Sunyani airport seized due to poor nature of the pavement among other inherent challenges.

The Ministry through the Ghana Airports Company Limited initiated steps to rehabilitate the runway and plans for its extension in addition to tackling encroachment on airport lands.

She further told the House that the final date for expression of interest, 18th of April 2018 was published in the Daily Graphic.

Six firms were shortlisted, waiting for approval from the Entity Tender Committee (ETC) then request for proposal would be issued to the six shortlisted firms for the next stage of the procurement process.

The chief of Nsoatre had given 300 acres of land for a long term plan to develop a new airport at Sunyani in line with Government’s plan to open up and connect the country for socio-economic development through construction of airports, airstrips and helipads across the country, she said.

Mrs. Cecilia Dapaah pointed out that Government would continue to show leadership and guidance for the development of the nations aviation industry and would continue to rely on the support of Parliament to enable them achieve their objectives and goals.

The scope of work includes, remodeling and design of existing terminal building, design of runway link taxiway passenger apron and all the associated ancillary facilities, the Minister told the House.

Member of Parliament for Dormaa West Ali Maiga Halidu wanted to know when the Sunyani airport will be opened for public use as the closure was hampering the economic activities in the Region.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Minister of Finance Ken Ofori Atta would be on the floor of the House this Thursday the 19th of July 2018 to present the mid-year fiscal review for this year.

He is expected to move motion for the adoption of the Mid-Year-Fiscal review of the budget statement and economic policy of the Government of Ghana for financial year 2018.

This is backed by Article 179 (8) of the 1992 constitution, “where, in the respect of a financial year, it is found out that the amount of moneys appropriated by the Appropriation Act for any purpose is insufficient or that a need has arisen for expenditure for a purpose for which no sums of moneys has been appropriated by the Act, a supplementary estimate showing the sum of money required, shall be laid before Parliament for its approval”.

Member of Parliament for Adaklu Kwame Agbodza two weeks ago when the Business statement was presented on the floor of the House drew attention of the leadership of the House to the fact that the House would be going on recess this month and wanted to know when the mid-year-review would be presented.

Meanwhile the Minority MPs have had cause to complain that the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta has not been coming to the floor of the House to do business in the House two weeks ago, but Deputy Majority Leader, Sarah Adwoa Safo pointed out to them that he was busy working on the mid-year review hence he had to send his Deputy Ministers to lay the paper.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Speaker of Parliament Professor Mike Aaron Oquaye has indicated that to ensure that Members of Parliament do attend to business of the House, clocking-in system would be introduced in the House as a way of improving on attendance.

According to the Speaker it is a measure to ensure that Parliament discipline itself in other to be able to discipline others like you all know, “absolute power corrupts absolutely checks and balances a crucial”.

There must always be a watching process it does not mean to be against any group, must be universal so that our aim is high standards; it does not matter where the axe falls, it is very important because this is how the countries that have advanced that we envy made it, he said.

As to the reforms I talked about, we do not have a legal department in Parliament we have just decided at the board level to have one, it is left with us to fill the spaces, the Speaker said.

We are also working on the private members bill because that is the only way civil society can also contribute to the process of law making. When you look at our laws you notice there are a lot of gaps within and this is the way to also contribute, he said.

“I have had a meeting with Justice Crab who had gone all the way to Kenya to help their Parliament to establish a legislative drafting division, it allows you to receive suggestions from civil society whose suggestions enrich the process of governance”.

This came to light when Ghana’s Anti-Corruption Coalition group paid a courtesy call on the Speaker of Parliament.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com