Category: General

Member of Parliament for Asawase and the Minority Chief Whip, Muntaka Mubarak Mohamed, has said it was wrong for the former Foreign Affairs Minister Hanna Tetteh to sign a deal with the United State of America having a military base.

According to the Minority Whip it was wrong that the deal was not brought to Parliament and signed by the former Foreign Affairs Minister without letting some senior officials of the previous government know.
He however pointed out that the issue had been resolved with the former Minister coming out to clear the air that she signed an agreement to have a US base in Ghana.

The Minority in the first meeting kicked against the agreement when it came to the floor of the House, but the Minister for defense was quick to point out that the former Foreign Affairs Minister signed to the agreement whiles in government and was not brought to the peoples representatives.

Mr. Mubarak Muntaka said he would oppose the sighting of a US base in Ghana thousand times when brought to the floor of the House any day any time.

I believe the US congress would not have accepted a resolution if there was anything like a Military base on their soil, they would want to debate it, I would continue to reject any cooked resolution without subjecting it to a debate, he remarked.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

The  Speaker of Parliament Professor Mike Aaron Oquaye has ruled that the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) is to issue a disclaimer on a fake cocoa insecticide from China on the market before the close of working day on Friday the 18th May 2018.

He further directed that the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Akoto Afriyie to appear before the House and brief the House on an investigation into the fake insecticide on the market on the first Tuesday of June 2018.

Professor Mike Aaron Oquaye gave these directives when the Member of Parliament for Juaboso Kwabena Minta Akandor brought a fake cocoa insecticide “rockstar” he purchased on the market, that is harmful from China in asking an urgent question on the floor of the House.

Ministry of Food and Agriculture complied with the Speakers directive and issued a disclaimer stating that the insecticides have not been tested by cocoa research institute of Ghana (CRIG).

And not registered by the environmental protection agency hence farms should not use the insecticides, in a public announcement was sign by Dr. Gyiele Nurah Minister of state at the Agriculture Ministry.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Speaker of Parliament, Professor Mike Aaron Oquaye has commended calls made by the Institute of Chartered Accounts – Ghana (ICAGH) to help maintain high standard in the accounting profession when they called on him.

According to the Speaker, professionalism should be self regulatory and those in every profession know best how that high standard can be achieved.

He recounted that the medical and legal profession throughout the world, a lot of undesirable persons may want to creep into the profession, self regulations has a lot to do with professional pride.

“If you want to become one of us, this is the way you have to behave and these are the standards you have to adhere to, that is the way to sustain the respect of any such profession”, he said.  Speaker of Parliament, Professor Mike Aaron Oquaye has commended calls made by the Institute of Chartered Accounts – Ghana (ICAGH) to help maintain high standard in the accounting profession when they called on him.

According to the Speaker, professionalism should be self regulatory and those in every profession know best how that high standard can be achieved.

He recounted that the medical and legal profession throughout the world, a lot of undesirable persons may want to creep into the profession, self regulations has a lot to do with professional pride.

“If you want to become one of us, this is the way you have to behave and these are the standards you have to adhere to, that is the way to sustain the respect of any such profession”, he said.

The Speaker made this remarks when the President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Ghana (ICAGH), Christian Sottie and his counterpart Nick Parker, President of the Institute of Chartered Accountant England and Wales (ICAEW) paid a courtesy call on him.

Parliament being a House of accountability would be very much interested in what the accountants are doing, again we are very proud of the work the Public Account Committee (PAC) is doing, he said.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

The Speaker made this remarks when the President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Ghana (ICAGH), Christian Sottie and his counterpart Nick Parker, President of the Institute of Chartered Accountant England and Wales (ICAEW) paid a courtesy call on him.
Parliament being a House of accountability would be very much interested in what the accountants are doing, again we are very proud of the work the Public Account Committee (PAC) is doing, he said.
By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Leadership of Parliament would have media encounter on Tuesday, May 22, 2018, where reporters from Parliament would have the opportunity to ask pertinent questions relating to Parliament.
In attendance to this media encounter would be the Speaker of Parliament Professor Mike Aaron Oquaye, Minister of Parliamentary Affair and Majority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu and Member of Parliament for Tamale South Haruna Iddrisu who is the Minority Leader.
Public Affairs Directorate of Parliament in years past organise such encounter to afford the media, interaction with leadership of the House and answers are provided to controversial issues.

And leadership of the House point out to the media where their work is falling short and the media are also able to point out difficulties they encounter in discharging their duties in the House.

Investigations and checks conducted by ghanamps.com ahead of this encounter indicates that some of the issues that might come up include alleged payment of “double” salary to previous Ministers who double as MPs.

The Minority’s posture on the rulings of the Speaker of Parliament, Professor Mike Aaron Oquaye among other questions.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Rotary International and the Ghana chapter are partnering the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources to improve sanitation and provide water in six (6) Regions in the country.

The project which started in 2015 is estimated to cost four (4) million dollars, and would end in 2020, whiles the first phase which was carried out in four (4) Regions cost two (2) million dollars.

Mr. Sam Okudzeto, a member of the Council of State disclosed this, when he led a six member delegation from the Rotary International and Ghana chapter to pay  a courtesy call on the sector Minister, Kofi Adda.

They took the opportunity to brief the Minister on projects Rotary has undertaken over the years in Ghana, in the area of sanitation and water.

And pledge their support to the Ministry, while they seek the support of the Ministry in the area of advocacy in the sanitation and water sector.

Mr. Kofi Adda commended Rotary Club for their presence in the rural areas providing sanitation and water and further added that a credit facility of forty-five  point seven million dollars have been given to government, to  be channeled to Community Water and Sanitation Agency for provision of Sanitation and Water facilities.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Members of Parliament (MPs) from both the Majority and Minority side of the House on Thursday 17th May, 2018 had the opportunity to check for their blood pressure (BP) just after adjournment of the House.

Most MPs gathered at the MPs café just after the chamber where health personnel’s from the Parliamentary clinic were available to undertake the exercise.

The exercise comes in the wake of the celebration of world hypertension day, where Dr. Okoe Boye MP for Ledzokuku announced that medical doctors were in the House equipped with blood pressure equipment and ready to take their BP.

Dr. Mark Kurt Nawaane, in an interview said MPs have been encouraged to check their (BP) often  with the  nature of their  work and their average age group mostly above 40 years.

Adding, hypertension is treatable, those on medication if they take their medication as prescribed they have a surest way to a long complication free life, sufficient and adequate exercise would help avoid hypertension or minimize its effect on the body.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Parliament would today Friday 18th May 2018 debate the unanimous recommendation of the Appointment Committee to approve the Deputy Special Prosecutor nominee, Cynthia Naa Koshie Lamptey.

In the order paper of the House it has been scheduled for the report of the Appointment Committee to be taken today.

Majority Leader and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu in an interview said all depends on the committee and how fast they present their report to the House.

He further indicated that he was impressed with the performance of the nominee when she appeared before the Appointment Committee of Parliament.

On the issue of her not giving detailed answers, the Leader of Government Business said by her training she is not supposed to give a lot away and those asking the question could have pushed further if they wanted detailed answers.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

The Deputy Special Prosecutor nominee, Cynthia Jane Naa-Korshie Lamptey has described her Boss to be, Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu as “a workaholic” who does not shirk his responsibilities.

Appearing before Parliaments Appointment Committee, Ms Lamptey said she had previously worked with Mr Amidu and is very comfortable working with him at times.

The nominee who said she has never taken bribe before told the Committee that she is well qualified for the position.

On protecting informants who volunteered information to the Office, she emphasised the need to ensure that the law gives protection to them in order to enhance justice delivery in the country.

She urged the need for Police investigations to be conducted for the preparation of dockets on cases coming from Commissions of enquiry.

She observed that the AD department deals with dockets that arise from police investigations hence it is difficult to act on government white papers on commissions of enquiry.

The potential Deputy Special Prosecutor urged the need for all to be accountable to the laws regulating their functions whiles stating that the right calibre of personnel, right equipment and tools and people with proven integrity are key to help prosecute agenda of the office effectively.

By Christian Kpesese/ ghanamps.com