President Nana Akufo-Addo is set to deliver the message of the State of the Nation Address today, Wednesday, March 8, 2023 in fulfillment of Article 67 of the 1992.
As at the time of writing this story, the media, security and staff members were set and ready to receive the president to the legislature to perform this constitutional duty.
As part of today’s programme, various Committees of Parliament are expected to have sittings.
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Two former Speakers of Ghana’s Parliament on Monday, March 6, 2023 called on former Speaker Professor A. Michael Oquaye to empathize with him on the passing away of his wife the late Major (Rtd) Mrs Alberta Oquaye (nee Asafu-Adjaye).
The former Speakers were Rt. Hon Joyce Adeline Bamford-Addo and Rt. Hon Edward Doe Adzaho who were later joined in by the current Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin.
Rt. Hon Professor A. Michael who welcomed his visitors further indicated to them that her late wife’s family would give notice as to when the funeral would be carried out.
The late wife of the former Speaker passed away on Saturday, March 4, 2023.
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The Parliament of Ghana has commiserated with the family of late Ghanaian international footballer and philanthropist, Christian Atsu Twasam who lost his life in the tragic 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck South-Eastern Turkey and Syria last month.
A delegation led by Chairman and Ranking Member of the Youth, Sports and Culture select committee of Parliament to the family house conveyed the commiseration on behalf of the Speaker and Parliament.
Chairman of the committee, Kwaku Agyenim-Boateng and Ranking Member of the Committee, Kobena Mensah Woyome signed the book of condolence on behalf of the delegation.
Mr Kwaku Agyenim-Boateng on behalf of the delegation expressed a heartfelt condolence of Parliament to the bereaved family and the nation for the loss of Atsu whom he said paid his due to the country.
According to him the deceased football star made his life count by living a purpose-filled life through the sacrifices he made for the national team and his impactful charitable works.
He assured of Parliament’s readiness to assist the family when the need arises.
The delegation presented packs of mineral water and an undisclosed amount to the bereaved family.
The family thanked the parliamentary delegation for the visit.
Other members of the delegation include Member for Upper Denkyira North, Daniel Ohene Darko, Member for Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa, Alhassan Kobina Ghansah, Member for Cape Coast North, Dr Kwamena Mintah Nyarku, Member for Talensi, Benson Tongo (BT) Baba and Member for Akwatia, Henry Yiadom Boakye.
Christian Atsu was one of the victims of the over fifty thousand people estimated to have lost their lives in the catastrophic earthquake that hit Turkey on February 6, 2023.
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The Ashanti Region Director of Health, Dr. Emmanuel Tenkorang has emphasised the importance of adding behavioral change communication to the strategy of eliminating malaria in the wake of efforts to achieve this target with government providing funds through the National Health Insurance component.
According to him as far as malaria elimination is concerned results can only be achieved if behavioral change communication is added otherwise we would not get results. “We need a bigger thing than what we are doing now and it is a truthful medical fact and base on scientific reasons”.
He made this remarks in Kumasi when the Health Committee as part of its oversight role digs to verify at first hand if funds being pushed into the malaria elimination strategy are yielding results and to ascertain if there are challenges.
Dr. Tenkorang on his part further told the Committee that the programme is having some challenges, stating that as the Committee goes round, they would notice some of those challenges including people throwing rubbish at places that the team has gone to carry the exercise.
“We need to add on awareness creation, good education and behavioral change communication; people do not understand what we are doing and publicity on malaria issues is quite low, we need to tell the people that we have pushed in so much; this is what we want”, he told the Committee.
He further added that all along because the programme has detached what they are doing from the community, all they see is that there is spraying going on; until they add the behavioral change communication to it through the budget whatever they are doing is likely that they would not achieve much.
Also if funds are there it should rather go towards communications on behavioral change that would help the programme and there is the need for the community to own the programme; otherwise the programme would be talking about elimination and without the Community involvement, malaria elimination would not work, he emphasized .
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As part of playing its oversight role, and checking whether funds approved for the elimination of malaria is being put to good use and achieving results, the Health Committee of Parliament has embarked on a tour to some districts in the Ashanti Region after touring the Brong Ahafo specifically Berekum East.
The first port of call was the Ashanti Regional Health Directorate where chairman of the Committee Dr. Ayew Afriyie noted that the trip is about reducing mosquito in our societies hence the need for them to play their oversight by visiting some districts, Old Tafo and Effiduase/Asokore.
Dr. Ayew pointed out that before embarking on the field visit it was only proper to come and greet the Ashanti Regional Health directorate who are landlords stating that the project seeks to eliminate mosquito in our societies and just to ascertain if the work is being done properly.
On his part Ranking Member of the Committee Kwabena Mintah Akandoh also pointed out that on their tour they expect to be told about the challenges on the grounds so that when they get back to parliament they would address those challenges as they approve budget through the National Health Insurance Scheme which has a component in addressing the elimination of malaria.
And as representatives of the people they have to keep in touch with them and to be at a distance and whatever the challenges are should be pointed out so that when they are debating the budget and working on policy issues those issues would be taken on board.
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President Nana Akufo-Addo would deliver State of the Nation Address on Wednesday, March 8, 2023 in fulfillment of Article 67 of the 1992 constitution.
This was made known on Friday, February 24, 2023 when the Business Statement was presented by Frank Annoh Dompreh, on behalf of the Majority Leader Osei-Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu.
He drew the attention to his colleagues that the earlier anticipated February 28, 2023 announced could not hold due to unforeseen development.
The Rt. Hon Speaker Alban Bagbin on his part noted that he got in touch with the Majority Leader and they had an extensive discussion on the date and the long and short of their discussion the date had to be shifted.
“It’s for a good reason that the president finally agreed to the new date, the 6th March is an important day for all of us. There would be an important national event at Ho, the president has to be there to perform his duty; and for good reasons it cannot be held on the March 7, 2023”.
They both had to agree to sacrifice for some other assignments to do the SoNA on the Wednesday, March 8, 2023.
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In his goodwill message to Parliament as it launches a year-long celebration of 30 years of parliamentary democracy under the 4th Republic, President Nana Akufo-Addo has noted that Ghana is the beacon of democracy and stability.
According to him, where respect for the principles of democratic accountability, human rights and the rule of law have enabled Ghana to oversee eight (8) presidential elections in the 4th Republic, with five (5) presidential transitions, and three (3) peaceful transfers of power, through the ballot box, from one party to another.
In his speech presented on his behalf by the Chief of Staff Akosua Frema Opare she noted that, Ghanaians have the right to be proud of this, and the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the 4 Republic should inspire us, even further, to hold on to this status.
This milestone is to the great credit of the ordinary men and women who make up the fabric of our nation, and, indeed, to the credit of Parliament, the second arm of government. I fear that, often than not, many underestimate the importance of Parliament, and, consequently, undermine its work, he stated.
“Again, we cannot emphasize enough the role of Parliament in exercising the checks and balances needed on the Executive; Parliament is the voice of the people and we cannot emphasize enough the role of Parliament in setting the tone for public discourse in the country.
It is for the good of the country that Parliament continues to develop the capacity to insist on accountability in all aspects of our lives, and No institution is better suited for this than the representatives of the people”.
He assured that as President of the Republic, we owe it a duty to our children and grandchildren, and to generations yet unborn to protect our democracy and his government will do everything it can to help strengthen Parliament.
“Let me reassure you of the commitment of Government to working with Members of the House for the peace, progress and prosperity of Mother Ghana. All of us have a joint responsibility to work together, with our different views and our different perspectives, for the Ghana project and a united Ghana”.
He recounted that some of the most interesting times of his political life have been in the chamber of Parliament, and, dare say that, this is where with the help of colleagues, like the current Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin, whom he came to meet in the House in 1997, and who became a good friend of his, the Majority Leader, with whom he entered Parliament on the same side at the same time, they did some of the work with long lasting effect on the Ghanaian society.
“Saturday, January 7, 2023, was exactly thirty (30) years since the Constitution of the 4th Republic came into force. It has inspired the longest period of stable constitutional governance in our history, with a consensus emerging that democratic form of governance is preferable.
Indeed, upon the coming into force of the Constitution, we resolved to build, under God, a united nation, grounded in democratic values and the rule of law, and we have gone a long way towards realising this vision”.
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The Minority at a press conference on Monday, February 20, 2023 before the commencement of the workings of the Appointment Committee has said they would participate in the vetting of President Nana Akufo-Addo’s Ministerial nominees.
According to the Minority they would scrutinize the president’s decision in bringing nominees but they would not subscribe to consensus vote at the level of the Appointment Committee, just to ensure the matter is brought to the floor for the full House for a secrete vote to be taken.
The Minority Leader Dr Ato Forson in addressing the media noted that the president a couple of weeks ago announced nominees and wish to make it clear that they remain committed to ensuring greater scrutiny and will spare no effort to protect the public purse.
They are calling for the following:
1. The immediate reduction in the number of Ministers from the current 86 to 65
2. The merger of Ministries
For example, i. Information and Communication
ii. Transport and Railways
iii. Chieftaincy and Tourism
iv. Sanitation and Local government
3. The immediate reduction in the number of political appointees at the Office of the President.
4. Immediate scrapping of all amorphous creations and waste-pipe, job-for-the-boys’ appointments since the assumption of office of President Akufo Addo in 2017. The work of those undefined, amorphous creations must revert to established entities in the civil and public service that perform similar, if not same functions.
Some of these bizarre portfolios at the office of the president are:
1. Youth Ambassador for Diaspora Affairs
2. Policy Associate
3. Chief Executive of Public Sector Reforms
4. Overseer of the National Cathedral
5. Church Relations Manager
6. Diaspora Church Mobilization Officer
7. Policy & Coordinator Analyst
8. Focal Person, La Francophonie
9. Technical Director, La Francophonie
10. Coordinator, Special Development Initiatives Secretariat
11. Director of Special Projects
12. Manager of Operations & Programs
13. 5 Technical Communications Assistants
14. Technical Advisor, Zongo Development Authority
15. 2 Technical Advisors, Special Development Initiatives Secretariat
16. Technical Advisor, Political Affairs
17. Presidential Staffer, NABCO
18. Office Management Executive Associate
19. Technical Director to the Presidential Advisor on Media
20. Data Manager
And finally they reiterated their call for the dismissal of the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta whose gross incompetence in managing our economy has assumed legendary status. The President must spare Ghanaians the agony of waking up tomorrow to see Ken Ofori-Atta still in charge of the economy.
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An eight member delegation from the Committee on Legal Affairs of the German Bundestag called on members of the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee, Judiciary Committee, Subsidiary Legislation Committee and the Foreign Affairs Committee of Ghana’s Parliament.
Welcoming the delegation, the Chairman of the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee, Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi, emphasized that this visit by the Members of the Bundestag to Ghana’s Parliament is historic since it is the first of its kind in the Fourth Republic of Ghana’s Parliamentary democracy.
Members of the joint Committee shared experiences with their counterparts from the Bundestag on many areas including the rule of law, administering and access to justice, fighting of corruption, funding of political parties, human rights issues and the practice of Ghana’s Parliamentary processes.
The Vice-Chairperson of the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Bernard Ahiafor, narrated to the delegation the constitutional processes of how nomination of Ministers by the President is done and the prior approval by Parliament before appointment by the President.
The Vice-Chairperson of the Judiciary Committee, Cletus Avoka, explained to the delegation how Ghana has transformed from the Westminster, Presidential, Parliamentary and hybrid systems since the First Republic to the current Fourth Republic, stressing that perhaps the 1992 constitution has been the longest practicing constitution in the history of Ghana because of the combination of the Presidential and Parliamentary system of Government.
Mr Avoka also wanted to know from the German MPs whether the government funds political parties in Germany.
Other members of the Joint Committee including Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Dominic Ayine and Francis Xavier Sosu, spoke about the Justice for all programme and how many people who were on remand for more than eight years were freed, the need to increase female representation in Parliament and how technology is being used to limit the level of corruption in the country.
On her part, the leader of the delegation, Elizabeth Winkelmeier-Becker, noted that laws must be used to support the weak in the society, adding that it is only when Parliaments are strong by using the law that it can be strict on the government.
She responded to the question of states funding political parties by saying the German Government supports political parties that are able to pull about 0.5% in elections in order to help it remain relevant.
The delegation was made up of Hon. Elizabeth Winkelmeier-Becker (Chair of the Committee of Legal Affairs), Hon. Esra-Leon R. Limbacher (MP), Hon. Stephen Mayer (MP), Hon. Till Steffen (MP), Hon. Philipp Hartewig (MP), Hon. Stephen Brandner (MP) and Hon. Clara Anne Bunger (MP).
The delegation was also supported by staff of the German Parliament and the German Embassy in Accra; they include Mr. Michael-John Mccabe (Interpreter), Ms. Sara Hennemann (Secretary) and Pauline Okkens (Political and Protocol Section).
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The Minister for Finance Ken Ofori Atta on Thursday, February 16, 2023 updated the Parliament on Ghana and people of Ghana on the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP) which the Minority in Parliament has been pushing for.
According to him the aim of the programme is to alleviate the debt burden in a transparent, efficient and expedited manner, as they minimize its impact on investors holding government bonds.
“Mr. Speaker government is pleased to announce that as of February, 14 2023, approximately 85 percent of holders eligible to participate in the invitation for exchange as determined by the Central Securities Depository tendered in the Exchange”.
He said the current debt restructuring programme is occasioned largely by a series of external shocks that hit the country since 2020 as well as domestic factors.
And further told the House at the inception of negotiations with the IMF, it was agreed that Ghana would have to address its economic challenges on three fronts, embark on fiscal consolidation, undertake debt operations and secure financing assurance from development partners.
The Ministry has since December 5, 2022 seeking to restructure about GHc 137 billion worth of Government bonds and notes, as at December last year the total outstanding debt eligible and non-eligible holder amounted to approximately GHc 137 billion and subsequent extensions of the dates and payment of maturities meant that the remaining stock reduced from GHc 137 billion to GHc 130 billion.
Mr. Ken Ofori Atta commended lawmakers for passing the 2023 budget statement and financial bills that accompanied it, and further noted that he is still counting on MPs for the passage of all outstanding revenue bills which are necessary for effective budget implementation as well as boosting Ghana’s effort at increasing Tax-to-GDP from less than 13 percent to the sub-Saharan average of 18 percent.
Government is relying on the Treasury Bills and concessional loans as the primary sources of financing for the 2023 fiscal year; therefore, the House should support Governments financing requests to ensure a smooth recovery from the economic challenges.
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