Category: General

Acting Director for the Private Sector at ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Tony Luka Luka Elumelu said there are very beautiful and legal instruments within the West African sub-regional block, but the biggest problem is its implementation. According to him implementation arises because the end beneficiaries who are the ECOWAS citizens are not carried along, and ones protocols are adopted they are kept under lock and key.

“Community citizens do not even know about it, how do they see ECOWAS, either as the Heads of states meetings, MPs meeting, Court of justice or the Commission and it’s what its”. He made this remarks on Thursday, June 23, 2022 when the joint committee on Trade, Customs and Free Movement and Infrastructure met to consider a referral from the Commission, the ECOWAS Parliament to give its opinion on the draft Supplementary Act SP/XX/06/22 amending the Act SP/17/02/12 on the harmonization of standards and procedures for checking the loading capacity, weight and axle load of heavy duty vehicles in the ECOWAS Member States.
“MPs, there is a problem, the earlier we identify the problem the better for us. There is a new world order, there is economic crunch we kept talking about donors, the donors are also looking for money, the basic you need is food security, we have vast land than any region in the world and the cross border programme has also captured that and point”. Again, as ECOWAS he underscored the importance of re-aligning programmes to start addressing this issue and advocated for head of all ECOWAS institutions to meet for a retreat to address the need for a paradigm shift in terms of implementation, “our programmes”.

“We cannot be doing our job as a Commission, without meeting the people who have been elected and if we do not rout through them the message ends there. There was a meeting held by the ECOWAS Court of justice in Cape Verde few months ago on sovereignty, it is a big issue that we should address, member state were invited they are still very confused about the work of ECOWAS”. There are instruments that are supposed to be domesticated at the state level from the Free Movement, “I ask, are we all using ECOWAS Passport, yes, there was no place where it was domesticated, we should address issue that are paramount. If you look at the cross boundary programme it is an amalgamation of all our programmes because the essence is to ensure that we improve the livelihood of our community citizens”.

Whiles addressing the Committee members on the need to push for the approval of the referral, he noted that advocacy work are supposed to be done by the Community Parliament, but how can that be achieved if the Commission does not involve them in their programme, “we should make a provision so that MPs within the Committees in programmes go along with us”. His remarks follows a revelation that MPs were not aware of almost all the joint Committee meetings the Commission organised within member states. “You cannot be more Catholic than the Pope, you cannot go to Senegal without touching base with an ECOWAS MP from that place”.

“If the citizens see you there on ECOWAS programme with the participation of the MPs, the citizens would say this is genuine, it’s now time that the MPs should ask the Commission to bring out all its instruments and every member should start talking about it status of implementation instead of keeping green protocols and third implementation act”.

And funding of the ECOWAS cross-border cooperation programme (ECBCP) is a grass root thing this is where, “our people would feel us the cross border programme is a programme that would connect you from Nigeria to Senegal and whatever it is a programme that has captured the private sector the infrastructure and re-direct us on how we are doing things we need to re direct things to help us achieve vision 2050”. The joint Committee would adopt its report today, Friday, June 24, 2022 for onwards discussion and adoption at the plenary.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com/Abuja-Nigeria

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin has directed a joint Committee on Finance and health to investigate and enquire into the total receipts referred to as COVID-19 fund and how those funds were applied for the betterment of the people of this country.

The Speaker admitting that without those funds a lot of people would have lost their lives to the disease however noted that the good performance of the government in dealing with the pandemic is no basis for parliament not to perform its oversight function of ensuring that monies received are efficiently, effectively and economically utilised.

The Speaker noted that a proper account on the COVID fund is very important to allay the fears of the general public since they have a lot of concern towards the COVID fund.
He also directs the Committee to expedite the work because they know the agencies and ministries to invite including the Ministry of Finance to look into the figures from the finance ministry and the presidency and the others; and to reconcile them to bring clarity.

The work of the committee, the speaker stated should also involve going to the details of the expenditure of the monies the finance minister released to the ministries, departments and agencies.

The Minority in parliament on Wednesday, June 22, 2022 raised issues of discrepancies in the total expenditure figures when the Finance Minister account for the COVID -19 expenditure through a statement on the floor of the House.

According to the Minority, varied figures presented by the finance minister and the president on the CCOVID-19 expenditure leaves much to be desired and raised a lot of questions begging for answers, and called for an independent investigation into the fund.

Meanwhile, the joint committee is tasked to present a report in first month of the next meeting which is October, 2022.

Ghanamos.com

The Minority Leader of Ghana’s Parliament, Haruna Iddrisu said the stiff opposition from the Minority towards the passage of the E-levy was worth the effort since it resulted in some adjustments to the original Bill.

He noted that the stiff opposition and constructive criticisms the Minority Group mounted against the approval of the E-Levy policy resulted in government reducing the proposed rate of 1.75% to 1.50%.

“This minority succeeded in reducing E-Levy from 1.75% to 1.50%. When he [Finance Minister] came [to Parliament], his intention was 1.75%. There were many other activities that would have been captured by E-Levy, they’ve abandoned it. Thanks to the opposition and our constructive criticisms of the policy in order to be able to improve, including, remittances”, noted Haruna Iddrisu.

According to him, no matter how dissatisfied Ghanaians may be with their conduct, Members of Parliament (MPs) belonging to the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) are happy that the country has already lost half of 2022 revenue government projected to have accrued from the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy).

He added “Even more importantly, government has already lost half-year revenue of whatever it anticipated from E-Levy. That can only be attributed to purpose and tenacity of the Minority Group in Parliament. You may be dissatisfied with us. We just took a legal step, which probably, we may not satisfy you but I don’t think that it’s all wrong”.

Mr. Iddrisu who is also the NDC MP for Tamale South was addressing members of the Parliamentary Press Corps at a Leadership Encounter with the Press on Wednesday, July 22, 2022.

The encounter was to give an update about what the august House has been able to achieve over the last six months and what it is expected to do in the coming months.

Commenting further, an elated Haruna Iddrisu said the Minority Group in Parliament will continue to ensure that Ghanaians are treated fairly by the government.

On Tuesday, March 29, 2022, the Parliament of Ghana approved the controversial 1.50% tax on electronic payments, known as the E-Levy, after the opposition NDC MPs walked out in protest.

The NDC MPs had claimed not to be part or associated with what they termed ‘killer’ and ‘unwarranted’ tax on Ghanaians.

The Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta had proposed the E-Levy in November 2021, with the aim of widening the tax net in order to mobilize more revenue to address Ghana’s financial woes.

However, his proposal hit a snag after the NDC MPs opposed the deal and demanded that the 1.75% rate should be reduced to 1%. They therefore called for the proposed tax policy to be withdrawn and a new one introduced.

After back and forth arguments over the tax proposal, it was withdrawn and a new proposal introduced, this time proposing a rate of 1.50%.

Even with the new proposed rate, the Minority Group wasn’t satisfied, compelling them to walk out during the consideration of the policy.

The E-Levy covers mobile money payments, bank transfers, merchant payments, and inward remittances.

The Government has projected to raise GHS6.9billion in revenue from the E-Levy in 2022.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Parliament on Thursday, June 23, 2022 approved a loan facility of Seventy-Four Million, One Hundred and Forty-Five Thousand, and Five Hundred Euros (€74,145,500.00) for the Tarkwa Water Supply Project.

The Finance  Committee after a careful examination of the Agreement 15 convinced that the facility, when approved will help expand access to water in Tarkwa and its catchment areas. The Committee therefore recommends to the House to approve
The Credendo Covered Buyer’s Credit Facility Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana (acting through the Ministry of Finance}, KBC Bank NV and COMMERZBANK AG (as Arrangers and original lenders), and KBC Bank NV (as Agent) is made up of Sixty-Five Million Euros (€65,000,000.00) and the associated Credendo premium of Nine Million, One Hundred and Forty-Five thousand and Five Hundred Euros (€9,145,500.00).

for a total sum of Seventy-Four Million, One Hundred and Forty-Five Thousand, and Five Hundred Euros (€74,145,500.00) [made up of Sixty-Five Million Euros (€65,000,000.00) and the associated Credendo premium of Nine Million, One Hundred and Forty-Five thousand and Five Hundred Euros (€9,145,500.00)} for the Tarkwa Water Supply Project

The approval is in accordance with Article 181 of the Constitution, Section 56 of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921) and Order 169 of the Standing Orders of the Parliament of Ghana.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND SCOPE:

The project seeks to expand the existing Water Supply System in Tarkwa from the existing 2.800m3/day (0.62 MGD) to 27,000m3/day (6MGD) to meet the increasing demand for water in the Municipality and to supply water to the adjoining Communities.

Successful implementation of the project according to the Finance Committee of Parliament would result in increasing access fo potable water, promote sanitation and reduce the incidence of water related diseases in Tarkwa and its adjoining communities.

The project on completion will supply potable water to Tarkwa and the following surrounding communities: Bonsa/Bonsaso, Bankyem, Charliekrom, Efuanta, Kwabedu, Mantrem, Agona Wassaw, Nsvia, Tamso, Fanti Mines, Senyaekurase, Akyempem, Simpa, Dompin-Papase, Brofroyedru, Atoabo, Aboso, University of Mines and Technology, and other settlements.

The scope of works to be undertaken under the Project would include inter-alia the following:

a. Design and construction of a weir and intake structure complete with all ancillaries for 30,000m3/d (6.46MGD) to cater for the projected water demand for up to the year 2040.

b. Design and construction of a raw water pipeline for 30,000m3/d (6.4MGD).

c. Design and construction of a new conventional water treatment plant (WTP) with a production capacity of 27,000m%d (6MGD}, complete with aerators, flocculator, sedimentation tanks, filters, chemical dosing system, SCADA System, etc.

d. Supply and Laying of 18.6km DCI 500 Transmission Pipeline

e. Supply and Laying of 116 km Distribution pipeline of various sizes

f. Construction of dedicated overhead power line and substation for the new Tarkwa WIP and intake.

g. Provision of house connection materials and standpipes

h. Provision of staff accommodation and offices

i. Construction of new reservoirs

j. Rehabilitation of service reservoirs

The project is expected to be completed in thirty-six (36) months with a

Defect Liability Period of twelve (12) months from handing over of each complete element to the client.

Dominic Shirimori/Ghanamps.com

The Minister of Communications and Digitalisation,Ursula Owusu-Ekuful has stated emphatically that the SIM card re-registration would not be extended after the 31st July, 2022 deadline.

According to her, there are no longer queues at the registration centres and people who are yet to do their SIM registration should endevour to do so before the deadline.

Even though it was brought to her attention that some people are genuinely facing challenges with the Ghana Card registration to enable them complete the sim registration, she responded, the challenges not withstanding there would be no extension of the deadline.

Importance of the SIM card Re-registration

The SIM registration exercise according to the Minister will among others
• Reduce or eliminate fraudulent and criminal activities facilitated by mobile phones or sim enabled devices,
• Help authorities ascertain the real number of valid and accurate SIMs on the mobile networks,
• Enable operators to build better demographics of their customer base and help them develop products and services to suit these various groupings.
• The National Communications Authority (NCA) will also have a more accurate and credible database to regulate the industry better.
• SIM Registration will enhance economic growth as more confidence is built in the telecommunications sector and people utilize secure devices to access mobile-based digital solutions, both private and public.
• It will minimize mobile money fraud, promote cybersecurity and support financial inclusion.

More so, the Minister said a credible and reliable SIM Register will serve as a database giving comprehensive statistics regarding the number of subscribers in Ghana and provide a resource for tracking fraudsters and criminals. The exercise which was expected to end on 31% March 2022 has been extended to 31% July 2022.

Ghanamps.com

The Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecelia Dapaa assured the people of Yilo Krobo Municipality that there would see marked improvemrnt in water supply when all the interventions they are undertaking are completed.

The Minister announced that currently, the GWCL is undertaking water supply expansion works to connect Huhunya to Boti, Agogo, Opesika, Sutapon, Akpo, Akpamu and the surrounding communities.

Although, the project suffered a major setback, when some aggrieved residents burnt and destroyed the pipelines within the constituency, the GWCL has expedited action in replacing the damaged pipelines and has laid 3.7km of 110mm HDPE pipelines and 8km of 160mm HDPE pipelines as distribution lines to serve the above listed communities.

Furthermore, interconnections are also underway on the existing transmission mains serving Koforidua from the Booster station at Kwasidiaka. It is expected that the works will be completed by the second quarter of the year, 2023, the minister stated.

The supply of potable water in the Yilo Krobo Municipality is provided by both the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA) and the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL).

The communities are mainly served by a point source scheme which is managed on the basis of a community ownership.

Ghanamps.com

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin has warned the Minister of transport, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah  to take the work of parliament seriously and honour all invitations extended to him as the House deem appropriate.

The Speaker’s warning follows a late notice served the House through the table office over the minister’s inability to be available in the House to answer questions that he was scheduled to respond to on the floor on Tuesday, June 21, 2022.

According to the Speaker, per the constitutional provisions, Article 122, the minister’s action constitutes contempt of the House. Article 122 states that “An act or omission which obstructs or impedes parliament in the performance of its functions or which obstructs or impedes a member or officer of parliament in the discharge of his duties, or affront the dignity of parliament or which tends either directly or indirectly to produce that result, is contempt of
Parliament”.

The Speaker who sides with the leadership that the transport minister is one of those who used to be very punctual in responding to questions asked by members said that, of late his conduct seems to be negating all the gains he made in the house. “I am tempted to refer his conduct to the privileges committee but because of the interventions from leadership I will resist that temptation and not refer him to the privileges committee for today. But the next conduct tantamount to this behaviour would be referred to the privileges committee.”

The Speaker this referred the questions back to the business Committee to reschedule at the appropriate date.

“But give him notice that this House would no longer entertain that kind of behaviour.”
He advised that If for any good reason, Ministers would not be available, chief directors and acting chief directors should state good reasons in clear language, warning that the House would no longer accept the language “unavoidably absent”.
Ghanamps.com

 At a joint Committee meeting of ECOWAS Parliament involving the Committee on Social Affair, Gender and Women Empowerment, it has become very urgent and import that the Committee partners Commissions, department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security in fighting terrorism in the West Africa sub-region.

Head of mediation and coordination of regional political affairs, Dr. Mrs Onyinye Onwuka at the ECOWAS Commission revealed that there are a lot of women who have been used by the terrorist.

According to her, she has always said the terrorist are smarter “than us”;  they know the utility of women can get information beyond sleeping on the bed, there is a natural intuition that women have and they have used them very well to get information.

“We keep thinking when you hear a woman talk, she says give us a space all for the good of everybody, so in the area of radicalization, women play fundamental role and the Committee that supervises gender should really dig deep into the local communities to see how we create counter narrative with ECOWAS”.

And that can be done when women and the Peace and Security work together and they are looking for ways to get the grassroot, where the local women can be engaged to reveal what transpires, on the issue of terrorism.

Dr. Mrs Onyinye made this remarks on Monday, June 20, 2022  when the joint  Committees on : Political Affairs, Peace, Security and APRM Committee, Legal Affairs and Human Rights,  Administration, Finance and Budget Committee  and Public Account, met to review the political and security situation in the ECOWAS region.

She pointed out a case as an example where a woman married to a member of the Boko haram fighters who was rescued, but after two months she requested to return to the man. “There is the urgent need to act now because the issue of terrorism is eating up the sub-region”.

“Otherwise we would have a West Africa spring; forty percent of Burkina Faso is in the hands of terrorist who are young people. At their camp 60 percent are from zero to 18 years, we were told about Mali and Northern Nigeria the field is rive for harvest”

Vice chair on the Committee of Social Affairs, Gender and Women Empowerment at the ECOWAS Parliament, Laadi Ayii Ayamba, endorsing the suggestion pointed out that the issue of Women and Security is part of their plans.

And the Speaker of the Parliament is very serious about it and would take up the issue with the chairperson of the Committee, as fortunately the third Deputy Speaker was part of the joint Committee meeting.

“So that, when we have a meeting any action that is going to be taken, we would get in touch with you and listen to whatever you have for us”, she added.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com/Abuja-Nigeria

A member of the Nigerian delegation to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament, Awaji-Inombek D. Abiante said the absence of majority of his colleagues from Nigeria at the ongoing 2022 Frist Ordinary Session is a matter of concern.

According to him, they would have to engage their colleagues to participate actively but was quick to point out that journalists who cover the Community parliament also have the opportunity to speak to their leaders on the subject matter.
In an interview Ghanamps.com sought to find out how come since the Session started out of the thirty five (35) slot Nigeria has, each day more than eight (8) lawmakers cannot be countered,  “yet you always present seat through to the end?”

“I have people who are chairmen and members of the Bureau, I am just an ordinary member, they carry more weight and should carry more responsibilities. The first Deputy Speaker is my leader and a member of my parliament probably as part of your contribution towards solving this problem you can also get him engaged”.

Again, tell him these are your observations and find out what can be done to help change the narrative. “It’s really embarrassing if issue of Nigeria comes up how many of us are here to even listen, we should listen and get something back home. I am not talking of interventions, it is a concern to me as a person and I am sure it is the same for any other person”.
He added that, like it was pointed out on Saturday, “what is your brand, what would you be known for, I am me, I do not want to be another person so any assignment I find myself I want to do it with all my heart”, he said.

He further pointed out that it’s not only about Nigeria but attendance issue is a huge challenge because other MPs form other member states also do not take attendance serious, and called for re-tooling for them to consider their procedure programme to be much more effective.

Also when the president of the commission made his presentation parliament was in a hurry to close the issues and move on and think they need to revisit their procedure so that when they have a presentation enough opportunities should be given for interrogation.
And it is in debate that you find the best out of the best in issue. One could be contentious and contradictory issues, there could be controversial issues, but when subjected to adequate debate the best options would be picked out; one can report them back to their home government and the commission.

Take for instance the Liberian health sector, subject it to debate and let us have divers opinions, contradictory opinion at the end of the day, MP’s from Liberia would see reason; they might find alternative means and get to understand best practices as applicable in other countries and would take such home.

As in their country report, their health sector 71 percent of the funds are donor driven and if it means haven to review laws you can compare other legislation in other member states. “I do not know whether we are gaining or losing grounds; it was one country, it became two, it became three, the ternate of democracy as define by their own laws I was being told this morning that Senegal that we were praising, when they presented their country report that there are some issues in the home front.

Protest, and this is how it starts if as parliament we cannot be very decisive as giving out options and alternatives to ensure that this democracy that we have is sustained across the member states”. He said he is happy that democracy has come to stay and there is the saying that, “ the worse of democracy is better than any other form of government. There is the need for MPs to retool to guarantee the confidence of the people who are here”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com/Abuja-Nigeria

In the wake of human rights abuse and violation in the West African sub-region by multinational companies, Friends of the Earth Africa, (FoE), an Environmental Justice Organisation has appealed to the Community Court of Justice and Parliament to intervene to help address human rights violation against Indigenous people and local communities by industrial  plantation companies.

At a media engagement on Saturday, June 18, 2022 after the Community Parliament gave FoE an opportunity for an interactive session with lawmakers at the ongoing 2022 First Ordinary Session in Abuja-Nigeria, Ms Rita Uwaka, Coordinator for Forest and Biodiversity programme of the organisation pointed out that it is their wish that the numerous cases of violation of human rights by multinational companies in the sub-region would be given attention.
And as part of their advocacy work the Community Court and Parliament can play a role of influencing national governments within the sub-regional states of the various abuses they occur.
As to whether the organisation would take up their case to the Community court since she pointed out that the multinationals are able to influence the judicial systems within member states, she said: “we have done so with oil palm extraction, we have sent it to court at different levels, we were frustrated here in Nigeria, we eventually got victory when we went to the Hague which is the home country of some of these multinational companies”.
And they are trying to achieve a systematic process of moving from the local sub regional (ECOWAS). “Now on Monday, June 20, 2022, we would be going to the EU Parliament and talk to them for them to understand the funding that some of the multinational are receiving for agro commodities in the sub-region, they are causing harm, and human right abuses in Africa and the sub-region”.
On the question as to whether they would consider getting involve in crafting laws that would favor their members in the sub-region, she noted it would be a good step as with the concession agreement are not respected as in the memorandum of understanding.
And gave an example of industrial plantation company SIAT in Nigeria when they went to field visit two weeks ago they notice that the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that the Community people drafted for the companies to look at has not been considered.
Again out of 15 inputs on the MoU it was just one that was taken and those kind of agreements, they have been educating the Community people to be able to make informed choices on what is expected, in the way they have these agreements with the companies.
Also most of the MoU do not know how to go about it and it is part of their advocacy strategy to continue to build the capacity of the community people to understand and prioritize what they want, those are the things which would be the binding things.
These are the things that the Communities and multinational companies need to respect and if they deviate from that, then they know that they have breached the MoU and its important, “ we need to keep doing that and we would continue doing that and we need your support as the media in this direction”.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com/Abuja-Nigeria