Category: General

The Minority in Parliament has described the COVID -19 testing contract between the government and Frontiers Healthcare Services Limited, a private company as a deliberate effort at ripping the state off revenue.

The Minority is of the view that for a government that has appealed to the private sector and individuals to contribute to a COVID Trust Fund to help deal with the pandemic, it would have been prudent to engage the Nugochi, to perform this at a less cost to the state.

Addressing the media at a press briefing in parliament, Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu indicated that that agreement was so poor and insensitive to the state to the extent that out of a colossal $16.3m dollars that accrued for charging travellers US$150 for the less sensitive and inferior antigen test, between September to December 2020, only a paltry $1million was handed the Kotoka International Airport and the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority, who are partners in this whole arrangement. The rest goes to the private company, Frontiers Healthcare Services Limited.

“Government, you could sign 20 – 80, 60 – 40, 70 – 30 agreement, you are still not the dominant player but 16 million dollars for 1million dollar, when Nuguchi could’ve undertaken this exercise and other countries are undertaking this cheaper”, the Minority Leader indicated.

And noted that Noguchi was in a better position to carry out the testing and use the proceeds to improve its institutional capacity and be more prepared to deal with such investigative health demands on the country in the future.

“We have always been of the opinion that an institution like the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research should have been given that contract instead of a veiled foreign owned company whose ownership we cannot clearly delineate.”

And also expressed surprise that neither the Minister of Health, the Ghana Health Service nor anyone in authority seems to know the processes that led to the award of that contract, even as they continue to demand answers about the whole contract.

“We wish to serve notice that the NDC caucus has prepared a motion demanding a bi-partisan parliamentary enquiry into the Frontiers affair”.

Dominic Shirimori/Ghanamps.com

Rt Hon Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin on Wednesday, June 23, 2021 inaugurated the management Committee of the Parliamentary Friendship Association of the 8^th Parliament of the fourth Republic of Ghana.

He explained that, the association is established to help deepen the unwavering bond, friendship and excellent relationship between Parliament of Ghana and their respective countries.

And further indicated that, as at the end of the seventh Parliament, the association had already been established with thirty-eight (38) countries and had really helped improve the cordial relationship among them.

Mr.  Bagbin further said, the world in our time has become a global village due to the great strikes made in science and technology, and in same vein emerging challenges confronting this world turn to be trans-generational.

He said, in view of this challenges, no nation on earth can claim the exclusive know-how to deal with the emerging issues around the world and such issues requires countries strengthen up bonds to build stronger networks to be able to apply the best practices and contribute to solving current bunch of problems in the world.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

The Minority led by Deputy Minority Leader, James Klutse Avedzi boycotted the approval of the 8th report of the Appointment Committee on Wednesday, June 23, 2021 which sought to approve four (4) deputy minister-designates.

According to him the Minority members on the Appointment Committee were not in attendance on the June 11, 2021 where Chairman of the Committee, Joseph Osei-Owusu organized the vetting process of the four nominees despite directives from the Speaker that MPs should participate fully in the ‘Green Ghana’ exercise to plant trees to recover the lost vegetation of the country.

The four names on the 8th report of the Appointment Committee are;

1. Diana Asonaba Dappah deputy designate for Attorney-General and Justice
2. Lariba Zuweria Abdul deputy designate for Gender, Children and Social Protection
3. Martin Adjei Mensah-Korsah deputy designate for Local Government and Rural Devotement
4. Amidu Issahaku Chinnia deputy-designate for Sanitation and Water Resources

“Chairman of the Committee has not been fair to the Minority side of the Committee, whiles we were obeying directives from the Speaker, there was a meeting that was vetting deputy minister-nominees”

And further pointed out that, “our side would not support the four nominees and I want to draw your attention to it”.

“Mr. Speaker I want to draw your attention that we are walking out when you finish with the approval we would come back”.

In a related development, Majority Leader Osei-Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu appealed that the issue should not divide the House, as they have come a long way in consensus building in carrying out businesses of the House.

“What I gathered from the statement of the deputy Minority Leader is that there is a mix up in communications”. And called on the Second Deputy Speaker who presided over the House to engage the leadership of both sides in matters of this nature.

And added that if the Speaker has been more consultative, the current issues would not have arisen, and to the extent that nobody has any strong point against the four the speaker should put the question for the approval of the four.

 Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Parliament on Wednesday, June 23, 2021 adopted the Eighth Report of the Appointments Committee on the President’s nominations for Deputy Ministerial appointments and consequently approved the nominees for their various portfolios.

This brings to finality the approval of President Akufo-Addo’s list of 40 nominees for the position of Minister of State and 39 Deputy Ministers submitted to the Speaker of Parliament on April 21, 2021 for vetting and approval.

The Report tabled at the plenary covers the vetting process of four deputy ministerial nominees comprising,

1. Diana Asonaba Dapaah as deputy Minister designate for Attorney-General and Justice.
2. Lariba Zuweira Abdul deputy minister designate for Gender, Children and Social Protection.
3. Martin Adjei Mensah-Korsah, deputy minister-designates for Local Government and Rural Development
4. Amidu Issahaku Chimnia deputy minister designate for Sanitation and Water Resources.

Chairman of the Appointments Committee and First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei Owusu presenting the Committee’s Report stated that President Akufo-Addo submitted the list of nominees for the position of Minister of State and 39 Deputy Ministers appointed under 24 portfolios to the Speaker of Parliament on April 21, 2021.

The Committee, according to him, duly considered the President’s nominations for the Deputy Ministerial appointments and recommended them for approval by consensus after ensuring that they met all constitutional provisions among other considerations.

After a brief debate, the Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Andrew Asiamah Amoako who was then presiding over the sitting put the motion to a voice vote where he ruled that the four nominees have been approved by the House.

The House, he said, will proceed to communicate the decision to His Excellency President Nana Akufo-Addo as Parliament having given prior approval to the nominees.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Leader of the Liberia delegation to the Community Parliament, Malvin Edwin Snowe Junior has said there is the need to adjust as to the way business is done in the House, as later parts of the First Ordinary Session witnessed absenteeism on the part of lawmakers, adding that it would not be business as usual.

According to him the observation of Ghanamps.com is right that towards the end of the Session there were a lot of empty seats and business should be taken seriously. “Things would change for the better under this new dispensation”.

When questioned in an interview as to why things have not changed for the better when it comes to participation of Community lawmakers, as he led a crusade against absenteeism under the fourth Legislature, under Speaker Moustapha Cisse-Lo, he said, “I agree with you, because I am one of the key people behind this current administration, there are things we are seeing that we need to adjust and I would hold a word with Rt. Hon Sidie Mohammed Tunis, things cannot remain the same”.

And further added that, as a parliament they need to have true reflection of democratic tenet and there would be consultation, “are things going as expected? I will say no, we need to work to improve things?”

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com/Abuja

A member of the Nigerian delegation to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament, Abiodun Olujimi has questioned who the elected MPs would report to in his or her home country should the direct adult suffrage be implemented?

According to her the crusade for direct election of MPs for the Community Parliament is not going to be an easy one, indicating that “if we do, those elected would they be under the presidency, or how do they get paid, do they have a parliament to report to?”

In an interview at the end of the 2021 First Ordinary Session, she further questioned how the elected Community MPs would carry out assignments given them, and pointed out that what the current MPs nominated by their national Assemblies do is a balancing act, serving their national Parliament and the Community Parliament.

Again, in Nigeria we are a growing nation, how do we have elections and share 35 among 37 states that is also a problem we need to look at it very well, for member states that have five (5) to eight (8) representation it is easy, she stated.

On the issue of Nigerian lawmakers not attending the 2021 First Ordinary Session in their numbers looking at their numerical strength of thirty-five (35), she said “the reason why our people cannot attend is simple, if you are here you are burdened with several events, you have to go to your parliament and come here too, how do you do all the jobs assigned to you?”.

She further pointed out that, when they go to member states, lawmakers from member states where they attend delocalised or Extra Ordinary meetings, their lawmakers are unable to attend meetings and concentrate.

She was however, quick to point out that Nigerian lawmakers to the Community Parliament do attend session later in the day, and same applies to member states.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com/Abuja

The Government Statistician at the Ghana Statistical Service, Prof Samuel Kobina Anim has told Parliament that, Ghana has so far put in an amount of Five Hundred and Twenty-One Point Three million Ghana Cedis (Ghc 521.3 million) in the ongoing Population and Housing Census.

He said, the cost for this exercise is very moderate compared to many African countries that carried out similar census exercise and the cost involved. Citing Kenya as an example, he said they held same exercise about two years ago with a Population close to forty-eight million (48 million population) and spent equivalent to about One Hundred and Eighty million Dollars (Dollars180).

Prof Kobina Anim further explained that, the census night is not meant for enumerators (officers) to be knocking at people’s door in their houses for counting but rather, it I s meant to count some targeted groups on the night of 27 June, 2021 such as people who are homeless, people who will be in transit and those who are going to spend the night at guest houses and hotels.

He made this information known to Parliament, when the Ghana Statistical Service appeared before the House for briefing on the ongoing Population and Housing Census and the cost involved, on Tuesday, June 22,2021.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

 

 

 

Minister for Lands and Natural Resource Samuel Abu Jinapor, has said the Committee set up to look into the issue of land dispute between the military, La Traditional Council and the youth would present its report by the end of June 2021.

The Committee chaired by his deputy Benito Owusu-Bio he noted was given two weeks to report but the time had to be extended due to survey works that had to be carried out and further meetings between the parties involved.

According to him, he inherited from his predecessor the disputed land in question between the military, La Traditional Council and the youth and compulsory land acquisition issues are complex issue.

He has had a meeting with all the parties involve and has come to a firm conclusion that it is import to move into the issue and find out if the land acquisition is established by law and if the necessary compensation were paid, and that is the terms of reference given to the committee set up to look into the issue.

This came up on the floor of the House when Member of Parliament for Dadekotopone Rita Naa Odoley Sowah on Tuesday, June 22, 2021 asked a question on the floor of the House to know, what steps had been taken to resolve the land dispute which resulted in the military brutalizing some journalists and youth of La on April 15, 2021.

Mr. Abu Jinapor told the House if the said assault occurred it’s regrettable but it’s a matter that should be dealt with within the security agencies, and the committee set up is to find a solution so that the matter is resolved and, in the future, there would be no such incidents.

Member of Parliament for Okaikwe Central Patrick Yaw Boamah sought to know from the Minister in a follow up question if there are petition before the Minister on lands acquired by the state that owners are asking that it be reverted to them. This, the minister confirmed to have a lot of petitions before his desk on lands acquired compulsory all over the country, and there is work on going to resolve those issues in question.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Parliament of Ghana on Tuesday, June 22, 2021 approved twelve deputy ministers designate as the third batch of the deputy ministerial nominees.

Presenting the committee’s report to the House, the first deputy Speaker of Parliament who doubles as Chairman of the Appointment Committee, Joseph Osei Owusu said, the nominees are considered fit for the positions and were made to answer questions on eligibility, their integrity and questions in respect to areas they have been nominated.

The Chairman further said, at the end of the vetting and consideration, the committee concluded that, the nominees of his Excellency, the President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo-Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s deputy ministerial appointments have demonstrated enough competence and professionalism and therefore request for the approval by the House.

The House unanimously voted yes in approval of all the twelve deputy ministers, when the Rt Hon Speaker of Parliament Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin put the question for approval or otherwise.

The names of the deputy ministers that were approved are as follows:

1: Bright Wereko-Brobey deputy designate for Employment and Labour Relations

2:  Michael Okyere Baafi deputy designate for Trade and Industry

3: Dr. Mohammed Ameen Adams deputy designate for Energy

4: Stephen Banbim Jalulah deputy designate for Roads and Highways

5:  Thomas Imbomba deputy designate for Foreign Affairs

6: Abduali Abanga deputy designate for Works and Housing

7: Herbert Krampah deputy designate for Trade and Industry

8:  Fatimatu Abubaka deputy designate for Information

9:  Mark Okraku Mantey deputy designate for Tourism Arts and Culture

10: Mahama Assei Fuseini deputy designate for Health

11: Alfred Tuah Yeboah deputy designate for Attorney General and Justice

12: Hon Gifty Twum-Ampofo deputy designate for education

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

As the House approved the first and second batches of vetted deputy ministers of President Nana Akufo-Addo’s government, the Rt. Hon Speaker, Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin has caution them not to sacrifices the primary mandate given them by Ghanaians for electing them as Members of Parliament.

According to him being a deputy minister is an additional responsibility given to them by H. E. the President Nana Akufo-Addo and that is secondary.

“Your primary duty is to the people of Ghana as the representatives of the people. The people elected you to represent them in Parliament, you owe that primary duty to the people and to Parliament.

You have been given additional responsibility by the President that is secondary.  If you decide to sacrifice the mandate and the legitimacy of the people for that of the President, you do that at your own peril. Parliament will continue to hold you responsible to the people of Ghana.”

He used the opportunity to thank leadership of the Appointment Committee for listening to his council on Thursday and working to approve the ministers-designate on Friday, June 18, 2021 as the House could not approve the second batch due to three deputy ministers who had issues and needed further consultation.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com