Category: General

Residents of Bunkpurugu in the North East Region would have to endure the current state of roads in the area until August 2021 for government to institute further actions to improve the roads.

Though government in 2019 started works on 12.6km of the 15.60km of total length of roads network within the Bunkpurugu township for upgrading to bitumen surfacing under the Department of Feeder Roads, works have so far stalled.

The Minister of Roads and Highways told Parliament when asked by the MP for Bunkpurugu, Mr. Abed-Nego Azumah Bandim when the Bunkpurugu township roads project will be completed that the 12.6km of roads in the area were awarded in three phases, but so far works done remain as follows:

• Phase I which involves bitumen surfacing of 6.1km of roads commenced in August 2019 but has stalled with only 57% completion. The completion date of March

6, 2021 has since elapsed.

Work done so far, include 3.3km of blading, subbase and base course;

8,736m of excavation and fillings; 7no.900mm diameter pipe culverts; 4,841m of 600mm concrete U-drains.

• Phase II which also include 3.50km bitumen surfacing and commenced on May 4, 2020 has also stalled after just 55% physical completion with the following work done; 3.0km of blading, subbase and base course; 781m of excavation and fillings; 4,130m of 600mm concrete U-drains; 1,340m of 900mm concrete U-drains, and 1134No. concrete slabs.
• Phase III bitumen surfacing of 3.0km, started on May 5,2020 with only 5%physical completion which involves clearing and formation.

According to the minister, all three contractors have since been issued warning letters in April this year, adding that the sites are being monitored for contractors to reactivate, failure to which an appropriate contractual action will be taken to include termination of the contracts and re-awarding them to new contractors to ensure completion.

Dominic Shirimori/Ghanamps.com

In the wake of the annual brouhaha that exists between Ghanaian and Nigerian retail traders, Rt. Hon Speaker Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin, has given assurance that, Ghanaian and Nigerian traders will work in harmony to help maximize the opportunities that abound in the sub-region. This was at a courtesy call by a six-member delegation on the Speaker in Parliament.

 

Speaker Bagbin, while expressing his gratitude for the visit, said he is looking forward to meeting the Nigerian Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila for discussions that will innure to the benefit of their two countries.

The Acting Nigerian High Commissioner, Gambo Yusuf Hamza appealed to the Ghanaian government to open the borders between Ghana and its neighboring countries for easy movement of goods across the borders.

He spoke also about the high resident permit fees and appealed to the Speaker to help re-examine monies charged for residence permit.

Ambassador Hamza said “we plead with government to review them and these would mean more revenue to Ghana” since these charges when reviewed will encourage most foreigners.”

The delegation included the Nigerian Consular & Minister for Political and Economic Affairs- Sylvanus Dauda, Head of Chancery- Ibrahim Bolujoto, President-Nigeria Traders Association, Ghana (NUTAG)- Chukwuemeka Nnaji, Stanley Onwobe- Greater Accra Chairman, Nigeria Traders Association, Ghana (NUTAG).

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Speaker of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament, Rt. Hon Sidie Mohammed Tunis has given assurance to lawmakers that the House would have a discussion on concerns raised when country reports of member states were presented at the plenary.

Burkina Faso and Senegal postponed their local level elections which lawmakers were unhappy about and raised reservations. Speaker Tunis admitted that the concerns are very important one raised by members, and it was important that the House look into it and take a decision on the matter.

And the House would be task to write to Authorities of member states concerns of the House.

One other issue that came up strongly was the thirty percent quota for females that member states adopt in law, but in reality, they are not followed.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com/Abuja

The Minority on the Health Committee in Parliament is demanding independent investigation into circumstances that led to the use of an ambulance to carry cement bags on a video that has been on circulation on social media in recent times.

According to the Ranking Member on Health, Kwabena Minta Akandoh, explanation offered by the National Ambulance Service that the act was committed by a mechanic working on the vehicle, which was still in the custody of the supplier Ghana Autogroup Limited for servicing is an insult to the integrity of Ghanaians.

“The silence of the Ministry is too loud on issues of public interest, and therefore, we are calling on the Minister to constitute an independent probe into the matter for Ghanaians to know who and who are culpable, and who has been punished for that offence,” he added.

The Juaboso MP also alleged that despite being distributed to constituencies across the country, the ambulances have not been properly integrated into the healthcare system, hence the idleness of the vehicles, hence such a result.

And added that when well-integrated, when they are called upon, they can move from one healthcare center with patients to the other. According to him, as the “No Bed Syndrome” is still with Ghanaians, “the Ministry has not been able to increase beds that is required, hence the Minister must think outside the box and find an IT medical center where medial doctors would be calling through to call ambulances”.

Again, with this, it would be easy to identify where there are empty beds. “It would not be the responsibility of the patients to be looking for beds all over; this is common sense and highly expected of the Ministry”, he added.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

In the matter of the opinion of the ECOWAS Court of Justice that the Malian Transitional Council representatives can be sworn in at the ECOWAS Parliament, as the country moves on a transitional road reverting the country back to constitutional rule, leader of the Sierra Leone’s delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament, Chernor R. M. Bah has noted that as a community parliament they should not be supporting government that are not democratic to participate in a democratic system.

“I cannot challenge the decision of the Community Court of Justice, it is within their domain, but as an individual independently, I would not have gone that road, definitely we would be condoning things which we should not condone”.

He pointed out in an interview that, in the wake of the coup, elected MPs were removed from office, and their positions would now be occupied by selected individuals; “the very things we are complaining about”.

As to whether MPs elected before the coup should be brought back, he noted that for some of them, that was their thought, but they were told they cannot be brought back because the government under which they served was overthrown and Mali should not be represented until they return back to democratic governance.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com/Abuja

The Majority leader Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu has defended the action of the Operation Halt in burning excavators found at illegal mining sites.

Addressing the Parliamentary Press corps, during the leaders’ media briefing on Wednesday June2, 2021, the leader of Government Business said there is a need for reality check to help salvage the environment to remain useful to us and for future generations as enshrined in the constitution.

according to him, the law provides that when an operator using excavator illegally is chanced upon, that person must be arrested; but when you have a situation as happening now, where you go to a river body where the excavator is not supposed to be there in the first place , and the person who is operating it upon hearing that you are advancing vanishes, then removes the vital part, if you want to remove it, you can’t remove it, what do u do? As I said in parliament, you further demobilize it.”

 He wondered why a country like Ghana, currently has over 5000 excavators, when it is the least used equipment for road construction in which it is used for excavation for drains, and dredging of streams for the construction of bridges. “How can you have in this country, excavators now numbering over 5000?

“Today, streams feeding rivers have been diverted, and hugely polluted. Look, if you take the top soil 2feets, it takes 200years for the soil to replenish itself. If u dug 100 meters, how long will it take? He queried.

He asserted that minerals on the surfaces of the ground, in water bodies, and underneath the soil are all vested in the president on behalf of the state, and noted that a research conducted showed that for just one year, export of gold to Dubai amounted to 2.5 billion dollars. “What is the share of the state in that? Nothing, because these galamseyers don’t pay tax on anything. They smuggled whatever they have or chanced upon through foreign countries. We must be candid with ourselves”

He also mentioned that the forest cover of this country in the 20^th century was 8.5 million hectors, but by the 21century it has dwindled to 1.5 million. “Now within the past ten years, no thanks to galamsey, we have lost 500,000 hectors of forest cover. Today as we speak, the forest cover of this country is less than 600,000. Where are we going as a country?

He said the effect of the galamsey is the inability of the Komenda Sugar factory to produce sugar because the raw water that is supposed to be pump from the Pra River to irrigate the farm has been mudded, and the cyanide content in the water cannot be purified, and even if treated water is used it would have effect on the production cost.

He advised that for these reasons, we must confront reality, and do what we can to avert further destruction to the environment including water bodies.

Dominic Shirimori/Ghanamps.com

The ECOWAS Court of Justice has opined that Members of Parliament of the Community Parliament, appointed  under the transitional council in Mali should be sworn in based on legal basis, as the Parliament sought its opinion.

Speaker of the Community Parliament Rt Hon Sidie Mohammed Tunis, asked the administrative head of the Parliament, John Azumah to read the opinion of the court to the plenary on Tuesday, June 1, 2021 before the start of the presentation of the country report.

It comes at the back of the Community Parliament seeking the opinion of the court in the wake of the first coup in Mali, and the Malian delegation presented themselves but were not sworn in during an Extra Ordinary Session in Sierra Leone.

In January 5, 2021 the transitional council elected the Malian delegation to represent them in the Community Parliament. In the opinion of the ECOWAS Court, the transitional MPs should be sworn into office until there is an election of new representatives, by a new Assembly in Mali.

 “Which shall result in the restoration of the national constitutional order in the State of Mali”.

This was signed by the president of the ECOWAS Court of Justice, Edward Asante on Monday, May 31, 2021.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com/Abuja

Four Ministers designate of President Nana Akufo-Addo’s government would appear before the Appointment Committee of Ghana’s Parliament on Wednesday, June 2, 2021 for vetting.

The following designated Ministers would appear before, Charles Adu-Boahen Minister of State designate for Finance, Benito Owusu-Bio Lands and Natural Resources, Augustine Collins Ntim Local Government Decentralisation and Rural Development.

And Osei Bonsu Amoah, Deputy designate Local Government Decentralisation and Rural Development.

In an earlier interview with the Direct of Public Affairs Kate Addo noted that, COVID-19 protocols would be observed hence there would be limited number of people in the vetting room where the national broadcaster, the Ghana Broadcasting Cooperation (GBC) would telecast the event live for other media houses to pick feed from.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

The Republic of Sierra Leone delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament has in its country report to the regional parliament said more than four hundred (400) former Liberian refugees remain without legal status in the country.

The report presented to the ECOWAS Parliament captured several thematic areas of the country including the Political; Security; Human Rights; Economic and Social situations as well as Environment and Climate Change; Status of Ratification and Implementation of the Community Texts and Protocols; Status of Implementation of Community Programs and Projects; and the Performance on the Macroeconomic Convergence Criteria.

During the presentation of the report particularly on the Human Rights situation in Sierra Leone, Shiaka Musa Sama said more than 400 former Liberian refugees remain without legal status in the country.

Their refugee status expired in 2017 when they became “residual caseloads” under UNHCR protection. They refused repatriation and integration and demanded resettlement in a third country. UNHCR denied their resettlement citing the former refugees’ contradictory statements. The group applied for local national identification documents but authorities are yet to act on the applications.

Furthering on the Human Rights situation in Sierra Leone, the report captured that in March 2020, President Bio declared a 12-month State of Emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “Parliament approved the measure which granted the President broad powers to maintain peace and order including mandatory restrictions on movements.

 The State of Emergency declaration included restrictions on assembly as it banned meetings of more than 100 persons. In few cases, police used excessive force when dealing with demonstrators and used public order laws to deny requests for protests and demonstrations,” Sama read verbatim from the report.

To guarantee press freedom, the report also captured that the Government of Sierra Leone “worked with Parliament and other stakeholders to repeal the 55-year-old seditious libel section of the Public Order Act, 1965 that criminalized free speech. This demonstrated the willingness of Government to promote the freedom of press in the country.”

The Human Rights portion of the report also stressed on the moves made so far by government to curtail issues of rape, and addressing challenges of allowing pregnant girls to attend school.

On the status of implementation of community texts, Hon. Sama said Sierra Leone has ratified 42 ECOWAS protocols and conventions. To meet her obligations under the Community Levy Protocol, Sierra Leone, he said, “has paid the sum of Le 14,903,320,000 for the year 2020 equivalent to US$ 1,500,000 and has arrears totaling Le 46,509,446,719.87.”

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Liberia Delegation to the regional ECOWAS Parliament has submitted that instabilities resulting from election violence in its neighbouring countries of Republic of Guinea and Republic of Ivory Coast led to 28,736 (twenty-eight thousand seven hundred and thirty-six) refugees and asylum-seekers in its territory.

Presenting the Liberia’s country report on behalf of the Liberian Delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament, Clarence Massaquoi whilst deliberating on the security and refugee situation in the region said consequent of the post-election instabilities “according to UNHCR Global Focus, there was an estimated 28,736 refugees and asylum-seekers in Liberia at the start of 2021, including 20,466 Ivorian asylum-seekers who arrived in December 2020, following electoral tension in Côte d’Ivoire.”

Mr. Massaquoi added that “the reported hundreds of migrant farm workers along the border towns of Taboo, Maryland County, Toe Town, Grand Gedeh County and Logatuo, Nimba County in search of economic livelihoods but who present threats to border security as the local complained of land grabs by these migrants which have prompted the authorities in those areas to call on national government to intervene so that the situation does not blow out of proportion.”

The Liberian delegation further presented that as a result of changes in the Guinean Constitution passed in a constitutional referendum in earlier 2020 which reset the presidential terms, that ended in the incumbent president Alpha Condé to run for a third term and winning in October of 2020.  He said the opposition boycotted the said election and protested, adding that the protest lasted throughout the year but was harshly repressed by security forces claiming several civilian lives. In effect, those fearing their lives crossed over to Liberia and other neighboring countries which prompted the government of Liberia to deploy armed men along its border with Guinea to mitigate any situation arising thereof.”

Consequently, on the area of political tolerance, Clarence Massaquoi stated that “Liberia reassured the world for the respect of democratic political tenets and the rule of laws by solidifying the gains made over the years as exemplified by the holding of free, fair, and transparent elections.”

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