Category: General

Deputy Defense Minister (Major Rtd) Derrick Oduro has denied claims by the Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu and his colleagues that the military in the Oti and Volta Regions are entering into peoples’ houses and becoming Ghanaian citizen inspectors.

According to him the military has never taken sides in any political endeavor, they did not do that yesterday and would not do that today either.

In an interview in parliament he explained that the soldiers have been at the borders since last year. There was no complain and further pointed out that the North Tongu lawmaker Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa demanded that the Interior Minister comes to the House to brief it of steps being taken for terrorist not to attack Ghana as Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali had been attacked. He thus pointed out that the Interior Minister, Ambrose Dery did exactly , and indicated to the House that troops had been deployed  to the borders and they had been there since last year, “ No one complained, why the complain now?”

He further explained to journalists in Parliament that when the Ghanaian borders were closed, the Ghanaian soldiers went to the borders to assist the Ghana Immigration Officers to ensure that no one with coronavirus enters the country to spread it.

He also emphasised that the Minority is propagating untruth and whatever they claim they can go ahead to do their propaganda, it would not help them.

“The opposition NDC is going round with past military exercise video, if you want to come to the country and you are a Ghanaian go through the proper channels we have embassies in Togo, Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast. Those who are not Ghanaians and foreigners when we sending them back to their country we take them through the proper channel”

And emphasized that the security agencies at the borders would not allow any one come through unapproved routes and if anyone makes such an attempt the person would be arrested and handed over to the appropriate authority for the appropriate measures to be taken after investigation.

“Are soldiers cooks to be visiting peoples kitchens, they are deployed to the borders and not peoples bedrooms and homes. If there is a video making the round someone can generate this video and circulate”.
Major Rtd Oduro pointed out that with the exercise going on, the military commanders at all levels are also going round to ensure that the soldiers are performing their duties.

Meanwhile in a related development, the Member of Parliament for Ellembele Emmanuel Armah -Kofi Buah said that soldiers were seen in pickups intimidating voters despite the place is not a border town.

The Deputy Minister said it is untrue because only soldier deployed were engaged in “operation calm life” to ensure arm robbers do not have a free day to perpetuate their crime, and all the opposition NDC is doing is to tarnish the image of the Ghana Arm Forces (GAF).

“Let me tell the Minority we have only one Ghana Arm Forces they should stop tarnishing their reputation today they are in opposition tomorrow they would be in power”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com.

As Government institutions shutdown down with the scare of COVID-19, Speaker Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye has said if the House shutdown the country would shutdown.

“Parliament has to sit to approve money for the running of the country, so it cannot be shutdown as people are calling for”.

According to him other government departments can operate separately and individually, but in case of emergency the last stop is parliament.

“If no parliament, no country; we are in a critical situation, let us operate as such and get anyone who does not have priority business in Parliament out. His comment follows the presence of an auxiliary staff in parliament who said an MP asked him to come to the House.

“We have a duty to perform, anyone who is not supposed to come to the House and comes the person would be picked up by the marshal, we are going to be very tough about this”.

Professor Oquaye further added that the experts have said there would not be mass testing and if anyone feel symptoms they should immediately report to the parliament clinic.

He also reminded the house that on Monday dawn, the chamber was fumigated fully and would be done again Monday July 13, 2020 and urged MPs to refrain from asking their research assistants from coming to the House and rather work electronically, because those who would flout the rules would be dealt with, and no MPs should come to plead on behalf of anyone.

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Deputy Ranking Member on the Committee for Education, Dr. Clement Abas Apaak is advocating for the postponement of this year’s Basic Certificate Examination (BECE) and the West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in the light of COVID-19 spread in some senior high schools (SHS) across the country.

According to him Kenya and Nigeria have postponed examination of final year students of secondary schools to next year.

He noted that government held consultations with stake holders who were not in favour of reopening of SHS and JHS because of the outbreak of COVID-19, but the government gave assurance of putting measures in place to ensure there is no spread of the disease.

“Government promise to fumigate the various campuses, provide PPEs, sanitizers, veronica buckets, running water and thermometer guns and medical persons attached, unfortunately most of these things have not been met, some schools had their PPEs just this week”.

And added that at the various campus there are issues of schools recording positive COVID-19 cases. The media has not heard of it because students’ mobile phones have been taken away, how do they report when one is infected, and questioned if students can be in the right frame of mind to write their final exams with some of their colleague testing positive and they do not know who had the disease.

“Why are we keeping students on campus to write their exams, when cabinet of the President Akufo-Addo administration has suspended on suspicion that the virus is present among high government officials”.

Dr. Apaak said comments made by the Health Minister Kwaku Agyeman Manu indicates that government has lost the fight against COVID-19 and added that government should be held accountable because it has the responsibility to ensure that the safety of Ghanaians is guaranteed.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

The Minority women caucus in Ghana’s Parliament has congratulated Professor Jean Naana Opoku-Agyemang for her nomination as running mate of their flag bearer John Dramani Mahama.

In a statement signed by the second deputy Minority whip and Member of Parliament for Ada, Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe Ghansah pointing out that finally the fifty-two percent of the Ghanaian population would have their chance at the decision making table of Ghana.

They further commended the former President John Dramani Mahama for demonstrating his passion and commitment to bring women forward into positions of responsibility by choosing a female.

“We promise our unflinching support for the John and Jane ticket in this year’s election and we are confident that all women and men who believe in the can-do spirit of women in this country will reward you with a resounding victory in less than five months to come”

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye has served notice to research assistants of Members of Parliament that if they not comply with directives to work from home, they would either be suspended, or their salaries would not be given to them.

According to the Speaker, directive has been given to the research assistant to work from home and submit research work they carry out to lawmakers electronically.

Before leaving the chair Thursday afternoon July 2, 2020 for the first Deputy Speaker Joseph Osei-Owusu to take charge, he re-emphasised this point as some lawmakers have complained of their research assistants seen on the floors of their offices.

“Those who do not work from outside the House would be dismissed according to the rules of the House. You cannot defile what would be in the mutual safety of MPs and staff without the relevant sanctions”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Pramkese indigenes residents in the United Kingdom have donated health items to health facilities in the Kwaebibirem Municipality in the Eastern Region.

Dr. Kwame Antwi who represented them donated, face shield, theatre boots, overalls, examination gloves, syringes 5ml and 10ml, infrared thermometer, hand sanitizers, liquid soap, face masks, goggles etc

According to him as indigenes they need to come together, work and ensure their health facility would be elevated to a district facility and he revealed that he is the first person to contribute towards a laboratory built in the district.

He further emphasized the need to contribute individually to ensure their health center functions well and not always waiting for government to always provide little things like pipe and repair leaking roof as is the situation now.

The midwife in charge of Pramkese Health Center, Mabel  Nyarko was thankful for the items received, but quickly outlined some challenges they are  facing  at the health facility, including the leaking roofs right from the OPD to the labour ward.

She stated that  they surfer a lot during the raining season, adding that a labour ward which should be warm to receive a new born baby is rather cold. “It is serious to the extent that the scale on which a baby is put get wet as we resort to mopping and cleaning most of the times when it rains”

Madam Mable Nyarko lamented over the nature of the delivery room which is not conducive for them to work leading to women in labour taking more hours to give birth lasting between eight to twelve hours, which should not be the case.

On the issue of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs), she noted that it is nothing good to write home about, as they are copping as health providers. “We do not have face shield and again when some of the women are birthing and burn down they discharge urine which pour on us and enters our nose and mouth”.

A Physician Health Assistant, Harrison Atiobio on his part noted that few of the staffs are on government pay role, and they had to pay the remaining people through their Internally Generated Funds (IGFs) which leaves them with no money after paying salaries.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Former Government Statistician, Grace Afua Bediako has bemoaned the practice in the country where political promises derail already marked down plans by the state.

According to her some of the promises made are off the roof and excessive despite the fact that the state takes pain to put in place plans.

“Most of the objectives and gargets we plan are set-aside and priorities given to political promises which change our plans despite the fact that we have policy framework in place”.

She further pointed out that the practice throws away the framework for national development and as a nation we need to take a critical look at it if we want a sustainable development.

Mrs. Bediako made this remarks when she  participated in a forum organised by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs that brought together Independent Governance Institutions in Accra on the theme, “Independent Governance Institutions and the 2020 elections in Ghana some reflections”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

The Public Account Committee of Parliament on the second day running into its public hearing on Thursday looked at the report of the Auditor-General on the Public Account of Ghana’s consolidated fund for the period ended December 31, 2017 and 2018.

Deputy Minister for Finance, Abena Osei Asare represented the sector Minister and was accompanied by the Controller and Accountant General.

Mrs Osei Asare in her open remarks noted that the Minister, Ken Ofori Atta was in an emergency meeting hence she had to represent him and she was before the Committee to ensure concerns raised by the Auditor General on the Accounts of the consolidated fund would be cleared.

Members of the Committee indicated that they look forward to the sector Minister appearing before them tomorrow on Friday and hope there would not be excuses.

Friday June 26, the Finance Ministry would appear before the Committee to address issues raised by the AG on management and utilization of petroleum funds for the period ended December 31 2017.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com