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Dr Zanetor Rawlings, the Member of Parliament for Klottey Korle is advocating for a deeper analysis of some critical factors by the government of Ghana before making any commitment to the sub-regional bloc’s military intervention in Niger.

Authority of Heads of States and Governments in trying to address the coup crisis in Niger announced a number of sanctions including possible military intervention by the bloc.

This, was however, variedly received with Burkina Faso, one of the countries currently under military rule, and a neighbor to Ghana to the north as well as Mali pledging their support to the coup makers in Niger, stating that any military intervention means declaration of war against them.

Dr. Zanetor Rawlings pointed out that Ghana is surrounded by French speaking countries; to the North is Burkina Faso one of the Countries that has declared to take position in alignment with Niger should there be military intervention; with Cote d’ Ivoire aligning with the bloc, while the position of Togo is not yet known .

According to her cooperation between Burkina Faso and Ghana is key to keeping our Northern Borders safe. “So when we are looking at how ECOWAS takes decision of intervening in another country, we should consider what is our national interest; no country can be quiet of its national interest in spite of international treaties it might have signed”.

“Again, in all seriousness, rushing into a military intervention may not be the best thing to do. You may in theory think this thing that can be done in a period of time; forty-eight hours, seven days, in a month. When you go into a military situation and you notice that the conflict that you have entered into is not a straight forward one, it becomes difficult to determine where the end point should be. At which point should we say we are pulling out; are you going to leave the place in a worse state than you find it?

She advised that a critical look should be given to the common trend of these coups in the sub-region as it appears that the Francophone countries in the sub-region are taking a position with regards to France; “we need to have that conversation, we cannot ignore the elephant in the room any longer”, she added

The Deputy Ranking on Defense and Interior further questioned the possible outcome of a military intervention if it runs the risk of destabilizing the sub-region further in the event that we have exodus of refugees and whether member states have the capacity to absorb these refugees without completely collapsing their economy given the fact that the economies in the sub-region are generally struggling.

Citing Ghana as an example, she said the country is currently at the IMF for support which they don’t really know would get the country out of the economic difficulty; adding that the consideration of military intervention goes beyond trying to restore the status quo in a particular country which is a sovereign state despite being part of ECOWAS.

According to her, the issue of internally displaced persons first of all and refugees is not something that can be handled as it appears on paper; you have to find premises and resources available and with countries struggling that would be far-fetched.

As to what will be her stand should the military intervention issue come to the floor of Ghana’s Parliament; she said the good thing is that the Executive cannot take a unilateral decision and take a country to war without the buying in of the representative of the people. And stated that the Nigerian Senate has proven to the sub-region and all of us in the member states that the Executive which is represented by the President and the Commission of ECOWAS cannot do this unilaterally without the various legislative arms of member states we are talking about constitutional rule and democracy.

“That we cannot just stand up and declare war without the buying in of our people this is perhaps what we saw happen to Brexit; a referendum was held the people pushed for the exit from the EU, the representative of the people had no choice but to implement what the masses were looking for and like manner if the Senate of Nigeria has not agreed to a military intervention.

What it simply does is to allow a face saving way out in a way from this position of military intervention and push us back to the dialogue and mediation board because, none of what we are observing is happing in a vacuum; the reasons may be different base on the different countries but there appears to be a common underlying factor; mind you all of these are happening in Francophone countries so there is something that we need to be looking at beyond the obvious as ECOWAS.”

She affirmed that Nigeria itself is dealing with violent extremism which they are struggling to keep in check and if you combine that with an intervention in another country looking at the geopolitics in that particular region, that would be problematic.

“Again, we should certainly have that discussion whether it is the issue of the influence with France, whether it is the case of governance, or case of injustice perceived or real, or a case of corruption, we need to bring everyone to have that talk or discussion with regards to what the underlining factors are”, she concluded.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Deputy Ranking member of Ghana’s Parliament Committee on Defense and Interior Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings has cautioned that, the Nation needs to be careful as the sub-regional bloc, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Heads of States and Government blow military intervention horn in the wake of the coup in the Republic of Niger.

According to her it’s a difficult question to ask if, “Ghana is safe” in the wake of coup in Niger more especially because of the pockets of conflict happening along the Nation’s Northern borders which create weakness in our architecture.

“We need to be careful as we blow the horn for military intervention that we are not opening ourselves up because till date Ghana is the only country in the surrounding area between our three neigbouring countries that has not been hit by any kind of terrorist attack”.

In an interview, she added that this is not the time to be crackling the cage because we are having to deal with a lot of issues at the Northern part of our border. We have seen a lot of these activities of terrorists associated with illegal mining which we still haven’t come to terms with.

Again, we have not really handle that situation properly specifically the Executive arm of government has not handled that situation properly and there is a direct link between foreign person engaging in illegal mining in Ghana and perhaps supplying whatever resources they are getting to other parts of the sub-region.

“We do not have specifics of what the money is being used for, but your guess is as good as mine. How have we put measures in place to protect our own nationals, as we participate in what is being pushed for in Niger?”

“We need to ensure that going down this path, we are not creating more instability and opening ourselves to unnecessary incidents here in Ghana”, she emphasised.

She added that with regards to any kind of attacks or extremism crossing into our borders is Ghana, “maybe for now we are safe; just to add that we have a very large Niger citizens in Ghana, and whatever decision we take should be factored into our decision making with regards to whatever Ghana wants to be a part of as to what is happing in Niger and the sub-region in general.”

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Member of Parliament for Bia East constituency Richard Acheampong has taken a swipe at the Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Dan Kwaku Botwe for having issues over he, benefiting from a one million Ghana cedis District Assembly Common Fund project.

According to him the Minister as a member of the Local Government and Rural development Committee member had benefited from such projects when he was in opposition and having been a member of the Committee.

In an interview, he noted that since his name popped up, the sector Minister should have enquired how he got the contract, which is even not a personal thing all; the Committee members have benefited and it is not an issue of only the Minority MPs benefiting but the Majority members also benefited.

“How much is one million cedis? Members of the educational Committee after passing the budget or appropriation benefited from six-unit classroom, which is more than one million Ghana cedis, but no one is complaining about that”.

“Again, the Health committee, they are putting up chips compound for them; is worth more than one million Ghana cedis. Why do you talk about this project; it’s not money. This whole issue started from the region, someone pulled the letter and sent it to the Minister and because he wanted a ground to fight the administrator, so he forwarded it to the president when he got the information. He thought it was a good ground to go fight the woman”.

As to if it’s his opinion for the president to sack the administrator in the wake of the brouhaha, he responded saying “for what crime? Everybody on the Local Government and Rural Development Committee got their share of the projects”.

And further pointed out that he is putting up a durbar ground and a CHPS compound and “I have invested eight percent into the project and no money has been paid to me even the contract has not been signed.”

“I use my own pocket money; I have used my own resources and I can show you pictures, so I do not get it for the Minister to report the Common Fund Administrator for giving me a contract worth one million Ghana cedis as if it’s a crime or a bribe. We are a twenty member committee; why do you single out and mention my name”, he queried.

According to him, he doesn’t know if the Minister has a personal issue with him; or there is a turf war of which he is trying to score political point with Administrator so he got it all wrong.

The Bia East lawmaker further indicated that per Article 252 of the constitution the Common Fund Administrator is appointed by the president and confirm by parliament; “so she does not work under the ministry. They need to collaborate and work for the development of the assemblies.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Stephen Asamoah Boateng, has put an end to the swirling rumors surrounding the vast mineral royalties accrued to the Akim Kotoku Traditional Council.

The rumors were brought to light when the MP for Akyem Oda, Alexander Akwasi Acquah, posed a question to the Minister during a parliamentary press session, seeking clarification on the amount of money received in royalties from the Newmont Company.

After engaging with the media in Parliament, MP Akwasi Acquah clarified that the mineral royalties accumulated by the Akim Kotoku Traditional Council are not as substantial as previously speculated.

His statement comes after his inquiry to Mr Asamoah Boateng on the matter.

During the press session, Mr Boateng disclosed that the reason behind the apparent absence of royalty payments to the traditional council is due to an ongoing and prolonged litigation process in the Akim Kotoku area.

Ghanamps.com

Four schools in the Akim Oda constituencies visited Parliament House before the House went on recess on Thursday, August 3, 2023.

They are Oda Old Town Methodist School, Oda Frimpong Manso Catholic JHS, Attafuah Senior High Technical School and Oda Presby Junior High School.

The Member of Parliament for Akim Oda, Alexander Akwesi Acquah was very instrumental in ensuring that students from his constituency visit the lawmaking chamber as part of having practical knowledge of the workings of the House.

The MP addressing the visiting students indicated that when they take their studies seriously their dreams of one day representing their people in the how is not far-fetched.

Other Members of Parliament took turns to address the students and addressed questions they have concerning workings of the House.

Ghanamps.com

A Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Planning Dr. John Ampontuah Kumah has reaffirmed the Finance Minister’s comments that the corner had been turned and the Minority are disappointed in not hearing that Ghana is in difficulties in their contribution on the Mid-year-budget review.

“I am here  to disappoint them the more because every information that was provided in the mid-year budget review confirm that indeed we have turned the corner; the finance Minister was here and did not request for supplementary budget”.

In his contribution to the debate on the floor of the House on Tuesday, August 1, 2023, he pointed out that the Finance Minister gave them the indication that the economic performance is promising having achieved some gains which give Ghana hope and confidence that steps are being  taken  leading Ghana to restoration of  microeconomic stability and faster recovery in the economy; and that is the Minority’s  disappointment. But that is a good news for our country. The finance Minister  was here to talk to us about debt restructuring and how we have done so far and that indeed is turning on the corner.

Reducing our growth rate from  2.8 percent to 1.5 percent; we are still looking at growth strategies that would increase performance, he stated.

 “let me give some statics of the growth we have projected downwards to one percent the reality is that in the first quarter of this year in this same mid-year budget as announced by the Ghana statistical service Ghana’s economy grew by 4 percent”.

Again, the fact that under the fund project of the IMF  we are required to do fiscal consolidation and contraction to  one point five percent does not mean we are not going to grow.  We have a number of growth measures outside the fiscal space in the private sector in partnership with our development partners to grow the economy.

The  basis is that the Finance Minister took it from December 2022  when we all knew Ghana was facing difficult financial situation in that month,  if you compare it to where we are today then indeed we have turn the corner.

On inflation we jump up to fifty four percent; today it has dropped to forty –two percent. It is not the level that we expect,  but in the midst of the global hike and  inflation we are struggling to turn the situation  this  reflected in the goods and services of the country; fuel prices jump,  but now they have dropped that indeed is turning the corner. The Minority  know  that is why they are disappointed..

On  exchange rate in December 2022  our friends knew it was fifteen cedis to a dollar,  when we say we have turned the corner, it means we have been able to turn the difficult situation. Today it’s ten to eleven to the dollar, they are disappointed about the good story the Ghanaian economy has turned around.

Interest rate Treasure Bills  rate was about thirty- five percent as we speak today it has dropped to twenty- three. it’s still not at a level we wanted, you agree that we have turned the corner and you cannot say it’s not true.

Dr. Kumah further pointed out that in 2016 we had electricity load shading and the Minority should not bring it in their argument, even in the difficulties of COVID-19, Russia and Ukraine war, that is what the Minority does not want to hear, he teased.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Member of Parliament for Akim Oda Alexander Akwesi Acquah has urged the youth in his constituency to take the MP’s two weeks sponsored digital skills training seriously; pointing out to them that in the current dispensation ICT is making a lot of people better and has become the order of the day.

The youth will be taken through basic training in ICT like introduction to Microsoft Windows, office applications and internet usage/social media, the intermediary will be web development, web design, mobile App development and graphic design.

Whiles the advanced training will focus on data virtualization and analytics, blockchain, artificial intelligence, cyber security, ethical hacking and cloud computing.

To inspire the youth, he pointed out to them that the source of worth of the current Food and Agriculture Minister Brian Acheampong is Corley from ICT.

Mr. Acquah further pointed out that, as a nation we did not get into ICT at an early stage, “we are still grabbling with it”.
Speaking further on some related developments that would inure to the benefit of beneficiaries of the digital skills training program, the MP disclosed that the burnt central market currently being reconstructed would be ready by the end of the year.

And it would be the biggest, most fashionable and most modern market in the Eastern Region of Ghana.

“It means it’s going to attract a lot of shops and business that will need a lot of advert, website and exposure. The market as an entity will have to be marketed to attract people we want to see it.

The implication therefore is that the knowledge they have acquired would be put to good use as they provide services to the traders who need them.

He warned beneficiaries to not exhibit the usual behavior of taking the training for granted because it is free; adding that the money that has been invested in training them could have been given to them but that would not last as the knowledge acquired would be with them forever.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Akim Oda Alexander Akwasi Acquah has clarified that the Oda Library and Digital Hub project is not a government funded project but rather a project developed through the instrumentality of the Minister for Communications and Digitalization, Owusu-Ekuful with support from corporate bodies.

According to him after the inauguration of the center instead of applauding the Minister for the move, to his surprise it turned out to be rather criticizing her on social media as to why she named it after her mother who is an indigene of Akim Oda.

Mr. Akwasi Acquah made this observation on Monday, July 24, 2023 at a start of a digital skill training program at Akim Oda to benefit over forty youths in his constituency to help them walk the trajectory of innovation.

The idea, he emphasized is to impact the youth in the community and to help the youth in data marketing to run a website and market their products online.

He thanked the Minister for communication and Digitalization through whose instrumentality they have the edifies and making it possible for them to host the training session.

“It took her mother to bring her to life and to nature her to become who she is; and Akim Oda benefited from her.
This was not put together by government money; she used her position as a minister and mobilized corporate bodies to do this out of their corporate social responsibility”, he stated.

“Again, we have been quiet about this allegation and I feel this is an opportunity to set the record straight; she could have taken this project to any other place, she is not an MP of this area, we play down on the organisation because she will have had a backlash of what is happening here in her constituency but the people of Akim Oda decided to sell her out to make her feel like a bad person”.

Mr. Acquah was saddened about some of the allegations leveled against her; one being the fact that her gesture to the Akim Oda Constituency is because she is nurturing the ambition of coming to contest for MP in the area. “But those of us who know her know she is not thinking of that; the reality is that she wants to give back to her people but politically people are twisting things”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has appointed the Minister of State at the Presidency and Member of Parliament for Tano North, Freda Prempeh as the Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources.

In a statement issued by the Director of Communications at the Office of the President Eugene Arhin on Tuesday, July 25, 2023, he noted that she takes over from Cecilia Abena Dapaah who resigned on Saturday 22, 2023 and her letter was accepted by the President same day.

Again, the President in consultation with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration and Roads and Highways has appointed the Member of Parliament for Afigya Sekyere East, Mavis Nkansah Boadu as Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration.

And Member of Parliament for Tatale/Sanguli Thomas Mbomba as Deputy Minister for Roads and Highways.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Knowing the importance of education in churning out the next future leaders, six basic schools in the Jomoro constituency have benefitted from a renovation exercise by the Member of Parliament in the the area Dorca Affo-Toffey.

The schools are Gyegyekro Basic School, Cocoa Town Basic School, Alenrezule Basic, Tikobo number 2 basic school, Anlomatuope Basic School and Mpaesem basic school and Elubo basic school all in the Jomoro Municipality.

At Mpaesem basic school, a four classroom unit block – raising the block, plastering and roofing the whole school was renovated. A cash donation of Ghc10, 000 towards the completion of the rest of the project was given to the people. The situation at Elubo Basic School was overcrowding, where one classroom could house over 100 pupils, so sand, roofing sheets and an amount was given for the completion of two uncompleted classroom blocks that they had.

At Tikobo Number 2 Basic School, the building had not been painted for the last 20-years so I got both the Primary and Junior High School blocks painted, in addition metal poles were erected for both the Football pitch and the Volleyball court she added.

The Alenzule Basic School was another big challenge, the school was part of the schools under trees, therefore, the community decided to put up their own building from primary one to six. Due to lack of funds, the project was halted, alaso there was no water in the school for the construction but now water has been extended to supply to the school and gave them money to complete the project.

Gyegyekrom basic School was a mud building with no plaster, which the residents and the school authorities say “was an eye saw and not conducive for teaching and learning”. I bought four packets of roofing sheets and 40-bags of cement to complete the project so no one would notice it was a mud building she further said.

At Krono 2 Basic School, the school for a long time didn’t have access to water, therefore, children walk for several kilometers to fetch water but pipes were purchased to extend water from the town to the school.