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The Minority leader Dr. Cassiel Atto Forson has given indications that their side would take a critical look at the 2024 budget statement particularly if it fails to address the poor conditions of the economy and the hardship Ghanaian are going through.

He made this remarks at the opening of the third meeting of the third session of the eighth parliament after the House return from a two months recess.

Dr. Forson further gave indications that the Minority would present a motion to demand a parliamentary enquiry into the Volta River Authority (VRA) dam water spillage.

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Mr Albert Alalzuuga Akuka, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Garu, has appealed to Parliament to investigate the alleged military brutalities meted out to the constituents of Garu and Tempane on Sunday, October 29.

In a statement on the floor of the House, Mr Akuka said the recent military brutalities allegedly meted out to some innocent residents of Garu town and Bugre in the Garu and Tempane Constituencies respectively in the wee hours of Sunday, 29th October 2023.

“Mr Speaker, I am deeply concerned about how the military officers reportedly brutalised and maimed our residents,” he said. “It is important to mention that this incident by the Military ads to a long list of barbaric and inhumane action carried out by our men in uniform on innocent civilians whom they ought to be protecting as a matter of responsibility.”

He said reports by residents during his checks with them to ascertain what really happened on the grounds suggest allegedly that their monies and other valuable items were taken away by the officers in the swoop.

Mr Akuka said as the MP for Garu, all his efforts to get answers regarding the number of residents picked up by the Military Officers during the alleged swoop, their whereabouts, and the crime for which they were picked up had yielded no results two days after the alleged brutalities were visited on upon them.

“This is an unacceptable violation of our citizens’ rights, and as a matter of urgency, I am strongly calling and demanding for an immediate government intervention to address this issue and also for Parliament to open a probe into this matter, and bring a comprehensive resolution to it,” he said.

“I call on the authorities to investigate the matter thoroughly and ensure that those responsible are held accountable”. Mr Akuka said the residents of Garu and Tempane deserve safety and protection, and this alleged action by the Military officers must be condemned in the strongest terms without any room for tolerance and reasonableness of any form of brutalities within Garu and Tempane constituencies and indeed, any other constituency.

He said the House had an opportunity to investigate and make recommendations when similar Military brutalities were visited on the people of Mr Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the MP for Efutu and Deputy Majority Leader, in his contributions urged the Speaker to invite the Minister for National Security to brief the Defence and Interior Committee of the House on the situation.

However, Mr Andrew Asiamah Amoako, Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, in his ruling directed that the Minister for National Security appears before the House on Thursday, November 9, to brief it concerning the incidents that occurred at Garu and Tempane. He said after the Minister’s briefing, if there was still the need for the setting up of a committee to investigate the matter, the House would do so.

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Member of Parliament for Bawku Central Constituency, Mahama Ayariga, has added his voice to condemnations of the brutalities meted out by soldiers to residents in Garu and Bugri in the Upper East Region.

He described the soldiers’ action as “barbaric and unacceptable” in the current dispensation.

On Saturday, October 28, the military launched an operation to seize weapons in the two areas after a team of five counter-terrorism intelligence officers deployed by the Ministry of National Security to Garu on a critical, special operation was attacked on Tuesday, October 24 by an irate youth group armed with AK 47 rifles, machetes and other weapons.

The weekend’s operation led to injuries to some residents who are receiving treatment in health facilities.

But the Bawku MP said following perennial calls he received the dawn of Saturday, he reached out to the National Security Minister, Albert Kan Dapaah, who denied knowledge of the operation.

The Minister was in Europe then, the Bawku Central MP said.

As a result, Mr Ayariga is calling for a full-scale inquiry into the incident.

“I will join my fellow Members of Parliament from the Upper East Region to call for a full scale inquiry into what happened,” he indicated in a statement on Monday, October 30.

“I recall being involved in a discussion with the Minister for National Security a few days earlier about some national security operatives who had been stopped in Garu and handed over to the police.

“I saw media reports of alleged shooting of the vehicle used by the national security operatives by unknown persons in the Garu area.”

Ghanamps.com

Members of Parliament for Garu and Tempane Albert Alalzuuga Akuka and Lydia Akanvariba Adakudugu have both condemned the military brutality of civilians in those constituencies and demanded their withdrawal.

And further demanded the release unconditionally of those arrested and those injured during the military disturbances should be taken care of and compensated by government/Ministry of defense.

In a joint statement, they noted that the lawlessness and brutality inflicted on innocent citizens should stop.

As they urge constituents to remain calm and peaceful during these challenging times for them to provide update as they gather information and work towards a comprehensive peace in the area.

“This unprovoked action by the Military on the innocent civilians is uncalled for and must be condemned by all peace-loving people. Any form of violence and brutalities meted on citizens, especially when it is perpetrated by those who are supposed to serve and protect them must be condemned unequivocally”.

And they are deeply disturbed by these reports, especially considering the volatile nature of the area vis-a-vi the Bawku Conflict (Note that Garu and Tempane are part of the Bawku Traditional Area), and we are therefore actively seeking more information about the situation.

We stand with our constituents who have been affected and demand a thorough investigation into the matter to ensure that those responsible are held accountable for their actions.

Our priority is the safety and well-being of our constituents, and we are committed to providing support to those who have been impacted by this incident. We are working closely with relevant authorities and organisations to ensure that justice is served and that such incidents are prevented in the future.

Ghanamps.com

Mr Martin Adjei- Mensah Korsah, the Member of Parliament for Techiman South Constituency in the Bono East Region has presented 500 dual desks to the Municipal Education Directorate for onward distribution to schools in the Municipality.

In an interaction, the MP disclosed that he got them through The Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) upon a request he made to them.

He admonished the officials of the Education Directorate to immediately dispatch them to schools that are in dire need of the desks.

Mr Adjei- Mensah Korsah again assured them of presenting another set in the shortest possible time to address the furniture needs of the pupils.

He pleaded with the Directorate to take good care of the desks to prolong their lifespan.

Mr. Stephen Aidoo of the Department of Finance and Audit at the Municipal Education Directorate received the dual desks on behalf of the Municipal Director of Education Mr. John Amissah and thanked the MP for the kind gesture.

Ghanamps.com

Majority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh Dompreh has taken a swipe at the Ranking Member on Finance, Isaac Adongo on allegations that the National Investment Bank is being ruined from Canada by the Managing Director.

According to him the allegation cannot be proven and assured that he will join the Minority if they are calling on central government to push more capital into the bank.

Again, we are talking about 1D1F; and as a country, to develop our industrial sector the core mandate of the bank is to support industrial drive hence government should help in recapitalizing the bank but not to run down the bank.

“So our colleagues in the Minority should stop the politicization of the matter”.

At a media briefing in Parliament on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, he noted that especially with matters relating to the financial sector, if the Minority does not have the facts, they should be patient and investigate the matter and get the facts before they come out.

Additionally, he said we should not sit down and allow highway politicians; people who are excited to just organize the media and push out falsehood and run down the reputation of the bank. They would be the same people it is going to be affected, he stated.

He said the Minority should move cautiously if they do not have the facts. They should engage the board of NIB and they would get to know what the truth is.

“Yes the bank needs recapitalization, but its treasure is not bankrupt as the Minority would want Ghanaians to believe and the treasure is not being run like it was during their time where over five hundred million was given to non-banking sector against the code of ethics of the bank.

Issac Adongo and his colleagues should be patriotic, and whatever I have told you here you can make your checks; most of the monies given as loans under them have not been recovered. You go and destroy the bank at one breath and come and ask questions about how the bank is going down.”

On the merger of NIB with ADB and its sale, he called for caution stating that we need to be careful on these matters. “Next year being an election year, I am sure there is going to be such malicious lies being put out there. I am not aware of this merger the minority is talking about. If government wanted to sell off the bank, we would have had that privilege information; there is nothing like that as we speak. We should not allow the bank to be run down by propaganda. If they have evidence, they should put that out in the public domain”.

Again, we challenge the Minority, they should come and give us evidence and stop rumor mongering; if we are not careful we would run down the bank; no back is run by propaganda, he emphasised.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has cut sod for the construction of housing units to house twelve thousand persons as a result of the Akosombo Dam spillage that has displaced people in his constituency.

The First Sky Group, a subsidiary known as Construction Ambassadors are executing the project which they promise to complete in record time.

As contribution from the constituency, the lawmaker noted that they are offering free land at all agreed three locations.

Additionally, we stand ready to provide communal labour in support as the relocation will begin to restore the dignity of “my beloved constituents to ensure they live in much healthier conditions, and free the 21 schools being used as safe havens so our children can return to school”.

Again, “North Tongu shall never forget the generosity and humanity of the First Sky Group”, he noted.

Ghanamps.com

The Volta caucus in Ghana’s Parliament has taken a swipe at President Nana Akufo-Addo over his comments at Mefe when he visited the flood victims in North Tongu constituency.

As constituencies across the region have called to express outrage and disappointment at the condescending utterances which show no leadership at the time of disaster.

The Volta Caucus is also concerned with similar unguarded comments by the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NPP who ignorantly stated that the flood victims should not expect any intervention from the NPP government because of their voting pattern.

In a statement issued by the chairman of the caucus, Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah the Volta representatives believe the president’s visit to the affected area should have inspired hope and also demonstrate empathy towards the people.

On the contrary, however, it has worsened the people’s plights and dashed their hopes.

“For the president of our Republic to choose no other platform to poke those who did not vote for him in the eye, but use a congregation of flood victims to do the low level politics is not only irresponsible but wicked. One would have thought that President Akuffo Addo would have used soothing words on this occasion. We would have expected the president to encourage the victims and assure them of the nation’s readiness to stand by them at this difficult time”.

Again, they would have expected the president to boldly announce specific interventions that are quantifiable and which would go a long way to ameliorate the people’s grief and despair. As characteristic of the president however, he elected to use this forum to engage in irresponsible politicking bereft of tact and wisdom.

Quite recently, the Vice President H.E Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia was also in the Keta campaigning at a time the people were experiencing similar destruction of homes, businesses and properties by tidal waves.

“In a subtle snub, the Vice President did not visit the victims or make any public comment to show concern about the people’s predicament. Was it the case that the president instructed his vice president not to show any concern because of this mentality that the people of the Volta region do not vote for him?”

And further questioned, “Mr. President should the quantum of votes a president gets from different parts of the country be weaponized to this low level? Should you be singing this kind of discriminatory song at the twilight of your tenure as president of this wonderful republic?”

“We condemn these unsavory and ethnocentric comments by Mr. Akufo Addo and urge all well-meaning Ghanaians as well as sound minds in the NPP to rise to the occasion and reign in the president”, he emphasized .

Ghanamps.com

The Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee of Parliament investigating the leaked audio tape on a plot to oust the IGP Dr George Akufo Dampare has denied allegation of bias leveled against him by Lead Counsel for the IGP Mr. Kwame Gyan.

According to him all the principal witnesses were present at the Committee hearing and the issue of the IGP leaving a bit early has to do with health issue.

He expressed disappointment about the allegation and said he has rather handled the affairs of the committee well.
Samuel Atta Akyea made the comment on Tuesday, October 10, 2023 after an in- camera hearing of the committee attended by the IGP, Chief Bugri Naabu and three Senior Police Officers who are witnesses before the committee.

Responding to a question from the media on why he Samuel Atta Akyea prevented members of the Police Management Board (POMAB) from sitting in today’s hearing, Samuel Atta Akyea said the in-camera hearing was meant only for the witnesses and members of the Committee.

And Ghanaians appreciate the work he is doing he cannot manufacture anything against the IGP and the work they are doing is being recorded and transcribed.

Ghanamps.com

The Member of Parliament of Akyem Oda and the chairman of the Ghanaian Israeli Parliamentary friendship Association, Hon. Alexander Akwasi Acquah has joined other chairmen of the Israel Allies Caucuses worldwide to express their unwavering support for the State of Israel.

In a statement signed and presented to Israeli congress, the caucuses chairmen commended the courage and determination displayed in the ongoing “Swords of Iron” operation aimed at neutralizing the threat posed by Hamas and ensuring the safety and security of the Israeli people.

The statement said the people of Israel have endured relentless acts of terror and aggression by Hamas, an internationally recognized terrorist organization that consistently undermines peace and stability in the region. However Israel has demonstrated remarkable restraint and resilience in the face of continuous attacks on its sovereignty and innocent civilian lives. The operation, “Swords of Iron,” represents a necessary response to protect the lives and dignity of Israeli citizens.

We firmly believe in Israel’s right to defend itself and its citizens from acts of terror and aggression, the statement said. The safety and well-being of any nation’s citizens are paramount, and Israel, like any other sovereign state, has the right and duty to take appropriate measures to ensure the security of its people for as long as they deem necessary.

The chairman urged the international community to stand in solidarity with Israel and support its efforts to ensure the safety and security of its citizens. It is crucial that Hamas and all terrorist organizations are held accountable for their actions, and pressure is exerted to cease acts of violence and terror that undermine the prospects of peace and stability in the region.

We stand united in support of Israel and its determination to protect its citizens and uphold the values of freedom, democracy, and peace.