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A member of the Finance Committee of Ghana’s Parliament John Abdulai Jinapor has taken a swipe at the vice president Dr. Mahmud Bawumi as head of the country’s economic management team following the current economic difficulties citizens have to cope with. And Ghanaians are going through excruciating poverty. According to him the economic management team under his leadership is pushing the PURC to increase electricity tariffs to astronomical levels, amidst fuel prices already skyrocketing having been increased by more than 100 percent in less than six months.

“This is unprecedented; inflation has gone through the roof over thirty percent with food inflation leading the chart; the Ghanaian cedi is at a free fall. Today the cedi sells at 8.2 cedis to the dollar like a coconut high up the tree that has fallen. If you talk to the ordinary Ghanaian today, how to meet a three-square meal is a major challenge, there are reports of food shortages in our various markets and fuel rationing at the various pumps. This is not the time to increase the burden of the ordinary Ghanaian”.
At a press conference on Wednesday, June 29, 2022, he noted that the Minority is calling on civil society and TUC, as well as all well-meaning Ghanaians to send a clear signal to the government of Ghana that, “we have had enough of this abysmal performance; enough of the suffering and incompetence. In a situation like this, one would have expected that government would stand up to the plea and think outside the box, and own up and accept responsibility and do the needful.

He further recounted that, two months ago the head of the economic management team Dr. Bawumia held a press conference and instead of accepting responsibility and giving solutions to the problems, he rather chose to blame the NDC administration for the current woes. “He said falsely that the NPP administration has made some excess capacity payment worth seven billon cedis (GHc 7b ); we have discounted that claim and pointed it out as complete falsehood and challenged the office of the vice president to provide evidence. The office of the vice president promise to make available the excess payment. My question is two months since that promise was made where is the evidence?”

Mr. John Abdulai Jinapor further pointed out that, having engaged the energy sector players and Finance Ministry, they can conclude that the statement by the vice president that GHc 7bn was paid in excess capacity cannot stand the test of time. And since it is false, they would continue to pursue the vice president and insist that he provides that evidence. “The office is a high office, we would not allow him to move around with that falsehood as we go forward”, he emphasized.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

The Minority in Ghana’s parliament has raised alarm over attempts by government to transfer the Ameri plant to Kumasi at a cost of thirty-five million dollars ($35m).
At a press conference addressed by John Abdulai Jinapor on Wednesday, June 29, 2022, he noted that they find it strange and incongruous, and unfortunate. Not only are they alarmed at the astronomical price government intends spending, they have also noted with concern attempt to re-introduce Mytilineous International Trading Company into the whole scenario.
He recounted that somewhere in 2018 Mytilineous Company was at the center of the Ameri scandal which led to the dismissal of then Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko; and added that they have been informed when “we had a Committee meeting that VRA has been requested by government to enter into an agreement with the said company for pre-financing of the re-location of the Ameri plant to Kumasi.
Again, you recall that this plant was brought into this Country by former President Mahama and the NDC government under a Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) agreement and that agreement has since expired and the plant has been transferred to the government of Ghana.
“Contrary to the originally envisage agreement to transfer the plant to VRA, the Akufo-Addo and Dr Bawumi led government, is using clandestine means to appropriate the plant to their cronies and friends”, he stated.
“We in the Minority, we are oppose to this whole idea signing on with Mytilineous and spending a whopping $35million which translates to over GHc280million.
We call on government as a matter of urgency to transfer that plant to VRA as was originally envisaged as they have the capacity to handle and manage the plant”.
This, they advised should be done without any delay as they would use every parliamentary process to ensure that this illegitimate way of trying to appropriate the Ameri plant to friends would not be tolerated, and they would do everything to live up to expectation.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Majority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh has called on religious leaders to supplement government’s effort to protect the environment.
According to him, there is a need for churches and mosques to ensure rivers, water bodies and their surroundings are always kept clean and useful.
“The call by the Vice President for an active collaboration by our traditional leaders with government on environmental responsibility is awesome. Our religious leaders must be part of the tripod. We must ‘preach’ environmental responsibility in our churches and mosques,” he tweeted on Tuesday, June 28.
Speaking at this year’s edition of the Ohum Festival at Kyebi in the Eastern Region on Saturday, June 25, the Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia said it is the duty of the present generation to uphold and defend the ancient tradition of keeping the environment clean and healthy for posterity.
He bemoaned the present state of river bodies in the country, which he said leave so much to be desired.
“Today in Ghana, our river bodies are polluted with an alarming carelessness. It is either we have farmed or built so close to the river banks, callously polluted the rivers with activities of galamsey, or encroached the river path for human settlement.
“To overcome this canker of environmental degradation and pollution requires the commitment of everyone, including the government. In times past, communal labour and volunteerism were effective avenues used by nananom and local authorities to deal with the issues of filth in our neighborhoods.
“This noble initiative and activity, however, seems to be lost on us these days. I implore Nananom to work collaboratively with the local administrative authorities to rekindle that communal spirit to help deal with filth in our societies,” he urged.
He added that government “will continue to pursue efforts such as Operation Vanguard to affirm our commitment to protect the environment and water bodies.”
“We will continuously need the support of nananom and the people of Ghana in this pursuit in order to rid our environments of filth.”
Ghanamps.com

Majority Leader of Ghana’s Parliament, Osei-Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has visited the only Ghanaian owned and indigenous Cement producing factory in Ghana, Dzata Cement on Thursday, June 23, 2022 within the Tema enclave. According to him the invitation was at the request of the management of the factory and on his part he invited his colleague the Minority Leader Haruna Idrrisu, the Committee on Trade and Industry with leadership of the Works and House to join him.

After touring the factor site with his delegation, he commended management of the factory for their effort to ensure that the environment was clean since cement production comes with pollution and revealed that he has been briefed that, the factory has a system in place which inhale the dust back into their system. And in commending management of the factory he noted that with the clean environment, it would ensure the workers are healthier and ensure the work rate goes on well.

They were also briefed that the factory was still in its infant stage and employs four hundred direct works. “Again, with agents and distributors across the length and breadth of this country certainly, we are talking in numbers of excess of three to four thousand; so many people have to depend on this factory certainly lifting them out of poverty which is what Ghana requires at this time especially post COVID-19”.

And for anyone to move into an industry which has monopoly should tell every Ghanaian the person is courageous, more especially in this era of unfolding Ukraine war, “no wonder he has named the factory as Dzata, an animal of courage and I think what we have seen so far, we are impressed with it and he tells us the effort he is making to expand seeing this two giant sailors, says to us that he is building 8 more which should make it the largest in the sub region”.

Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu added that it takes a lot of financial capital, as the owner takes money from the banks and if interest rates are high it would not help him, and that is the reason why they should all help to bring some stability in the financial sector. Also production so much depends on power that is generated and sold to them and if the cost of power is high it would certainly affect the cost of cement. He disclosed that he just got informed that a bag goes for fifty five cedis (GHc55) which is close to about 7 dollars.

“ I want to believe if the cost of power was low, certainly the cost of the product would also come down. There are some obstacles that would come and we should all assist in addressing it. Cement is at the heart of the construction business including the construction of residential facilities. We all do know the deficit in the housing in the country is in the range of one point five million and we need cement to do the construction; if it is high those of us aspiring to build houses like all of us here you would not be in position to have your own residential facility if the cost is all that high”.

In commending the management of Dzata Cement, he pointed out that it’s for parliament to come together to assist him to address the teething problem the company is facing, by giving some exemption that they may need in the import of equipment. “We have One District One Factory (1D1F) it comes along with some facilities we can extend same to him, despite he being in operation, I know some existing companies have applied by way of trying to expand their outfit. “What, can be done to assist him to employ Ghanaians and to also offer a system of resilience for the economy it would help transform our economy”.

The Executive Director of Dzata Cement, Ibrahim Mahama, thanked the Majority Leader and his team for their visit and made know that despite the fact that they are young they want to partner government to bridge the infrastructure deficit in the country. “We are well positioned to partner government, so that at the end of the day we would develop this economy through the provision of cement product and we have challenges and some of them you already know”.

Mr. Ibrahim noted that the company would engage the leadership of Parliament, on the challenges they face as it runs through the value chain right from the ports through production up to when they go down stream to the market.

As the only Ghanaian indigenous set up in the industries they believe that the support they have had from government so far is most appreciated and they want to believe that a lot more would come having visited and seen what they have put up and they need additional support

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com/Abuja-Nigeria

Member of Parliament for Tamale South Haruna Iddrisu is advocating for the state to support genuine Ghanaian entrepreneurs to help move the country out of poverty. Mr Haruna was speaking on Thursday, June 23, 2022 when the Majority Leader Osei-Kyei-Mensah invited him to accompany him on an industrial visit to a Ghanaian owned factory in Tema, Dzata Cement. According to him the Majority Leader upon his invitation extended the invitation to the Committee on Trade and Industry and leadership of the Works and Housing of Parliament and they have gone round to physically inspect the facility.

The Minority leader noted that it is a worthy Ghanaian business initiative and exemplifies Ghanaian enterprise success of indigenous Ghanaian business. As such it should serve as a wake up call to the political elite in Ghana to grow above petty partisanship and grow truly Ghanaian indigenous business regardless, whether the person has this or that political colour should not be guiding factor in who does what in the country. “It reminds me that the opportunities in Ghana must be to the benefit of every Ghanaian. If there is any potential Ghana person who is capable of showing business of promise and working to succeed, we, should together support that person; we have seen it and they require support, this should not be above the states”.

He further pointed out that more especially when as a country we want to open opportunity for employment and to alleviate poverty through employment, the good thing about cement is the value chain – there are distributors, and loading boys and others. Again, two of its kind would open opportunities for Ghana, and advice, “we should support genuine Ghanaian enterprise to move us from poverty”.

According to him, when it comes to electricity, it is only in Ghana that industry pays more than the ordinary consumer as it has been a matter that the Association of Industries have put on the table since his days as the sector Minister. “We would need institutional reforms in other to be able to correct and guarantee low cost”, he said.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

The Minority has given indications that they would fight any attempt to bring back agyapa, a move by government to collateralize the countries mineral resources for 500 million US Dollars over a period of time.
Responding to a question on the subject matter on Wedsnesday, June 22, 2022 during a press encounter with the parliamentary press corps, Mr. Haruna Iddrisu said “I will not support agyapa, and I will fight it with my – ‘I wish I can cut off my finger and you will see something’ that is the extent to which we are ready to fight agyapa”.

And questioned the wisdom in what the government wants to do with the Agyapa deal saying it would not be in the interest of the country.

“Why do you need to collateralize our mineral resources? This year alone, Ghana made 130 million US Dollars from mineral royalties and you are seeking to borrow 500 million US Dollars and collateralize your mineral resources. We have collatellarize GETFund in the name of Daakyi, today GETFund takes 1.3billion; 860 million is used to settle debt, is that what we want for our mineral resources, certainly not”.

He noted rather sadly that this particular government is interested in postponing its burdens into the future, adding that in 2025, President Nana Akufo Addo would not be the president of Ghana, Ken Ofori Atta would not be the finance Minister, and therefore, they would resist any attempt to burden the future with the Agyapa deal.

He also asserts that the risk assessment conducted by the former Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu on Agyapa, and his findings and recommendations have not been adequately responded to, “and to the extent that they have not been adequately addressed including matters of corruption and crime associated with it, we would not support it”.

He said he has not been consulted anywhere on any decision to bring back Agyapa to parliament, but whatever it is they will reject agyapa anyday.
Dominic Shirimori/Ghanamps.com

The Minority in Parliament said the Finance Minister’s Statement as presented to parliament on Wednesday, June 22, 2022 to account on the COVID-19 fund and expenditure is inadequate and insufficient to pass a simple mark of accountability.

The Minority in a press briefing addressed by the Ranking Member of the Finance Committee, Cassie Ato Forson said the statement as presented by the Finance Minister lacks details and full disclosure and most importantly does not account for the entire amount that they have spent.

He indicated that the COVID-19 Trust fund which is a public fund has not been accounted for.

“Moreover, the Finance Minister informed the House that they have received ¢19.3 billion cedis in the name of Covid-19 and the Minority is yet to take stock and confirm the amount”. According to him, he doubt that amount because already the Minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu has identified a loan facility which the House approved for COVID-19 expenditure but that money is missing in the account provided.

Mr Ato Forson said the Minister had only made an attempt to account for ¢12 billion, with about ¢7.3 billion ‘missing’ without trace, and called on the Finance Minister to account for the missing amount immediately. “The Minister also failed to account for expenditure returns to enable us know the details. As of now we are unable to verify the numbers as provided until the Expenditure returns is provided”.

Also, the Finance Minister mentioned ¢36 million to design Agenda 111 buildings, they must provide reasons why this amount was given and who had the contract”

He also wondered why government would spend GH¢600 million on the construction of Agenda 111 in 2020, a year before the President cut the sod for the project in August 2021. “At that time, they had not started the started the construction, so if you tell us you have spent GH¢600 million in the previous year, at the time you have not cut sod and started construction it is very difficult to comprehend where the money went.”

The Minority has assured that they will ensure that the Minister accounts for every single penny, including the ministers and head of COVID entities that spent the money.

“The Minister of finance would have to make the releases, but somebody awarded the contracts, somebody spent the money, and we would haul all of them one by one to the committee. I can I sure you that we would go to the committee and ensure that they would account for every single penny of the tax payers money and to audit this line-by-line, word-for-word, and we can assure you that we would do what is right for the republic of Ghana”.
Dominic Shirimori/Ghanadistricts.com

The Member of Parliament for Asuogyaman Constituency in the Eastern Region, Thomas Ampem Nyarko on Monday, 13th June, 2022 launched a new educational program dubbed “Let’s Read Together” at Senchi-Ferry Methodist Primary School.

The program which is aimed at helping pupils in basic schools across Asuogyaman District to improve on their reading and comprehension skills would see the Member of Parliament visiting selected schools every Mondays to read a passage with pupils after which the pupils will be asked questions from the passage to answer.

Speaking at the launch of the program, Nana Ofei Addo Agyeman II, Chief of Senchi and Nifahene of Akwamu Traditional Area, praised the MP for his numerous educational programs in the district.

 He also encouraged the pupils to take motivation from the MP who was once a teacher, to develop interest and skills in reading. He said that would improve their vocabularies and confidence whenever they are speaking among their peers.

The Member of Parliament, The Nifahene of Akwamu Traditional Area, The District Director of Education; Madam Augustina Adwoa Owusu and The Reverend Pastor of Senchi Presbyterian Church; Rev. Elijah Foh Amaning took turns to read a passage with Primary Five (5) pupils titled “Champion Runner”.

Mr. Thomas Ampem Nyarko later gave out school bags, books and other learning materials donated to him by a foundation called “Heavens Relief” to the pupils. In all about 200 pupils benefited from this donation.

The headmistress of Senchi Methodist Primary School; Madam Susana Debrah was very grateful to the Member of Parliament for selecting her school for the launch of the Program which makes them the first beneficiaries.

Ghanamps.com

First Rapporteur of the Community Parliament’s, Committee on Political Affairs, Peace, Security and African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), Mahama Ayariga, has advised the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission to change its policy of no engagement with terrorist in the sub-region.

According to him the policy of, “you would not talk to them is not the right way; ECOWAS must change its strategy and engage, if you do not talk to them and bring them to the table to dialogue yet you said you are mediating with the military Juntas?”.

Again, “who is a terrorist that is the point I want to make here. Who determines that this or that person is a terrorist and just because of what chairman has said, let us be careful how we define the problem, if we define it as a problem of terrorism then you go with the tool of dealing with terrorism; but if you define the problem as one of governance you would respond with a governance solution”.

Mr. Ayariga made this remarks on Monday, June 202022 when the joint  Committees on Political Affairs, Peace, Security and APRM Committee, Legal Affairs and Human Rights,  Social Affair, Gender and Women empowerment,  Administration, Finance and Budget Committee  and Public Account, met to review the political and security situation in the ECOWAS region.

Representatives from the Commission, who represented the Commissioner on Peace and Security, were Dr. Onyinye Onwuka, Head of Mediation and Coordination of regional political affairs division, Serign Mamadou Ka Programme Officer, Democracy and Good Governance Directorate of Political Affairs, Dr Dieng Abdourahmane, Head Regional Security Division, Dr Emmanuel Okorodudu, Head of Democracy and Good Governance.

“You started the conversation that, we would not talk to terrorist, if you would not talk to them then you would not know what their issues are and to address them, and you want us to arm you with money, buy more weapons and go and face them when we know weapons would not solve the problems, those you describe as terrorist are sometimes equally well trained guys, they can handle weapons”.

Mr. Mahama Ayariga further pointed out that in Burkina Faso the rebels are controlling forty percent of Burkina Faso, and pleaded with officials from the Commission to change their policy direction, “you have tools at your disposal, you have members of Parliament”.

He stated not to sound boastful, at the Committing meeting, there was a problem in Sierra Leone, the president of the Commission at that time had wisdom to say look let the MPs go and let us see if they can solve the problem.

When the delegation of MPs of which he was part of together with the chairman of the Committee Edwin Melvin Snowe Jr. went there, all they did was to call the MPs who were in the ECOWAS Parliament aside and asked, “how can we solve this problem. Their answer was simple; “this problem talk to this person and that person?”

They adhered to the advice of their colleagues and managed the situation dealing with those individuals. At the end their mission was achieved, he stated.

He advised the committee to just call the MPs and ask them to give you briefing of what is happening, “they would tell you everything, you would be able to guide your commissioner better and you would be able to guide the Authority of Heads of States better, and many of the problems would be solved”.

The first Rapporteur of the Committee emphasised how crucial it is to involve the Community Parliament, “not that we want work for ourselves, we are also affected by the failure to deliver on the work, so we are appealing to you to reconsider what you define as terrorism”.

Again, he pointed out that they live with the branded terrorist, and gave another example in Ghana saying the issue of Fulani herdsmen became a big topic, one day he called the Minister and told him not to blame the herdsmen and he does not know what is happening to them in the bush.

They move three hundred cattle’s  across three  countries, and what they have been going through, each cow is about a thousand or two thousand dollars and if he is moving with three hundred sometimes a thousand,  “just multiply that by a thousand dollars; each  person is walking with hundred thousand dollars in the bush alone”.

Cattle rustlers attack them in the bush, they steal the cattle they go and sale them, so ultimately they end up finding it necessary to start defending themselves and people do not understand them and say Fulani herdsmen are violent carrying gun. In all these they have not identified the issue properly.

According to him, in Ghana “operation cow leg” was carried out with the involvement of the military to bring the situation under control, but that is not the problem. His colleague Laadi Ayii Ayamba’s Constituency shares border with Burkina Faso with customs officer on both sides.

In the event insurgents attack custom officers from Burkina Faso, their Ghanaian  side would stand and watch because they cannot interfere and they go away with track loads of goods and pass through the border and that “whole territory that you say is in terrorist hands they would get to Niger with their goods. But let them see one vehicle branded as government of Burkina Faso vehicle you would be killed, if they stop you and search you and find any document on you that associate you with the states of Burkina Faso you are dead; certainly they have issues with the central government that is why in the beginning I asked if you have engaged them”.

The Committee work would be finalised on Wednesday, June 22, 2022.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com/Abuja-Nigeria

The Member of Parliament for Nsuta Kwamang Beposo in the Ashanti  Region, Adelaide Ntim has urged the need for all stakeholders to ensure that the Green Ghana Day tree planting project does not become a nine day wonder.
According to her it is important for all to ensure that trees planted during the exercise are nurtured and conserved in order to protect the current and future generations.
The Nsuta Kwamang Beposo lawmaker made the call on the floor of parliament in a statement to commensurate one year of anniversary of the National tree planting exercise.
Government through the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources in 2021 launched the day to help increase the nation’s green vegetation cover due to deforestation and environmental degradation.
Hon Adelaide Ntim commended government for the Green Ghana project which described as a “well intended policy” deserving the commendation of all.
“It was a well-intended policy tolled out on an unprecedented scale in terms of preparation and participation and so must be commended by all” she stated.
The MP noted that the national tree planting exercise has reawaken public consciousness about environmental preservation to ensure that the human race is not endangered.
She urged all to be minded of the maxim- “That when the last tree dies, the last man will die” and work at preventing the last man from dying by conserving the trees planted.
Background:
The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abdulai Jinapor in March 2021 launched the National Tree Planting programme the Green Ghana Day as part of activities marking the international day of forests to help protect the country’s forests and ecosystem.
The maiden Green Ghana Day saw the planting of some five million trees across the country.
The second edition- 2022 witnessed the planting of 20 million seedlings in forest reserves and public places on the theme: “Mobilising for a Green Future”.
Ghanamps.com