Category: Uncategorized

The Member of Parliament for Akim Oda in the Eastern Region, Mr Alexander Akwasi Acquah, has described Wednesday’s State Of The Nation address as a true reflection of the NPP-government’s proper management of the economy.

He said, although most of the world’s biggest economies went on their knees following the negative impact of the coronavirus pandemic, Ghana is still surviving its ripple effect due to the government’s prudent financial management.

 

He cited the closure of land borders, compulsory quarantine and nationwide vaccination against the virus as some of the critical and painstaking decisions made by the government to help control the spread of the virus.

Although he admitted that the pandemic also exposed some shortcomings of the country’s health sector, the MP, who is also Chairman for the newly inaugurated Grains and Legumes Development Board was quick to add that, the Agenda 111 which seeks to ensure the construction of 111 regional and district hospitals in the country is born to address these challenges.

He thus commended the government for the initiative and expressed his full optimism that the initiative will help expand and bring quality health care to the doorsteps of the citizenry.

Meanwhile, work is said to have started on eighty-seven (87) of the one hundred and eleven (111) hospitals across the country and, on completion, some thirty-four thousand, three hundred (34,300) health workers are expected to gain full employment.

Ghanamps.com

Chairman for the Committee on Roads and Highways Kennedy Osei Nyarko has defended the over ten thousand kilometers of new roads as announced by President Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo during the delivery of the message of the State of the Nation Address (SONA). The President while delivering the 2022 State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Wednesday, March 29, 2022 said his government has constructed 10,875 km of new road within the five years he has been in office.
This assertion, however, was challenged by the deputy Ranking on the Roads and Highway Committee, Mr. Governs Agbodza, He asserts that the government’s own record does not support the claim by the president as the record provided a total of 4,230 kilometers of roads constructed by the government from 2017 to 2021.

According to Mr. Nyarko, the Ranking, Governs Kwame Agbodza has taken issues out of proportion by saying the president got it wrong without asking for the details of what the president said. In a media briefing on Thursday, March 31, 2022 he noted that the current administration inherited a road network total of seventy eight thousand four hundred and two and took over only thirty-three percent which were in good condition.

“That is sixty-seven were bad roads and these has been categorised roads are being under taken by feeder roads forty-eight kilometers, from 2017 to 2020 May, the Ministry of Roads and Highways completed a total mix of four thousand two hundred and sixty three kilometers”. Again, June 2021 and December 2021 under their Cocoa Road project they completed a mixture of six thousand four hundred comprising sport improvement which is about, four thousand two hundred plus.

Then transport sector improvement programme which sponsored by donor partners of fifty kilometers forming critical roads done by cocoa road project which is three hundred and twelve kilometers, town road done by cocoa road project, under urban roads, “all these put together is about six thousand four hundred. If added to four thousand six hundred and sixty two that was completed by Ministry of Roads and Highways.

“When, put together would give you ten thousand eight hundred and seventy five; there is not dispute about that, under the road sector we have several programmes, sport improvement, road improvement”.
Mr. Kennedy Osei, further pointed out that accurate data should be sought after, on the road construction to carry members of Ghanaian public along for them not to be confused.

“I hear my colleagues saying that sport improvement is not a programme that should be part of our road building. Over the period sport improvement has been part of Roads and Highways programme; they have a budget for it. We even get donor facility for it and loan facility, in Australia it is done there to maintain their roads”, he pointed out.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

The Member of Parliament for Adaklu, Kwame Agbodza has described as untruth the presidents claim that his government has built over ten thousand kilometers of road.

According to him, the government’s own record as published by the road Minister from 2017 to 2021 falls short of the president’s claim.

Mr. Agbodza indicated that in that record, the total road programme is 4,230 kilometers out of which asphaltic overlay is 1,400. “Constructing; that is the only road they have constructed from scratch is 68 kilometers; gravelling and re-graveling 900 kilometers; partial reconstruction 139 kilometers, reconstruction 90 kilometers, rehabilitation830 kilometers, resealing/spot improvement 139 kilometers. Total in this document published by the government is 4,230 kilometers”.

When questioned why he was challenging the government using a record of May 2021, he said the government couldn’t have built 600 kilometers in 7 months.

He expressed shock that the record even included pothole patching. “Mr. President you wanted us to come together with you, but I don’t want to be with you as a liar, you lied. Mr. President, the road you said you have worked on not constructed which include gravelling, graveling, asphaltic overlay is only 4200. Mr. President, how do you want the whole country including pastors, Muslims to be with you in your game of lying”.

President Akufo Addo on Wednesday when presenting the state of the nation address in fulfillment of Article 67 of the 1992 Constitution to Parliament claimed his administration has constructed a record 10, 000 plus kilometers of roads.

“Mr. Speaker, it is in the road sector that we have registered the greatest infrastructure achievement. I know that the word “unprecedented” is often used with careless abandon in our public discourse, but I use it carefully and purposefully. In the five years of my government, so far, more roads have been built, improved and upgraded than at any other equivalent period under any government in the history of Ghana”.

He emphasized that some ten thousand, eight hundred and seventy-five (10,875) kilometers of new roads have been constructed in these five (5) years.  “Let me mention that yesterday, it was my honour and great pleasure to have commissioned the Tamale Interchange, the first such interchange in the northern sector of our country, which the people of Tamale celebrated. I considered it to be a most satisfying birthday present. We intend to continue with the building of roads round the country to accelerate the opening up of our country”.

Ghanamps.com

The NPP Member of Parliament (MP) for Akim Oda, Mr Alexander Akwasi Acquah, says protestors who besieged his house in the early hours of Monday, were only there to echo to his recent calls for the party’s executives to swiftly look into some misunderstandings that characterised the recently held polling station elections in the constituency.
The protestors, on Monday, besiege one of the MP’s homes in Akim Oda, after what they referred to as the party’s failure to either annul or otherwise, results of the recently held polling station elections.
The group says, it had earlier planned to block the MP from leaving his home to attend to parliamentary duties, in an attempt to get immediate answers to their questions.
The obviously furious party members also made a passionate appeal to its regional and national leadership to settle all matters regarding the election to help restore calm and normalcy in the constituency.

Speaking in an interview with Kumasi-based Kesseben FM, the soft-spoken MP described the situation as unfortunate, but added that, the move only served as an avenue for the group to voice out its longstanding grievances and also press home their demands.
According to him, he sees the unusual demonstration, organised by the party folks as a direct confirmation of their firm stance to ensure equity in the electoral process.
He bemoaned the constituency chairman’s active role in the current tension, insisting that, the chairman’s interference and premeditated plan to bend the rules and guidelines of the election, is the cause of the current turmoil.
He, however, pledged to do everything within his power as the MP to help protect the rules and guidelines binding all electoral processes, especially at the constituency level, and also ensure that no one manipulates the will of the people.
He concluded by seizing the opportunity to express his readiness and desire to work with any person or group that is legitimately elected to various polling centres across the constituency.
Click here to watch the video
Ghanamps.com

The Ranking Member on the Finance Committee, Dr. Cassel Ato Forson has described the Electronic Transaction Bill 21 as “Akobam”, a well-known local herbal ointment that has the potency of dealing with all ailments.
Speaking on the floor of the House on Tuesday, March 29, 2022 when the Bill was read for second time, the Ranking member said listening to the defence of government spokespersons on the E-Levy, he said it has been projected as the panacea to all our economic woes.
Mr. Speaker, today we’ve been told that this tax can cure most of the sicknesses of this Ghanaian economy, Mr. Speaker to the extent that this tax is more powerful than most of the herbal medicines that we’ve seen. Mr. Speaker, we have told that this tax can even cure my colleague Honourable Okudzeto Ablakwa’s bald head, Mr. Speaker, this is a dangerous tax, Mr. Speaker, when this tax passes probably my bald head would be cured.
“That we in the NDC are not against taxation, Mr. Speaker we are against this particular tax, we are against this particular tax for a technical reason, and we believe that posterity would vindicate us.”
Mr Speaker it nothing but technical reasons, Mr. Speaker it not personal neither it is a sabotage against the economy Mr Speaker; rather we are pointing the government in the right direction.
He argued that though they have often supported tax policies; tax policies that are progressive, they do not believe that a tax policy must be designed in such a way that will target the poor persons.
He said the economic problems of the country has become endemic and believes that this singular policy (E-Levy) cannot cure the sickness; and urged the minister to come with a comprehensive package in restoring economic stability and not to concentrate as if e-levy is the panacea to our economic problems.
Dominic Shirimori/Ghanamps.com

Deputy Ranking member on the Committee of Education in Ghana’s Parliament Dr. Clement A.  Apaak  has called for thorough re-thinking of the policy proposal by the President Nana Akufo-Addo lead administration to wean public tertiary institutions off government subventions.

According to him this would invariably restrict access to tertiary education and further prevent the poor and marginalised from accessing tertiary education when implemented.

The Builsa South lawmaker in a statement noted that a statement made by the Minister for Finance Ken Ofori Atta, “Wean-off public tertiary institutions from government payroll and provide them with a fixed amount ‘block grant’,” instead meant, government intends to no longer shoulder the cost of paying lecturers and staff of the tertiary institutions. As such, tertiary institutions would have to raise their own revenue to pay for the human resources required to function as institutions of higher learning.

For tertiary institutions under prevailing circumstances to raise the needed resources to pay teaching and non-teaching staff, it will likely require passing a chunk of the bill to students, resulting in higher school fees. Higher fees will be to the detriment of poor students who are even struggling to pay the current fees.

When public tertiary institutions become fee-paying, then obviously, government is directly introducing a financial barrier to the already existing infrastructural barrier.

“In any case, why would government increase access by making secondary education free, and propose to restrict access by essentially making the cost of obtaining tertiary education by beneficiaries of free secondary education exorbitant?”

This proposal, if implemented, would negate any gains that free SHS intended to achieve. For a government that believes that parents cannot afford to pay school fees for their wards at senior high level to now turn around to demand full fee paying from same at the tertiary level, is to say that there is lack of appreciation of the whole policy intervention at the secondary level.

He further pointed out that, only last year, President Akufo-Addo in his attendance to a forum made a point in his speech at the Global Education Summit held at the UK, that government was considering free tertiary education.

And the turnaround by Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta makes the exact policy direction of this government on education a wonder.

Public tertiary institutions, aside their assured quality, are intended to provide an even platform for all, including the poor to access higher education leading to their contributing their quota to the development of this country, he added.

Ghanamps.com

Majority Chief Whip has expressed worry over the conduct of the Finance Minister for writing letters to explain his inability to be present on the floor of the House to answer twelve questions in the name of his Ministry but has time to organise town hall meetings and address the nation on measures taken to address the economic difficulties the nation’s economy is going through.

He was reacting to his colleague the Majority Chief Whip when he asked permission to vary the order of business on the floor of the House on Thursday, March 24, 2022 and also to draw the attention of the House that the Finance Minister has brought a letter to be given some time to get data on some of the questions posed to his Ministry.

“Our standing orders are very clear on how long it should take a Minister to come to the House to answer questions. Some of the questions have been outstanding for the past 8 months. My worry is that if we keep accommodating the Finance Minister’s excuses these questions would never be answered. I do not have objection in varying business but if we don’t take time the questions would be left in a pool that would get missing”, he lamented.

And pointed out that the sector Minister is in a habit of always sending his deputies to address questions on the floor instead of him showing up to do that.

HWE thus serve notice that going forward his side would not accommodate any other person to answer questions on the floor of the House than the Minister himself as they do not intend to over flock the matter in question.

Mr. Joseph Osei-Owusu the Frist Deputy Speaker who was presiding in the chair directed that the questions for the Finance Minister to answer be re-scheduled.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

In the wake of Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta pointing out that nothing would change when it comes to the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy in the wake of measures government is taking to deal with the distressed Ghanaian economy.

Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu is calling for a national conversation on the future of the country’s education, “we have cause to believe we are investing in literacy and numeracy and not human capital. It is only in Ghana that at the basic level everybody passes, that cannot be competitive, that cannot make our product competitive in the world tomorrow”.

The Minority Leaders comment is in reaction to the Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta’s disclosure in the wake of measures government is taking to deal with the distressed Ghanaian economy that     nothing would change when it comes to the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy.

Addressing members of the Parliamentary Press Corps (PPC) on Thursday, March 24, 2022 after adjournment; and in response to the finance Minister’s address to the nation, the Tamale South lawmaker further called for re-introduction of the toll booth collection that has been suspended.

“If you have the mandate to govern you can’t just do as you please, nowhere in the world would you travel and not see functional toll booth the state has lost a significant amount of money arising out of it. We, think it is only proper it is re-introduced and probably adjusted so that we can get in the needed revenue and use it as a vehicle to promote public-private partnership in the development of our road infrastructure and other infrastructure need”.

Mr. Iddrisu in addition noted that the measures announced by the Finance Minister at his Thursday, address does not respond to a country in debt distresses. “Our debt is simply not sustainable we are told an additional forty five billion have been added to our interest payment for the first quarter”.

He further questioned where the Minister would be raising that money, even with an expenditure cut of 31 billion Ghana cedis, he already has a deficit of not less than 6.9 billion; he must come properly.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu has given indications that despite measures taken by the Finance Minister to address the distressed Ghanaian economy, the Minority would not support the Electronic Transfer Bill 2021 no matter the foam it is presented.

On the issue of salary cut which would also affect parliamentarians as proposed by the Finance Minister, Mr. Iddrisu indicated that the matter would be discussed at the Committee of the whole and for a decision to be taken on it.

However, the Minority Chief Whip, Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka even before the Leader could answer indicated that they are not prepared as Members of Parliament to take a pay cut; and questioned whether during their time in government under the John Dramani Mahama’s administration when they were taken such measures, they Majority then in Minority joined?

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Member of Parliament for Kwadaso, Dr. Kingsely Nyarko said the low turnout of the Majority Members of Parliament on the floor of the House the whole of last week was not deliberate but rather because of internal elections within the ruling NPP.

According to him it has to do with an internal election to elect polling station executives, as MPs wanted to be in their constituencies to observe the process.

In an interview, he pointed out that on Tuesday, March 22, 2022 they came in their numbers to help push government agenda forward and hoped his side would continue to come to Parliament in their numbers.

And again, he noted that his colleagues from the Minority side should cooperate with them to do legitimate government business but they can raise a legitimate concern since that is the beauty of democracy, “Tuesday’s quorum issue was needless”.

When the Speaker asked the table office to get the numbers and the numbers that were given to him exceeded the correct number, “after we suspended and came back the available leader on the Minority side indicated that yes the numbers were around to do business”, he emphasised.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com