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Majority Chief Whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh has said with the global challenges around the world in the wake of Russia invading Ukraine pushing petroleum prices up and Ghanaians feeling the effect, government is putting in some measures to deal with the challenges the country is confronted with.

According to him if there is anything like worse performance the current President  Nana Akufo-Addo’s administration’s performance is better than the best performance of the Minority National Democratic Congress (NDC) statistics and data available are not far fetch.

He was responding to former Deputy Energy Minister in the John Mahama administration, John Jinapor who has called on the president to dissolve the current economic management team led by the Vice President Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia for its abysmal performance.

“You recall that growth was around five (5) percept one of their growth performance was around three (3) percept, among the difficulties we have at the ex-pump price of fuel exchange rate between the cedi and the dollar and its effect on the economy and the people this facts cannot be contested our five percept is far better than their three percept”.

Mr. Dompreh again pointed out that their always difficulties which must be confronted. He said President Mahama went through difficulties and “we criticized him, and we came to power on the hills of those criticisms. “The fact be told, those difficulties were self-imposed. The difficulties that President Mahama went through and the evidence were not far-fetched. Currently we have Russia evasion of Ukraine which is affecting the entire glob; we have COVID-19 which no country can absolve itself; we know the support and intervention that government gave”.

Scanning through West African sub-region, he further pointed out that no government was feeding its citizens as the Ghanaian government did; utilities were almost free for a period of time.

“So our challenge is not self-imposed, the difficulties we are going through are real global challenges which is having its effect on the country and the people. Again, I remember when they were having those difficulties which were self-imposed they run with their tail in between their legs to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) without COVID-19 and Russia invasion of Ukraine they run for policy credibility they were proud of their economic management team nobody called for its dissolution; why would you want to call for the current economic management team that has been honest and confronted with this global problems?”.

“I think its cheap political point they want to achieve” and they cannot pretend that all is well,   government has been frank and honest with the challenges as the President has said on many occasions that “times are hard”.

And the policies that government introduced are all tailed through reducing the hardship that Ghanaians are going through so there is a clear distinction a government that you can trust and that has come over serious global difficulties and compare to someone who imposed difficulties on themselves, he said.

“We are confident that we would find home grown solutions to the difficulties that we are having, we do not want a situation where we would be told by the IMF they would look into our face and say public sector recruitment has to be halted for you to instil discipline into the economic management”.

In addition, he noted that they are confident they would be able to raise the needed revenue within, and for a long time a third world country has not been able to do that. Ghana is setting a very good example as a country like Greece when they were facing harsh economic difficulties they run to the IMF.

”Rwanda and few African countries have said they want to bit the bullet, and face the reality and deal with it. I am proud the president has not pretended about it and have said they would do all they can to get over the fleeting challenges that we are facing as a country. We want to appeal to Ghanaians that this is a government we trust we are not pretending about the challenges that we are having; Europe and industrialized countries are facing same ex-pump price challenges”.

Again, in the UK people are queening to get fuel. He acknowledged and accepted that Ghana is in difficult times and the NDC Minority should not take advantage of this because of politics, and throw dust into the eyes of the people “our worse is their best”.

“To the extent that we should run to the IMF, we have not done that even after a global pandemic the serious difficulties being imposed on us they should not come and lectures us on our economy”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Government through the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, has on Friday, 18th March, 2022 inaugurated a Sole Inquirer to investigate the circumstances surrounding the true ownership of some parcel of Land in dispute between the Bulgarian Embassy and a private developer.

In a brief background to this move, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel A. Jinapor said his Ministry’s attention was drawn to media reports about the demolishing of the Bulgarian Embassy by some private individuals, which received immediate action of sending out a team led by his Deputy Minister in charge of Lands and Forestry, Benito Owusu-Bio who acting on instructions, halted all activities on the land until further notice.

The Minister firmly and clearly stated that government has no hand in the said demolition exercise, stressing that the President of the Republic, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo who has previously served as the Minister for Foreign Affairs would be the last person to authorise any act that affects diplomatic relations or the country’s obligations under international law.

Mr. Samuel Jinapor said to enable him in the capacity as the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources take the necessary consequential actions, there is the need to commission a full investigation into the circumstances leading to the alleged demolition and the development of the property.

He said the terms of reference for the Sole Inquirer are to;

1. Undertake a full and impartial inquiry into the alleged encroachment and/or demolishing of property on the land being used as the Bulgarian Embassy,
2. Make appropriate recommendations relating to the land being used as the Bulgarian Embassy
3. Inquire into the nature of interest in any land held or occupied by Diplomatic Missions in Ghana
4. Inquire into any matter relating to land in which Diplomatic Missions in Ghana have an interest whatsoever
5. Make recommendations to Government.

Due to the urgency of the issue relating to the Bulgarian Embassy, the Minister gave the Sole Inquirer an ultimatum of seven (7) days to present a Report on his Terms of Reference (1) and (2) above, and a period of one (1) month to present a full Report on Terms of Reference (3) to (5).

Mr.  Samuel A. Jinapor declared that Government is committed to maintaining the cordial relations it keeps with all diplomatic Missions and will by no means allow this issue to mar the long standing relationship that exists between Ghana and Bulgaria.

He noted that with the expertise and experience of the Sole Inquirer, he is absolutely confident that the Sole Inquirer will provide the Ministry with the full facts and directions to enable him act on them decisively and comprehensively.

The Sole Inquirer, Justice Retired Kwasi Anto Ofori-Atta, a retired Justice of the High Court and a one-time Chairman of the Ashanti Regional Lands Commission in his response said he is grateful to Government and the Minister for the confidence reposed in him.

He assured the Minister that he will do all in his capacity as the Inquirer to fully investigate the matter as per his Terms of Reference.

“I wish to assure you and the whole of Ghana to do my very best to put this matter to rest. Thank you for the opportunity.”

Ghanamps.com

The Ranking Member on the Mines and Energy Committee, John Jinapor has called on President Nana Akufo Addo to immediately dissolve the Economic Management team. He accused the Economic Management Team led by the Vice President Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia as having performed abysmally.

“Indeed they have run out of ideas. The Vice President has gone into comatose; he is nowhere to be found. This is the time he has to demonstrate leadership; this is the time government must show that it cares for the people, but all they are doing is whining, and whining. We believe that something must be done”, he stated.

Mr. Jinapor addressing the media in parliament described as worrying recent hikes in petroleum prices stating that in less than 3 months petroleum prices have increased by almost 70 percent at the pump.

“In fact if you take 33 African Countries, Ghana has the highest price when it comes to petroleum products at the pumps”. He said the situation is so bad that countries that are not oil producing countries are even doing better than Ghana.

“Indeed transport fares have increased by 15 percent, inflation today is at the rate of 15 percent, in the Greater Accra, it is about 9 percent. This morning the exchange rate, the dollar to cedis is trading at GHc8.5”.

The Ghana cedis, he noted, is today the worst in Africa in terms of performance with other major currencies. “The price of diesel at the pump is over GHC40 per gallon; that is the true state of the Ghanaian Economy today. Workers are suffering, teachers are suffering, drivers are suffering, members of Parliament are suffering, market women are really suffering. Indeed you wake up today and you don’t really know how you are going to make ends meet”.

He accused government of not doing enough to ameliorate the sufferings of the people; instead they only throw their hands in despair and blame the rising cost of fuel on international market prices. “And instead of this government sitting up and think outside the box, all what we hear is that they do not control world market pricing”.

He opined that the petrol we buy today is largely on the account of the depreciation of the cedi; “we control the cedi here”, he emphasized.

And on that basis the Minority, and the Mines and Energy Committee has called on the Akufo Addo Government to sit up and take pragmatic steps towards ensuring that they cushion the ordinary Ghanaian.

“Ladies and gentlemen, it is not for nothing that we instituted the Energy Sector Levy Act; our checks revealed that the Energy Sector Levy Act has accrued over 18 billion cedis since its inception. Our checks have further revealed that only 15billion has been spent, and yet the balance of 3billion cannot be accounted for. Worse of them is the Price Stabilization and Recovery Levy. It is supposed to cushion Ghanaians and petroleum consumers in difficult moments like this”.

Mr. Jinapor further argued that the levy was supposed to accrue over 2 billion, only one billion has been spent. “Where is the remainder of the Price Stabilization and Recovery Levy?”

“This government has been a monumental failure. We call on President Akufo Addo to dissolve the Economic Management Team because they have not lived up to expectations. Indeed, if I were the Vice President, what I would be doing is to turn in my resignation as the head of the Economic Management Team”.

The Ranking Member also wondered why government is not using the windfall from the bench mark value of $61 per barrel. “We have had so much money accruing from our petroleum export. The bench mark value that we put per barrel was $61, today Ghana is selling its crude at a price of over a $100, so what are we doing with the windfall in terms of the revenue that is accruing? He queried.

They therefore called on government to use part of that money as well as part of the reserve from the Energy Sector Levy to cushion the ordinary Ghanaian.

Dominic Shirimori/Ghanamps.com

Member of Parliament for Ketu North Dr. James Klutse Avedzi has demanded from the Minister for Health Kwaku Agyeman Manu to give timeless when the broken down and faulty MRIs at some major government hospitals would be replaced.

According to the sector Minister, things are not within his domain, it would be difficult for him to give timelines, “my timeline would depend on resources if I do not have budgetary allocation for this, the Tamale, Cape Coast and Ho Teaching Hospitals we cannot use internally generated funds for this. If I stand her and give timelines and the finance minister does not give me the resources, I would not be telling truth to the chamber”, he said on the floor of the House.

“I do not believe in giving timelines to come and face the government assurance committee; the new hospitals we are building, I have said we would put new ones there until the new hospitals are completed we cannot put them there so that is the challenge”.

As to why the private hospitals have Magnetic Resonance Imaging which they are able to maintain therefore getting referrals, yet the government is not able to successfully achieve that; the Minister pointed out that the question is a bit difficult to answer because he does know the type of MRIs in the private facilities. “I am told there are two types, the one that works with hilum and hot magnet so if a private sector person has gotten that one that I do not know. It would be difficult for me to explain why theirs are functional and ours are not and the Ministry is advising that this type of machine should not be bought again, maintaining is quite expensive”.

When the Ketu North MP in his supplementary question also demanded to know what was delaying the repairs of the MRI machines, the Minister pointed out that he has been taken through biometrical engineering on the repairs.

“The machines come with what they call chillers not even air conditions they were fitted one chiller initially per each of the machines then the machine started misbehaving, a second chiller was advice the machine works with hilum fillings that makes the magnet give better pictures.  When the temperature in the room changes a little bit to a certain level the hilum begins to decade the radioactive activity in the hilum gas and when it spoil to a certain level the machine stops functioning. To repair it you need to refill it first to start”.

 Again, “what is wrong with the machine is due to our power situation in the country. The chillers at time do not have power to work with”, at times power getting in there misbehave the chiller are not effective because of the power situation we have as a country’, he added.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

The First Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei -Owusu, presiding over proceedings on Thursday, March 17, 2022 has directed the National Security Minister to urgently brief the House on the security situation in Bawku.

This follows a plead by the Member of Parliament for Asawase, Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak who in presenting a matter of public importance said the pictures coming and news going around on the security situation in Bawku is worrying and disturbing.

According to him even their colleagues from the enclave are scared to be heard talking about it because of the delicate nature of what is happening there and some brutality that is being said to be happening in that enclave as at this moment.

“I thought that as a house we should be interested to get the ministers of Interior and National Security even if it is a closed sitting to brief this House to know exactly what are some of the things happening, and what steps is being taken to manage the difficulties.

According to him the conflict is a long standing one, but the current happenings are not very healthy for us. He also alluded to some rumours making the around of some of the security personnel sent there siding with some of the factional groups, and stated that if the rumours turn out to be true then it is disturbing.

Mr. Patrick Boamah, MP for Okaikwei Central speaking in support of the request of the Minority Chief Whip said recent development in the area is not encouraging at all, especially after the meeting between the president and the Bawku Naba.

“We all know the history behind this conflict and I think the call by the Minority Chief Whip is welcoming and requires the minister for the Interior as well as Defence and National Security Minister to brief the House especially having read this morning that three soldiers were even shot. It is very dangerous and it is very important that we invite them to brief the House”, he stated.

Mr. Frank  Annoh Dompreh, the Majority Chief Whip also commended the Interior Minister for how far he has been able to manage the situation, revealing that, but for some good interventions, the situation would have gotten out of hands.

He, however, called for caution in dealing with situation, and suggested a closed -door briefing that would help them put together a strategic plan. “Yes, we commend the president for his assuring words which what a father of our nation should do. He said the situation calls for a sober reflection and find a lasting solution to the conflict.

Dominic Shirimori/Ghanamps.com

A member of Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Committee Zuwera Mohammed Ibrahimah said the silence of President  Nana Akufo-Addo on the demolition of the Bulgarian Embassy is extremely worrying despite the fact that he was quick to speak on the Supreme Court ruling on the voting right of a First Deputy Speaker.

“Do we take it that he is okay with it that is why he does not want to speak? We need to hear from him, the international community and the Government of Bulgaria need to hear from him, he needs to speak and sensibly to this matter, otherwise he puts the life of Ghanaians out there in danger”.

 The Salaga South lawmaker who visited cantonment on Wednesday, March 16, 2022 where a demolishing exercise had been carried out with the sprigging up of a private property on the said land noted that, what has taken place is in violation of the Vienna Convention and not acceptable and should not happen at this time when President Nana Akufo-Addo, a lawyer is a president of Ghana.

“Again, as a former Foreign Minister of Ghana we do not expect this under his watch. Where we stand now by the dictate of the Vienna Convention is Bulgaria, everywhere a mission is cited, so when you are a Ghanaian outside the country and you get into trouble and you manage to get into the Ghana High Commission no security can arrest you, unless they go through the mission. That is how this things work, so maybe there is another explanation otherwise it just does not make sense”.

She further pointed out that there is a genuine  fear that there could be uprising  and to think the AU is organising a conference in Accra which the president opened yesterday and the main theme running across the various discussion has been coup and uprising of unconstitutional change of government.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

The Member of Parliament for Akim Oda, Alexander Akwesi Acquah has on behalf of the Government presented laptops to the education Directorate for distribution to teachers.

Addressing the teachers during the presentation, the MP said government’s drive for ICT is very high, and it is the reason government has partnered the teaching profession to help provide the teachers with the laptops to ensure they are well equipped to make sure ICT becomes the order of the day.
“We normally call ourselves BBC (Born Before Computer) whether you like it or not it’s with us. I mean we are an ICT economy, we are in a very digital economy and so everything we do is now based on ICT.

The Municipal Director of Education, Mrs. Esther Quaye-Sowah said the One-teacher, One-laptop policy is a very good since it gives the teachers the opportunity to own the laptops through a cost sharing initiative in which government pays the greater part of the money and the teachers paying the remaining part.

She said it cannot be that the laptops are inferior because they are tried and tested, and preloaded with educational materials, the curriculum, e-library among others.

She noted that the laptops have come at the right time with the implementation of the Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) policy and the laptops would serve the purpose of the teacher in the classroom.

Mr. John Akpaloo, ICT Coordinator at the Directorate assured the teachers that the company supply the laptops has promised to establish service centres at the various metropolitan, Municipal, and Distribute Assemblies to help provide quality parts and serving of the laptops.

Ghanamps.com

Minister for Information Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has told Parliament, as at the end of January 2022, two hundred and twenty-three (223) individuals and institutions have used the Right to Information Act to request for information from various public institutions.

According to him in 2019 the House passed the RTI Act, Act 989 and the President Nana Akufo-Addo assented to in 2019 when it was passed and brought to his attention and full implementation of the Act started in 2020.

He told the House on Tuesday, March 15, 2022 that June 30, 2022 he presented the maiden report before the House and gave the break down as follows.

In the year 2020, 85 requested for information and was made by individuals and institutions, and received by 32 public institutions. Out of the 85 applications, 34 were submitted by individuals, 36 by institutions and for the outstanding, 15 were making efforts to get clarity from Ministries, Departments and Agencies that received them whether or not they were submitted by individuals or by institutions.

“Mr. Speaker in 2021 despite that we yet to present the annual report for the year in accordance with the Act, I briefed members on the interim figures they have received. These are provisional figures and the final figures would be presented to the House by June 2022 in accordance with the Act”.

A total of one hundred and twenty nine (129) requests for information were submitted by individuals and institutions and received by 47 public institutions. Out of the 129 applications received 87 were received from individuals and 42 from institutions.

In the Year 2022 so far 10 requests for information has been received by individual and institutions and received by seven public institutions as at the end of January 2022. Out of that five were from individuals and five from institutions.

He further pointed out that the House is yet to approve the fees and charges that would put out the applicable fees and for that reason an overwhelming request that was granted was granted on grates basis. For those who were ask to pay some amount, it ranged from one to two cedis per page for the production of the information.

“In some instances where high figures were suggested by the institutions, the applicants apply to the RTI commission and they gave directives for the appropriate figures to be collected and we are before the House for the current fees and charges to be approved which would include the charges of RTI”.

This was when Member of Parliament for Dormaa East, Paul Apreku Twum-Barimah wanted to know how many individuals and institutions have made use of the RTI Act to request for information from the various public institution.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

The Presbyterian Cluster of Schools and the St Luke Roman Catholic School in the Akim Oda Constituency would have new projects ready for use in the next 3 months.

This was the promise made to the schools by the Member of Parliament for Akim Oda, Alexander Akwesi Acquah when he was joined by the Municipal Chief Executive for the area, Victoria Adu along with the Municipal Director of Education, Mrs. Esther Quaye-Sowah to cut the sod for work to commence on a 6-unit classroom block for the Presbyterian Primary A and C; 10-seater water closet toilet for the Presbyterian Cluster of Schools and an ICT laboratory for the St. Luke Roman Catholic School.

The Presbyterian Cluster of Schools is without a toilet facility forcing teachers and students to go through a great deal of ordeal when they want to obey nature’s call.

The headteacher and staff expressed delight at the commencement of the toilet project which the MP promised would be completed within 3months.
The 6-unit classroom block to be built for Presbyterian Primary A and C happens to be one of the schools building that collapsed in the April 2021 after a heavy downpour that destroyed several buildings and properties in the area.

It was initially built by the PTA with support from the former Member of Parliament for Akim Oda, William Quaitoo. Since it collapse, the students have had to be merged with their colleagues from other streams creating congestion in those classrooms.

The ICT laboratory on the other hand was initiated by the MP after he donated 10 desktop computers to the St Luke RC School but the school lack space to set up the computers.

The MP therefore took it upon himself to provide them a suitable ICT laboratory to make teaching and learning of the subject more convenient and fulfilling.

Giving background to the projects, the MP disclosed that when he was writing to solicit support following the rainstorm that destroyed several buildings including schools in the area last April, he did not only write to government institutions but extended invitation to other corporate bodies for support.

It is one of those corporate institutions that is supporting the three projects. He, however, fell short of mentioning the name of the institution indicating that it was the wish of the donors to remain anonymous.

He said government has intervened in working on some of the affected projects and it was just good others are giving positive response to their needs that will accelerate the quest to improving educational infrastructure in the municipality.

All three projects, the MP said would be carried out by local constructors with strict supervision of the Municipal Engineer to ensure quality and timely delivery.

Mr Akwesi Acquah assured that this would not be the last as he is working hard to ensure other schools have their fair share of improved infrastructure. He added that soon they would be heading to Akim Zongo to work on some projects.

The Municipal Chief Executive is grateful that the cordial relationship between them is yielding positive results .She called for the support of all and sundry as they work to improve the fortunes of the municipality.

Meanwhile, the Municipal Director of Education, Mrs. Esther Quaye-Sowah commended the Member of Parliament for his efforts at promoting quality education in the Municipality.

She bemoaned the high enrolment figures in most of the classrooms and believes measures such as this, would go a long way to decongest the classrooms and give the students and teachers the needed conducive environment for teaching and learning.

Dominic Shirimori/Ghanamps.com

Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin has said the Minority National Democratic Congress (NDC) must learn to accept defeat graciously in a matter where their own Dr. Ayine took the issue of a Deputy Speaker having a voting right or not and lost.

According to him their colleagues in the Minority are not principled enough, they always want to operate on the basis of convenient and when they lose a case they want to bring down the whole supreme structure.

“It is not good for good governance, the NDC must learn to accept defeat and respect the bench and the court, for us in the political class it is the only way to sustaining our democracy, if they continue to go on and say that if it’s against them they would attack they would throw caution to the wind”.

He further pointed out that if his colleagues continue that way they would ambush the country’s own fortunes it has made in the path towards good governance.

Again, today it is argued that all though the deputy Speaker has not been specifically prohibited but they are arguing that by parity of reasoning ones Mr. Speaker has been prohibited whiles presiding, they should also not have the right to vote when presiding. “Our argument is that going by the reasoning in Kojoga Adra you cannot probate and reprobate, you cannot when in government argue because continently it goes for you but today you want to say that that decision should change”.

And further pointed out that the plaintiff in the matter is one of their own, the respected law lectures at UPSA where he also teaches as an adjunct lectures. “We are not saying they sponsored him to go to court but he was inspired by the views of his party members and went to court and today the Supreme Court has delivered its ruling; how on earth would a Minority Leader make a statement to the effect that the Supreme Court wants to support the passage of the E-Levy?”

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com