"We're ready to buy rice produced here"

Page 3, July 31, 2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Director of Corporate Affairs at the Finatrade Group of Companies, Mr John Awuni, has given the assurance that the group has the market potential to purchase any quantity of rice that will be produced in the country.
“It will, therefore, be wrong for any rice farmer in the country to claim that he has no market for his produce,” he said.
Speaking to members of the Parliamentary Committee on Trade, Industry and Tourism, Mr Awuni said Finatrade had been marketing rice produced in the country since 2001.
Continental Commodities Trading Company (CCTC), a subsidiary of the Finatrade Group of Companies, is one of the major importers of rice from a number of rice-producing countries world-wide for sale in countries in the West African sub-region.
The visit of the parliamentary committee was, therefore, to find out whether the recent removal of import duty on rice and other commodities, as announced by President J. A. Kufuor, had had any positive impact on the ordinary Ghanaian.
Answering questions from the MPs, Mr Awuni explained that since 2001, when the company started dealing in rice produced in the country, it had not been able to get the quantity needed from Ghanaian rice farmers.
He explained that after lending some Ghanaian farmers about GH¢1.7 million for the supply of 100,000 bags of rice, the beneficiary farmers were able to supply only 10,000 bags.
Commenting on the effects of the removal of import duty on rice, the Managing Director of the Finatrade Group, Mr Nabil Moukarzel, noted that the decision had helped to reduce the smuggling of rice from Ghana to neighbouring countries.
He added that when the President made the announcement for the removal of import duty, prices of rice were rising on a daily basis, saying that prices of the commodity had now stabilised.
Mr Moukarzel said the company complied with the President’s mitigating measures, which later received parliamentary approval, by reducing the prices of rice it had imported after the President’s measures had received that approval.
He stated that the company had put in measures to sanction customers who added more than the expected profit to their consignment in order to benefit from the removal of import duty from rice, to the disadvantage of the ordinary consumer.
Mr Moukarzel noted that the company had been up to its social responsibilities, explaining that 20 university students pursuing studies in Agriculture had been offered scholarships to enable them to venture into large-scale food production after their education.
In addition, the company also assisted the Black Stars with $100,000 when they participated in the 2006 World Cup in Germany and also assisted the team with $200,000 when Ghana hosted the 2007 Africa Cup of Nations.
Responding, the Chairman of the committee and MP for Abuakwa North, Mr J. B. Danquah Adu, commended the company for taking measures to ensure that the decision of the government had the necessary impact on the people.
He called on it to establish a refinery to process palm oil produced in the country to ensure the success of the President’s Special Initiative (PSI) on oil palm to enable farmers in that sector to benefit from the sweat of their toil.

Expedite action on Anyima-Kintampo road — MP

Page 39, July 28, 2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Member of Parliament (MP) for Kintampo South, Mr Yaw Effah-Baafi, has on behalf of the chiefs and people of the area, appealed to the government to expedite action on the 24-kilometre Anyima-Kintampo road to enhance economic activities.
The MP told the Daily Graphic that the bad nature of the road had brought untold hardships to the people due to its negative impact on economic activities and health delivery.
The Kintampo South District is a rural one with Anyima as the second largest community with a population of over 7,000 people.
Mr Effah-Baafi stated that the 24-kilometre road was awarded on contract for the construction of culverts, adding that the road was currently muddy and slippery making the work so slow that it was impossible for vehicles to ply it, especially after it had rained.
He said that work on the other alternative route, the 11.2-kilometre Anyima-Jema feeder road, which was awarded on contract about three years ago, was poorly executed and had therefore worsened the condition of the road.
Mr Effah-Baafi said in the circumstances, Anyima and its environs had been completely cut off from the rest of the Kintampo North and Kintampo South districts.
“I wish on behalf of the Anyima community, to plead with the government and all those who matter, to ensure that work on the Anyima-Kintampo road is expedited to allow economic activities and health delivery to continue,” he stressed.

Red Cross urged to help prevent disasters

Page 55, July 28, 2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah & Sandra Amartey
THE Vice-President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, has challenged members of the Red Cross and Red Crescent societies to work towards the prevention of disasters in the society.
“It is unfortunate that we hear of Red Cross and Red Crescent only in times of war, chaos and disasters. We must realise that in our present circumstances, these demands are changing. We must be working more towards prevention,” he said.
He said this in an address at the Fourth General Assembly and Joint Partners meeting of the New Partnership for African Red Cross & Red Crescent Societies (NEPARC) in Accra last Friday.
The three-day meeting is being attended by representatives of the Red Cross and Red Crescent from member countries across Africa.
In an address read on his behalf by the Deputy Minister of Health, Mr Abraham Dwuma Odoom, Alhaji Aliu noted that there was the need for the Red Cross Society (RCS) to re-orient its services and seek partnership with established institutions that had experience in the field of disaster prevention.
He stated that the Geneva Conventions and its successor convention, which were direct results of Red Cross movement, continued “to remind us of our collective responsibility towards peace and the need to respect one another”.
The Vice-President stated that Ghanaians experienced the worth of the Red Cross during the recent devastating floods in the northern parts of the country.
He recounted that the society, supported by the International Federation of the Red Cross, played a very important role in assisting over 1,000 households with food and other relief items.
Alhaji Aliu said the Red Cross also constructed about 375 two-unit houses for some families while nearly 1,000 families had also been supported in the Upper East Region as a result of the Bawku conflict.
He explained that lessons that could be learnt from these gestures had taught Ghanaians not only about the value of humanitarian services but more importantly the need to develop enduring partnership in times of disasters.
Alhaji Aliu called for the support of faith-based organisations, private sector organisations and the government to enable the Red Cross and Red Crescent societies to meet the ever increasing demands on them.
Alhaji Aliu asked members of the Red Cross in the country to be agents of change by spreading the message of healthy lifestyles to promote good health and prevent diseases.
In his welcoming address, the President of the Ghana Red Cross Society, Professor Stephen Adei, noted that with the present global phenomenon of climate change and its adverse effects on sustainable livelihoods, almost everybody and every country was at risk.
He said it was for that and other reasons that the formation of a body like NEPARC became very relevant, adding that the Red Cross and Red Crescent societies would always work towards the prevention of disasters.
The President of the Ugandan Red Cross and NEPARC, Mr Tom Buruku, stated that NEPARC was established to address the current challenges such as poor governance, the escalating dependency levels to sustain basic services and the continued marginalisation facing African national societies.

Massive Facelift For Roads, $1 bn to be sunk, Scheduled to be completed in 2 yrs

Lead Story, July 25, 2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
A significant portion of the country’s road network, identified by the government as the “priority zone”, has been earmarked for a massive uplift to enhance regional and national integration.
The exercise, which is expected to be completed within two years, is to be funded from a $1 billion loan from Goldman Sach International (GSI) of the United Kingdom (UK).
The priority roads include the Fufulso-Sawla, Wa-Han-Tumu, Chichuliga-Tumu, Agona Junction-Elubo, Elubo-Asemkrom-Enchi, Nkawkaw-Obomeng-Mpraeso, Koforidua-Bunso, Gambia No 2-Kyeremasu, Tepa-Goaso, the Sunyani outer Ring Road, Worawora-Dambai, the Cape Coast Ring Road, with an interchange at the Pedu Junction, Kumasi-Sunyani and the Mampong town roads.
Under the project, the following roads are also expected to be converted to dual carriageways: Kasoa-Cape Coast, Cape Coast-Elubo, Tema-Aflao and Kumasi-Techiman.
The Accra-Kumasi corridor will also be completed within the period.
Since majority of the roads fall within the country’s agricultural enclaves, the project is expected to boost socio-economic activities, while those that connect the regional capitals are expected to enhance administrative and commercial networking, lower vehicle operating cost, save travelling time and reduce accident rates.
The improvement of these roads is also expected to provide the country’s landlocked neighbours access to Ghana’s ports, in addition to facilitating regional co-operation and trade.
The Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, said in an interview that studies on the priority roads were either completed or ongoing and it was envisaged that procurement of works would be launched as soon as possible on all the roads in respect of which studies had been completed, while the others on which studies were ongoing would have their tenders as and when the studies were completed.
He added that some ongoing projects would be financed under the agreement to ensure that contractors’ cash flows were improved to ensure early completion of the projects.
Mr Baah-Wiredu stated that the government offered sovereign support in the form of indirect guarantees and undertakings which would be adequate security to support the repayment of the facility and accrued interest.
“It is expected that the facility and accrued interest will be amortised with revenue from the payment of tolls on the roads identified and according to traffic and revenue projections.
He explained that from traffic and toll revenue projections, $1.8 billion would be accrued from 2010 to 2018, as against the cost (debt servicing and maintenance) of $1.7 billion, while by the close of 2020 the revenue accruals would be about $2.5 billion.
The deal, which is yet to receive parliamentary approval, offers considerable benefits for the country, as it will guarantee the financing of essential road infrastructure to facilitate rapid socio-economic growth.
The Road Sector Development Programme (RSDP), which the Ministry of Transportation had been implementing over the last five years, with financial support from the International Development Agency (IDA), came to an end on June 27, 2008.
A document on the loan, which was made available to the Daily Graphic, indicates that another programme, the Transport Sector Development Programme (TSDP), which is being prepared may take a year or two to take off.
The government is, therefore, sourcing the $1 billion loan to fund the priority road projects which call for immediate interventions before the beginning of the TSDP.
The ministries of Finance and Economic Planning and Transportation, therefore, invited proposals from GSI for structuring and arranging a facility to provide funds for the implementation of the government’s priority road infrastructure projects.

Two call on minister

Page 34, July 25, 2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah & Sandra Amartey
THE Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana, Mr Musiliu O. Obanikoro, has called for the creation of a common market between Ghana and Nigeria to serve as a catalyst for the achievement of the objectives of the Economic Community for West African States (ECOWAS).
“If ECOWAS is to achieve its objectives, then there is the need for Ghana and Nigeria to stand shoulder to shoulder and take the lead for others to follow,” he said.
Mr Obanikoro made the call when he paid a courtesy call on the Minister for Tourism and Diasporan Relations, Mrs Oboshie Sai Coffie, in Accra yesterday.
The call was to enable the High Commissioner to introduce himself to the minister and seek her support in deepening the level of co-operation between the two countries.
Mr Obanikoro recalled the long-standing co-operation between Ghana and Nigeria and stated that the tourism industry was one area where both countries could come together and see how they could develop their potential to enable them to benefit from the industry.
To that end, the High Commissioner announced the holding of a business summit between Ghanaian and Nigerian businessmen to usher in the establishment of the Ghana-Nigeria Chamber of Commerce aimed at improving trade between the two countries.
Mr Obanikoro, however, expressed worry over what he called the slow down of the activities of the Pan-African Festival (PANAFEST) which was instituted by Ghana to bring together Africans living on the continent and those in the Diaspora.
He noted that PANAFEST was a major festival that held the key to positively portraying African culture and, therefore, urged the Ghanaian authorities to work hard to sustain the interest that festival had generated among Africans.
He said PANAFEST was a dynamic festival that should be harnessed for the benefit of the sub-region and Africa as a whole and called for measures to revive the fortunes of the festival.
He expressed concern over the activities of some Nigerian miscreants which, he noted, had given Nigeria a bad image in the eyes of Ghanaians and said efforts were being made, in collaboration with the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), to curb the situation.
Mr Obanikoro gave assurance that the High Commission would not shield such bad nuts whose activities had overshadowed the good works of most Nigerians who were living in peace with their Ghanaian hosts.
He congratulated Ghana on its discovery of oil in commercial quantities and expressed the hope that the country would learn lessons from Nigeria’s experience in the industry to make the discovery a blessing.
Replying, Mrs Coffie noted that close collaboration between the two countries would ensure rapid economic development and noted that the tourism sector had a bigger potential to grow if it was given the needed support.
She stated that measures had been put in place through the institution of the oil and gas forum to enable the country to learn from the experiences not only of Nigeria but also other oil-producing countries.
Also at the ministry to pay a courtesy call on the minister was the new Indian High Commissioner to Ghana, Mrs Ruchi Ghanashyam.
Deliberations between them centred on the tourism sector, during which Mrs Ghanashyam called on the government to give more attention to the tourism sector in order to make the country the preferred tourist destination in Africa.

Hearing women’s voices in politics — WiLDAF takes initiative

Page 11, July 24, 2008
Article: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah & Gifty Appiah-Adjei
BARELY five months away, Ghanaians will go to the polls to elect a President and 230 parliamentarians to be in charge of the country’s decision-making.
However, the issue of low participation of women in decision-making has been of critical concern to women and civil society organisations.
Available statistics indicate that women occupy only 25 seats (11 per cent) out of the 230 seats in Parliament, comprising 20 females from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and five from the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
At the district assembly level, women constitute 10 per cent of assembly members while in the Public Service, there are only five female chief directors as against 30 male chief directors.
The country also has three female members of the Council of State as against 21 males, four female ministers out of 30 and 14 female deputy ministers out of 49.
The situation has even taken a nosedive as already six women out of the 25 who are currently in Parliament are not contesting in the forthcoming parliamentary elections.
Female MPs such Ms Anna Nyamekye (Jaman South) and Ms Hilda Josephine Addo (Kwadaso) lost their bid to come back to the next Parliament to males, during the primaries, while Mrs Gladys Asmah (Takoradi), Ms Christine Churcher (Cape Coast), Ms Theresah Amaley Tagoe (Ablekuma South) and Mrs Grace Coleman, all of who did not contest during the primaries, have had their slots filled by males.
It will, therefore, be a miracle if women are to maintain the current 11 per cent representation in Parliament let alone go beyond it.
But all is not lost as there has been a steady increase in the appointment of females to leadership positions since 2001. Mention can be made of the Chief Justice, Mrs Georgina Wood; the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Mrs Elizabeth Mills-Robertson, and recently the Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang.
It is against this background that the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs and a lot of civil society organisations have stepped up their advocacy to push women issues to the forefront and make sure that women make an impact during the December elections and beyond.
One of such organisations that has currently launched a programme to increase the number of women voted into office and to highlight gender equality and women’s empowerment concerns is the Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF), Ghana.
Dubbed “We Know Politics: Hearing Women’s Voices in Ghana’s 2008 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections”, the programme seeks to connect Ghanaians from all walks of life — including citizens from rural areas, aspiring presidential and parliamentary candidates, women’s rights non-governmental organisations, the media and legal literacy volunteers/paralegals — to ensure that women issues are raised during this year’s campaigning and the next four years.
The project will embark on a national capacity-building leadership workshop for 40 leaders of women’s rights organisations and organise 10 regional consultations involving 500 women and gender advocates to include women’s concerns in the elections.
Again, the project will televise a live Women’s Dialogue between presidential candidates and women from all backgrounds across the country, inform citizens of their civil rights, the role of their parliamentarians and encourage then to vote for female candidates through public information and awareness activities.
There will also be an encounter with the leaders of churches who worship on Sundays to impress upon them about the need to cut short their service to enable their members to have time to vote.
The “We Know Politics” project will organise training sessions for 200 legal literacy volunteers/paralegals from all the 10 regions of Ghana to educate citizens at the district and local levels, on their responsibilities during the elections and lobby eminent Ghanaians and key media analysts to include gender concerns in elections discussions.
The British Department for International Development (DFID) and the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Ghana are sponsoring the project.
Launching the project, a Member of the Council of State, Mrs Gifty Afenyi-Dadzie, stated that there were many issues of concern to women that must be tackled by politicians, the government, the private sector and civil society.
She mentioned some of these concerns as violence against women, health, economic empowerment and property rights, among others, and noted that these could be addressed when women deliberated on them with one voice.
“I believe that because women’s numbers count during elections, no politician would want to ignore what women are saying,” she added.
She explained that the collective agenda of women in Ghana was important, since “each one of us has a role to play in ensuring that issues of gender equality and women’s empowerment do not remain only in the books but are realities that transform lives of the very vulnerable in society”.
She called on women to act and not just talk, in order to achieve goals they had set for themselves.
In a speech read on her behalf, the Minister of Women and Children’s Affairs, Hajia Alima Mahama, called on women to improve their skills in public speaking, lobbying and communication as these qualities were critical within the political arena.
She advised women in politics not to allow problems such as low education and lack of financial and material resources to be a barrier in their bid to enhance their participation in politics and decision-making.
The Social and Development Advisor of DFID, Dr Sonya Sultan, commended Ghana for giving much attention to issues such as girls’ education, women’s health and employment opportunities.
She, however, expressed regret at women’s participation in politics, explaining that it was not always easy for women to contribute to political debates.
“A robust democracy requires that political debates, especially at a crucial time such as the run-up to the general election, include issues of concern to women in Ghana who, after, all account for half the electorate,” she said.
The Dutch Ambassador to Ghana, Ms Lidi Remmelzwaal, expressed the hope that the project would contribute to deepen the debate on issues of gender equity and help address the existing imbalance to achieve a more equitable representation of women in all spheres of the Ghanaian society.

Edward Mahama on US tour

Page 15, July 23, 2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah

THE Presidential aspirant of the People’s National Convention (PNC), Dr Edward Nasigre Mahama, left Accra on Monday for a two-week tour of some states in the United States of America (USA).
He was accompanied by his wife, Comfort; the Chairman of the party, Alhaji Ahmed Ramadan; and Mr Haruna Sumani, a political analyst.
While in the US, Mr Mahama will attend the Sister City Conference at Michigan from July 23 to 26.
He would attend the Ghana First Anniversary at Illinois. The anniversary is celebrated by Ghanaians resident in the area to showcase Ghanaian culture.
Mr Mahama told the Daily Graphic that he would visit Washington DC to hold meetings with political leaders and supporters of the PNC in the US.
Asked why he had chosen to campaign in the US, the PNC leader explained that eventhough Ghanaians abroad would not take part in the December elections, they had influence on the voting pattern of their relatives living in Ghana.
He called on Ghanaians to give him the mandate to rule the country to ensure improvement in their lives.

'CPP will improve business climate'

Frontpage, July 23, 2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah & Maud A. Koranteng
THE Convention People’s Party (CPP) yesterday launched its manifesto for the 2008 elections, with a promise to improve Ghana’s business climate by ensuring an investment in job creation to encourage Ghanaians to stay at home to develop the country.
The creation of jobs forms part of actions the party has outlined under a 10-point agenda intended to enable Ghanaians to feel the changes that will take place under a CPP government.
Launching the 96-page manifesto, code-named “New Dawn, New Vision”, the flag bearer of the party, Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, said a CPP government led by him would support Ghanaian industries, farmers and fishermen with low-interest loans, technical assistance, tax incentives and priority access to the Ghanaian market.
He said under the 10-point agenda, the party would also create a just and disciplined society, with a passion for excellence, to ensure the attainment of per capita income of at least $5,000 and work to move the country progressively from being a Third World country to a First World one.
“The CPP administration will use government’s purchasing power to ensure that we eat what we grow and use what we produce in Ghana,” he said, adding that efforts would be made to implement solutions with a sense of urgency to meet the country’s domestic needs for industry.
He added that the party also intended to sponsor changes in the 1992 Constitution to abolish the provision that allowed Ministers of State to also serve as Members of Parliament (MPs).
Dr Nduom was confident that the CPP could win the December elections, explaining that the party had put measures in place to recruit new members through a national movement led by young men and women across the country.
He stated that the party’s most enthusiastic members were young men and women who had discovered the CPP tradition and wanted to help to make it a successful party for the 21st century.
Dr Nduom said Ghanaians wanted an alternative after their experience with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP), adding, “We are organising a united, strengthened CPP to be the alternative and win the 2008 elections. A vote for the CPP this year is the vote that will put ‘Edwumawura’ back to the Flagstaff House.”
He said he considered himself a team builder and unifier, both in business and politics, saying that Ghanaians were tired of divisive politics.
He stated that his experience as a CPP person in an NPP administration had given him the strength and the ability to reach out to members of other political parties to find a common ground in solving national issues.
“I am convinced that I have an effective approach to a government that will move us speedily out of the Third World to the First World. This includes finding an effective way to harness the experience, expertise, work habits and financial strengths of Ghanaians abroad for the benefit of the country,” he said.
He explained that in 1957, there was excitement, enthusiasm, a high spirit of patriotism and a feeling of “we are in control of our own destiny” as Ghanaians basked in the glory of living in a new independent country.
Dr Nduom said, however, that in 2008, Ghanaians were crying for “something new, something different, something inspiring and a leadership of the people that will break the back of poverty and lead to prosperity for all”.
“This is the new dawn that the CPP, now reborn, is offering and in our manifesto is a vision that is refreshing and promises the same sense of urgency to national development that our great party brought to the noble task of achieving our independence from colonial power,” he said.
The Leader of the Manifesto Team of the party, Dr Nii Moi Thompson, said the policy document reflected the views and intentions of the CPP on various developmental issues of domestic and international importance.
The manifesto has been grouped under four broad areas, namely, Social Policy, Economic Policy, Responsive Governance and International Relations.
With these policy areas, the party has identified three short-term priority areas that it will address immediately after it has been re-elected into office.
These include public safety, the provision of essential social services such as water, electricity and sanitation and job creation, with the launch of what it calls the Ghana Emergency Employment Programme (GEEP), which is aimed primarily at the youth.
Besides the 96-page manifesto is a 70-page short version which has been simplified for the understanding of the ordinary Ghanaian.
The Chairman of the party’s Political Committee, Dr Kwaku Osafo, said the clamour for the manifestos of parties contesting the 2008 elections was a manifestation of civic awareness that had been created among Ghanaian voters.
He said the CPP was looking forward to campaigns based on issues, coupled with implementable promises, and called on all its supporters to rally behind Dr Nduom to clinch a “one-touch victory”.
The National Chairman of the party, Mr Ladi Nylander, noted that the sense of urgency that the CPP brought to national development in the 1950s and early 60s was missing.
He said it was, therefore, time for the CPP to restore that, explaining that the party’s 2008 manifesto had provided answers to the cries of the people for a new dawn and a new vision in the country.
“We believe that the state has the moral duty to use its power to promote high rates of economic growth and ensure that the wealth from that growth is shared equitably among Ghanaians,” he said.

Review coupon system-Labik

Page 47, July 21, 2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Member of Parliament for Bunkprugu Yunyoo, Mr Joseph Labik, has called for a review of the current arrangement, whereby farmers use coupons to purchase fertiliser at a subsidised price.
He stated that although the policy was laudable and would enable farmers to improve on their yield and increase their incomes, the cumbersome nature of obtaining coupons, especially in the three northern regions, was eroding the gains that the system sought to bring to farmers.
Mr Labik told newsmen that due to the large coverage for the few extension officers in the three northern regions, farmers had to spend more than two days chasing them for the coupons.
Mr Labik explained that even when the farmers managed to get to the extension officers, they were told that the coupons were finished.
He added that the situation now was reducing productivity contrary to the government’s intention of assisting the farmers to increase productivity.
Mr Labik explained that under the policy the government had subsidised 600,000 bags of fertilisers for farmers throughout the country out of which 198,000 bags had been allocated to the three northern regions.
He said that the allocations of fertiliser and coupons to the three northern regions were inadequate and asked that they should be increased.
Mr Labik advised that if the coupon system would not work to perfection, then a new method should be adopted to enable farmers to get the fertiliser from the open market.
He stated that the situation had made fertiliser an essential commodity, forcing farmers to do a wild goose chase for the commodity everyday instead of working on their farms.

Declare election of Amoako null and void — Legal Committee

Page 16, July 21, 2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah

THE Legal Committee of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has recommended to the party to declare as null and void the application, vetting and election of Professor Kwadwo Amoako as its aspiring parliamentary candidate for Abuakwa North.
The committee took the decision after its meeting on July 9, 2008, during which it deliberated on the matter based on a number of documents it received.
According to a letter addressed to the party’s National Chairman, Mr Peter Mac-Manu, the committee said it received petitions from the Abuakwa North Constituency Chairman, Mr Douglas Asare, the sitting Member of Parliament, Mr J.B. Danquah Adu, the Polling Station Chairman of the constituency, Mr Kwabena Asare, and a response from Prof. Amoako.
According to the letter, the committee took that decision because “at the time of submitting his application for adoption as a Member of Parliament, per the party’s constitution, Article II (4) and VI, Prof Amoako was not eligible to apply as he owed allegiance to another country other than Ghana”.
“The declaration was, therefore false as of that time he did not qualify to be elected as an MP, being a citizen of another country, ” the letter explained.
Article II (4) (VI) of the NPP Constitution states that “No member shall be entitled to apply for nomination as the party’s parliamentary candidate for any constituency unless he or she qualifies under the electoral laws to be a parliamentary candidate for the constituency”.
The letter explained that when Dr Amoako made a declaration on his citizenship, he declared that he was qualified to be elected to Parliament under the Constitution of the Fourth Republic and the party’s Constitution, Rules and Regulations.
However, the committee found out as per the attachment of Mr Douglas Asare’s petition documents emanating from the US Embassy and the Embassy of Ghana that Prof Amoako was still an American citizen as of June 10, 2008.
It also indicated that he naturalised in the New York City on March 10, 1995 and held an American passport.
There was no record indicating that he had renounced his citizenship.

House passes Road Traffic Amendment Bill

Page 14, July 21, 2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
PARLIAMENT has passed the Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill which was introduced in the House on July 14, 2008.
If given presidential assent, it will reduce the number of the penalty units for each motor traffic offence to 10 per cent units specified in the Road Traffic Act, 2004 (Act 683).
Act 683 had, over the past four years, been the only law relied on to deal with motor traffic offences in the country.
According the report of the Parliamentary Committee on Road and Transport, if the bill was passed, an offence attracting 100 penalty units (GH¢1,200) would now attract 10 penalty units (GH¢120).
The Deputy Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr Kwame Osei-Prempeh, who moved the motion for the second reading of the bill, argued that the increase in the fines paved the way for some motor traffic offenders to pay bribes to some law enforcement officers in order to avoid prosecution.
The need to decrease the penalty units for each motor traffic offence to 10 per cent was, therefore, aimed at reducing the excessive fines paid by motor traffic offenders in order to avert the situation whereby money intended for state coffers would be diverted.
In its deliberations, the Road and Transport Committee noted that the level of indiscipline among some drivers and its attendant carnage on the roads left much to be desired.
In their submissions, Members of Parliament (MPs) who contributed to the ensuing debate noted that the reduction in fines imposed on motor traffic offenders was a step in the right direction.
They, however, called for measures to make offending drivers to pay on-the-spot fines to avoid the problem they went through at the courts when they were sent before the courts for committing motor traffic offences.
Meanwhile, the debate on the second reading of the National Pension Reform Bill which began yesterday had to be suspended because of the fewer number of MPs who were present in the chamber.
The Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, moved the motion for the second reading of the bill and was seconded by the Chairman of the Finance Committee of the House, Nii Adu Daku Mante.
Presenting the report of the Finance Committee on the bill, Nii Mante said the bill was to provide for pension reforms in the country by the introduction of a contributory three-tier pension scheme.
There would also be the establishment of a National Pensions Regulatory Authority to oversee the administration and management of registered pension schemes and trustees of registered pension schemes, among other provisions.
The bill provides that there will be a transitional period of five years to allow for the unification of the existing schemes into the three-tier scheme.

Parliament fails to debate Vodafone deal

Page 19, July 20, 2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE anticipated debate by Parliament to approve the sale and purchase agreement between the government and Vodafone could not come off as expected.
The debate would have centred on the 70 per cent ordinary shares of Ghana Telecommunications Company Limited expected to be sold at $900 million to Vodafone.
The issue was scheduled for the day’s business and both the Minority and the Majority sides had mobilised their members for what was to be a hectic debate before the adjournment of the House, and so it came as a surprise when the Deputy Majority Leader, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, advised the Speaker to bring proceedings of the House to an end.
“Mr Speaker, although we have not finished the business of the day, reports on some of the items earmarked for discussion are not ready.”
Following this request, MPs from the Minority, who had already kicked against the deal, shouted “hear, hear” amidst laughter.
The Speaker, therefore, called on the Minority Chief Whip, Mr John Tia, to give his closing remarks to end the Second Meeting of the Fourth Session of the Fourth Parliament.
In his remarks, Mr Tia acknowledged that the meeting had been a hectic one and commended the Speaker and his two deputies, MPs, staff of the Parliamentary Service and the Parliamentary Press Corps for their respective roles in ensuring a successful meeting.
For his part, Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu noted that although the meeting was short, the House was able to take far-reaching decisions that would go a long way to impact positively on the lives of Ghanaians.
He stated that since very important issues scheduled for discussions during the day could not be done, the House might be reconvened, if the need arose.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu called on his colleagues to ensure a peaceful electioneering during the recess in order for them to come back to the House refreshed for the next meeting.
The Speaker, Mr Ebenezer Begyina Sekyi Hughes, thanked the leadership of the House for assisting him to steer affairs during the meeting.
He said the House was saddened by the death of the former Speaker, Mr Peter Ala Adjetey, and that the leadership of the House was in touch with the bereaved family to ensure that he was given a fitting burial.
The House is expected to reconvene on Tuesday, October 7, 2008.

Parliament approves two loans

Page 54, July 17, 2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
PARLIAMENT yesterday approved two loan agreements totalling $60.4 million to support the implementation of the Northern Rural Growth Programme (NRGP).
The first was a $50 million loan agreement between the government and the African Development Fund (ADF) while the second was a $400,000 loan agreement between the government and the International Fund for Agricultural Development.
The marked seasonal hunger and malnutrition experienced in the three northern regions has partly been attributed to low productivity of the farming system in the area.
In addition to high illiteracy rate, both income and non-income indicators of poverty in the area are in all cases below national averages.
The NRGP was, therefore, designed to improve the situation through commodity chain development, rural infrastructure development, access to financial services and programme co-ordination.
This is to eventually contribute to equitable and sustainable poverty reduction and food security among rural households.
Members of Parliament (MPs) who contributed to the debate for the approval of the two loans, called on the government to ensure that the loans were used for the purpose for which they were contracted.
The Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Prof. George Gyan-Baffour, called for a more co-ordinated approach to all development programmes in the three northern regions to achieve their goals.
Meanwhile, the sector minister, Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, yesterday briefed the House about the upcoming first high-level forum on aids to be hosted by Ghana between September 2 and 4, 2008.
He said the primary objectives of the forum were to review progress in implementing the 2005 Paris Declaration on the effectiveness of aids and broaden the dialogue on aid effectiveness.
The forum is expected to be attended by delegates from all over the world.

Geneva Conventions Bill goes through 2nd reading

Page 15, July 16, 2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah

THE Geneva Conventions Bill, currently before Parliament, has passed through its second reading stage of passage.
The Geneva Conventions are part of the International Humanitarian Law, made up of a set of rules that seek to protect people.
People which the law seeks to protect include civilians, medical, religious and military personnel and people who do not participate in fighting during war.
It also seeks to mitigate the effects of armed conflict and protect persons who were no longer participating in hostilities or have ceased to take part in war, including the wounded, shipwrecked, sick combatants and prisoners of war.
The Deputy Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr Kwame Osei-Prempeh, moved the motion for the second reading of the bill and was seconded by the Chairman of the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee of the Parliament, Mr Yaw Baah.
Presenting the report of the committee, Mr Baah stated that the bill sought to give effect to the object and purpose of the four Geneva Conventions of August 12, 1949 and additional protocols of June 10, 1977 by providing for their incorporation in Ghana’s domestic laws.
He said although International Humanitarian Law seemed to have gained universal acceptance, there were repeated violations which had made it necessary for states to ensure respect for these laws and their implementation.
Ghana ratified the four Geneva Conventions on August 2, 1958 and was the first signatory to the Additional Protocols in 1977.
In his contribution to the debate on the bill, the Deputy Minister of Defence and Member of Parliament for Akropong, Mr William Ofori Boafo, stated that the bill was consistent with the criminal and constitutional laws of Ghana which sought to protect the dignity of the individual.
“Since Ghana is part of the international community, it is appropriate to incorporate these international laws in its domestic laws”, he stated.

Parliament pays tribute to Ala Adjetey

Centre spread, July 16, 2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
MEMBERS of Parliament (MPs) from both sides of the House yesterday paid tribute to the immediate past Speaker of Parliament, Mr Peter Ala Adjetey, who died at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital earlier in the day.
The MPs were united in their submissions that the Speaker lived by principles, equity and fair play in the handling of affairs of the House.
That, they noted, was vividly shown by his even handedness on the floor of the House during his tenure of office.
The MPs were speaking to the Daily Graphic on the death of Mr Adjetey, who was the second Speaker of the Fourth Republic.
The nation woke up yesterday to hear about the death of Mr Adjetey at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital after a short illness.
Although nothing was said about his death on the floor of the House, MPs were seen in groups discussing the issue before and after sitting.
The mood in the House depicted nothing about the death of the former Speaker as the day’s business went on as usual but the MPs who offered to speak to the press outside the floor were sad and devastated about that sudden occurrence.
Staff of the Parliamentary Service, most of whom preferred referred to Mr Adjetey as “Mr Order” because of the deep baritone voice with which he used to call the House to order, also joined the MPs in expressing shock at the news of the former Speaker’s death.
“It is unfortunate that the country cannot currently boast of a living former Speaker,” one of them was heard saying.
The Deputy Majority Leader and MP for Suame, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, described Mr Adjetey as a diligent lawyer who was very meticulous, adding that “he was a strict disciplinarian who attached much value to his time”.
He said Mr Adjetey brought his convictions to bear on the running of the House and in the end stood tall as one of the finest brains that the country could boast of.
“Both the Majority and Minority can testify that he was an impartial arbiter who distinguished himself during his tenure of office,” he said.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said although the late former Speaker was strict, he gave room for his subordinates to explain their line of thoughts in order to convince him to toe their line.
The immediate past Majority Leader, Mr Felix Owusu-Adjapong, said Ghana, the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) and Parliament had lost a “great pillar of democracy”.
“He has paid his due to the country, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and parliamentary democracy. His death is a great loss to the country,” he said, adding that followers of the NPP would have wished that he lived to witness the outcome of the December elections.
The Deputy Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr Kwame Osei-Prempeh, said he saw Mr Adjetey as a statesman who always insisted on excellence and never compromised with mediocrity.
“Wherever he found himself, he brought his experience to bear to ensure excellence in that institution,” he said, adding that “he never feared to call truth by its name, no matter the consequences”.
The MP for Asuogyaman, Mr Kofi Osei-Ameyaw, stated that Mr Adjetey was an astute lawyer who made his mark, both in his chosen profession and on the country’s political front.
He said by so doing, the former Speaker had left footprints for the present and future generations to follow.
The Minority Leader, Mr Alban Bagbin, said he admired Mr Adjetey’s effort at ensuring the independence of Parliament.
“I saw him as a hardworking and dedicated lawyer and politician who used his energy and knowledge in the service of his country, leaving an indelible mark in the process,” he added.
“He will be remembered for his honesty, truthfulness and the principled stance he took on a number of national issues,” he said.
The MP for Ho, Mrs Juliana Azumah-Mensah, said although he did not know much about the late Speaker, she admired the way he had conducted the affairs of Parliament.
For his part, the MP for Keta, Mr Dan Abodakpi, stated that Mr Adjetey contributed a lot to parliamentary democracy through his impartiality during his tenure as the Speaker of the House.
The Convention People’s Party (CPP) presidential aspirant and MP for Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abirem, Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, said the country had lost a leader who was committed to change.
He said Mr Adjetey advocated the election of district chief executives and expressed the hope that that aspiration would be fulfilled even after his death.
Mr Adjetey was the Speaker of Parliament from January 7, 2001 to January 6, 2005. He succeeded Mr Daniel Francis Annan and was succeeded by the current Speaker, Mr Ebenezer Begyina Sekyi Hughes.
He was born on August 11, 1931 and obtained his basic education at St Paul's School at La, a suburb of Accra, and the Accra Bishop Boys' School. He had his secondary education was at Accra Academy, before he proceeded to the University College of the Gold Coast (now the University of Ghana), where he obtained the University of London intermediate Bachelor of Arts degree in 1954.
He then proceeded to the United Kingdom, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Nottingham in 1958.
Mr Adjetey was called to the Bar at the Middle Temple in London in 1959 and returned to Ghana in the same year when he was called to the Ghana Bar.
From 1959 to 1962, Mr Adjetey worked as a Law Officer at the Attorney-Generals' Department. He was also a part-time lecturer at the Institute of Adult Education, University of Ghana, between 1960 and 1962 and a part-time lecturer at the Ghana School of Law between 1964 and 1968.
He also served on numerous boards at various times, including membership of the Judicial Council of Ghana from 1984 to 1989. He was the President of the Ghana Bar Association between 1985 and 1989.
Mr Adjetey was the MP for Kpeshie during the Third Republic and served as the leader of the United National Convention (UNC) Parliamentary group during that period.
In 1995, he became the National Chairman of the NPP, a position he held until 1998, after which he was appointed the President of the African Bar Association in 2000.

Review assets declaration regime — Haruna Iddrisu

Page 17, July 11, 2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah

THE Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale South, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, yesterday called for a review of the country’s assets declaration regime of public office holders to enable the law to achieve its desired results.
He said the country’s current assets declaration regime makes it impossible to determine whether a public officer possesses or had acquired disproportionate assets.
“The absence of a strong assets declaration regime encourages graft culture, as it makes it difficult to take quick and corrective measures against corrupt practices by public officers.
In a statement on the floor of Parliament, Mr Iddrisu said that to make the country’s assets declaration meaningful and ensure probity in public life, verification should be easy and open.
“There must be some institutional mechanisms to crosscheck whether what is declared is correct”, he stated.
Mr Haruna, therefore, stressed the need for the country to develop a new mechanism to monitor such declarations as well as compare the income of a person to his declared assets.
“This is the only way we can check and charge public officials for illicit enrichments if they are deemed to live above their means and have brazenly acquired property/assets”, he said.
By so doing, he said assets that had been acquired illicitly could be traced, frozen and forfeited.
Mr Haruna also called for a system that would make it an obligation for public office holders to justify their assets which were far above their legitimate sources of income.
He said that there was the need to introduce a system of periodically monitoring assets and lifestyles of public officers, where appropriate, by an independent agency.
Contributing to the statement, the MP for Tamale Central, Mr Inusah Fuseini, said concerns had been raised by the general public about the lifestyle of public office holders.
He therefore called for the expansion of Article 286 of the 1992 Constitution on assets declaration to include spouses and children of holders of public officers.
“The reality on the ground is that because of the loophole in the law, people have found it convenient to hide their ill-gotten wealth in the names of their spouses and children”, he stated.
For his part, the MP for Ofoase/Ayirebi, Mr David Oppon-Kusi, stated that corruption should be fought from all fronts adding that assets declaration was one way of fighting corruption.
He was, however, of the view that there should be a comprehensive approach to fight corruption and explained that institutions such as Parliament and the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), among others should be strengthened.
When he caught the eye of the Speaker, the MP for Lower West Akim, Mr Samuel Sallas-Mensah, commended Mr Haruna for his statement and hinted that an anti-corruption coalition was currently looking at the Asset Declaration Act.
He stated that preparations were underway for the introduction of a Legislative Instrument (L.I) in Parliament to enable the Auditor-General to work effectively towards the implementation of the Asset Declaration Act.
The Deputy Majority Leader, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, noted that it had become ritualistic for the issue of declaration of assets to be raised whenever the term of a particular parliament was coming to an end and explained that the issue was also raised in 2000 and 2004.
He, therefore, called on the House to take a definite action on the matter once and for all.
The Minority Leader, Mr Alban Bagbin, explained that the current law on acquisition of property was that spouses were joint holders of all property acquired in a couple’s their lifetime.
As a result, he called for the amendment of the Asset Declaration Law to bring it in conformity the tenets of the acquisition of property by spouses.

PNC launches manifesto tomorrow

Page 17, July 11, 2008
By Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah

The PNC would be the first political party in the country to outdoor its manifesto, an activity that is slated for tomorrow.
The party’s flag bearer, Dr Edward Nasigre Mahama, will launch the 58-page manifesto at a rally in Tamale.
It is expected that the launching of the manifesto would put the PNC in a new phase of the party’s campaign to clinch victory, come December, 2008 to enable it implement its plans to improve the lot of Ghanaians.
The party's launch has the theme; "Economic Prosperity Now, Youth Empowerment and Economic Independence Sooner,"
According to Dr Mahama, "We have earmarked how each regional capital should be rejuvenated so as to raise the standard of living of people in the rural areas".
He said towns such Nyinahin, Ejura-Attebubu corridor, Yeji, Buipe, Aflao and Bawku with various natural resources would be developed and made attractive to minimise the rural-urban drift.
Aspects of the manifesto with regard to urban renewal also seek to address the sanitation problems in Accra and Kumasi.
Another highlight of the manifesto is the creation of what is termed “the Golden Age of Productivity” which is aimed at providing support for industries and the agricultural sector.
According to Dr Mahama, a PNC administration under his leadership would allocate a portion of the national budget to set up a Research and Development (R&D) Fund to translate indigenous scientific research findings into commercial ventures that would further enhance the industrial capacity of the country.
At a recent interactive meeting organised by the Association of Ghana Industries, Dr Mahama mentioned inefficient and unreliable electric power and water supplies as the bane of the country’s economy.
Within the manifesto is also a plan to examine the current international agreements in the World Trade Organisation; ECOWAS; the Trade Liberalisation Scheme and the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and also look for innovative ways to strengthen Ghanaian industrialists in such arrangements.

Legal framework needed for credit union operations

Page 30, July 11, 2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Chairman of the Accra Academy Credit Union, Mr Peter Nortsu-Kotoe, has called for the institution of a legal framework to govern the operations of credit unions.
He stated that since credit unions were basically welfare organisations, laws governing their operations should be different from those governing other financial institutions.
Mr Nortsu-Kotoe was speaking at the annual general meeting of the union in Accra.
He stated that the credit union concept had come to save many people, especially those within the low income group.
Mr Nortsu-Kotoe noted that the union, which was established five years ago, was doing well in spite of the scepticism that was harboured during its inception because of some experiences that the Accra Academy community went through with regard to managing group finances,
‘That fear is now a thing of the past and we can say that almost every member of both the teaching and non-teaching staff is a member”, he said.
He stated that the membership had increased from 93 to 393 with a total assets value of over GH¢135,000.00
Mr Nortsu-Kotoe expressed the hoped that the total assets of the union would hit the GH¢200,000.00 by the end of the current fiscal year.
He said that the union had acquired 150 plots of land at Papase Number One on the Kasoa-Bawjiase Road at the cost of GH¢140,000.00 for sale to its members.
In his address, the Audit Co-ordinator of the Ghana Co-operative Credit Union Association (CUA), Mr Seth Agyemfra Ayeh, said that after 53 years of the existence of credit union, the concept was growing fast because the leadership was prepared to leave a legacy for the next generation.
He congratulated the Accra Academy Credit Union for its achievement and expressed the hope that the leadership would continue to improve on the union’s efficiency in order to provide quality service to its members.

Involve males in family planning-MPs

Page 45, July 11, 2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
MEMBERS of Parliament (MPs) have called on the Ministry of Health to intensify the promotion of the practice of family planning as its contribution to the country’s quest to attain a middle-income status by 2015.
They noted that the support and involvement of males in family planning were crucial for the achievement of the desired goals of the concept.
The MPs were contributing to a statement made on the floor of the House by the Chairman of the Population Caucus of the House, Ms Theresah Ameley Tagoe, to commemorate World Population Day, which fell yesterday.
The global theme for the celebration of the day was, “Family Planning is right — Let’s make it real”, while in Ghana the theme was, “Repositioning Family Planning is a must for national development — Let’s make it real”.
In her statement, Ms Tagoe noted that the right to plan one’s family was among the rights and fundamental freedoms that applied to every person everywhere.
She reminded the House that in 1994 the International Conference on Population and Development called on all countries to take steps to meet the family planning needs of populations and provide universal access to a full range of safe and reliable family planning methods by 2015.
Ms Tagoe, who is also the MP for Ablekuma South, stated that progress towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) was tracked using indicators related to family planning.
“Family planning is good for families, since smaller, healthier families can save for the education of their children and have a better chance of escaping from poverty,” she said.
She said lack of access to family planning information and services, especially for poor women in the rural areas, and the fact that many young people did not have access to separate, confidential and youth friendly services that could offer the needed information had contributed to low contraceptive use in Ghana.
“Mr Speaker, the result of this situation is that Ghana has a rapid population growth rate of 2.3 per cent, a high fertility rate of 4.4, a low contraceptive prevalence rate of 19 per cent and an unacceptably high maternal mortality ratio of 214 per 100,000 live births,” she said.
Ms Tagoe stated that as the country moved forward, it needed to promote family planning and place it high on its development agenda and called on Parliament, which is male dominated, to blaze the trail and contribute to the repositioning of family planning in the country.
Contributing to the statement, the Minority Spokesperson on Women and Children, Mrs Juliana Azumah-Mensah, called on men to accept vasectomy as a family planning method.
She called on the Ministry of Health to intensify its education on the use of contraceptives in order to demystify the practice of family planning.
Other MPs who contributed to the statement were Mr Rashid Pelpuo (Wa Central), Mr Brandford Adu (Okere) and Mr Kwaku Balado-Manu (Ahafo-Ano South).

Kyei heads pharmaceutical services

Page 54, July 10, 2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Ghana Health Service, in consultation with the Public Services Commission, has appointed Mr James Ohemeng Kyei as the Director of Pharmaceutical Services.
A letter signed by the Director-General of the GHS, Dr Elias Sory, stated that the appointment of Mr Kyei took effect from May 1, 2008.
He takes over from Mr Felix Yellu, who has attained the statutory retiring age.
Mr Kyei holds Bachelor of Pharmacy (Hons) degree from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and a Master of Science degree in Pharmaceutical Services and Medicine Control from the University of Bradford, West Yorkshire, U.K.
Until his new appointment, Mr Kyei, who has 33 years working experience in the health sector, was the Deputy Director of Pharmaceutical Services in the Western Region.
He worked at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, as the Cash-and-Carry Programme Manager for the Ashanti Region.
He has special interest in tuberculosis and health insurance and served as a resource person of the National Tuberculosis Control Programme and the Western Region GHS Focal Person on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
In January 1989, following the introduction of the district assembly concept, he was elected as the first Presiding Member of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) and held that office for three consecutive terms through re-election.
He represented the KMA at the National Consultative Assembly which prepared the 1992 Constitution.
Mr Kyei is married to Alice and they have five children.

Vodafone pact before Parliament

Page: Centre Spread, July 10, 2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE agreement between the government and Vodafone International Holdings B.V, a UK-based telecommunication company, for the sale and purchase of 70 per cent ordinary shares of the Ghana Telecommunication Company Limited for $900 million, was laid before Parliament for consideration yesterday.
The Speaker of Parliament, Mr Ebenezer Begyina Sekyi Hughes, referred the agreement to the Joint Committee on Finance and Communications soon after it had been laid for consideration and report.
The House is expected to approve the agreement before it rises on July 18, 2008.
Already, the Minority in Parliament has expressed disappointment at what it terms “the general lack of openness and transparency in the privatisation of Ghana Telecom”.
At a press conference it organised last week, the Minority asked why the government exclusively negotiated with only Vodafone, without considering other bidders who could have made higher offers.
It described the situation as “a breach of established norms and standards for the privatisation of a telecommunication entity as required by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU)”.
The Minority Ranking Member of the Committee of Communications, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, who addressed the press, said after the advertisement for the sale of GT, offers were received from prospective buyers, including Egypt Telecom, France Telecom, Globacom and a local Ghanaian-led consortium.
He said France Telecom’s bid was the highest and negotiations began with it, but in December 2007 those negotiations stalled at the due diligence stage, primarily as a result of what he described as the unrealistic asset valuation expectations of the government.
He said France Telecom’s offer was estimated at $550 million for 60 per cent shares.
Mr Haruna said in January 2008, the government announced an indefinite suspension of the sale due to its inability to reach satisfactory terms with any of the bidders.
According to him, in March 2008 overtures were made to Vodafone UK for its offer.
“Vodafone’s offer, as we were told from government’s own sources, was $960 million, with stringent caveats still far below the Minority’s expectations of $1.5 billion or more for the value of GT,” he said.
He said, however, that in the 2007 supplementary budget, the government had projected to earn $500 million from the combined sale of GT and Westel, adding that ”the Minority did not hesitate in describing those figures as abysmally low and unrealistic”.
Mr Haruna said Ghana Telecom was the only company with fixed communication assets and noted that fixed communication assets were central to the provision of broadband services, a critical need for utilising ICT for economic growth and social progress.
Given that position taken by the Minority, even before the matter was brought before the House, debate on the agreement is expected to be conducted with either side taking an entrenched position.

Parliament approves 3 loan agreements

Page 31, July 9, 2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah

PARLIAMENT has approved three loan agreements totalling $127 million between the government and the International Development Agency (IDA) for the implementation of a number of development programmes in the country.
The first, an $80 million loan, is for the implementation of Ghana’s component of the West Africa Transport and Transit Facilitation Project.
Under the project, Ghana is to rehabilitate the 103-kilometre Buipe-Tamale road, construct four rest stops along the Tema-Paga road corridor, procure Information Communication Technology equipment to fully equip two transit checkpoints and rest stops.
A Satellite Transit Truck Village will also be constructed along the Tema Port.
The four rest stops would be constructed for transit trucks at the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) intervening stations at Savelugu, Sakam, Kintampo and another one to be sited between Kumasi and Nsawam.
The second agreement, which is a $25 million loan to finance the Agricultural Development Policy Operation, would be used for the implementation of the Food and Agriculture Sector Development Policy (FASDEP).
The policy seeks to address the existing challenges in the sector and to ensure food security, emergency preparedness and the application of science and technology in food development, among others.
This is to ensure food safety and good agricultural practices in line with international standards and to achieve projected growth targets.
The third loan of $22 million will provide additional assistance in support of the Community-based Rural Development Project (CBRDP), which is aimed at strengthening the capacity of rural communities to enhance their quality of life by improving their productive assets and rural infrastructure and to access key support services from private and public sources.
According to the report of the Finance Committee of Parliament, which deliberated on the loan, the project, which is currently ongoing, had been rated satisfactory since its commencement in 2004.
The report said, however, that persistent rains during August and September, 2007 caused massive flooding in the three northern regions as a result of which the World Bank and the government reviewed the impact of the floods and discussed how ongoing and planned projects might be adopted to accelerate help to the affected areas.
The Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Professor George Yaw Gyan-Baffour, moved the motion for the approval of the three loan agreements and he was seconded by the Chairman of the Finance Committee, Nii Adu Daku Mante.
While Members of Parliament from the Majority side, who contributed to the debate on the loans, commended the government for its efforts to improve the lots of the people, those from the Minority side asked the government to use the loans for the purpose for which they were intended.

Don’t underrate religion in conflict resolution- Rev. Palmer-Buckle

Page 16, July 3, 2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, Most Reverend Charles Palmer-Buckle has asked Parliamentarians in the West African sub-region not to underrate the role and influence of religion in conflict resolution.
“Religion is an indispensable tool in our socialisation and so religious culture must be allowed and included to help in our search for the best practice of conflict prevention, conflict management and lasting conflict resolution,” he said.
Addressing the opening session of a four-day training programme for selected members of the ECOWAS Parliament on conflict prevention and management in Accra yesterday, Most Rev Palmer-Buckle said a careful observation of all traditional festivals in the sub-region showed the very crucial role religion played in such festivals.
Dubbed “Strengthening the capacity of the ECOWAS Parliament to prevent and manage conflicts”, the purpose of the project is to develop the capacity of the MPs to enable them effectively exercise an their role in preventing and managing conflicts in the West Africa.
The project would carry out a series of seminars, training workshops and working group initiatives to develop seed institutional mechanisms, individual and organisational capacities and a strategic plan for conflict prevention and management role of the ECOWAS Parliament.
In her remarks, the In-Country Co-ordinator of the Parliamentary Centre, organisers of the training workshop, Ms Marilyn Aniwa noted that conflict was a phenomenon that occured when people with competing interests sought to fulfil those interests at the expense of others.
She stated that although democratic institutions could not completely resolve tensions, democracy could serve as a system of managing conflict and peace building.
Ms Aniwa said that Parliament, which represented a broad spectrum of the masses was uniquely designed top to address contentious issues and relationships.
She, therefore charged the participants to use their knowledge and influence to ensure that emerging conflicts within the sub-region did not escalate, thereby reducing the impact of violence conflicts on economic development.

Give PNC chance — Mahama

Page 16, July 3, 2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah

THE flag bearer of the People’s National Convention (PNC), Dr Edward Nasigre Mahama, has urged Ghanaians to give the party a chance to implement its humane policies.
He said since both the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) had failed them, the PNC should be given the mandate during the December elections.
Dr Mahama said the rising unemployment problem, which both the NDC and the NPP could not solve, was an indication of their lack of understanding of the dynamics of the situation.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic, Dr Mahama said PNC would focus on the provision of job opportunities for the youth to reduce unemployment if it was given the mandate during the December elections.
“Give the PNC your mandate and we will not fail you”, he said.
He also has called the media to be fair to all political parties in their reportage of events leading to the December elections.
He noted that the actions or inaction of the media would go a long way to determine the outcome of the elections and, therefore, reminded them of their crucial role.
“It is incumbent on the media to pay attention to the visions and aspirations of the all political parties to help the citizens make good decisions about who to choose to govern the country”, he said.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the PNC flag bearer attributed the change in government during the 2008 elections to the role played by the media.
Dr Mahama said that the PNC had a lot to offer Ghanaians and appealed to the media to ensure that the party’s activities were extensively covered by the various press houses to make it an obvious choice of the people during the forthcoming elections.
He stated that it would be sad if the media focused its attention on only the NPP and the NDC, which had failed to liberate the people from the problems confronting them.
“The PNC is the only alternative now and it is important for the media to give it the necessary attention”, he stated.

Oblogo dumping site full, New dump can last only 18 months

Frontpage, July 2, 2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
Authorities in the national capital are overwhelmed by the issue of where to dump 2,000 tonnes of refuse generated by residents daily.
The Oblogo refuse dump, which is currently being used by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), has been declared full and it will, therefore, be closed down next month.
The AMA Chief Executive, Mr Stanley Nii Adjiri-Blankson, who announced this yesterday, stated that the assembly had, therefore, found a temporary site at Saba, near Weija for use by the end of August this year.
He was briefing members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Local Government on the operations of the assembly and the state of affairs of the metropolis.
According to him, the temporary site at Saba would be able to contain the refuse generated within the city for only 18 months, after which the assembly would have no other place to dump waste.
“If that happens, it will be difficult for us to collect the waste generated in the city and the situation will not augur well for the health of residents,” he said.
Mr Adjiri-Blankson stated that the only option for the assembly was to complete the preparation of the Kwabenya Landfill Site which would be able to last for more years.
He explained, however, that the current stand-off between the assembly and residents of Kwabenya had prevented it from going on with the preparations for the use of the site.
Mr Adjiri-Blankson, therefore, appealed to the committee to assist the assembly to resolve the stand-off to enable it to use the site to ensure a clean environment within the metropolis.
He also touched on the springing up of unauthorised structures all over the metropolis and said the problem was being tackled with the recruitment of additional building inspectors to control physical development.
The chief executive added that one major problem confronting the assembly was the re-emergence f recalcitrant hawkers on pavements and streets after the assembly had spent millions of cedis to construct a magnificent shopping mall at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle.
“The reality on the ground is that most of the hawkers you see on the streets own stalls at the mall but for no apparent reason they have openly refused to occupy the stalls,” he said.
On revenue generation by the assembly, Mr Adjiri-Blankson said it undertook an exercise to collect its business operating permit fees in the latter part of 2006.
He stated that within a period of three months it was able to collect more than GH¢1.1 million, against a collection of GH¢200,000 within the same period in the previous year.
He added that the assembly had also completed the revaluation of properties in the metropolis and gave the assurance that through the exercise the assembly would increase its revenue from property rates from GH¢1.9 million to about GH¢6.5 million.
“We are also taking measures to reduce to the barest minimum the leakage in our financial system in order to achieve maximum revenue targets,” he said.
The Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Local Government, Mr Isaac Edumadze, commended the assembly for its efforts and gave the assurance that the committee would lobby the appropriate authorities to solve the problems facing the AMA.