Page 15, Dec 18, 2009
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE debate on the 2010 budget estimates for the Ministry of Roads and Highways was nearly marred when the sector Minister, Mr Joe Gidisu, and his predecessor, Dr Richard Anane, engaged in heated arguments on the floor of Parliament on a $83 million loan contracted by the former government to pay what was owed to road contractors.
The loan was contracted from the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) by the Ghana Road Fund (GRF).
But the sector minister questioned what his predecessor had used the money for and that did not go down well with Dr Anane, who sprang to his feet and challenged the basis of the minister’s assertion.
“Mr Speaker, I challenge the minister to produce documents to indicate whether the loan was not used for the purpose for which it was contracted,” he said, and called for the withdrawal of the allegation if the minister had no documents to support his claim.
He maintained that the loan had been used for the purpose for which it was contracted and called on the minister to properly check his records before making such an assertion in public.
Mr Gidisu’s assertion was in reaction to a statement made by the Ranking Member on the Roads and Highways Committee, Mr Samuel Obodai, who called on the government to take measures to pay arrears owed contractors.
In his reply, Mr Gidisu wondered why Mr Obodai should blame the government for the non-payment of the arrears when he knew that a sizeable portion of the debt had been inherited from the previous administration, during which he (Obodai) was the Chairman of the Roads and Transport Committee of Parliament.
Although the First Deputy Speaker, Mr Edward Doe Adjaho, who was in the chair, ruled that Mr Gidisu should withdraw his comment which questioned what the loan had been used for, the minister maintained his assertion and refused to withdraw.
He, however, explained that as a result of the servicing of the loan, it had become difficult for the ministry to use proceeds from the GRF to pay debts owed contractors as expected.
But when Mr Adjaho told him that he would not change his ruling, Mr Gidisu softened his stance and withdrew his comment.
The report of the Parliamentary Committee on Roads and Transport, signed by its chairman, Mr Michael Boampong, indicated that the ministry had planned to rehabilitate the Buipe-Tamale section.
The ministry would also expand the electronic tolling of roads, intensify the implementation of the law on axle load limit and also explore the public-private partnership scheme in financing, constructing and managing road infrastructure.
An amount of GH¢352,129,718 was finally approved by the House for the services of the ministry for 2010.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Power supply situation critical-Ministry
Centre Spread, Dec 16, 2009
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Ministry of Energy has admitted that the current power supply situation in the country has reached “critical” levels.
A Deputy Minister of Energy, Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, told Parliament yesterday that the supply of power was “characterised by inadequate generation reserve margin, excessive transmission network constraints and poor voltage support, especially during the peak demand period of between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. each day”.
In a statement on the floor of the House on the causes of the frequent power outages in the country and measures being put in place to address them, Mr Buah stated that voltage levels in Kumasi and northwards were below normal levels during peak periods.
He said the current total installed generation capacity was about 1,945 megawatts. However, as of December 9, 2009, due to ongoing scheduled maintenance activities, the total available capacity was about 1,425 megawatts.
He stated, however, that power generation did not appear to be a major source of the current power outages, as the total capacity should be sufficient to meet the demand and reserve requirements of the country.
Mr Buah said there had been few occasions when the total generation capacity available was almost equal to the highest peak demand of 1,400 megawatts or even below and no capacity was available for reserve.
He explained that under that condition, the system operator was forced to curtail some load to meet supply, as failure to do so could result in system collapse.
He added that over the past 10 years, electricity demand had grown at an average annual rate of about seven per cent, explaining that to keep pace with such demand, the Electricity Company of Ghana must find resources to keep expanding the network in such a way that the size of the network infrastructure had to double every 10 years.
He said to solve some of the problems, a number of network improvement projects under various funding facilities had been embarked on to tackle some of the identified problems in the distribution system.
Mr Buah stated that one of the measures adopted to minimise power outages was the introduction of the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system which was used for the automation of the high and medium voltage networks.
He added that the system, which was mainly used in Accra, was being expanded to cover Kumasi and Sekondi-Takoradi, adding that it would enhance network operation.
He said even though the number of projects was expected to bring a significant improvement in the distribution network, it was estimated that about $1 billion would be required for capital investments in the distribution system in the medium term to ensure a reliable distribution network in the country.
Meanwhile, the Appointments Committee of Parliament yesterday vetted Dr Nii Oakley Quaye-Kumah, who has been nominated by the President for the position of Deputy Minister of Health.
He promised to assist the substantive minister to implement policies of the government to ensure the good health of the people.
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Ministry of Energy has admitted that the current power supply situation in the country has reached “critical” levels.
A Deputy Minister of Energy, Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, told Parliament yesterday that the supply of power was “characterised by inadequate generation reserve margin, excessive transmission network constraints and poor voltage support, especially during the peak demand period of between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. each day”.
In a statement on the floor of the House on the causes of the frequent power outages in the country and measures being put in place to address them, Mr Buah stated that voltage levels in Kumasi and northwards were below normal levels during peak periods.
He said the current total installed generation capacity was about 1,945 megawatts. However, as of December 9, 2009, due to ongoing scheduled maintenance activities, the total available capacity was about 1,425 megawatts.
He stated, however, that power generation did not appear to be a major source of the current power outages, as the total capacity should be sufficient to meet the demand and reserve requirements of the country.
Mr Buah said there had been few occasions when the total generation capacity available was almost equal to the highest peak demand of 1,400 megawatts or even below and no capacity was available for reserve.
He explained that under that condition, the system operator was forced to curtail some load to meet supply, as failure to do so could result in system collapse.
He added that over the past 10 years, electricity demand had grown at an average annual rate of about seven per cent, explaining that to keep pace with such demand, the Electricity Company of Ghana must find resources to keep expanding the network in such a way that the size of the network infrastructure had to double every 10 years.
He said to solve some of the problems, a number of network improvement projects under various funding facilities had been embarked on to tackle some of the identified problems in the distribution system.
Mr Buah stated that one of the measures adopted to minimise power outages was the introduction of the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system which was used for the automation of the high and medium voltage networks.
He added that the system, which was mainly used in Accra, was being expanded to cover Kumasi and Sekondi-Takoradi, adding that it would enhance network operation.
He said even though the number of projects was expected to bring a significant improvement in the distribution network, it was estimated that about $1 billion would be required for capital investments in the distribution system in the medium term to ensure a reliable distribution network in the country.
Meanwhile, the Appointments Committee of Parliament yesterday vetted Dr Nii Oakley Quaye-Kumah, who has been nominated by the President for the position of Deputy Minister of Health.
He promised to assist the substantive minister to implement policies of the government to ensure the good health of the people.
EC needs funds for district level elections
Page 15, Dec 16, 2009
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
EVEN THOUGH the Electoral Commission requires GH¢67 million to conduct the 2010 district level elections, only GH¢10 million has been allocated in the 2010 budget by the government for the conduct of the elections.
The revelation was made in the report of the Special Budget Committee on the 2010 budget estimates of the commission, which was presented to Parliament by the Majority Leader; Mr Alban Bagbin at Monday’s sitting of the House.
According to the report, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MOFEP) was anticipating donor support to make up for the difference.
However, the committee observed that an amount of GH¢55,833,456 was released for the 2008 presidential and parliamentary elections and wondered whether the estimated GHC67 million would be enough for the district level election, the conduct of which is is more expensive than that of the presidential and the parliamentary elections.
While the number of vacancies for the Unit Committee is 160,000, that of the District Assemblies 5000 and the EC would, therefore require 16,000 different slates for the Unit Committee elections and 5,000 different slates for the district assemblies’ elections.
The committee noted that the number of the unit committees were on the high side and that some unit committees were unable to get the required number of persons to constitute the committees.
“It is the view of the committee that the costs of the district level elections were known to the Mininstry of Finance and Economic Planning before the preparation of the 2010 budget. The ministry should have therefore made provision in the budget for the item rather than having to finance them through donor support and contingency”.
The committee, therefore recommended to the EC, in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to review the unit committee systems in order to reduce the number and the cost of the election.
According to the report, the EC also intended to introduce electronic or biometric voter registration, which will involve the electronic capture of names, pictures and thumbprints of voters as part of the efforts to clean the voters’ register.
A pilot, would, therefore start soon with the training of personnel and a test-run of the software.
The committee therefore recommended to the MOFEP to release funds to the commission in time to enable it to implement that important activity.
It also recommended to the MOFEP to provide the EC with the necessary funds to enable it provide permanent office accommodation in all regions and districts.
It said in the 2009 budget the EC informed the House that four of its regional offices were in a deplorable state and required urgent renovation while most of its district offices were in rented premises without adequate storage facilities.
It said it was unfortunate that an amount of GH¢842,529 approved by the House for investment purposes for 2009 for the commission was not released at all by the MOFEP.
Commenting on the budget estimates for the commission some MPs stressed on the need for the EC to be properly resourced to enable it conduct free, fair and transparent elections to avoid confusions during elections.
The House approved of GH¢21,633,009 for the operations of the EC for the 2010 fiscal year.
It also approved GH¢1,495,167 for the operations of the Public Services Commission for the 2010 fiscal year.
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
EVEN THOUGH the Electoral Commission requires GH¢67 million to conduct the 2010 district level elections, only GH¢10 million has been allocated in the 2010 budget by the government for the conduct of the elections.
The revelation was made in the report of the Special Budget Committee on the 2010 budget estimates of the commission, which was presented to Parliament by the Majority Leader; Mr Alban Bagbin at Monday’s sitting of the House.
According to the report, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MOFEP) was anticipating donor support to make up for the difference.
However, the committee observed that an amount of GH¢55,833,456 was released for the 2008 presidential and parliamentary elections and wondered whether the estimated GHC67 million would be enough for the district level election, the conduct of which is is more expensive than that of the presidential and the parliamentary elections.
While the number of vacancies for the Unit Committee is 160,000, that of the District Assemblies 5000 and the EC would, therefore require 16,000 different slates for the Unit Committee elections and 5,000 different slates for the district assemblies’ elections.
The committee noted that the number of the unit committees were on the high side and that some unit committees were unable to get the required number of persons to constitute the committees.
“It is the view of the committee that the costs of the district level elections were known to the Mininstry of Finance and Economic Planning before the preparation of the 2010 budget. The ministry should have therefore made provision in the budget for the item rather than having to finance them through donor support and contingency”.
The committee, therefore recommended to the EC, in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to review the unit committee systems in order to reduce the number and the cost of the election.
According to the report, the EC also intended to introduce electronic or biometric voter registration, which will involve the electronic capture of names, pictures and thumbprints of voters as part of the efforts to clean the voters’ register.
A pilot, would, therefore start soon with the training of personnel and a test-run of the software.
The committee therefore recommended to the MOFEP to release funds to the commission in time to enable it to implement that important activity.
It also recommended to the MOFEP to provide the EC with the necessary funds to enable it provide permanent office accommodation in all regions and districts.
It said in the 2009 budget the EC informed the House that four of its regional offices were in a deplorable state and required urgent renovation while most of its district offices were in rented premises without adequate storage facilities.
It said it was unfortunate that an amount of GH¢842,529 approved by the House for investment purposes for 2009 for the commission was not released at all by the MOFEP.
Commenting on the budget estimates for the commission some MPs stressed on the need for the EC to be properly resourced to enable it conduct free, fair and transparent elections to avoid confusions during elections.
The House approved of GH¢21,633,009 for the operations of the EC for the 2010 fiscal year.
It also approved GH¢1,495,167 for the operations of the Public Services Commission for the 2010 fiscal year.
Immigration Service to establish passport application centres
Page 15, Dec 16, 2009
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) is to establish seven passport application centres throughout the country to process machine readable passports with biometric data, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni, has revealed.
Ghana, as a member of the International Civil Aviation Authority, is under obligation to begin using machine readable passports with biometric data by April 2010.
The seven centres will be located in Accra, Tamale, Ho, Sekondi/Takoradi, Kumasi, Sunyani and the Passport Office.
Alhaji Mumuni made this known when he appeared before Parliament on Monday to answer a question posed by the Member of Parliament for Ablekuma North, Mr Joe Appiah.
The MP wanted to know when the ministry would operationalise the decentralisation of the issuance of Ghanaian passports and ensure the elimination of the activities of middlemen.
Alhaji Mumuni said one key requirement for the issuance of the new passports would be the need for applicants to present themselves in person at the passport application centres for their biometric data to be captured.
He explained that for the issuance of biometric passport, a new application process and form had been designed, adding that the new application form would be sold at designated banks.
The Foreign Minister stated that there would be one-time payment, in that the cost of the application form would also include the passport processing fee.
On the elimination of middlemen, Alhaji Mumuni said under the decentralisation of the acquisition of passport under the current practice, passport application forms and those for other travel documents were sold at designated banks throughout the country.
He said it was regrettable that in spite of the relatively simple process and the requirement that passport application forms be submitted by the prospective applicants themselves, proxies succeeded in presenting applications on behalf of applicants.
“Instead of approaching the Passport Office, applicants tend to use middlemen who create the impression that they can deliver the passports timeously. Some applicants have had to pay more than the approved fees to such middlemen,” he stated.
The minister said it was the attempt to solve that problem, among others, that, under public sector reforms, a Client Service Unit was created at the Passport Office to attend to the general public twice weekly with the view to addressing complaints relating to passport acquisition.
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) is to establish seven passport application centres throughout the country to process machine readable passports with biometric data, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni, has revealed.
Ghana, as a member of the International Civil Aviation Authority, is under obligation to begin using machine readable passports with biometric data by April 2010.
The seven centres will be located in Accra, Tamale, Ho, Sekondi/Takoradi, Kumasi, Sunyani and the Passport Office.
Alhaji Mumuni made this known when he appeared before Parliament on Monday to answer a question posed by the Member of Parliament for Ablekuma North, Mr Joe Appiah.
The MP wanted to know when the ministry would operationalise the decentralisation of the issuance of Ghanaian passports and ensure the elimination of the activities of middlemen.
Alhaji Mumuni said one key requirement for the issuance of the new passports would be the need for applicants to present themselves in person at the passport application centres for their biometric data to be captured.
He explained that for the issuance of biometric passport, a new application process and form had been designed, adding that the new application form would be sold at designated banks.
The Foreign Minister stated that there would be one-time payment, in that the cost of the application form would also include the passport processing fee.
On the elimination of middlemen, Alhaji Mumuni said under the decentralisation of the acquisition of passport under the current practice, passport application forms and those for other travel documents were sold at designated banks throughout the country.
He said it was regrettable that in spite of the relatively simple process and the requirement that passport application forms be submitted by the prospective applicants themselves, proxies succeeded in presenting applications on behalf of applicants.
“Instead of approaching the Passport Office, applicants tend to use middlemen who create the impression that they can deliver the passports timeously. Some applicants have had to pay more than the approved fees to such middlemen,” he stated.
The minister said it was the attempt to solve that problem, among others, that, under public sector reforms, a Client Service Unit was created at the Passport Office to attend to the general public twice weekly with the view to addressing complaints relating to passport acquisition.
Weija NPP elects officers
Page 15, Dec 15, 2009
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Weija Constituency of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has elected Mr Albert Ekow Sam as its new chairman at the constituency’s delegates’ congress.
Mr Sam polled 434 votes to beat the incumbent, Mr Issah Tashiru, who managed to poll 196 votes while two other contenders, Mr Elvis Ben Nana Kwasi Ofori and Mr Boakye Yiadom had 19 and 68 votes respectively.
The atmosphere at the hall was a charged one as delegates waited for hours while officials of the Electoral Commission conducted the election which lasted for more than nine hours.
Amid singing and drumming, supporters extolled the virtues of their preferred candidates.
And when the officials finally announced the results, the delegates burst into singing, dancing and drumming and carried the victorious candidates on their shoulders and smeared them with powder.
Mr Victor Owusu was elected the First Vice Chairman with 425 votes beating Mr Kwaku Otchere who had 185 votes and Mr Francis Kingsley Baah, who obtained 108 votes.
Mr Joseph Nyarni was elected the Second Vice Chairman while Mr Mohammed Bashiru was elected the constituency secretary with 391 votes beating Nana Sarkodie who had 252 votes and Mr Dan Ofori Preko, who obtained only 39 votes. The position of assistant secretary was won by Nana Akyaa Afriyie.
Mr Alex Kwabena Bortey was elected as the organiser while Mr James Adu Boahen won the Youth Organiser’s position.
The position of Women’s Organiser ended in a deadlock as two candidates, Miss Alice Ofori-Atta and Miss Roselyn Danquah tied with each other having 232 votes. Two other contenders, Ms Vera Boama and Kate Senkyire had 199 and 55 votes respectively.
Speaking to newsmen after the declaration of the election, Mr Sam called on members of the NPP throughout the country to bury their differences and place the interest of the party above their parochial interests.
“Let us work as a team as we did in 2000 since without that we cannot achieve our aim of unseating the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2012 elections”, he said.
Addressing the delegates earlier, the Member of Parliament for the area, Ms Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey also stressed on unity among the rank and file of the party adding that Ghanaians had already realised their mistake by entrusting the destiny of the country into the hands of the NDC.
“What we need to do therefore is to close our ranks recapture power to redeem the people from their current predicament as a result of the NDC’s misrule”, she said.
She noted that although the NDC would try to throw dust in the eyes of the people, “what we need to do is be focused and united in order to forge ahead for victory”.
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Weija Constituency of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has elected Mr Albert Ekow Sam as its new chairman at the constituency’s delegates’ congress.
Mr Sam polled 434 votes to beat the incumbent, Mr Issah Tashiru, who managed to poll 196 votes while two other contenders, Mr Elvis Ben Nana Kwasi Ofori and Mr Boakye Yiadom had 19 and 68 votes respectively.
The atmosphere at the hall was a charged one as delegates waited for hours while officials of the Electoral Commission conducted the election which lasted for more than nine hours.
Amid singing and drumming, supporters extolled the virtues of their preferred candidates.
And when the officials finally announced the results, the delegates burst into singing, dancing and drumming and carried the victorious candidates on their shoulders and smeared them with powder.
Mr Victor Owusu was elected the First Vice Chairman with 425 votes beating Mr Kwaku Otchere who had 185 votes and Mr Francis Kingsley Baah, who obtained 108 votes.
Mr Joseph Nyarni was elected the Second Vice Chairman while Mr Mohammed Bashiru was elected the constituency secretary with 391 votes beating Nana Sarkodie who had 252 votes and Mr Dan Ofori Preko, who obtained only 39 votes. The position of assistant secretary was won by Nana Akyaa Afriyie.
Mr Alex Kwabena Bortey was elected as the organiser while Mr James Adu Boahen won the Youth Organiser’s position.
The position of Women’s Organiser ended in a deadlock as two candidates, Miss Alice Ofori-Atta and Miss Roselyn Danquah tied with each other having 232 votes. Two other contenders, Ms Vera Boama and Kate Senkyire had 199 and 55 votes respectively.
Speaking to newsmen after the declaration of the election, Mr Sam called on members of the NPP throughout the country to bury their differences and place the interest of the party above their parochial interests.
“Let us work as a team as we did in 2000 since without that we cannot achieve our aim of unseating the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2012 elections”, he said.
Addressing the delegates earlier, the Member of Parliament for the area, Ms Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey also stressed on unity among the rank and file of the party adding that Ghanaians had already realised their mistake by entrusting the destiny of the country into the hands of the NDC.
“What we need to do therefore is to close our ranks recapture power to redeem the people from their current predicament as a result of the NDC’s misrule”, she said.
She noted that although the NDC would try to throw dust in the eyes of the people, “what we need to do is be focused and united in order to forge ahead for victory”.
MP for Shai-Osudoku supports 147 students
Page 15, Dec 15, 2009
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Member of Parliament (MP) for Shai-Osudoku, Mr David Tetteh Assumeng, has presented GHC12,400.00 to 147 tertiary students in his constituency.
Out of the number, 101 students in the various universities and polytechnics were each given GHC100.00 whiles the remaining 46 who are in the various teacher training colleges each received GHC50.00.
Mr Assumeng told the Daily Graphic that his gesture, which was funded from his share of Common Fund, was to assist the needy students to meet some of the challenges they face in their quest to achieve their academic goals.
He assured parents in the area that he was prepared to partner them to educate their children, urging them to spend their incomes on educating their children for them to become useful citizens in future.
Mr Assumeng said it was in that vein that he was also using his share of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) to provide educational infrastructure in some parts of the constituency to ensure a sound atmosphere for teaching and learning.
He said that with his share of the fund, he had renovated the Adakope Basic School at the cost of GHC 5,500 and constructed two pavilions for the Kotoko and Tokpo primary schools at a cost of GHC19,702.00.
Mr Assumeng added that the government would also assist communities which had initiated projects to complete them.
He said currently he had purchased 12 packets of roofing sheets to be presented to some communities to renovate their schools in the constituency, at a cost of GHC5,040.00.
The MP said the government was committed to providing the necessary infrastructure and incentives to teachers who accept posting to the rural areas to motivate them to give their best to raise the standard of education of such areas.
Mr Assumeng thanked the people for the confidence reposed in him, and promised to work hard to meet some of the needs of the area.
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Member of Parliament (MP) for Shai-Osudoku, Mr David Tetteh Assumeng, has presented GHC12,400.00 to 147 tertiary students in his constituency.
Out of the number, 101 students in the various universities and polytechnics were each given GHC100.00 whiles the remaining 46 who are in the various teacher training colleges each received GHC50.00.
Mr Assumeng told the Daily Graphic that his gesture, which was funded from his share of Common Fund, was to assist the needy students to meet some of the challenges they face in their quest to achieve their academic goals.
He assured parents in the area that he was prepared to partner them to educate their children, urging them to spend their incomes on educating their children for them to become useful citizens in future.
Mr Assumeng said it was in that vein that he was also using his share of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) to provide educational infrastructure in some parts of the constituency to ensure a sound atmosphere for teaching and learning.
He said that with his share of the fund, he had renovated the Adakope Basic School at the cost of GHC 5,500 and constructed two pavilions for the Kotoko and Tokpo primary schools at a cost of GHC19,702.00.
Mr Assumeng added that the government would also assist communities which had initiated projects to complete them.
He said currently he had purchased 12 packets of roofing sheets to be presented to some communities to renovate their schools in the constituency, at a cost of GHC5,040.00.
The MP said the government was committed to providing the necessary infrastructure and incentives to teachers who accept posting to the rural areas to motivate them to give their best to raise the standard of education of such areas.
Mr Assumeng thanked the people for the confidence reposed in him, and promised to work hard to meet some of the needs of the area.
Monday, December 14, 2009
This Week in Parliament
Page 42, Dec 12, 2009 (Mirror)
By Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE brisk business that characterised deliberations in Parliament during the debate on the 2010 budget was absent this week as the various parliamentary committees continued to hold meetings to consider budget estimates of the ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
That notwithstanding, the House found time for some sector ministers to answer some questions that had been posed by some Members of Parliament (MPs).
They include the Minister of Health, Dr Benjamin Kunbuor, Deputy Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Dr Hanna Bissiw and the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr Kwesi Ahwoi.
When he appeared before the House on Monday, Dr Kunbuor said that the ministry intends to overhaul mental care to de-emphasise institutional care and rather place emphasis on community care.
In an answer to a question posed by the MP for Kintampo North, Mr Stephen Kunsu, the minister said by that every regional hospital and eventually every district hospital would have mental health wings of up to 20 beds.
He explained that these wings would be manned by medical assistants in psychiatry adding that a programme would was being started this year at the Kintampo Rural Health Training School to train the medical assistants and community psychiatric nurses.
Mr Kunbuor said that the ministry, would over time construct three 50-bed psychiatric institutions in the middle and northern belts of the country so that patients who might require long stay care would not need to travel to Accra, Pantang and Ankaful to receive such care.
On the National Health Insurance Scheme, the minister disclosed that from January 2009 to October 2009, the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) released an amount of GH¢248.44 million to the various health insurance schemes for the purpose of meeting claims payment.
He said that a total of 13,840,198 persons, representing, 67 per cent of the country’s population had registered to be part of the scheme.
For his part, Mr Ahwoi told the House more than 12,504 families engaged in farming have benefited directly from programmes under the Afram Plains Agricultural Project.
The benefits, he said include knowledge in good agricultural practices, increased output in food production, enhanced food security as well as improved environmental management through increased forest resource conservation.
Mr Ahwoi, stated that the project was aimed at providing temporary employment for about 5,000 farm hands in maize, cashew, yam, cassava and fish production.
Mr Ahwoi was responding to a question posed by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Afram Plains, Mr Raphael Kofi Ahaligah, on the extent to which the Millennium Challenge Account and the Afram Plains Agriculture Project had impacted the lives of the people of Kwahu North.
He added that so far 726 farmer groups comprising 12,245 farmers have been formed and received a number of various training and support in promoting agriculture production in the district adding that 45 community extension volunteers had been trained and equipped to beef up extension delivery in the district.
During the week under review Parliament moved closer to the passage of the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Bill into law when the Bill was read for the second time.
The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mrs Betty Mould Iddrissu, moved the motion for the second reading of the bill
The Bill, which was read in the House for the first time on July 7, 2009, seeks to replace the existing Arbitration Act, 1961 (Act 38), and harmonise the law governing arbitration with international conventions, rules and practices in arbitration, mediation and customary arbitration.
It also seeks to establish an Alternative Dispute Resolution Centre to facilitate and encourage the settlement of disputes through alternative dispute resolution procedures and to provide for related matters.
A report by the parliamentary committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs on the bill noted that the bill was organised into five main parts consisting of arbitration, mediation of disputes, the Alternative Dispute Resolution Centre and financial, administrative and miscellaneous provisions.
The report presented to the House by the Chairman of the committee, Mr Inusah Fuseini, said the Arbitration Act, 1961 (Act 38) was currently the only existing legal framework, which guided alternative dispute resolution in the country.
The report said, Act 38, which replaced the Arbitration Ordinance of 1928 was based on the then English Arbitration Act of 1950.
By Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE brisk business that characterised deliberations in Parliament during the debate on the 2010 budget was absent this week as the various parliamentary committees continued to hold meetings to consider budget estimates of the ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
That notwithstanding, the House found time for some sector ministers to answer some questions that had been posed by some Members of Parliament (MPs).
They include the Minister of Health, Dr Benjamin Kunbuor, Deputy Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Dr Hanna Bissiw and the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr Kwesi Ahwoi.
When he appeared before the House on Monday, Dr Kunbuor said that the ministry intends to overhaul mental care to de-emphasise institutional care and rather place emphasis on community care.
In an answer to a question posed by the MP for Kintampo North, Mr Stephen Kunsu, the minister said by that every regional hospital and eventually every district hospital would have mental health wings of up to 20 beds.
He explained that these wings would be manned by medical assistants in psychiatry adding that a programme would was being started this year at the Kintampo Rural Health Training School to train the medical assistants and community psychiatric nurses.
Mr Kunbuor said that the ministry, would over time construct three 50-bed psychiatric institutions in the middle and northern belts of the country so that patients who might require long stay care would not need to travel to Accra, Pantang and Ankaful to receive such care.
On the National Health Insurance Scheme, the minister disclosed that from January 2009 to October 2009, the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) released an amount of GH¢248.44 million to the various health insurance schemes for the purpose of meeting claims payment.
He said that a total of 13,840,198 persons, representing, 67 per cent of the country’s population had registered to be part of the scheme.
For his part, Mr Ahwoi told the House more than 12,504 families engaged in farming have benefited directly from programmes under the Afram Plains Agricultural Project.
The benefits, he said include knowledge in good agricultural practices, increased output in food production, enhanced food security as well as improved environmental management through increased forest resource conservation.
Mr Ahwoi, stated that the project was aimed at providing temporary employment for about 5,000 farm hands in maize, cashew, yam, cassava and fish production.
Mr Ahwoi was responding to a question posed by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Afram Plains, Mr Raphael Kofi Ahaligah, on the extent to which the Millennium Challenge Account and the Afram Plains Agriculture Project had impacted the lives of the people of Kwahu North.
He added that so far 726 farmer groups comprising 12,245 farmers have been formed and received a number of various training and support in promoting agriculture production in the district adding that 45 community extension volunteers had been trained and equipped to beef up extension delivery in the district.
During the week under review Parliament moved closer to the passage of the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Bill into law when the Bill was read for the second time.
The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mrs Betty Mould Iddrissu, moved the motion for the second reading of the bill
The Bill, which was read in the House for the first time on July 7, 2009, seeks to replace the existing Arbitration Act, 1961 (Act 38), and harmonise the law governing arbitration with international conventions, rules and practices in arbitration, mediation and customary arbitration.
It also seeks to establish an Alternative Dispute Resolution Centre to facilitate and encourage the settlement of disputes through alternative dispute resolution procedures and to provide for related matters.
A report by the parliamentary committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs on the bill noted that the bill was organised into five main parts consisting of arbitration, mediation of disputes, the Alternative Dispute Resolution Centre and financial, administrative and miscellaneous provisions.
The report presented to the House by the Chairman of the committee, Mr Inusah Fuseini, said the Arbitration Act, 1961 (Act 38) was currently the only existing legal framework, which guided alternative dispute resolution in the country.
The report said, Act 38, which replaced the Arbitration Ordinance of 1928 was based on the then English Arbitration Act of 1950.
Parliament discusses funds for ministries
Page 15, Dec 14, 2009
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Parliamentary Committee on Environment has expressed its dissatisfaction with the inadequate allocation of funds to the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology to enable it to implement its programmes and activities.
According to the committee, for instance, although the ministry requested GH¢95,600,704 for its programmes and projects, it was allocated only GH¢41,320,001 for that portion of its entire budget in 2009.
Likewise, in the 2010 budget, the ministry estimated GH¢124,969,618 for its programmes and projects, but only GH¢50,481,439 was approved.
In a report presented to the House and signed by its Chairman, Mr Raymond Tawiah, the committee had expressed surprise at the margin of the variance and wondered how the ministry would be able to effectively implement its programmes and projects in 2010.
The committee, therefore called on the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning to allocate more funds to the ministry, should there be the need for a supplementary budget in order for it to have the necessary resources to achieve its goals.
The sector Minister, Ms Sherry Ayitey, moved the motion for the approval of the budget for the ministry and the House unanimously approved GH¢131,529,124 for it.
When it was the turn for the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, the sector Minister, Mr Joseph Yieleh Chireh, called for the approval of GH¢233,811799.00 for his ministry.
He told the House that for the year 2010, the ministry intended to focus on the implementation of policies, programmes and projects, which would enhance local level development and the decision-making at the local level.
It also intended to harmonise the various laws and statutes impinging on the local governance in the country.
Presenting the report of the Parliamentary Committee on Local Government, its Chairman, Mr Dominic Azimbe Azumah, asked the ministry to use part of its HIPC allocation to equip the newly created district assemblies.
“The committee wishes to urge the ministry to use some of its allocation from the HIPC sources for the newly created district assemblies, since any further delay in ensuring their setting up would affect the decentralisation process.”
For her part, the Minister for Women and Children’s Affairs, Ms Akua Sena Dansua, moved the motion for the approval of GH¢8,518,670.00 for the operations of the ministry for the ensuing year.
Various MPs who supported her motion expressed worry about the acute financial constraints facing the ministry.
The report of the Gender and Children’s Committee of Parliament, signed by its Chairman, Mr Sampson Ahi, noted with concern the overreliance on donor funds for programmes and activities of the ministry.
For instance, in 2009, projection for donor funds was GH¢6,769,571.00, out of which only GH¢1,752,092.94 had been released as at the end of November.
In 2010, donor funds allocated to the ministry was GH¢4,371,404.00.
Although the amount had been slashed compared to the approved amount for 2009, it represented 53.62 per cent of the total budgetary allocation made by the ministry.
The committee also observed that the situation was not a healthy development, since any delay encountered in accessing these funds would disrupt the service and the investment programmes of the ministry and also impact negatively on its performance.
It recommended that in reducing the ministry’s overdependence on donor support for its service and investment activities, the Government should develop innovative ways of raising the needed revenue to meet the budget needs of the ministry.
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Parliamentary Committee on Environment has expressed its dissatisfaction with the inadequate allocation of funds to the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology to enable it to implement its programmes and activities.
According to the committee, for instance, although the ministry requested GH¢95,600,704 for its programmes and projects, it was allocated only GH¢41,320,001 for that portion of its entire budget in 2009.
Likewise, in the 2010 budget, the ministry estimated GH¢124,969,618 for its programmes and projects, but only GH¢50,481,439 was approved.
In a report presented to the House and signed by its Chairman, Mr Raymond Tawiah, the committee had expressed surprise at the margin of the variance and wondered how the ministry would be able to effectively implement its programmes and projects in 2010.
The committee, therefore called on the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning to allocate more funds to the ministry, should there be the need for a supplementary budget in order for it to have the necessary resources to achieve its goals.
The sector Minister, Ms Sherry Ayitey, moved the motion for the approval of the budget for the ministry and the House unanimously approved GH¢131,529,124 for it.
When it was the turn for the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, the sector Minister, Mr Joseph Yieleh Chireh, called for the approval of GH¢233,811799.00 for his ministry.
He told the House that for the year 2010, the ministry intended to focus on the implementation of policies, programmes and projects, which would enhance local level development and the decision-making at the local level.
It also intended to harmonise the various laws and statutes impinging on the local governance in the country.
Presenting the report of the Parliamentary Committee on Local Government, its Chairman, Mr Dominic Azimbe Azumah, asked the ministry to use part of its HIPC allocation to equip the newly created district assemblies.
“The committee wishes to urge the ministry to use some of its allocation from the HIPC sources for the newly created district assemblies, since any further delay in ensuring their setting up would affect the decentralisation process.”
For her part, the Minister for Women and Children’s Affairs, Ms Akua Sena Dansua, moved the motion for the approval of GH¢8,518,670.00 for the operations of the ministry for the ensuing year.
Various MPs who supported her motion expressed worry about the acute financial constraints facing the ministry.
The report of the Gender and Children’s Committee of Parliament, signed by its Chairman, Mr Sampson Ahi, noted with concern the overreliance on donor funds for programmes and activities of the ministry.
For instance, in 2009, projection for donor funds was GH¢6,769,571.00, out of which only GH¢1,752,092.94 had been released as at the end of November.
In 2010, donor funds allocated to the ministry was GH¢4,371,404.00.
Although the amount had been slashed compared to the approved amount for 2009, it represented 53.62 per cent of the total budgetary allocation made by the ministry.
The committee also observed that the situation was not a healthy development, since any delay encountered in accessing these funds would disrupt the service and the investment programmes of the ministry and also impact negatively on its performance.
It recommended that in reducing the ministry’s overdependence on donor support for its service and investment activities, the Government should develop innovative ways of raising the needed revenue to meet the budget needs of the ministry.
Kinapharma demands apology.Over cocaine fiasco
Frontpage, Dec 14, 2009
Story:Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE management of Kinapharma, a pharmaceutical company, has demanded a formal apology from the police “for damaging the company and its management’s hard earned reputation”.
It said it would also petition the President on the harm that had been caused to the company by the police so that he could use his high office to ensure justice and fairness in the matter.
Reacting to media reports that the police had arrested three top officials of the company on suspicion of a cocaine matter, the General Manager of the company, Mr Eshun Fameyeh, told the Daily Graphic in Accra yesterday that it was unfortunate that the police leaked the story on the suspected drug bust at the company’s factory when they themselves said there was only a 20 per cent chance that the substance they had seen could be cocaine.
“Even though it is not in dispute that the police are empowered to arrest on suspicion and no one is asking for preferential treatment, we believe the police should exercise caution, especially when dealing with persons and organisations with solid and positive track records,” he said.
He wondered why the police did not wait till the tests that were being conducted on the substance were concluded before going public about the matter.
Mr Fameyeh added that the confirmation by the police last Friday that the suspected cocaine was a pharmaceutical raw material, as explained by the company on Thursday, “does not even help the police themselves”.
He said it was not good for the reputation of a company which, together with its subsidiaries, directly employed about 800 young men, including more than 100 graduates, to be destroyed in such a manner.
”This company is a leading supplier of quality, reliable and affordable drugs to most public and private health institutions in Ghana, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Benin, Niger, Mali, Togo, Sierra Leone, Liberia, among other countries, and is a large corporate taxpayer,” he noted.
He questioned why just one positive result out of 27 samples taken in a simple preliminary field test conducted could be used to detain renowned pharmaceutical manufacturers until a confirmatory test had been done.
Mr Fameyeh said Kinapharma, which is an indigenous Ghanaian company with an international reputation, had been conducting trials for the World Health Organisation (WHO) for countries such as Papua New Guinea and Madagascar.
He added that its Managing Director, Mr Kofi Nsiah-Poku, was a leading consultant production pharmacist for several countries and organisations, including the WHO, former Marketing Man of the Year, former lecturer in Pharmacy at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and leading member of both the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Ghana and the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), adding that his passport could have been seized for him to be asked to go home and report himself to the police till test results were ready.
“This is, indeed, not a private businessman alone but also a national asset and inspirational and respected Ghanaian. We need to be careful,” he said, adding, “Is genuine success not worth a little respect?”
Recounting the events that led to the detention of Kinapharma officials, Mr Fameyeh said about 11 a.m. on Wednesday, December 9, the police visited the Spintex Road facility of the company and requested to be shown around.
He said after an extensive tour, they demanded to be granted access to the company’s restricted products strong room.
Mr Fameyeh explained that he told the police that for security reasons, three different officers had to be assembled before all doors to the room could be opened because it housed only drugs imported under special Food and Drugs Board (FDB) permits.
He said after discussions with the police, the Kinapharma management wrote to the FDB to inform it about the demand by the police for access to the warehouse and requested the presence of officials of the FDB and the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB).
He clarified the story carried in the Daily Graphic that the tree top official of Kinapharma had been arrested, explaining that they actually had to beg the police to allow them to accompany the officials when it was finally decided that all the stock in the warehouse should be taken to the Police Headquarters for the tests to be conducted.
“Nobody has a problem with the police investigating a tip-off, ordering a search or taking samples or even confiscating chemicals for further analysis. The problem is with the methods used, the actions taken and the statements made, the leaks to the media when there was a greater likelihood that there was nothing more than what was there, especially when they were on the premises of a company with permits to import restricted raw materials,” he said.
Mr Fameyeh said the company’s image had been seriously dented and requested that “the truth about our exoneration be given as much prominence as the negative stories about our alleged drug bust”.
Story:Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE management of Kinapharma, a pharmaceutical company, has demanded a formal apology from the police “for damaging the company and its management’s hard earned reputation”.
It said it would also petition the President on the harm that had been caused to the company by the police so that he could use his high office to ensure justice and fairness in the matter.
Reacting to media reports that the police had arrested three top officials of the company on suspicion of a cocaine matter, the General Manager of the company, Mr Eshun Fameyeh, told the Daily Graphic in Accra yesterday that it was unfortunate that the police leaked the story on the suspected drug bust at the company’s factory when they themselves said there was only a 20 per cent chance that the substance they had seen could be cocaine.
“Even though it is not in dispute that the police are empowered to arrest on suspicion and no one is asking for preferential treatment, we believe the police should exercise caution, especially when dealing with persons and organisations with solid and positive track records,” he said.
He wondered why the police did not wait till the tests that were being conducted on the substance were concluded before going public about the matter.
Mr Fameyeh added that the confirmation by the police last Friday that the suspected cocaine was a pharmaceutical raw material, as explained by the company on Thursday, “does not even help the police themselves”.
He said it was not good for the reputation of a company which, together with its subsidiaries, directly employed about 800 young men, including more than 100 graduates, to be destroyed in such a manner.
”This company is a leading supplier of quality, reliable and affordable drugs to most public and private health institutions in Ghana, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Benin, Niger, Mali, Togo, Sierra Leone, Liberia, among other countries, and is a large corporate taxpayer,” he noted.
He questioned why just one positive result out of 27 samples taken in a simple preliminary field test conducted could be used to detain renowned pharmaceutical manufacturers until a confirmatory test had been done.
Mr Fameyeh said Kinapharma, which is an indigenous Ghanaian company with an international reputation, had been conducting trials for the World Health Organisation (WHO) for countries such as Papua New Guinea and Madagascar.
He added that its Managing Director, Mr Kofi Nsiah-Poku, was a leading consultant production pharmacist for several countries and organisations, including the WHO, former Marketing Man of the Year, former lecturer in Pharmacy at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and leading member of both the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Ghana and the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), adding that his passport could have been seized for him to be asked to go home and report himself to the police till test results were ready.
“This is, indeed, not a private businessman alone but also a national asset and inspirational and respected Ghanaian. We need to be careful,” he said, adding, “Is genuine success not worth a little respect?”
Recounting the events that led to the detention of Kinapharma officials, Mr Fameyeh said about 11 a.m. on Wednesday, December 9, the police visited the Spintex Road facility of the company and requested to be shown around.
He said after an extensive tour, they demanded to be granted access to the company’s restricted products strong room.
Mr Fameyeh explained that he told the police that for security reasons, three different officers had to be assembled before all doors to the room could be opened because it housed only drugs imported under special Food and Drugs Board (FDB) permits.
He said after discussions with the police, the Kinapharma management wrote to the FDB to inform it about the demand by the police for access to the warehouse and requested the presence of officials of the FDB and the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB).
He clarified the story carried in the Daily Graphic that the tree top official of Kinapharma had been arrested, explaining that they actually had to beg the police to allow them to accompany the officials when it was finally decided that all the stock in the warehouse should be taken to the Police Headquarters for the tests to be conducted.
“Nobody has a problem with the police investigating a tip-off, ordering a search or taking samples or even confiscating chemicals for further analysis. The problem is with the methods used, the actions taken and the statements made, the leaks to the media when there was a greater likelihood that there was nothing more than what was there, especially when they were on the premises of a company with permits to import restricted raw materials,” he said.
Mr Fameyeh said the company’s image had been seriously dented and requested that “the truth about our exoneration be given as much prominence as the negative stories about our alleged drug bust”.
Reconstruct bridge on Ekumfi Amissano-Suprodo — MP
Page 13, Dec 12, 2009
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Member of Parliament (MP) for Mfantseman East, Mr George Kuntu-Blankson, has appeal to the Ministry of Roads and Highways to reconstruct the bridge on the Ekumfi Amissano-Suprodo feeder road to save the people of Suprodo from being cut off from the rest of the Mfantseman District.
Although Suprodo is only 0.5 kilometres away from Ekumfi Amissano, the people of the area cannot access Amisano during the rainy season because of the absence of a bridge over the Ochi River.
To access Amisano, the people have to use the 22-kilometre road through Mankessim before reaching their destination, which could otherwise be covered through the 0.5 kilometre Ekumfi-Suprodo feeder road.
In his response, the Deputy Minister of Roads and Transport, Mr Rojo Mettle-Nunoo explained that due to the long length of the alternative route, the people of Suprodo were always eager to cross the river even during the rainy season, at their peril.
He said preliminary assessment and condition survey had been carried out for a possible construction of the bridge to save the people from using the long alternative route to reach Ekumfi-Amissano.
Mr Mettle-Nunoo,however,explained that the 60-metre span of the river exceeded the spans being covered by the ongoing bridge programmes.
He, therefore, gave assurance that the construction of the bridge would be considered in future programmes involving bridges spanning 60 metres and above.
For his part, the MP for Amenfi East, Mr Joseph Boahen Aidoo wanted to know when the tarring of the Bawdie Doupin-Dawurampong-Mansiso-Nsuaem and Nkonya-Pewuako-Dompaase roads would begin.
He also wanted to know when the surface dressing of the Abesewa-Gyaamang, Wassa Akopong-Grumisa and Wassa Akropong-Moseaso, which are all cocoa growing areas, would be started.
Answering the question, Mr Mettle-Nunoo stated that the upgrading of the Bawdie Doupin-Dawurampong-Mansiso-Nsuaem and Nkonya-Pewuako-Dompaase road to bitumen surface might be undertaken through stage development.
He explained that the ministry would prioritise the road in sessions, adding that the project would be programmed when funds were available.
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Member of Parliament (MP) for Mfantseman East, Mr George Kuntu-Blankson, has appeal to the Ministry of Roads and Highways to reconstruct the bridge on the Ekumfi Amissano-Suprodo feeder road to save the people of Suprodo from being cut off from the rest of the Mfantseman District.
Although Suprodo is only 0.5 kilometres away from Ekumfi Amissano, the people of the area cannot access Amisano during the rainy season because of the absence of a bridge over the Ochi River.
To access Amisano, the people have to use the 22-kilometre road through Mankessim before reaching their destination, which could otherwise be covered through the 0.5 kilometre Ekumfi-Suprodo feeder road.
In his response, the Deputy Minister of Roads and Transport, Mr Rojo Mettle-Nunoo explained that due to the long length of the alternative route, the people of Suprodo were always eager to cross the river even during the rainy season, at their peril.
He said preliminary assessment and condition survey had been carried out for a possible construction of the bridge to save the people from using the long alternative route to reach Ekumfi-Amissano.
Mr Mettle-Nunoo,however,explained that the 60-metre span of the river exceeded the spans being covered by the ongoing bridge programmes.
He, therefore, gave assurance that the construction of the bridge would be considered in future programmes involving bridges spanning 60 metres and above.
For his part, the MP for Amenfi East, Mr Joseph Boahen Aidoo wanted to know when the tarring of the Bawdie Doupin-Dawurampong-Mansiso-Nsuaem and Nkonya-Pewuako-Dompaase roads would begin.
He also wanted to know when the surface dressing of the Abesewa-Gyaamang, Wassa Akopong-Grumisa and Wassa Akropong-Moseaso, which are all cocoa growing areas, would be started.
Answering the question, Mr Mettle-Nunoo stated that the upgrading of the Bawdie Doupin-Dawurampong-Mansiso-Nsuaem and Nkonya-Pewuako-Dompaase road to bitumen surface might be undertaken through stage development.
He explained that the ministry would prioritise the road in sessions, adding that the project would be programmed when funds were available.
12,504 families benefit from Agric projejct
Page 15, Dec 15, 2009
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
MORE than 12,504 families engaged in farming have benefited directly from programmes under the Afram Plains Agricultural Project.
The benefits include knowledge in good agricultural practices, increased output in food production, enhanced food security as well as improved environmental management through increased forest resource conservation.
The Minister of Agriculture, Mr Kwesi Ahwoi, who disclosed this in Parliament yesterday stated that the project was aimed at providing temporary employment for about 5,000 farm hands in maize, cashew, yam, cassava and fish production.
Mr Ahwoi was responding to a question posed by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Afram Plains, Mr Raphael Kofi Ahaligah, on the extent to which the Millennium Challenge Account and the Afram Plains Agriculture Project had impacted the lives of the people of Kwahu North.
“So far 726 farmer groups comprising 12,245 farmers have been formed and received a number of various training and support in promoting agriculture production in the district,” the minister stated, adding that “45 community extension volunteers had been trained and equipped to beef up extension delivery in the district”.
He indicated that six women groups, with a membership of 255, had received training in post harvest management of cassava processing and packaging of the products.
He said the construction of 20 new junior staff quarters, 12 new senior staff bungalows and the renovation and extension of the office in the district were meant to improve extension service delivery in the district.
The minister stated that under the Millennium Challenge Account Project, 428 Farmer Based Organisations out of the targeted 600 FBOs had participated in MiDA training programmes conducted by 14 Ghanaian technical and training service providers.
He said each of the 7,112 farmers trained during Phase 1 received a $230 starter pack value comprising fertiliser, improved seed, field boots, nose masks, poly-sacks and land preparation cash for the cultivation of a one acre equivalent of maize.
He said as a result of the various training and capacity building programmes they had earned some benefits. He said for instance, the Happy Farmers Association at Miaso in Kwahu South, producers of maize, had won a contract to produce about 180 tons of maize to four senior high schools in the district.
He also indicated that 13 plantain producing FBOs in the Fanteakwa District had been linked to the Akosua Amankwa Enterprise, a plantain exporter with a UK end market, adding that two FBOs began selling to the exporter this month.
The minister also told the House that there were plans to provide new districts with permanent district agricultural offices.
Responding to a question by the MP for Lambussie, Mr John Baloroo Doughr, the minister said the Lambussie District had an acting District Director of Agriculture, Mr Sylvester K. Atta, who had been in office since March last year.
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
MORE than 12,504 families engaged in farming have benefited directly from programmes under the Afram Plains Agricultural Project.
The benefits include knowledge in good agricultural practices, increased output in food production, enhanced food security as well as improved environmental management through increased forest resource conservation.
The Minister of Agriculture, Mr Kwesi Ahwoi, who disclosed this in Parliament yesterday stated that the project was aimed at providing temporary employment for about 5,000 farm hands in maize, cashew, yam, cassava and fish production.
Mr Ahwoi was responding to a question posed by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Afram Plains, Mr Raphael Kofi Ahaligah, on the extent to which the Millennium Challenge Account and the Afram Plains Agriculture Project had impacted the lives of the people of Kwahu North.
“So far 726 farmer groups comprising 12,245 farmers have been formed and received a number of various training and support in promoting agriculture production in the district,” the minister stated, adding that “45 community extension volunteers had been trained and equipped to beef up extension delivery in the district”.
He indicated that six women groups, with a membership of 255, had received training in post harvest management of cassava processing and packaging of the products.
He said the construction of 20 new junior staff quarters, 12 new senior staff bungalows and the renovation and extension of the office in the district were meant to improve extension service delivery in the district.
The minister stated that under the Millennium Challenge Account Project, 428 Farmer Based Organisations out of the targeted 600 FBOs had participated in MiDA training programmes conducted by 14 Ghanaian technical and training service providers.
He said each of the 7,112 farmers trained during Phase 1 received a $230 starter pack value comprising fertiliser, improved seed, field boots, nose masks, poly-sacks and land preparation cash for the cultivation of a one acre equivalent of maize.
He said as a result of the various training and capacity building programmes they had earned some benefits. He said for instance, the Happy Farmers Association at Miaso in Kwahu South, producers of maize, had won a contract to produce about 180 tons of maize to four senior high schools in the district.
He also indicated that 13 plantain producing FBOs in the Fanteakwa District had been linked to the Akosua Amankwa Enterprise, a plantain exporter with a UK end market, adding that two FBOs began selling to the exporter this month.
The minister also told the House that there were plans to provide new districts with permanent district agricultural offices.
Responding to a question by the MP for Lambussie, Mr John Baloroo Doughr, the minister said the Lambussie District had an acting District Director of Agriculture, Mr Sylvester K. Atta, who had been in office since March last year.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Prez Mills moves to iron out differences
Page 16, Dec 10, 2009
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
President John Evans Atta Mills has made a move to eliminate the bad blood existing between him and some senior members of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Majority Leader in Parliament, Mr Alban Bagbin, told the Daily Graphic in an interview that President Mills had held a series of meetings with the NDC’s hierarchy to eliminate the mounting tension within the party, as a result of criticisms against his administration by his own henchmen.
The President has come under fire from NDC’s stalwarts such as the Majority Leader in Parliament, Mr Alban Bagbin, Mr Ekow Spio-Garbrah, the Member of Parliament for Lower Manya, Mr Teye Nyaunu, and the former President and Founder of the party, Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings.
Among the accusations levelled against the President by these critics were the style of his administration and the type of people he had surrounded himself with.
However, Mr Bagbin disclosed that the President had already met chairmen of the various constituencies of the party in the Greater Accra Region to discuss matters agitating their minds.
That meeting, according to Mr Bagbin, was held before the President left for Trinidad and Tobago to attend the Commonwealth meeting.
The Majority Leader added that another meeting had also been arranged to enable the President to meet with party functionaries, ministers, leadership of the party in Parliament and senior party members who did not belong to these identifiable groups.
“The President’s posture after our criticisms shows that he is a listening President,” he noted.
Mr Bagbin stated that by accepting criticisms by his own people in good faith, President Mills had also demonstrated his political maturity and preparedness to ensure party cohesion.
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
President John Evans Atta Mills has made a move to eliminate the bad blood existing between him and some senior members of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Majority Leader in Parliament, Mr Alban Bagbin, told the Daily Graphic in an interview that President Mills had held a series of meetings with the NDC’s hierarchy to eliminate the mounting tension within the party, as a result of criticisms against his administration by his own henchmen.
The President has come under fire from NDC’s stalwarts such as the Majority Leader in Parliament, Mr Alban Bagbin, Mr Ekow Spio-Garbrah, the Member of Parliament for Lower Manya, Mr Teye Nyaunu, and the former President and Founder of the party, Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings.
Among the accusations levelled against the President by these critics were the style of his administration and the type of people he had surrounded himself with.
However, Mr Bagbin disclosed that the President had already met chairmen of the various constituencies of the party in the Greater Accra Region to discuss matters agitating their minds.
That meeting, according to Mr Bagbin, was held before the President left for Trinidad and Tobago to attend the Commonwealth meeting.
The Majority Leader added that another meeting had also been arranged to enable the President to meet with party functionaries, ministers, leadership of the party in Parliament and senior party members who did not belong to these identifiable groups.
“The President’s posture after our criticisms shows that he is a listening President,” he noted.
Mr Bagbin stated that by accepting criticisms by his own people in good faith, President Mills had also demonstrated his political maturity and preparedness to ensure party cohesion.
MPs want more funding for Audit Service
Page 14, Dec 5, 2009
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
SOME Members of Parliament (MPs) have extolled the excellent performance of the Ghana Audit Service and called for the adequate provision of resources to enable it properly perform its constitutional mandate to bring sanity into the financial sector of the country.
They argued that the effect of the woefully low budgetary allocation to the service was very telling since the country was losing more than it was not giving to the service.
The observation followed a statement made on the floor of the House by the MP for Asawase, Alhaji Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak last Thursday about the need for proper funding of the Audit Service.
In his statement, the MP observed that under the Constitution and the Audit Service Act, the administrative expenses of the service were not subject to review or adjustment before its presentation to Parliament.
He said, however, that in practice, the estimates of the service were subjected to Budget ceiling by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning just as it does with the ministries, departments and agencies with very little regard to the functions spelt by the Constitution and other laws of Ghana.
Alhaji Muntaka stated the MoFEP had always argued that the national cake determined how much each sector got and because of that, the Audit Service had seriously been under-funded and therefore, not motivated enough to carry out such difficult task of increased public access to audit reports, increased accountability, probity and transparency in the use of public resources based on value for money.
He said as a result of that, there is currently a serious manpower and logistical constraint in the service, adding the total staff of the service as at 1977 had reduced from 1,657 to 1,414, even though compared to 1977, the workload of the service as at 2008 had increased greatly.
The MP said the MDAs and the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) did not receive adequate audit coverage on timely basis to reflect agreements reached between the government and its development partners since the service was present in only 60 out of the 170 administrative districts.
Alhaji Muntaka , therefore, called on Parliament to fast track the Audit Service Constitutional Instrument currently before it to give the personnel at the service some respite to reduce the serious brain drain in the service.
The House, he said, should also consider some amount of audit fees to be charged on audit services rendered by the Audit Service as an internally generated fund to support its activities, explaining that many countries, including South Africa allow the Audit Service to charge fees for any services it rendered.
MPs who contributed to the statement supported Alhaji Muntaka’s assertion and said the Audit Service was crucial if the country would continue to score high marks in good governance.
They included the Majority Leader, Mr Alban Bagbin, Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah (NPP, Afigya-Sekyere) and Alhaji Ibrahim Abubakari Dey (NDC, Salaga).
Meanwhile, six ministers are expected to appear before the House next week to answer questions posed by a number of MPs.
They are the Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Mr Albert Abongo, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alhaji Muhammed Mumuni, the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr Kwesi Ahwoi, the Minister of Road and Highways, Mr Joe Gidisu and the Minister of Energy, Mr Joseph Oreng-Adjei.
Various committees of the House are also expected to hold meetings to deliberate on the annual estimates of the MDAs.
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
SOME Members of Parliament (MPs) have extolled the excellent performance of the Ghana Audit Service and called for the adequate provision of resources to enable it properly perform its constitutional mandate to bring sanity into the financial sector of the country.
They argued that the effect of the woefully low budgetary allocation to the service was very telling since the country was losing more than it was not giving to the service.
The observation followed a statement made on the floor of the House by the MP for Asawase, Alhaji Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak last Thursday about the need for proper funding of the Audit Service.
In his statement, the MP observed that under the Constitution and the Audit Service Act, the administrative expenses of the service were not subject to review or adjustment before its presentation to Parliament.
He said, however, that in practice, the estimates of the service were subjected to Budget ceiling by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning just as it does with the ministries, departments and agencies with very little regard to the functions spelt by the Constitution and other laws of Ghana.
Alhaji Muntaka stated the MoFEP had always argued that the national cake determined how much each sector got and because of that, the Audit Service had seriously been under-funded and therefore, not motivated enough to carry out such difficult task of increased public access to audit reports, increased accountability, probity and transparency in the use of public resources based on value for money.
He said as a result of that, there is currently a serious manpower and logistical constraint in the service, adding the total staff of the service as at 1977 had reduced from 1,657 to 1,414, even though compared to 1977, the workload of the service as at 2008 had increased greatly.
The MP said the MDAs and the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) did not receive adequate audit coverage on timely basis to reflect agreements reached between the government and its development partners since the service was present in only 60 out of the 170 administrative districts.
Alhaji Muntaka , therefore, called on Parliament to fast track the Audit Service Constitutional Instrument currently before it to give the personnel at the service some respite to reduce the serious brain drain in the service.
The House, he said, should also consider some amount of audit fees to be charged on audit services rendered by the Audit Service as an internally generated fund to support its activities, explaining that many countries, including South Africa allow the Audit Service to charge fees for any services it rendered.
MPs who contributed to the statement supported Alhaji Muntaka’s assertion and said the Audit Service was crucial if the country would continue to score high marks in good governance.
They included the Majority Leader, Mr Alban Bagbin, Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah (NPP, Afigya-Sekyere) and Alhaji Ibrahim Abubakari Dey (NDC, Salaga).
Meanwhile, six ministers are expected to appear before the House next week to answer questions posed by a number of MPs.
They are the Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Mr Albert Abongo, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alhaji Muhammed Mumuni, the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr Kwesi Ahwoi, the Minister of Road and Highways, Mr Joe Gidisu and the Minister of Energy, Mr Joseph Oreng-Adjei.
Various committees of the House are also expected to hold meetings to deliberate on the annual estimates of the MDAs.
This Week in Parliament
Page 43, Dec 5, 2009 (Mirror)
By Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE debate of the 2010 budget, which engaged the attention of the Members of Parliament (MPs) during the week was spiced up when the House devoted some time to discuss whether the use of the word shame is parliamentary or unparliamentary.
The word “unparliamentary” is used when a member uses a word which is deemed to be offensive and against the rules of the House.
And so when the Minority side shouted shame, shame to show their disapproval of an allegation made by the MP for North Tongu, Mr Charles Hodogbey, his colleague representing Ketu North complained about the usage of the word.
Mr Hodogbey, who stood on a point of order during the submission of the MP for Akropong, Mr W.O Boafo alleged that the past government misapplied monies accrued from the operation of the Ghana Armed Forces during United Nations peacekeeping missions.
When he was asked to substantiate his claim, he could not and on the insistence of the Speaker, Mrs Joyce Bamford-Addo, Mr Hodogbey withdrew his claim amid shouts of “shame”, “shame” from the Minority side.
The debate that ensued generated keen interest as various contributor s gave their view on the use of the word in the House.
The Majority Leader, Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin reminded the House that the late former Speaker, Mr Peter Ala Adjetey gave a ruling against the use of the word in the House.
He explained that it would be proper if members refrained from the use of the word since it discouraged MPs from withdrawing their submissions when such submissions were deemed “unparliamentary”.
Although, the Minority Leader, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu supported the assertion by his colleague, the Majority Leader, he added that it would, however, not be out of place if the word was used to reform an MP who consistently misleads the House.
For his part, the Second Deputy Speaker and MP for Dome/Kwabenya, Professsor Mike Oquaye said the use of the word shame was very common in the British Parliament to show the disapproval of the House of misbehavior of MPs.
After a thorough debate of the issue, Mrs Bamford-Addo ruled that it would not be out of place for the word to be used to show the temperament of the House during debates saying that MPs should have the thick skin to withstand the use of that word.
Meanwhile after a heated debate on the budget, the House unanimously approved the document, which was presented to the House by the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr Kwabena Duffuor on November 18, 2009 on Wednesday.
In another development, the House also devoted part of their time during the week to discuss this year’s National Farmers’ Day and commended the country’s gallant farmers for their contributions to the country’s development.
In his statement on Wednesday, Dr Alhassan Yakubu, MP for Mion noted that the Farmers Day was a very important event for the reason that “our development must be agriculture led since this is a sector that stands as the largest employment sector, foreign exchange earner and the highest contributor the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP)”.
He stated that 25 years after the inception of the day, the time had come for the review of the award scheme to include permanent training schemes for all award winners in agricultural training institutions.
Dr Alhassan noted that knowledge acquired in practical agricultural technology skills would equip the award winners to enable them train other farmers in their communities.
He suggested the establishment of a multi-purpose agricultural technology village to serve as a centre of excellence where farmers and the people in the agriculture sector could acquire practical knowledge and skills in modern and improved methods in the industry for enhanced growth and productivity.
Dr Alhassan also commended past and present governments for making various interventions available to farmers adding that farmers still needed easy access to long-term favourable credit facilities, ready markets, easy access to agricultural machinery, across board subsidization of farming inputs and access to extension services.
By Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE debate of the 2010 budget, which engaged the attention of the Members of Parliament (MPs) during the week was spiced up when the House devoted some time to discuss whether the use of the word shame is parliamentary or unparliamentary.
The word “unparliamentary” is used when a member uses a word which is deemed to be offensive and against the rules of the House.
And so when the Minority side shouted shame, shame to show their disapproval of an allegation made by the MP for North Tongu, Mr Charles Hodogbey, his colleague representing Ketu North complained about the usage of the word.
Mr Hodogbey, who stood on a point of order during the submission of the MP for Akropong, Mr W.O Boafo alleged that the past government misapplied monies accrued from the operation of the Ghana Armed Forces during United Nations peacekeeping missions.
When he was asked to substantiate his claim, he could not and on the insistence of the Speaker, Mrs Joyce Bamford-Addo, Mr Hodogbey withdrew his claim amid shouts of “shame”, “shame” from the Minority side.
The debate that ensued generated keen interest as various contributor s gave their view on the use of the word in the House.
The Majority Leader, Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin reminded the House that the late former Speaker, Mr Peter Ala Adjetey gave a ruling against the use of the word in the House.
He explained that it would be proper if members refrained from the use of the word since it discouraged MPs from withdrawing their submissions when such submissions were deemed “unparliamentary”.
Although, the Minority Leader, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu supported the assertion by his colleague, the Majority Leader, he added that it would, however, not be out of place if the word was used to reform an MP who consistently misleads the House.
For his part, the Second Deputy Speaker and MP for Dome/Kwabenya, Professsor Mike Oquaye said the use of the word shame was very common in the British Parliament to show the disapproval of the House of misbehavior of MPs.
After a thorough debate of the issue, Mrs Bamford-Addo ruled that it would not be out of place for the word to be used to show the temperament of the House during debates saying that MPs should have the thick skin to withstand the use of that word.
Meanwhile after a heated debate on the budget, the House unanimously approved the document, which was presented to the House by the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr Kwabena Duffuor on November 18, 2009 on Wednesday.
In another development, the House also devoted part of their time during the week to discuss this year’s National Farmers’ Day and commended the country’s gallant farmers for their contributions to the country’s development.
In his statement on Wednesday, Dr Alhassan Yakubu, MP for Mion noted that the Farmers Day was a very important event for the reason that “our development must be agriculture led since this is a sector that stands as the largest employment sector, foreign exchange earner and the highest contributor the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP)”.
He stated that 25 years after the inception of the day, the time had come for the review of the award scheme to include permanent training schemes for all award winners in agricultural training institutions.
Dr Alhassan noted that knowledge acquired in practical agricultural technology skills would equip the award winners to enable them train other farmers in their communities.
He suggested the establishment of a multi-purpose agricultural technology village to serve as a centre of excellence where farmers and the people in the agriculture sector could acquire practical knowledge and skills in modern and improved methods in the industry for enhanced growth and productivity.
Dr Alhassan also commended past and present governments for making various interventions available to farmers adding that farmers still needed easy access to long-term favourable credit facilities, ready markets, easy access to agricultural machinery, across board subsidization of farming inputs and access to extension services.
Parliament commends farmers, fishermen
Page 14, Dec 4, 2009
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
AS the country prepares to celebrate the 25th Farmers Day on Friday, Members of Parliament (MPs) have commended farmers and fishermen for their hard work and commitment to addressing the food security, raw material needs and export earning of the country.
The MPs made the commendation when they contributed to a statement made on the floor of the House by the Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and Cocoa Affairs, Dr Alhassan Yakubu, in commemoration of the day.
In his statement, Dr Alhassan, who is also the MP for Mion noted that the Farmers Day was a very important event for the reason that the country had come to the realization that “our development must be agriculture led since this is a sector that stands as the largest employment sector, foreign exchange earner and the highest contributor the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GD)”.
He stated that 25 years after the inception of the day, the time had come for the review of the award scheme to include permanent training schemes for all award winners in agricultural training institutions.
Dr Alhassan noted that knowledge acquired in practical agricultural technology skills would equip the award winners to enable them train other farmers in their communities.
He suggested the establishment of a multi-purpose agricultural technology village to serve as a centre of excellence where farmers and the people in the agriculture sector could acquire practical knowledge and skills in modern and improved methods in the industry for enhanced growth and productivity.
Dr Alhassan also commended past and present governments for making various interventions available to farmers adding that farmers still needed easy access to long-term favourable credit facilities, ready markets, easy access to agricultural machinery, across board subsidization of farming inputs and access to extension services.
“These challenges could only be overcome by more investment in the sector”, he said and called for the passage of the Agricultural Development Bill to guarantee a permanent solution to the problem of credit availability and access to farmers and agri-business in general.
Contributing to the statement, the MP for Juaboso, Mr Sampson Ahi said that sinceagriculture was the blood of the economy; efforts should be made the sector attractive to the youth to solve the employment problem in the country.
He expressed worry about the deplorable nature of roads in cocoa growing areas in the country and commended the COCOBOD for its efforts to remedy the situation.
Mr Ahi also called for measures to reduce the country’s rice import and explained that last year alone, a total of $600 million was spent to import the commodity into the country.
He noted, however that the re-introduction of the tariff on imported rice was one welcomed since it would encourage Ghanaians to patronize locally produced rice and boost its production.
For his part, the MP for Tano North, Mr Enerst Akubuor Debrah said it was commendable that prices awarded to award winners had appreciated over the years from pre-set radios to fully furnished houses for National Best farmers.
He stated, however that in spite of the contribution of farmers to the economy, they did not benefit enough from the sweat of their toil.
On the producer price of cocoa, Mr Debrah called for an addition to the current price to dissuade farmers living along the borders of the country from smuggling their produce to the neighbouring countries who pay higher prices.
The MP forEffutu, Mr Mike Allen Hammah called for measures to deal with post harvest losses to enable farmers to store their produce and get good prices from them.
The MP for Ofoase-Ayirebi, Mr David Opong-Kusi suggested the establishment of farming institutes in all the districts to formally train farmers to adopt modern method of farming to improve on their yields.
“We need to go beyond the celebration of the farmers’ day and make it more meaningful to the lives of the people”, he said.
The MP for Asawase, Alhaji Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak called for guaranteed prices for other commodities apart from cocoa to encourage farmers to increase their yields.
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
AS the country prepares to celebrate the 25th Farmers Day on Friday, Members of Parliament (MPs) have commended farmers and fishermen for their hard work and commitment to addressing the food security, raw material needs and export earning of the country.
The MPs made the commendation when they contributed to a statement made on the floor of the House by the Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and Cocoa Affairs, Dr Alhassan Yakubu, in commemoration of the day.
In his statement, Dr Alhassan, who is also the MP for Mion noted that the Farmers Day was a very important event for the reason that the country had come to the realization that “our development must be agriculture led since this is a sector that stands as the largest employment sector, foreign exchange earner and the highest contributor the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GD)”.
He stated that 25 years after the inception of the day, the time had come for the review of the award scheme to include permanent training schemes for all award winners in agricultural training institutions.
Dr Alhassan noted that knowledge acquired in practical agricultural technology skills would equip the award winners to enable them train other farmers in their communities.
He suggested the establishment of a multi-purpose agricultural technology village to serve as a centre of excellence where farmers and the people in the agriculture sector could acquire practical knowledge and skills in modern and improved methods in the industry for enhanced growth and productivity.
Dr Alhassan also commended past and present governments for making various interventions available to farmers adding that farmers still needed easy access to long-term favourable credit facilities, ready markets, easy access to agricultural machinery, across board subsidization of farming inputs and access to extension services.
“These challenges could only be overcome by more investment in the sector”, he said and called for the passage of the Agricultural Development Bill to guarantee a permanent solution to the problem of credit availability and access to farmers and agri-business in general.
Contributing to the statement, the MP for Juaboso, Mr Sampson Ahi said that sinceagriculture was the blood of the economy; efforts should be made the sector attractive to the youth to solve the employment problem in the country.
He expressed worry about the deplorable nature of roads in cocoa growing areas in the country and commended the COCOBOD for its efforts to remedy the situation.
Mr Ahi also called for measures to reduce the country’s rice import and explained that last year alone, a total of $600 million was spent to import the commodity into the country.
He noted, however that the re-introduction of the tariff on imported rice was one welcomed since it would encourage Ghanaians to patronize locally produced rice and boost its production.
For his part, the MP for Tano North, Mr Enerst Akubuor Debrah said it was commendable that prices awarded to award winners had appreciated over the years from pre-set radios to fully furnished houses for National Best farmers.
He stated, however that in spite of the contribution of farmers to the economy, they did not benefit enough from the sweat of their toil.
On the producer price of cocoa, Mr Debrah called for an addition to the current price to dissuade farmers living along the borders of the country from smuggling their produce to the neighbouring countries who pay higher prices.
The MP forEffutu, Mr Mike Allen Hammah called for measures to deal with post harvest losses to enable farmers to store their produce and get good prices from them.
The MP for Ofoase-Ayirebi, Mr David Opong-Kusi suggested the establishment of farming institutes in all the districts to formally train farmers to adopt modern method of farming to improve on their yields.
“We need to go beyond the celebration of the farmers’ day and make it more meaningful to the lives of the people”, he said.
The MP for Asawase, Alhaji Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak called for guaranteed prices for other commodities apart from cocoa to encourage farmers to increase their yields.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
National Forest Plantation Dev
Page 15, Dec 2, 2009
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
CABINET has given approval for the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to launch a National Forest Plantation Development Programme (NFPDP) in January next year.
The objective of the programme is to increase the tree cover of the country through massive recruitment of reafforestation work gangs to improve environmental quality and reduce the wood deficit situation in the country.
The Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Henry Ford Kamel, told Parliament in an answer to a question that the new expanded NFPDP was unique and distinct from previous plantation programmes since it would involve the establishment of plantations in all district assemblies in the country.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Atwima Nwabiagya, Mr Benito Owusu-Bio, who posed the question wanted to know what plans the ministry was initiating to further expand the over 100,000 acres of forest plantations established under the Presidential Special Initiative on afforestation by the previous government.
Mr Kamel explained that in 2010, the programme would be implemented in 100 districts and 300 jobs would be created in each district, thus creating a total of 30,000 jobs.
He said that in 2011 and beyond the programme was expected to cover all the 170 districts in the country and thus create a total of 51,000 jobs.
The Deputy Minister further explained that the plantation development strategy would include woodlot establishments; planting of fruit trees, rehabilitation of mangrove forests and urban forestry and fire management.
He said the programme would be carried out in both degraded forest reserves and outside the reserves, explaining that in the degraded reserves, over 400,000 hectares of land area had already been identified and mapped out by the Forestry Commission.
Mr Kamel added that since the programme had been designed to cover all districts in the country, negotiations would be made with landowners in districts which might not have forest reserves for off-reserve areas to be planted.
The deputy minister stated that the programme would be funded from mining levies, HIC, District Assembly Common Fund, Plantation Development Fund and Mining Development Fund, among others.
He called on the MPs to fully participate in the programme when it was launched since it had a great potential for job creation, improvement in rural incomes, restoration of forest cover and maintenance of environmental quality
The MP for Zabzugu/Tatale, Mr John Bennam Jabaah, also asked the minister when government would start mining the iron ore deposit at Sheini in the Zabzugu/Tatale District.
Answering the question, Mr Kamel informed the House that a private company, Inland Ghana Mines Limited, had been granted a six-month non-exclusive Due Diligence Permit over the area, adding that should the due diligence confirm the suitability of the grades and tonnage available, the company would prepare a feasibility report to the ministry.
He said until a feasibility report had been received from the company, no definite timelines could be given for the commencement of the mining of the iron ore.
Meanwhile, the debate on the government’s financial policy and budget for 2010 continued in the House yesterday.
The NDC MP for Ashiaman, Mr Alfred Agbeshie, who was the first to catch the Speaker’s eye called for more effort to equip Parliament to make the work of the House easy.
The NDC MP was not happy that the government had not taken steps to renovate the Job 600 for use as offices by MPs as promised during the campaign.
He expressed concern about the office building of the former Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs which had been taken over by the Castle, and said that it would have been proper for the government to have allowed MPs to use the building.
Mr Agbesi commended the Minister of Finance for the budget, which he described as having a lot of promises, and called for more efforts to ensure the number of programmes and policies outlined in the document to improve the lot of Ghanaians.
For his part, the NPP MP for Tano North, Mr Enerst Akubuor Debrah, pointed out inconsistencies in the budget on targets set out by the budget to increase cocoa production in the country by 2012.
He explained that while in one breath the budget stated that government would double the current 750,000 tonnes by 2012, in another breath the budget predicted an increase of the current production level to one million tonnes by 2012.
While calling for an increase in the current producer price of cocoa to curb smuggling of the commodity to nearby countries, the MP also advocated the provision of credit facilities to farmers in general to enable them to increase their yields.
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
CABINET has given approval for the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to launch a National Forest Plantation Development Programme (NFPDP) in January next year.
The objective of the programme is to increase the tree cover of the country through massive recruitment of reafforestation work gangs to improve environmental quality and reduce the wood deficit situation in the country.
The Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Henry Ford Kamel, told Parliament in an answer to a question that the new expanded NFPDP was unique and distinct from previous plantation programmes since it would involve the establishment of plantations in all district assemblies in the country.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Atwima Nwabiagya, Mr Benito Owusu-Bio, who posed the question wanted to know what plans the ministry was initiating to further expand the over 100,000 acres of forest plantations established under the Presidential Special Initiative on afforestation by the previous government.
Mr Kamel explained that in 2010, the programme would be implemented in 100 districts and 300 jobs would be created in each district, thus creating a total of 30,000 jobs.
He said that in 2011 and beyond the programme was expected to cover all the 170 districts in the country and thus create a total of 51,000 jobs.
The Deputy Minister further explained that the plantation development strategy would include woodlot establishments; planting of fruit trees, rehabilitation of mangrove forests and urban forestry and fire management.
He said the programme would be carried out in both degraded forest reserves and outside the reserves, explaining that in the degraded reserves, over 400,000 hectares of land area had already been identified and mapped out by the Forestry Commission.
Mr Kamel added that since the programme had been designed to cover all districts in the country, negotiations would be made with landowners in districts which might not have forest reserves for off-reserve areas to be planted.
The deputy minister stated that the programme would be funded from mining levies, HIC, District Assembly Common Fund, Plantation Development Fund and Mining Development Fund, among others.
He called on the MPs to fully participate in the programme when it was launched since it had a great potential for job creation, improvement in rural incomes, restoration of forest cover and maintenance of environmental quality
The MP for Zabzugu/Tatale, Mr John Bennam Jabaah, also asked the minister when government would start mining the iron ore deposit at Sheini in the Zabzugu/Tatale District.
Answering the question, Mr Kamel informed the House that a private company, Inland Ghana Mines Limited, had been granted a six-month non-exclusive Due Diligence Permit over the area, adding that should the due diligence confirm the suitability of the grades and tonnage available, the company would prepare a feasibility report to the ministry.
He said until a feasibility report had been received from the company, no definite timelines could be given for the commencement of the mining of the iron ore.
Meanwhile, the debate on the government’s financial policy and budget for 2010 continued in the House yesterday.
The NDC MP for Ashiaman, Mr Alfred Agbeshie, who was the first to catch the Speaker’s eye called for more effort to equip Parliament to make the work of the House easy.
The NDC MP was not happy that the government had not taken steps to renovate the Job 600 for use as offices by MPs as promised during the campaign.
He expressed concern about the office building of the former Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs which had been taken over by the Castle, and said that it would have been proper for the government to have allowed MPs to use the building.
Mr Agbesi commended the Minister of Finance for the budget, which he described as having a lot of promises, and called for more efforts to ensure the number of programmes and policies outlined in the document to improve the lot of Ghanaians.
For his part, the NPP MP for Tano North, Mr Enerst Akubuor Debrah, pointed out inconsistencies in the budget on targets set out by the budget to increase cocoa production in the country by 2012.
He explained that while in one breath the budget stated that government would double the current 750,000 tonnes by 2012, in another breath the budget predicted an increase of the current production level to one million tonnes by 2012.
While calling for an increase in the current producer price of cocoa to curb smuggling of the commodity to nearby countries, the MP also advocated the provision of credit facilities to farmers in general to enable them to increase their yields.
Thousands of bags of cocoa locked up
Backpage lead, Dec 2, 2009
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
MORE than 30,000 bags of cocoa are locked up in villages in the Amenfi West District of the Western Region following the collapse of some bridges and the road network in the area.
The Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr John Gyetuah, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, told the Daily Graphic that the biggest setback to the movement of cocoa and other agricultural produce in the area was the deplorable state of the 68-kilometre Samreboi-Prestea road which had become unmotorable as a result of years of neglect.
He added that the bridges spanning the River Fuli and the River Bisaa on the road had been damaged, making it difficult for vehicles to use the road to cart cocoa to the marketing centres.
Mr Gyetuah said although the district assembly had made an effort to rehabilitate the road, it had not been successful because of the huge amount involved in the work.
The deputy minister said a damaged bridge across the Kwaabisaa-Ohiampeanika, which was awarded to a contractor about two years ago, had still not been repaired.
He said the contractor had explained that he was finding it difficult to get components of the bridge for the repair work.
He added that the Sureso-Samreboi road had also not seen any major repairs for years and commended a timber firm, Samatex Timber Company, for its efforts at keeping the road in shape.
He expressed worry over the fact that even though the bulk of the country’s cocoa was obtained from the area, it had not had its fair share of the national cake.
Mr Gyetuah also called for urgent measures to save houses at Samreboi, Asankragua and Asankra Breman from being damaged as a result of severe erosion.
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
MORE than 30,000 bags of cocoa are locked up in villages in the Amenfi West District of the Western Region following the collapse of some bridges and the road network in the area.
The Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr John Gyetuah, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, told the Daily Graphic that the biggest setback to the movement of cocoa and other agricultural produce in the area was the deplorable state of the 68-kilometre Samreboi-Prestea road which had become unmotorable as a result of years of neglect.
He added that the bridges spanning the River Fuli and the River Bisaa on the road had been damaged, making it difficult for vehicles to use the road to cart cocoa to the marketing centres.
Mr Gyetuah said although the district assembly had made an effort to rehabilitate the road, it had not been successful because of the huge amount involved in the work.
The deputy minister said a damaged bridge across the Kwaabisaa-Ohiampeanika, which was awarded to a contractor about two years ago, had still not been repaired.
He said the contractor had explained that he was finding it difficult to get components of the bridge for the repair work.
He added that the Sureso-Samreboi road had also not seen any major repairs for years and commended a timber firm, Samatex Timber Company, for its efforts at keeping the road in shape.
He expressed worry over the fact that even though the bulk of the country’s cocoa was obtained from the area, it had not had its fair share of the national cake.
Mr Gyetuah also called for urgent measures to save houses at Samreboi, Asankragua and Asankra Breman from being damaged as a result of severe erosion.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Salaga Market to be reconstructed
Page 29, Dec 1, 2009
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Salaga Market, which was closed down about 11 years ago, is to be reconstructed next year under a joint venture between the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and a private investor.
The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Joseph Yieleh Chireh, who announced this in Parliament, added that the assembly was assessing the current status of the structure in order to come out with a comprehensive plan towards rebuilding the market.
The market was closed down about 11 years ago, when it was realised that the old structure, which was built about 80 years ago, was in a deplorable state and there was a need to refurbish it.
The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Joseph Yieleh Chireh, told Parliament that there had been plans to refurbish the market some years ago, but that did not materialise due to a lack of funds.
He was answering a question posed by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Odododiodioo, Mr Jonathan Nii Tackie-Komme, who complained that closure of the market 11 years ago had forced the market women to trade on the periphery of the road.
Mr Chireh further explained that in 2006, the assembly contracted Messrs Kpodo Tay and Associates to prepare a proposal for the maximisation of the land as a modern market.
He said that proposal was submitted to the Government for funding when the idea was mooted to build jubilee markets within each of the 10 regional capitals during the Ghana @ 50 celebration.
Mr Chireh said the Mallam Atta Market was, however, considered by the Government and that was approved instead of the Salaga Market.
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Salaga Market, which was closed down about 11 years ago, is to be reconstructed next year under a joint venture between the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and a private investor.
The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Joseph Yieleh Chireh, who announced this in Parliament, added that the assembly was assessing the current status of the structure in order to come out with a comprehensive plan towards rebuilding the market.
The market was closed down about 11 years ago, when it was realised that the old structure, which was built about 80 years ago, was in a deplorable state and there was a need to refurbish it.
The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Joseph Yieleh Chireh, told Parliament that there had been plans to refurbish the market some years ago, but that did not materialise due to a lack of funds.
He was answering a question posed by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Odododiodioo, Mr Jonathan Nii Tackie-Komme, who complained that closure of the market 11 years ago had forced the market women to trade on the periphery of the road.
Mr Chireh further explained that in 2006, the assembly contracted Messrs Kpodo Tay and Associates to prepare a proposal for the maximisation of the land as a modern market.
He said that proposal was submitted to the Government for funding when the idea was mooted to build jubilee markets within each of the 10 regional capitals during the Ghana @ 50 celebration.
Mr Chireh said the Mallam Atta Market was, however, considered by the Government and that was approved instead of the Salaga Market.
MP for Tano South cautions NPP members
Page 17, Dec 1, 2009
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Member of Parliament (MP) for Tano South in the Brong Ahafo Region, Mr Andrew Adjei-Yeboah, has cautioned members of the New Patriotic Party against petty internal squabbles and the tendency to clash over personalities in the party.
He said it would be better for members of the party to learn lessons from the results of the 2008 elections and make amends to enable the NPP to recapture power in the 2012 general elections.
“Although Ghanaians have now come to realise the difference between the governance of the NPP and the NDC, we have to fight hard to repackage our message in order to win the hearts of Ghanaians in the next elections”, he said.
Mr Adjei-Yeboah told the Daily Graphic after supervising the Tano South Constituency elections of the NPP at Derma that although most party faithful were ready to bury their differences, there was the need for more sensitisation programmes to be organised to ensure total unity in the party.
“There should not be any bad blood between us”, he said advising that “it is only unity that can propel us back to power”.
The MP called for measures to rehabilitate roads in the constituency to enable farmers transport their produce to marketing centres.
He promised to use his GH¢20,000 share of the National Health Insurance Fund to facilitate the operation of the Community Health Improvement Programme in the constituency.
In the keenly contested elections, the incumbent, Mr Asare Antwi, retained his chairmanship position with 392 votes as against 146 obtained by his challenger, Nana Opoku Buabeng.
Mr Thomas Anhwere was elected unopposed as the First Vice-Chairman while Nana Opoku was elected as the Second Vice-Chairman with Mr Kofi Amo Amoako being elected unopposed as the Secretary.
Mr Kwabena Adjei, alias Flash, was elected as the constituency’s Organiser, while Mr Abdul Karim won the contest for the constituency Youth Organiser position.
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Member of Parliament (MP) for Tano South in the Brong Ahafo Region, Mr Andrew Adjei-Yeboah, has cautioned members of the New Patriotic Party against petty internal squabbles and the tendency to clash over personalities in the party.
He said it would be better for members of the party to learn lessons from the results of the 2008 elections and make amends to enable the NPP to recapture power in the 2012 general elections.
“Although Ghanaians have now come to realise the difference between the governance of the NPP and the NDC, we have to fight hard to repackage our message in order to win the hearts of Ghanaians in the next elections”, he said.
Mr Adjei-Yeboah told the Daily Graphic after supervising the Tano South Constituency elections of the NPP at Derma that although most party faithful were ready to bury their differences, there was the need for more sensitisation programmes to be organised to ensure total unity in the party.
“There should not be any bad blood between us”, he said advising that “it is only unity that can propel us back to power”.
The MP called for measures to rehabilitate roads in the constituency to enable farmers transport their produce to marketing centres.
He promised to use his GH¢20,000 share of the National Health Insurance Fund to facilitate the operation of the Community Health Improvement Programme in the constituency.
In the keenly contested elections, the incumbent, Mr Asare Antwi, retained his chairmanship position with 392 votes as against 146 obtained by his challenger, Nana Opoku Buabeng.
Mr Thomas Anhwere was elected unopposed as the First Vice-Chairman while Nana Opoku was elected as the Second Vice-Chairman with Mr Kofi Amo Amoako being elected unopposed as the Secretary.
Mr Kwabena Adjei, alias Flash, was elected as the constituency’s Organiser, while Mr Abdul Karim won the contest for the constituency Youth Organiser position.
China-Africa relationship
Page 27, Nov 30, 2009
By Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah, Back from Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt
THE just ended Fourth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Co-operation (FOCAC) in the Egyptian tourist resort city, Sharm El-Sheikh, was described by some of the participants as “a stimulant that will cement the existing relationship between China and African countries”.
They were not far from right since proposals made by the Chinese Prime Minister, Mr Wen Jiabao, which were adopted by the forum will go a long way to enhance the partnership between China, an emerging economic superpower, and African countries.
FOCAC is one of the three-high level meetings established by the Chinese and African leaders at their inaugural summit at the Chinese capital, Beijing, in 2000 to enhance co-operation between the two sides to ensure development for their people in a win-win situation.
At the last FOCAC Summit in 2006, attended by 48 out of 53 members of the African Union (AU), China and African countries adopted a number of resolutions which proclaimed the establishment of a new type of partnership.
Priority was placed on different areas of the economy such as agriculture, infrastructure, industry, fishing, information technology, public health and personnel training to draw on each other's strengths for their mutual benefit.
At that summit, China and Africa pledged to increase their trade to volumes of about US$100 billion by 2010 with the then Chinese President, Mr Hu Jiabao, announcing a package of aid and assistance to Africa, including US$3 billion of preferential loans and the exemption of debt owed by some African countries.
The Sharm El-Sheikh summit, held from November 8 to 9, 2009 on the theme “Deepening the new type of China-Africa partnership for sustainable development”, aimed at the overall review of the implementation of various cooperative agreements since the Beijing Summit and charting the course for the development of China-Africa relations. It was jointly chaired by the Chinese Prime Minister, Mr Wen Jiabao and the Egyptian President, Mr Hosny Mubarak.
It was attended by 49 member countries of the African Union with Ghana, which included the Foreign Minister, Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni, and some senior officials from the ministry, being led by the Vice-President, Mr John Dramani Mahama.
According to Premier Jiabao, significant achievements had been made since the 2006 summit with China-Africa trade exceeding the 2010 target of US$100 billion last year while the number of African countries trading with China grew to 53.
Again, nearly 1,600 Chinese enterprises have started businesses in African countries with a direct stock of US$7.8 billion while project contracting and labour services cooperation between the two sides have been expanding with financial cooperation gaining momentum.
China's assistance to Africa, despite the impact of the international financial crisis and many difficulties it faces at home, has also been doubled with a plan to cancel 168 debts owed by 33 African countries nearing completion.
So far, exchanges between China and Africa have grown from strength to strength. By the end of the year, China is expected to have trained 15,000 people from African countries in different professions.
To show how it cherishes its relationship with Africa, China announced eight new measures to assist African countries during the just-ended fourth FOCAC meeting in Egypt.
First, China proposed to establish a China-Africa partnership in addressing climate change under which 100 clean energy projects covering solar power, biogas and small hydro-power would be embarked on.
Second, China has the given assurance that it will enhance its cooperation with Africa in science and technology by launching China-Africa science and technology partnership under which 100 joint demonstration projects on scientific and technological research would be carried out.
China will also provide US$10 billion in concessional loans to African countries and support Chinese financial institutions in setting up a US$ 1billion special loan for small and medium-sized African businesses.
It will also open up its market to African products by phasing in zero tariff treatment to 95 per cent starting with 50 per cent of products within 2010 while in the agricultural sector a number of measures including the training of 2,000 agricultural technology personnel would be done to strengthen Africa's ability to ensure food security.
In the health sector, China also proposed during the forum to provide medical equipment and anti-malaria materials to the 30 hospitals and 30 malaria prevention and treatment centres already built by China, and train 3,000 doctors and nurses in Africa.
A number of measures including the building of 50 China-Africa friendship schools and the training of 1,500 school principals and teachers in Africa by 2012, have also been proposed in the education sector, while the number of Chinese government scholarships to African students will be increased to 5,500.
The Chinese Prime Minister, Wen Jiabao, was right when he stated in his address to the forum that “as long as China and Africa go hand in hand with the enterprising spirit and cooperate on the basis of equality and mutual benefit, we will seize opportunities and overcome challenges to take the new type of China-Africa strategic partnership to a new level, and make China-Africa friendship and cooperation even more fruitful”.
The Vice-President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, who led Ghana's delegation to the summit, rightly indicated in his address at the forum that since its inception in 2002, FOCAC had provided a veritable channel for the incremental enhancement of Sino-African relationship, adding that the architects of the strategic partnership were motivated by the lessons of history, the realities of today and legitimate aspirations of the millions of people of China and Africa.
He noted that in spite of the difficulties that had characterised the global economic and financial environment, China had shared the virtues of true partnership and was well-placed to deepen this new strategic engagement.
“China is indeed a true friend of Africa,” he said and noted that China's post-FOCAC interventions in Ghana's socio-economic development had been remarkable and visible.
China’s cooperation with its African counterparts is a clear example of south-south co-operation that had been drummed home since time immemorial. The success of FOCAL will, therefore, clear the way for developing countries to look up to themselves for their economic survival rather than looking up to the west.
It is the hope of this writer that FOCAC will not be a nine-day wonder but grow to become a force in the international development agenda that would enable most African countries to rub shoulders with countries anywhere on the globe.
By Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah, Back from Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt
THE just ended Fourth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Co-operation (FOCAC) in the Egyptian tourist resort city, Sharm El-Sheikh, was described by some of the participants as “a stimulant that will cement the existing relationship between China and African countries”.
They were not far from right since proposals made by the Chinese Prime Minister, Mr Wen Jiabao, which were adopted by the forum will go a long way to enhance the partnership between China, an emerging economic superpower, and African countries.
FOCAC is one of the three-high level meetings established by the Chinese and African leaders at their inaugural summit at the Chinese capital, Beijing, in 2000 to enhance co-operation between the two sides to ensure development for their people in a win-win situation.
At the last FOCAC Summit in 2006, attended by 48 out of 53 members of the African Union (AU), China and African countries adopted a number of resolutions which proclaimed the establishment of a new type of partnership.
Priority was placed on different areas of the economy such as agriculture, infrastructure, industry, fishing, information technology, public health and personnel training to draw on each other's strengths for their mutual benefit.
At that summit, China and Africa pledged to increase their trade to volumes of about US$100 billion by 2010 with the then Chinese President, Mr Hu Jiabao, announcing a package of aid and assistance to Africa, including US$3 billion of preferential loans and the exemption of debt owed by some African countries.
The Sharm El-Sheikh summit, held from November 8 to 9, 2009 on the theme “Deepening the new type of China-Africa partnership for sustainable development”, aimed at the overall review of the implementation of various cooperative agreements since the Beijing Summit and charting the course for the development of China-Africa relations. It was jointly chaired by the Chinese Prime Minister, Mr Wen Jiabao and the Egyptian President, Mr Hosny Mubarak.
It was attended by 49 member countries of the African Union with Ghana, which included the Foreign Minister, Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni, and some senior officials from the ministry, being led by the Vice-President, Mr John Dramani Mahama.
According to Premier Jiabao, significant achievements had been made since the 2006 summit with China-Africa trade exceeding the 2010 target of US$100 billion last year while the number of African countries trading with China grew to 53.
Again, nearly 1,600 Chinese enterprises have started businesses in African countries with a direct stock of US$7.8 billion while project contracting and labour services cooperation between the two sides have been expanding with financial cooperation gaining momentum.
China's assistance to Africa, despite the impact of the international financial crisis and many difficulties it faces at home, has also been doubled with a plan to cancel 168 debts owed by 33 African countries nearing completion.
So far, exchanges between China and Africa have grown from strength to strength. By the end of the year, China is expected to have trained 15,000 people from African countries in different professions.
To show how it cherishes its relationship with Africa, China announced eight new measures to assist African countries during the just-ended fourth FOCAC meeting in Egypt.
First, China proposed to establish a China-Africa partnership in addressing climate change under which 100 clean energy projects covering solar power, biogas and small hydro-power would be embarked on.
Second, China has the given assurance that it will enhance its cooperation with Africa in science and technology by launching China-Africa science and technology partnership under which 100 joint demonstration projects on scientific and technological research would be carried out.
China will also provide US$10 billion in concessional loans to African countries and support Chinese financial institutions in setting up a US$ 1billion special loan for small and medium-sized African businesses.
It will also open up its market to African products by phasing in zero tariff treatment to 95 per cent starting with 50 per cent of products within 2010 while in the agricultural sector a number of measures including the training of 2,000 agricultural technology personnel would be done to strengthen Africa's ability to ensure food security.
In the health sector, China also proposed during the forum to provide medical equipment and anti-malaria materials to the 30 hospitals and 30 malaria prevention and treatment centres already built by China, and train 3,000 doctors and nurses in Africa.
A number of measures including the building of 50 China-Africa friendship schools and the training of 1,500 school principals and teachers in Africa by 2012, have also been proposed in the education sector, while the number of Chinese government scholarships to African students will be increased to 5,500.
The Chinese Prime Minister, Wen Jiabao, was right when he stated in his address to the forum that “as long as China and Africa go hand in hand with the enterprising spirit and cooperate on the basis of equality and mutual benefit, we will seize opportunities and overcome challenges to take the new type of China-Africa strategic partnership to a new level, and make China-Africa friendship and cooperation even more fruitful”.
The Vice-President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, who led Ghana's delegation to the summit, rightly indicated in his address at the forum that since its inception in 2002, FOCAC had provided a veritable channel for the incremental enhancement of Sino-African relationship, adding that the architects of the strategic partnership were motivated by the lessons of history, the realities of today and legitimate aspirations of the millions of people of China and Africa.
He noted that in spite of the difficulties that had characterised the global economic and financial environment, China had shared the virtues of true partnership and was well-placed to deepen this new strategic engagement.
“China is indeed a true friend of Africa,” he said and noted that China's post-FOCAC interventions in Ghana's socio-economic development had been remarkable and visible.
China’s cooperation with its African counterparts is a clear example of south-south co-operation that had been drummed home since time immemorial. The success of FOCAL will, therefore, clear the way for developing countries to look up to themselves for their economic survival rather than looking up to the west.
It is the hope of this writer that FOCAC will not be a nine-day wonder but grow to become a force in the international development agenda that would enable most African countries to rub shoulders with countries anywhere on the globe.
Debate on budget turns chaotic
Page 55, Nov 26, 2009
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
CHAOS and confusion characterised the atmosphere in Parliament yesterday as the House began debate on the 2010 Budget and Financial Policy of the government which was presented by the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr Kwabena Duffuor, to the House last week Wednesday.
So rowdy was the situation that it became very difficult for the First Deputy Speaker, Mr Edward Doe Adjaho, to control the debate, since members from both sides of the House would not keep quiet for the listening public to make their informed judgement.
The presence of a Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Mr Fiifi Kwetey, also seemed to have rekindled the bad blood that existed between him and the Minority, as his explanation of a statement he had made on an Accra-based radio station seemed to make the already charged atmosphere worse.
In his submission, the Ranking Member of Finance, Dr Anthony Akoto Osei, was not happy with Mr Kwetey’s description of the 2008 GDP growth of 7.3 per cent as cocaine-induced growth.
When he was given the chance to explain his assertion, the deputy minister explained that what he had said on the radio station was metaphorical.
He said he had compared the 2008 growth rate to an athlete who had taken cocaine and steroids to assist him to ran a race, explaining that such growth was not sustainable.
In his bid to explain himself, Mr Kwetey wondered why Dr Akoto Osei, who is also the Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, could not understand such a metaphorical statement.
That assertion inflamed passions and brought all the members on the Minority side to their feet. It took tact on the part of the Majority Leader and Mr Adjaho to prevail on Mr Kwetey to withdraw and apologise for his statement, which was deemed “unparliamentary”.
Even after the House had adjourned and the First Deputy Speaker was being led out of the Chamber, the Minority back benchers were still banging their desks and shouting, “We want Madam Speaker; we want Madam Speaker.”
Their counterparts on the Majority side responded with shouts of “Shame! Shame! Shame!”
In the end, only two people, one from each side, instead of the expected three from each side, were able to contribute to the debate during the first day.
Contributing to the debate, Dr Akoto Osei accused the government for failing to provide end-of-year figures of the 2009 budget in the 2010 budget, explaining that that had deliberately been done.
He also referred to revenue figures in the 2009 budget and said it was unfortunate that revenue targets had not been achieved and asked Ghanaians to inquire from the government whether that was the better Ghana that had been promised them by the NDC during the 2008 electioneering.
Dr Akotoi Osei’s contribution, which was expected to have lasted for 15 minutes, lasted one hour due to heckling and the noisy atmosphere in the House.
When he took his turn, the NDC MP for Anlo, Mr Clement Kofi Humado, accused the past government for running down the economy and leaving a huge deficit behind.
He said the NDC put in a lot of measures this year to enable it to make meaningful gains, compared to those of the previous government.
Mr Humado’s description was also met with a lot of heckling and he could not complete his submission before Mr Adjaho adjourned sitting.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic after the sitting, the Majority Leader, Mr Alban Bagbin, described the situation in the House as not the best and stated that measures would be taken to ensure a lively debate today.
He said the leadership of the House would prevail on the Speaker not to allow points of order during subsequent debates, in addition to ordering the marshal to drive away members who disturbed outside the chamber.
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
CHAOS and confusion characterised the atmosphere in Parliament yesterday as the House began debate on the 2010 Budget and Financial Policy of the government which was presented by the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr Kwabena Duffuor, to the House last week Wednesday.
So rowdy was the situation that it became very difficult for the First Deputy Speaker, Mr Edward Doe Adjaho, to control the debate, since members from both sides of the House would not keep quiet for the listening public to make their informed judgement.
The presence of a Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Mr Fiifi Kwetey, also seemed to have rekindled the bad blood that existed between him and the Minority, as his explanation of a statement he had made on an Accra-based radio station seemed to make the already charged atmosphere worse.
In his submission, the Ranking Member of Finance, Dr Anthony Akoto Osei, was not happy with Mr Kwetey’s description of the 2008 GDP growth of 7.3 per cent as cocaine-induced growth.
When he was given the chance to explain his assertion, the deputy minister explained that what he had said on the radio station was metaphorical.
He said he had compared the 2008 growth rate to an athlete who had taken cocaine and steroids to assist him to ran a race, explaining that such growth was not sustainable.
In his bid to explain himself, Mr Kwetey wondered why Dr Akoto Osei, who is also the Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, could not understand such a metaphorical statement.
That assertion inflamed passions and brought all the members on the Minority side to their feet. It took tact on the part of the Majority Leader and Mr Adjaho to prevail on Mr Kwetey to withdraw and apologise for his statement, which was deemed “unparliamentary”.
Even after the House had adjourned and the First Deputy Speaker was being led out of the Chamber, the Minority back benchers were still banging their desks and shouting, “We want Madam Speaker; we want Madam Speaker.”
Their counterparts on the Majority side responded with shouts of “Shame! Shame! Shame!”
In the end, only two people, one from each side, instead of the expected three from each side, were able to contribute to the debate during the first day.
Contributing to the debate, Dr Akoto Osei accused the government for failing to provide end-of-year figures of the 2009 budget in the 2010 budget, explaining that that had deliberately been done.
He also referred to revenue figures in the 2009 budget and said it was unfortunate that revenue targets had not been achieved and asked Ghanaians to inquire from the government whether that was the better Ghana that had been promised them by the NDC during the 2008 electioneering.
Dr Akotoi Osei’s contribution, which was expected to have lasted for 15 minutes, lasted one hour due to heckling and the noisy atmosphere in the House.
When he took his turn, the NDC MP for Anlo, Mr Clement Kofi Humado, accused the past government for running down the economy and leaving a huge deficit behind.
He said the NDC put in a lot of measures this year to enable it to make meaningful gains, compared to those of the previous government.
Mr Humado’s description was also met with a lot of heckling and he could not complete his submission before Mr Adjaho adjourned sitting.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic after the sitting, the Majority Leader, Mr Alban Bagbin, described the situation in the House as not the best and stated that measures would be taken to ensure a lively debate today.
He said the leadership of the House would prevail on the Speaker not to allow points of order during subsequent debates, in addition to ordering the marshal to drive away members who disturbed outside the chamber.
MPs engage in decorous debate
Page 14, Nov 28, 2009
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE chaos, confusion and acrimony that characterized the first day of the debate of the 2010 Financial Statement and Budget in Parliament gave way to a decorous debate today with Members of Parliament (MPs) from both sides of the House paying attention to their opponents as they make their submissions.
The Speaker of Parliament, Mrs Joyce Bamford-Addo had no difficulty in controlling affair of the House as the MPs minimized their hecklings and only came in with their points of order when it became necessary.
Making his contribution, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Wenchi and former Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Professor George Yaw Gyang-Bafffuor noted that the growth target of 6.5 for the 2010 budget would not be attained.
He described some targets in the 2010 budget as outrageous and urged the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning to tread cautiously.
Professor Gyang-Baffour noted that it was unfortunate that an economy which was buoyant was now at the doldrums with only 4.7 growth for t2009.
He said the Ghanaian economy recorded less than five per cent growth for 10 years continuously until the NPP administration took over before measure were put in place to record above five per cent growth rate.
Professor Gyang-Baffour said it is unfortunate that the NDC had reverted the country’s growth rate back to the days when the growth rate was below five per cent for a long time.
He noted that the re-imposition of taxes on some imported items such as rice was not the best simply imposing taxes on such commodities would not deter consumers from patronizing such commodities.
“What have Ghanaians done to deserve such hardships being visited on them by the government”, he said adding that the economic theories underlying the 2010 budget was outmoded.
He accused the government for allowing the economy to be ran through a remote control system by the IMF and the World Bank.
When he took his turn, the MP for Mion, Dr Alhassan Yakubu said “my assessment of the budget is that it is a good one” explaining that it was a departure from the economic public relations that had been the lot of many budgets in recent times.
“The budget set into motion the basic building blocks for real economic growth. It does so by putting resources into areas that will sustain economic goals to achieve poverty reduction, sustainable economic growth, employment and technology transfer”, noted.
Dr Alhassan said it was good that the government included the oil and gas industry and further development of the information, communication technology industry as a tool for the modernization of the economy and employment generation.
He said the budget recognized agriculture as the base of the economic and more sustainable way of growing the economy, adding that it was, therefore not surprising that key elements of the budget delivered proposals meant to support the sector.
Dr Alhassan buttressed his point by explaining that in the 2009 season some significant increases in rice, maize, sorghum, millet, groundnut, soya bean and cowpea production were made, while in the poultry sector, 25,000 improved chicks were distributed to farmers at subsidized prices to boost local poultry production.
That programme, he said, would be continued in 2010 and would include the provision of incubators to hatch keets in the Northern regions.
He called for an independent agency to handle the sheanut the industry which he described a s gold and a potential foreign exchange earners for the nation adding that the industry must be taken away from the COCOBOD and given the opportunity to grow.
On the policy of restori8ng taxes on imported rice and poultry, Dr Alhassan stated that the growth of local agriculture had always thrived on technology, investment and market adding that any weak link in that chain would undermine growth of the sector.
He noted that there was the need to protect local producers and make them competitive and called for measures to discourage dumping while advising Ghanaians to eat what was produced in the country.
Other contributors of the debate included, the Minister of Communications and MP for Tamale South, Mr Haruna Iddrisu.
He assured Ghanaians that a lot of infrastructure would be build to boost the communication industry and encourage the establishment of FM stations in districts capitals and communities to boost information flow in the country.
The NPP MP for Kwabre West, Mr Emmanuel A. Owusu-Ansah accused the President of violating the provisions of the Constitution by slashing the budget of the Judiciary.
The Speaker, Mrs Bamford-Addo, however said that during the consideration of fiscal budget estimates, the proper thing would be done.
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE chaos, confusion and acrimony that characterized the first day of the debate of the 2010 Financial Statement and Budget in Parliament gave way to a decorous debate today with Members of Parliament (MPs) from both sides of the House paying attention to their opponents as they make their submissions.
The Speaker of Parliament, Mrs Joyce Bamford-Addo had no difficulty in controlling affair of the House as the MPs minimized their hecklings and only came in with their points of order when it became necessary.
Making his contribution, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Wenchi and former Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Professor George Yaw Gyang-Bafffuor noted that the growth target of 6.5 for the 2010 budget would not be attained.
He described some targets in the 2010 budget as outrageous and urged the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning to tread cautiously.
Professor Gyang-Baffour noted that it was unfortunate that an economy which was buoyant was now at the doldrums with only 4.7 growth for t2009.
He said the Ghanaian economy recorded less than five per cent growth for 10 years continuously until the NPP administration took over before measure were put in place to record above five per cent growth rate.
Professor Gyang-Baffour said it is unfortunate that the NDC had reverted the country’s growth rate back to the days when the growth rate was below five per cent for a long time.
He noted that the re-imposition of taxes on some imported items such as rice was not the best simply imposing taxes on such commodities would not deter consumers from patronizing such commodities.
“What have Ghanaians done to deserve such hardships being visited on them by the government”, he said adding that the economic theories underlying the 2010 budget was outmoded.
He accused the government for allowing the economy to be ran through a remote control system by the IMF and the World Bank.
When he took his turn, the MP for Mion, Dr Alhassan Yakubu said “my assessment of the budget is that it is a good one” explaining that it was a departure from the economic public relations that had been the lot of many budgets in recent times.
“The budget set into motion the basic building blocks for real economic growth. It does so by putting resources into areas that will sustain economic goals to achieve poverty reduction, sustainable economic growth, employment and technology transfer”, noted.
Dr Alhassan said it was good that the government included the oil and gas industry and further development of the information, communication technology industry as a tool for the modernization of the economy and employment generation.
He said the budget recognized agriculture as the base of the economic and more sustainable way of growing the economy, adding that it was, therefore not surprising that key elements of the budget delivered proposals meant to support the sector.
Dr Alhassan buttressed his point by explaining that in the 2009 season some significant increases in rice, maize, sorghum, millet, groundnut, soya bean and cowpea production were made, while in the poultry sector, 25,000 improved chicks were distributed to farmers at subsidized prices to boost local poultry production.
That programme, he said, would be continued in 2010 and would include the provision of incubators to hatch keets in the Northern regions.
He called for an independent agency to handle the sheanut the industry which he described a s gold and a potential foreign exchange earners for the nation adding that the industry must be taken away from the COCOBOD and given the opportunity to grow.
On the policy of restori8ng taxes on imported rice and poultry, Dr Alhassan stated that the growth of local agriculture had always thrived on technology, investment and market adding that any weak link in that chain would undermine growth of the sector.
He noted that there was the need to protect local producers and make them competitive and called for measures to discourage dumping while advising Ghanaians to eat what was produced in the country.
Other contributors of the debate included, the Minister of Communications and MP for Tamale South, Mr Haruna Iddrisu.
He assured Ghanaians that a lot of infrastructure would be build to boost the communication industry and encourage the establishment of FM stations in districts capitals and communities to boost information flow in the country.
The NPP MP for Kwabre West, Mr Emmanuel A. Owusu-Ansah accused the President of violating the provisions of the Constitution by slashing the budget of the Judiciary.
The Speaker, Mrs Bamford-Addo, however said that during the consideration of fiscal budget estimates, the proper thing would be done.
Busiest week for parliamentarians
Page 14, Nov 27, 2009
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THIS week can be described as the most busiest week since Parliament reconvened for the Third Meeting of the First Session of the Fifth Parliament of the Fourth Republic.
Coming after the previous week, during which the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr Kwabena Duffuor presented the 2010 budget to the House, members braced themselves for the debate on the document after attending a post-budget workshop at Sogakope.
Some ministers also were invited to the House to answer questions posed to them by some MPs, while certain bills were also presented to the House for their first reading.
One of the bills was the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Bill, 2009, which is to repeal Act 703, 2006 to ensure the collection of a flat rate royalty on minerals and mining commodities.
The second bill was the Customs and Excise (Duties and Other Taxes) (Amendment) (Number 2) Bill, 2009 to restore and rationalise import duty on selected commodities and to move from specific to advalorem excise duty rate.
Two other bills the Ghana Revenue Authority Bill and the Electronic Communications (Amendment) Bill were also laid before the House this week.
One memorable incident that occurred in the House during the week under review was the sudden power outage happened just when the First Deputy Speaker, Mr Doe Adjaho had invited the Minister of Energy, Mr Joseph Oteng-Adjei, who was in the House to answer some questions on activities of his ministry.
The incident compelled Mr Dayi to order the Business Committee of the House to schedule the minister to appear before the House with a statement to explain the current frequent power outages throughout the country.
Some of the questions, which were posed by the MPs also bordered on the frequent power outages in their constituencies.
Some of the questions also were to enquire from the minister, when certain communities in their constituencies would be connected to the national grid.
When the debate on the budget began on Wednesday, it was characterised with chaos and confusion and MPs from both sides heckled speakers from the opposing sides.
So rowdy was the situation that it became very difficult for the First Deputy Speaker, Mr Edward Doe Addo, to control the debate, since members from both sides of the House would not keep quiet for the listening public to make their informed judgement.
As usual, while the Minority contributors pointed out the inadequacies of the budget, the Majority Contributors extolled the positive sides of the document and accused the previous administration of leaving a run down economy, which the government was working hard to fix.
Prominent among the contributors were the New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP for Old Tafo, Dr Anthony Akoto Osei, who is also the Ranking Member on Finance and the MP for Anlo, Mr Clement Kofi Humado.
The Majority Leader, Mr Alban Bagbin averted an imminent boycott of the debate by the Minority when he prevailed on Mr Adjaho to order a Deputy Minister of Finance, Mr Fiifi Kwetey to withdraw statements he made which were deemed unparliamentary by the Minority.
Mr Kwetey told Mr Akoto Osei that he lacked the ability to understand his use of a metaphor to describe the 2008 economic growth achieved by the NPR as an athlete who had taken cocaine and steroids in order to aid him in a race.
That statement did not go down well with members from the Minority side and after a heated debate on the issue, which nearly resulted in a walkout by the Minority, Mr Kwetey withdrew his statement and apologised to Dr Akoto.
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THIS week can be described as the most busiest week since Parliament reconvened for the Third Meeting of the First Session of the Fifth Parliament of the Fourth Republic.
Coming after the previous week, during which the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr Kwabena Duffuor presented the 2010 budget to the House, members braced themselves for the debate on the document after attending a post-budget workshop at Sogakope.
Some ministers also were invited to the House to answer questions posed to them by some MPs, while certain bills were also presented to the House for their first reading.
One of the bills was the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Bill, 2009, which is to repeal Act 703, 2006 to ensure the collection of a flat rate royalty on minerals and mining commodities.
The second bill was the Customs and Excise (Duties and Other Taxes) (Amendment) (Number 2) Bill, 2009 to restore and rationalise import duty on selected commodities and to move from specific to advalorem excise duty rate.
Two other bills the Ghana Revenue Authority Bill and the Electronic Communications (Amendment) Bill were also laid before the House this week.
One memorable incident that occurred in the House during the week under review was the sudden power outage happened just when the First Deputy Speaker, Mr Doe Adjaho had invited the Minister of Energy, Mr Joseph Oteng-Adjei, who was in the House to answer some questions on activities of his ministry.
The incident compelled Mr Dayi to order the Business Committee of the House to schedule the minister to appear before the House with a statement to explain the current frequent power outages throughout the country.
Some of the questions, which were posed by the MPs also bordered on the frequent power outages in their constituencies.
Some of the questions also were to enquire from the minister, when certain communities in their constituencies would be connected to the national grid.
When the debate on the budget began on Wednesday, it was characterised with chaos and confusion and MPs from both sides heckled speakers from the opposing sides.
So rowdy was the situation that it became very difficult for the First Deputy Speaker, Mr Edward Doe Addo, to control the debate, since members from both sides of the House would not keep quiet for the listening public to make their informed judgement.
As usual, while the Minority contributors pointed out the inadequacies of the budget, the Majority Contributors extolled the positive sides of the document and accused the previous administration of leaving a run down economy, which the government was working hard to fix.
Prominent among the contributors were the New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP for Old Tafo, Dr Anthony Akoto Osei, who is also the Ranking Member on Finance and the MP for Anlo, Mr Clement Kofi Humado.
The Majority Leader, Mr Alban Bagbin averted an imminent boycott of the debate by the Minority when he prevailed on Mr Adjaho to order a Deputy Minister of Finance, Mr Fiifi Kwetey to withdraw statements he made which were deemed unparliamentary by the Minority.
Mr Kwetey told Mr Akoto Osei that he lacked the ability to understand his use of a metaphor to describe the 2008 economic growth achieved by the NPR as an athlete who had taken cocaine and steroids in order to aid him in a race.
That statement did not go down well with members from the Minority side and after a heated debate on the issue, which nearly resulted in a walkout by the Minority, Mr Kwetey withdrew his statement and apologised to Dr Akoto.
DISASTER LOOMS IN BAWKU IF.....
Frontpage lead, Nov 27, 2009
Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Upper East Regional Security Council (REGSEC) has warned of dire consequences and a possible “blood bath” in Bawku if a stop is not put to what it describes as attempts to further demoralise the security personnel on peacekeeping mission there.
Presenting an agenda which the REGSEC believes can bring peace to the conflict area, the Upper East Regional Minister and Chairman of REGSEC, Mr Mark Owen Woyongo, said the peacekeepers were already suffering from poor remuneration, inadequate logistics and equipment and serious threats to their lives, such that any further injury to their morale could be disastrous.
Baring his heart in an interview with the Daily Graphic in Accra, Mr Woyongo lamented the plight of the peacekeepers and called for more incentives to motivate them to work hard to ensure peace in the area.
He revealed that currently each peacekeeper received a daily allowance of GH¢2.50.
He also suggested the provision of a helicopter for the soldiers to enable them to monitor the activities of the warring factions from the air, as well as more tents to house them.
Mr Woyongo also called for the provision of motorbikes to enable the peacekeepers to move to all corners to chase and arrest people who caused mayhem and attempted to abscond.
He called on human rights activists to sympathise with the peacekeepers, since many killings went unreported in the Bawku conflict zone, explaining that some people who died in the conflict were hidden and buried in the night.
He appealed to the media not to over-flog the Bawku crisis to the detriment of the core issues in the more than a half century conflict.
Referring to the alleged maltreatment of two civilians by soldiers at Bawku recently, Mr Woyongo said while the abuse of human rights should not be supported, the media must desist from creating a situation that would lead to disenchantment among the peacekeepers in the area.
The regional minister further cautioned that over-blowing the Bawku conflict could lead to its escalation beyond the borders of Bawku.
There has been criticism of the action of the military in Bawku, with some people castigating it and calling it all sorts of names, but the regional minister maintained that since the situation in the area was critical, excesses could occur.
“Every day people are being killed and maimed, while others are causing arson in the name of the conflict,” he said, and advised the media to be prudent in their reportage from the conflict area.
Mr Woyongo said the media had a responsibility, through their reportage, to ensure the end of the war, instead of inflaming passions at the least opportunity.
He hinted that efforts were being made to institute an awards scheme to reward people who offered information leading to the arrest of crime perpetrators and those who were in possession of arms.
He advised factions involved in the conflict to give peace a chance, since both the Kusasis and the Mamprusis were related through inter-marriages.
“You should learn to co-exist and not allow chieftaincy conflicts lead to killings,” he said, and called on them to learn to forgive one another, since “to forgive is divine”.
Mr Woyongo warned both Kusasis and Mamprusis leaving outside Bawku who were buying ammunition for their kinsmen to fuel the conflict to put a stop to their unpatriotic actions, since they were helping to fuel the carnage in the area.
Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Upper East Regional Security Council (REGSEC) has warned of dire consequences and a possible “blood bath” in Bawku if a stop is not put to what it describes as attempts to further demoralise the security personnel on peacekeeping mission there.
Presenting an agenda which the REGSEC believes can bring peace to the conflict area, the Upper East Regional Minister and Chairman of REGSEC, Mr Mark Owen Woyongo, said the peacekeepers were already suffering from poor remuneration, inadequate logistics and equipment and serious threats to their lives, such that any further injury to their morale could be disastrous.
Baring his heart in an interview with the Daily Graphic in Accra, Mr Woyongo lamented the plight of the peacekeepers and called for more incentives to motivate them to work hard to ensure peace in the area.
He revealed that currently each peacekeeper received a daily allowance of GH¢2.50.
He also suggested the provision of a helicopter for the soldiers to enable them to monitor the activities of the warring factions from the air, as well as more tents to house them.
Mr Woyongo also called for the provision of motorbikes to enable the peacekeepers to move to all corners to chase and arrest people who caused mayhem and attempted to abscond.
He called on human rights activists to sympathise with the peacekeepers, since many killings went unreported in the Bawku conflict zone, explaining that some people who died in the conflict were hidden and buried in the night.
He appealed to the media not to over-flog the Bawku crisis to the detriment of the core issues in the more than a half century conflict.
Referring to the alleged maltreatment of two civilians by soldiers at Bawku recently, Mr Woyongo said while the abuse of human rights should not be supported, the media must desist from creating a situation that would lead to disenchantment among the peacekeepers in the area.
The regional minister further cautioned that over-blowing the Bawku conflict could lead to its escalation beyond the borders of Bawku.
There has been criticism of the action of the military in Bawku, with some people castigating it and calling it all sorts of names, but the regional minister maintained that since the situation in the area was critical, excesses could occur.
“Every day people are being killed and maimed, while others are causing arson in the name of the conflict,” he said, and advised the media to be prudent in their reportage from the conflict area.
Mr Woyongo said the media had a responsibility, through their reportage, to ensure the end of the war, instead of inflaming passions at the least opportunity.
He hinted that efforts were being made to institute an awards scheme to reward people who offered information leading to the arrest of crime perpetrators and those who were in possession of arms.
He advised factions involved in the conflict to give peace a chance, since both the Kusasis and the Mamprusis were related through inter-marriages.
“You should learn to co-exist and not allow chieftaincy conflicts lead to killings,” he said, and called on them to learn to forgive one another, since “to forgive is divine”.
Mr Woyongo warned both Kusasis and Mamprusis leaving outside Bawku who were buying ammunition for their kinsmen to fuel the conflict to put a stop to their unpatriotic actions, since they were helping to fuel the carnage in the area.
Proposed airport to boost tourism in VR
Page 17, Nov 25, 2009
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Minister of Tourism, Mrs Juliana Azumah-Mensah, has said the proposed construction of a new airport in the Volta Region will help boost tourism in the area.
She said the disclosure of the construction of the airport by the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Airport Company, Madam Doormen Fianko, came as good news to all lovers of the tourism ministry.
Mrs Azumah-Mensah, who is also the Member of Parliament for Ho East, noted that for tourism to thrive in the country, airports, airlines and other transport systems were critical factors that would go a long way to facilitate the increase of tourist arrivals.
The minister told the Daily Graphic that the Volta Region was endowed with a rich diversity of tourism products and investment potential.
She said critical developments, such as airports, railways, roads and airlines, would go a long way to open up the region.
The minister said the government was committed to the development of the tourism sector as a measure to provide jobs for the people.
Mrs Azumah-Mensah stated that presently tourism had become the third foreign exchange earner for the country after cocoa and gold and expressed the hope that if proper measures were put in place, the sector would become the country’s number one foreign exchange earner.
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Minister of Tourism, Mrs Juliana Azumah-Mensah, has said the proposed construction of a new airport in the Volta Region will help boost tourism in the area.
She said the disclosure of the construction of the airport by the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Airport Company, Madam Doormen Fianko, came as good news to all lovers of the tourism ministry.
Mrs Azumah-Mensah, who is also the Member of Parliament for Ho East, noted that for tourism to thrive in the country, airports, airlines and other transport systems were critical factors that would go a long way to facilitate the increase of tourist arrivals.
The minister told the Daily Graphic that the Volta Region was endowed with a rich diversity of tourism products and investment potential.
She said critical developments, such as airports, railways, roads and airlines, would go a long way to open up the region.
The minister said the government was committed to the development of the tourism sector as a measure to provide jobs for the people.
Mrs Azumah-Mensah stated that presently tourism had become the third foreign exchange earner for the country after cocoa and gold and expressed the hope that if proper measures were put in place, the sector would become the country’s number one foreign exchange earner.
Two bills before Parliament
Page 15, Nov 25, 2009
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
A Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Mr Fiifi Kwetey, yesterday laid two bills in Parliament, aimed at amending two financial laws to impose taxes on some selected commodities to ensure the accrual of more revenue for the government.
The first one is the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Bill, 2009, which is to repeal Act 703, 2006 to ensure the collection of a flat rate royalty on minerals and mining commodities.
The second bill laid by the minister is the Customs and Excise (Duties and Other Taxes) (Amendment) (Number 2) Bill, 2009 to restore and rationalise import duty on selected commodities and to move from specific to advalorem excise duty rate.
The bill also seeks to introduce an import levy on textiles, textile articles and poultry products.
If passed, the bill will impose an import levy of one per cent of the Cost Insurance and Freight (CIF) value on textiles, textile articles and two per cent of CIF value on poultry products.
The Custom, Excise (Duties and Other Taxes) (Amendment) Bill seeks to impose 140 per cent of ex-factory price duty on cigarette and cigar, and 170.65 per cent of ex-factory price on snuff and tobacco while beer in bottles and kegs and stout would attract 50 per cent tax.
In the bill, wines are expected to attract 25 per cent of ex-refinery price, mineral waters of all descriptions, 20 per cent, malt drinks, 20 per cent while “Akpeteshie” will attract 20 per cent of ex-refinery price.
Presenting the 2010 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the government to Parliament last week Wednesday, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr Kwabena Duffuor, gave an indication of the re-imposition of taxes removed on some staple food import to cushion the impact of the global food hikes of the 2007-2008.
He said that decision unfortunately opened the flood gate for the dumping of foreign food items in the country.
In the budget, the minister announced the increase in the minimum mineral royalties to six per cent and gave an indication that the government would engage all mining companies to address the issue of dividend payment, exemptions and the whole mining fiscal regime.
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
A Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Mr Fiifi Kwetey, yesterday laid two bills in Parliament, aimed at amending two financial laws to impose taxes on some selected commodities to ensure the accrual of more revenue for the government.
The first one is the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Bill, 2009, which is to repeal Act 703, 2006 to ensure the collection of a flat rate royalty on minerals and mining commodities.
The second bill laid by the minister is the Customs and Excise (Duties and Other Taxes) (Amendment) (Number 2) Bill, 2009 to restore and rationalise import duty on selected commodities and to move from specific to advalorem excise duty rate.
The bill also seeks to introduce an import levy on textiles, textile articles and poultry products.
If passed, the bill will impose an import levy of one per cent of the Cost Insurance and Freight (CIF) value on textiles, textile articles and two per cent of CIF value on poultry products.
The Custom, Excise (Duties and Other Taxes) (Amendment) Bill seeks to impose 140 per cent of ex-factory price duty on cigarette and cigar, and 170.65 per cent of ex-factory price on snuff and tobacco while beer in bottles and kegs and stout would attract 50 per cent tax.
In the bill, wines are expected to attract 25 per cent of ex-refinery price, mineral waters of all descriptions, 20 per cent, malt drinks, 20 per cent while “Akpeteshie” will attract 20 per cent of ex-refinery price.
Presenting the 2010 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the government to Parliament last week Wednesday, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr Kwabena Duffuor, gave an indication of the re-imposition of taxes removed on some staple food import to cushion the impact of the global food hikes of the 2007-2008.
He said that decision unfortunately opened the flood gate for the dumping of foreign food items in the country.
In the budget, the minister announced the increase in the minimum mineral royalties to six per cent and gave an indication that the government would engage all mining companies to address the issue of dividend payment, exemptions and the whole mining fiscal regime.
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