4 ministers to answer questions

Page 3, May 29, 2010
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
FOUR sector ministers are expected to appear before Parliament next week to answer a total of 28 questions which have been filed by some Members of Parliament (MPs) from both sides of the House.
They are the Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Mr Alban Bagbin; the Minister for the Interior, Mr Martin Amidu; the Minister of Education, Mr Alex Tettey-Enyo, and the Minister of Roads and Highways, Mr Joe Gidisu.
Prominent among the 28 questions is the one by the MP for North Tongu, Mr Charles Hodogbey, who has been scheduled to ask Mr Bagbin on Tuesday to disclose the identities of the beneficiaries under the protocol allocations of the government prime lands in Accra.
The MP has also asked the minister about his ministry’s plan to reduce the dependence on the use of imported materials in the building and construction industry in the country.
The Majority Leader, Mr Cletus Avoka, told the House when he presented the Business Statement for next week that Mrs Catherine Ablema Afeku, NPP MP for Evalue Gwira, would also ask Mr Bagbin whether there was any plan to rehabilitate and reconstruct the Axim Sea Defence Wall.
The NDC MP for Ablekuma Central, Mr Theophilus Tetteh Chaie, will ask two questions; one on measures being put in place to ensure that the annual flooding in parts of Abossey Okai Spare Parts and Mataheko Takoradi Station areas become a thing of the past and stop the annual flooding in the area.
Other MPs to ask questions during the week are Mr George Yaw Boakye, NPP, Asunafo South; Mr Kwasi Ameyaw-Cheremeh, NPP, Sunyani East; Mr Justice Joe Appiah, NPP, Ablekuma North; Ms Esther Obeng-Dappah, NPP, Abirem; and Mr Stephen Yakubu, NPP, Binduri.
The NPP MP for Atwima-Nwabiagya, Mr Benito Owusu-Bio, will also ask the Minister of Education an urgent question to ascertain when a new six-classroom block will be constructed for Nfensi D/A Primary School to enable the school to relocate from the present church building it is currently using.
Meanwhile, Mr Avoka has expressed concern about the frequent lateness by some MPs to the sitting of the House.
When the Speaker entered the Chamber yesterday at 10.10 am, there were only 15 MPs out of the 230 present.
The Majority Leader told the House that from now on, proceedings would begin at exactly 10 am and called on the MPs to endeavour to be seated before the Speaker entered the chamber.
In another development, Mr Avoka made a statement to pay tribute to the late Chiana Pio, Pe Rowland Adiali Ayagitam.
He stated that the late chief stood for justice, freedom of expression, and care for the weak and vulnerable and always upheld the will of the people.
Mr Avoka said as a pragmatic leader, Pe Ayagitam’s commitment and dedication to democracy were highly acknowledged.
He said the late chief’s contribution had seen a peaceful handover of power from one political party to another, adding that by that act Ghana had become a beacon of hope for other African countries.
“Indeed, Ghanaians have lost a patriot, renowned chief and a distinguished statesman, whose commitment to democracy is worthy of emulation,” he stated.