Page 15, June 30, 2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Greater Accra Regional Minister, Sheikh I.C. Quaye, has said it would not be out of place if the New Patriotic Party’s flag bearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo heeds the voice of the people and nominates him as his running mate for the December polls.
“As far as I am concerned, I am the most qualified person among the many people being mentioned as possible nominees”, he told the Daily Graphic in an interview on Tuesday.
As the time for the filing of nominations for the December election approaches, several people have been mentioned as those who could be the running mates of the various presidential aspirants.
Apart from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) flag bearer, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, who has nominated the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bole-Bamboi, Mr John Mahama, as his running mate, all the others are yet to do so.
As Ghanaians wait patiently for the nomination of Nana Akufo-Addo’s running mate, some NPP members such as the Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing and MP for Salaga, Mr Boniface Abubakar Sadiqque; the Minister of Women and Children’s Affairs and MP for Savelugu, Hajia Alima Mahama; the Minister of Fisheries and MP for Takoradi, Mrs Gladys Asmah; the former Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Alan Kyerematen, and the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Sheikh I.C. Quaye, have been mentioned as possible nominees Nana Akufo-Addo would choose from.
In choosing running mates, political parties from time immemorial have considered a number of factors that are considered to enhance their chances of winning elections.
Factors such as ethnicity, regional balance, religion and party loyalty, among other factors are considered by the political parties in their bid to achieve their political ambitions.
In the 2000 election, President J. A. Kufuor, then a presidential candidate, considered the northern sector and religion in the nomination of Vice-President Aliu Mahama as his running mate.
While the running mates the flag bearers of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), the People’e National Convention (PNC) and the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP) among others, have not been revealed, rumours are rife about the one the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) flag bearer, Nana Akufo-Addo, is eyeing as his number two man.
While all these people are qualified for the slot, Sheikh Quaye claimed that he had the credentials that put him far ahead of all the other names that were being mentioned in the media.
Sheikh Quaye was a Member of Parliament on the ticket of Busia-led Progress Party (PP) during the Second Republic.
During General I.K. Acheampong’s military regime, Skeikh Quaye was accused of sedition and sentenced to seven years in prison for suggesting to the government(THAT......)
He, however, won an appeal against the sentence and two weeks later, Acheampong government was overthrown.
“I am popularly known as the people’s man and I played a yeoman’s role in propelling the party to power in 1992.”
Sheikh Quaye stated that if candidates were being chosen because of their Muslim background, then he was the best to be considered.
He stated that apart from being an MP in 1969, he became the Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the NPP before winning the Ayawaso Central seat in 1996 to represent his people, which he had been doing till date.
As a regional minister, Sheikh Quaye explained that his expertise in administration had won him a lot of awards, both locally and internationally and expressed the hope that his experience could assist the party in realising its goals if he was paired with Nana Akufo-Addo.
Currently, he has been nominated to receive an award in the Order of Volta category during this year’s celebration of the Republic Day.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Anti-Terrorism Bill goes through second reading
Page 16, June 26, 2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Anti-Terrorism Bill, which was placed before Parliament in October, 2005, has passed through its second reading stage.
With this hurdle cleared, the bill would have to go through its consideration stage, during which proposed amendments would be considered before it goes through the third reading.
The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr Joe Ghartey, moved the motion for the second reading, and was seconded by the Chairman of the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee of Parliament, Mr Yaw Baah.
Presenting the object of the bill, Mr Ghartey said it had become incumbent to have legislation on terrorism, because all member states of the United Nations were obliged under the Security Council Legislation Resolution 1373 of 2001 to deny safe haven to those who finance, plan or commit terrorist acts.
He explained further that there was a Commonwealth Plan of Action on Terrorism which enjoined members of all Commonwealth nations to implement Resolution 1373.
Apart from the UN and Commonwealth initiatives, there was the Algiers Convention on the Prevention and Combating Terrorism, 1999, which had become the framework for the collective African response to terrorism.
The convention, according to Mr Ghartey, mandated member states of the African Union to review their national laws to include terrorist offences.
Mr Ghartey stated that although there were provisions in the Criminal Code, 1960 (Act 29) on the safety of the state and other matters connected with terrorism, these were not considered adequate to meet the current international best practice standards on the matter.
“It is necessary to provide comprehensive anti-terrorism legislation to avoid a situation where the country may become a haven for terrorists because of laxity in the law,” he said.
Presenting the report of the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Baah stated that the committee had examined provisions of the bill, and noted that they provided adequate legal basis for Ghana to meet its international obligations to counter terrorism.
He stated that the passage of the bill would enable Ghana, as a member of the UN and a signatory to all the international conventions of anti-terrorism, bring the country’s legal regime in conformity with international requirements.
Meanwhile, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Chireponi, Ms Doris A. Seidu, has called for a strategy to be worked out to minimise the inflow of under-aged girls, mainly from the three northern regions to cities in the south.
She suggested that a temporary home should be provided for such people who were homeless, while efforts were made to repatriate and reintegrate them into their original communities.
Ms Seidu made the call when she made a statement on the floor of Parliament on the need to find a lasting solution to the plight of head porters (kayaye) in the country.
She suggested the establishment of a fund by the government to oversee the rehabilitation, repatriation and re-integration of the kayaye into their original communities.
MPs who contributed to her statement, advised the government to properly resource the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs and the Department of Social Welfare to enable them effectively play their roles to curb such social problems in the country.
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Anti-Terrorism Bill, which was placed before Parliament in October, 2005, has passed through its second reading stage.
With this hurdle cleared, the bill would have to go through its consideration stage, during which proposed amendments would be considered before it goes through the third reading.
The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr Joe Ghartey, moved the motion for the second reading, and was seconded by the Chairman of the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee of Parliament, Mr Yaw Baah.
Presenting the object of the bill, Mr Ghartey said it had become incumbent to have legislation on terrorism, because all member states of the United Nations were obliged under the Security Council Legislation Resolution 1373 of 2001 to deny safe haven to those who finance, plan or commit terrorist acts.
He explained further that there was a Commonwealth Plan of Action on Terrorism which enjoined members of all Commonwealth nations to implement Resolution 1373.
Apart from the UN and Commonwealth initiatives, there was the Algiers Convention on the Prevention and Combating Terrorism, 1999, which had become the framework for the collective African response to terrorism.
The convention, according to Mr Ghartey, mandated member states of the African Union to review their national laws to include terrorist offences.
Mr Ghartey stated that although there were provisions in the Criminal Code, 1960 (Act 29) on the safety of the state and other matters connected with terrorism, these were not considered adequate to meet the current international best practice standards on the matter.
“It is necessary to provide comprehensive anti-terrorism legislation to avoid a situation where the country may become a haven for terrorists because of laxity in the law,” he said.
Presenting the report of the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Baah stated that the committee had examined provisions of the bill, and noted that they provided adequate legal basis for Ghana to meet its international obligations to counter terrorism.
He stated that the passage of the bill would enable Ghana, as a member of the UN and a signatory to all the international conventions of anti-terrorism, bring the country’s legal regime in conformity with international requirements.
Meanwhile, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Chireponi, Ms Doris A. Seidu, has called for a strategy to be worked out to minimise the inflow of under-aged girls, mainly from the three northern regions to cities in the south.
She suggested that a temporary home should be provided for such people who were homeless, while efforts were made to repatriate and reintegrate them into their original communities.
Ms Seidu made the call when she made a statement on the floor of Parliament on the need to find a lasting solution to the plight of head porters (kayaye) in the country.
She suggested the establishment of a fund by the government to oversee the rehabilitation, repatriation and re-integration of the kayaye into their original communities.
MPs who contributed to her statement, advised the government to properly resource the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs and the Department of Social Welfare to enable them effectively play their roles to curb such social problems in the country.
MPs condemn Bawku hostilities
Page 16, June 26, 2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
Five Members of Parliament (MPs) from the Bawku Traditional Area have condemned the resurgence of hostilities in the area, leading to the loss of lives and property.
The MPs also condemned the general situation in Bawku and said lawlessness was becoming a normal practice with individuals taking the law into their hands and visiting havoc on others.
They are Mr John Ndebugre (Zebilla), Mr Mahama Ayariga (Bawku Central), Mr Mark-Anthony Awuni (Binduri), Mr Dominic Azimbe Azumah (Garu-Tempane), and Mr Simon Atingban Akunye (Pusiga).
In a statement read by Mr Ndebugre, they condemned the stoning to death of a Mamprusiman, Mr Zakaria Abangre, by a mob at Buabula Bongin, a suburb of Bawku.
They stated that although Mr Zakaria had been seen moving outside his house during the curfew hours, he could have been apprehended and handed over to the security agencies.
“We condemn in greater measure, the dastardly and gruesome murder of defenceless and vulnerable persons who were massacred by uniformed persons and warn the perpetrators of such acts that they infringe international humanitarian law”.
They also expressed deep concern about the use of military uniforms by unauthorised persons for criminal purposes and called on the government and the security agencies to unmask those persons and bring them to justice.
They said that the situation had now become a law and order issue that required resolute action by the state.
“Perpetrators of criminal acts must be sought, apprehended and dealt with in accordance with the law”, they said and called on judicial authorities to apply the law in a manner that would send a clear message that the nation was not in the mood to tolerate lawlessness.
The MPs took note of the efforts being made by the National Peace Council to find a lasting solution to the crisis and regretted the embarrassment that the latest incident had caused the eminent members of the council.
The MPs assured the council of their full co-operation and assistance and urged them not to relent in the face of the recent destabilising act by the people in the area.
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
Five Members of Parliament (MPs) from the Bawku Traditional Area have condemned the resurgence of hostilities in the area, leading to the loss of lives and property.
The MPs also condemned the general situation in Bawku and said lawlessness was becoming a normal practice with individuals taking the law into their hands and visiting havoc on others.
They are Mr John Ndebugre (Zebilla), Mr Mahama Ayariga (Bawku Central), Mr Mark-Anthony Awuni (Binduri), Mr Dominic Azimbe Azumah (Garu-Tempane), and Mr Simon Atingban Akunye (Pusiga).
In a statement read by Mr Ndebugre, they condemned the stoning to death of a Mamprusiman, Mr Zakaria Abangre, by a mob at Buabula Bongin, a suburb of Bawku.
They stated that although Mr Zakaria had been seen moving outside his house during the curfew hours, he could have been apprehended and handed over to the security agencies.
“We condemn in greater measure, the dastardly and gruesome murder of defenceless and vulnerable persons who were massacred by uniformed persons and warn the perpetrators of such acts that they infringe international humanitarian law”.
They also expressed deep concern about the use of military uniforms by unauthorised persons for criminal purposes and called on the government and the security agencies to unmask those persons and bring them to justice.
They said that the situation had now become a law and order issue that required resolute action by the state.
“Perpetrators of criminal acts must be sought, apprehended and dealt with in accordance with the law”, they said and called on judicial authorities to apply the law in a manner that would send a clear message that the nation was not in the mood to tolerate lawlessness.
The MPs took note of the efforts being made by the National Peace Council to find a lasting solution to the crisis and regretted the embarrassment that the latest incident had caused the eminent members of the council.
The MPs assured the council of their full co-operation and assistance and urged them not to relent in the face of the recent destabilising act by the people in the area.
MPs condemn turmoil in Zimbabwe
Page 17, June 25, 2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
Members of Parliament (MPs) yesterday condemned the current political turmoil in Zimbabwe and called on African leaders to act swiftly to save the country from total collapse.
They wondered why African leaders had not acted decisively from stopping President Robert Mugabe from harassing his political opponents in his bid to entrench his rule.
The MPs were contributing to a statement made on the floor of the House by the MP for Dome-Kwabenya, Professor Mike Ocquaye on the situation in Zimbabwe.
In his statement, the MP called on Africans to rise in unison and dissociate themselves from all such actions which lower Africans in the eyes and minds of the right-thinking humanity.
He also called for an international peacekeeping under the auspices of the United Nations (UN) and African Union (AU) to be deployed immediately to ensure human security and free and fair election in that country.
“Our globe has gone beyond the era when state sovereignty and non-interference in the internal affairs of a country were employed to abuse human rights in a given nation”, he said.
Prof Ocquaye advised the AU to withdraw the membership of countries who do not have good governance credentials.
In addition, the MP called for the setting up of sub-regional electoral commissions to work with an African Electoral Commission to take full control over all elections throughout the continent.
He stated that Africa also needed to have a full-fledged Court on Human Rights and Electoral Matters which should be empowered to adjudicate on electoral affairs and human right issues within nations.
“We cannot continue doing ‘I scratch your back, you scratch my back’ any longer as many African Heads of States have done for so long”, he said.
He noted that if that continued, “democracy and good governance cannot thrive; political instability will abound’ tin gods will continue to impose their will on the people”.
Contributing to the statement, the Minority Leader and MP for Nadowli West, Mr Alban Bagbin said Africans could no longer allow what he called “the stupidity of President Mugabe to go on”.
He stated that the situation in Zimbabwe was “a sore on the conscience of Africa” adding that it was unfortunate that African leaders were looking on unconcerned while President Mugabe continued to misbehave.
While supporting the decision of the UN to impose economic sanctions on Zimbabwe, Mr Bagbin called for an emergency AU meeting to deliberate on how to halt the Zimbabwean situation.
He suggested that efforts should be made for the establishment of an interim government since the presidential run-off would be a sham.
“We should give signals to our leaders, both present and future, that they are not the repository of knowledge”, he said adding that President Mugabe should not hide under land issues to misbehave.
He noted that though some African countries, such as Ghana were doing well politically and economically, it was now difficult for outsiders to distinguish them from bad ones such as Zimbabwe.
“That is the more reason why we should all rise up and call the bluff of President Mugabe to indicate our resolve that enough is enough”.
For his part, the Majority Leader and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Abraham Ossei Aidooh noted that Zimbabwe was a country that was failing politically, economically and socially.
“We should not look on impotently since today it is Zimbabwe and tomorrow it will be another country”, he stated.
He attributed the action of President Mugabe to the quietness of African leaders and called on them to rise up to the occasion and be bold to condemn their colleague.
“The UN and AU must interfere. If it means foreign invasion, it should be done”, the Majority Leader stated adding Zimbabwean MPs were looking forward for their counterparts elsewhere to come to their aid.
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
Members of Parliament (MPs) yesterday condemned the current political turmoil in Zimbabwe and called on African leaders to act swiftly to save the country from total collapse.
They wondered why African leaders had not acted decisively from stopping President Robert Mugabe from harassing his political opponents in his bid to entrench his rule.
The MPs were contributing to a statement made on the floor of the House by the MP for Dome-Kwabenya, Professor Mike Ocquaye on the situation in Zimbabwe.
In his statement, the MP called on Africans to rise in unison and dissociate themselves from all such actions which lower Africans in the eyes and minds of the right-thinking humanity.
He also called for an international peacekeeping under the auspices of the United Nations (UN) and African Union (AU) to be deployed immediately to ensure human security and free and fair election in that country.
“Our globe has gone beyond the era when state sovereignty and non-interference in the internal affairs of a country were employed to abuse human rights in a given nation”, he said.
Prof Ocquaye advised the AU to withdraw the membership of countries who do not have good governance credentials.
In addition, the MP called for the setting up of sub-regional electoral commissions to work with an African Electoral Commission to take full control over all elections throughout the continent.
He stated that Africa also needed to have a full-fledged Court on Human Rights and Electoral Matters which should be empowered to adjudicate on electoral affairs and human right issues within nations.
“We cannot continue doing ‘I scratch your back, you scratch my back’ any longer as many African Heads of States have done for so long”, he said.
He noted that if that continued, “democracy and good governance cannot thrive; political instability will abound’ tin gods will continue to impose their will on the people”.
Contributing to the statement, the Minority Leader and MP for Nadowli West, Mr Alban Bagbin said Africans could no longer allow what he called “the stupidity of President Mugabe to go on”.
He stated that the situation in Zimbabwe was “a sore on the conscience of Africa” adding that it was unfortunate that African leaders were looking on unconcerned while President Mugabe continued to misbehave.
While supporting the decision of the UN to impose economic sanctions on Zimbabwe, Mr Bagbin called for an emergency AU meeting to deliberate on how to halt the Zimbabwean situation.
He suggested that efforts should be made for the establishment of an interim government since the presidential run-off would be a sham.
“We should give signals to our leaders, both present and future, that they are not the repository of knowledge”, he said adding that President Mugabe should not hide under land issues to misbehave.
He noted that though some African countries, such as Ghana were doing well politically and economically, it was now difficult for outsiders to distinguish them from bad ones such as Zimbabwe.
“That is the more reason why we should all rise up and call the bluff of President Mugabe to indicate our resolve that enough is enough”.
For his part, the Majority Leader and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Abraham Ossei Aidooh noted that Zimbabwe was a country that was failing politically, economically and socially.
“We should not look on impotently since today it is Zimbabwe and tomorrow it will be another country”, he stated.
He attributed the action of President Mugabe to the quietness of African leaders and called on them to rise up to the occasion and be bold to condemn their colleague.
“The UN and AU must interfere. If it means foreign invasion, it should be done”, the Majority Leader stated adding Zimbabwean MPs were looking forward for their counterparts elsewhere to come to their aid.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Speaker urges parties to consider issues of climatic change
Page 16, June 23, 2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Speaker of Parliament, Mr Ebenezer Begyina Sekyi Hughes has urged political parties to consider the issue of climatic change during their campaigns for the December elections.
He stated that combating challenges of climatic change should be done with concerted efforts and not be viewed as the sole responsibility of the sector ministry and agencies charged with the responsibility.
‘The environment is all we have and we must do all we can to protect it for its continuous use by the present and future generations”, he said.
Mr Hughes was opening a day’s workshop on climatic change for Members of Parliament (MPs) on Saturday.
It was organised by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Office of the Administrator of District Assemblies Common Fund to sensitise the participants to issues of climatic change.
He, therefore challenged state and non-state actors dealing with the environment to come up with pragmatic proposals for dealing with challenges of the environment.
Mr Hughes commended the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment, local and international agencies which had not relented in their efforts to raise awareness about climatic change.
The Speaker gave the assurance that Parliament was ready to facilitate legislation relating to the climate change as its contribution towards the war against global warming.
In his address, the Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment, Mr Kwadwo Adjei-Darko, said although African countries contributed only four per cent to greenhouse effect gas emissions, the continent was particularly vulnerable to climatic change.
He attributed the situation to factors such as widespread poverty, ageing infrastructure, unsustainable use of natural resources, over-dependence on rain fed agriculture and weak governance structures.
Mr Adjei-Darko said that Ghana was currently preparing a national adaptation, which is a process whereby individuals, communities and countries try to reduce potential climate change in eight sectors of the economy.
For his part, the United Nations Resident Co-ordinator in Ghana, Mr Daouda Toure, stated that there was the need for the mainstreaming of climatic change into planning and budgeting of countries.
He expressed the hope that debates generated by the workshop would go a long way in helping to bring climate change issues to the centre of the country’s development strategy and prepare economic actors in taking informed decisions in investing, negotiating with foreign investors and for international arrangements.
Mr Toure congratulated the government for accepting to host an international conference on climate change in August, this year, and expressed the hope that the country would take advantage of the meeting of experts to place the national climate change agenda in the context of its development priorities.
In his remarks, the Majority Leader and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Abraham Ossei Aidooh, said the workshop was aimed at equipping MPs with enough information on climate change to enable parliamentary committees to be motivated to exercise their oversight responsibility over institutions to minimise the threat of climate change.
The Minority Leader, Mr Alban Bagbin, called for a multi-sectoral approach to the fight against global warming for the achievement of better results.
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Speaker of Parliament, Mr Ebenezer Begyina Sekyi Hughes has urged political parties to consider the issue of climatic change during their campaigns for the December elections.
He stated that combating challenges of climatic change should be done with concerted efforts and not be viewed as the sole responsibility of the sector ministry and agencies charged with the responsibility.
‘The environment is all we have and we must do all we can to protect it for its continuous use by the present and future generations”, he said.
Mr Hughes was opening a day’s workshop on climatic change for Members of Parliament (MPs) on Saturday.
It was organised by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Office of the Administrator of District Assemblies Common Fund to sensitise the participants to issues of climatic change.
He, therefore challenged state and non-state actors dealing with the environment to come up with pragmatic proposals for dealing with challenges of the environment.
Mr Hughes commended the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment, local and international agencies which had not relented in their efforts to raise awareness about climatic change.
The Speaker gave the assurance that Parliament was ready to facilitate legislation relating to the climate change as its contribution towards the war against global warming.
In his address, the Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment, Mr Kwadwo Adjei-Darko, said although African countries contributed only four per cent to greenhouse effect gas emissions, the continent was particularly vulnerable to climatic change.
He attributed the situation to factors such as widespread poverty, ageing infrastructure, unsustainable use of natural resources, over-dependence on rain fed agriculture and weak governance structures.
Mr Adjei-Darko said that Ghana was currently preparing a national adaptation, which is a process whereby individuals, communities and countries try to reduce potential climate change in eight sectors of the economy.
For his part, the United Nations Resident Co-ordinator in Ghana, Mr Daouda Toure, stated that there was the need for the mainstreaming of climatic change into planning and budgeting of countries.
He expressed the hope that debates generated by the workshop would go a long way in helping to bring climate change issues to the centre of the country’s development strategy and prepare economic actors in taking informed decisions in investing, negotiating with foreign investors and for international arrangements.
Mr Toure congratulated the government for accepting to host an international conference on climate change in August, this year, and expressed the hope that the country would take advantage of the meeting of experts to place the national climate change agenda in the context of its development priorities.
In his remarks, the Majority Leader and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Abraham Ossei Aidooh, said the workshop was aimed at equipping MPs with enough information on climate change to enable parliamentary committees to be motivated to exercise their oversight responsibility over institutions to minimise the threat of climate change.
The Minority Leader, Mr Alban Bagbin, called for a multi-sectoral approach to the fight against global warming for the achievement of better results.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Poverty levels assessed in Greater Accra
Page 15, June 20, 2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Ghana Parliamentary Committee Support Project (GPCSP), in partnership with Parliament, has undertaken monitoring visits to a number of communities in the Greater Accra Region to assess the level of poverty in those areas.
Selected members of six parliamentary committees took part in the visits, which took them to such communities as Bortianor, James Town and Agbogloshie.
The GPSCP is a collaboration between the Canadian Parliamentary Centre, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) and Parliament to support the work of committees of the House to operate efficiently.
The phenomenon of urban poverty in the country is amply exemplified among the coastal fishing communities in the Greater Region.
The homelessness of head porters “kayaye” in the business district of Accra and around the Zongos such as Nima-Mamobi community is quite visible.
Understanding the issue of poverty and its new characteristics, as it moves from rural to the urban areas, with the increasing wave of migration, has therefore become a major concern for policy makers.
It is in the light of this that the leadership of Parliament suggested to the Parliamentary Centre, through the GPCSP, to work with a cross-session of communities on the issue of urban poverty to help inform the House as it continues to address poverty reduction in its work.
According to the Information Research Co-ordinator of the Parliamentary Centre, Mr Adam Fuseini, said about GH¢24,000 is being spent on the poverty assessment programme.
During one of such visits to Bortianor, the selected members of the six committees held discussions with the chiefs and people of the village and toured the community to interact with the people.
The Chief of the village, Nii Ogbamey Ankonam I, appealed for the establishment of a senior high school (SHS) and a vocational training institute in the area to provide employment skills for the youth.
He also called for provision of a mini harbour and storage facility to enable the fishermen in the area to preserve their catch.
Nii Ankonam I told the visiting MPs that a clinic built in the community about 13 years ago is yet to be in operation, and called for measures to provide health workers for the clinic.
The leader of the delegation and Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Mr E.T. Mensah, educated the community on the work of MPs and the use of their share of the Common Fund.
He stated that amount allocated to MPs was only to solve small problems facing their constituents and not meant for projects that would require huge sums of money.
Mr Mensah said it was the responsibility of district assemblies, where the bulk of the Common Fund was sent, to provide the needed amenities of the communities in their respective areas.
He, therefore, asked the people to constantly liaise with their district assemblies, through their assembly member, for the provision of social amenities.
Schoolchildren interviewed called for the provision of teachers’ quarters in the community to entice qualified teachers to accept posting and stay in the community to offer their best to improve standard of education.
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Ghana Parliamentary Committee Support Project (GPCSP), in partnership with Parliament, has undertaken monitoring visits to a number of communities in the Greater Accra Region to assess the level of poverty in those areas.
Selected members of six parliamentary committees took part in the visits, which took them to such communities as Bortianor, James Town and Agbogloshie.
The GPSCP is a collaboration between the Canadian Parliamentary Centre, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) and Parliament to support the work of committees of the House to operate efficiently.
The phenomenon of urban poverty in the country is amply exemplified among the coastal fishing communities in the Greater Region.
The homelessness of head porters “kayaye” in the business district of Accra and around the Zongos such as Nima-Mamobi community is quite visible.
Understanding the issue of poverty and its new characteristics, as it moves from rural to the urban areas, with the increasing wave of migration, has therefore become a major concern for policy makers.
It is in the light of this that the leadership of Parliament suggested to the Parliamentary Centre, through the GPCSP, to work with a cross-session of communities on the issue of urban poverty to help inform the House as it continues to address poverty reduction in its work.
According to the Information Research Co-ordinator of the Parliamentary Centre, Mr Adam Fuseini, said about GH¢24,000 is being spent on the poverty assessment programme.
During one of such visits to Bortianor, the selected members of the six committees held discussions with the chiefs and people of the village and toured the community to interact with the people.
The Chief of the village, Nii Ogbamey Ankonam I, appealed for the establishment of a senior high school (SHS) and a vocational training institute in the area to provide employment skills for the youth.
He also called for provision of a mini harbour and storage facility to enable the fishermen in the area to preserve their catch.
Nii Ankonam I told the visiting MPs that a clinic built in the community about 13 years ago is yet to be in operation, and called for measures to provide health workers for the clinic.
The leader of the delegation and Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Mr E.T. Mensah, educated the community on the work of MPs and the use of their share of the Common Fund.
He stated that amount allocated to MPs was only to solve small problems facing their constituents and not meant for projects that would require huge sums of money.
Mr Mensah said it was the responsibility of district assemblies, where the bulk of the Common Fund was sent, to provide the needed amenities of the communities in their respective areas.
He, therefore, asked the people to constantly liaise with their district assemblies, through their assembly member, for the provision of social amenities.
Schoolchildren interviewed called for the provision of teachers’ quarters in the community to entice qualified teachers to accept posting and stay in the community to offer their best to improve standard of education.
Osei-Mensah replaces Kyei-Mensah at ECOWAS Parliament
Page 17, June 20,2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
PARLIAMENT yesterday approved the nomination of the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bosomtwe, Mr Simon Osei-Mensah, as a member of the ECOWAS Parliament.
He replaces the Deputy Majority Leader, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, who has been appointed as a minister of state.
Under Article Five of the ECOWAS Protocol, eight seats out of the total of 120 have been allotted to Ghana’s Parliament.
The replacement of Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu became necessary because Rules and Procedures of the ECOWAS Parliament stipulated that a member appointed to carry out executive functions in a member state should resign as a member.
At yesterday’s sitting, the Majority Leader and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Abraham Ossei Aidooh, moved a motion for the approval of Mr Osei-Mensah’s nomination.
He was seconded by the Deputy Minority Leader, Mr Edward Doe Adjaho.
H, however, suggested to the House to also adopt a motion to choose somebody to replace Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu as the leader of Ghana’s representatives in the ECOWAS Parliament.
Reacting to Mr Adjaho’s concerns, Mr Aidooh explained that by convention, the senior most representative from the Majority side was always made the leader of the delegation.
Meanwhile, the Speaker, Mr Ebenezer Begyina Sekyi Hughes yesterday deferred the motion for the second reading of the Anti-Terrorism Bill due to the absence of the Attorney-General, Mr Joe Ghartey from the House.
Although the Majority Leader, Mr Ossei Aidooh moved for the second reading of the bill, the Minority objected to his action.
The Deputy Minority Leader, Mr Edward Doe Adjaho wondered why both the Attorney-General and his deputy were not in the House to defend such an important bill at its second reading stage.
He was supported by the Minority Chief Whip, Mr John Tia, who argued that although the Majority Leader, as the Leader of Government Business could move the motion, he would not be able to take full responsibility for any lapses that might occur.
Replying, Mr Ossei Aidooh stated that in all fairness, the rules of the House permitted him to move the motion, adding that “Mr Speaker, my friends from the other side of the House know that I am very competent to deal with all matters that will arise from the second reading of the bill before the House”.
The Speaker, however, ruled that the motion should be stood down.
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
PARLIAMENT yesterday approved the nomination of the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bosomtwe, Mr Simon Osei-Mensah, as a member of the ECOWAS Parliament.
He replaces the Deputy Majority Leader, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, who has been appointed as a minister of state.
Under Article Five of the ECOWAS Protocol, eight seats out of the total of 120 have been allotted to Ghana’s Parliament.
The replacement of Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu became necessary because Rules and Procedures of the ECOWAS Parliament stipulated that a member appointed to carry out executive functions in a member state should resign as a member.
At yesterday’s sitting, the Majority Leader and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Abraham Ossei Aidooh, moved a motion for the approval of Mr Osei-Mensah’s nomination.
He was seconded by the Deputy Minority Leader, Mr Edward Doe Adjaho.
H, however, suggested to the House to also adopt a motion to choose somebody to replace Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu as the leader of Ghana’s representatives in the ECOWAS Parliament.
Reacting to Mr Adjaho’s concerns, Mr Aidooh explained that by convention, the senior most representative from the Majority side was always made the leader of the delegation.
Meanwhile, the Speaker, Mr Ebenezer Begyina Sekyi Hughes yesterday deferred the motion for the second reading of the Anti-Terrorism Bill due to the absence of the Attorney-General, Mr Joe Ghartey from the House.
Although the Majority Leader, Mr Ossei Aidooh moved for the second reading of the bill, the Minority objected to his action.
The Deputy Minority Leader, Mr Edward Doe Adjaho wondered why both the Attorney-General and his deputy were not in the House to defend such an important bill at its second reading stage.
He was supported by the Minority Chief Whip, Mr John Tia, who argued that although the Majority Leader, as the Leader of Government Business could move the motion, he would not be able to take full responsibility for any lapses that might occur.
Replying, Mr Ossei Aidooh stated that in all fairness, the rules of the House permitted him to move the motion, adding that “Mr Speaker, my friends from the other side of the House know that I am very competent to deal with all matters that will arise from the second reading of the bill before the House”.
The Speaker, however, ruled that the motion should be stood down.
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