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Mps Fail To Report To Work

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Alban Bagbin, Speaker of Parliament
Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mr Andrew Amoako Asiamah

The Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mr Andrew Amoako Asiamah, was yesterday forced to adjourn sitting to today (Thursday) after the House failed to get the required numbers to form a quorum to transact business.

“I will go ahead to adjourn the House to tomorrow 10:00am in the forenoon. Honourable members, I think this House is embarrassed. The cameras are on us. We deliberately suspended the House for one hour just to make sure we get the numbers, yet we could not make up the numbers. I have counted and counted and counted, but we still don’t have the numbers. Please, let us advise ourselves,” he said.

As at mid-day, when the House commenced sitting, only few members were in the chamber. This forced the House to suspend sitting, in an attempt to get more members to report to work, in order to transact business, but that didn’t yield any result.

The Member for Adaklu, Mr Governs Kwame Agbodza, then moved the motion for adjournment when the house resumed sitting, citing Article 102 of the 1992 constitution and Order 48 of Parliament’s Standing Orders to back his demand.

Article 102 of the 1992 constitution of Ghana states that: “A quorum of Parliament, apart from the person presiding, shall be one-third of all the members of Parliament.” Order 48 of the Standing Orders of Parliament also states same.

Further to this, Clause (2) of Order 48 indicates that “If at any time during a Sitting of the House, a Member draws attention to the fact that there are present in the House, besides the person presiding, less than one-third of the number of all the Members of Parliament, and after an interval of ten minutes a quorum is not present, the person presiding shall suspend the Sitting of the House for a period not exceeding one hour and if upon resumption there is still no quorum, the House shall stand adjourned till the next Sitting day without Question put.”

But before the motion for adjournment could be granted, the Deputy Majority Leader and MP for Effutu, Mr Afenyo Markin, argued that some members were having committee sittings while others may be probably transacting business on behalf of the House, outside the country, hence the limited number of people in the chamber.

He continued that some of these meetings are very crucial to the business of the House and time must be devoted to it.

Mr Afenyo Markin made reference to the Majority and Minority leaders who are currently transacting business on behalf of the House outside the country.

On businesses being crucial to the work of the House, he cited the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee who were not in the chamber because they were preparing to sit and deliberate on the Anti-LGBTQI Bill today.

But reacting to the comments, the Adaklu Legislator indicated that the framers of the constitution took into account all the activities of Parliament before putting down Article 102 of the constitution and Order 48 of Parliament’s Standing Orders, hence moved the motion for adjournment.

“I am sure the framers of the 1992 constitution took into account all activities in parliament before making the request in Article 102 and as we also put in Order 48. It is this same House that made the rule that committee sittings take place after adjournment,” he said.

We need to mobilise more domestic revenue

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Ken Ofori-Atta, Minister for Finance and Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Minister for Information

The Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah says demands on the government for public services, like the construction of roads and hospitals, have seen an uptake and that one of the ways government can bring about the needed development is to mobilise more domestic revenue to enable it satisfy the legitimate needs of her people.

“Obviously, we would need to introduce some new broad-based taxes if we are to rake in the needed revenues to deliver what our people desire. New taxes may have to be imposed on items that exclude the poor and do not have high cascading effect, so that it does not increase the difficulties that the Ghanaian is going through,” he said.

Speaking to journalists in Accra yesterday, about the 2022 budget statement that will be presented to parliament on Wednesday, November 17, 2021 the information Minister said about 8 percent to 12 percent of the country’s GDP, which ideally should come to government is not coming in.

Yet, these economic activities are ongoing and are being recorded, forcing government to find ways to mobilise funds through taxes to fund the demand for roads, schools and hospitals.

As government gears up for the presentation of the 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Policy in Parliament on Wednesday, there is an ongoing national conversation on how government should go about its revenue mobilisation in order to close the gaping fiscal deficit in its books.

With dwindling revenue streams attributable to the slow-down in business activities occasioned by the Coronavirus pandemic, Ghana is lagging behind most of its peers within the West African sub-region, as far as the Tax to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio is concerned.

While Ghana is doing below 15 percent, countries in the sub-region like Cote d’Ivoire and Nigeria are hovering around an average of 18 percent, raising questions on whether increasing taxes in the 2022 budget will help government shore up revenue inflows to fund developmental projects.

Kojo Oppong Nkrumah assured the nation that  government’s target through the 2022 budget is to consolidate the gains made so far in previous years, reboot the economy and set it back on track.

Work hard for Ghana to reap AfCFTA benefits -Herbert Krapa tells institutions

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Herbert Krapa

A Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry, Herbert Krapa, has advised institutions to work together in a coordinated and efficient manner to ensure a “full blown private sector participation and trading under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).” This, he said, is the best and surest way Ghana can realize the benefits of the Agreement.

Speaking at a National AfCFTA stakeholder forum in Ho, on Wednesday, Herbert Krapa noted that “His Excellency, the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, sees the implementation of the AfCFTA and the successful participation of Ghanaian businesses as a critical component of the government’s vision of ‘a Ghana beyond Aid’.

According to him, “ongoing efforts such as the Industrial Transformation Agenda, the National Export Development Strategy, the Development of Strategic Anchor Industries, the One District One Factory programme, Iron and Steel Industry Development Programme, the establishment of industrial parks and special economic zones across the country, SME Development and the development of the automotive industry are all designed to transform the economy and enable Ghana optimize the benefits of the AfCFTA.”

He said government of Ghana, as a leader of the continent’s integration agenda, has put measures in place in its quest to implement the African Union’s flagship initiative, which presents a major opportunity for African countries to bring 30 million people out of extreme poverty and raise the incomes of 68 million others who live on less than $5.50 per day.

“This will not happen by chance”, he stressed, indicating the need for an all-hands-on deck approach.

“To succeed, relevant agencies must work together to ensure a reliable and efficient system of support to the Ghanaian business sector.”

“In order to coordinate the support to the local business community, government has established an institutional framework made up of an inter-ministerial facilitation committee at the apex, the national AfCFTA steering committee, the national AfCFTA coordination office and seven technical working groups in key thematic areas for boosting intra African trade.

“The National Coordination Office is, among other things, to facilitate the coordinated response of the multiple institutions that play very important roles needed to ensure our successful implementation of the AfCFTA”, Mr. Krapa added.

The AfCFTA emphasises the reduction of tariffs and non-tariff barriers and the facilitation of free movement of people and labor, right of residence, right of establishment and investment.

It aims at accelerating intra-African trade and boosting Africa’s trading position in the global market by strengthening Africa’s common voice and policy space in global trade negotiations.

The 2-day AfCFTA Stakeholder Forum, organised by the National AfCFTA Coordination Office seeks to bring all stakeholders in trade together to appreciate the role of AfCFTA and its implementation for inclusive growth and harmonise the action plans of all agencies and institutions of trade in the country.

Over twenty (20) stakeholders are participating in this all-important forum, including the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ghana Export Promotion Authority, Ghana Standards Authority, Ghana Association of Bankers, Ghana National Chamber of Commerce, Ghana International Trade Commission, Ghana Shippers Authority, Federation of Associations of Ghanaian Exporters, Plant Protection and Regulatory Services Directorate, National Communications Authority, among others.

Herbert Krapa urged the stakeholders to pursue a common and shared AfCFTA implementation approach, which is efficient, avoids duplication and waste.

“We cannot waste any more time than we have already lost.” he remarked.

The Deputy Minister charged the institutions to head back to Accra with a plan for an effective institutional collaboration, or according to him “our coming to Ho would have been in vain.”

 

Managing Neurodevelopment Disabilities – The Parent centred Approach

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Akosua (not the real name) shared her experience of nurturing a child with cerebral palsy at a support group meeting.Her daughter, now 18 years old, is still totally dependent on her.

My daughter EwuraAbena still does not sit, so I can’t even talk of her achieving other milestones, everything has to be done for her like a fresh baby.

Recalling some of her experiences, she said: “where haven’t I gone and what haven’t I done?” We went for physiotherapy services for about 10 years, at some point we just gave up.

Not to talk of herbal and spiritual places that we have visited and the amount of money we have spent in hope to get my daughter EwuraAbena to be healed.

We have been through a lot, a lot that we cannot share openly but alas we just decided to give it all to God, she ended with a sigh!

In Ghana, many parents of children with cerebral palsy or some kind of neurological disability give up accessing the required healthcare half way through the journey.

Many parents describe access to the required healthcare as tiring, emotionally and economically draining and sometimes very depressing.

Another mother of a child with cerebral palsy said there were times she had taken her child to the hospital and by the time she was done, she literally had to beg for lorry fare (transportation) back home or walk home.

Yaa, said: “In one instance, I walked a very long distance with my child strapped at my back from Korle-Bu to the house in Teshie, when I got home, I just unstrapped my baby and wept bitterly, I asked God why me?

Yaa said she felt that her needs as a mother were not considered in trying to find a solution to her child’s condition.

“As a mother, you are giving instruction, go for physiotherapy, see a neurologist, do this, do that without any consideration to your emotions, your family life, your finances or anything for that matter. Sometimes, you go through this routine of seeing one therapist or professional after another for years and nothing really happens.

You do not see any improvement in your child, sometimes, you even feel the situation has worsened, you are forced to abandon anything career related and yet you are expected to provide food for the child.

Cerebral Palsy Africa, a Dutch charitable organization working in countries throughout Africa to improve the lives of children with cerebral palsy in Africa, says there is the need for rehabilitation workers to adopt a parent’s centred approach to managing neurodevelopmental disabilities

Mr Kees Van Den Broek, Former Director of Liliane Foundation, a Netherlands based organization, said the same approach that was used in the 80s to manage orthopaedic conditions such as club foot, polio etc. is the same approach being used to manage recent complex disabilities.

He said: “There is the need for a different approach to managing neurodevelopmental disabilities which focuses on the wellbeing of the child and the family and centres on the role of parents.

The organisation organised a training programme for rehabilitation of professional working with children with Neurodevelopmental disabilities for participants from five African countries in Ghana, calling on professionals to look for a new approach to managing such disabilities.

The training programme, the first of its kind, was hosted by the Salvation Army Ghana and Togo Territory in partnership with the University of Education, Winneba, with support from Cerebral Palsy Africa.

Mr Van Den Broek noted that many rehabilitations workers resort to regular painful and harmful passive exercises without any functional goal in mind and they argue that contractures should be prevented! “Too many children are literally being tortured and have no effect or whatsoever in helping a child to better function and have a better quality of life”.

The Special Mothers Project, a parents-based advocacy organization, sampled the views of parents on their WhatsApp online platform to know what they would like to improve about caring for their children with cerebral palsy.

Improvement in their quality of life as well as that of their children were the priorities for many of the parents. Some of the parents said they had come to terms that the child may not be able to function like a typical child, but require that the children are included in social activities such as going to school or affordable access to rehabilitation within their communities.

One of the Special Mothers said: “I wish that the services that our children required are decentralized such that even if my child is not able to attend a regular school, there can be a community rehabilitation Centre that accepts to take care of my child at an affordable price while I go to work to earn an income.

Many parents of children with cerebral palsy and other neurodevelopmental disabilities say they are looking for options that consider their overall well-being first.

GNA

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect The Chronicle’s stance.

Otumfuo Foundation donates motorbikes to 10 CHPS compounds

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Nana Prof Oheneba Boachie-Adjei Woahene II, presenting the motorbikes to health officials at his palace
The motorbikes on display

The Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Foundation on Saturday yesterday, donated 10 motorbikes to 10 Community Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds in the Ashanti region.

The donation is meant to help improve accessibility and transport in hard to reach health facilities.

The beneficiary communities and CHPS compounds include; Mensonso CHPS -Adansi Akrofuom District; Anomabo CHPS -Adansi Asokwa District; Nnipankyeremia CHPS -Amansie South District; Akyekyerekrom CHPS -Amansie South District and Mpraniase CHPS -Amansie West District.

The rest are Apewu CHPS -Bosome Freho District; Sarikyikura CHPS -Ejura Sekyedumasi District; Dunyan Nkwanta CHPS -Ahafo Ano South District; Wioso CHPS -Ahafo Ano South District and Numesua CHIPS  in the Ahafo Ano North District.

Nana Prof Oheneba Boachie-Adjei Woahene II, Hiahene, who also doubles as the Board chairman of the Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Foundation presented the 10 motorbikes to the senior officers of the ten CHPS Compounds at his Palace at Hia, in the presence of representatives from the regional health directorate such as Nananom, District Health Directors and Senior officers from the various CHPS compounds.

Taraba state accuses Federal Govt of re-awarding contract for completed road

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Taraba State governor, Darius Ishaku

The Taraba State Government has accused the federal government of awarding a fresh contract for the reconstruction of a road that the state government has already constructed.

The state government made the accusation on Tuesday through a statement by its spokesperson, Bala Dan-Abu, saying the federal government has yet to reimburse it on its expenditure on the federal road.

The statement was in response to an announcement by the Federal Executive Council after its meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on October 27 that it had given the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) an approval to deploy its tax obligations to the construction of 21 roads across Nigeria.

Among the roads named in the arrangement by FEC is the Bali-Serti Federal road in Taraba State.

But the Taraba State Government said it “received with surprise news of the approval” for the award of contract for the road.

“Ordinarily, this development should be a thing of joy for the government and people of the state except that it has given the wrong impression about the present state of the road and the work already done on it by the Taraba State Government on behalf of the Federal Government,” the government statement said.

Mr Dan-Abu said the government “wishes to state categorically and for the avoidance of doubt, that this portion of the road (Bali-Serti totalling 115 Kilometres) leading to Gembu, had earlier been awarded to P.W Nigeria Ltd and reconstructed through the initiative and funding by the Taraba State Government.

“Only a few bridges on the road remain to be completely fixed. We also wish to remind the Federal Government that Taraba State is yet to be fully refunded the money it expended on this portion of the road project”.

Credit: premiumtimesng.com

Protest by Nnamdi Kanu’s Lawyers forces court to adjourn trial

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Nnamdi Kanu

The legal team of the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, on Wednesday in Abuja forced the federal high court to shift the trial of their client till January 19 and 20 next year.

The legal team, led by Ifeanyi Ejiofor, had chosen to stay out of court in protest against the refusal of security operatives to permit a foreign lawyer into the courtroom.

Although Ejiofor and others had earlier entered the room, they left when information got to them that the foreign counsel would not be allowed into the courtroom.

Justice Binta Nyako adjourned the matter when it became obvious that the lawyers would not come back.

DSS brought Kanu into the court at about 9:52 am. The police had barred lawyers, journalists, and traditional rulers from entering the court building as his trial resumed.

DSS also denied delegates of the Igbo Traditional Rulers access to the building.

The traditional rulers are in Abuja in solidarity with the IPOB leader, whose late father was an Eze in Afaraukwu, Umuahia, the Abia State capital.

Kanu is being tried before Justice Binta Nyako-led court by the Nigerian Government for charges bordering on terrorism.

He was rearrested in June in Kenya and repatriated to Nigeria to face his trial.

Meanwhile, Kanu has been returned to the custody of the Department of State Services.

Credit: dailypost.ng

Tidal waves disaster: MCEs, MP, victims plead for gov’t support

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Woman and children being assisted by youth to a safer ground
Some of the houses taken by the sea

Victims of the recent tidal wave disaster which has rendered thousands of people homeless in the Volta region, say their current plight could have been prevented if the present and previous governments had taken the bold decision to construct a sea defence wall for them.

According to them, a similar disaster struck them years back and the National Democratic Congress (NDC), which was in power at the time, failed to come to their aid. They regret that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government is also doing the same by refusing to attend to the problem.

Speaking to the media at Dzita, Agbledome, Atiteti, Agokedzi and Fuveme, the victims who spoke out of frustration said there is no need for the NDC to accuse the current government of failing to come to their aid because they have done same in past.

The distressed victims recalled that a similar disaster occurred in March 2021, which rendered many residents homeless and jobless, with schools closed as a result of the destructive activities of the sea tide, but the government did not take any concrete measure to prevent future occurrence of the problem.

The victims told the newsmen that they are grateful to those who are sympathising with them but condemned the NDC, which is criticising the government, when they had the same opportunity in the past to remedy the situation but woefully failed to do so.

This is one of the new accommodation for displaced family is living

One of the victims, Mr Patrick Amevor, said the disaster had really affected him and his family and that it appears they are going to start life all over again.

Meanwhile, the Anloga District Chief Executive, Mr. Seth Yormewu, is appealing to the government to as a matter of importance put in place measures to provide the people who have been displaced by tidal waves with relief items and food.

Mr. Yormewu noted that the Assembly would have loved to go to the aid of the victims but they are financially handicapped, hence his appeal to the central government. He also appealed to groups and individuals to join hands with the government to ameliorate the plight of the people.

“We know the government is doing its best, it’s not easy but we are appealing to the central government for urgent attention for our people who are displaced. The issue with the devastating nature of the tidal waves has been a great burden to the people over the years,” Mr. Yormewu stressed.

According to him, thousands of residents in the affected communities, such as Fuveme and Kpokpogbor were nearly carried away by the sea, describing the current disaster as terrible.

He, therefore, pleaded with the government to appreciate the enormity of the problem and intervene immediately.

The Anloga DCE mentioned Dzita, Agbledomi, Atiteti, Agokedzi and Fuveme as some of the affected communities in the Anloga District.

The Member of Parliament for Anlo Constituency, Mr. Richard Kwame Sefe, in the company of the Anloga DCE promised to help the victims with some relief items, as a short term measure, as the government looks for funding to protect the eastern coastal block with the construction of a sea defense wall.

Mr. Sefe noted that the current disaster was very alarming, which has created fear among the coastal communities and that it is important for the government to come in to protect them.   Failure to intervene, he continued, might result in a worse situation in four or five years to come.

The Keta Municipal Chief Executive, Mr. Emmanuel Gemega, who also spoke to the media noted that the current disaster did not affect only the Anloga District, but also Keta and the Ketu South Municipalities. He also appealed to the government to come in and help.

Mr. Gemega mentioned some of the affected communities in the municipality as Abutiakope, Kedzikope and Keta Central as areas that were badly affected by the tidal waves. The victims are mostly women and children.

However, the Ketu South Municipal Chief Executive, Mr. Maxwell Lugudor noted that even though government has a long term plan to  build sea defense wall to protect coastal communities, human activities, particularly illegal sand winning along the coast has contributed to the disaster and asked residents to report people engaged in illegal sand winning along the coast.

Samini expresses disappointment in Stonebwoy

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Shatta Wale and Stonebwoy

Samini has for the first time opened up on his relationship with protégé, Stonebwoy, which according to him has hit the rocks.

According to the Highgrade family Boss, he has always been there for Stonebwoy but the latter made some public utterances that hurt him.

In an interview on Joy FM monitored by The Chronicle, Samini explained that he had a good rapport with Stonebwoy and even guided him on a number of occasions after they parted ways.

“If I hear you on radio saying I am not there when you need me, it hurts. It makes me sit and break down” Samini reacted to Stonebwoy’s public utterance.

He further recalled a dancehall event where his arch-rival Shatta Wale chose to play his song and Stonebwoy took the microphone and asked “if you’re going to select a song, you’re going to select a song from a godfather who has sold his son out?” this Samini considers an unfair statement from someone he mentored.

“How did I sell out Stonebwoy? If Ghana can answer me” Samini quizzed, adding that “those were the things that hurt me”.

Samini alleged that Stonebwoy incessantly accused him of being unsupportive.

Medikal releases Jah Guide, thanks God for his mercies

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Medikal

Music sensation Medikal has expressed his gratitude to God following his recent release from prison remand.

In his latest song, Jah Guide, the musician officially known as Samuel Adu Frimpong says he is thankful that his enemies did not have the last laugh.

He speaks about being deserted by friends in his direst situation and how God came through for him.

He is; however, grateful God pulled him out safely and is hoping that “Jah” continues to “guide” him. Rapper Medikal was remanded in prison custody for five days after he was arrested for brandishing a gun on social media.

The artiste was charged with the unlawful display of arms and ammunition, to which he pleaded not guilty.

Credit: myjoyonline.com

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