Traditional Medicine Practice Bill goes through consideration stage
Private sector not impacting negatively on water distribution network - Adjei-Mensah
Traditional Medicine Practice Bill goes through consideration stage
Accra (Greater Accra) 9 Dec. ’99
Parliament on Wednesday took 16 out of the 42-clause Traditional Medicine Practice Bill through the consideration stage on Wednesday.
The Bill seeks to establish a Council to regulate the practice of traditional medicine.
The Council will register practitioners and license premises for practice, as well as regulate the preparation and sale of herbal medicine.
A memorandum to the bill said the need for such legislation stems from the fact that in Ghana, there is one traditional practitioner to approximately 400 people as compared to one orthodox doctor to every 12,000 Ghanaians.
This great disparity in figures emphasises the widespread patronage of traditional medicine in the country, which necessitates the legalisation of its practice and promotion to exist as a separate identifiable profession.
It said that in some countries as diverse as Ghana, traditional medicine already forms an integral part of the health care delivery system, and herbal medicines are prescribed in public health institutions.
It said in many other developing countries, the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that traditional medicine caters for 60 to 90 per cent of the health care of the population.
GRi../
Accra (Greater Accra) 9 Dec. ’99
Dr. Richard Winfred Anane, Member of Parliament for Bantama, on Wednesday urged the government to check the rampant invasion of Ghana's territorial waters by foreign vessels to salvage the country's marine fishing industry.
He said the imminent decline in the industry could jeopardise Ghana's Tuna industry, which contributes some 107 million dollars annually.
Mr Anane was contributing to a debate for the adoption of a report to amend the International Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT).
ICCAT, also known as the Madrid Protocol, conducts research into tuna species to determine details like stock structure to aid their sustainable exploitation.
An amendment to Paragraph two of Article 10 of the protocol empowers contracting parties to fix basic fees for the Commission and Panel membership, based on the degree of economic development and total round weight of catch and net weight of canned products.
Dr Anane called for the maximum usage of the by-products of the Tuna canneries in the local organic fertiliser and animal feed industries.
Dr Kwame Addo Kufuor, the Minority spokesman on Health, queried the government for not paying up its dues over the years but instead passed on the dues to fishermen and fish canneries.
Dr. Matthew Kwaku Antwi, (NPP Atwima Kwawoma), appealed to the government to fully support the Regional Maritime Academy, which, he said, could help in the protection of the deep sea fishing industry.
He said the ageing lecturers and inadequate logistics coupled with the low contributions from member nations have impacted negatively on the academy.
Mr Clement Tumfuga Bugase, a Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, assured members that the Ministry was working with the Navy to ward off invaders in the nation's waters.
He said the Tuna industry has the potential to satisfy both the export market and the local animal feed industry.
GRi./
Private sector not impacting negatively on water distribution network - Adjei-Mensah
Accra (Greater Accra) 9 Dec ’99
Private Sector Participation (PSP) in the country's water delivery system is not having any negative impact on the distribution network, Mr Isaac Kwadwo Adjei-Mensah, Minister of Works and Housing said in Parliament on Wednesday.
Mr Adjei-Mensah, who made this remark in response to a supplementary question by Dr Richard Winfred Anane, NPP-Bantama, said the involvement of the private sector in the delivery of water in the country is aimed at ensuring efficiency.
When asked by Mr Abraham Ossei Aidoo, NPP-Tema West what the ministry is doing to ensure regular water supply to certain parts of the Accra-Tema metropolis, the Minister assured the member that frantic efforts are being made to solve the problem once and for all.
Early next week, The Ministry will sign a contract with a reputable company to secure financial assistance towards the provision of sufficient and regular water supply within the metropolis, Mr Adjei-Mensah said.
He pointed out that the current demand for water in the metropolis far exceeds supply, adding that Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) meet only about 50 per cent of the metropolis' demand.
GRi../