House adopts reports on three loan agreements
J.H. Mensah, urges media to help consolidate democracy
House adopts reports on three loan agreements
Accra (Greater Accra) 16 Dec '99
Parliament on Wednesday adopted reports of three loan agreements, two of which are to supply equipment to the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), while the other is to finance the rehabilitation of the Tema-Sogakope Road.
For the GNFS, the government is to contract 13.4 million dollars from the United States Exim Bank to supply it with fire trucks, spares and services.
An additional mixed credit facility of 10 million dollars will be secured from the Government of Spain and Deutsche Morgan Grenfell Bank for the purchase of fire fighting equipment and vehicles for the Service.
On the Tema-Sogakope Road rehabilitation works, the government is obtaining 76 million Deutsche Marks from Kreditanstalt Fur Wiederaubau of the Federal Republic of Germany for the project.
Commodore Steve Obimpeh (rtd), Chairman of the Finance Committee and Member of Parliament (MP) for North Dayi, moved the motions for the adoption of the reports on the three loan agreements.
Presenting his Committee's Reports on the Fire Service, Cdr. Obimpeh emphasised the compelling need to raise the logistic capacity of GNFS to satisfactory and respectable levels.
He said out of 103 fire fighting vehicles that the GNFS currently has, only 67 are operational, 36 have broken down, while 53 district capitals have no fire engines.
Cdr. Obimpeh expressed concern about the logistic capacity of GNFS, and said this is seriously hampering the effective performance of the Service.
He therefore expressed the hope that when well equipped, the GNFS would be in a better position to manage all fires throughout the country.
Mr Joseph Emmanuel Ackah, Vice Chairman of the Committee and MP for Jomoro seconded the motions, saying the time has come to build a "culture of disaster preparedness" in order to rise to the occasion during a disaster.
Other members who supported the motion included Alhaji Malik Al-Hassan, NPP-Yendi, Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, NPP-Offinso North, Squadron Leader Clend Sowu, NDC-Anlo, Mr Thomas Kwame Yeboah, NDC-Dormaa West, Mr Franklin Aheto, NDC-Ashaiman, and Mr Kojo Armah, PCP-Evalue-Gwira.
The rest were Mr Abraham Kofi Asante, NDC-Amenfi West, Alhaji Amadu Ali, NDC-Atebubu South, Ms Christine Churcher, NPP-Cape Coast, Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo, NPP-Akim Oda, Alhaji Amadu Seidu, Deputy Minister of Works and Housing and member for Yapei/Kusawgu, and Mr Stephen Kwaku Balado Manu, NPP-Ahafo Ano South.
They shared the concerns expressed by the Committee and said the loans were being contracted at an opportune time to help equip GNFS to enable it to live up to expectation.
Nii Okaija Adamafio, Minister of the Interior, assured the House that the loans would be used for the purposes for which they were being contracted.
On the Tema-Sogakope Road rehabilitation works, Cdr. Obimpeh said the road forms part of the 166-kilometre Tema-Aflao Road, and that it provides an important link between Accra, Tema Port and the Inland Port of Akosombo and Aflao on the Ghana-Togo border.
The road also forms an integral part of the Trans-West African Highway by linking Ghana to her eastern neighbours such as Togo, Benin, Nigeria and her western neighbours, especially Cote d'Ivoire.
"It is therefore an important route for the integration of administrative and economic activities within Ghana and between the country and her ECOWAS neighbours."
Cdr. Obimpeh said the road would be reconstructed to a single carriageway with two lanes. It would include the reconstruction of drainage structures along the road, provision of standard road signs and markings with a by-pass at Akatsi to ensure safety as well as a smooth flow of traffic, especially on market days.
He added that the surface of the road would take the form of asphaltic cement concrete to cope with the heavy international traffic.
A good number of members from the Volta Region including Dr Kwabena Adjei, Majority Leader, Squadron Leader Clend Sowu, NDC-Anlo, Dr Alex Ababio, NDC-South Dayi, Mr Nathaniel Kwadzo Aduadjoe, NDC-Hohoe North, commented on the report.
They associated themselves with the motion and said with the completion of the project, "this national road will be able to carry projected future traffic safely".
Mr Steve Senu Akorli, Deputy Minister of Roads and Transport and member for Ho East, assured the House that his ministry would go through the process of "competitive bidding", ensure "thorough supervision", adding, "we will have value for money as far as this project is concerned".
GRi../
J.H. Mensah, urges media to help consolidate democracy
Accra (Greater Accra) 16 Dec. '99
Mr J.H. Mensah, Minority Leader in Parliament on Tuesday urged the media to play its role effectively in nurturing and consolidating Ghana's young democracy.
Journalists can assist Parliament in this direction by not only reporting what Members of Parliament say in the House, but also analyse issues to enable the people to appreciate the essence of democracy and make informed choices to promote a democratic culture in the country.
Mr Mensah was speaking at a reception he hosted for the Minority group, the leadership of the majority side, the national executive of the New Patriotic Party, diplomats and the media at Parliament House last night.
The legislature is committed to ensuring a durable democracy but its efforts are constrained by inadequate facilities, he said.
He cited the absence of a library, which is supposed to provide an avenue for reading and research to enhance the work of the MPs, saying what is available "is too small and not well-equipped to cater for the 200-member legislature".
The Minority Leader said the reception was to afford the gathering the opportunity to share ideas in order to enrich the democratic process.
Responding to Mr Mensah's invitation, Dr Kwabena Adjei, majority leader also called on journalists to be fair and unbiased in their reporting to promote multi-party democracy in the country.
He said the media, as the 'Fourth Estate of the Realm, have a stake in ensuring the success of the democratic experiment, adding, journalists must focus more on issues that would help to consolidate democracy.
He dispelled the perception that Parliament has become a battlefield where members of each side are ready to draw swords, adding, "there is absolute cordiality between the Majority and the Minority."
Among the NPP national executives present were, Mr J.A. Kufuor, the Presidential candidate, Mr S.A. Odoi-Sykes, the National Chairman, Major Courage Quashigah (rtd), National Organiser and Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, the Greater Accra Chairman.
GRi../