GRi in Parliament Ghana 21 - 02 - 2001
Ghanaians urged to bear with government
Opposition will not condone breach of
Constitution
Parliament relives moments of volunteerism
under Rawlings
Ghanaians urged to bear with government
Accra (Greater Accra) 21 February 2001
Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, Minister of Energy, on Tuesday urged the nation to bear with the government if the need arises for an increase in fuel prices.
He said the government is working hard to mitigate the effects of any fuel price hike and prayed that Ghanaians will appreciate the situation when the government finally comes out with the price increases.
Mr Kan-Dapaah told Parliament in a statement on the stock position of fuel at the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) of petroleum products as at January 5, this year, and said there is absolute need to increase fuel Prices, adding "we will not run away from taking the necessary decisions, however bitter".
He said that, with an internal debt of over 9 trillion cedis, it would be difficult to justify the reduction in the level of existing taxes no matter where it comes from unless there is a concurrent arrangement to replace it.
The refinery has piled up more than two trillion cedis debt as at December 31, last year, and it is currently accumulating operating losses of about 160 billion cedis a month while the nation's oil import bill for 2001 is estimated at 580 million dollars.
Mr Kan-Dapaah said the previous government's full cost recovery policy worked well over the years but with one notable exception, adding that in the election year, it gave political considerations that tended to override national decision for failing to increase the fuel prices to recover cost.
When the global oil prices hit the highest level for 10 years and the cedi also lost more than half of its value in less than six months, the oil prices began to pile.
"Today, the cedi exchange rate is more than 7,000 cedis to the dollar and global oil prices have climbed back to around 28 dollars a barrel, which means that the ex-refinery price of gasoline of 865 cedis per litre set in March last year should have been adjusted upwards by nearly 75 per cent to make up for the deterioration in the value of the cedi."
Mr Kan-Dapaah said the national coffers had to absorb twice as much debt as it gained from revenues generated from the sale of petroleum products.
"The situation as it is now has led to panic buying of the product and it appears some amount of hoarding of oil dealers is taking place while it has also encouraged smuggling because of recent price increases in the neighbouring countries."
Mr. Kan-Dapaah, who stressed the need to increase the price of Ghana's petroleum products, intimated: "I can only ask that the nation bears with us.
The right decisions will be made and at the right time. It will be a decision that responds to the needs of our economy and the best interest of the good people of Ghana".
Mr. Alban Bagbin, Minority Leader, associated himself with the Minister's statement, which was punctuated with "Asieho, positive change, increase it now" from the Minority.
Mr Bagbin asked that comments and observations should be deferred to Wednesday by which time members would have studied the statement and made fair comments.
Papa Owusu-Ankomah, Deputy Majority Leader, said the request was unusual and that the statement did not give definitive policy and it will not be prudent for the House to debate it although members can comment on it.
The Speaker, Mr Peter Ala Adjetey, ruled that, according to Standing Orders, a statement does not need a debate but only demands brief comments from members and that the opposition's request could not be met.
When the Speaker invited comments, it was only members from the ruling side that spoke on the statement.
They called on Ghanaians to appreciate the transparency and truth on the side of government on the fuel and debt situation, which will lead to price increases.
GRi…/
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Opposition will not condone breach of
Constitution
Accra (Greater Accra) 21 February 2001
The opposition on Tuesday said although the government is shouting to the rooftops for believing in the rule of law, it is breaching the constitution, which the Minority will not condone.
Mr Alban Bagbin, Minority Leader, told the Parliamentary Press Corps that Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu subverted the constitution when he was only a nominee of the President and should not have acted in that capacity as a minister.
"Mr Baah-Wiredu, being a nominee to the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, signed letters on January 22 revoking the appointments of District Chief Executives (DCEs) from office whereas he was sworn into office on the first of this month.
"In other words, he was acting as a minister before he became a minister, which is in contravention of the constitution," Mr Bagbin said.
He said the Central Regional Minister, Isaac Edumadze, was also reported to have revoked the appointments of government appointees in district assemblies, which is also a clear violation of Article 249 of the constitution.
It states: "subject to any procedure established by law, the mandate of a member of a District Assembly may be revoked by the electorate or the appointing body".
Mr. Bagbin said the appointing body is the President in the case of the appointees and that it is not an office for Regional Ministers to do so.
"We are raising the issue because we are governed by the constitution and these infractions should not come from a government which claims to believe in the rule of law."
He said the opposition was drawing the attention of the public to such violations to enable them to draw their own conclusions, adding that although the opposition has declared to co-operate with the government in the national interest, it will not however condone the breach of the constitution.
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Parliament relives moments of volunteerism
under Rawlings
Accra (Greater Accra) 21 February 2001
Memories of former President Jerry John Rawlings swept through Parliament on Tuesday as members called for the reactivation of volunteerism throughout the country.
The former leader, who has been decorated by the United Nations for volunteerism, is well remembered for his leadership in voluntary activities even at the peak of his presidency.
Miss Akua Dansoa (NDC-North Dayi) whipped up sentiments in a statement to commemorate 2001 as UN's International Year for Volunteerism.
She said since volunteers have over the years spearheaded the campaign against diseases and contributed immensely in other endeavours, volunteerism should be drawn into the decision making process of society to make it more attractive.
The member said Ex-President Rawlings' selection as one of the four eminent persons on volunteerism is a global acknowledgement of his deep commitment to voluntary activity.
Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas, NDC-Bimbilla, described volunteerism as "the denial of the self, concern and service to others".
"We need volunteerism now more than ever; conflicts are everywhere, people are being displaced everyday and now AIDS and malaria are making matters worse.
"We must rise above the ordinary and help the under-privileged. There is no doubt that an appeal to the inner spirit can deal with all the problems that impede our social and economic development."
Miss Theresa Amaaley Tagoe, NPP-South Ablekuma, congratulated former President Rawlings and asked that whatever he would be asked to do must start from Ghana.
"He should start at home because charity begins at home. He promised to fight mosquitoes and I think there is a lot of spraying to be done here."
She appealed to members to allow the spirit of volunteerism to lead them to help government achieve its aim.
Mr John Achuluwo, NPP-Navrongo Central, opined that volunteerism should not only be confined to the sacrifice of time and energy but should include letting go resources.
"I think all politicians should render services to the state in the spirit of volunteerism."
Mr. Kosi Kedem, NDC-Hohoe South, asked the youth to enrol in the UN volunteer corps and other selfless activities.
He said the former president deserves the recognition because "he has gone into gutters to clean them so he will go out there to project the spirit of volunteerism."
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