Politicians urged to accept the good in
opponents
Dr Chambas
applauded for objective analysis of sessional address
Political opponents
are not enemies - Seidu
Politicians urged to accept the good in
opponents
Accra, (Greater Accra) 22 February 2001
Politicians will be doing a lot of good to the body politic if they can acknowledge the good in an opponent and give praise when it is due and condemn when it is necessary, an MP told Parliament on Wednesday.
Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, NDC-Wenchi West, said the culture of lack of appreciation of achievement by a political opponent was driving the country to a point that does not augur well for democratic practice.
This, he said, is not laying the foundation for the truth to be recognised as a virtue in nation building.
Contributing to a debate on the President's message on the state of the nation, Mr Nketiah said it was sad that the President talked about only liabilities his government inherited from the previous government and was mute on assets.
He said "as much as there were liabilities in the form of debts, a large proportion of Ghanaians now enjoy electricity, better roads and better health facilities".
Mr Nketiah said he expected the President to have at least given recognition to those achievements of the previous government before painting such a gloomy picture in his message as if the country had achieved nothing in the past.
He said the President referred to the physical state of disrepair of the Castle and wondered why such a building could not suit the taste of the Presidency, adding: "perhaps the presidential jet will be sold to build a presidential mansion".
There were a series of points of order, heckling and the Deputy Speaker, Mr Freddie Blay, had to use his gavel and shout for order in the House. In the process, Mr Nketiah, who exceeded the time given to each contributor and could not sum up his presentation.
Mr Edward Osei-Kwaku, NPP Asokwa West, described the President's address as a masterpiece and said the NDC government had received more aid and mobilised more revenue than any government but had unfortunately bequeathed poverty, mass unemployment and lawlessness to Ghanaians.
He said the NPP would help the poor to get richer and would not leave them in poverty and squalor as the NDC had tried to help in assisting the rich to get richer and the poor poorer.
Mr Osei-Kwaku said the golden age of business that the President talked about would be translated into reality and would lead to investment and job creation.
Mrs Angelina Baiden-Amissah, NPP-Shama, said the President's message was thought provoking and frank on the ailments of the country and as a result the international community is finding treatment for it by giving the government loans.
She said the government policy on education was laudable because it seeks to lay a good foundation for fundamental education that would give brainpower to the child at an early stage.
Mr Isaac K.N. Ofori, NDC-Sefwi Wiawso, said the President should have explained the hard decisions he said he would take to solve the nation's problems and was asking Ghanaians to be prepared for such a situation.
He said Ghanaians cannot continue to endure "bamboozled catchy propaganda" for positive change without giving any true meaning to those statements.
Mr Ofori said the perception about debts in this country should be changed because it always gives chance to incoming governments to bemoan the situation and in the process create more debts.
He said just under six weeks of NPP government, it has so soon created 360 million ponds sterling debt, which is the current assistance the World Bank is giving the country to back this year's budget.
GRi…/
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Dr Chambas
applauded for objective analysis of sessional address
Accra (Greater Accra) 23 February
2001
Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas,
NDC-Bimbila, on Thursday won the admiration of Members of Parliament when he
used tact and diplomacy to analyse the President's sessional address to the
House delivered on February 15 on the state of the nation and his vision for
the year.
Dr Chambas described the address
as having a "heavy dose of realism" but cautioned that the welfare of
the ordinary Ghanaian should precede any other interest.
He said the various parties may
have their own ways of addressing issues but all must endeavour to unite when
it comes to the implementation of foreign policy.
The member, who was previously
deputy foreign minister and deputy minister of Education in the NDC government,
said the President has pledged his personal commitment the ECOWAS fast track
approach, the ideals of OAU and the UN that constitute the main thrust of the
nation's foreign policy.
On Education, he said President
Kufuor was pragmatic in capturing the problems of the sector, adding that the
solutions prescribed in the sessional address are not different from those of
the educational reforms.
"This reinforces the fact
that this government will not abandon NDC projects."
Mr. Joseph Darko Mensah,
NPP-Okaikoi South, out of excitement to praise Dr Chambas, flouted the rules of
the house when he used the "point of order" privilege.
"Mr Speaker, the member has
displayed a high sense of maturity and shown commitment to nationalism."
New members, mostly unfamiliar
with some of the rules of the house, clapped instead of acknowledging with the
usual slogan "hear, hear".
Mr. Joseph Aidoo, Western Regional
Minister, was heckled when, in an apparent reaction to earlier criticisms of
the sessional address by the Minority, said "no matter how well the
cockroach dances, it will never please the hen".
Mr. Kosi Kedem, NDC-Hohoe-South,
then asked him to dance the cockroach dance since it was not a familiar one.
Dr William Boakye Akoto, NPP-Birim
North, had his share of the heckling when he said "a fool is the one who
does not do better than his father".
The First Deputy Speaker, Mr
Freddie Blay, who presided, made a slip when he gave a member one-and-a-half
hours instead of one-and a-half minutes to wind up his argument.
He later corrected himself.
GRi…/
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Political
opponents are not enemies - Seidu
Accra (Greater Accra) 23 February
2001
Mr Mumuni Abudu Seidu, NDC Member
of Parliament for Wa Central, on Thursday said the spirit of tolerance,
fraternity and love, which exists among members in parliament must spill over
to the people in the regions and districts to enhance a peaceful co-existence.
Contributing to the debate on the
President's state of the nation address, which was delivered on Thursday,
February 15, Mr Seidu advised MPs to educate their constituents to regard
people in political parties, other than theirs, as mere political opponents and
not enemies.
He said it must therefore be
incumbent on all members of parliament to educate their people to abhor political
acrimony to eliminate violence from the country's political terrain.
The MP said at this time when
national reconciliation is desired, efforts must be made to involve all
Ghanaians so that true reconciliation could be achieved to promote national
unity and to achieve progress.
He advised that reconciliation
should embrace all strata of political cleavages from the pre-independence era
to the present time to satisfy all interests.
The Wa Central representative said
while reconciliation is necessary, care must be taken not to use the process to
open old wounds, which will spark off violence and hinder progress.
Consequently, Mr Seidu advocated
the strengthening of the existing structures such as the Commission for Human
Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to carry out the process of
reconciliation instead of setting up a new commission to do so.
He said the body, which should
spearhead reconciliation, must command the respect and confidence of the people
to eliminate fears of bias and witch-hunting and ensure that it is not targeted
at any particular group.
Mr. Seidu said it was a matter of
great significance that the president touched on reconciliation in his speech
but expressed reservations at the harsh language the president used to paint an
economic picture of utter hopelessness and gloom.
He added that the NDC government
had told the people repeatedly that the country was facing economic crisis and
that they were taking measures to salvage the situation. It was therefore surprising for the president
to describe the situation as shocking.
The MP called on Ghanaians to
tolerate diverse religious practices and opinions to promote the culture of
multiplicity of worship and move the country forward in peace and tranquillity.
GRi…/
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