MP appeals for logistics to fight army worms
MP calls for the rehabilitation of roads in Western region
House continues debate on private member's motion
VAT yields 162.7 billion cedis in three months
MP appeals for logistics to fight army worms
Accra (Greater Accra) 14 July '99
A Member of Parliament on Tuesday appealed to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) to supply adequate logistics to the Yendi district to fight army worms which have invaded the area.
Alhaji Malik Alhassan Yakubu, NPP-Yendi, said in a statement to the house that the worms have attacked 203 acres of farms.
Unfortunately, the 20 litres of insecticide supplied could only cater for 123 acres, leaving over 70 acres to the mercy of the worms, he said, adding that in the meantime, more cases are being reported.
''Apart from inadequate supply of chemicals, the Yendi Directorate of Agriculture have insufficient number of knapsack spraying machines and lacks funds to purchase fuel also for the exercise.''
Alhaji Yakubu said he personally assisted the MOFA office with 6.5 million cedis from the MPs Share of the District Assemblies Common Fund to purchase 60 litres of chemicals, seven knapsack sprayers and fuel.
He said urgent measures should be taken to deal effectively with the army worm invasion which has the potential to seriously affect agricultural produce this year.
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MP calls for the rehabilitation of roads in Western region
Accra (Greater Accra) 14 July '99
A Member of Parliament on Tuesday commended the government for constructing two bridges in the Ahanta West constituency and called for the immediate rehabilitation of the 27-kilometre Takoradi-Agona Nkwanta road.
The bridges are over rivers Whin and Butre at Apremdo and Ewusiejoe, respectively.
The Reverend Samuel K. Kwofie, NPP-Ahanta West, again commended the government for rehabilitating the Agona Nkwanta to Busua road.
He noted, however, that though the Agona Nkwanta - Takoradi road, which has become impassable, has been awarded on contract, work is scheduled to begin after the rains.
The road has deteriorated to an extent that it takes more than an hour to make the 27-kilometre journey, Rev Kwofie said.
"Accidents do occur on this road almost every day yet the routine maintenance work is not adequately done".
The MP appealed to the Ministry of Roads and Transport to take immediate steps to repair bad portions of the road since, major rehabilitation work cannot begin until after the rains.
Rev Kwofie noted that the reconstruction of the road would also affect certain buildings, including the Post office, at Apowa, which is at the roofing stage.
He, therefore, appealed to the government to expedite action on the payment of compensation to house owners and the Apowa community to build a new post office.
The member noted that the Agona Nkwanta - Busua road constructed recently might not last for five years due to poor construction.
He, therefore, called for strict supervision and the monitoring of contracts to justify the huge investment made and donor funding.
"The practice whereby contracts are awarded to inexperienced and unprofessional contractors only to be terminated should be discouraged", he added.
Papa Owusu-Ankoma, NPP-Sekondi said that the Agona Nkwanta - Takoradi road links Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire and should be accorded the needed priority.
He appealed to the sector ministry to construct a bridge to link Busua and Dixcove to make the two towns easily accessible to tourists.
The MP advised citizens of Busua and Dixcove to stop harassing tourists in the town.
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House continues debate on private member's motion
Accra (Greater Accra), 14th July 99 –
Parliament on Tuesday continued the debate on a private member's motion moved by Nana Akufo Addo, the Minority Spokesman on Constitutional and Legal Affairs about one month ago.
Nana Akufo Addo is asking the National Media Commission (NMC), the governing bodies and the management of the State-Owned Media (SOM) to take immediate steps to ensure that the SOM comply with the Supreme Court's judgment.
In its ruling delivered on November 30, 1993, the court ordered that SOM grant "equal time, space and access to the activities of all registered political parties".
Mr Edward Doe Adjaho, the Majority Chief Whip has amended the substantive motion, and is suggesting that instead, the Commission should rather investigate whether SOM had actually carried out the order.
Contributing to the "part-heard" motion, Papa Owusu-Ankomah, the Minority Spokesman on Communications and Member for Sekondi was of the view that if proper rules, regulations and guidelines are laid down to govern the activities of the SOM, they would be bold enough to analyse issues critically, fairly and objectively.
Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, NPP-Offinso North, said looking at the motion as it stands, one would conclude that the NMC has failed to perform its constitutional duty.
Dr Apraku wondered why the need for an amendment to the substantive motion, which enjoins the Commission to investigate the matter.
He pointed out that Mr Adjaho "is begging the issue", because the NMC cannot be made to investigate itself and, therefore, urged the House to reject the amendment motion.
Dr Apraku stated that in trying to build a democracy that is durable, there is the need to lay down fair and unbiased rules and regulations for the efficient and effective operation of SOM.
Mr Eugene Atta Agyepong, NPP-Abetifi, said he does not see the import of the amendment motion and, therefore, described it as "superfluous and incongruous" to the original one.
Contributing in support of the amendment motion, Mr Abuga Pele, NDC-Chiana/Paga, pointed out that what the mover of the substantive motion seeks to achieve is virtually impossible and impracticable.
Mr Pele said Nana Akufo Addo has brought before the House a motion that is not practical to do. "The motion is an illusion and attempts to achieve what has not been achieved anywhere in this world".
In the member's view, it is not only the SOM that should ensure fair and unbiased reportage but the constitutional responsibility of both the private media and the SOM to give equal access to all divergent and dissenting views and opinions.
Mr I K Nyame Ofori, NDC-Sefwi-Wiawso, said, the SOM cannot manufacture news items for political parties but rather report on their activities as and when they organise functions.
Squadron Leader Clend Sowu (rtd), NDC-Anlo, said it would be highly impossible for one to expect the SOM give equal and fair treatment to the activities of both the minority parties and the ruling party when their activities are not equal.
Mrs Margaret Clarke Kwesie, Minister of State and MP for Ga South urged political parties to make news so that newspapers could fill their pages without being forced to do so.
She called for the withdrawal of the substantive motion and the retention of the amendment so that the NMC could investigate and report back to the House.
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VAT yields 162.7 billion cedis in three months
Accra (Greater Accra) 14th July 99 –
The Value Added Tax (VAT) yielded 162.7 billion cedis in the first quarter of the year, Mr Victor Selormey, Deputy Minister of Finance told Parliament on Tuesday.
Giving a breakdown of the collections, Mr Selormey said 52.8 billion cedis was collected in January, 50.4 billion cedis in February, while 59.6 billion cedis was realised in March.
The Deputy Minister, who was answering questions on behalf of the Minister during "question time" in Parliament, said the country was doing better with the new tax system.
Asked to furnish the house with comparable figures for sales tax for the same period last year, Mr Selormey explained that the two tax systems are not comparable.
He said while the sales tax has a narrower level and higher rate of tax, the VAT is broad-based and has a lower tax rate.
The Deputy Minister assured the house, however, that the Ministry would ask the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) to provide information on sales tax collection for the first quarter of last year, and would be made available to the house.
In response to a suggestion that some aspects of the VAT law be reviewed, especially penalties for defaulting in filing VAT returns, the Deputy Minister said it was too early to carry out that exercise.
He said that besides, the Ministry has no intention of doing so now in spite of the 'thousands of applications' waiting for a review.
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