House continues debate on private member's motion

Report deplores financial and administrative lapses in schools

Parliament congratulates France

Parliament says ayekoo! to Black Queens

Accra, (Greater Accra) 15 July '99,

Parliament on Wednesday continued the debate on the private member's motion on the floor of the house asking the National Media Commission (NMC) to take measures to ensure enforcement of the Supreme Court's judgment of November 30, 1993.

Nana Akufo Addo, Minority Spokesman on Constitutional and Legal Matters and Member of Parliament (MP) for Abuakwa, moved the motion about a month ago.

In an amendment motion, Mr Edward Doe Adjaho, Majority Chief Whip and MP for Avenor, is rather requesting that the NMC "investigate" the allegation.

On the date in question, the court unanimously held in the case between the New Patriotic Party and the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation that the State-Owned Media (SOM) should grant "equal time, space and access to the activities of all registered Political Parties."

Since the debate resumed, members on the Minority side have argued in favour of the substantive and original motion, while their counterparts on the Majority side support the amended motion.

Alhaji Malik Al-Hassan Yakubu, NPP-Yendi, described the original motion as "unambiguous and clear", and, therefore, did not understand why the amended motion should ask the House to order an independent organisation like the NMC to "investigate" the court's order.

Mr Yaw Barimah, NPP-Koforidua, said the Constitution, the supreme law of the land, should be respected by the SOM, and Ghanaians do not need any investigation into the court's ruling.

Mr Barimah stated that the media has a crucial role to keep the people of this nation abreast with time, so that when it comes to taking decisions that affect their lives, they can make healthy and meaningful contributions.

Mr Kofi Attor, NDC-Ho Central, and Mr Sylvester Mensah, NDC-Dade Kotopon, arguing in favour of the amended motion, said the NMC's investigative role as requested by the amendment is a step in the right direction.

They therefore urged the House to reject the substantive motion and empower the NMC to go into the matter.

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Accra, (Greater Accra) 14 July '99,

The Public Account Committee of Parliament on Wednesday deplored the recurring financial and administrative irregularities in pre-university educational institutions, as contained in the Auditor-General's Report.

The Auditor-General's Report, which covers a period ending June 30, 1996, noted among other lapses, the weak debt collection in the institutions, resulting in indebtedness of students, staff and others amounting to 2.3 billion cedis.

The committee expressed this sentiment when its deputy chairman, Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, NPP-Asante Akyem North, moved a motion for the adoption of its report on the Auditor-General's findings on pre-university educational institutions for the period.

It mentioned other irregularities as excessive use of self-prepared receipts by school authorities and the holding up of 223 million cedis, being Educational Sector Adjustment Credit (EdSAC) funds, by the institutions.

The figure had increased to 597 million cedis as of December 31, 1996.

The report said 56.6 million cedis worth of fuel had been misapplied at the time of the audit. Also, 25.2 million cedis, representing five per cent withholding tax, was held by some of the institutions, while 11.1 million cedis, representing five per cent withholding tax, was not deducted from payments to suppliers.

It said 11.9 million cedis store items were not documented, while goods worth 3.3 million cedis, duly paid for, were not supplied.

The Committee also expressed concern about the situation where officers, who had been provided with official accommodation, were in rent arrears of 5.7 million cedis

The report said advances granted to teaching and non-teaching staff stood at 13.3 million cedis, while payment of 4.7 million cedis as unearned salaries was not recovered.

The Committee said the most important part of its work on the Auditor-General's report was to bring together various parties of the administrative process in the educational institutions and to secure mutually agreed solutions to observed weaknesses.

It also sought agreement with school management and the Ghana Education Service (GES) on a set of new rules and procedures to address the financial and administrative lapses.

On the administration of scholarships, the committee said reports from heads of almost all schools indicated that scholarship grants do not reach them on time.

According to them, scholarship grants meant for students at the beginning of the academic term are sometimes received at the end of the term or much later.

This compels them to use monies, such as book user fees and the five per cent deductions from payments to suppliers meant for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), to feed students, in violation of financial regulations.

The Committee said in view of the problems identified in the administration of scholarships, it proposed and agreed with the National Scholarship Secretariat, COCOBOD, the Controller and Accountant-General's Department, GES and the various heads of schools on a timetable for submission, processing, payment and transfer of scholarship grants.

It urged all stakeholders in the administration of scholarships to schools to expedite action on all claims to enable the institutions to run smoothly.

It also called on the Controller and Accountant-General's Department to issue instructions to its regional and district offices, drawing attention to the relevant portions of the financial administration regulations, which require that all vouchers should be processed within 48 hours upon receipt.

The Committee said evidence before it indicates that most of the schools failed to prepare their annual accounts promptly for validation by the Auditor-General.

It therefore requested all schools whose accounts have fallen into arrears to prepare them up-to-date and make it available to the Auditor-General for validation.

A timetable for preparation and submission of accounts was agreed between the Committee and the various school authorities, who have to give formal undertaking to comply with the schedule.

The Committee noted the widespread misapplication of EdSAC textbook user fees and said as of December 31, 1998, the schools had failed to remit 597.44 million cedis to the account.

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Accra, (Greater Accra) 14 July '99,

Parliament today congratulated the government and people of France on the occasion of the French National Day, which falls today, and called for more interactions between the two countries, especially in the field of trade.

Members acknowledged France's contribution towards Ghana's development, especially in education, and commended the people of France for their co-operation with Africa and Ghana in particular, and wished them a happy anniversary.

This followed a congratulatory statement by Mrs Margaret Clarke Kwesie, President of the Ghana-France Friendship Association and MP-Ga South.

July 14 was declared by the third republic of France as a national day in 1880. It also marks the 210th anniversary of the taking over of Bastille by the ordinary people of France to show their displeasure at their king's rule and the beginning of the French Revolution.

Mrs Clark-Kwesie noted that the day not only marked the beginning of the revolution but also ensured the victory of the universal principles embodied in the declaration adopted by the French National Assembly in 1789.

France has since celebrated the day with the national motto: liberty, equality and fraternity.

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Accra, (Greater Accra) 14 July '99,

Parliament on Wednesday congratulated the national women's soccer team, the Black Queens, for participating in the just-ended Women's World Cup tournament held in the USA.

Members called for a national women's league to broaden the selection base of the team, as talents abound in the regions.

''On behalf of the house, I wish to extend our warmest felicitations and congratulations to the Black Queens for the honour done to Ghana'', the Speaker, Mr Justice Daniel Francis Annan, said.

This followed a congratulatory statement by Mr Moses Mabengba Bukari, chairman of the house committee on Youth and Sports.

Members noted that the team could not reach the medal zone due to fatigue and lack of stamina, and called for serious training and the constant exposure of national teams before international tournaments.

They commended the standard of play and skills exhibited by all the teams, mentioning in particular Memunatu Sulemana, Ghana's goalkeeper, for being one of the best 'keepers of the tournament.

Mr Mabengba said the Black Queens deserve commendation for making appearance at such a prestigious tournament, and selling Ghana's brand of football to the world.

Mr Mabengba, who is also the NDC member for Saboba, was of the view that bad officiating, took a heavy toll on the African representatives (Ghana/Nigeria).

He appealed to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to make a strong representation to FIFA to address such lapses in future.

The MP explained that the changing of venues favoured certain teams, while it was disadvantageous to others, adding: ''FIFA's 'Fair Play' in my opinion was put to serious test during the tournament. FIFA is not fair in its operations.''

He expressed his appreciation to Mr Kobby Koomson, Ghana's Ambassador to the USA, and the Ghanaian community for contributing 30,000 dollars to the Black Queens.

Mr Malik Alhassan Yacubu, NPP-Yendi, noted that the expertise and finesse displayed by the women is an indication that women's soccer is in no way inferior to that of men.

He stressed the need for the country to invest in the training of teams for international tournaments, adding that ''Ghana's team did not lose because the players were inferior; the determinant factor was speed and stamina''.

Mr Yaw Osafo-Marfo, NPP-Akim Oda, said bad officiating in Ghana's first match was meant to demoralise the team and called on the organisers to address the recurrence of that problem.

He said aside of this, the technical staff needed to read the matches well to avoid the poor performance of the team in the second half of all the matches.

The Women's World Cup, dubbed USA '99, the third in the series organised by FIFA, ended last Saturday at the Rose Bowl Stadium with Team USA emerging champions.

Ghana entered as debutants, while Nigeria made her third appearance. The Black Queens held Australia to a drawn game in their first match and lost to China and Sweden in subsequent matches.

GRi../

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