Nigerian Foreign Affairs Committee calls on
Speaker
Government loses vote in Parliament
I'm a little bit apprehensive - Papa
Nigerian Foreign Affairs Committee calls on
Speaker
Accra (Greater Accra) 25 July 2001
Mr Peter Ala Adjetey, Speaker of Parliament on Wednesday stressed the need for members of the West African Sub-Region to have a common currency and free movement of goods and services to facilitate the integration of its peoples.
He said such an integration would not only ensure interaction amongst the people but it would also let the people see themselves as one and not strangers in each other's country.
Mr Adjetey said this when he received a 15-member Nigerian Parliamentary delegation led by Representative Chimaobi Nwakanma, Deputy Chairman, House Committee of Foreign Affairs of the Nigeria's National Assembly at his office.
The delegation is on a four-day reciprocal visit to prepare for the establishment of an ECOWAS Parliament. It would pay a courtesy call on President John Kufuor and hold meetings with the Foreign Affairs Committee of Ghana's Parliament.
Mr Adjetey said there were many benefits to be derived from co-operation and integration but unfortunately it seemed the countries in the Sub-Region have not moved fast enough to remove the various obstacles.
The Speaker said Ghana and Nigeria were kingpins on the political scenario of the Sub-Region and as such they needed to co-operate on all matters and to critically develop all sectors to their mutual benefit.
Mr Nwakanma said their visit was a reciprocal one to the one made last year by a Ghanaian delegation and commended Ghana for the warm reception accorded them.
He said the visit was also to build a bridge between the two Parliaments and facilitate cooperation.
Mr Nwakanma said the two Parliaments have to be pragmatic in developing their democracies for the benefit of their people and called for support to ensure the sustenance of democratic rule in the Sub-Region.
He said Foreign Affairs Committees play important role in strengthening the work of the Executive and so they should be encouraged to come out with decisions for integration.
GRi…/
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Government loses vote in Parliament
Accra (Greater Accra) 25 July 2001
The government on Wednesday lost a vote in Parliament, when the House failed to pass a resolution for a loan of 111 million dollars that it was contracting from the International Development Association to support the third Economic Recovery Support Operations (ESO III).
Sixty-seven voted in favour while 63 voted against. The resolution needed 100 votes to pass.
The Minority's sudden change of heart not to support the Majority in approving the loan confirmed earlier speculations that they were against some of the conditions attached to loan.
According to a report released by the Finance Committee on the loan, the credit, which is payable in 40 years, was to be disbursed as soon as the conditions attached were met by the government of Ghana.
The eight conditions included an increase in the ex-refinery price for petroleum products to achieve cost recovery and reduce the strain on government expenditure.
"Increase electricity and water tariffs to cover the operating costs of Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL)."
According to the report, the Public Utility Regulatory Commission (PURC) was supposed to furnish government and the IDA with its formulation of a transitional plan to adjust electricity tariffs to reach economic levels by the end of 2002 and an automatic mechanism for electricity tariffs to adjust to the exchange rate of the cedi and oil import price.
Cabinet was supposed to approve the re-launch of the divestiture process for Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB) and publish notices in the local and international media requesting expression of interest from potential buyers interested in the purchase of the remaining shares of the Bank.
"Government sends out a request for proposals to potential transaction advisors for the divestiture of ECG."
Another condition was that the government was to commence payment of compensation to cocoa farmers for losses they incurred during the 2000/2001 cocoa purchasing season in order to maintain the farmers' share of the producer price of cocoa at a price not less than 65 per cent of the FOB export price.
The report states that government was to issue cocoa export licences to eligible companies.
Mr Alban Bagbin, the Minority Leader, has expressed satisfaction on the outcome of voting.
"Although they (Majority) have another chance of bringing the resolution to the floor of Parliament. We have made our point that the conditions were too harsh" he told the GNA.
Meanwhile, Mr. J. H. Mensah, the Majority Leader, said the resolution would be re-tabled on Friday "so that members would go on holidays with some respectable considerations".
GRi…/
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I'm a little bit apprehensive - Papa
Accra (Greater Accra) 25 July 2001
Papa Owusu-Ankomah, Minister of Youth and Sports designate, on Tuesday said he felt a little bit apprehensive manning the ministry after the substantive minister got dismissed and jailed over a football bonus scandal, when he appeared before the Parliamentary Appointment Committee.
Mallam Ali Yusif Isa, former Youth and Sports Minister, will stay the next seven years in jail if he fails to refund 46,000 dollars he stole within one month and pay a fine of 10 million cedis.
Papa Owusu-Ankomah, who is at present the Deputy Leader of Government
Business told the Committee: "I am a little bit apprehensive but I see life as a challenge. What I would do is to see to it that everything is done in accordance with the laws of Ghana."
On his vision for the ministry, he said much time and resources would be sought to restructure the National Youth Commission and other bodies to make them pro-active in the implementation of youth policies.
"The government considers youth development and empowerment among its priorities and I would make sure that this laudable objective becomes a reality."
Papa Owusu-Ankomah said: "Because Ghanaians are so passionate about sports, especially, football, we have somehow played down the development of the youth. The time has come for us as a nation to focus on the youth".
Papa Owusu-Ankomah said the government has a youth committee in place under the direction of Vice President Aliu Mahama "from which I intend to solicit ideas and support".
The nominee, who is a Member of Parliament for Sekondi and a Lay Preacher of the Methodist Church, said he would inject moral and Christian principles in the youth to make them more disciplined and committed to the ideals of the country.
"I believe that Christian values and principles cut across all religions and even our cultural values so all the youth would come on board. I'm not going to evangelise to the youth."
He defined the youth as people within the 15 - 35 years age bracket and "even those far above that age who have the interest of the youth at heart".
On the May 9 Accra Sports Stadium Disaster and general security at the country's stadiums, he said he would rely on the report of the Presidential Commission to guide him.
The member said he would collaborate with the relevant ministries to generate employment, confidence and embark on a campaign, particularly, in health education to slow down the spread of HIV/AIDS among the youth.
On Sports, Papa Owusu-Ankomah said aggressive and credible programmes would be drawn up to attract sponsorship.
"Sports development should be business-like. People need to know how well they can contribute to sports and we must tell them in a well planned manner."
When he was asked: Are you aggressive?
He said: "I am calm, considerate and sensitive but when it becomes necessary, one should be prepared to stand his grounds. I am not aggressive."
He said he preferred hiring psychologists to psyche up players to consulting oracles to prepare them for football matches.
"If I'm asked to lead the Blacks Stars to a juju house, I would tell them to fast and pray for three days."
He said he had President john Agyekum Kufuor's support and expressed the hope that he would be able to attract the needed attention and resources to promote youth programmes and sports.
Mr Enoch Teye Mensah, former Minister of Youth and Sport, had commented and asked him on how he intended to convince members of the Cabinet that his ministry needed a bigger purse.
GRi…/
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