House congratulates Mandela, Mbeki

Motion is flawed, needs amendment - Majority

Government committed to equal development - Akorli

Accra (Greater Accra) 17 June '99

Parliament on Wednesday commended the out-going President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, for his "political maturity" in relinquishing power voluntarily.

In a statement on the floor of the house, Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyeman, NPP-New Juaben North and Minority Spokesman on Foreign Affairs said although some other African leaders voluntarily retired, the Mandela case is exceptional.

Mr Owusu-Agyeman urged leaders on the continent, who have "the penchant for tenaciously clinging to power, even in situations where self-declared provisional periods of reign are over", to re-consider their stance and take a cue from Mandela.

He noted that by retiring voluntarily, President Mandela has made an indelible mark on the universal political landscape as the world's most famous prisoner of conscience.

Mr Owusu-Agyeman pointed out that by refusing to hold on to power in spite of his immense popularity in both South Africa and the outside world, President Mandela is certainly sending a message to all that "it pays to bow out when the applause is loudest".

The Minority Spokesman on Foreign Affairs stated that much as the relative peace, stability and progress in South Africa must be credited to all, its greatest son, Mandela, deserves special commendation.

"Under his leadership, the much feared post-apartheid political and social explosion remained a bad dream, as he skilfully manoeuvred South Africa out of the political minefield, dogged with issues of violence, race and poverty, that triangulated political discourse in that country."

Mr Owusu-Agyeman said by smoothly working with Apartheid government headed by President F W de Klerk, and at times appointing his former political arch-enemy, Chief Mangosutu Buthelezi, Acting President, President Mandela "demonstrated the democratic tenet of tolerance and rejected the infamous winner-takes-all syndrome that has plagued our continent."

He said the political will mustered by President Mandela to oversee the establishment of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and to ensure political party representation on the Electoral Commission, are all glowing testimonies to the "saintly attributes of the living legend, Mandela."

Mr Owusu-Agyeman described the smooth and peaceful transition from "Africa's great son", President Mandela, to Thabo Mbeki as "one deserving of two selfless and patriotic nationals, both of whom stood shoulder to shoulder in the trenches of social justice to fight a common cause".

He said President Mbeki's assurance after the African National Congress's overwhelming electoral victory in the National Congress that his party would govern "without arrogance and with a deep sense of responsibility" is a piece of heart-warming news.

The Minority Spokesman on Foreign Affairs hoped as he steps into President Mandela's big shoes, President Mbeki "would continue on the path of tolerance, reconciliation and social justice, and thus leave golden footprints in the sand of time when the time comes for him to also take a bow."

Associating himself with the statement, Mr Mumuni Abudu Seidu, Deputy Majority Leader and MP for Wa Central praised President Mandela for his forbearance.

Mr Seidu further commended President Mandela for building a very healthy multi-racial democracy in South Africa, and urged other African leaders to follow his shining example.

Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, NPP-Offinso North, lauded the leaders of South Africa for charting a "national course of reconciling the people".

Dr Apraku hoped the transition in that country will inspire other countries on the continent to work hard at maintaining the democratic structures they have put in place.

Mr Edward Korbly Doe Adjaho, Majority Chief Whip and MP for Avenor, reminded African leaders and their people that for genuine reconciliation to take place in their various countries, they must show commitment.

While urging African leaders to be dedicated to the course of their people, Mr David Yaw Mensah, NDC-Atebubu North, called for co-operation between President Mbeki and Chief Buthelezi.

Mr Kojo Armah, PCP-Evalue-Gwira, said President Mandela has become for Africa a symbol of tolerance and reconciliation.

He regretted that Ghanaian leaders have not come anywhere near reconciling the people of this country.

Drawing the curtain on members' contributions, Mr Kenneth Dzirasah, First Deputy Speaker who was in the chair, on behalf of the house, congratulated President Mandela and the people of South Africa for consolidating their democratic process through peaceful means.

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Accra (Greater Accra) 17 June '99

The Majority in Parliament on Wednesday raised a preliminary objection to a motion enjoining the National Media Commission, the state-owned media and the Information Services Department, to ensure compliance with the 1993 Supreme Court ruling on equal media coverage for political parties.

The motion sought to ask the Commission, the media houses and the Information Services Department "to take steps to comply and/or ensure compliance with the unanimous decision and judgement of the Supreme Court...by granting equal time, space and access to the activities of the Majority NDC party as well as the Minority parties in Parliament, NPP, CP and PNC".

The Majority side was of the view that the motion was flawed and needed an amendment before it could be moved.

Just as Nana Akufo Addo, Minority Spokesman on legal and constitutional matters, was about to move his motion, Mr J.H. Owusu-Acheampong, Minister of Food and Agriculture, initiated the objection to the motion.

Mr Owusu-Acheampong, who is also MP for Berekum, contended that the Supreme Court's judgment said the affected agencies should grant equal time, space and access to the activities of all political parties and not just political parties in Parliament as the motion sought to do.

He said the motion was therefore out of place and needed to be amended to correctly reflect the Supreme Court ruling.

Responding to the objection, Nana Akufo Addo, argued that the Supreme Court decision was of general application and was not restricted to the party that went to court to seek the relief.

He said if the Majority side still maintained the objection, "we can make the amendment right in the House".

"I am prepared to make the amendment to accommodate the other political parties," he said.

This drew shouts of shame! Shame! from the Majority side.

Mr Owusu-Acheampong said the motion should be stepped down to allow Nana Akufo Addo to redraft and submit it to the House at another date.

He said the motion was important and must be handled carefully to enable members to debate it thoroughly, and insisted that "the motion must be stepped down for, at least, a day.

Mr Kenneth Dzirasah, First Deputy Speaker who was in the chair, intervened in an effort to direct the minds of members to the issues raised by both sides of the House.

He said the motion, as it stood, could either be debated or dismissed, or that Nana Addo must be allowed to amend it; but the amendment "should be brought properly before the House".

Nana Akufo Addo suggested that the amendment would not change the substance of the motion, saying "I want to make an amendment on the motion as it stands now".

Nana Akufo Addo argued that he was entitled to make the amendment without notice, having given notice of his motion three months ago.

He quoted Standing Orders 78 (d) and 80 (2) (a) to support his point.

In his ruling, Mr Dzirasah said Nana Akufo Addo was within the Orders, adding that the motion had been pending for more than three months.

He therefore allowed Nana Akufo Addo to proceed with his motion subject to the proposed amendment.

The relevant part of the Minority Ranking Member's amended motion read:"...by granting equal time, space and access to all registered political parties".

The Majority side again insisted that in fairness, members of both sides of the House should be given a copy each of the Supreme Court judgment.

They argued that they would be able to make informed contributions to the debate, if they are furnished with the substance of the judgment.

Dr Kwabena Adjei, Leader of the House, said it was not the intention of the Majority side to block the motion, adding "all that we are doing is to allow Nana Akufo Addo to fine-tune his motion"

Mr Dzirasah, after listening to the argument by the Majority side, ordered the Clerk's Office to make copies of the judgment available to all members before debate on the motion could begin on Thursday.

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Accra (Greater Accra) 17 June '99

Mr Steve Akorli, a Deputy Minister of Roads and Transport, on Wednesday told Parliament that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government is committed to ensuring equal development of every part of the country, irrespective of the political inclinations of a particular area.

He said it is not the policy of the government to stop a particular project because the beneficiary community did not vote for the NDC in the last general elections.

Mr Akorli was responding to a suggestion from the Minority side that a drainage construction project at Wiamoase in Ashanti had stopped because the NDC had promised that constituencies that voted against it would not see any development.

The Deputy Minister, who is also the Member of Parliament for Ho East, was in the House to answer questions bordering on his ministry during "Question Time" in Parliament.

On the resumption of work on the drainage project at Wiamoase, Mr Akorli said the project would be programmed for completion next year when funds were available.

Mr Kwasi Akomea Kyeremateng, NPP-Afigya Sekyere East, who asked when the project would resume, also wanted to know what percentage of the 500 million cedis allocated in 1998 for the work had been used and what percentage of work had been done.

Replying, Mr Akorli pleaded for time, saying he needed to be furnished with the necessary technical details.

In an answer to another question, Mr Akorli said work on the Ayanfuri-Diaso road in the Central region was for grading and not rehabilitation and that the grading of the 41-kilometre road had been fully executed at a cost of 93.4 million cedis.

Mr C.O.Nyanor, NPP-Upper Denkyira, had asked whether the minister was aware that rehabilitation of the road had been abandoned at Abura even though full payment had been made to the contractor.

He also asked what steps the ministry was taking to retrieve the monies paid to the contractor for work done.

On the decongestion of the two-kilometre stretch of road from Tafo Cemetery to Mile Four, in Kumasi, in view of governments decision to designate Kumasi-Mampong road a toll road, Mr Akorli told the House that initial steps are being taken to develop neighbouring access roads to decongest the road in question.

He said, as a short-term measure, the Ghana Highway Authority intends to collaborate with the police to direct and control traffic along the corridor to help eliminate traffic jams.

Mr Akorli told a questioner that the surfacing of the Kumasi-Antoa-Bonwire road began in November 1997, and was scheduled for completion in December, last year.

However, as a result of additional drainage structures in the towns/villages through which the road traverses, extra work was given to the contractors.

Mr Akorli said currently, 90 per cent of work on the road has been done and the project is expected to be completed by July, this year.

On the spanning of the Afram River between Kwahu, Adawso and Ekye Amanfrom in the Afram Plains, the Deputy Minister said the Ministry had no definite plans to provide a bridge on the river.

He, however, gave the assurance that such a project would be considered in future programmes the Ghana Highway Authority may develop for this trunk road.

Mr Akorli acknowledged the deplorable state of the Kwahu Tafo-Adawso road and announced that the Ministry is holding discussions with donor agencies.

He said the British Department for International Development (DFID) has shown interest in the rehabilitation of the road.

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