Commission to ensure that state media give equal space to political parties
Ministry of Agric proposes canal system for Accra Plains
New fish farming for Lake Bosomtwi
Accra (Greater Accra) 18 June '99
Two statements, the first official visit of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene, to Accra, and this year's Day of the African Child celebration, were made in Parliament on Thursday.
Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, NPP-Afigya Sekyere West read the one on Asantehene, who arrives in Accra on Thursday afternoon, on behalf of the Ashanti Caucus while Mrs. Comfort Owusu, the Deputy Majority Chief Whip made the Day of the African Child statement.
Mr Kan-Dapaah observed that "as we prepare to enter the 21st century, it is important that the chieftaincy institution be re-focused, if it is to maintain its relevance in shaping our country into the next millennium".
He commended the people of Ashanti for the unity of purpose and tranquillity, which they displayed during the nomination, confinement and subsequent enstoolment of Nana Osei Tutu and urged Ashantis to sustain and enhance them.
Mr Kan-Dapaah pledged the unqualified loyalty and support of Ashanti MPs to the Asantehene, and said they hope to co-operate with him to place Ashanti, in particular and Ghana as a whole on a high pedestal in the comity of nations.
"May his reign be courageous and benign, forthright and just, decisive and transparent, swift and tender, and above all, loving and "Solomonic" in wisdom and knowledge", he stated.
Mr John Kofi Gyasi, NDC-Adansi Asokwa, associated himself, with the statement and wished the Asantehene a peaceful, long and lasting reign.
Mrs. Owusu, who is also the MP for Mfantsiman East, urged African governments to implement all national programmes for the well being of children on the continent.
She advocated the setting up of a fund for deprived children, to which individuals and organisations concerned with the welfare of children would have to contribute.
The Deputy Majority Chief Whip expressed concern about the growing incidence of child labour, and said this negative practice must be nipped in the bud immediately.
Mrs. Owusu stressed the need for good parenting, and charged parents to position themselves to meet the needs of their children in all spheres of life.
She urged parents to observe the Rights of the Child as enshrined in the Children's Bill of 1998, by teaching children their responsibilities, so that they could be assured of a brighter future.
Contributing to the statement, Dr Richard Winfred Anane, NPP-Bantama, said he regretted that children on the continent are stared in the face with insecurity, hunger and malnutrition, among other things, and said as future leaders, resources must be provided to ensure their proper upbringing.
Mrs. Ama Benyiwah-Doe, a Deputy Minister of Employment and Social Welfare and MP for Gomoa West said it is the collective responsibility of all and sundry to shape the future of children.
Mrs. Theresa Ameley Tagoe, NPP-Ablekuma South urged African governments to create adequate job avenues to occupy the idling youth.
Mrs. Grace Coleman, NPP-Effiduase Asokore, said children on the African continent could grow up into responsible adults only when parents live up to their responsibilities.
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Commission to ensure that state media give equal space to political parties
Accra (Greater Accra) 18 June '99
Nana Akufo Addo, the Minority Spokesman on Constitutional and Legal Matters on Thursday reminded the State-Owned Media (SOM) of their constitutional duty to ensure the free flow of information.
In addition, he said, the good citizens of this country should have equal access to the media irrespective of their political affiliations.
Nana Akufo Addo, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Abuakwa gave the reminder when he moved a private member's motion urging the National Media Commission to ensure that SOM comply with the Supreme Court's judgment of November 30, 1993.
The Supreme Court ruled that SOM should grant equal time, space and access to the activities of all registered political parties in the country.
Arguing in support of his motion, Nana Akufo Addo said, "the unpalatable, compelling crux of the matter is that, SOM in our country, is heavily biased, and controlled by the ruling NDC (National Democratic Congress), and that they will continue to be its mouthpiece".
Nana Akomea, NPP-Okaikwei-South seconded the motion.
Nana Akufu Addo said as MPs, they would be failing in their fundamental duty, if they do not defend the Constitution and thus ensure good governance.
Nana Akufo Addo contended that in the view of the Minority, the floor of the house is the "proper forum to debate the matter", and that the foundation of the motion is fairness.
While referring to the "Ghanaian Times" as being controlled entirely by the ruling government, the Minority Spokesman on Constitutional and Legal Matters accused the "Daily Graphic" of being consistently biased in its reporting in recent times.
To buttress his point, Nana Akufo Addo based his argument on stories appearing on page 11, the Political Page of the previous week's copies of the "Daily Graphic", from June eight to Thursday June 17.
Quoting the headlines of stories on that page, he said, it was crystal clear that Graphic carried more stories on the activities of the ruling NDC than the opposition parties.
Nana Akufo Addo urged the Ministry of Communications to bring pressure to bear on SOM to ensure that all registered parties are given fair treatment as far as coverage was concerned.
He further urged the ruling government to take measures to create a fair electoral playing field next year so that when the results are declared, all participating political parties would have no cause to dispute or challenge them.
In an Amendment Motion, Mr Edward Doe Adjaho, the Majority Chief Whip proposed that the National Media Commission (NMC) should rather investigate whether SOM are complying with Article 55 (11) of the Constitution.
It states that "the State shall provide fair opportunity to all political parties to present their programmes to the public by ensuring equal access to the SOM", and report to the House indicating among other things, the constraints, if any, that they face in complying with the said Article.
Arguing in support of his Amendment Motion, which was seconded by Mr Ebenezer Kobina Fosu, NDC-Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa, Mr Adjaho said Article 172 of the Constitution states that NMC shall not be subject to direction or control by any authority.
In his view, therefore, the only way to reconcile the motion and the amendment motion is to call for an investigation.
He said as an appropriate constitutional body, it is the Commission that should investigate the complaint brought before the House by Nana Akufo Addo.
In doing so, however, Mr Adjaho indicated that the Majority is not against the ruling of the Supreme Court because it is the highest court of the land.
The Majority Chief Whip indicated that in his view, Nana Akufo Addo should have directed his complaint against SOM to NMC.
He, therefore, described Nana Akufo Addo's motion as "frivolous, illegal, unconstitutional and bogus", and said it should not be adopted.
Mr Kenneth Dzirasah, First Deputy Speaker had a hectic time bringing the House to order, because there were several interruptions of points of order from both sides of the House.
He, therefore, had to defer debate on the motions to Friday.
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Ministry of Agric proposes canal system for Accra Plains
Accra (Greater Accra) 18 June '99
The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) has proposed a basic canal irrigation system for the Accra Plains to put an estimated 140,000 hectares of land into agricultural production, Mr J.H. Owusu-Acheampong, the sector Minister said on Thursday.
He said with such a facility in place, small-scale and large-scale farmers could be allocated land for either development or cropping for a fee.
Mr Owusu-Acheampong, who was answering questions in Parliament during "Question Time", said there is the need to source funds to undertake feasibility studies on the proposal.
Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor, NPP-Manhyia, had asked the Minister about the Ministry's plans to turn the Accra Plains into an agricultural productive area.
Mr Owusu-Acheampong told the House that currently, part of the Kpong Irrigation Project has been developed with a loan from the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA).
The other part of the project, whose feasibility study needs updating before implementation, is waiting for the needed funding to proceed, he said.
He said other irrigation projects have been planned for the Plains. They are at different stages of feasibility studies, which need updating to proceed, subject to availability of funds.
Mr Owusu-Acheampong said farmers, who are engaged in animal husbandry on the Plains are being assisted by agricultural extension officers and staff of the Veterinary Service to boost production.
He said crop farmers are also turning large amounts of animal and human waste found in the area, into organic manure to enhance agricultural production in the area.
Asked to reconcile a situation where there is a steady high cost of production while prices of some agricultural produce continue to fall, the Minister said every effort would be made to address the anomaly.
To a suggestion that agricultural performance has been poor due to failed policies of the government, Mr Owusu-Acheampong disagreed and said on the contrary, agriculture had performed creditably and had contributed substantially to the lowering of inflation and enhanced the country's gross domestic product (GDP).
The Minister said through, the Youth in Agriculture Programme, the government is encouraging the youth, especially those in the rural communities, to engage in agriculture to improve their economic and social status.
On steps to enable farmers to have timely access to agro-inputs and tractor services for this year's farming season, Mr Owusu-Acheampong assured the questioner of adequate stocks of seed varieties and agro-chemicals for distribution and sale to interested farmers and organisations.
He explained, however, that the importation, distribution, sale and use of seeds and agro-chemicals have been privatised by the government since 1992.
Notwithstanding, the privatisation, there are laws in the country to regulate the importation, distribution, sale and use of agricultural inputs, including agro-chemicals.
Mr Owusu-Acheampong said Ministry has introduced integrated pest management (IPM) in the cultivation of some selected crops like rice, cowpea, plantain, cassava, tomatoes and other vegetables.
He said with this concept, all the best agronomic practices are used to grow a healthy crop, adding that pesticides are thus used as a last resort.
The Minister explained that the new programme cuts down significantly, the cost of production of the crops.
On tractor services, he said the Ministry has imported 250 units of agricultural tractors complete with implements and back-up spare parts with a 3.14 million-dollar Chinese loan.
He said the machinery are currently being assembled and serviced for sale to farmers in readiness for this year's farming season.
To a question about the status and fate of trainees of agricultural colleges, who may not be absorbed by the public sector, after their course, Mr Owusu-Acheampong said the main programme of such colleges is to provide middle-level manpower for the agricultural sector.
He said the graduates are expected to seek employment in either the private sector, including working on their own, or in other public sector institutions including the sector Ministry, adding that "they may also further their education at the universities".
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New fish farming for Lake Bosomtwi
Accra (Greater Accra) 18 June '99
The Ministry of Food and Agriculture is to introduce a new form of fish farming in Lake Bosomtwi in Ashanti, to enhance the economic and social status of the people in the area.
In addition, a fish-processing programme would be followed to add value to the fish that would be produced, Mr J. H. Owusu-Acheampong, the sector Minister told Parliament on Thursday.
Mr Owusu-Acheampong said fish caging, penning and ranching have been identified as forms of fish farming that can be used to enhance the productivity of large water bodies such as the Lake Bosomtwi.
He was answering a Parliamentary question about the Ministry's plans to encourage and assist the people living around Bosomtwi to adopt viable farming methods to reduce their over-dependence on the resources of the Lake.
The question stood in the name of Mr Adu Gyamfi Poku, MP for the area.
The Minister said the fish farming and the fish processing programme could be integrated into the envisaged tourism development in the Lake area.
Mr Owusu-Acheampong explained that the Lake basin has steep edges, which make any form of commercial crop farming very difficult, saying that it is, therefore, natural that the inhabitants have over the years, depended on fishing as the main source of their livelihood.
He said a project aimed at improving the economic and social well being of the people in the area, must, therefore, seek to enhance the fishing industry around which other activities could be developed.
In addition to the Ministry's efforts at improving productivity of the Lake, a "no till" technology concept for the production of maize and other staples would be introduced to farmers in Bosomtwi Kwanwoma District, which include people living around the Lake, he said.
The Minister said agricultural extension officers of the Ministry would intensify training of farmers in the technology for increased yields of staple crops to boost their incomes.
Considering the nature of the terrain around the Lake, and fishing as a major source of livelihood of the people, some communities would be encouraged to develop wood lots of fast-growing multi-purpose trees, to provide fuel wood for the local fishing industry and for sale elsewhere, he said.
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