Chemicals under test for road project
House condemns article about Lambussie
Volta Lake disaster-Parliament sends condolences
Chemicals under test for road project
Accra (Greater Accra) 23 June '99
The Department of Feeder Roads is conducting tests on a number of chemicals for their possible use in sealing roads in a bid to cut down cost.
Consequently, the Ministry of Road and Transport is awaiting the outcome of the tests in order to take a firm decision on the application of the chemicals in road construction.
Mr Steve Akorli, Deputy Minister of Roads and Transport announced this in Parliament on Tuesday during "question time".
He explained that the cost of tarring a kilometre of road ranges between 250 million cedis and one billion cedis, depending on the nature and condition, whether it is urban or rural and the type of finishing.
On the Ministry's plans to reshape the Juaso-Obogu-Nkyesa road that links Ashanti to Eastern Region, Mr Akorli said under a three-year programme, the Ministry would, through the Department of Feeder Roads, rehabilitate and improve the road.
He said the source of funding of roads of this nature is through the road fund, which was established only last year and as such, not much is available to cover every feeder road project.
The Deputy Minister explained that the Ministry has thus prioritised the road projects, depending on their socio-economic importance.
Answering another question, Mr Akorli said the 15-kilometre Behwe Junction-Amantena-Wuraponso feeder road in the Asante Akim South District would be considered for tarring next year, subject to availability of funds.
However, the Ministry is in the process of awarding on contract next month, the reshaping of portions that have made the road almost impassable.
Asked if the Ministry would consider replacing the old and weak wooden bridges on the road with concrete ones, Mr Akorli said in the interest of saving life and property, the request would be studied and the appropriate action taken.
On the tarring of the Konongo-Dwease-Praaso feeder road, in the Asante Akim North District, the Deputy Minister said some rehabilitation work was done on the road last year.
He told the questioner, Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, NPP-Asante Akim North, that currently, the Department of Feeder Roads is conducting studies on the road and assured him that the Ministry hopes to secure external funding to tar the road.
Mr Baah-Wiredu asked whether it is not possible for the Ministry to use 2.5 billion cedis out of the 105 billion cedis allocated to the department for the tarring.
The Deputy Minister replied that although provision had been made for the road, "we would address this accordingly" if it became an emergency.
Asked when the 14.8-kilometre Agona-Effiduase road in Afigya Sekyere East in the Ashanti Region would be tarred, Mr Akorli said this would be undertaken under the second phase of the highway sector improvement project due in 2000.
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House condemns article about Lambussie
Accra (Greater Accra) 23 June '99
Parliament on Tuesday added its voice to the call on journalists to guard against publications that can divide rather than unite Ghanaians.
The call followed a statement made by Alhaji Amidu Sulemana, Upper East Regional Minister, drawing the House's attention to a recent publication in the June four - 10 edition of the "Weekend Statesman", in which the writer attacked the people of Lambussie.
Alhaji Sulemana, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Sissala regretted that in the said article captioned "Hunger in Lambussie", the writer made derogatory comments about the people of Lambussie, which in his view, do not augur well for national integration.
He said one issue of concern that the Statesman's correspondent discussed in his report bordered extensively on the alleged fact that, notwithstanding, the 18 years rule of the PNDC and NDC governments, there was abject poverty in the Lambussie area.
The Regional Minister did not understand the basis of assessment that the writer used to arrive at that conclusion, and pointed out that any critical dissection of the report in question would uncover that the whole piece of "misinformation and spurious journalism was predicated on generalisations and lacked verifiable facts".
For example, he said, pito drinking and tobacco smoking although have their own hazardous effects on the health of people, in his view, they are habits that are cultivated irrespective of the user's financial, social, ethnic or political standing.
For this reason, Alhaji Sulemana posed the question whether the Statesman's correspondent by his report is saying that all people, who are patrons of alcohol and tobacco are the poorest in society.
Alhaji Sulemana stated that drinking of palm wine and other local alcoholic stuff alongside smoking of tobacco go on in virtually every community in the country, and, therefore, debunked the derogatory and offensive manner in which the writer associated the people of Lambussie with pito drinking and tobacco smoking.
The Regional Minister also dismissed another issue raised by the writer that farming is virtually non-existent in the area and said it is because of the diligence of the people that is why the area can indisputably be described as the "Food basket of the Upper West Region".
On the use of walking sticks by the people, Alhaji Sulemana indicated that this has no bearing on the age of the users as claimed by the writer.
He explained that in most Northern communities, walking sticks constitute part of men's dressing and more importantly, they are the companions to men in the traditional sense.
"This is the more reason why the correspondent should have been investigated and related his findings to the cultural practices of the people.
In this way, his observation would have secured some props instead of the way they hanged in the air".
Alhaji Sulemana said he was surprised that the correspondent refused to see the quantum and quality of development that has taken place in the Lambussie constituency.
More motorable roads, schools, health facilities and other social infrastructure, have been provided including the extension of electricity to some of the communities.
Members, who associated themselves with the statement condemned the article clearly and urged journalists not to hide behind their profession to foment trouble among Ghanaians.
Rather, they said, media personnel, as well as all Ghanaians should look beyond ethnicity, put their political affiliations behind them and place the nation's welfare and progress over and above their parochial interests.
Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, NPP-Gukpegu/Sabongida, said sentiments as expressed in the article in question, can tear the nation apart.
He, therefore, urged Ghanaians to discard such publications and work towards a single united country.
"Let us not sow seeds of discord and discontent, whose results we cannot reap".
Mr A. S. K. Bagbin, NDC-Nadowli North, said the article is in a bad taste, and its language shows disrespect to the good people of Lambussie.
Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, NPP-Offinso, North, said it was rather the NDC government and not the people of Lambussie that the article should have lambasted.
This, he said, is because the North has not seen any meaningful development over the last two decades.
Mr John Dramani Mahama, Minister of Communications and MP for Bole stated that such articles do not unite the good people of this country and therefore, reminded the private media that they have a crucial role to play in ensuring balance and fairness in their reporting as is expected of their counterparts in the state-owned media.
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Volta Lake disaster-Parliament sends condolences
Accra (Greater Accra) 23 June '99
Parliament on Tuesday expressed condolences to the families of the victims of the Volta Lake boat disaster and called on the Ministry of Roads and Transport to take measures to ensure that such catastrophes do not recur.
"Parliament shares the grief of the people along the lake and we send our condolences. We call on the sector ministry to ensure safety on water bodies, especially, on the Volta Lake, its very important", Mr Ken Dzirasah, First Deputy Speaker said.
This was after Mr Samuel K. Apraku, NDC-Kete Krachi, had made a statement on the boat disaster, which occurred on June four, and in which 185 people perished. They were travelling from Kete Krachi to Abotoase.
It was also announced that the house would soon enact a bill to regulate and regularise water transportation in the country, in addition to existing rules and regulations put in place by the sector ministry.
In the statement, Mr Apraku appealed to the government, on humanitarian grounds, to support affected families with a financial package.
"This will enable children of the deceased to continue their education and also care for their families in the absence of the departed bread winners".
Mr Apraku appealed to the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to go to the aid of the victims.
The member deplored the practice whereby the Ministry set up a committee of inquiry any time a disaster occurred, only to fail to implement its recommendations.
"These reports end in archives, so the disasters continue to happen since these boats are not insured the people continue to die, excuse me, like fowls or animals".
He reiterated the need for the Ministry to put in measures to ensure safety on the lake.
Mr Apraku commended the Vice-President for taking time off his busy schedule to mourn with the people, while on a duty tour of the district at the time of the disaster.
Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, the Minority Spokesman on Finance said the disaster and other accidents in the country and the inaction of organisations concerned, "show the low premium being put on the lives of the citizens of this country".
He called for a review of policies in relation to such issues, adding that out of this disaster must come a national policy to ensure the safety of the people.
Mr Steve Akorli, a Deputy Minister of the sector, said reports show that the accident was as a result of "indiscipline".
He said after the 1995 disaster, the Ministry came out with guidelines but these have not been adhered to, saying even where the district assemblies have provided life jackets most passengers refuse to use them.
The problem was a social one and called on all to help implement regulations as well as educate the people along the lake to follow the ground rules.
At the time of the accident, the boat, which was designed to carry 55 passengers, was carrying 217 people, eight cows, 35 sheep and goats, 3,500 tubers of yam, 25 bags of groundnuts, 60 baskets of smoked fish, 20 sacks of cassava dough and 15 sacks of kokonte (powdered cassava).
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Accra (Greater Accra), 23rd June 99 –
A new sewage plant that would solve the problem of waste disposal in the Kumasi metropolis is under construction, with the assistance of the British government, Mr Lee Ocran, Deputy Minister of Environment, Science and Technology said in Parliament on Tuesday.
The Deputy Minister said this in response to concerns expressed by members during the consideration of the 1998 Environmental Protection Agency Annual report.
The House later adopted the report.
The Minister said the Ministry would soon come out with a policy, which would enjoin sand and stone contractors to submit a reclamation plan as well as pay a bond for their activities.
At the end of the operation when they fail to implement the plan they would forfeit the bond, which would then be used to implement the reclamation plan.
Some members commended the EPA for doing a good job in spite of numerous constraints.
Others expressed reservations on human and hospital waste disposal in the country, sand and stone winning, open drains, river pollution and poor sanitary conditions especially in the urban areas.
The House called on district assemblies to use part of the Common Fund to implement environmental action plans of their districts.
Squadron Leader Clend Sowu, Chairman of the Committee on Environment Science and Technology, who presented the committee's report, recommended making environmental committees standing committees in the district assemblies.
This, he said, would enable them to assist in the education of the public on environmental issues in order to make the necessary impact.
The committee recommended that EPA should formulate standard draft by laws to be adopted by all district assemblies concerning tree felling and ensure enforcement and implementation of environmental plans.
The report said the control and eradication of water hyacinth in some parts of the country should be given national attention.
The report noted that the rehabilitated incineration plant at Korle Bu is not operational due to irregular supply of diesel, needed to fuel the equipment.
It was also observed that some private laboratories discharge their waste into drains without treatment while some clinics bury human tissues.
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