Parliament alerted on high prices of food
Stop sand winning in Gomoa - Acheanmpong
Parliament alerted on high prices of
food
Accra (Greater Accra) 08 June 2001
Parliament will next week debate the current escalation of food prices following a Private Member's Motion tabled by three NDC members.
The motion states: "That this House views with serious concern the current escalating prices of foodstuffs and urges the government to take immediate steps to arrest the situation".
The motion stands in the name of Mr Edward Doe Adjaho, Avenor, Mr John Akologu Tia, Talensi and Dr Alfred Tia, Nalerigu.
This is contained in the Business Statement presented to the house by Papa Owusu-Ankomah, Deputy Majority Leader on Friday.
Other activities lined up during the week are questions to be answered by the Ministers of Food and Agriculture, Finance, Justice and Attorney General, Youth and Sports and Media Relations.
The Minister of the Interior, Alhaji Malik Al-Hassan Yakubu will on Thursday answer an urgent question on a shooting incident in Kumasi involving the bodyguard of the Minister of Energy, Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 08 June 2001
Parliament on Thursday called for a concerted national effort to rid the country of armed robberies and other forms of criminal acts that are threatening the nation's socio-economic development.
The MPs said the current spate of armed robberies in the country should not only be considered as criminal activity but also as a crime which could scare investors and affect national and local revenue generation.
They made the remarks when contributing to a statement Mr Sampson Atakora, NDC-Ejura-Sekyedumasi made in Parliament on Highway armed robberies on the Kumasi- Ejura-Yeji-Atebubu road.
Mr Atakora said since last year there have been armed robberies on that road in which traders mostly women lost their money and were subjected to inhuman treatment.
He said the Police at Ejura rose to the occasion and contained the armed robberies through patrols but unfortunately their vehicle has broken down rendering them immobile.
The MP asked the Police administration to provide the station with a vehicle to enable them to continue with their good work there.
Alhaji Malik Al-Hassan Yakubu, Minister of the Interior, said but for the vigilance and effective patrolling by the Police, armed robbery would have engulfed the country in an unceasing 24-hour attack.
The Minister commended the Police for containing the situation in spite of the limited resources at their disposal and called for public support for them.
He urged the MPs and government officials to blow the whistle on criminals and give out information on those in possession of illegal arms.
Alhaji Seidu Amadu, NDC-Yapei-Kusawgu, said the road network in that area called for Police checkpoints and that the security network there should be reviewed.
He said the modus operandi of the robbers was that they attack on various market days in the area when traders carry a lot of money.
Alhaji Amadu said the Police should not be deceived into thinking that beautiful vehicles should not be subjected to a search, adding, "the Police have the right to check every vehicle even including those of MPs and government officials.
"The democratic dispensation we enjoy now should not be misconstrued to be freedom from everything for lawlessness to prevail even to the extent of scaring
foreign investors as well as local economic activities and to prevent our hard
working women traders from earning a living and paying taxes."
He said the wars in the sub-region could also be possible sources of supply of sophisticated weapons smuggled into the country.
Captain Nkrabeah Effah-Dartey (rtd), NPP-Berekum, said armed robbery is a first degree felony and should not be encouraged in any form and that the Judiciary and the Police must act with despatch.
He called for random and unannounced military manoeuvres in areas prone to armed robbery.
Mr Mike Hammah, NDC-Effutu, said security is a prerequisite to development and Ghana as a developing country stands to lose a lot if the armed robbery menace was not combated.
He called for the introduction of comprehensive national security policy.
Mr George Amoo, NPP-Ayawaso West Wuogon and Alhaji Ali Amadu, NDC Atebubu South, called on the Banks to devise a method, like the "Sika-card system" for the women traders so that they do not carry large amounts of money on each trading activity.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 08 June 2001
Mr Emmanuel Acheanmpong, NPP-Gomoa East, on Thursday called for an end to commercial sand winning in the Gomoa area to save the people from land thirst.
"Fertile farmlands and crops are being destroyed by sand winners at Gomoa Buduburam, Nkwantanan and Fetteh Kakraba as well as beaches in the area of Gomoa
Nyanyano."
In a statement read in Parliament, the member alleged that the Gomoa District Assembly has so far ignored the environmental problem.
He said: "Some of the inhabitants, who have expressed their dissatisfaction about these distasteful activities have ended up in Police cells."
Mr Acheanmpong said the people are now left with the only option of taking up arms to crush the "environmental terrorism"
The member asked that a probe be instituted into the District Assembly's involvement in the sand winning business and the harassment of the youth of the area.
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