Parliament decries AIDS epidemic
Minority urges government to address food situation
Accra (Greater Accra) 15 June 2001
Parliament on Thursday decried the havoc the HIV/AIDS epidemic is causing in the country and called for the institution of a fund to fight it.
The disease is killing millions, children are becoming orphans while productive members of the population are being weakened thereby destroying the economic base of the country.
Making a statement on the issue, Mr Kwakye Addo, NDC-Afram Plains South, expressed regret that the theme "HIV/AIDS - A National Disaster" on which the Ghana Medical Association organised its first annual public lectures was not fully brought to the fore and effectively publicised.
He said the current lectures should be patronised and given adequate publicity.
Mr Addo said the relevance of this year's theme is to underscore the urgent need to reverse the devastation that the HIV/AIDS epidemic is having on the human resources and socio-economic development of the country.
He said it is obvious that for Ghana to be wealthy, she needs healthy people, who are to move forward, however, the HIV/AIDS epidemic threatens the very existence of the human resources.
"It is on record that the prevalence rate among adults rose from 2.4 per cent in 1994 to 4.6 per cent in the year 2000 with a current estimated 500,000 people living with the virus".
Mr Addo said everyone has a role to play in reversing the increasing spread of the AIDS and in mitigating its effects on those affected.
He called on the Ghana Medical Association to take steps to decentralise their Annual Public Lectures to the regions and the districts in order to make the desired impact.
Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni, NDC-Kumbungu, said the chief weapon for the spread of the HIV/AIDS is ignorance and so there is the need to continue and sustain the education of the people.
He said the AIDS epidemic is a developmental issue because it is mostly the youth, who are invariably in the productive group, are the victims of the disease.
Dr Francis Osafo-Mensah, MP and Eastern Regional Minister, said an important aspect of the fight against HIV/AIDS is how the people perceive it and what measures to take to curtail the spread of the disease.
He said as at now there is no known cure for the disease while the drugs to reduce the pain is not easily available and are very expensive especially to the poor.
Mrs Gladys Asmah, Minister of Women's Affairs, said it seems most people are belittling the effects of the AIDS epidemic.
She said it is women and children who are mostly at risk and affected and stressed the need for the creation of more awareness right down to the village level.
Mrs Asmah appealed particularly to men to watch their sex life and be more careful so as not to infect innocent women in the society.
She said the Ministry is drawing up plans to create awareness and asked the public to respond in good faith.
Mr Gershon K. Gbediame, NDC-Nkwanta appealed to the local Frequency Modulation (FM) stations to allocate more airtime to discuss HIV/AIDS issues so that the message could get to all.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 15 June 2001
Nana Akufo-Addo, Attorney-General and Minister of Justice on Thursday told Parliament that current legal reforms aimed at raising the image of the Judiciary would involve the scrapping of the tribunal system as well.
He said he has harmonised the dispersed reform programme his predecessor put in motion with agencies and has established an all-purpose committee responsible for all aspects of the legal reform being carried out with the support of the World Bank and the international community.
Nana Akufo-Addo said the UNDP is coordinating the various entities of the international community with a more comprehensive approach to support the reform effort.
In a 10-page answer to a question as to what problems the ministry was facing in the operation of the community tribunals and steps being taken to address them, Nana Akufo-Addo said the legal system is beset with corruption, delay in judgement and inadequate infrastructure.
The question stood in the name of Mr Kwakye Addo, NDC-Afram Plains South.
Nana Akufo-Addo said the tribunal system has also added to the woes of the judiciary and that the ministry intends to restore the legal system to that based on the common law, where professional lawyers decide issues of Law.
He said the unitary system provides for a better quality of justice at a cheaper cost.
"The current situation in the tribunal system where laymen make determinations of law is most undesirable and dangerous for the coherent development of the law.
"It is my intention that once the new Chief Justice and the new Judicial Council are in place I will consult them about proposals to be laid before this House for the amendment of the Courts Act to abolish the community tribunal and restore the District Magistrate Courts".
Nana Akufo-Addo said constitutional organs such as the regional tribunals would require different treatment.
He said delays in the proceedings at the community tribunals have become chronic and notorious all over the country because all matters including scrutiny of exhibits must be examined by at least three persons of the tribunal and thus invariably holding up proceedings.
He said: "Expenses on the tribunals which consume a large chunk of the annual judicial budget, would even be greater if the statutory requirement that each district should have a community tribunal had been met."
Several tribunals have not been set up because panel members were chosen on political considerations, "which do not augur well for the operation of an impartial and independent system of justice".
Nana Akufo-Addo said the government was concerned about mechanising the work of the courts as a matter of urgent public priority.
"Every court should have recording equipment and personnel capable of handling the equipment. That development alone will improve dramatically the speed at which the legal system responds, thereby enhancing significantly the administration of justice in the country".
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Accra (Greater Accra) 15 June 2001
Mrs Grace Coleman, Deputy Minister of Finance, on Thursday said government is implementing a food security strategy to arrest the perennial food shortage in the country.
"It is not the intention of government to provide ad hoc solutions to food shortages by venturing into panic importation but through more pragmatic and sustainable measures."
Mrs Coleman, who was contributing to an amendment motion, said the necessary conditions are being created for investment to flow into commercial farming, processing and storage.
Mr Abraham Ossei-Aidooh, NPP-Tema West, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu-NPP,Old Tafo-Suame, Mr Osei Prempeh, NPP-Nsuta-Kwamang, Mr Kwaka Balado-Manu,NPP-Ahafo Ano South, proposed the amendment that: "This house, conscious of the strenuous efforts currently being made by government to improve the economy, urges government to remain steadfast in this pursuit in order to revamp the agricultural sector and stabilise prices."
The original motion moved by Mr Doe Adjaho, NDC-Avenor, John Akologu Tia, NDC-Talensi, Dr.Alfred Tia, NDC,Nalerigu, said that: "This house views with serious concern the current escalating food prices and urges government to take immediate steps to arrest the situation."
Mrs Coleman said: "If after twenty years in power, you (NDC) could not get this country out of this mess, I don't think you have any business talking about food shortages."
She said: "We did not tell the people of Ghana that we were going to flood the market with food stuffs within six months."
In another development, the House rejected the report of the Finance Committee on the request for tax and duty exemptions totalling 6.2 million dollars and 1.4 Danish Kroner on equipment, spares, personal effects and materials as well as the payment of income tax of expatriate personnel contractors and consultants of the Tarkoradi-Agona Junction Road Project for lack of clarity.
The committee is to repackage it for further scrutiny.
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Accra 15 June 2001
The Minority in Parliament on Thursday called on the government to take immediate steps to address the current escalating food prices saying if the food shortages in the Upper East and other parts of the country are not given immediate attention the NPP might not have anybody to rule over.
But the Majority said the government is pursuing policies to ensure stabilisation of food prices as a long-term measure through the revamping of the agricultural sector.
The House was debating a private member's motion by three NDC members and an amendment motion by four NPP members on the food situation.
The first motion says: "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". It stood in the names of Mr Edward Doe Adjaho, (Avenor), Mr John Akologu Tia, (Talensi) and Dr Alfred Tia, (Nalerigu).
The amendment states: "Conscious of the strenuous efforts currently being made by government to improve the economy, this House urges government to remain steadfast in this pursuit in order to revamp the agricultural sector and stabilise food prices"
It was co-sponsored by Mr Abraham Ossei-Aidooh, (Tema West), Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, (Old Tafo-Suame), Mr Kwame Osei Prempeh, (Nsuta-Kwamang) and
Samuel Balado Manu, (Ahafo Ano South).
Mr Adjaho, moving the original motion referred to the NPP's criticism of the NDC government when food prices went up as a result of an 18 per cent increase in fuel prices.
He said the NPP government should now tell the nation how it would manage the rippling effect on food prices as a result of the 64 per cent increase in petroleum prices.
Mr Adjaho said if the Castle renovation work was being done under a state of urgency and contract for crude oil import could be done without regard to tender regulations then the government should consider the current high prices of food as an emergency.
He, therefore, called on the government to take measures to bring down prices of food.
Supporting the motion, Mr Tia accused the government of being reluctant to seek assistance and said the Minority would be appealing to non-governmental organisations to come to the aid of the country especially those in the North who are facing acute food shortage.
He warned that if measures were not taken to address the situation the NPP might not have anybody alive to vote for it during the next elections.
Moving his amendment motion Mr Aidooh, said the government was not going to adopt ad-hoc measures, which the NDC engaged in, to solve problems.
He said that is why the government was engaged in finding long-term solution to facilitate production and thereby stabilise prices.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu supporting the amendment said the Minister of Agriculture is taking measures to provide improved seedlings to farmers and after a year the results of increased food production would show.
Mr Kofi Attor, NDC-Ho Central on a point of order, said the member should concentrate on the amendment motion and stop expressing the "dreams of a minister," drawing a prolonged laughter.
The Speaker, Mr Peter Ala Adjetey further prolonged the laughter when he remarked that the member should avoid ministerial dreams.
The debate continues on Friday, June 15.
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