J. H. Mensah's budget withdrawn
Butterflies hold annual general meeting – MP
Speaker expresses displeasure about attendance
Speaker moves to clear E. T. Mensah's image
Defence needs more money - Addo-Kufuor
Budget for Interior inadequate – Minister
Parliament calls for additional estimates for two ministries
MOFA
to develop foundation seeds for various crops
J. H. Mensah's budget withdrawn
Accra
(Greater Accra) 29 March 2001
The
Minority in Parliament on Wednesday forced the withdrawal of the financial
estimate presented by Mr J. H. Mensah, Minister of Government Business and the
Majority Leader.
Mr Mensah
is asking for 44.5 billion cedis for the ministry for this year.
He said the
National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), Regional
Planning,
Economic Co-operation and Integration, Parliamentary Affairs and Private Sector
Development have to come under that ministry.
Mr. Kosi
Kedem, Hohoe South, Mr Seidu P Adamu, Bibiani, Mr Modestus Ahiable, Ketu North
and Mr Dan Abodakpi, Keta all NDC members, who rose one after the other opposed
the motion.
They said
the NDPC was a constitutional body and comes directly under the President so it
was wrong to put it under a ministry.
They argued
that the ministries that Mr Mensah was roping into the Ministry of
Parliamentary Affairs were all sector ministries, which have ministers.
The MPs
said what Mr Mensah was seeking to do was the duplication of work and called
for the allocation of that ministry to be cut and given to the Ministries of
the Interior and Defence.
Mr.
Abodakpi said what the Majority Leader is seeking to do is a recipe for danger
while Mr Adamu said Mr Mensah's motion was ill conceived and was generating
more confusion than finding solution to the country's problem.
Mr. Adamu
said Mr Mensah was biting too much and called for the withdrawal of the
estimates.
Mr. Yaw
Osafo-Maafo, Minister of Finance conceded that there was merit in the
minority's argument and accordingly withdrew the motion to be considered later.
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Butterflies hold annual general meeting – MP
Accra (Greater
Accra) 29 March 2001
The
Ministry of Tourism has been asked to consider developing the Attiwa Range in
the Eastern Region, where various butterflies species converge every year
"to hold annual general meeting" into a tourist attraction.
Mr Sampson
Ottu Darko (NPP Ga North), who made the suggestion, said the meeting takes
place at the start of the rainy season but he could not tell the agenda of the
butterflies.
The use of
the figure of speech (personification) drew a prolonged laughter in Parliament
with members asking, "Butterflies holding meeting?" "Butterflies
holding meeting?"
Mr. Darko
was contributing to a debate for the approval of about seven billion cedis
budgetary allocation for the Ministry of Tourism.
He said
Abokobi, in his constituency, near Accra, should also be developed into tourist
centre because there is a cave, which still harbours the chains and other
relics of slave traders.
Mr Darko
said the slaves were kept there till the ships arrived to take them to the Americas.
Mr Peter
Ala Adjetey, Speaker cut in and asked the member whether the ships come to
Abokobi into the cave or...drawing another laughter.
Mr Darko
said when the ships arrived at the Accra beach they made a loud sound to alert
the slave traders to bring their cargo from the cave to the beach.
Abokobi is
about 30 kilometres north of Accra.
The Speaker
asked Mr Darko to cut short his contribution and to later feed the Minster of
Tourism, Ms Hawa Yakubu of details of the cave and the butterflies.
Later in an
interview with GNA, Mr Darko said the chiefs of Abokobi do not just allow
strangers or visitors to go near the cave, adding there is no access road
leading from the town to the place.
He said the
cave extends from Abokobi through Agbogba, where a route used by the slave
traders linked Accra.
Mr. Darko
could readily not tell the length and volume of the cave and explained that the
chiefs would like the place to be developed and that there are certain rites
the chiefs perform before introducing people to the cave.
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Speaker expresses displeasure about attendance
Accra
(Greater Accra) 29 March 2001
The
Speaker, Mr Peter Ala Adjetey on Wednesday expressed concern about lateness and
low attendance of members to Parliament.
Expressing
the displeasure at about 11:15 hours when the House began sitting instead of
10:30, the Speaker said the practice was affecting the work of the House.
Papa
Owusu-Ankomah, the Deputy Majority Leader, explained that the low attendance
from his side was largely due to the work load of the new ministers, who are
also MPs.
He said the
ministers have to attend to their ministerial duties and in addition find time
to attend Parliament.
Mr Isaac
Adjei-Mensah, the Deputy Minority Leader, apologised for their being late
because the Minority had to attend a caucus meeting.
He said the
next time they attend such a meeting they will inform the Speaker accordingly.
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Speaker moves to clear E. T. Mensah's image
Accra
(Greater Accra) 29 March 2001
Mr Peter
Ala Adjetey, Speaker, on Wednesday directed the Majority Leader, Mr J. H.
Mensah to investigate the wrong imputed to Mr E. T. Mensah, NDC-Ningo/Prampram.
The Speaker
said the Majority Leader should report back to the House after he had
ascertained the truth on the supply of plastic chairs to the Accra and the
Kumasi sports stadiums.
Mr. Adjetey
said, "Mr E. T. Mensah has the right to defend his integrity and he is
entitled to redeem his image".
This
followed a statement Mr Mensah, former Minister of Youth and Sports made to the
House to clear an alleged misinformation on the supply of the chairs when he
was a minister.
Mr. Ernest
Oduro-Mensah, NPP-Techiman contributing to a debate on the budget estimate for
the Ministry of Youth and Sports for year ending December 2001 gave figures on
the chairs.
Mr. Mensah
challenged the member on the floor of the House, saying that the figures he was
quoting were incorrect and misleading.
The former
Minister of Sports in his statement said an Accra newspaper published the wrong
figures and some radio stations gave wide publicity to the issue.
Mr Mensah
explained that the Central Tender Board approved the contract for the supply of
chairs to the stadiums and that 36,400 and not 70,000 chairs were imported.
He said 12,058
seats were fixed at the Accra Sports Stadium and 2,316 were unfixed.
The Kumasi
Sports Stadium has 6,569 fixed seats and 8,000 unfixed while the remaining
seats are yet to be cleared from the Tema Port.
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Defence needs more money - Addo-Kufuor
Accra
(Greater Accra) 29 March 2001
Dr Kwame
Addo-Kufuor, Minister of Defence on Wednesday commended the military for its
role in checking the depletion of Ghana's fish stocks, provision of transport
and air services and rendering of efficient medical services.
He said the
other roles they play in the socio-economic development of the country demands
that the Ministry of Finance sets aside contingency fund for the Ghana Armed
Forces since its required budgetary needs could not be provided for this year.
Dr
Addo-Kufuor, who was moving for the approval of 232 billion cedis being the
defence budget for this year, expressed regretted that the reduction of the
budget from 300 billion cedis "will have serious adverse effect on the
combat readiness of the military".
He said,
"Over the years, the Ghana Navy has demonstrated remarkable ability to
effectively police the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in spite of the limited
resources at its disposal.
"The
imposition of fines on vessels arrested by our Navy for illegal fishing in our
EEZ has not only helped the nation to earn foreign exchange, but also helped to
conserve our fish stocks and prevent the dumping of toxic waste in our
waters".
Dr
Addo-Kufuor said the ministry is examining the possibility of reactivating the
Airlink operations of the Ghana Airforce, which helps in conveying election
materials to areas, which cannot be reached easily.
He said the
Military hospital is recognised as a centre of excellence in medical practice
and efforts are being made to provide emergency ambulance service to enhance
its operations.
"This
is a hospital if adequately resourced could also become the staging post for
highly trained Ghanaian doctors working abroad and who want to return home to
serve Ghana".
Dr
Addo-Kufuor said all on-going projects including housing, sanitation and
rehabilitation works will continue.
He said the
Burma Camp telephone exchange would be replaced at a cost of 4.5 million
dollars and that five billion cedis has been allocated for the beginning of the
project this year to reduce the huge telephone bills this ministry is saddle
with.
Dr
Addo-Kufuor said that is why the budget allocation was inadequate and that
about six projects have to be shelved this year.
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Budget for Interior inadequate – Minister
Accra
(Greater Accra) 29 March 2001
Parliament
on Wednesday approved 204 billion cedis to the Ministry of Interior with the
sector Minister, Alhaji Malik Yakubu saying that judicious use will be made of
the inadequate allocation.
He said,
"We cannot say we have adequate budgetary allocation for 2001. However, we
understand the tight situation the Ministry of Finance finds itself".
Alhaji
Yakubu said maintenance of law and order requires substantial investment in the
institutions charged with that responsibility and that peace and stability are
necessary for economic and social development.
He said
during the year "we intend to intensify even more, the maintenance of law
and order, in order to advance further our treasured young democratic
culture".
The
Minister said police would make a break-through about the serial killings of
women, adding that following intensified attention important progress has been
made.
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Parliament calls for additional estimates for two ministries
Accra
(Greater Accra) 29 March 2001
Members of
Parliament on Wednesday called on the Minister of Finance to make supplementary
budgetary allocations to meet the demands of the Ministries of Defence, The
Interior and Office of Parliament.
Members
felt allocation to those ministries were inadequate judging from the heavy and
sensitive duties imposed on them to ensure peace, stability and progress.
The House,
however, approved 231.7 billion cedis to the Ministry of Defence, 203.8 billion
cedis to Interior and 126.2 billion cedis for the Office of Parliament.
Major
Samuel Kwame Amponsah (rtd), NDC Mpohor Wassa East, stressed the need for the
recruitment of more young soldiers to replace the aged ones.
He said it
was regrettable that due to lack of funds some soldiers are paired while others
live in rented accommodation outside the barracks adding this does not allow
for discipline.
Major
Amponsah suggested that one of the presidential jets should be rehabilitated to
resume the air link service to the northern part of the country.
Major
Mustapha Ahmed, NDC Ayawaso East, suggested that the 37 Military Hospital be
converted into a military teaching hospital to have a better perspective in
health delivery.
Mr Victor
Gbeho, Ind. Anlo, cautioned the government to be careful in accepting other
nationals into the country for security reasons.
Alhaji
Mustapha Ali Idris, NPP Gukpegu/Sabonjida called on the Minister for the
Interior to take a second look at the deplorable conditions at the Police
stations in the rural areas to enable the personnel to combat the current rate
of crime.
He also
called for the supply of communication gadgets to the Police, Prison Service,
Ghana National Fire Service and Immigration Service to enable them to play
their expected roles efficiently.
Mr Freddie
Blay, First Deputy Speaker, said since good governance starts from Parliament
there is the need for more resources to be allocated to enable it to perform
its legislative and investigative duties effectively.
Mr Kenneth
Dzirasah, Second Deputy Speaker called for a degree of flexibility from the
Ministry of Finance in resourcing Parliament since it has a lot of
international commitments and has to meet the aspirations of the electorate.
The
Minister of Finance, Yaw Osafo-Maafo said even though Parliament has to be
financially independent there is the need for it to cut off wastage in the
system.
He called
on Parliament to treat issues concerning revenue mobilisation with all
seriousness since the country is in difficult times.
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 29 March 2001
The Grains
and Legumes Development Board of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) is
to develop adequate foundation seeds of maize, legumes, rice and other planting
materials to be multiplied by seed growers for distribution to farmers.
The
programme, which is to facilitate the achievement of the goals of the crops
sub-sector, envisages that this will lead to about 20 per cent increase in
production of these seeds and planting materials to be made available to about
60 per cent of the farm population.
Major
Courage Quarshigah (Rtd), Minister of Food and Agriculture, said this when he
presented a memorandum on the 2001 budget estimates of his ministry in
parliament.
The budget
of 453.7 billion cedis is made up of 62.4 billion cedis from the Government's
consolidated fund while 391.3 is from donor sources.
He said the
Directorate of Crop Services will also introduce 5,000 plantlets of
self-ripening pineapple varieties into the country to expand the base of
exportable varieties as well as introduce and promote 10 additional
non-traditional export crops.
The Plant
Protection and Regulatory Services Department will develop integrated pest
management standards for eight tree and fruit crops of coconut, cashew, pawpaw,
oil palm, mango, citrus, pineapple and avocado.
The
Directorate will also monitor seed security stocks to ensure the availability
of quality seeds of good germination for use in emergency situations after a
drought, fire outbreak, pest outbreak or local conflict.
About 120
tonnes of seed maize and 10 tonnes of seed cowpea will be held as buffer stock.
Major Quarshigah
said the Animal Production Directorate will continue with its breed improvement
activities by providing farmers with breeds that will improve the productivity
of the indigenous stock.
The
Directorate will also provide adequate forage seeds and seedlings to farmers
for community and backyard intensive fodder production as a means of improving
ruminant nutrition.
Major
Quarshigah said the second phase of rehabilitation of existing irrigation
facilities will be carried out this year with irrigation facilities at
Mankessim, Aveyime and Kpando-Torkor benefiting.
The
Directorate of Agricultural Extension Services will carry out gender-training
for top management and, to ensure that farmers remain healthy, the Directorate
will facilitate the appointment and training of HIV/AIDS desk officers in all
the regions to collaborate with identified communities to organise awareness on
HIV/AIDS and its effects on agriculture.
Major
Quarshigah said the Root and Tuber Improvement project, which is national in
scope and aims at enhancing food security and increasing the resource of
farmers, had a budgetary allocation of 28.809 billion cedis funded by the
International Fund of Agricultural Development.
The project
aims at resourcing farmers on a sustainable basis by facilitating their access
to new but proven locally adapted technologies of cassava, yam, cocoyam, sweet
potato and 'frafra' potatoes.
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