Parliament specific guidelines to regulate religious
practices
Parliament approves 9 million dollar loan for bridges
Former MP to appear before Parliament
Accra (Greater Accra) 12 March 2002 - Parliament on Monday called on
the joint committee on the ban on drumming and noisemaking to take a second
look at pertinent issues relating to the ban and come out with appropriate
suggestions for religious tolerance.
The Joint committee on Subsidiary Legislation, Legal, Constitutional
and Parliamentary Affairs and Youth, Sports and Culture in presenting its
report, enumerated 12 recommendations that members felt was rather an attempt
to "pass the buck".
Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, Chairman of the Committee, said among other
things that until a final decision on the issue, the Committee recommended that
in the interim the Christian community and the Ga Traditional Council return to
the Joint Declaration signed in 2000.
The National Commission on Culture (NCC) was also urged to come out
with policy guidelines and set standards to regulate religious practices and
observance in line with religious plurality.
The Committee also called on the Accra Metropolitan Assembly and the
Police Service to be proactive and ensure that the laws on public nuisance on
the statute books are enforced throughout the year and not just during the ban.
Mr Mensah-Bonsu said the Committee recommended that the National
Commission for Civic Education should intensify education on religious
tolerance, social harmony; plurality of cultures, languages and peaceful
co-existence in the country.
Mr Samuel Nkrumah-Gyimah, NPP-Odotobri said tradition was grossly
abused with Christians not respecting the traditional norms of the people thus
leading to various degrees of conflict.
Mr Freddie Blay, CPP-Ellembele and Deputy Speaker, commended the
committee for a good work done adding that it was sometimes difficult to draw
the line between traditional and religious affairs. He called for concerted
efforts by all to arrive at amicable solution to the problem and to ensure that
the issue did not go out of proportion.
Mr Charles Omar Nyanor, NPP- Upper Denkyira and a Minister of State,
said the said the Committee did not do the work assigned it and only tried to
satisfy all parties and also preferred to ask the NCC to come out with policy
guidelines on the ban.
Captain Nkrabeah Effah-Dartey, NPP-Berekum, said it was an established
fact that the conflict was only between the Ga Traditional Council and the
Charismatic and independent churches that were unable to compromise on issues.
He urged that the recommendations of the Committee should be printed
verbatim for the use of all parties to ensure lasting peace in the metropolis. Mr
Amos Lawerh Buertey, NDC-Ada, said there were other issues beyond noisemaking
and that it was important that all parties reviewed how they related to each
other.
He said there was the need to respect the religious beliefs of each
other but "things are bound to get out of hands when one sees another
practice as satanic and refuse to respect it". Mr Buertey called on all
the parties to go back to the recommendations made in 2000 and to continue with
the negotiations to bring about lasting peace.
GRi../
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanereview.com
Accra (Greater Accra) 12 March 2002 - Parliament on Monday unanimously
approved a 9 million dollar loan being contracted by government from Agence
Francaise de Development (AFD) of France to build bridges in the Northern and
Upper East regions.
It did not generate any controversy as members called for an early vote
on the motion. According to a report
submitted by the Finance Committee of the House, the four-year project would
cover a 203 kilometre stretch of road in the two regions.
Eighty per cent of the work would be the construction of one-lane
bridges on decks of reinforced concrete beams or where necessary, semi-submersible
crossing. Twenty per cent of the work, include the repair or reconstruction of
access roads with a laterite gravel wearing course.
Specific sub projects are two bridges on the Busunu-Daboya road, two
bridges on Wulugu-Kunkwa and a semi-submersible crossing on the Gambaga-Tamkobo
road.
The rest are a bridge on the Salaga-Kpandai Road, a semi-submersible
crossing on the Zoko-Manyora Road and a bridge on the Zebilla-Burkina Faso
Road. The loan is to be repaid in 12 years in 24 equal semi-annual installments.
A grace period of 8 years after its actual disbursement is attached.
Conditions precedent to the disbursement of the loan include an undertaking by
the Minister of Roads to maintain, rebuild or improve roads pursuant to the
project, including the crossing works.
GRi../
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanereview.com
Accra (Greater Accra) 12 March 2002 - The Speaker, Mr Peter Ala Adjetey
on Monday referred to the Privileges Committee of Parliament for investigation
and action on the allegation that Members of Parliament (MPs), who are members
of tender boards take bribe from lobbyists before approving their tenders.
This was when Nii Adu Darku Mante, NPP-Klottey Korle, drew the
attention of the House to a front-page newspaper publication of Monday that
quoted Madam Rosemary Stella Ankomah, former Member of Parliament for
Wassa-Mpohor as saying that MPs committed the offence.
The Speaker after listening to contributions from members directed that
the case be referred to the Committee because it infringed on the integrity of
Parliament. He said a prima facie case has been established and that the onus
of proof laid on Madam Ankomah.
The Committee should submit its report by the end of April to enable
the House to take a decision on the issue. The Privileges Committee has the
powers of a High Court.
GRi./
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanereview.com