GRi in Parliament
Ghana 23 - 05 - 2001
Parliament
reconvenes after NDC boycott
Tripartite committee to review ESB
Accra
(Greater Accra) 23 May 2001
Parliament
reconvened on Tuesday amid jeers, boos, handshakes and exchange of pleasantries
after the four-day boycott by the National Democratic Congress (NDC)
Parliamentary caucus.
Mr Freddie
Blay, First Deputy Speaker, who called the House to order requested the
Minority leader, Mr Alban Bagbin to make a statement on behalf of the Minority.
Mr Bagbin
suggested an urgent meeting of the leadership of the House to discuss the
circumstances surrounding the arrest and detention of the MP for
Ningo/Prampram, Mr Enoch T. Mensah.
He called
for a reference to the judiciary for guidance on the extent and limits of
Parliamentary immunity and privileges as provided for in the 1992 Constitution.
Mr Bagbin
said the action of the Minority is a strong signal to the Executive to treat
the other arms of government, with the necessary decency and decorum to ensure
a harmonious co-existence and pursuit of the national interest.
The
Minority Leader said in spite of the fact that the arrest and detention of Mr
Mensah was public knowledge, the leadership of the Minority made contact with
the leadership of the House on Sunday to brief them on the situation.
Mr Bagbin
said as events later revealed, the issue was seen as a Minority problem and so
"we had no option than to hold the press conference to disagree with that
view, register our belief and conviction and to condemn the capricious use of
Executive power".
He said the
Minority believe that the issues could be mutually handled by the House to
deepen the democratic principles and practices that have been established, but
much would depend on the attitude of the Majority side.
"The
collective wisdom of our people approved the agenda for positive change, which
the NPP government promised to respect and we pledge to hold the government to
that promise", he added.
Mr Bagbin
said in approving the agenda for positive change, the people also endorsed a
strong populous Minority presence in the House and they have no alternative
than to work together to build consensus and narrow down their differences.
"The
Minority group would be shirking its responsibilities if it allows itself to be
buffeted by the erratic waves of Executive power. It is for the Minority to
rise above the wind and calm the waves so that we can direct the ship of
state".
Mr Bagbin
expressed sincere gratitude to all those, who stood by them "in their just
struggle against arbitrary arrest and violation of citizen's rights".
Mr J. H.
Mensah, the Majority Leader and Minister and Leader of Government Business,
said Parliament is the relevant forum where issues could be discussed and
amicable solutions found and wondered why the Minority did not act accordingly.
He said a
boycott has its political uses and it is time that the Minority learnt and
called on them to learn how to use the instruments and parliamentary forums to
discuss issues.
Mr Blay
referred the matter to the leadership of the House to meet and advise on the
next line of action.
He had
earlier introduced a two-man Tanzanian Parliamentary delegation to the House.
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 23 May 2001
Twenty-eight
deputy ministers designate were on Tuesday unanimously approved en bloc by
Parliament.
The
Parliamentary Appointments Committee, chaired by Mr Freddy Blay, First Deputy
Speaker, vetted the 28 deputy ministers.
During the
debate for their approval, the Minority group in Parliament, back from a four
-day boycott, lashed at the government for "allowing unapproved ministers
to run ministries."
Mr Kofi
Attor, NDC-Ho Central, who led the assault, said, " let everybody know
that you are not a minister or deputy minister until Parliament approves of
your nomination and subsequently sworn in by the President".
He
said," I don't know what we are here to do. After all they have already
jumped into the various ministries and working. The Ministers did it and they
called themselves the President's representatives".
The member
said the action of the persons was a breach of the Constitution and should not
be allowed to continue.
Mr Johnson
Aseidu Nkestia, NDC-Wenchi West, called for the elevation of Papa Owusu Ankoma
to full ministerial status to enable him function effectively in the absence of
Mr J. H. Mensah, the substantive Minister of Government Business. Mr Mensah is
the Majority Leader in the House.
Mr Abuga
Pele, NDC-Paga/Chiana, scolded the President for creating a big government,
"an accusation that prefaced his every campaign message during the
presidential race."
Mr Mensah
dismissed the Minority's accusation as baseless, saying, "we have not done
anything illegal or unconstitutional". The following are the deputy
ministers:
Papa Owusu
Ankoma, Government Business,
Mr Nkrabeah
Effah-Dartey, Local Government and Rural Development,
Mr John
Setuni Achuliwor, Transport and Communications
Mr Akwasi
Osei-Adjei, Trade and Industry
Nana
Akomea, Tourism
Mr Edward
Osei-Kwaku, Presidential Affairs.
Mr Mustapha
Ali Idris, Foreign Affairs.
Mr Yaw
Barimah, Interior
Mrs Grace
Coleman, Finance
Dr G.
Adombila Agambila, Finance
Mr Edward
Martey Akita, Defence
Ms Theresa
Tagoe, Works and Housing
Mr Joseph
Aggrey, Youth and Sports
Dr Mathew
Kwaku Antwi, Food and Agriculture
Mr Clement
L. N. Eledi, Lands, Forestry and Mines
Mr Rashid
Bawa, Education
Dr
Abdel-Majeed Haroun, Food and Agriculture
Ms Alima
Mahama, Local Government and Rural Development
Mr Issah
Ketekewu, Northern Region
Mr Yaw
Adjei-Dufour, Brong Ahafo
Mr Gustav
Jonathan Narh-Dometey, Eastern Region
Mr Samuel
Kofi Ahiave Dzamesi, Volta Region
Mr Joe
Donkor, Manpower Development and Employment
Mr Kobina
Tahir Hammond, Energy.
Mrs Anna
Nyamekye, Environment, Science and Technology
Mr Moses
Dani Baah, Trade and Industry
Ms Gloria
Afua Akuffo, Attorney - General and Minister of Justice.
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Tripartite committee to review ESB
Accra
(Greater Accra) 23 May 2001
The
Tripartite Committee is to be mandated to review the issue of End of Service
Benefits (ESB), Dr Yaw Osafo- Maafo, Minister of Finance, told Parliament on
Tuesday.
Mr
Osafo-Maafo, who was answering a question from Mr Kwakye Addo, NDC -Afram
Plains South, said the committee would determine whether or not the benefits
should be restored and the basis for determining workers' entitlements.
The
previous government suspended the ESB with effect from December 31st 1990.
The
Minister of Finance said that some of the considerations that precipitated the
suspension of the ESB still remain and the government has decided that as a
follow-up to the agreement on the minimum wage, the Tripartite Committee
involving the Government, Employers and Organised Labour should be made to
review it.
Dr Osafo-
Maafo explained that some of the factors that necessitated the suspension of
benefits were the magnitude of the total amount involved and its overall impact
on the national economy, particularly on the viability of many of the private
sector enterprises, creation of job opportunities and government borrowing from
the domestic market and inflation.
When Mr
Addo asked when the Committee would commence its work and how long it would
take to complete, Dr Osafo-Maafo said an economic management team is currently
working on it and it is expected that discussions would continue up to the end
of June.
Dr
Osafo-Maafo said in the interest of job creation and to protect the private
sector enterprises, the issue of ESB needs critical analysis based on facts and
figures from all the stakeholders to arrive at a consensus.
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 23 May 2001
Dr Yaw
Osafo-Maafo, Minister of Finance on Tuesday said the Government proposes to
streamline the operations of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust
(SSNIT) to make it more focused and responsive to the interests of its
beneficiaries.
The
Government is also to encourage the development of other schemes and to make
tax breaks for those, who can afford to take out private pensions to do so to
supplement the SSNIT scheme.
Dr
Osafo-Maafo was answering a question in Parliament posed by the MP for Afram
Plains South, Mr Kwakye Addo as to whether his ministry would consider
encouraging alternative pension schemes to break the monopoly that SSNIT
enjoys.
The
Minister said SSNIT has over the years become the bastion of corruption and
political patronage and deflected from its core function of safe investment and
custody of the assets of workers and ensuring maximum returns.
In view of
the mismanagement and corruption that have bedevilled the operations of SSNIT
and the need to protect workers when they are most vulnerable, the Government
is studying the issue of workers pension rights and alternative schemes.
Dr
Osafo-Maafo said the study is to recommend changes in the law as well as the
establishment of an appropriate regulatory framework to ensure that the pension
industry is well organised and regulated to ensure maximum protection and
benefits for workers.
He added
that SSNIT had been turned into a venture capital fund, entering into extremely
risky investments and ventures and used as the second central bank to the
previous government.
Dr
Osafo-Maafo said the government has initiated measures to streamline SSNIT's
operations, which include dissolving the SSNIT Board and constituting a new one
to streamline its management and to ensure that investment policies are
re-focused towards the achievement of maximum returns and benefits to
contributors.
The
Minister said for contributors, who cannot afford supplementary pension schemes,
the way forward is to amend the SSNIT law to allow workers to partially opt-out
of the SSNIT scheme.
"Workers
should have the option to suggest that a higher percentage of their
contribution including their employers contribution should be paid into a
private scheme while the remaining contribution stays with SSNIT".
Dr
Osafo-Maafo said by this arrangement the worker would now be able to compare
the benefits of the two schemes and may be in a position to re-adjust the
percentage contributions to maximise his returns and the option of partially
opting out would hopefully compel SSNIT to be competitive.
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