Minister not aware of appeal against Busia's confiscated house
Allow training college students to re-sit papers, MPs
Parliamentarians urge Africans to produce more food.
Minister not aware of appeal against Busia's confiscated house
Accra (Greater Accra) 3 Nov '99
Nii Okaija Adamafio, Minister of the Interior, told Parliament on Tuesday that he is not aware of any appeal made against the confiscation of a house at Wenchi belonging to the late Dr Kofi Abrefa Busia, Prime Minister in the Second Republic.
He, therefore, said that he would not be able to intimate to Parliament when the property would be de-confiscated.
A Member of Parliament had informed him that the family of Dr Busia, taking advantage of the Statute Law Revision, had filed an appeal to have the property de-confiscated.
The Minister explained that the house, being a confiscated asset to the state, is now being used as official accommodation for the Wenchi Police Divisional Commander.
Nii Okaija's was responding to supplementary questions to a substantive question, which asked about plans the sector Ministry had to provide permanent office and residential accommodation for the Police in the Wenchi District.
Answering the substantive question, Nii Okaija said since the facility is already in place, the Ministry has no plans to construct permanent office and residential accommodation for the Ghana Police Service in the Wenchi District.
He said, however, that the provision of office and residential accommodation for the district Police, would be considered in 2001
Nii Okaija said the Afram Plains district Assembly has been requested to assist the district NADMO offices with vehicles to enhance their work.
He was answering a question on when staff of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) in the district would be provided with vehicles to step up their educational programmes on disaster prevention.
He said like any new organisation, it would take time to acquire the total logistic needs of NADMO, which was established by the government in 1996.
He said it is programmed under the current Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), to buy motor bikes for all the 110 districts.
The Minister told the House that 52 motor bikes are expected to be purchased this year, when funds are released, adding that the district would be included in the allocation.
He expressed the hope that a vehicle would be provided to complement the motor bike allocation, in the course of time.
In response to a suggestion that the Kofi Badukrom Customs Post, in the Brong Ahafo Region, be accorded formal recognition as an approved border entry point to facilitate trade between Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire, Nii Okaija said the Post has always been an approved entry point.
There is, therefore, no obstacle to trade between the two neighbouring countries there.
Earlier Lt. Col. E. K. T. Donkoh, Minister of Defence, who was also in the House to answer questions, had to be rescheduled because the questions listed for him on the Order Paper, were not accompanied by written answers as required by Standing Order 68 (4).
The Standing Order states in part that: "The answer to any such question shall, whenever practicable, be printed and a copy thereof supplied to the member asking it not less than 15 minutes before the time fixed for the sitting at which the question is to be answered".
The Minority side had objected to the Minister answering the questions without providing written answers on the Order Paper.
Dr Kwabena Adjei, Leader of the House, explained that unavoidable circumstances had prevented the Minister from providing the answers on the Order paper.
He said if the Minority would agree, the Minister was ready with answers to the questions, but the Minority would not budge.
Mr Daniel Francis Annan, Speaker, then intervened and asked of the preferences of Mr Joseph Darko-Mensah, NPP-Okaikoi North and Mr Agyare Koi Larbi, NPP-Akropong, in whose names the questions stood.
Both of them said they preferred that printed answers should accompany the questions on the Order Paper.
Mr Justice Annan then sought the opinion of the leadership of the House and ruled that the questions should be stood down for the Business Committee to reschedule the Minister to answer them at a date to be determined by the committee.
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Allow training college students to re-sit papers, MPs
Accra (Greater Accra) 3 Nov. '99
Parliament on Tuesday urged the Ministry of Education to take a second look at the new policy in training colleges where-by students who fail in any one external subject are dismissed outright.
Members of the House pointed out that if the trend was allowed to continue it would have adverse effects on the educational reforms. It was not only a financial loss but also a waste of human resources as well.
Mr Kwaku Osei-Prempeh, NPP-Nsuta Kwamang, who made a statement on the subject, recalled that this year alone, more than 600 students have been dismissed from training colleges under the new policy.
Giving statistics to buttress his point, Mr Osei-Prempeh said in Bimbilla Training College alone, 79 out of the 170 students have been sacked.
In Our Lady of Apostles (OLA) Training College at Cape Coast, 15 students were dismissed, Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Training College at Koforidua-Asokore, 25, whilst 20 students were sacked at Wesley College in Kumasi.
The member said it is regrettable to note that most of these students failed in only one subject, adding that one of the dismissed students for instance excelled in all subjects but failed in a Ghanaian Language.
Mr Osei-Prempeh said what normally happens in institutions of higher learning is that a student, who fails in one or two subjects is given the chance to re-sit those papers.
He, therefore, wondered why the educational authorities refuse to give training college students the chance to re-write their papers.
"It is my humble submission that there is something wrong with this policy no matter how well-intentioned its framers meant".
While pointing out that the situation can be a frustrating one for a good student, Mr Osei-Prempeh revealed that one student in Koforidua, for instance, attempted suicide.
On the issue of students failing the Ghanaian Language, the member suggested that it be made a compulsory subject at the senior secondary school level so that students acquire thorough knowledge in it before they continue at the training colleges.
Mr Ibrahim Adam, NDC-Choggu/Tishigu, associated himself with the statement and reiterated that it will be a waste of scarce national resources if the trend is allowed to continue.
Mr Adam, therefore, urged the Ministry of Education to take another look at the issue with a view to addressing the problem so that in the future training colleges in the country can produce enough teachers to cater for the reforms.
Alhaji Iddi Saani, NPP-Wulensi, suggested that to forestall the unfortunate situation prevailing in training colleges, entry requirements into the colleges must be raised.
Mr Mumuni Abudu Seidu, the Deputy Majority Leader reminded school authorities that if laid-down regulations in admitting students are strictly followed, only qualified students will gain admission into training colleges.
Dr Kwabena Adjei, the Majority Leader, said teachers serve as role models for society, and, therefore, charged students aspiring to become teachers to take their studies seriously.
He stated that the status quo in our educational institutions must be made to prevail, else quality education will be adversely affected.
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Parliamentarians urge Africans to produce more food.
Abidjan (Cote d'Ivoire), 3rd November 99
Parliamentarians from Ghana and La Cote d'Ivoire have underscored the need for African countries to endeavour to be self-sufficient in food production to reduce the effect of falling commodity prices on their economies.
They also emphasised the need for governments in the sub-region to support research centres and to exchange information on research findings in agriculture.
These observations were made when the 17-member Ghanaian delegation of the Parliamentary Committee on Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs called on Dr Emile Brou Amoakon Atta, Speaker of the Ivorian parliament at the end of a week's tour of the Cote d'Ivoire.
The delegation led by Alhaji Isaku Salia, its chairman, also included Mr Emil Brentuo, vice-chairman, Dr Winfred Anane, ranking member and Mrs Susan Adams, NDC-Mamprusi West.
They also noted that in view of the falling commodity prices, especially cocoa, the two countries should form a pressure group to influence fixing of its producer price on the world market.
Welcoming them, Dr Amoakon Atta noted that while it is important for African countries to increase the production of export products, it was also essential to produce enough for local consumption.
On the political situation in his country, Dr Amoakon Atta made it clear that Ivorians will not encourage people who falsify documents to hold political positions.
''We do not want what happened to the former Speaker of Nigerian lower parliament to happen in Cote d'Ivoire,'' he added.
He commended Mr. Justice Daniel Francis Annan, Speaker of Ghana's Parliament, for his efforts aimed at integrating parliaments in the sub-region.
Alhaji Salia said the visit has been very useful, adding that the committee had observed the close collaboration between researchers, farmers and industry and said this is worth emulating.
Another programme worth emulating is the management and implementation of the youth in agriculture programme, ''we have no future if the youth do not go back to the land,'' he added.
Alhaji Salia expressed the governments' and the committees' appreciation to the Ivorian government for the warm reception accorded them during their stay.
During the week-long tour, the committee members visited research centres, rubber and palm plantations and agro industries.
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