Presidential jet lease agreement laid before Parliament
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House begins afternoon sittings from next week?
NUGS petitions Parliament, House sets up special committee
Minister says national disability policy is being fine-tuned
NUGS petitions Parliament, House sets up special committee
Accra (Greater Accra) 5 Nov. ’99
Parliament on Thursday set up a 12-member special committee to deliberate on issues raised in a petition presented by the leadership of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS), to the House through the Speaker.
The NUGS wants Parliament to deliberate and offer recommendations on the academic facility user fees, cost sharing in tertiary education and other related issues.
Mr Justice Daniel Francis Annan, the Speaker, who announced the receipt of the petition in Parliament, said the committee is to consider the petition and deliberate on the issues raised and to present its report within 10 days from Friday, 5 November.
The Committee has Dr Kwabena Adjei, Leader of the House, as Chairman.
Other members are: Mr J. H. Mensah, the Minority Leader, Mr Doe Adjaho, the Majority Chief Whip, Mr S. K. Boafo, the Minority Chief Whip, Mr J. K. Kumah, Chairman of the Committee on Education.
Others are Mr Kosi Kedem, Deputy Chairman of the Education Committee, Ms. Christine Churcher, the Minority Spokesperson on Education and Commodore Steve Obimpeh (rtd) Chairman of the Finance Committee.
The rest are Mr Jacob Arthur, (NDC-Mfantsiman West), Mr Kwadwo Adjei-Darko, (NPP-Sunyani West), Mrs Theresa Joyce Baffoe, (NDC-New Edubiase) and Mr Akuamoah Ofosu-Boateng, Minister of State at the Presidency and NDC MP for Lower West Akim.
NUGS said the policy of cost sharing in tertiary education and the academic facility user fees are the root causes of the current impasse between students in tertiary institutions on one hand and the government and university authorities on the other.
In the petition, copies of which were made available to the press, NUGS said that though the policy seems acceptable in principle to the various parties, the way its implementation was being carried out causes "severe" difficulties to students and parents.
On cost sharing it said students in tertiary institutions are already sharing costs, considering that they buy their own text books, pay registration, hall and Faculty/Department fees/dues, among other costs.
The petition re-stated the students' position that the mass protests and demonstrations would resume this month, if the negotiations on fees and loans were not restarted immediately.
"We call on Parliament and the government to re-open negotiations immediately to save the situation.
"We have already served the Inspector-General of Police and the university authorities of our intentions.
"We cannot be sure to what extent we can contain the tense situation if by the time all students return to their campuses, no positive development takes place", the NUGS said.
When the Speaker invited views on the work of the special committee, Mr M. A. Seidu, the Deputy Majority Leader, said the NUGS representatives should be invited to offer inputs to assist the work of the committee.
He urged that the students should come with open-mind and not to take any entrenched position as this could derail the work of the committee.
Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor, the Minority Spokesman on Health, said there was need for caution in dealing with students, adding that not much should be expected.
Mrs Theresa Tagoe, NPP-Ablekuma South, called for open-mindedness during the deliberations and said the students should be allowed to express their feeling.
Dr Adjei, commended the leadership of NUGS for respecting Parliament as one of the established democratic institutions through which they can present their grievances.
"We would want to talk with them but not to talk to them", he said.
The Speaker urged the Members not to anticipate the work of the committee to avoid any possible prejudice to the outcome of the deliberations.
He invited members to contribute inputs to the committee's work but cautioned that "in doing so you should not inflame the issue".
Mr Justice Annan told the House that he had earlier persuaded the Minister of Education not to make a statement in Parliament today as listed on the Order Paper, since this could prejudice the work of the special committee.
GRi../
Minister says national disability policy being fine-tuned
Accra (Greater Accra) 5 Nov. ’99
Alhaji Muhammad Mumuni, Minister of Employment and Social Welfare on Thursday announced that discussions and consultations are in progress to fine-tune a national policy on disability, which is now before a Cabinet sub-committee.
He said the draft proposal, expected to be brought before Parliament soon, aims at improving the environment for people with disabilities to be properly integrated into the society.
Alhaji Mumuni, who was answering questions in Parliament, said the focus would be "all helping hands", under which stakeholders, including individuals, organisations and institutions, would be encouraged to support meaningfully in the rehabilitation of people with disabilities.
He said the Ministry is committed to the rehabilitation of all handicapped persons, irrespective of the nature of their disabilities and appealed to its partners including non-governmental organisations and civil society to assist.
GRi../