GRi in Parliament Ghana 01 - 11 - 2000
Citizenship bill yet to receive Presidential
assent
30 timber companies get parliamentary assent
Protection Against Unfair Competition Bill
gets second reading
Citizenship bill yet to receive
Presidential assent
Accra (Greater Accra) 01 November 2000
Several months after its passage by Parliament, the Citizenship Bill cannot be signed into law by the President because it could not satisfy all the necessary requirements of the constitution.
The bill, which seeks to consolidate the laws on citizenship of Ghana, attracted one of the largest group of lobbyists, scrutiny and interest of members this year.
Mr. Alban Bagbin, Chairman of the Parliamentary, Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee, told the house that the constitutional lapse arose from the fact that Article Seven of the constitution that is supposed to be amended by Section Ten of the bill has not been effected.
He explained that a pack of constitutional amendment proposals that was rejected by the house early this year had sought to amend the said clause, saying the committee had anticipated the reversal thus why it did not draw the house's attention to it.
The clause spells out how one can become a citizen of Ghana by registration. Aggrieved members called on the President to return the bill with his comments to the house as the laws and conventions of the country demand.
Squadron Leader Clend Sowu (rtd), NDC-Anlo, said many expectant persons will be much disappointed after giving of their best to see to the packaging of the bill.
The member, who is married to a foreigner, could not hide his personal anxieties as he quizzed 'what am I going to tell those whom I have educated so much about this bill?"
Mr. Kobina Fosu, NDC-Asikuma/Odoben/Brakwa, called for a swift response to the concerns of members.
Mr. Kenneth Dzirasah, First Deputy Speaker, who was in the chair, directed the Business and Parliamentary, Constitutional and Legal Committees to look at the issue.
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30 timber companies get parliamentary
assent
Accra (Greater Accra) 01 November 2000
Parliament on Tuesday adopted a report of the Joint Committee on Lands and Forestry and Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs on 42 Timber Utilisation Contracts covering
2,863.11 square kilometres to 30 companies who are to sign specific agreements.
Presenting the report, Mr Collins Dauda, Chairman of the committee, said members took into consideration the extensive damage timber companies had done to the forests in the past and had taken adequate steps to forestall them.
He said the committee has therefore crafted strategies to ensure that companies, which have been listed as contract winners, have the capability to address the concerns of Ghanaians and in particular, the local inhabitants.
Consequently, Mr Dauda said, companies would have to sign social responsibility agreements with the local communities before they start their operations.
The agreement, he said, would identify the needs of the people in terms of amenities and the companies would be compelled to fulfil them since it would be backed by a bond from either the bankers or insurance companies of the prospectors.
The chairman said the ability to implement afforestation and reforestation plans in the areas of operation and the technical capability and equipment holding are other criteria for selecting successful companies.
In supporting the motion, Mr Nicholas Adjei-Kyeremeh (NDC-Dormaa East) described the report as "a bold attempt to compensate the local people for the losses they have been suffering from the hands of timber companies".
Mr Samba Zumakpeh (NDC-Nadowli South) urged the committee to ensure that the companies replant the forests and reduce to the minimum the destruction of Ghana's rain forests and floral life.
The NPP member for Sekondi, Mr Papa Owusu-Ankomah, said the report must not be a white elephant and that steps must be taken to pursue the companies to uphold the dictates of the agreements they sign with local communities.
He called for fairness and transparency in the award of timber contracts and urged the committee to protect indigenous timber companies, which may not have the economic muscle to compete with multi-nationals.
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Protection Against Unfair Competition Bill
gets second reading
Accra (Greater Accra) 01 November 2000
Parliament on Tuesday took the Protection Against Unfair Competition Bill through the second stage and members said its passing into law was long overdue in the face of flagrant unfair trade practices.
Alhaji Mumuni Seidu, Deputy Majority Leader, moving for support said, "under the bill, any act or practice in the course of industrial or commercial activities that misleads or is likely to mislead the public with respect to an enterprise or its activities constitutes an act of unfair competition".
He said misleading advertisement creating a false impression of products or services "is one of the most prevalent form of unfair competition".
Misleading acts primarily targeted at consumers and not directly against competitors may cause consumers to make decisions prejudicial to themselves when they select products and services.
Alhaji Seidu said the bill provides that damaging another's goodwill or reputation constitutes an act of unfair competition, regardless of whether the act or practice concerned causes confusion.
An act or practice does damage if it goes beyond what is required for the defence of legitimate interest.
Discrediting another's enterprise or its activities through false allegations and disclosures or acquisition for use of secret information in the course of industrial and commercial activities in a manner contrary to honest practices constitutes an offence under the bill.
The bill conforms to the Paris Convention for the protection of Industrial Property and the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (the TRIPS Agreement) under the World Trade Organisation (WTO) of which Ghana, as a member, is obliged to have legislation for the protection of unfair competition.
Mr Alban Bagbin, Chairman, Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs who seconded the motion, said in preparing the bill, his committee met with a cross-section of experts on the issue and felt that the bill should have been passed a long time ago to protect producers and consumers.
Recommending the bill to be debated and approved, he said all the provisions in it conformed to international requirements for fair trade competition.
Papa Owusu-Ankomah, (NPP Sekondi), supporting the bill, said with the expansion in the economy and with trade liberalisation it was necessary to protect the country as "a dumping ground" for shoddy foreign goods.
He said the bill should have a provision to attract criminal sanctions as well instead of being made a civil law.
Mr George Buadi, (NDC Amenfi East), said the need for the bill is not far fetched in view of the massive investments in the economy and for the investors to be protected from unfair competition.
Mr Clement Bugase, deputy minister of Food and Agriculture, said the bill, if passed, would reduce confusion in industry and commerce and protect the health of consumers as well as prevent the consumption of goods, which might be unfinished products in another country.
Mr Francis Buor, (NPP Offinso South) said fairness should not only be limited to commerce and industry must also be extended to elections, political campaigns and relationship with one another.
Mr Freddie Blay (CPP Ellembelle), Mr Edward Osei-Kwaku (NPP Asokwa West) and Mr
Francis Agbotse (NDC Ho West) all supported the bill and said Ghana should not be a dumping ground for imported goods to kill local industries.
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