GRi in Parliament Ghana 03 - 11 - 2000
Parliament grants tax
waivers on road and GBC projects
Parliament adopts
report against abuse of women
Reconstruct Kumasi
Central Market – MP
Parliament grants
tax waivers on road and GBC projects
Accra (Greater Accra) 03 November
2000
Parliament on Thursday unanimously
granted 3 million German Deutsche Marks in tax waivers on imports for the
construction of the Kpando-Worawora-Dambai road.
By this decision, the contractor
will not be required to pay duties and taxes on specific equipment such as
spare parts and materials to be used for the execution of the project.
The road, which is expected to be
completed in 2001, is being pre-financed by Messrs Bilfinger and Berger, the
contractor.
Later in the day, the House, by
138 to nil, voted for tax and duties exemptions totalling 29.5 million cedis
for the modernisation and expansion project of Television (TV) and Frequency Modulation
(FM) radio broadcast Network using satellite distribution.
The Ghana Broadcasting Corporation
(GBC), which is the sole beneficiary of the project, had its facilities last
rehabilitated in 1984.
The project, worth 16.5 million
Euros when completed, will give clear television and radio transmission and
ensure effective and efficient spectrum planning for radio and TV operations.
Various loans totalling 74.5
million Euros and 19.2 million dollars for the financing of a number of
projects, including the Korle Lagoon ecological restoration, and the Koforidua
water supply, were also approved by the House.
Others are the Rural Water and
Sanitation project in the Northern Region, rehabilitation of the Sogakope-Aflao
road and the modernisation and expansion of Television and Radio facilities at
the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation.
All the 136 members present voted
in favour.
GRi…/
Parliament adopts
report against abuse of women
Accra (Greater Accra) 03 November 2000
A parliamentary committee on
Gender and Children will soon be constituted to enhance the concerns of women
and offer them greater protection against abuse and discrimination.
In this regard, parliament on
Wednesday adopted a report by the standing orders committee to facilitate its
establishment.
The report was presented on behalf
of Mr Ken Dzirasah, Chairman of the Committee, by Mr Ebenezer Kobina Fosu
(NDC-Asikuma/Odoben/ Brakwa), who told members to be humane towards women in
their desire to halt the menace of serial killers, "which is still
haunting the nation".
Mr Fosu said the committee would
pursue matters and spearhead legislation which will bring all forms of
discrimination against women and children to focus for national discussion and
resolution.
He said it would be the
prerogative of the committee "to ensure that laws are enacted to enhance
the full participation of women and children in all economic, social and
political activities".
In the words of Mr Fosu, the
committee will advocate that "gender and population concerns are
incorporated into national development policies and programmes".
Contributing to the debate, Mr
Richard Dornu Nartey, (NDC Shama) said the committee would have to work closely
with the executive arm of government in order to succeed.
Such a co-operation, he said,
would widen the scope of the committee and make it more result oriented.
GRi…/
Reconstruct
Kumasi Central Market - MP
Accra (Greater Accra) 03 November
2000
Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo, Member of
Parliament for Subin, has called on the government to reconstruct the Kumasi
Central Market and make it more accessible to fire fighters to avoid losses.
Presenting a statement in
parliament on Thursday on the fire which gutted the market on October 29, Mr
Boafo said losses incurred by the victims ran into billions of cedis.
He said such accidents could be
prevented if those charged to supervise the market do their work thoroughly
because illegal connections, which are the causes of such fire outbreaks, could
have been detected.
Mr Boafo urged all traders in the
market to insure their stores and stalls against fires and other disasters.
The MP appealed to the Regional
Co-ordinating Council (RCC), Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) and other
organisations to come to the aid of the fire victims.
He regretted the delay in
completing the "Kejetia Project" and attributed it to negligence,
saying: "this is a clear case of neglect of the Kejetia project and we are
calling on the relevant authorities to expedite work on it".
In his contribution, Mr Edward
Osei Kwaku, (NPP-Asokwa West) described the fire outbreak as a calamity.
He said the market generates over
eight million cedis to the KMA daily and wondered why it has been neglected for
so long.
"The market has been
neglected since Colonel Okyere was removed from Kumasi. He was doing well but
after him, the place has become environmentally unfriendly".
Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor,
(NPP-Manhyia) described Kumasi as a potential industrial and tourist centre
which must be harnessed to the fullest, and faulted the government for removing
efficient officers from the helm of their administration.
He named Colonel Okyere and Mr
Kojo Yankah as officers who were performing above average but were removed,
thereby denying Kumasi the opportunity to progress.
GRi…/