Parliament approves $25m loan for AIDS project
Government buying 10,000 tonnes of maize for buffer stock
Asaga criticises government's fiscal policy
Accra (Greater Accra) 14 November 2001- Dr Richard W. Anane, Minister for Roads and Transport on Tuesday said the government imported right hand drive vehicles in the interest of the state and to help solve especially precarious transportation problems in the Accra Metropolis.
He said the vehicles were imported under a special permit to ensure that the people were provided with affordable means of transport to and from their places of work.
Reacting to an urgent question by Steve Akorli, NDC- Ho East as to whether the Minister was aware of the importation into the country of right hand drive vehicles currently operating in the Accra Metropolis contrary to the provisions of L.I 953, 1974 and PNDC L 330, the Minister said the vehicles were on a trial on pilot basis and they were subjected to appropriate conventions and pre-conditions before importation into the country.
The only issue pending was that of changing the place of the steering wheels to left hand drive. Dr Anane, who found it difficult to give clear-cut answers from numerous questions on the floor, was saved by the Speaker, Peter Ala Adjetey when he told the Minister to ask for permission to present details later.
Mr Edward Salia, NDC - Jirapa, asked the Minister whether it was the government or the importer, who determined the pre-conditions of vehicles. The Minister said it was the duty of the government to do so.
Mrs Ama Benyiwa - Doe, NDC - Gomoa West and Mr Emil Kwadzo Brantuo, NDC- Buem asked the Minister the duration of the temporary arrangement and the year of manufacture of the vehicles. Dr Anane said the trial was on going and might be reviewed with time while the vehicles were manufactured in 1987.
David Yaw Mensah, NDC - Atebubu North, asked the Minister whether the trial of the vehicle did not pose a risk to the lives of the people due to its unsuitability to the country's roads. The Minister said since the pilot programme started no adverse reports had been recorded.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 14 November 2001- Parliament on Tuesday gave the government the nod to borrow 25 million dollars from the International Development Association (IDA) to finance the Ghana Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) Response Project (GARFUND).
All the 112 members present at the time of voting consented to the request. Earlier in the day, the house adopted the report that explains the principles, aims and objectives of the programme and the loan.
Eugene Atta Agyepong, Vice Chairman, Finance Committee, said the repayment period of the loan was 30 years with a zero per cent interest rate.
He said, even though, the HIV/AIDS epidemic has not reached crises dimension as in other African countries, failure to deal with it now would have serious consequences for the nation hence the need for the project.
"The objectives of the project were to intensify the multi-sectoral activities designed to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS and reduce its impact on those already infected through financing interventions outside the Ministry of Health (MOH) mandate."
He said: " The main purpose of the GARFUND, therefore, is to support the implementation of government's efforts to reduce the spread of the epidemic and reduce its impact on those already living with it."
Mr Agyepong said the project would directly finance activities in communities as well as proposals submitted by civil society organisations at the local level and district level initiatives.
He said the bulk of activities were to be conducted by non-governmental organisations and civil society organisations. The line Ministries other than the MOH would co-ordinate the implementation of activities.
"The total cost of the project, expected to be implemented within a four-year period, is estimated at 27.8 million dollars out of which the IDA's credit amount is 25 million dollars. Government contribution is estimated at 2.8 million dollars.
He said: "This is because the HIV infection rate has been know to accelerate in leaps and bounds once it reaches a 5 per cent prevalence rate. In fact, the prevalence in Ghana doubled between 1994 and 1998."
He said according to reliable statistics, about 4.6 per cent of the Ghanaian adult population were HIV positive and about 1.2 million Ghanaian would be infected by 2005.
"This recorded number could be even higher but for the strong stigma associated with the disease and the culture of silence it imposes."
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Government buying 10,000 tonnes of maize
for buffer stock
Accra (Greater Accra) 14 November 2001 - The government has released 15.2 billion cedis for the purchase of 10,000 tonnes of maize as part of efforts to build a buffer stock.
Major Courage Quashigah (rtd), Minister of Food and Agriculture, told Parliament on Tuesday that seven tons of the cereal have so far been bought.
Ejura Farms Ltd, Ghana National Procurement Agency (GNPA), K9, a warehouse operator, and Block Farms were doing the purchase on behalf of the government, Major Quashigah told Parliament. Major Quashigah said the quantity that has been bought so far was "sufficient to mitigate any eventuality".
He said the food production situation was not as bad as was being feared. "If anything, it was only that the rains were erratic this year and not as consistent as previously."
Major Quashigah said there was the need to produce food that had high nutritional value with emphasis on protein so that one's attention did not go only to carbohydrates or root crops when food was mentioned in Ghana.
"It is my desire to lay emphasis on the popularisation of aqua culture. I have even commissioned nutritionists to determine the nutritional value of our food items so that we concentrate on eating balanced diet."
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Asaga criticises government's fiscal policy
Accra (Greater Accra) 14 November 2001 - Moses Asaga, the Minority Spokesman on Finance on Tuesday described the government's mid-year review of the budget and economic policy as a statement composed of mixed figures that lacked consistency.
Opening a debate on the review in Parliament, Mr Asaga said some figures represented that of June while others were as at August ending and September, thus made it difficult for financial analysts to come out with detailed and critical analysis.
The presentation "lacked professionalism", he said, adding that "The Minister of Finance promised the whole nation a final budget after June, but he comes to present a mid-year review contrary to the expectation of Parliament and the good people of Ghana.
"The Minister refused to account for a GDP growth because he knew that the economic growth was dismal and insignificant. "A key performance indicator such as GDP growth which is fundamental to determine the health of the economy was hidden from Ghanaians."
Mr Asaga described the government's total expenditure of 1.4 per cent as woeful and dangerous, adding, "for the economy to grow at the projected 4 per cent you need to spend not less than 20 per cent of your budget on investment".
He said " 1.4 per cent of capital expenditure was spent on the renovation of the Castle and the purchase of a fleet of cars for the government appointees and Ministers"
A number of economic targets were not achieved in the first half of the year. The balance of payment surplus turned out to be deficit and arrears of 290 billion cedis owned to road contractors were not paid while out of the projected divestiture proceeds of 391 billion cedis for the year only 28 billion cedis was realised.
Mr Asaga said it was not true that government domestic borrowing was only 602 billion cedis. It was rather 27 trillion cedis in August. He said the stability of the cedi was artificial because government was not spending.
"The main theme of the budget which is filling the financing gap is of suspect. The Minister refused to give the sources of resources to fill the gap. About 80 per cent of the gap filling is from programme and project loans which are pipe-line promises."
He thus called on the Minister to give the break down of the sources of financing the gap.
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Ministry of Food and Agriculture recovers
823m cedis debt
Accra (Greater Accra) 14 November 2001 - The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) has so far recovered about 823 million cedis out of 1.2 billion cedis owed it since 1999 as a result of selling agro-chemical on credit.
Major Courage Quashigah (rtd), Minister of MOFA, told Parliament on Tuesday that the debt showed in the 1999 Auditor General's report because, the Ministry gave credit to some farmers to clear agro-chemical from the Ministry's warehouse to prevent the chemicals from going to waste.
He was answering Mr Paul Collins Appiah-Ofori (NPP) Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa who wanted to know what action was being taken to recover the debt.
Major Quashigah said the indebtedness dropped to 386,825,000 cedis as indicated in the last audit report of February 2001, which showed that "frantic efforts have been made to recover all credit sales to beneficiaries of agro-chemicals"
The measures included writing letters to those whose indebtedness had been long overdue to pay up and sanctioning those who failed to honour their indebtedness.
Major Quashigah to another question said Dzemeni, a major lakeside markets in the Kpando district was in the pipeline to be developed as Yeji.
The question stood in the name of Dr Kwame Ampofo, NDC South Dayi, who wanted to know what plans the MOFA had to develop Dzemeni into inland industrial fishing Township.
Major Quashigah said the site at Dzemeni would be provided with a safe landing area, better processing facilities, stores, sheds and offices for the various community-based organisations.
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