Fireworks in House next week as three Ministers appear
Legislative instrument on minimum wage before Parliament
Report on ratification of International Criminal Court statute before House
House expresses concern about obscene films
Fireworks in House next week as three Ministers appear
Accra (Greater Accra), 23rd October 99
Three ministers are to appear before parliament to brief the House on the Tertiary Education Crisis, state of the Ashanti Goldfields Company, and purchase of the presidential jet next week.
They are the ministers of Education, Mines and Energy, and Finance.
Dr. Kwabena Adjei, leader of the house, disclosed this on Friday when he presented the Business Statement for the coming week.
He said the ministers of Roads and Transport, Education, Tourism, Trade, Health and Northern Region would also appear before the House during the week to answer parliamentary questions.
The House will also consider a motion for the adoption of the report of the Legal, Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs Committees on the ratification of the Statute on the International Criminal Court.
Two papers and two loan agreements will be laid. They are the annual reports of the Free Zones Board (1998) and Fisheries Commission (1997).
The first agreement is a 10 million-Deutsche Marks loan by Germany to government for the purchase of 51 Mercedes Benz Neoplan Buses for the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) and the Ghana Association of Travel and Tour Agents (GHATTA).
The other covers an increase in loan amounts for electrification in the Greater Accra and Volta Regions (Amendment NO. One) between the government and Nordbanken of Sweden.
The amounts involved were not disclosed.
Dr. Adjei said further that the business committee had agreed that all loan agreements should be laid by or on behalf of the Minister of Finance and the Speaker may refer such agreements to the Finance Committee and any other select committee.
Earlier in the week when a loan agreement to finance technical and vocational training was laid and referred to the Finance Committee, Mr. Kosi Kedem, NDC-Hohoe South, said the Education Committee should join the Finance Committee to examine it.
Mr. Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, NPP-Asante Akim North, disagreed on the issue of loan agreements being laid on behalf of the Minister of Finance.
He said the constitution states that loan agreements are to be laid only by the Minister of Finance and insisted that the correct thing should be done.
"The Business Committee has no right to change the laws; the leader or any member can only do so upon a written notice to that effect by the Minister of Finance.
Mr Speaker ruled that the chair would take up the issue and solve it.
GRi
Legislative instrument on minimum wage before Parliament
Accra (Greater Accra), 23rd October 99
A legislative instrument to give legal backing to the 2,900 cedis per day minimum wage was on Friday laid before Parliament.
The instrument, Minimum Wage Regulation, 1999, (L.I. 1658), signed by the Minister of Employment and Social Welfare, Alhaji Muhammad Mumuni, says: "Notwithstanding the provision of the labour regulations, 1967, (L.I. 632), the minimum wage rate per day of a worker in Ghana shall be two thousand and nine hundred cedis".
It revokes the minimum wage regulations, 1995 (L.I. 1610).
The instrument says minimum wage specified under the regulations shall not apply to any person who works less than an average of 27 hours a week, 'piece workers', 'share croppers', apprentices and sea-going personnel in the fishing industry, who are not wage-earners.
GRi
Report on ratification of International Criminal Court statute before House
Accra (Greater Accra) 23 Oct. '99
A report on the ratification of the statute on the International Criminal Court (ICC) was on Friday brought before Parliament.
The report said while ad-hoc war crimes tribunals and truth commissions like the recent ones in Rwanda, Bosnia and South Africa present important opportunities for justice and reconciliation on the national and regional level, there is the need for a more systematic approach and a permanent international criminal court.
At a United Nations conference in Rome, Italy, in July, 1998, member-states overwhelmingly approved a statute to establish a permanent international criminal court, it said.
The report said that, in spite of efforts throughout the century, perpetrators of the most heinous crimes against humanity have rarely been brought to justice.
It observed that the statute before the House seeks to establish an international criminal court, which will be a permanent court that will investigate and bring to justice individuals who commit serious violations of international humanitarian law, namely war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.
In its recommendation, the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, which presented the report, urged the House to ratify the statute in view of Ghana's membership of the United Nations, which is advocating for the maintenance of international peace and security.
The committee also recommended that Ghana should play a leading role in advocating for the ratification of the statute by other African countries, especially those in the West African sub-region.
It called for the convening of a conference for the sub-region to apprise the countries of the compelling need to ratify the statute and to get each other familiarise with provisions of the statute.
GRi./
House expresses concern about obscene films
Accra (Greater Accra) 23 Oct. '99
Members of Parliament on Friday expressed disgust at the way children are watch obscene films and urged parents to strictly supervise their children.
Mrs Susana Adams, NDC-West Mamprusi, made the statement on the subject.
Touching on the topic "pornographic and violent films on our screens and their effects on our children", Mrs Adams, noted that the lack of parental control over what children watch on television adversely affects their character formation.
She reminded parents of their responsibility to ensure the proper upbringing of children to enable them to serve their communities in more meaningful and productive ways.
"We must train them to become assets to ourselves and the society at large, otherwise we can acquire all the wealth and riches in the world but would not have our peace of mind since our children are vagabonds, drug addicts and prostitutes in our homes."
While urging parents to be conscious of the powerful influence of the media, the member charged the electronic media not only to rate their films but to also screen those films at the appropriate times.
Mrs Adams suggested that obscene films should be substituted with educative and documentary ones, adding: "that will enrich and broaden our children's minds whilst most parents are at work".
Other members associated themselves with the concern expressed by Mrs Adams and urged parents not to shirk their responsibility of ensuring that their children lead morally good lives.
They were of the consensus that the nation stands the chance of losing its cultural identity if parents relegate their traditional role of supervising their children strictly, to the background.
Members expressed concern about promiscuity among the youth and advised parents to educate their children to guard against pre-marital and casual sex.
GRi../