GRi in Parliament 27 - 10 - 2000
MP urges colleagues to attend Parliament
Parliament wants Minister to answer questions on Algae
Accra (Greater Accra) 27 Oct. 2000
The Trades Union Congress (TUC) on
Friday petitioned Parliament to set up a public inquiry into media allegations
of mismanagement at the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT).
A statement signed in Accra by Mr.
Kwasi Adu-Amankwah, TUC Secretary-General, called for the inquiry "in
order that the sinking image and fortunes of the Trust can be salvaged in the
interest of contributors.
"We also expect that the
result of the inquiry would help Parliament to undertake a positive review of
the current SSNIT Law - PNDCL 247".
Several allegations of mismanagement
at SSNIT have been raised in the media recently.
The TUC said it is constrained by
the magnitude of the allegations and the negative impact they can have on the
operations of the Trust and the perception of its members who are major
contributors.
It said Parliament, "as the
representative of the people", is well placed to conduct an open and
independent inquiry, the outcome of which can allay fears raised in the minds
of contributors.
Some of the allegations listed in
the statement are; "1997 audited account showed red", "Poor
audit procedures", "No system of control over bank lodgements and
disbursements" and "SSNIT employee acquires 30-million-cedi property
and sells it back to it at 1.2 billion cedis".
Others are "SSNIT financing
military housing project", "Loan to Celltel", "Loss in
value of investment of about 335 billion cedis", "Missing
laptops" and "Board members and conflict of interest".
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Accra (Greater Accra) 27 Oct. 2000
Mr. George Buadi, MP for Amenfi East, has advised his colleagues to place national interest above personal businesses and attend parliament regularly to be good representatives of their people.
Speaking in Parliament on Thursday on the persistent poor attendance in the House lately, the MP called on the leadership and the Business Committee to intensify their campaigns to persuade members to attend parliament.
Mr. Buadi made the appeal after Alhaji Mumuni A. Seidu, Deputy Majority Leader, had presented the Business Statement for the sixth week ending Friday, November 3, with only 37 out of the 200 members present.
Alhaji Seidu said though his committee had taken steps to raise attendance, he could not guarantee the presence of members.
He said the committee has even resorted to radio jingles to whip up enthusiasm among members at this time when most of them have their focus on electioneering campaigns.
Holding brief for absentee members, Mr. Felix K. Owusu-Agyapong, NPP-Akim Swedru, said "good representation does not only mean regular attendance of parliament".
e said members could be serving their constituencies at other places and would not have been necessarily pursuing their personal businesses.
Squadron-Leader Clend K. Sowu (Rtd), NDC-Anlo, in an apparent reference to the election struggle between him and Mr Victor Gbeho, Minister of Foreign Affairs, said "although some of us have our constituencies under siege, we manage to be in the House at every sitting".
This drew laughter from the floor.
Key on the memorandum for next week's parliamentary business will be the adoption of a report on supplementary loans of 10 million US dollars and five million dollars from the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) and the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa for the Korle Lagoon Ecological Restoration Project.
The House will sit on Friday, November 3, to consider all urgent unfinished business.
Mr. Modestus Y. Ahiable, NDC-Ketu North, and Mr. Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, NPP-New Juaben North, urged the business committee to accommodate other issues on the business programme without any rigours.
The House will rise sine die on November 3.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 27 Oct. 2000
Mr. Ken Dzirasah, First Deputy Speaker, on Thursday directed that the Minister of Environment, Science and Technology be invited to brief Parliament on algae bloom, which is a threat to fishermen and farmers on the coast.
He said that, with the seriousness members attached to the statement, the minister has to be invited to brief the House.
This followed a statement made by Mr. Freddie Blay, Second Deputy Speaker, on the environmental hazards the green cotton-like plant with a pungent and offensive smell poses in the Jomoro and Nzema East Districts.
Mr. Blay said "the coastline of these districts continues to be ravaged by the algae bloom and brings the economic life of the fisher folk to a halt" in addition to the Cape Saint Paul de Wilt affecting coconut trees.
"The algae bloom destroys fishing nets and gear as well as outboard motors being used by these fishermen".
He said "apart from driving away all shoals of fish from the coast line, the stench of this rotten material cannot be imagined or described".
About two years ago, the bloom appeared and when the attention of the ministry was drawn to it, steps were taken to destroy it, indicating that it would not re-appear again.
"But this time, the bloom has appeared and is worse than ever.
The shores are covered with carpet green of the algae bloom and the people along that coast are asking what the authorities are doing about it."
Mr. Blay asked that the ministry and the National Disaster Relief Committee be empowered to rush to the districts and give relief to the people.
Mr. Kojo Armah, CPP-Evalue-Gwira, in supporting the statement, said the issue must be taken seriously and considered as a national disaster.
Mr. Kobina Fosu, NDC-Asikuma/Odoben/Brakwa, said that the bloom was the result of waste disposal into the sea by Cote d'Ivoire and tackling the problem must be done with multi-ministerial approach by involving the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the Ministry of Regional Integration and Co-operation.
Mr. Felix Owusu-Agyapong, NPP-Akim Swedru, said neighbouring countries should not be allowed to use their economic survival to destroy that of Others, including Ghana.
Mr. Kwadwo Maama Adam, Deputy Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, said besides the algae bloom, which is on the coast, there is water hyacinth on water bodies in the hinterlands, which poses danger to the environment.
All those others who spoke to the statement regretted the havoc being caused to the country's shores by neighbouring countries and called on the government to act to prevent such occurrences.
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