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Tag: Inusah Fuseini

  • Council of State rendered weak by unnecessary politicisation – Inusah Fuseini

    Council of State rendered weak by unnecessary politicisation – Inusah Fuseini

    Former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Inusah Fuseini, has criticised the declining influence of the Council of State, blaming excessive political interference for weakening its role in national governance.

    According to him, while the Council was originally established to provide independent counsel to the president and serve as a valuable check on the executive, it has been eroded by partisan interests that compromise its effectiveness.

    “Potentially, it is a very important institution, but it has been rendered weak by the unnecessary politicisation of that institution and the overbearing influence of the executive,” he remarked during an interview on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Wednesday, February 12.

    Fuseini maintained that the Council still holds promise as a “potentially useful institution” but stressed that political interference has diminished its authority.

    His comments come in the wake of controversy surrounding the recent elections for regional representatives to the Council of State. The exercise, held on Tuesday, was marred by violence and allegations of electoral malpractices in several regions.

    In the Ashanti Region, a chaotic scene unfolded as thugs stormed the election centre, destroying voting materials and reportedly assaulting journalists covering the event. The Electoral Commission (EC) was forced to suspend the election, with no new date yet announced.

    The Greater Accra Region also witnessed heated confrontations between supporters of rival candidates, while in the Volta Region, allegations of vote-buying overshadowed the process.

    Despite these setbacks, some regions successfully conducted their elections, electing young representatives to the Council of State.

  • NPP repeated past promises in 2024 manifesto – Inusah Fuseini

    NPP repeated past promises in 2024 manifesto – Inusah Fuseini

    Former Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Inusah Fuseini, has criticized the New Patriotic Party (NPP)’s 2024 manifesto, alleging that it is merely a repetition of previous promises and rhetoric.

    Speaking on JoyNews’ NewsFile on August 24, Fuseini expressed disappointment with the manifesto’s content, asserting that it echoes past assurances made by Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, which he claims remain unfulfilled.

    “Their manifesto is a mere repetition and rhetoric. He told you he was going to move Ghana from taxation to production. He told you there was no reason why Ghana roads should not be paved with concrete. He said that kayaye ought not to be living at Agbobloshie but he was going to move them and build for them,” Fuseini said.

    He criticized the NPP for failing to deliver on these promises, pointing to the government’s track record on various initiatives.

    “He told us many things. He told us the NPP was developing the largest hydroelectric and irrigation dam in the north. What we have come to realise is that money has been sunk in the dam with no results. So there are many things that he said,” Fuseini added.

    Moreover, Mr Fuseini alleged that the NPP’s 2024 manifesto includes 320 promises that closely mirror those from the National Democratic Congress (NDC)’s 2020 manifesto. He accused the NPP of borrowing from the NDC’s previous proposals, asserting that the current manifesto lacks originality.

    “When we said we were going to establish a women’s bank because there should be gender inclusiveness in the economic development of this country and the best way is to establish a financial institution that would care for and provide the sources, what did they (NPP) say? Now, they said they are going to establish a fund,” he explained.

  • Akufo-Addo’s gov’t plagued with high corruption – Inusah Fuseini

    Akufo-Addo’s gov’t plagued with high corruption – Inusah Fuseini

    Former Tamale Central MP, Inusah Fuseini, has expressed concern over the high perception of corruption within President Nana Akufo-Addo’s administration.

    This sentiment arises from Ghana maintaining a score of 43 on the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) for the fourth consecutive year, as reported by Transparency International on January 30, 2024. The country is ranked 70th out of 180 countries in the CPI.

    Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile, Fuseini stated that the perception of corruption in the government has been growing since 2017.

    He emphasized that President Akufo-Addo seems indifferent to this issue, demanding concrete evidence before acknowledging the public’s concerns.

    Fuseini referenced the Afrobarometer Report to highlight the widespread belief that there are significant corruption issues within the government.

    He pointed out that despite the establishment of the Office of the Special Prosecutor, which was intended to tackle corruption, there has been little progress.

    Initially, many Ghanaians, including Fuseini, were hopeful when Martin Amidu was appointed as the Special Prosecutor, seeing it as a serious move against corruption.

    However, Fuseini now believes this hope was misplaced, accusing President Akufo-Addo of acting more as a “clearing agent” than a reformer in the fight against corruption.

  • NPP’s failure to involve police in Kingsley Nyarko’s bribery allegation worrying – Inusah Fuseini

    NPP’s failure to involve police in Kingsley Nyarko’s bribery allegation worrying – Inusah Fuseini


    A former Ranking Member of the Constitutional, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs Committee of Parliament, Inusah Fuseini, has condemned the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) for its defense of Professor Kingsley Nyarko amid allegations of bribery involving Electoral Commission (EC) temporary staff during the Ejisu by-election.

    In a statement on Thursday, May 2, the NPP MP emphasized the EC’s established reputation for credibility and integrity, stressing the need to preserve these virtues.

    During an interview on Joy FM’s Top Story on May 2, Mr. Fuseini criticized the NPP’s defense of the MP’s actions, advocating for referral to the police instead.

    He argued that such actions contradict democratic principles and exacerbate the monetization of politics.

    Mr. Fuseini suggested that the NPP should have reported the MP to the police for investigation rather than defending him.

    Regarding Professor Nyarko’s alleged involvement in bribery, Mr. Fuseini stated that it tarnished the Parliamentarian’s office and could warrant sanctions under parliamentary standing orders.

    He underscored that the ethics of a Member of Parliament prohibit bringing Parliament into disrepute.

    In a viral video from the Ejisu by-election, Dr. Nyarko was seen placing an envelope on the table manned by EC officials, prompting an investigation by the EC, which subsequently withdrew the officials from duty at the Fumesua Pentecost Church Polling Station.

    “I think what the NPP should have done was to refer him to the police and not defend him. That is the first step because that goes to the core of our democracy. We are all bemoaning the monetisation of our politics.

    “Now there is an attempt to corrupt public officers in the performance of their duties in a public   election.

  • Where is your corruption risk assessment on SML-GRA contract – Inusah Fuseini asks OSP

    Where is your corruption risk assessment on SML-GRA contract – Inusah Fuseini asks OSP

    Former Tamale Central MP, Inusah Fuseini, has criticized the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) for not conducting a corruption risk assessment into the SML/GRA contract.

    Mr Fuseini believes that the OSP should have promptly released a report on the matter immediately after The Fourth Estate documentary was aired.

    He suggests that there are indications of corruption and conflicts of interest in the deal, which the OSP should investigate. He also added that there was a clear intention to hide the contract from the public.

    In an interview on JoyNews’ Newsfile program on Saturday, April 27, Mr Fuseini emphasized that Ghanaians will not tolerate any misuse of the state purse.

    “It’s very obvious that there was a clear intention to keep the contract out of the public view and so this is where I support the civil society that such a matter must have an open, transparent, rigorous and meritocratic evaluation of the contract and the outcomes the matters.

    “Immediately the report came out, the OSP should have conducted a corruption risk assessment and released a report by now,” he said.

    KPMG, a reputable auditing firm, has completed and submitted its report on the contract between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML) to President Akufo-Addo.

    The audit, initiated by the President on January 2, 2024, following an exposé by the Fourth Estate, was originally scheduled to be completed by January 16, 2024. However, the deadline was extended to February 23, 2024, due to certain circumstances.

    According to the audit findings, SML has received a total of GH¢1,061,054,778 since 2018 while only partially fulfilling its obligations under the contract.

    However, SML has challenged this finding, asserting that the report as a whole justifies the contract.

  • Your father did not die from anaemia, stop lying – Inusah Fuseini ‘exposes’ Bawumia

    Your father did not die from anaemia, stop lying – Inusah Fuseini ‘exposes’ Bawumia

    Former Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Inusah Fuseini, has leveled serious accusations against Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, alleging that the VP fabricated details surrounding the demise of his own father, Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia.

    During an interview on Citi TV on February 11, 2024, Fuseini, a former minister of lands and natural resources, challenged the authenticity of Dr. Bawumia’s account of his father’s passing, suggesting that Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia did not die from the conditions as portrayed by his son.

    Fuseini emphatically stated, “Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia, who I knew very well, and I know Bawumia very well, did not die from anaemia. He didn’t die from anaemia. He died a natural death.”

    The former legislator further questioned the credibility of Dr Bawumia’s statements, asserting that such falsifications erode public trust, a fundamental aspect of politics.

    Citing instances of what he perceived as dishonesty on the part of the vice president, Fuseini referenced Dr. Bawumia’s previous comments during the 2016 election campaign regarding the end of the energy crisis (dumsor), juxtaposing them with recent claims made by the VP.

    In contrast, during Dr. Bawumia’s presentation of his presidential vision to Ghanaians on February 9, 2024, he recounted the harrowing experience of losing his father due to the unavailability of blood for transfusion. Dr. Bawumia detailed how his family struggled to secure blood for his father’s medical emergency, ultimately leading to his father’s demise.

    The vice president’s emotional anecdote formed part of his commitment to implementing medical drone delivery technology in Ghana, emphasizing the need to prevent avoidable deaths by ensuring timely access to essential medical supplies.

    As accusations and counter-accusations continue to mark the political landscape, the veracity of Dr. Bawumia’s narrative remains a subject of contention, underscoring the significance of transparency and honesty in political discourse.

  • Inusah Fuseini accuses Dr Bawumia of misrepresenting father’s death in political discourse

    Former Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Inusah Fuseini, has leveled serious accusations against Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, alleging that the VP fabricated details surrounding the demise of his own father, Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia.

    During an interview on Citi TV on February 11, 2024, Fuseini, a former minister of lands and natural resources, challenged the authenticity of Dr. Bawumia’s account of his father’s passing, suggesting that Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia did not die from the conditions as portrayed by his son.

    Fuseini emphatically stated, “Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia, who I knew very well, and I know Bawumia very well, did not die from anaemia. He didn’t die from anaemia. He died a natural death.”

    The former legislator further questioned the credibility of Dr Bawumia’s statements, asserting that such falsifications erode public trust, a fundamental aspect of politics.

    Citing instances of what he perceived as dishonesty on the part of the vice president, Fuseini referenced Dr. Bawumia’s previous comments during the 2016 election campaign regarding the end of the energy crisis (dumsor), juxtaposing them with recent claims made by the VP.

    In contrast, during Dr. Bawumia’s presentation of his presidential vision to Ghanaians on February 9, 2024, he recounted the harrowing experience of losing his father due to the unavailability of blood for transfusion. Dr. Bawumia detailed how his family struggled to secure blood for his father’s medical emergency, ultimately leading to his father’s demise.

    The vice president’s emotional anecdote formed part of his commitment to implementing medical drone delivery technology in Ghana, emphasizing the need to prevent avoidable deaths by ensuring timely access to essential medical supplies.

    As accusations and counter-accusations continue to mark the political landscape, the veracity of Dr. Bawumia’s narrative remains a subject of contention, underscoring the significance of transparency and honesty in political discourse.

  • OSP has been weaponised – Inusah Fuseini

    OSP has been weaponised – Inusah Fuseini

    Former member of the Constitutional and Legal Committee, Inusah Fusieni, has made explosive claims, asserting that the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has been weaponized. 

    Mr Fusieni contends that the OSP, originally established to independently combat corruption, is now allegedly being exploited for political purposes, diverting from its intended mandate. 

    “We are learning a useful lesson from Martin Amidu, we are learning a useful lesson from Kissi Agyebeng and I think that somehow we have come to accept that the office has been weaponised, and I don’t think it will be in the interest of any political party to scrap that office,” he said on December 12, 2023,” he said.

    He made the remarks in an interview with JoyNews where he argued that although both past and present Special Prosecutors have not successfully prosecuted anyone for corrupt practices, the mere fact the office exists can deter people from engaging in corrupt practices.

    “Clearly, people know that the office exists, and even if they are not having prosecution, the fact that you can be sent to the Special Prosecutor’s office is enough deterrence and the periodic information given to the public on the number of cases being handled by the Special Prosecutor also goes some way in dealing with the issue of corruption,” he added.

    The ex-Member of Parliament for Tamale Central emphasized that the primary focus should be on implementing measures to strengthen the office, ensuring its enhanced effectiveness and alignment with its intended purpose.

    In response to the criticisms regarding the Office of the Special Prosecutor’s (OSP) failure to secure a successful prosecution since its inception, he remarked that such a track record is inadequate, especially considering the significant investment made in establishing the office.

    “The fact that we have not convicted even a single soul under that office of the special prosecutor is enough to worry,” he said.

  • Inusah Fuseini kicks against scrapping OSP; says it won’t be in any party’s interest 

    Inusah Fuseini kicks against scrapping OSP; says it won’t be in any party’s interest 

    Former member of Parliament’s Constitutional and Legal Committee, Inusah Fusieni, has rebuffed attempts to diminish the crucial role played by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) in the ongoing battle against corruption.

    He emphasized that the OSP holds a distinctive mandate focused on combating corruption and related offenses. He asserted that any debate questioning the office’s benefit to the state should not even be entertained.

    During an interview on JoyFM’s Newsnight, he clarified that the office is in its early stages and is presently gaining insights from diverse cases it has addressed. He added that giving ample space for the office to operate will prove to be immensely advantageous.

    “We are learning a useful lesson from Martin Amidu, we are learning a useful lesson from Kissi Agyebeng and I think that somehow we have come to accept that the office has been weaponised, and I don’t think it will be in the interest of any political party to scrap that office,” he said on December 12, 2023.

    Former MP for Tamale Central, Inusah Fuseini

    Mr Fuseini added that although both past and present Special Prosecutors have not successfully prosecuted anyone for corrupt practices, the mere fact the office exists can make people refrain from corrupt practices.

    “Clearly, people know that the office exists, and even if they are not having prosecution, the fact that you can be sent to the Special Prosecutor’s office is enough deterrence and the periodic information given to the public on the number of cases being handled by the Special Prosecutor also goes some way in dealing with the issue of corruption,” he added.

    The former MP for Tamale Central said the main concern should be adopting ways to empower the office and make it more effective and fit for purpose.

    Reacting to the criticisms about the OSP’s inability to successfully prosecute a single case since its establishment, he said that was not good enough considering the amount invested in creating the office.

    “The fact that we have not convicted even a single soul under that office of the special prosecutor is enough to worry,” he said.

    Meanwhile, during parliamentary proceedings on Tuesday, December 12, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, asserted that the law establishing the OSP was an act of futility.

    Speaking during the consideration of the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021, he stressed that the Office will not achieve any results in the fight against corruption.

  • We are not serious about fighting galamsey – Inusah Fuseini reacts to Aisha Huang’s jail term

    We are not serious about fighting galamsey – Inusah Fuseini reacts to Aisha Huang’s jail term

    Former Member of Parliament for Tamale-Central, Inusah Fuseini, contends that the nation’s strategy in combating illegal mining reflects a lack of determination to eradicate the menace.

    He specifically points to the lenient sentence given to Aisha Huang, a notorious figure in illegal mining, as evidence that the country is not fully committed to putting an end to the problem.

    “I think the Aisha Huang case and the conviction and the sentence is another vivid demonstration of our lack of commitment in fighting this canker. The first arrest of Aisha Huang was under a legal regime that imposed or criminalised illegal mining and imposed a sentence that was higher than four and half years,” he said at “JoyNews National Dialogue of Illegal Mining” on December 4.

    Mr. Fuseini, a former Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, expressed his response to a recent Accra High Court verdict in which the ‘galamsey queen,’ a Chinese national known as En Huang (Aisha Huang), received a four-and-a-half-year prison sentence and a GH₵48,000 fine.

    En Huang faced charges related to engaging in mining without a license, facilitating others in illegal mining operations, employing foreigners unlawfully, and entering Ghana despite being prohibited from re-entry.

    The ex-minister emphasized that during his tenure at the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, it was recognized that the existing sentencing structure was insufficient and lacked the necessary deterrence.

    As a result, amendments were made to address this issue. Consequently, Mr. Fuseini argued that the court’s decision to apply the old mining regime was concerning and did not send a strong signal, given the efforts made to strengthen the legal framework during his time in office.

    “We seemed to be suggesting that this canker can be tolerated,” he added.

    Furthermore, he asserted that environmental crimes, on a global scale, are tantamount to crimes against humanity and should not be justified under the guise of mineral exploitation. To support his argument, he shared a video depicting a woman who experienced a stillbirth, attributing it to the adverse effects of residing in a community affected by illegal mining.

    Mr. Fuseini contended that this issue goes beyond mere economic considerations; it poses a direct threat to both our existence and the country’s economy. He emphasized that the ramifications of illegal mining are immeasurable and expose the nation to dangers that cannot be easily quantified.

    The former legislator insisted that a more concerted and resolute effort is required to confront this pervasive problem, echoing the determination demonstrated by other nations facing similar challenges.

  • Constructing new BoG headquarters amid crisis isn’t wise – Inusah Fuseini 

    Constructing new BoG headquarters amid crisis isn’t wise – Inusah Fuseini 

    Former Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale Central, Inusah Fuseini, has voiced his opinion that the Bank of Ghana (BoG) embarking on a new construction project is imprudent given the financial challenges currently faced by the institution.

    He highlighted that the Bank of Ghana bears a fiduciary duty to the citizens of Ghana, as the institution is the collective asset of the entire Ghanaian population.

    Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, Mr Fuseini said that decision taken by BoG must be taken prudently and that the bank should be accountable.

    “No one is saying that they conceived the idea of building a bank in 2017, no one has said that, but building the bank in 2021 at the height of our economic and social crisis, was it a prudent decision?

    “That goes to show that the bank has been so mismanaged and the managers of the bank have not exercised prudence in their decision making and that has led us to the situation in which we are,” he said.

    The former Roads and Highways Minister’s assertion follows the BoG’s recent statement that it is spending $250 million to build a new head office because its current office which was built in the 1960s has failed a structural integrity assessment.

    It said, the edifice “is no longer fit for purpose and could not stand any major earth tremors.”

    In a press release on Tuesday, August 9, the central bank explained that “The outcome of the structural integrity work was that the main building does not satisfy the full complement of excess strength required for a building to be considered safe for usage.

    “This means that in the case of a worst-case gravity and wind loading scenario, for example, unusually strong wind, the building may be significantly affected.”

    On the back of this, Mr Fuseini said that it is not prudent for BoG to start the building of a new headquarters after recording a GH¢60.8 billion loss and negative equity of 55 per cent for 2022.

    “The project is ongoing! If you know a project life, there’s a budget for it and the project has a gestation period. The project is still ongoing, the current crisis in which we are, the project is still ongoing. ….. it’s not that the money is sitting in the bank, if the money were sitting in the bank, they wouldn’t have a negative equity of the 55% for 2022,” he said.

    The lawyer emphasised that “At the time the project was starting, no reasonable bank manager would have committed to invest when we were still suffering the ravages of Covid-19 on the economy and the projections said that our economy was going to slow down. No reasonable person would do that, when countries were taking steps to protect the economic fundamentals of their countries.”

    Meanwhile, the Minority in Parliament has called out the Governor of the central bank and his deputies after the lender of last resort reported a ¢60.8 billion loss for 2022.

    The Minority Leader Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has questioned why Dr Ernest Addison is spending $250 million to build a new head office for the central bank at a time the Bank is in financial difficulties.

    He accused the BoG Governor of printing money to finance this project.

  • Inusah Fuseini predicts more worries for Ghana after passage of anti- LGBTQ bill

    Inusah Fuseini predicts more worries for Ghana after passage of anti- LGBTQ bill

    Former Tamale Central MP, Inusah Fuseini, has voiced his apprehension regarding the passage of the Promotion of the Proper Sexual Human Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, 2021, also known as the anti-LGBTQ bill.

    Mr. Fuseini said enacting the bill into law could potentially lead to more issues rather than resolving existing ones.

    He further elaborated that such legislation would compel Ghanaians to intrude into the private lives of others.

    “If you come out openly to profess you are LGBTQ+, we will not mind you, but if you engage in it to the knowledge of the law enforcement agencies or responsible citizens, we will arrest you and send you to jail and there is already a law dealing with that, and the bill will introduce more problems for us because they say if you are in your house, you have the responsibility to ensure members of the household uphold proper family values,” he said in an interview on CitiTV.

    He added that the description of unnatural carnal knowledge in the bill is disturbing and that there is already a law criminalising interfering in people’s private affairs.

    “As Africans, we have traditions and that is why LGBTQ+ is facing stiff opposition, and we see it as a cultural re-colonisation, a cultural imposition, and it is not African, and I have said that unnatural carnal knowledge is an inherently private matter. It is a private matter, and we are not concerned about what goes on in the four walls of your bedroom, and that is why I said the bill is trying to create a police state.

    “Why should we use state resources preying on people’s private affairs when it is already an offence to do so?” he asked.

    Ahead of its first reading, the Promotion of the Proper Sexual Human Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, 2021 faced two legal challenges due to concerns about its compliance with the constitution.

    Additionally, Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin faced a contempt charge for allowing the House to proceed with the bill’s discussion while legal actions were pending.

    However, during the court hearing on Wednesday, the Supreme Court dismissed the request to halt Parliament’s consideration of the bill.

    Presided over by Chief Justice Gertrude Torkonoo, the nine-member Supreme Court panel stated that it was not convinced to issue such an order at this stage. The court reasoned that the issues raised would be addressed in the substantive case.

  • Inusah Fuseini declares stance on abolition of the death penalty

    Inusah Fuseini declares stance on abolition of the death penalty

    Former MP for Tamale Central, Inusah Fuseini, has expressed his endorsement for the abolition of the death penalty in Ghana.

    According to him, the existing law is in itself redundant, and the need to abolish it is the right step.

    Speaking in an interview, the former MP explained that the essence of the death penalty doesn’t apply any longer because there is a need for persons caught in such webs to receive compassion.

    “I stand for the abolition of the death penalty. Evidence abound that many people have been subjected that penal punishment when subsequent evidence exonerates them. That is number one. Number two, that is the old law where it says death for death, an eye for an eye. No.

    “You should look at the Bentham Theory. There must be utility for a punishment. Why are we punishing a person? We punish the person to reform, so if we kill that person, we deny that person the opportunity to reform. The reformative aspect of punishment is something that should engage our thinking and our understanding. People have committed grievous offenses need compassion; need our love; need empathy and so you sentence them to death, they are hanged or shot, and then is that compassion?”

    “Thirdly, I don’t know the last time anyone who was sentenced to death was ever killed. So, the language at the Nsawam is under debilitating conditions, we treat them in an inhuman way. The constitution says that the dignity of a human being is invaluable, meanwhile, go and see them,” he stated.

    MPs divided over a proposal to replace the death penalty with life imprisonment

    On Friday, July 14, 2023 Members of Parliament (MPs) in Ghana found themselves at odds regarding the report presented by the Constitutional, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs Committee on the amendment to the Criminal Offences Act.

    The proposed amendment aims to substitute the death penalty with life imprisonment.

    Although the death penalty was initially inherited from the colonial era as a punishment for offenses like murder, attempted murder, genocide, piracy, and smuggling of gold or diamonds, Ghana has refrained from executing offenders since 1993.

    During the parliamentary debate on the amendment bill, MPs expressed varying opinions concerning the abolishment of the death penalty.

    Cletus Avoka, the MP for Zebilla Constituency, voiced his concerns, stating, “I first submit that the arguments they have advanced in terms of the motion are very scary and have no measures at all. Arguments in favor of the motion are unmeritorious.”

    On the other hand, Francis-Xavier Sosu, the MP for Madina and a proponent of the amendment, emphasized Ghana’s current stance, saying, “the current position of Ghana is that we are abolitionists in practice. This is so because, since 1993 to date, Ghana has not signed a death warrant to execute anyone, and that is very commendable.”

    During the debate, James Agalga, the Builsa North MP, and Habib Iddrisu, the Second Deputy Majority Whip, pointed out a correction, stating, “We cannot count universal declaration on human rights as part of our treaty obligations with the greatest of respect. The universal declarations on human rights are declarations; they are non-binding, and so they do not qualify as a treaty.”

  • LGBTQ+ is colonialism in different form – Inusah Fuseini

    LGBTQ+ is colonialism in different form – Inusah Fuseini

    Former Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale Central under the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Inusah Fuseini, has voiced concerns about LGBTQ+ rights activism in Ghana, comparing it to a new form of colonialism.

    While he advocates for abolishing the death penalty, he believes that accepting the LGBTQ+ community’s rights would undermine African culture.

    He emphasizes the importance of embracing diverse choices but warns against endorsing what he sees as a potential form of colonial influence.

    “The fact that I’m advocating for life imprisonment and not death sentence might, to some extent, be consistent with the way Africans have always lived together. LGBTQ+ is an attack on African traditions. Everybody or every people have the right to their own culture. It is the culture that defines you. You are who you are by reason of where you are from, and who I am by reason of where I am from. Diversity is what makes us human. Our differences should not divide us; our difference, in the sight of Allah, should let us know each other.

    “As Africans, we have a culture; we have a tradition. It is, if you want, another form of colonialism or imperialism to try to impose on us a culture that is at variance with our traditional culture. And that is why LGBTQ is facing stiff opposition,” he stated.

    He asserts that decisions regarding engaging in such practices should remain private. However, Inusah Fuseini believes that if such acts are publicized, they should be addressed through the law.

    The anti-gay bill presented to Parliament has been adopted, aiming to make all activities associated with the LGBTQ+ community illegal in Ghana. The bill proposes punitive measures for suspects involved in such activities.

  • “I support the repeal of death penalty” – Inusah Fuseini

    “I support the repeal of death penalty” – Inusah Fuseini

    A former representative for Tamale Central, Inusah Fuseini, has stated that he agrees with proposals to abolish the death penalty in Ghana.

    He thinks that since the current law is already unnecessary, getting rid of it is the best course of action.

    The former MP argued that the death penalty’s original purpose no longer applied in an interview with Citi TV because those caught in such webs now need to be treated with compassion.

    “I stand for the abolition of the death penalty. Evidence abound that many people have been subjected that penal punishment when subsequent evidence exonerates them. That is number one. Number two, that is the old law where it says death for death, an eye for an eye. No.

    “You should look at the Bentham Theory. There must be utility for a punishment. Why are we punishing a person? We punish the person to reform, so if we kill that person, we deny that person the opportunity to reform. The reformative aspect of punishment is something that should engage our thinking and our understanding. People have committed grievous offenses need compassion; need our love; need empathy and so you sentence them to death, they are hanged or shot, and then is that compassion?”

    “Thirdly, I don’t know the last time anyone who was sentenced to death was ever killed. So, the language at the Nsawam is under debilitating conditions, we treat them in an inhuman way. The constitution says that the dignity of a human being is invaluable, meanwhile, go and see them,” he stated.

    MPs divided over a proposal to replace the death penalty with life imprisonment

    The media covered a noteworthy event on Friday, July 14, 2023, where Members of Parliament (MPs) in Ghana found themselves in disagreement over the report presented by the Constitutional, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs Committee regarding an amendment to the Criminal Offences Act.

    The proposed amendment seeks to replace the death penalty with life imprisonment as a punitive measure.

    Historically, the death penalty was inherited from the colonial era, serving as a punishment for crimes such as murder, attempted murder, genocide, piracy, and smuggling of precious minerals like gold or diamonds. However, Ghana has abstained from executing offenders since 1993.

    During the parliamentary debate on the amendment bill, MPs voiced diverse opinions regarding the abolition of the death penalty.

    Cletus Avoka, the MP for Zebilla Constituency, voiced his concerns, stating, “I first submit that the arguments they have advanced in terms of the motion are very scary and have no measures at all. Arguments in favor of the motion are unmeritorious.”

    On the other hand, Francis-Xavier Sosu, the MP for Madina and a proponent of the amendment, emphasized Ghana’s current stance, saying, “the current position of Ghana is that we are abolitionists in practice. This is so because, since 1993 to date, Ghana has not signed a death warrant to execute anyone, and that is very commendable.”

    During the debate, James Agalga, the Builsa North MP, and Habib Iddrisu, the Second Deputy Majority Whip, pointed out a correction, stating, “We cannot count universal declaration on human rights as part of our treaty obligations with the greatest of respect. The universal declarations on human rights are declarations; they are non-binding, and so they do not qualify as a treaty.”

  • My son’s stupidity got him arrested – Inusah Fuseini

    My son’s stupidity got him arrested – Inusah Fuseini

    A former member of parliament for Tamale Central, Inusah Fuseini, has spoken out against the conviction of his son, Abdul Inusah, for fraud by a US court.

    The former MP admitted that, as a parent who had raised his son well, he found it difficult to discuss the subject in an interview with Umaru Sanda for Citi TV’s Face to Face show on July 18.

    He claims that given the situation, he thinks Abdul was being foolish when he tried to start a business while attending school in the US.

    “Well, it is a difficult thing, it is difficult. I mean you train your child, bring up your child to be a useful and responsible person. You sit down with him at night and in the day to talk about what decent life is, you try to infuse in him what hard work can do but we are of different generations.

    “It is difficult to talk about him because deep inside me, deep inside me I think he was just caught by stupidity and nothing or some level of invincibility. As a student he had his document so he decided to register a company. I never sanctioned that, I believe that if you are sent to school to learn you must concentrate on your studies and I told him that. Now that obviously as a young man he thought he could make quick bucks so he registered a company and he was actually buying cars for people. I know many people in Ghana that he bought cars for. In this particular case, he bought a car for some guys from Nigeria who were fellow students, colleague students and it turned out that the money used to buy the car was obtained fraudulently and that was his offense,” he said.

    Abdul Inusah, 32, was found guilty and given a two-year prison sentence for his part in a conspiracy based in Huntington that used bogus internet personas to swindle people across several states.

    On Saturday, July 8, 2023, YouTuber Hello Frank broke the news that Inusah had also been sentenced to pay $128,000 in restitution.

    According to information taken from a statement by the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia, the trial took three days to complete before a federal jury rendered a verdict.

    The statement from the United State’s Attorney, dated Thursday, March 23, 2023, added that Abdul Inusah was found guilty for being part of a “conspiracy that targeted victims using false personas via email, text messaging, online dating websites and social media platforms.

    But according to his father, he can still vouch for his son’s innocence.

    “I support my son 110%, I know him. I know Abdul Hamid, I know he can be boisterous but I don’t know him to be somebody who will be interested in other people’s things,” he stated.

    The former minister of environment science and technology who is also a private legal practitioner revealed that his son has since commenced an appeal of his sentence.

  • Article 71 of Ghana’s Constitution must be removed – Inusah Fuseini

    Article 71 of Ghana’s Constitution must be removed – Inusah Fuseini

    A former chairman of the Law Constitutional Committee of Parliament, Inusah Fuseini, is advocating for the removal of Article 71 of the constitution.

    Article 71 of the Constitution of Ghana, spells out that the salaries and allowances of Article 71 office holders, be determined by the President, on the recommendations of a committee of not more than five persons appointed by him and acting upon the advice of the Council of State.

    The Article 71 officeholders include the President, the Vice-President, the Speaker of Parliament, the Chief Justice, and the Justices of the Supreme Court.

    But Mr Fuseini told Samson Lardy Anyenini on Newsfile on Saturday that the conditions stated in Article 71 created room for discrimination against some public officers.

    According to him, Article 71 officeholders are also public officers, and the provisions of Article 71 enabled the Article 71 officeholders to receive preferential treatment.

    This, he pointed out, contradicted Article 17 of the Constitution, which spells out that there must be equality before the law, thus his advocating for the removal of Article 71.

    The lawyer, while contributing to a discussion on Newsfile, Saturday, April 1, told the host, Samson Lardy Anyenini, “Article 71 should be deleted in its entirety because it appears to me to be it is inconsistent with article 17 of the constitution, which deals with non-discrimination.

    “All officers under article 71 are public officers, and so there should not be discrimination between the Article 71 office holders and all other office holders,” he added.

    Additionally, Mr Fuseini stated that he believed that the Independent Emolument Committee has been recommended by the constitution review committee for Article 71 to be examined and substituted with a different arrangement.

  • Article 71 no longer relevant, must be expunged from constitution – Inusah Fuseini

    Article 71 no longer relevant, must be expunged from constitution – Inusah Fuseini

    Inusah Fuseini, a former chairman of the Law Constitutional Committee of Parliament, is advocating for the repeal of Article 71 in the 1992 constitution.

    Speaking on JoyNews, he noted that the conditions stated in Article 71 created room for discrimination against some public officers.

    According to him, Article 71 officeholders are also public officers, and the provisions of Article 71 enabled the Article 71 officeholders to receive preferential treatment.

    This, he pointed out, contradicted Article 17 of the Constitution, which spells out that there must be equality before the law, thus his advocating for the removal of Article 71.

    “Article 71 should be deleted in its entirety because it appears to me to be it is inconsistent with article 17 of the constitution, which deals with non-discrimination,” he said.

    “All officers under article 71 are public officers, and so there should not be discrimination between the Article 71 office holders and all other office holders,” he added.

    Additionally, Mr Fuseini stated that he believed that the Independent Emolument Committee has been recommended by the constitution review committee for Article 71 to be examined and substituted with a different arrangement.

    Article 71 of the Ghanaian Constitution notes that the President must decide on the wages and benefits of those holding Article 71 offices based on the recommendations of a committee of no more than five people that he has appointed and that acts on the Council of State’s advise.

    The President, Vice-President, Speaker of the House, Chief Justice, and Justices of the Supreme Court are all members of the Article 71 offices.

  • NDC must rebuild the party’s honor and credibility – Inusah Fuseni

    NDC must rebuild the party’s honor and credibility – Inusah Fuseni

    A former representative for Tamale Central, Inusah Fuseini, has characterized the NDC’s stance on the endorsement of ministerial nominees as perilous to the party’s integrity.

    Speaking on GTV’s Breakfast Show, Mr. Fuseini said he expects the leadership of the party to take an entrenched position on the way forward to restore dignity and trust in the NDC.

    The NDC had asked the Minority MPs to reject the nominees, but the order was defied by some NDC MPs who voted along with the Majority side of the House to approve six Ministers and Deputy Ministers.

    This has led to members of the party accusing the Parliamentarians who voted for the approval as betraying the party and Ghanaians who felt the need for the government to downsize due to the current economic challenges.

    Mr Fuseini said this position should not be swept under the carpet.

  • Political parties determine parliamentary leadership, not MPs – Inusah Fuseini

    Political parties determine parliamentary leadership, not MPs – Inusah Fuseini

    Former National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale Central, Inusah Fuseini, has said that the national executives of the party did no wrong in replacing the leadership of their parliamentarians.

    According to him, the NDC national executives are not mandated to consult their Members of Parliament before choosing their leadership.

    Speaking in a JoyNews interview monitored by GhanaWeb, on Tuesday (January 24), Inusah said that he was an MP for a decade and at no point did the party’s leadership consult them before changing their leaders.

    He added that the outgoing minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu, was chosen by the party to be the minority leader without any consultation.

    “I have been in parliament long enough to say on authority that not at any point was the minority leadership of parliament or the majority leadership of parliament selected by the Members of Parliament or in the selection process those members consulted.

    “I went to parliament in 2006, so I met the current Speaker (of Parliament), who was doing his second term as the minority leader. I was there when we won election 2008 and tell me which Members of Parliament were consulted before the front beach of the majority was chosen.

    “Or which Member of Parliament was consulted before the front beach of the minority then, the NPP, was chosen. I was in Parliament when we lost the election in 2016 and form the minority in 2017… no minority Member of Parliament was consulted when Haruna Iddrusi’s team was chosen as the leadership of the minority in Parliament,” he said.

    He also said that the national executives of the NDC are not mandated by the party’s constitution to consult their MPs when making decisions on their leadership.

    He added that the Standing Orders of the Parliament do not state that MPs must take part in choosing their leadership.

    Inusah Fuseini, a former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, noted that even though he is surprised by the replacement of Haruna Iddrisu, he supports the party’s decision.

    Inusah Fuseini’s remarks come after some members of the NDC, including his successor, the current MP for Tamale Central, Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, criticised the party’s national executive for changing their parliamentary leadership without consulting MPs.

    According to Murtala, the party cannot choose the parliamentary leadership without consulting them.

    “Someone should tell some of the national executives that, they cannot choose our parliamentary leadership without consulting the caucus,” he wrote on Facebook.

    The NDC leadership has appointed the former Deputy Minister of Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, as the minority leader in the 8th Parliament of Ghana’s Fourth Republic.

    According to the NDC, Kofi Armah Buah, MP for Ellembele, will take over as the Deputy Minority leader.

    While Kwame Governs Agbodza, MP for Abaklu, he will replace Asawase MP Muntaka Mohammed as the Chief Whip.

    Ahmed Ibrahim, MP for Banda, has been maintained as the First Deputy Minority Whip, while Comfort Doyo Cudjoe-Ghansah, MP for Ada, is the Second Deputy Minority Whip.

    This was contained in a letter to the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, from the National Democratic Congress dated January 23, 2023.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • Nothing will stand in the way of NDC’s victory in 2024 – Inusah Fuseini

    Former Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Inusah Fuseini, is optimistic of the NDC‘s win in the upcoming 2024 elections.

    He says nothing will stand in the way of the National Democratic Congress winning election 2024.

    According to him, concerns about utterances made by the General Secretary of the Party, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, having the potential to derail the ‘winning’ tangent of the party are unfounded.

    Johnson Asiedu Nketia, who is contesting against the incumbent NDC National Chairman, Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, in a leaked audio tape, accused the Chairman of failing to supply the NDC’s legal team in the 2020 election petition relevant data to challenge the outcome of the elections.

    He said this was why the NDC could not sufficiently support their claims during the trial.

    Reacting to the leaked audio, Inusah Fuseini stated that the General Secretary’s communication was not intended for general consumption, and that he was only giving an explanation of what had happened.

    He noted that while the revelation may have ruffled some feathers within the party, it is not enough to derail the party’s progress.

    “What he was seeking to do was probably explain to the party delegates why we are where we are; why we could not win the elections; why our case was not made up very well in court. And so the fact that it leaked is very very unfortunate.

    “But Asiedu Nketia ought to have known that it will leak because in campaigning for a position in the party or government or to lead the country, people deliberately, intentionally plant others to be able to see what their opponent is doing, so he ought or our leaders ought to be circumspect,” he said.

    Inusah Fusieni added that “as a party we had always known that these two giants if they contest each other we’ll definitely have fallouts, and so that is why there was an initial attempt to try and see whether they would be reconciled.

    “Chairman Ampofo spoke about what the team achieved during their term in office, that team included the General Secretary of the party who is now contesting him for the chairmanship. So there’s no doubt that that team also has some few weaknesses.”

    He said with the two giants going against each other, party delegates will be forced to critically anlayse the strengths and weaknesses of both parties in order to make a decision.

    “Aisha, you should be reminded that four people are contesting for the chairmanship position. But why are we narrowing it down to two? Because, one, those two persons are giants in the party and they all have something to contribute towards the success of the party, and nobody wants to lose either of them.

    “But only one person can become chairman, so as a delegate you have to look at them individually, look at their strengths and weaknesses and see whether in the present state of the party who will be better positioned to lead us to the Promised Land,” he said.

    Source: Myjoyonline

  • Constitution of ad hoc committee might prove problematic – Inusah Fuseini

    Former Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Inusah Fuseini, has signaled that the constitution of the ad hoc committee set up by the Speaker, Alban Bagbin, could pose an obstacle at the end of the proceedings.

    The committee which was set up by the Speaker to investigate allegations of corruption and incompetence leveled against the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta by the Minority side of Parliament in their motion of censure is evenly constituted with members from both divides of the House.

    The 8-member ad hoc committee is chaired by the Adansi Asokwa MP, K.T. Hammond and Bolgatanga East MP, Dominic Ayine.

    Other members of the committee from the Minority side are; North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Klottey-Korle MP, Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings and Akatsi South MP, Bernard Ahiafor.

    The rest from the Majority side include; Okaikoi Central MP, Yaw Boahmah, Ashanti Akyem Central MP, Emmanuel Anyimadu-Antwi and Sekondi MP, Andrew Egyapa Mercer.

    According to Inusah Fuseini, while the membership of the committee may be trying to communicate a sense of neutrality, recent developments in the house may suggest otherwise.

    “After the time that the Speaker established this committee, you could see the partisanship. And you could see the various actors in Parliament lining up behind their various leaders. So I’m not surprised at all that even though there had been attempt to appear to be neutral and interested in [presenting] the facts for people to understand what is at stake, those who are disputing the facts have laced their objections with political undertones.

    “And there has been an attempt by the Minority to prove beyond doubt that Ken must go, and equally the Majority who are unrelenting in their defence of the Finance Minister. So then you have for the first time in our parliamentary democracy, apart from the censure motion, this is the only time a committee of Parliament has been formed which has no Majority, which has no Minority,” he said.

    He noted that this membership structure will prove to be a problem at the end of the seven days when members are expected to come up with a resolution to be presented before the House.

    According to him, with the even distribution of the committee and the unyielding stance of both sides, it is unlikely that a consensus will be easily reached, that is, even if it is reached at all.

    “Committees of Parliament take decisions based on unanimity or consensus. So if it is going to be consensus, the issue would have to be put to a vote and I don’t know whether Speaker in establishing the eight member committee with co-chairmen had also thought of the custom vote. Because if the vote is taken and there is a tie, what happens?

    “The constitution says that when there is a tie in parliament on an issue, the issue fails, it falls. What will happen at the committee level? So there are many around that. We’re waiting cautiously to see what happens after Friday because the issues cannot be resolved at the committee level. And like I told you when the committee was established, this issue will finally be resolved on the floor of the House,” he said.

  • Gov’t has shown negligence in galamsey fight – Inusah Fuseini

    Former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Inusah Fuseini says the government has failed to demonstrate commitment to the fight against illegal small-scale mining in the country.

    His comment comes on the back of the government’s renewed commitment to the fight against illegal mining popularly known as galamsey.

    The Minister of Lands and Natural Resource, Abu Jinapor at a press conference said the government is adopting new strategies in the fight against illegal small-scale mining and enumerated some steps the government will take.

    According to him, over one hundred and eighty people have been jailed and over two hundred are on trial for their involvement in illegal mining adding that the government will also deal with those behind the menace.

    But, the former Lands Minister says the government has never acted on its words on the numerous promises made towards the fight against illegal mining since they came to power.

    According to him, the government lacks the commitment to prosecute people who are engaged in illegality.

    “Does it mean that all along they don’t know those who are financiers and kingpins of the galamsey. What is conspiracy, abetment and facilitating in our laws for? If you know that some people are those facilitating the commission of a crime, are they not guilty of that crime?

    “For them to say that we are changing gear, it looks weird because we have all known and always known most of the young men who are in the galamsey sites are just workers. And because of the capital-intensive nature of the activity people have to sponsor and invest in that activity,” he told Joshua Kodjo Mensah on Starr Today Thursday.

    He continued: “If you are a government and you know those who are the enablers of that activity and you sit and watch them, then you are now saying you are changing gear. If they (government) have admitted that they are now going after those people then they have been negligent or probably have not been committed to the fight against illegal small-scale mining.”

    The former lawmaker also indicated that the government knows those behind the menace but has failed to go after them.

  • Achimota Forest: Why allocate 360 acres to the Owoo family? – Inusah Fuseini

    Alhaji Inusah Fuseini, a former Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, has called on the government to explain why it decided to increase the land parcel allotted to the Owoo family in the Achimota Forest.

    According to Inusah Fuseini, the government has transferred 361 acres of land to the Owoo family.

    Revealing this in an interview with Citinews, Mr Fuseini further explained that the the NDC government had turned over 118 acres to the custodial owners on compassionate grounds in 2013, when he was Minister for Lands and Natural Resources.

    He argues that the NDC government then wanted to establish an eco-tourism park to prevent further encroachment.

    Mr Fuseini noted that the current government, which was in opposition at the time, had questioned the decision and demanded an explanation.

    Thus the former minister has also called on the NPP government to reveal to Ghanaians the reason for re-allocation of 361 acres of Achimota land to the Owoo’s.

    “We were also criticized for giving 118 acres to the family and we had a duty to explain why we did… I cannot judge the government, but I only demand that we know the reason why they did that. Government is in charge of policy so they should come out and explain.”

    He also noted that the government’s decision gives the Owoo family the free hand to engage in any development on the land as against what the NDC proposed, which was to ensure the family received approval from the Forestry Commission on any initiative they planned to take.

    Inusah Fuseini wants the government to address this matter as well.

    “We principally wanted the land to still be under the control of the Forestry Commission so that the ecological integrity of the forest will be protected, but you [government] are of a different view that it should be declassified as a forest and removed from the forest reserve and so they need to explain,” he said.

    Background

    Lands Minister, Samuel Abdulai Jinapor, in an Executive Instrument (E.I) 144 on behalf of the President stipulated that effective May 1, 2022, the land on which the Forest is located shall cease to be a forest reserve.

    He noted that portions of the land will be returned to the Owoo family and government will redevelop the remaining into the likes of “High Park of London and Central Park of New York, where Ghanaians can go and enjoy the beauty of nature.”

    Following the news, many including the Minority in Parliament and the Osu Traditional Council have disapproved of the move. The Osu Traditional Council says they are the custodial owners of the land and not the Owoo family.

    With the government trying to resolve the matter, it emerged on Monday that the immediate former Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, the late Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, probably owned some Achimota Forest land.

    This was discovered in purported Will of Sir John, the late CEO, shared by the Fourth Estate.

    The news sparked a conversation on social media where Ghanaians asked the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to expedite investigations into the matter.

    Meanwhile, the Lands Commission has rejected claims that Sir John owned portions of land at the Achimota Forest.

    Source: The Independent Ghana

  • Police vs. Parliament stand-off ‘is not good for our democracy’ – Inusah Fuseini

    Former Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Inusah Fuseini has waded into the raging standoff between the Ghana Police Service and the Parliament of Ghana.

    The matter is connected with a dogged stance by Police to prosecute MP for Madina, Francis-Xavier Sosu for his involvement in a violent public protest in his constituency.

    Speaking on Accra-based Asaase Radio, the former lawmaker said it was in the best interest of both parties to work together and do all it takes to deescalate.

    “I deplore the standoff between Parliament and the police because these are two critical institutions of the state.

    “Admittedly, Parliament is an arm of government but then the police are clearly established for the purposes of maintaining law and order and protecting lives and properties.

    “And so, at all times we should accord some respect to the police service and Members of Parliament and Parliament as an institution. So, the stand-off is not good for our democracy. I mean, the police should help complement the activities of the Members of Parliament,” he added.

    On Tuesday, November 16, 2021, a Kaneshie District Court presided over by Oheneba Kuffuor adjourned the hearing to November 29 – the second adjournment due to the MP’s unavailability.

    Victor Adawudu, Sosu’s lawyer had said in court “my information is that he might be back by next week.”

    The MP is facing two charges of unlawful blockade of a highway and destruction of public property in the aftermath of a protest he led against bad roads in parts of his Constituency on October 25.

    Police tried to arrest him on the day of the protest but failed, an official request to Speaker Alban Bagbin to have the MP released for questioning was also turned down.

    A second arrest attempt was foiled last two weeks at church premises where the MP was worshipping.

    This is the second time the court has had to adjourn the case because of Sosu’s absence.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • No mining activities took place in forest reserves under my watch – Inusah Fuseini

    Former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Alhaji Inusah Fuseini has said forest reserves were not infiltrated by mining activities under his watch as the Minister for the Lands and Natural Resources.

    According to the former Tamale Central lawmaker, it does not make sense to give permits to people to prospect in the forest reserves when those catchment areas are supposed to be protected from exploitation.

    “There was no mining activities in the forest reserves under my watch as the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources. What does it mean to ask people to prospect in areas designated as reserves? How will the trees survive if the people dig holes in the forest reserves? It does not make sense,” he noted.

    Speaking on Okay FM’s ‘Ade Akye Abia’ Morning Show, Alhaji Fuseini indicated that it is not for nothing that some of the forests are reserved; thus, the trees in those reserved forest will not survive if people are allowed to dig for mineral resources.

    He recounted that he opposed when he was at the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources the idea brought to his attention by some people to mine the bauxite at the Atiwa forest reserve.

    He said that his opposition to that idea was based on the fact that the Atiwa forest reserve is a catchment area for three water bodies serving the entire country and so, giving permits to people to mine the bauxite will destroy the three water bodies.

    Alhaji Inusah Fuseini mentioned that the Atiwa forest reserve is protecting all Ghanaians by removing toxic substance from the air; fuming that giving license to the Chinese to mine the bauxite in exchange for roads construction is not the best decision to make.

    “The Chinese can do roads which will last for only 10 years but the vegetation has taken billions of years to be where they are. So, forest reserves are protected areas and there should be no way for anybody to give permit to some people to mine or prospect the forest reserves,” he mentioned.

    Source: Peace FM

  • Withdrawing soldiers from Operation Vanguard should be for limited period – Inusah Fuseini

    Former Lands and Natural Resources Minister and MP for Tamale Central, Inusah Fuseini says the withdrawal of soldiers from Operation Vanguard should be for a limited period.

    According to him, the replacement of the soldiers with immigration officers will not be the solution to the fight to end illegal mining popularly known as galamsey.

    Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosiisen, Inusah Fuseini said the fight needs a multi-stakeholder and dimensional approach which he is not seeing with the current effort by government.

    Ekosiisen’s report disclosed that immigration officers will replace soldiers on the Operation Vanguard team.

    Inusah Fuseini said the taskforce being replaced with immigration officers will over some time also make them familiar with the people and the illicit act will still continue.

    He suggested that the Chiefs and people in the area should be involved in the fight because the team cannot be at every place all the time.

    Operation Vanguard ordered to withdraw from all illegal mining areas – Report

    The report suggests that Operation Vanguard the anti-galamsey operation task force has been ordered to withdraw from all illegal mining areas in the country with immediate effect. Barring any last-minute changes, the soldiers will start pulling out from tomorrow and the immigration officers will take over fully.

    Their base at Tarkwa in the Western Region is expected to start moving out tomorrow and the Ashanti Region will follow suit in March.

    There are reports that this development came about as a result of the recent backlash from the public against the Military, allegations of bribery in the fight against illegal mining, the lack of confidence from the public among others.

    This necessitated the Military Command which is the seat of government to pull out and the police takeover because it is their main duty to do these things.

    The issue of the missing galamsey excavators has not also helped the course of the task force as some are alleging that they have a hand in it.

    Operation Vanguard is a Military Police Joint Task Force (JTF) set up by the President of Ghana in 2017 to combat the operation of galamsey in Ghana. Galamseyers are illegal miners and have over the years depleted Ghana’s forest cover. Their activities also pollute water bodies due to the crude and unregulated nature of the mining process.

     

    Source: primenewsghana.com

  • Withdrawing soldiers from Operation Vanguard should be for limited period – Inusah Fuseini

    Former Lands and Natural Resources Minister and MP for Tamale Central, Inusah Fuseini says the withdrawal of soldiers from Operation Vanguard should be for a limited period.

    According to him, the replacement of the soldiers with immigration officers will not be the solution to the fight to end illegal mining popularly known as ‘galamsey’.

    Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosiisen, Inusah Fuseini said the fight needs a multi-stakeholder and dimensional approach which he is not seeing with the current effort by government.

    Ekosiisen’s report disclosed that immigration officers will replace soldiers on the Operation Vanguard team.

    Inusah Fuseini said the taskforce being replaced with immigration officers will over some time also make them familiar with the people and the illicit act will still continue.

    He suggested that the Chiefs and people in the area should be involved in the fight because the team cannot be at every place all the time.

    Operation Vanguard ordered to withdraw from all illegal mining areas – Report

    The report suggests that Operation Vanguard the anti-galamsey operation task force has been ordered to withdraw from all illegal mining areas in the country with immediate effect.

    Barring any last-minute changes, the soldiers will start pulling out from tomorrow and the immigration officers will take over fully.

    Their base at Tarkwa in the Western Region is expected to start moving out tomorrow and the Ashanti Region will follow suit in March.

    There are reports that this development came about as a result of the recent backlash from the public against the Military, allegations of bribery in the fight against illegal mining, the lack of confidence from the public among others.

    Source: primenewsghana.com

  • I am ashamed MPs went for GETFund scholarship Inusah Fuseini

    National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale Central constituency, Alhaji Inusah Fuseini says Members of Parliament (MPs) have no justification benefitting from GETfund scholarships.

    He says he has never benefitted from any GETFund scholarship as such he is ashamed of what his colleagues in parliament had done.

    “I am ashamed MPs went for GETFund scholarships . . . I even didn’t know that some MPs have applied for a scholarship, it never crossed my mind all these 14 years I’ve been in parliament to use my position as MP to apply for a scholarship,” he said in an interview with Maame Biamah Kwafo on Neat FM.

    He said since he became an MP he has furthered his education through his salary.

    “If you say an MP is needy what about that person in my constituency or in Ghana who has no water to drink . . . you can even describe yourself as brilliant but needy,” he said.

    According to him, in no case can MPs be described as ‘brilliant but needy students’.

    Listen to him in the interview below . . .

    Background

    A performance audit report has listed a number of high-ranking government officials including the Minister of State in Charge of Procurement, Sarah Adwoa Safo who applied and obtained $12,800 in allowances with $17,004 in tuition fees to study at the Harvard Kennedy School.

    Another person captured in the list is the Executive Secretary of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA), Prince Hamidu Armah also receiving £38,400 for living expense in addition to £33,000 for tuition fees, While Education Minister Mathew Opoku Prempeh, also received $12,800 for living expenses and $11,200 as tuition fees to study at Harvard University.

    The Auditor-General intends to surcharge persons involved in scholarship awards and also disallow expenditure items of the GETFund Secretariat, in accordance with Article 187(7) (b) of its mandate.

    This follows recommendations by the Auditor-General after faulting the GETFund for not being fair in the award of scholarships to those in need.

  • Airbus saga: Is Mahama under trial, why do you want him to speak? – Inusah Fuseini questions

    If you are expecting former President John Mahama to respond immediately to the Airbus alleged corruption scandal,then you will have to pull your brakes and wait a while.

    This is because he has not been charged with any offence on the Airbus saga and will only talk at the appropriate time. These are the assertions of Member of Parliament for Tamale Central,Hon. Inusah Fuseini.

    According to him, some people are only pouring their anger based on speculations against the former President for nothing and that will not push John Mahama to speak on the issue.

    Inusah Fuseini said former President Mahama speaking on the matter will be tantamount to stampeding the investigations process by the Special Prosecutor a reason has been silent.

    “He doesnt want to stampede the process,he is not going to stampede the process,he is not going to change the discourse,he is not going to change the narrative.He wants the Special Prosecutor to do his work, he is not afraid of anything because he was not engaged in any wrong doing. I can tell you the former President Mahama is as interested in the Airbus scandal as all the people of this country because it is he who has gotten the bad press,it is he who stands to benefit from a report produced by the special prosecutor”.

    “He will not stampede the special prosecutor,he will not in anyway muddy the waters that is why he is staying clear from the Airbus scandal to let special prosecutor do his work. those who are calling for him to speak, are probably not aware that former President Mahama is not under trial, he has no obligation to defend himself because he has not been charged with any offence.people are just speculating and pouring anger for nothing”. He noted.

    The Tamale Central MP who was speaking Daybreak Upper East however stated that, he was with no shred of doubt that John Mahama and other public officials said to be involved in the Airbus purchase will be vindicated after the investigations.

    “let me assure you with all the energy in me that former President John Mahama is interested in the Airbus debacle,he is interested because he believes in his heart of heart that the investigations to be carried out by the special prosecutor will vindicate not only John Dramani Mahama but all public officials who were connected with the purchase of the airbus that is the Kaesar 295.So former President Mahama is not under trial,he has no obligation to defend himself because people are just speculating and he so he will talk and talk at the appropriate time.

    Source: mynewsgh.com