Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has described calls for Members of Parliament to work twice week in parliament due to high fuel as unfortunate.
According to him, the current economic crisis requires Members of the house to be productive hence the need for them to come to the house daily.
“The member of parliament calling for work in just two days in a week, Mr. Speaker, that is a very apocalyptic declaration. I think that it’s an unfortunate call,” he added.
Member of Parliament for Asuogyaman Constituency in the Eastern Region, Thomas Nyarko Ampem, had called on Parliament to consider members of parliament to work twice a week instead of the current four days.
According to him, since parliament resumed, the house has been sitting for not more than two hours and this usually costs them a lot, especially with the hikes in fuel prices.
Thomas Nyarko Ampem is asking that the house sits for two days for long hours rather than come in daily to reduce the cost of fuel amidst the economic crisis.
Speaking on the floor of parliament on Friday, November 4, he said he had to pay GHC3000 Ghana cedis for fuel to fill his tank, which according to him, is too much.
“Mr Speaker we all know the business for this particular meeting is the budget and I have observed that for the days we have been here, sometimes we come and in less than two hours we adjourned till the next day. I am asking that it will not be possible for the business committee to consolidate, and park the activities so instead of four days I suggest we work two days a week in order to be able to save on the amount of money we are using for fuel.
“Mr Speaker, a day before yesterday I went to a Goil filling station at Legon, my lights were on and I asked them to fill my tank, I got down to the shop to buy something when I came back, GHC3000 was my bill. I had GHC2100, I had to call my colleague honourable Jajah to send mobile money that I am avoiding using before I was able to pay my bill. We can stay for six hours a day instead of coming for two hours and we go back. That way we can save GHC500 a week. The fuel situation is killing us,” he added.
He asserts that the whole Majority Caucus now supports the group’s stance, despite the fact that the issue was originally raised by over 90 NPP MPs who organized a news conference to demand the resignation of the troubled minister or else they would boycott any government activity in the House.
The Suame MP speaking at a news conference on Thursday, November 3, 2022, explained, “even though the issue started with the group of 80 plus, the caucus meeting aligned with the position of that group, so it is no longer the cause of the 80 plus MPs. It is the agenda for the entire caucus and we are having some discussions on that.”
The Majority Leader who is also the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs had earlier stated on Accra-based Joy FM that there had been an attempt by a wealthy businessman to influence the MPs who organised the press conference to back down on their decision.
“I’m told on authority that some businessman came here and tried to do something. I was told that he came here and tried to mediate in his own way what he thinks the problem is…he was repelled by the people and told he was told not to involve himself. So he went away,” Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu told Joy News in an interview.
“With particular reference to the attempted bribery, it’s come before me. We’ll investigate if it is true and if it is true, establish the motive of that person. Sometimes, these things come up.
“You remember the issue of a minister who was nominated to appear before the vetting committee. There was an allegation that he had attempted to bribe some people or influence some people. Eventually, it turned out to be – I will not say falsehood – but an untruth,” he stated further.
He made this appeal in a meeting with the MPs at the Jubilee House shortly after they held the October 25 press conference to demand the sacking of Mr. Ofori-Atta.
The move, he said, forms part of activities aimed at moving Ghana beyond aid and growing an indigenous railway industry that can rub shoulders with those of South Africa and other countries outside Africa.
Mr. Ghartey, who has for nearly two years been actively spearheading the transformation of Ghana’s once ‘dead’ railway sector, was speaking to journalists on Friday on the sidelines of a tour to the Tema-Accra railway line.
The tour, which had in attendance members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Transport, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Member of Parliament for Suame Constituency in the Ashanti Region, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, was to afford master artisans from Suame Magazine the opportunity to access the state of abandoned coaches at the Tema Harbour railway station and the Ghana Railway Company Limited DMU workshop.
The artisans from Suame Magazine have accordingly expressed interest in collaborating with the Ghana Railway Company Limited to refurbish the broken down coaches.
According to the minister, “We want to grow a local indigenous railway industry.”
He added, “We want to come to a situation where not too long from now we will be able to assemble coaches at least in Ghana.”
“We are determined that in Africa, we will become the best in terms of railway sector,” Mr. Ghartey indicated.
Challenge
But the minister is fully aware of the enormous tasks involved in making the Ghanaian railway sector the best on the African sub-continent.
As a result, he has thrown a challenge to the management and staff of the Ghana Railway Company to work extra hard and ensure that they adhere to rules on global best practices.
Warning
He has, therefore, warned railway workers nationwide to desist from illegal acts such as offering lands along the railways to individuals for settlement.
Mr. Ghartey stated that there are about 30 to 40 broken down coaches that have been abandoned for years.
He stated that upon assuming office, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government was confronted with several proposals to sell off such broken coaches as scrap materials, but he added that government declined the proposals and made a conscious effort to rehabilitate some of the coaches.
About 15 of the coaches were earmarked for refurbishment and government is also seeking to ensure that each refurbished coach has air conditions to ensure passengers’ comfort.
But as government is working tirelessly to transform the sector, the minister lamented that some individuals “are actively stealing.”
He, therefore, warned those in the habit of stealing to desist from such acts, adding that “we have to protect state property, you can’t dissipate state property.”
Tema-Achimota train service
The minister pointed out tremendous changes taking place in the country’s railway sector, and was optimistic that within a week or so from now, a test run will commence on the Tema-Achimota railway line to set the pace for fully resuming passenger service on that line which came to halt due to accident sometime back.
Budget
The Managing Director of Ghana Railway Company Limited, John Essel, told DAILY GUIDE that a total of GH¢1.5 million has been budgeted for the refurbishment of the 15 coaches, pointing out that so far less than GH¢1 million has been spent on procuring materials for the refurbishment.
DAILY GUIDE gathered that some of the refurbished coaches at the DMU workshop are first and second class.
The chief mechanical engineer of the Ghana Railway Company Limited, Alfred Selby, told this paper that the second class coaches have 96 seats whilst first class ones have 56 seats.
Ken Ofori-Atta is heard highlighting the fact that the administrators of the economy recognized the task at hand even before taking office and continuing the current problems in an audio message uploaded on Joy FM’s social media accounts.
However, the finance minister acknowledged that the government is addressing ongoing issues and taking into account the resources at its disposal.
“Just to assure you that you have a finance minister who has gone through all the pains and aches and nobody can really come and say we don’t understand what we are doing.”
“The question is what resources do we have and how we are going to deploy them in the nation that we have in very difficult circumstances but being very confident that the nation is purposed for greatness and we are blessed to have the opportunity to lead where we are going,” Ken Ofori-Atta added.
“Let me assure you all that your best bet is still Ghana,” he told the gathering believed to be a group of investors but the time of the meeting is, however, unknown.
NPP MPs call for Ken Ofori-Atta, Charles Adu Boahen’s removal
A group of NPP MPs, numbering over 80, on October 25 held a press conference demanding the removal of the Finance Minister and Minister of State at the Ministry, Charles Adu Biahen, over management of the economy and hard times that citizens were facing.
President Akufo-Addo intervened and got a concession on two grounds, that the Ofori-Atta be allowed to conclude initial talks with the International Monetary Fund and present the 2022 budget and see to the passage of its appropriation.
The president has also addressed the nation on the economic challenges and how the government intends to tackle them.
The Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has recently stated that the view advanced by the Ken Must Go MPs is now the Majority position.
Meanwhile, the Minority Caucus is pushing a vote of censure to remove Ofori Atta from office.
All the MPs in the New Patriotic Party Caucus in Parliament want Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta out of office, according to Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu.
After a recent meeting, the Suame MP said the whole caucus now supports calls for the Finance Minister to resign or be sacked.
“Even though the issue started with a group of 80-plus, the caucus meeting aligned with the decision of that group.”
“So it is no longer the cause of the 80-plus group. It is the agenda for the entire caucus,” Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said to journalists in Parliament.
Last week, 80 majority MPs demanded the removal of Ofori-Atta as Finance Minister and the removal of Charles Adu Boahene as Minister of State at the Finance Ministry.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu had initially criticised the timing of the NPP MPs call for the Finance Minister to be removed because Ghana is currently pursuing support from the IMF.
In response to the calls from his own party’s MPs, President Akufo-Addo urged the MPs to hold on till Ghana concludes negotiations with the IMF.
Previous calls for the removal of Ken Ofori-Atta have been rebuffed by President Akufo-Addo, who said he would continue to back Mr. Ofori-Atta.
All the MPs on the Minority side are signatories to a motion for a vote of censure on Ken Ofori-Atta as Finance Minister.
The Minority cited the overall mismanagement of the economy and ethical concerns, among others.
Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, Majority Leader, has stated that the entire Majority Caucus in Parliament, now support calls for the dismissal of Ken Ofori-Atta, Finance Minister.
According to him, even though the issue started with over 90 NPP MPs who organised a press conference to demand the removal of the embattled minister else they boycott any government business in the House, the entire Majority Caucus now aligns with the position of the group.
The Suame MP speaking at a news conference on Thursday, November 3, 2022, explained, “even though the issue started with the group of 80 plus, the caucus meeting aligned with the position of that group, so it is no longer the cause of the 80 plus MPs. It is the agenda for the entire caucus and we are having some discussions on that.”
The Majority Leader who is also the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs had earlier stated on Accra-based Joy FM that there had been an attempt by a wealthy businessman to influence the MPs who organised the press conference to back down on their decision.
“I’m told on authority that some businessman came here and tried to do something. I was told that he came here and tried to mediate in his own way what he thinks the problem is…he was repelled by the people and told he was told not to involve himself. So he went away,” Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu told Joy News in an interview.
“With particular reference to the attempted bribery, it’s come before me. We’ll investigate if it is true and if it is true, establish the motive of that person. Sometimes, these things come up.
“You remember the issue of a minister who was nominated to appear before the vetting committee. There was an allegation that he had attempted to bribe some people or influence some people. Eventually, it turned out to be – I will not say falsehood – but an untruth,” he stated further.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo had already appealed to the NPP MPs to allow Ken Ofori-Atta to stay in office until the IMF negotiations and the 2023 Budget statement is presented.
He made this appeal in a meeting with the MPs at the Jubilee House shortly after they held the October 25 press conference to demand the sacking of Mr. Ofori-Atta.
Majority leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has hinted at a postponement of the 2023 Budget Statement and the Economic Policy reading scheduled to take place on November 15, 2022.
According to the Majority leader, a new date may have to be set as the government is yet to conclude its negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Speaking to the media, the Suame Member of Parliament noted that a delegation from the Fund is expected in the country in the next few weeks to continue its negotiations.
“But if you want to do tidy work, you may be required to have some space to be able to do a tidy job. Because as you all know, these are not normal times. Nothing should be done which will eventually become wishy-washy. They want to have the best to be able to uplift us from where we are as a country. And that being the case, if we want to do a thorough job, I think there will be too much pressure if it has to be done on the 15th,” he said on Thursday, November 3, 2022.
“We want more time to interrogate the principles underpinning the budget,” Mr Osei-Kyei-Mensah added.
He posited that this action will not be in breach of the procedure since the constitution provides November 30 as the deadline for the presentation of the budget statement.
However, Section 21(3), of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016, ACT 971, states that “the Minister shall, on behalf of the President, lay before Parliament not later than the 15th of November of each financial year, estimates of the revenues and expenditure of the Government, the annual budget, for the ensuing financial year.”
Meanwhile, Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, who doubles as the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, will engage Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta on the possible new date and revert with a communique on whatever conclusion is reached.
Budget thrown out of gear
President Akufo-Addo admitted on Sunday night that the 2022 budget has already been thrown out of gear.
While addressing the nation on the state of the economy, the President said he is aware of the increase in the cost of living in the country and the economic difficulties facing Ghanaians.
According to him, the economic woes have rendered the country’s 2022 budget useless.
“For us, in Ghana, our reality is that our economy is in great difficulty. The budget drawn for the 2022 fiscal year has been thrown out of gear, disrupting our balance of payments and debt sustainability, and further exposing the structural weaknesses of our economy.
“We are in a crisis, I do not exaggerate when I say so. I cannot find an example in history when so many malevolent forces have come together at the same time,” the President said.
As long as Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta continues to negotiate for financial support with the International Monetary Fund, the introduction of the 2023 budget is likely to be postponed.
He claims that the presentation, which was initially scheduled for November 15, will now happen at a later time to give the Finance Minister time to wrap up the negotiations.
“As you do know, the Public Financial Act provides that the budget should be presented to the House latest by (the) 15th of this month (November). The discussions that are going on now involving the IMF, I think it is going to take a little bit of a while.
“My understanding is that it (the discussion) will go into the first few days of next week, around the 10th or so. If that is the case, we then have to strand out the conclusions and factor them into the budget.
“After we have succeeded in doing that because it is a budget for government it will have to go before cabinet for some discussions, integration and maybe additions and subtractions before it comes ultimately to parliament.
“I believe it is going to be quite difficult to submit to the 15th (November) deadline,” he said will address the press at Parliament on Thursday, November 3, 2022.
The Majority leader however stated that failure to present the budget to Parliament after the November 15 deadline will not be a breach of the 1992 Constitution.
Although he did provide a new date for the presentation to take place, Osei Kyei Mensah said government will need “some space to be able to do a tidy work”.
Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has revealed that Ken Ofori-Atta’s dismissal as Finance Minister is being contended by a wealthy businessman in the country.
According to the Majority Leader, the business mogul, whom he failed to identify, interceded on behalf of Mr Ofori-Attawhen he engaged some legislators on his side of the House, who called for the head of the minister.
“I’m told on authority that some businessman came here and tried to do something. I was told that he came here and tried to mediate in his own way what he thinks the problem is,” he said.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsunoted that the disgruntled Majority MP’s paid no attention and advised him not to involve himself.
“So he went away,” the Parliamentary Affairs Minister is quoted by JoyNews to have said.
It is unclear whether the intercession took place before the 80 NPP MPs, led by Andy Appiah-Kubi, the MP for Asante Akim North, held a press briefing on October 25, 2022, and demanded the removal of Mr Ofori-Atta and Minister of State at the Finance Ministry, Charles Adu Boahen.
The Majority Leader has expressed interest in finding out the motive behind the business tycoon’s unwavered support for the Finance Minister, albeit he has been blamed for Ghana’s economic crisis.
“If that is the case I want to talk to that man and know his motive. But people could also be indulging in speculation. So we want to hear him to see what it is… Did he come here?… did he come with any inducement? What was the motivation? Not having heard him, I don’t want to prejudge,” he stated.
The Majority in Parliament has suspended their demand for the removal of the Finance Minister after engaging President Akufo-Addo.
President Akufo-Addo, who has touted Mr Ofori-Atta as a viable minister, has called on Ghanaians to permit the sector minister to complete the country’s negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Also, he was the 2023 Budget Statement presented to Parliament before talks on Mr Ofori-Atta’s dismissal progressed any further.
The minority, however, is bent on removing the minister from his post. The Minority, led by Haruna Iddrisu, the Tamale South MP, has filed a motion to censure the Finance Minister.
Speaker Alban Bagbin has admitted the motion was filed on October 25.
In a statement he signed, Suame MP and Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu clarified some of what President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo pleaded with the Majority MPs to allow Ken Ofori-Atta to propose the 2023 budget and wrap up Ghana’s talks with the IMF.
The appeal was made following a press conference called by the majority of MPs calling for the resignation of the finance minister.
The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs claims that the president did not categorically state that he would fire Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta and Minister of State at the Finance Ministry Charles Adu Boahen following the IMF negotiations and the reading and appropriation of the 2023 Budget when he met with Majority MPs.
He explained in a Joy News interview monitored by GhanaWeb that, “the President did not say that. To quote his words, he said ‘let’s finish with this, the IMF and the budget thereafter, we should hold on until after these’.”
Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu continued that the president’s statement could result in an ‘either or’ decision.
“It could be. I mean, either of them is subject to interpretations that ‘okay hold on after the events then we come back and discuss,’ or ‘hold on after the event I will act.’
“’I will act’ may not necessarily mean that ‘I will do that’. According to what the President told us, you hold on until…so it could be that ‘I’ll come back to consider it’ or ‘I’ll give in to your demands’.
“The plea was – hold on until after these events, the IMF discussions and the budget. In fact, I even added when there appeared to be some unclarity about what happens after the presentation of the budget, I said no if the budget is presented by a person, you’d require that same person to shepherd the appropriations.
“And that is how come for the avoidance of doubt I said let us include the appropriation so that there’s no doubt in anybody’s mind that after the budget has been read then agitations will start again,” Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu noted.
About 95 NPP MPs demanded the immediate dismissal of the Finance Minister.
The MPs at a press conference stated that the continuous stay of Ken Ofori-Atta in office was delaying the IMF bailout the country is seeking due to the fact that the Minister has lost all credibility.
They demanded the President to either remove him or face a boycott of his business in Parliament.
The President, however, appealed to them for more time for the embattled Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta to conclude negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) before any talks of resignation.
Amid the calls for his resignation, Finance Minister’s predicament has courted him sympathisers in certain quarters of the business community.
Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has revealed that when some of the Majority MPs called for Mr. Ofor-Atta’s dismissal, one of Ghana’s wealthy businessmen approached them to plead on behalf of the Minister.
In an interview with JoyNews, the Majority leader explained that in the heat of the arguments in Parliament, the said businessman met some of the legislators and “tried to do something.”
He fell short of stating what exactly the move was nor the form it took.
“I’m told on authority that some businessman came here and tried to do something,” he told Evans Mensah.
The Suame MP insisted that it was meant to help persuade the members of the house against nudging the Minister out of office.
“I was told that he came here and tried to mediate in his own way what he thinks the problem is,” he said.
He further narrated that “he was repelled by the people and told he was told not to involve himself. So he went away.”
This revelation was made in a yet-to-be-aired interview on PM Express on JoyNews.
“If that is the case I want to talk to that man and know his motive. But people could also be indulging in speculation. So we want to hear him to see what it is… Did he come here?… did he come with any inducement? What was the motivation? Not having heard him, I don’t want to prejudge.”
According to Osei-Kyei-Mensah Bonsu, the man in question is a known figure in the business community who has his own way of dealing with both sides of the political divide.
The Finance Minister is the subject of criticism for what many say is a lost grip on the economy.
Ken Ofori-Atta is at the doors of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) seeking a bailout to prevent a further slump.
An Anti-Corruption Campaigner, Edem Senanu, has called for investigation into an assertion by Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu that a wealthy businessman attempted to ‘do something’ on behalf of Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta when some Majority NPP MPs asked for the latter’s removal.
The Majority Leader said he was told on authority that when the Majority MPs called for Mr. Ofori-Atta’s dismissal, one of Ghana’s wealthy businessmen approached them to mediate in the impasse.
“I’m told on authority that some businessman came here and tried to do something,” he told Evans Mensah.
In a yet-to-be-aired interview on JoyNews’ PM Express, the Majority Leader explained that the aforementioned businessman was however stopped in his tracks and he left. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu nonetheless promised to find out from the businessman whether he did anything of the sort.
Speaking in an interview on Joy FMs Top Story, on Tuesday, Mr. Senanu said the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng should be contacted to see if the issue qualifies to be something he can take up.
This, he said, is because the wealthy businessman had a motive.
“It deserves much more investigation. What interest was he seeking to protect or promote?” Mr. Senanu quizzed.
When asked if he trusts the Majority Leader to do a good job at investigating the motive of the businessman, Mr. Senanu replied in the negative.
“No, certainly not the Majority Leader … Indeed there is a sense in which one is wondering whether this is not an attempt to throw a red herring because already we don’t understand why within 24 hours, the Majority Leader had taken a position and we don’t have a clear statement on what the President has said.”
Amid the calls for his resignation, Finance Minister’s predicament has courted him sympathisers in certain quarters of the business community.
Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has revealed that when some of the Majority MPs called for Mr. Ofor-Atta’s dismissal, one of Ghana’s wealthy businessmen approached them to plead on behalf of the Minister.
In an interview with JoyNews, the Majority leader explained that in the heat of the arguments in Parliament, the said businessman met some of the legislators and “tried to do something.”
He fell short of stating what exactly the move was nor the form it took.
“I’m told on authority that some businessman came here and tried to do something,” he told Evans Mensah.
According to Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, a businessman ‘tried to do something’ in his own way to mediate on the Finance Minister’s sack in Parliament last week.
The Suame MP insisted that it was meant to help persuade the members of the house against nudging the Minister out of office.
“I was told that he came here and tried to mediate in his own way what he thinks the problem is,” he said.
He further narrated that “he was repelled by the people and told he was told not to involve himself. So he went away.”
This revelation was made in a yet-to-be-aired interview on PM Express on JoyNews.
“If that is the case I want to talk to that man and know his motive. But people could also be indulging in speculation. So we want to hear him to see what it is… Did he come here?… did he come with any inducement? What was the motivation? Not having heard him, I don’t want to prejudge.”
According to Osei-Kyei-Mensah Bonsu, the man in question is a known figure in the business community who has his own way of dealing with both sides of the political divide.
The Finance Minister is the subject of criticism for what many say is a lost grip on the economy.
Ken Ofori-Atta is at the doors of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) seeking a bailout to prevent a further slump.
Speaker Alban Bagbin has said he welcomes dissenting views being expressed on his rulings in the House.
This comes after he was heavily criticized by the Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu on his ruling to refer Dome-Kwabenya Member of Parliament Sarah Adwoa Safo to the plenary for debate.
Addressing a press conference in Accra, Speaker Bagbin said “The Supreme Court sometimes disagrees, sometimes the decision can be unanimous but after a few months they themselves realize they erred. I always welcome disagreement. It is a language that sometimes I feel uncomfortable about but as for the disagreement, it is welcomed.”
Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu had told him that his understanding of law on how to handle a lawmaker who has been absent without permission, was wrong.
Addressing the press after the Speaker’s ruling Adwoa Safo, on Wednesday October 26, Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu who is lawmaker for Suame said “The Speaker is totally wrong in his understanding of the law, that is why I repeated that he has sent us on a very obsequious path, it doesn’t help Parliament.”
Mr Bagbin ruled that Parliament will debate on the removal or otherwise of Adwo Safo.
Delivering his ruling in Parliament on Wednesday October 26, Speaker Bagbin said “The house is well within its right to receive and consider the report from the committee and make a determination.
“It is my ruling that motion be was rightfully admitted.”
Sarah Adwoa Safo absented herself for more than the stipulated 15 days.
The Majority caucus wanted her seat to be declared vacant but this was opposed by the Minority, who felt she should be heard first.
The Speaker also questioned the authority of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) MPs to declare her seat vacant.
In March, Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu disclosed that Sarah Adwoa Safo had requested a month-long leave from the House.
Subsequently, the Speaker referred her case and that of two other MPs, namely Henry Quartey, MP for Ayawaso Central and Kennedy Agyapong, MP for Assin Central, to the Privileges Committee for hearing.
Speaker Bagbin, who deferred ruling on the matter before parliament went on recess, promised to do so when sitting resumes.
In a formal communication to the House on Tuesday, the Speaker noted that because there were few things to transact just after the assumption, he deferred the ruling to Wednesday.
How the NPP stronghold of Ashanti Region is evolving into a center for economic protests.
Undoubtedly, the Ashanti Region plays a significant role in the election success of the governing New Patriotic Party, NPP, but in recent weeks and months, it has emerged as a focal point for unrest over economic hardship.
The region experienced a spike in political unrest long before the economy-related protests, ranging from the infrastructure deficit to the failure to keep political commitments.
Before that, the Mampongteng Chief threatened to lead a protest against the government over the abandonment of infrastructure projects in the area.
Then there was also the Ashanti youth group so-called that threatened to campaign against all MPs in the region because the region was not benefiting from their presence in the legislature.
In the past week, the region has hogged national headlines with business people issuing threats over an economic crunch that the government insists it is not entirely blamable for and which it is working assiduously to resolve.
GhanaWeb looks at four instances where the Ashanti Region has protested against the government for economic reasons.
“At this moment, we are running at a loss. All our capitals are in a ditch,” Nana Yaw Agyeman, the Deputy Secretary of the importers association in Kumasi, told Citi FM.
“The inflation is killing us. It is collapsing all our finances, collapsing all our capital, and we cannot sit down for our capital to drain like that,” he said confirming the group of about eight was mobilizing members to begin the strike next week.
Traders lock up shops
Two weeks ago, the busiest business enclaves in the region became ghost towns after traders locked up their shops in protest of harsh economic conditions.
A GNA report stated: The traders, most of whom deal in fast-moving consumer goods closed their shops on Monday, October 10, 2022, in protest of what they described as an unfavourable tax regime and the free fall of the Ghana cedis.
The closures left the Pampaso and PZ areas, considered the busiest enclave in the Kumasi central business district empty while many traders who had come from near and far from Kumasi to buy some of these items were left stranded, the report added.
It took the intervention of the Asantehemaa, Nana Yaa Konadu for the traders to agree to reopen their shops.
The week after, the Ghana Union of Traders Association, GUTA, also embarked on a similar protest in solidarity with those in Kumasi. Their one-week planned closure also last two days after the Ga Mantse intervened.
Akufo-Addo booed at Adum
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s convoy suffered boos and jeers from bystanders in the Ashanti Region as they made their way through an area reported to be Adum.
Despite being a stronghold of the ruling New Patriotic Party, NPP, Akufo-Addo’s convoy received uncharacteristic hoots, boos and jeers as it made its way through the Central Business District of Kumasi on October 17.
As seen in videos shared via social media, some traders lined up along the stretch of the road booed away as the president and his convoy passed through the Adum Market to inspect the progress of work on the Kejetia/Central Market Project Phase II.
The booing of the president’s convoy has largely been attributed to the current state of the Ghanaian economy and the general economic hardship in the country.
Protest against GRA tax regime
Management of the Ghana Revenue Authority, GRA was forced to call for a meeting with business operators in the Central Business Districts (CBDs) of the Ashanti Region after a tax standoff.
The meeting of October 11, 2022, was called after business operators embarked on a sit–down strike over the duplicate payment of Value Added Tax (VAT) on products sold in the Kumasi metropolis.
The business operators also complained about the GRA’s decision to assign tax officers to the offices of the business operators to ensure tax compliance and payment of the VAT among others.
With the above, and with Accra having held a single protest action against the harsh economic environment, it is safe to state that the electoral stronghold of the NPP is becoming the hub of economic protests.
The majority leader of the House of Representatives, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, was disparaged by the member of parliament representing Tamale Central, Ibrahim Murtala Muhammad, according to broadcaster Paul Adom-Otchere.
The MP criticized Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu for claiming that Alban Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament, did not comprehend Ghanaian legislation.
On Wednesday (October 26), during an interview with TV3 in Parliament that GhanaWeb was able to observe, Murtala claimed that the Speaker has been the target of unwarranted attacks from the majority leader who constantly wants to challenge him.
He added that Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu could not in any way compare himself to Speaker Alban Bagbin when it comes to constitutional and legal matters.
“The Majority Leader has a penchant for attacking the person of the Speaker. And he does that all the time. Any opportunity he gets, he picks on the Speaker. He did that on the floor. The Speaker didn’t want to sink into the gutters, and the Speaker was very diplomatic.
“You listened to him in the press conference and he even said that the Speaker doesn’t even understand the law. When the Speaker was a lawyer practising, you, Honourable Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, you were selling spare parts at Magazine, at the time the Speaker was a practising lawyer,” he said.
Reacting to this during his Good Morning Ghana show on Thursday (October 27), Paul Adom-Otchere said that Murtala, by the statement he made, lacks wisdom.
“I talked about wisdom… that wisdom, it is not everybody that is able to demonstrate it like that. You’re a politician, a Member of Parliament, and you’re talking down spare parts dealers.
“Murtala, Allah will forgive you eh. Don’t do that again. You are part of a mass party, the National Democratic Congress, and you are rubbishing spare parts dealers that their nobodies.
“Don’t you know that people finish university these days with a first class in electrical engineering and then go and do spare parts dealing? What is wrong with some of our politicians?
“Murtala was talking down spare parts dealers that Majority Leader Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu he was a spare parts dealer when Bagbin was practising law. Murtala is saying that. The other day, he was not happy that somebody was calling him a teacher,” he said.
John Dramani Mahama, a former president of Ghana, is adamant that dismissing Ken Ofori-Atta as finance minister will not have any bearing on Ghana’s negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) or the creation of the budget.
The President met with lawmakers who demanded the dismissal of the Finance Minister and the Minister of State at the Finance Ministry, according to a statement from the majority leader, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu.
He claimed the President appealed to these Members of Parliament to exercise patience for the Finance Minister to finish the IMF negotiations and also the presentation of the country’s budget in November.
The Majority Group Members of Parliament according to the statement acceded to the President’s appeal.
But reacting to the statement from the Majority Leader, former President John Dramani Mahama indicated that the absence of Ken Ofori-Atta will in no way affect the preparation of the country’s budget and the current negotiations.
He argues these things are done in groups and there is no way his absence will even be felt if he’s taken out of office adding that there are surely people with the requisite experience to carry on the work reminding them of their mantra “we have the men”.
Former President John Dramani Mahama has argued that it is unsustainable for the Finance Minister to depart after concluding the budget and IMF negotiations, which is the ostensible compromise made by the majority in parliament.
In response to President Akufo-Addo‘s request, the Majority Caucus in Parliament has agreed to let the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, and the Minister of State for the Finance Ministry, Charles Adu Boahen, continue in their positions until the conclusion of the IMF negotiations.
Per the press statement released by the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the Minister of Finance will stay “until the conclusion of the round of negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the presentation of the Budget Statement and Economic Policy in November, 2022 and the subsequent passage of the Appropriation Bill after which time the demand will be acted upon.”
But the former leader maintained that the Minister’s removal will have no ramifications on the IMF negotiations and the preparation of the 2023 Budget.
“Budget preparation and IMF negotiations are the result of teamwork, not the work of one individual. I fail to see how the absence of the Minister will affect the preparation of the budget or the negotiations with the
Fund,” he said while speaking at a lecture on the economy on Thursday.
He reiterated that the President must not only replace the finance minister, but also reconstitute and take control of the Economic Management Team himself.
Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has reacted to Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Murtala Mohammed, who described him as a spare parts dealer.
According to the majority leader, he is a proud spare parts dealer and being a spare parts dealer does not mean one cannot contribute to the issues of law in the country.
He said even when the NDC was compiling the 1992 constitution, many groups from the informal sector were asked to contribute to the drafting of the constitution; therefore, being a spare parts dealer does not make one senseless.
“What exactly is he saying? Does he want to say you don’t have sense if you sell spare parts? When the NDC was drafting the constitution, wasn’t the GPRTU included? Drivers, fishermen, and farmers, among others, were called to the consultative assembly to share their ideas, don’t they know anything about the law?
“What’s funny is that Murtala is my good friend. I sold engine parts, and I’m very proud of that, even if I sold Sam paper, I’m very proud of that because Murtala is currently doing his PHD, and he wants to be called Dr Murtala if he completes school, he recently came to my office to discuss parliamentary practice, and I was with him for two hours, teaching him how to go about but what he said I didn’t take it as a big issue. This is a law issue,” he said in an interview with Okay FM, monitored by Ghanaweb.
The Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, criticised the majority leader for saying that the Speaker of Parliament does not understand the laws of Ghana.
According to the MP, the majority leader always wants to challenge the Speaker and has been attacking him needlessly.
He added that Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu could not compare himself to Speaker Alban Bagbin when it comes to constitutional and legal matters.
“The majority leader has a penchant for attacking the person of the Speaker. And he does that all the time. Any opportunity he gets, he picks on the Speaker. He did that on the floor, the Speaker didn’t want to sink into the gutters, and the Speaker was very diplomatic.
“You listen to him in the press conference and he even said that the Speaker doesn’t even understand the law. When the Speaker was a lawyer practising you, Honourable Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, you were selling spare parts at Magazine, at the time the Speaker was a practising lawyer,” he said.
It was based on the above comment that the majority leader said he is proud to be a spare part dealer.
Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has stated that President Akufo-Addo’s engagement with identifiable economic groups and institutions in the country has been fruitful and smooth and the deliberations has largely focused on the need to restore economic stability.
He said this when he addressed the press at the Jubilee House on 26 October 2022, at the end of two days of broad consultations between the President and multiple groups and stakeholders in the country’s economic space.
Amongst the groups the President held meetings with are; Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), Ghana Association of Bankers, Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) and Transport Operators.
The rest are Forex Bureau Association of Ghana, Forex Bureau, Market Women, Ghana Employers Association, Private Enterprise Federation, and the leaders of the Trades Union Congress (TUC).
In his interaction with the identifiable bodies, President Akufo-Addo, according to Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, briefed them on the state of negotiations between his government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the implications of a possible programme with the fund on the country’s economy in the coming weeks and in the long term.
“Cost of living has been big on the agenda, the currency is being big on the agenda but item number one has been stability, restoring economic stability and then on the back of that, looking to how we can bring back so growth and expansion on the Ghana economy. These discussions have gone very smoothly” Oppong Nkrumah said.
“Our expectation is that all of these will form a part of what the President and cabinet will be considering over the weekend prior to making some decision and then on Sunday, he [President Akufo-Addo] will have the opportunity to address the nation and we take the steps from there” he added.
President Akufo-Addo’s engagement with economic groupings in the country and the upcoming Cabinet retreat follows the challenging state of the country’s economy as a result of the hit it has suffered from the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of the geo-political war ongoing between Russia and Ukraine.
The entire global economy according to financial expects is slipping into recession as the World Bank warns that it will take all the countries of the world several decades to pay off the debts they have accumulated over COVID-19 spending in the last two years alone.
The Majority Caucus in Parliament on Wednesday issued a tempered statement following a surprise announcement on Tuesday by some of its members who had called for the removal of Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta and Minister of State for Finance Charles Adu Boahene.
Wednesday’s press statement by the Majority Caucus, signed by Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, MP, Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, confirmed a much anticipated, but quick, meeting between President Nana Akufo-Addo and his party’s MPs about the surprise announcement, with Members of Parliament (MPs) of the governing National Patriotic Party (NPP) pledging to back the President.
Sources at Jubilee House had earlier indicated that the call for the removal of the Ministers for Finance had caught the Presidency by surprise.
According to the statement, the President has requested that the matter be delayed and “acted upon” after “the conclusion of the round of negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF)” as well as the next presentation of the budget statement and economic policy”. This is to be followed by the passage of the Appropriation Bill, which is also a few weeks away.
The Majority Caucus, in their press statement, said that after internal discussions among their rank and file on Wednesday, they had “agreed to accede to the President’s appeal”.
In the meantime, analysts have pondered over the timing of Tuesday’s surprise announcement with looming fears over the uncertainty of the state of the country’s economic health should the Finance Ministers step aside, especially at a watershed moment. The two are currently leading negotiations on Ghana’s 17th return to the IMF. They are also in the middle of a yet-to-be finalised debt restructuring programme.
The Majority Caucus in Parliament has agreed to the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s request that Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta be permitted to wrap up negotiations with the International Monetary Fund, or IMF.
According to an agreement made by the president and the legislators following a meeting late Tuesday, the embattled Minister will also be permitted to submit the government’s 2023 Budget Statement later this month.
According to a letter dated October 26 and signed by the majority leader and minister for parliamentary affairs, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, calls for Ofori-dismissal Atta’s would be considered after these two incidents.
The statement also indicated that beyond the passage of the next budget, MPs will ensure that the attendant appropriation bill is also passed as part of the deal with Akufo-Addo.
Following the Pres Conference held on Tuesday, 25th October, 2022 by some Members of the Majority Caucus in Parliament demanding the removal of Minister of Finance, Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta and the Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance, Mr. Charles Adu Boahen from office, the President engaged Members of the Caucus and requested that the issue be stood down until the conclusion of the round of negotiations with the international Monetary Fund (IMF) and the presentation of the Budget Statement and Economic Policy in November 2022, and the subsequent passage of the Appropriation Bill after which time the demand shall be acted upon.
After deliberations among the Majority Caucus today, Wednesday, 26th October, 2022, it was agreed to accede to the President’s appeal.
According to him, even the first phase of negotiations with the IMF has not been concluded; therefore, it will be “inappropriate” to sack the finance minister now.
Quoted by asaaseradio.com, he said, “My advice after hearing them was that if they were talking about this matter two or three months ago, that would have been different.”
According to him, “even the first phase [of negotiation with the IMF] has not been concluded. Those conclusions will be factored into the budget.”
“They [IMF team] have come here on two occasions; the minister has led a team to Washington to follow up on the discussions; they are coming here again next week. And soon after, the conclusions we will derive will be captured into the budget that we are expecting no later than November 15,” he stated.
He pleaded with the MPs to put their calls on hold till the 2023 budget is finalized.
“We are pleading with them that, looking at where we are, I am not too sure this is the appropriate time to be talking about this. So, I was pleading to let their feet pause the accelerator pedal for a while; maybe after the budget, we could resurrect it. Now is not the best time,” Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said.
They made the demand on October 25, 2022, where they noted that these key players in the management of the economy must be removed in order to instil public confidence and put the economy back on track.
Many Ghanaians, including Members of Parliament on the Majority side, have been left disappointed after the highly-expected ruling by the Speaker of Parliament on the fate of their colleague ended in the balance.
The Majority MPs, led by the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, had called for the seat of Sarah Adwoa Safo, MP for Dome Kwabenya, to be declared vacant after she failed to appear in parliament for sittings.
Although the Speaker of Parliament was initially expected to deliver his verdict on the matter in the last meeting of parliament in July 2022, he adjourned it, announcing later that he would give his ruling on Wednesday, October 26, 2022.
However, when Alban Bagbin did, he gave a ruling that the report of the committee set up to look into the case of the MP and two others who absented themselves for a number of sittings should be presented before the whole house to be debated.
He, therefore, dismissed the objection of the Majority Leader to the admissibility of the committee report for the consideration of the house.
“As I have noted in this ruling, the decision (sic) on not to admit a motion is the exclusive preserve of the Speaker. In view of the foregoing, the House is well within its right to receive and consider reports of the committee and make a determine arising out of the consideration.
“In the circumstances, it is my ruling that the motion was rightfully admitted and the report of the committee is subject to the consideration of the house. It goes without saying that the (sic) objection of the Majority Leader today (sic) is hereby dismissed…” he concluded his verdict.
It will be recalled that on July 29, 2022, a day after parliament adjourned its first decision to determine the fate of the Dome Kwabenya MP, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo sacked her as the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection.
In a statement, the president said the revocation of the MP’s appointment as minister was to take immediate effect.
“In accordance with article 81(a) of the Constitution, the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has revoked the appointment of Hon. Sarah Adwoa Safo, Member of Parliament for Dome Kwabenya, as Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, with immediate effect.
“The Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Madam Cecilia Abena Dapaah, will continue to act as caretaker Minister for the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, until such a time that President Akufo-Addo appoints a substantive Minister,” the statement from the Presidency concluded.
Sarah Adwoa Safo has been in the United States of America since 2021.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Suame, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has cautioned his colleague parliamentarians over their push for the sack of Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, October 26, Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said that sacking the Offori-Atta now might have a devastating impact on the economy.
He intimated that sacking the finance minister while he is leading Ghana’s bailout negotiation with the International Monetary Fund might have disastrous consequences.
“My own personal thinking is whether or not could be done midstream into the negotiations with the IMF and again midstream in the crafting of a budget.
“What will be the effects of this (the sack) in the negotiation and even its impact on the performance of the currency as we see now? And so Mr. Speaker these are matters that we should interrogate,” Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, who is also the leader of the majority caucus, said.
The Minority and Majority Members of Parliament seem to be on the same page following the call to remove the finance minister from office.
While the Minority in Parliament has filed a motion to have Ken Ofori-Atta sacked, the Majority also threatened to boycott the 2023 budget presentation if the finance minister is not relieved of his post.
The MPs explained that their position follows several concerns over the poor management of the economy, which has forced the government to seek IMF assistance.
According to Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, Ghana was directly impacted by the Russia-Ukraine war by the drop in exports from Ukraine and indirectly by the war’s impact on the price of petroleum products.
“The increase in the price of things we don’t export from Ukraine is because the price of petroleum products has increased due to the war. Because of the increase in the prices of petroleum products, the cost of transportation has also increased, which is affecting the prices of all other goods.
“So, it is shocking to hear the former president say he does not see how the Russia-Ukraine war affects Ghana’s economy,” he said in Twi, in an interview with Hello FM, monitored by GhanaWeb.
The remark made by the IMF chief, in Mr. Mahama’s opinion, ignores the fundamental truths underlying Ghana’s economic difficulties, which he attributes to poor management on the side of the Akufo-Addo-led administration.
“While observing the custom in international diplomacy of speaking quietly is welcomed, statements made by high-ranking officials must be supported by evidence and take into account local circumstances and opinions.
The former president stated, in a Facebook post seen by GhanaWeb, “The indisputable fact is that Ghana is in a shambles due to the terrible policies of this government, which have contributed immensely to the dire condition of affairs.”
The agreement was laid in the house, a day after the Majority Leader and Suame MP, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, was attacked in his constituents over the nature of roads in his constituency where the interchange will be constructed.
Speaking during the debate, the Majority Leader urged his constituents not to foment trouble due to the nuisance of dust pollution that may occur during the construction.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu recently assured that the project would start in September 2022.
Construction of the road started late in June 2022, but was suspended due to a shortage of bitumen.
The contractor is however said to have resumed work after the tensions that saw the MP accosted by artisans in the Suame Magazine enclave when he visited the area.
Residents have complained that the poor road is hampering business in the industrial hub due to the build-up of dust brought on by the moving cars.
The Majority Leader and MP for Suame, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has disputed media reports that he was nearly lynched by traders at Suame Magazine, yesterday, Tuesday, July 18, 2022.
The MP told Kwabena Agyapong on Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm that the traders were only expressing their discontent.
He said contrary to claims that he was attacked, the situation was not as reported by a section of the Ghanaian media.
â€I was not attacked. The traders only expressed, their discontent over our promise to construct the road in Suame.â€
According to the lawmaker, he had gone to the area to address some issues they had raised over delays in constructing a road in the area and the Suame interchange.
He said he had gone to Suame to address the issues the traders had raised, and upon reaching a section of the area, they encountered a group who would not take any explanation on why the project had been delayed.
He explained that he moved away from the group, but they followed him and his team and at a point, started throwing sachet of water at us.
Later, we went to a conference center in the area and engaged some of them on the issues they had raised.
He disclosed that the contractor who was working on the road project suspended the project because he was short of bitumen.
Meanwhile, he has underscored the need for the party and government to enhance the communication channel to prevent these challenges.
Some artisans at the Suame Magazine in the SuameMunicipality of the Ashanti region on Monday, July 18, 2022, hooted and pelted their Member of Parliament Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu with sachets of water for allegedly denying them development.
The MP who is also the Majority Leader of Parliament had gone to inspect the abandoned Suame highway which the artisans said had claimed one life due to its deteriorated nature.
It would be recalled that the artisans last Friday blocked the highway and demonstrated against the MP and the government for not ensuring that the road was fixed.
They warned of another demonstration today if the contractor does not return to the road to have it fixed.
The contractor has returned to the road which the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs had gone to inspect today.
The angry artisans upon hearing of the arrival of the MP thronged the highway and started hooting, pelting him with sachets of water, and subsequently chased him away.
The Suame legislator who was accompanied by the Municipality Chief Executive for the area, Mr. Maxwell Ofosu Boakye, and some party members had to run and seek protection on top of a storey building at Suame Tarkwa Makro.
The artisans are still gathered in front of the building and chanting although police have been deployed to the scene to calm down nerves.
Colonel Peter Kwame Ghansah (Rtd), the Head of Operations at the National Identification Authority (NIA), has disclosed that 16,936,934 Ghanaians has been registered by the Authority as of July 12, including pilot, mass and continuous registration exercises.
He explained that the number of cards printed is 16,743,832 whilst the number of uncollected Ghana cards is 895,140, adding that the number of cards replaced is 159,439.
Colonel Ghansah announced this when officials of the National Identification Authority appeared in the House to brief Members of Parliament (MPs) about the operations and activities of the NIA.
Colonel Ghansah also explained that the number of persons whose records were updated is 34,623 whilst the number of foreigners registered and the number of non-citizens who renewed their cards from January to June 2022 is 12,379 and 15,552 is respectively.
He said the total number of foreigners registered from 2013 to date is 156,339 and that from the figures it means that on average 17,371 foreigners are registered annually.
Colonel Ghansah further indicated that between 2018 and 2022 the NIA executed MOUs for delivery of data harmonization and integration services with institutions including the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Students Loan Trust Fund (SLTF), Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), the Bank of Ghana (BOG), Artel-Tigo, MTN, Vodafone and Glow.
He explained that after the execution of the MOU and the data harmonization process, the NIA had transferred data to institutions including the GRA, SSNIT, NHIA and MTN, among others.
He said for the GRA the NIA has transferred a total of 15, 797,860 data, SSNIT-15,412,055, NHIA-15,370,256, Artel-Tigo-1,766,446, MTN-11,524,584, Vodafone-10, 340,802 and Glo-142,215.
Colonel Ghansah also stated that the NIA was engaging the Electoral Commission, Birth and Death Registry, Ghana Immigration Service, Passport Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration for similar purposes.
He explained that Ghanaians who had registered but had not yet received their Ghana card could still be clarified by the Banks and Telcom companies if verification devices specified by the NIA were available.
Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu in his comments raised concern that the Ghana card which is a public good is increasingly not accessible to millions of Ghanaians.
He called on the NIA to give a regional and district breakdown in terms of the number of people registered as well as the cards issued by the Authority.
“Many Ghanaians are struggling to have access to the Ghana card,†he said.
Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, in his comment, reiterated the call for the NIA to provide the regional and district breakdown in terms of the figures to the House.
“I subscribe to the idea that we should have the regional and district breakdown because Ghana is broken down into regions, so that when we have the full complements of the identification cards, it should even help us to know region by region and district by district the ethnic breakdown of the country†he added.
Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the Majority Leader, has expressed his displeasure with Dome Kwabena MP Sarah Adowa Safo over her recent statement regarding her absence from Parliament.
In an interview with Joy News last week, Madam Safo stated that her return to serve her country is dependent on her son’s health.
In response, Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu stated that the MP’s absence for 15 sittings without the Speaker’s authorization is a violation of Standing Order 17(1) of Parliament and Article 97(1)(c) of the Constitution.
The Suame legislator described Adwoa Safo’s absence as concerning in an interview with Okay FM, urging that she leave her position if she has no information of her return to parliament.
Adwoa Safo, he claims, cannot abandon her responsibilities and deny her constituents the right to be heard and represented in parliament. As a result, declaring her seat vacant would be a step in the right path.
The Majority Leader added that by leaving her seat, the government will be able to hold bye-elections to choose a candidate committed to representing the people of Dome-Kwabenya in Parliament.
She has been in the United States for over a year, looking after her children, especially one who, according to her, requires particular care due to medical concerns.
Due to her prolonged absence, Adwoa Safo has been referred to the Privileges Committee with two other MPs, Henry Quartey of Ayawaso Central and Kennedy Agyapong of Assin North.
The Privileges Committee was to meet the Dome Kwabenya MP today, May 27, over her absence in Parliament.
However, due to her absence, the said interrogation which was to be held in private, as stated by Ranking Member on the Privileges Committee, Ricketts Kweku Hagan, would not take place.
Alban Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament and the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, have again clashed, this time, over the appointment of Johnson Asiedu Nketia onto the Parliamentary Service Board.
Asiedu Nketia was on Monday, March 29 confirmed as part of the six-member board which is chaired by the Speaker of Parliament.
A special advisory committee report on the appointment had suggested that the appointment of Asiedu Nketia would amount to an intrusion of parliament.
“It is considered by some members of the committee that the membership of Mr Asiedu Nketia amounts to an undesired intrusion into the governance of Parliament by a political party and may not in the circumstances bode well for the independence of Parliament since he is the General-Secretary of a major opposition political party.
“Notwithstanding, Mr Speaker is the person clothed with the authority to appoint the other four persons, who together with the Clerk-to-Parliament constitute the Parliamentary Service Board. It is also our considered opinion that Mr Speaker will do what is appropriate,†the letter as quoted by the Daily Graphic reads.
But Bagbin who expressed heartfelt appreciation to the committee allayed fears that the appointment of Asiedu Nketia is tantamount to the intrusion of Parliament.
“But I want to note that the former Parliamentary Service Board had Honourable Hackman Owusu-Agyeman as a member of the board and Hackman Owusu Agyeman later became the Chairman of the Council of Elders of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
“That one was not [an] intrusion into the governance of Parliament by a political party. What is good for the gander is also good for the goose. Honourable members the board will be constituted and we will start our work,†he said.
Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the Majority Leader, however, dissented to the views of Alban Bagbin.
Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said that he disagreed with Alban Bagbin but will not challenge his ruling.
“The reason is if I should challenge every ruling, and maybe there is a debate on it and Mr Speaker’s ruling is brought down, I have succeeded in doing it, inflicting a mortal wound on the chair and that will bring the repute of this House down.
“I will never do that because it is for us to protect the Speakership and I will ever do that. So, I refuse any bait to challenge the ruling of the Speaker,” he said.
Members of the Board
Aside Bagbin and Asiedu Nketia, the other four members of the board are the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Leader of Government Business in Parliament, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the Minority Leader, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Mr Abraham Osei Aidoo, who is a former New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament and former Majority Leader and Cyril Nsiah, the Clerk of Parliament.
To fully settle investors of the remaining failed 17 asset management companies (AMCs), the Securities and Exchange Commission will require an additional amount of GH¢5.5 billion, equivalent to 1.3 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), the interim Finance Minister, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has said.
Presenting the 2021 budget statement to parliament last week, he said government is seeking approval of the amount from Parliament to complete the asset management industry bailout.
Out of the estimated GH¢8.5 billion in total required to pay investors of the failed AMCs, legislators approved GH¢3.1 billion in the 2020 mid-year budget.
The bailout covers 47 failed asset management companies, including Gold Coast Fund Management (now Blackshield Capital Management), First Banc Financial Services, Liberty Asset Management, Beige Capital Asset Management, Ideal Capital Partners, and Frontline Capital Advisors.
By the end of December 2020, government had provided GH¢3.4 billion for the payment of validated claims to investors of 30 AMCs for which liquidation orders had been obtained. This amount was in a combination of a three-year marketable bond of GH¢2.5 billion and a five-year zero-coupon bond of GH¢915 million.
In December 2020, SEC revealed that 2,802 clients of the defunct fund management companies had received full or partial payment of their investments.
The full bailout package involves a special arrangement whereby the government will pay clients of defunct fund management companies whose liquidation has been approved by the courts the full amount of their investments within a three-year period.
The partial bailout, on the other hand, is a flat cash payment of GH¢50,000 to clients of fund management companies whose liquidation has yet to be approved by the courts.
MP for Suame and Leader of the NPP caucus in Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has indicated that until the final verdict of the Speaker of Parliament on the decision on who is Majority and Minority, not even the Fomena MPs assurances to him will put him at ease.
He said that although Andrew Asiamah, the only independent Member of Parliament in the House, and whose choice on where to caucus with is likely to determine the Majority side, he remains edgy.
“I want to believe that he has committed to what he has said to do but until it comes from his own mouth, we are not sure of what he may want to do,†he said.
Building on precedence, he referred to instances in the past when persons who were once members of either the National Democratic Congress or the New Patriotic Party but went independent and won their bids, came into Parliament but elected to do business with the other side.
“Boniface Abubakar Saddique, Rashid Bawa, Alhaji Saani Iddi, Victor Gbeho are all names of people who turned independent but when they came to Parliament, they did not always elect to do business with the party they were once a part of. So, there are conflicting positions taken by independent members which is why even though we have this solemn commitment, for now, I am still edgy,†he explained.
He, however, disclosed details of conversations he had had with Andrew Asiamah where he poured out his disappointments in the NPP party for not supporting him when he went independent as well as the few times he was attacked by members of the party.
Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu was on the GHOne TV GH Today show on Thursday, January 14, 2021.
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, is expected to announce the decisions on which of the two major parties in the House is Majority and which is Minority, as well as who sits on which side.
The NPP Member of Parliament for Suame, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, has revealed that the Speaker of Parliament, Rt Hon. Alban Sumana Bagbin agrees that the NPP caucus constitute the majority in Parliament.
Speaking on GHToday on GHONE TV on Thursday, the majority leader in the 7th Parliament explained that the decision by the Fomena MP to do business with the NPP caucus clearly indicates they will have the majority numbers in Parliament.
He also rejected claims that the meeting with the Speaker on Tuesday and Wednesday ended inconclusively saying even though some decisions must still be ironed out.
The NDC and the NPP have engaged in endless debates over who has the majority and is entitled to sit on the right side of the Speaker.
Both the NPP and the NDC have 137 seats each in the house with no clear majority.
Although the Fomena MP had told the media he was going to work with the NPP, there was no official communication to that effect to Parliament.
However, on Wednesday, 13 January 2021, the lawmaker wrote to officially confirm his position.
The letter read: “I Andrew Asiamah Amoako an independent MP for Fomena constituency and now the second deputy speaker for the same parliament do hereby declare that I shall for purposes of transacting business in the house, associate with the NPP caucus in the 8th parliament.â€
“For the avoidance of doubt, I do hereby affirm that I shall cooperate and collaborate with the NPP caucus in parliament,†it added.
Majority Leader of the 7th Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has brought to bear happenings that culminated in the former MP for Nadowli Kaleo, Alban Bagbin, becoming the Speaker of the 8th Parliament.
Reports are rife that the candidate of the National Democratic Congress caucus beat his contender, Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye with 138 votes resulting in him getting sworn in as the Speaker of Parliament from 2021 2025.
But outlining the details on the night of the dissolution of the 7th Parliament in an exclusive interview with GhanaWeb, the MP for Suame indicated that during the voting exercise to determine who was to be the leader of the House of Legislature, contrary to the reports, both candidates garnered 136 votes.
He further explained that two of the votes were unaccounted for, while one got rejected because both candidates had been tainted.
He noted that after the brouhaha surrounding the ballot sheets involving Member of Parliament for Tema West, Carlos Ahenkorah, he suggested to the leadership for a rerun of the polls to be carried out since it appeared two of the ballots could not be accounted for after they had been retrieved.
That suggestion was, however, shot down by the leadership on the other side of the divide since the House had spent over 8 hours and were short of time before the inauguration of the President-elect later in the day.
He indicated that after three failed attempts to decide on whether there should be a rerun or not the police were invited into the chamber to protect the ballots.
After several deliberations and taking into consideration the actions that marred the exercise, the leadership decided to compromise for the office of the Speaker of Parliament to be conferred on the candidate of the NDC, Alban Sumana Bagbin.
Majority Leader in the 7th Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has confessed that his party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), did not expect a massive reduction of seats in the Legislature in the just-ended polls.
According to a Citi News report, Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said his party was expecting to reduce its seats to up to 150 from 169 and not the current 137 seats as the parliamentary results of the December 7 elections show.
The Commission said the NPP had so far won parliamentary 137 seats, with the NDC having 136 seats.
The Fomena seat has been won by an independent candidate, while the winner of the Sene West contest was yet to be declared.
“By and large, it [reduced NPP seats] may have a negative impact on the conducting of business in Parliament,†the Citi News report quoted the MP for Suame in the Ashanti Region.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu is, however, confident that current numbers for the NPP and NDC in Parliament will ensure cooperation between the two main parties.
“It also would mean that government would have to be much more consultative and reach out to the opposition much better we are used to and that could deepen democracy if we allow that to happen.
“We may have a Speaker come from the opposition party who really is for the good of democratic governance, and we could live with that. But if we have a Speaker who is entrenched on his own party line, it becomes difficult to run a government,†Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said.
Meanwhile, the NDC is contesting both the presidential and parliamentary results as flawed and stolen for the incumbent NPP.
The Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has raised concerns over the continues pollution of the Pra and Offin rivers due to illegal mining activities.
He said, with the rate of contamination of the river, he wonders how much it will cost the government to supply clean water to the residents of Sekondi-Takoradi and surrounding towns and villages.
Speaking on the floor of parliament, the Majority Leader said, more needs to be done to ensure illegal mining is stopped in these areas.
“Mr Speaker, if we have to treat the polluted Pra river and Offin river, and purge it of all these chemicals that the galamseyers are using to pollute the river, I am wondering at what cost we are going to do this?†he asked.
“If we have to fall on river Pra, there will have to be a much more determined effort to stop mining in both Offin and Pra river so that the integrity of the waters could be attested to; other than that Mr Speaker, I am afraid of this venture (Sekondi-Takoradi water treatment plant), as quoted by Daily Graphic
He made these comments during the debate on the approval of a total amount of €80.3 million loans to finance the Sekondi-Takoradi Water Supply Rehabilitation and Expansion Project on the floor of Parliament.
The loans are Oeke-backed agreement amounting to €70,733,432 and commercial loan amounting to €10,500,000 between Ghana represented by Ministry of Finance and Commerzbank Aktiengesellschaft.
The credit facility is to secure funding for the implementation of the project, which includes; the construction of an intake, a new water treatment plant with its ancillary structure, transmission and distribution pipelines, service reservoirs, standpipes and house connection.
The beneficiary communities include: Takoradi, Effiakuma, Kwesimintsim, Kojokrom, West Tanokrom, Anaji, Sekondi, New Takoradi, Essikado, Apremdo, Keikum, Ntankoful, Ngyyiresia, East Tanokrom, Effia Village and Fijai.
The rest are Assakai, Aduembra, Kansaworado, Nkroful, Anoadze, Abuesi, Apowa, Inchaban, Ketan, Dixcove, Estates, Shama, Hwendo, Hotopo and surrounding villages.
When completed, the project is expected to increase agriculture production, and boost the commercial potential of the twin-city, as well a more respectable front to visitors arriving from neighboring countries.
The Minority Leader and Member of Parliament for Tamale South, Mr. Haruna Iddrisu, has said his Majority counterpart, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, will win the upcoming parliamentary elections, despite challenges from an independent contender for the Suame seat.
Mr. George Prempeh, with links to the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), is contesting as an independent candidate, determined to unseat Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu.
Mr. Prempeh was unable to contest the NPP primaries because the delegates endorsed the current Suame MP to go unopposed.
However, the Minority Leader, during a comment on the Floor of Parliament, suggested that attempts to unseat the incumbent Suame MP would fail.
He was speaking during the motion for the House to adopt the Business Statement for the Third Week.
Mr. Iddrisu suggested that legislators must ensure there was a balance between their presence in their constituencies and the work in the House, as they endeavoured to retain their seats in the next elections.
He called on the ministers of state and the Majority Leader to prioritize bills to the House rather than stampeding the House with bills in what he called “the November of the four-year mandate.â€
He said bills like the National Ambulance Bill and the National Blood Transfusion Bill could wait in preference to critical bills of government like the Council of State and Anti Money Laundering bills.
Mr. Iddrisu commended the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Gloria Akuffo, who was present in the House, for writing to inform him on legislation she would want to be worked on.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu announced that 60 bills were programmed for the meeting and that there had been a meeting for ministers to prioritize bills scheduled for the House.
He explained that the National Blood Transfusion Bill had come on board because of the exigencies of the time.
Meanwhile, Majority Chief Whip, Kwasi Ameyaw Cheremeh, reading the Business Statement on behalf of the Majority Leader, announced that the House would sit on Monday, October 26, 2020.
Minority Leader and Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale South, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, said his Majority counterpart, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, will win the upcoming parliamentary elections, despite challenges from an independent contender for the Suame seat.
Mr George Prempeh, with links to the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), is contesting as an independent candidate, determined to unseat Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the MP for Suame and Leader of Government Business.
Mr Prempeh was unable to contest the NPP primaries because the delegates endorsed the current Suame MP to go unopposed.
However, the Minority Leader, during a comment on the floor of Parliament, suggested that attempts to unseat the incumbent Suame MP would cut no ice.
He was speaking during the motion for the House to adopt the Business Statement for the Third Week.
Mr Haruna suggested that legislators must ensure there was balance between their presence in their constituencies and the work in the House, as they endeavoured to retain their seats in the next elections.
Mr Iddrisu called on the ministers of state and the Majority Leader to prioritise bills to the House rather than stampeding the House with bills in what he called “the November of the four-year mandate.â€
He said bills like the National Ambulance Bill and the National Blood Transfusion Bill could wait in preference to critical bills of government like the Council of State and Anti Money Laundering bills.
Mr Iddrisu commended the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Gloria Akufo, who was present in the House, for writing to inform him on legislation she would want to be worked on.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu announced that 60 bills were programmed for the meeting and that there had been a meeting for ministers to prioritise bills scheduled for the House.
He explained that the National Blood Transfusion Bill had come on board because of the exigencies of the time.
Meanwhile, Majority Chief Whip, Kwasi Ameyaw Cheremeh, reading the Business Statement on behalf of the Majority Leader, announced that the House would sit on Monday, October 26, 2020.
Member of Parliament for Suame Constituency and Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has said there is the need to change the constitution of the political parties to enable all card-bearing members to be able to vote to elect executives of the party including parliamentary candidates.
He said on TV3s New Day Wednesday, September 23 that this will deepen the democratic credentials of the parties.
“The primaries we hold should not be limited to a small group of people by the polling station agents.
“We should allow all card-bearing members of the party to vote in the primaries. Not to only the NPP alone but also the NDC should also do same.
“If a person is in Parliament, we should look at the contribution of the person. If the person is noted by the leadership of the parliamentary caucus, the leaders can do a report on the individual. If the person is doing well, we can send the assessment to the constituency party and also the constituency part must also submit their report on the individual.
“If there is congruence between both parties claiming the individual is doing well in both Parliament and the constituency, why should the person be subjected to primaries? That entrenches on democracy.
“Every four years, you have to go and bang doors and give the people kola nuts and drinks and envelope to the people as a knocking fees, water testing money and thanksgiving fees after the election. It is sowing the seed of corruption.â€
Majority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has noted that lawmakers are being measured with wrong yardsticks.
He explained that if parts of the country lack development projects, the first person to blame is the Member of Parliament for the area. However, he said, it is not the duty of the legislator to provide these projects.
The Member of Parliament for Suame constituency explained in an interview with Berla Mundi on the New Day on TV3 Wednesday September 23 that MPs are not agents of development rather, facilitators.
The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs said “I always want us to look at the functions of a Member of Parliament. What are the functions of a Member of Parliament, a representative of a constituency?
“Matters come to parliament you deliberate on them, that is the deliberative functions of a Member of Parliament. Then, because you speak from an informed perspective you transmit information to the populace, so there is the information transmission of a Member of Parliament.
“Then the power of purse function of a Member of Parliament that is interrogating agreement in particular budgets that come before us.
“The financial control function of parliament are you able to do that? Are you able to perform your oversight functions as a Member of Parliament? And then business legislation . These are the core responsibilities of a member of parliament .
“People really apply the wrong measuring rod in judging the performance of Members of Parliament . Members of Parliament are not agents of development. They are facilitators and so now the focus is on development.â€
He however, blamed some MPs and aspirants for this development saying that they create the wrong impression by promising to provide projects.
Majority Leader in Parliament Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has noted that lawmakers are being measured with wrong yardsticks.
He explained that if parts of the country lack development projects, the first person to blame is the Member of Parliament for the area. However, he said, it is not the duty of the legislator to provide these projects.
The Member of Parliament for Suame constituency explained in an interview with Berla Mundi on the New Day on TV3 Wednesday, September 23 that MPs are not agents of development rather, facilitators.
The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs said “I always want us to look at the functions of a Member of Parliament. What are the functions of a Member of Parliament, a representative of a constituency?
“Matters come to parliament you deliberate on them, that is the deliberative functions of a Member of Parliament. Then, because you speak from an informed perspective you transmit information to the populace, so there is the information transmission of a Member of Parliament.
“Then the power of purse function of a Member of Parliament that is interrogating agreement in particular budgets that come before us.
“The financial control function of parliament are you able to do that? Are you able to perform your oversight functions as a Member of Parliament? And then business legislation. These are the core responsibilities of a member of parliament.”
“People really apply the wrong measuring rod in judging the performance of Members of Parliament. Members of Parliament are not agents of development. They are facilitators and so now the focus is on development.â€
He, however, blamed some MPs and aspirants for this development saying that they create the wrong impression by promising to provide projects.
The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu has said the stigmatisation associated with testing positive to the coronavirus makes it impossible to disclose the identities of any MP or staff of parliament who will test positive to the virus.
The Majority reacting to reports that some MPs and parliamentary had tested positive to the virus, the Majority Leader bemoaned the “speculative story†stressing the need for Ghanaians to respect the confidentiality of people.
He recounted how some recovered persons had to suffer in public through stigma.
This he said makes it difficult to reveal the identity of people who will test positive.
He explained that anybody who tested positive, the information will be between the medical officers and that individual.
He also hinted the person would be asked to self-isolate until he or she recover from the virus.
He said some confidentiality is required in these matters.
Disclosing the identities of persons who will test positive he opined would discourage others from testing for the virus.
He admonished MPs, parliamentary staff, regular staff and the press corps to subject themselves to the mandatory testing.
Assin Central Member of Parliament (MP), Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, has cautioned his fellow party members, Majority Leader and Member of Parliament (MP) for Suame, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu and NPP Bono Regional Chairman, Kwame Baffoe aka Abronye DC to be very vigilante, as some members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) are allegedly plotting their demise.
Mr. Agyapong in a series of claims against the NDC said that, a group of body builders in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region have planned to kill Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu.
“Kyei Mensah should listen very carefully, I have heard they have already started advertising that body builders are about to hold a conference advocating for peace in the Ashanti Region. It is a lie. the leaders are King George and one Ibrahim ,and they are want to invite Kyei-Mensah to be their chairman and so during one of their meetings they will start a fight and gun him down……”
“….we are dealing with evil people. It came up during their first meeting, Kyei-Mensah, myself and Abronye DC, and it has come up again…. and so if you honor their invite, you are dead..,” he said.
He pointed out former Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister, Joseph YaminYamin as leader of the said group and dared him to deny that fact, threatening to provide minutes of the alleged meeting were all the scheming took place.
Mr. Agyapong also said, the NDC plans on staging a road accident in killing Abronye DC and himself.
…”they feel Aabronye and Kennedy will make them lose the elections and so they will use a Sprinter Bus to crash and kill him but they will have persons inside and they want to use the same method on me and blame it on Obinim’s curse…”
