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Tag: Speaker of Parliament

  • Bagbin supports ¢3 feeding grant demand by School Feeding Programme caterers

    Speaker Alban Bagbin has assured that Parliament will ensure the demand by school feeding caterers to increase school feeding grant is met by the government.

    The caterers are requesting that government increases the current grant of ¢0.97 to ¢3 per school child to enable them prepare meals for school children amidst current economic challenges.

    During a surprise visit to the School Feeding Programme Secretariat on June 23, the Speaker stated that their demands are of sound mind therefore Parliament’s decision to support them.

    “We see that there is a challenge and the challenge is financing. The caterers, as you say, do the pre-financing because of the global economic situation, which has affected Ghana.

    “There is the need for an upward adjustment of the amount you give to them. Definitely, ¢0.97 is on the low side, and their demand is justified,” he stated, according to media reports.

    Speaker visits state institutions unannounced Credit: Parliament of Ghana 

    Prior to his visit to the School Feeding Programme Secretariat, Speaker Alban Bagbin paid a courtesy visit to the National Buffer Stock Company to ascertain its successes and challenges.

    Expansion of school feeding programme on hold Cecilia Abena Dapaah

    In a Facebook post, the Communication team of Parliament stated that the Speaker personally visited the institutions to “familiarise himself with the challenges of these institutions to appreciate their concerns when they are brought before the House” despite there being specific Parliamentary Committees assigned to perform their oversight responsibilities over these state institutions.

    The Chief Executive Officer of National Buffer Stock Company, Mr. Hanan Abdul-Wahab, who welcomed the Speaker noted that the company has seen significant growth since his inception.

    Speaker visits state institutions unannounced
    Credit: Parliament of Ghana

    According to him, the National Buffer Stock Company has increased its number of offices and is currently operating in all 16 regions of the country.

    He stated that the company used to operate in just three regions of the country.

    Nonetheless, Mr. Hanan Abdul-Wahab mentioned the lack of big ware houses and inadequate allocation of funds as some major challenges of the company.

    In response, the Speaker assured that he will lead the House to make sure that enough funds are allocated to solve the above mentioned challenge.

     

  • Parliament approves €74.1 million loan agreement for Tarkwa Water Project

    A buyer’s credit facility agreement worth EUR 74.1 million for the Tarkwa Water Supply Project has been approved by Parliament.

    A commercial contract worth €65 million plus the associated €9.1 million Credendo premium for the Belgian Export Credit Guarantee makes up the total.

    The Project involves KBC Bank NV and Commerzbank AG (as arrangers and original lenders) are involved (as agent).

    By increasing the capacity of the existing Bonsa Water Supply System and extending service to neighbouring communities like Bonsa/Bonsaso, Bankyem, Charliekrom, Efuanta, Kwabedu, Mantrem, Agona Wassaw, and Nsuta, this project aims to improve the availability of potable water to the people of Tarkwa and the surrounding area.

    Tamso, Fanti Mines, Senyaekurase, Akyempem, Simpa, Dompin-Papase, Brofroyedu, Atoabo, Aboso, the University of Mines and Technology, and other communities make up the rest.

    To meet the current demand of 15,000m3/day (3.3MGD) and the projected water demand for the Municipality in 2040, the Project will increase the capacity of the existing water supply system from 2.8m3/day (0.6MGD) to 27,000m3/day (6MGD).

    Upon handing over each fully functional component to the client, a 12-month defect liability period will begin counting down from the project’s anticipated completion date of 36 months.

    Parliamentary Finance Committee Chairman Kwaku Agyeman Kwarteng, who introduced the motion to approve the loan, argued that the Committee, after reviewing the Agreement in detail, was convinced that the Facility, if approved, would help expand access to water in Tarkwa and its surrounding areas.

    The motion was seconded by Dr. Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, the Ranking Member for the Finance Committee, who said that they had been informed that the Government of Ghana would be paying a commitment fee of 0.4% and an upfront fee of 1% to support the Tarkwa Water Supply Project.

    “Mr Speaker, my concern relates to the fact that the Government of Ghana is taking a loan of €65 million but we are paying an insurance premium of €9.1 million,” he said.

    “Mr Speaker, this means that the insurance for the facility alone is 14 percent of the loan amount, I recognise that, this is high but I will only urge the Ministry of Finance going forward to start working on our insurance premium.”

    “Mr Speaker, it looks as if Ghana is paying so much insurance on some of these export credit agency loans.”

    The loan itself, he said, was inexpensive, but the insurance premiums were something Ghanaians should be concerned about.

    He also voiced his displeasure over the fact that the Finance Ministry had not conducted a value for money audit prior to the loan’s implementation.

    The Majority Leader, Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, agreed with the Ranking Member on the value for money audit and said that it was time for Parliament to start using the services of experts to conduct such audits before approving loans.

     

    Source: The Independent Ghana

  • Bagbin hasn’t sidelined Parliament’s Department of Public Affairs – Kate Addo

    The Public Affairs Department of Parliament has denied reports that the Speaker of the House, Mr. Alban Bagbin, has sidelined the unit and similar departments while he focuses on the staff affiliated to his office for official assignments.

    A statement denying the report signed by Kate Addo, Director, Public Affairs, emphasised that her department continues to remain committed to the communications management of the office of the Speaker and the performance of any allied duties as may be assigned by the Speaker.

    The statement admitted that although it is true the Speaker has a communication team, that team has an entirely different mandate from that of the Public Affairs Department.

    It added that the Speaker continues to engage with the Director on relevant issues and is keen on growing the department and other departments of the legislature.

    As an apolitical outfit, the public affairs department noted that it is committed to working to enhance the overall development of the entire legislature without recourse to any political party or ideology.

    Source: classfmonline.com

  • Speaker welcomes fresh MPs, tells them to respect rules of the House

    The Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Alban Bagbin has welcomed the One Hundred and Twenty Three (123) first-timers lawmakers into the 8th parliament.

    The speaker urged them and all the other Members of Parliament (MP) to serve with diligence and respect. The Speaker of Parliament Rt Honorable Alban Bagbin has welcomed the One Hundred and Twenty Three (123) first-timers lawmakers into the 8th parliament.

    The speaker urged them and all the other Members of Parliament (MP) to serve with diligence and respect.

    Addressing the House on Friday, January 15, the Speaker said “I will like to welcome the 123 fresh hands in the parliament.”

    He added, “You have earned the privilege to be addressed in this chamber as honorable, and please Honorable you must be.”

    He further noted that parliament is a House of rules and procedures therefore all members should apply themselves to the rules.

    “Whatever may have been your inspiration to embark on this, I will like you to know that this is a position of leadership, honor, privilege, of trust, and above all of the services.

    “The people had an enormous amount of confidence and trust in electing you to represent them. You have to reciprocate that obligation and responsibility to serve them with honor and dignity.

    “Serve them with respect, with humility and diligence.

    “This house is a house of rules and procedures.”

    Source: 3 News

  • Adwoa Safo opens up on betrayal allegations levelled against her over Speaker election

    Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya Constituency, Sarah Adwoa Safo has denied ever betraying the New Patriotic Party (NPP) during the voting exercise that sought to elect the Speaker for the 8th Parliament of the 4th Republic.

    Mrs. Adwoa Safo was one of the names that popped up as NPP MPs suspected to have voted for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) nominee Alban Bgabin instead of NPP’s Mike Ocquaye Snr. as the Speaker.

    Some social media users, particularly, were of the view that Adwoa Safo had done so to revenge after Prof. Ocquaye son’s contested her in the NPP primaries.

    But reacting to the rumors and allegations, the Dome-Kwabenya MP says she feels betrayed about such indictments.

    “I think I feel betrayed. We are all surprised about the outcome of the election and as a parliamentary group. I think that reorganizing ourselves to see how we will be able to carry out government business when the need arises is what is important,” she was quoted to have said in a Mynewsgh report.

    Touching on which side currently has the Majority in Parliament, Sarah Adwoa Safo said:

    “We in the NPP are the majority in Parliament. We have the Fomena Member of Parliament (MP) who went Independent and he has willingly come onto our side and he is now the Second Deputy Speaker of the house. No Matter how slim the numbers are in our constitution there is still a simple majority and for us, we have a simple majority.

    “I think whether it was proposed by the NDC or NPP, you saw where the Member of Parliament sat on the day of proceedings and he sat on the side of the NPP and for me, that is a clear indication of where his loyalty and allegiance is. Moving forward there are a number of seats that are being contested, we believe by the close of all these court cases there will be an outcome that will give us more majority than we have.”

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Bagbin didnt win elections, leadership conferred it on him Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu

    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.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Election of Speaker and Deputies is a plus for Ghana’s democracy – Franklin Cudjoe

    Franklin Cudjoe, the Founding President and Chief Executive Officer of IMANI Africa, has described the election of the Speaker of Parliament and his two deputies as a plus for Ghana’s democracy.

    Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), was on Thursday, elected the Speaker of the Eighth Parliament of the Fourth Republic of Ghana.

    Whilst Mr Joseph Osei-Owusu of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and Andrew Asiamah Amoako, an Independent Member of Parliament for Fomena were elected First and Second Deputy Speakers respectively.

    Mr Cudjoe in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra, said the election of the three men would go a long way to help address the issue of winner takes all in the body politics of the nation; stating that “somehow, this has been cured”.

    “The election of these three persons have managed to put our democracy in a better light in terms of the constitutionality of winner-takes-all politics.

    “At least these elections have evenly balanced if you like the whole idea that only the winner must take all. We are grateful for what should have been constitutionally done, but it has been naturally done for us.”

    With regards to Mr Bagbin’s election, Mr Cudjoe said: “I think that basically, the lead up to his nomination and the eventual election is a testament to the rancorous nature of our politics, he knows very well what to do, having been there since the last 28 years or so.

    “And he is the only person who can bring the warring side (for the lack of a better term) together and pursue the agenda for the country.”

    The Chief Executive Officer intimated that just after Mr Bagbin’s election, there was the exhibition of cooperation among MPs; after the pandemonium, which was also an attestation of the need for the MPs to work together.

    “I think it is the truest definition of the President’s call on Parliament to work together and make compromises as well,” Mr Cudjoe stated.

    He said whatever happened, the election of the three men were clearly an attestation of the President’s call in his earlier State of the Nation Address (SONA), that MPs should keep compromising and work together.

    Mr Cudjoe added that it was the most immediate and truest form of the definition of what the President want Ghanaians to articulate.

    Source: GNA

  • Probe military invasion, unruly attitude of Carlos Ahenkorah in Parliament – Mahama

    Former president, John Dramani Mahama, has called on Parliament to conduct investigations into the snatching of ballot papers by the Member of Parliament for Tema West, Carlos Ahenkorah as well as the invasion of the chamber by military personnel on Thursday, January 7, 2020.

    According to him, the uncalled for attitude displayed by the lawmaker is unacceptable.

    While condemning the military invasion in the House, the former president labelled the act as worrying and needless.

    John Dramani Mahama stressed that “The attempt to snatch ballot papers by the MP-elect for Tema West and the invasion of the Chamber by armed military personnel are images one had never expected to see in our 4th Republican Parliament. The recent use of the military in civil democratic processes has become a major worry and gives the impression that this administration is continually seeking to resurrect the exorcised ghosts of our military past. Parliament must conduct an investigation into the two incidents and exact appropriate sanctions.”

    He made these comments on his social media page, Facebook and was sighted by GhanaWeb.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Osei Owusu, Fomena MP to back Bagbin as First, Second deputy speakers

    Joseph Osei-Owusu has been elected by both sides of the house as First Deputy Speaker of the 8th parliament.

    He will be assisted by Andrew Asiamah Amoako as the Second Deputy Speaker in the newly instituted parliament.

    Joseph Osei-Owusu was nominated by Majority Leader in the 7th Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu and seconded by Minority Leader in the 7th Parliament, Haruna Iddrisu. He is a lawyer and Member of Parliament for Ashanti Bekwai.

    He was born on 22 January 1962 and had his basic education in his hometown. He was also the first deputy speaker of the 7th Parliament of the 4th Republic.

    Andrew Asiamah Amoako is also a lawyer. After losing in the primaries prior to the 2020 general elections, he decided to run as an independent candidate.

    He had been a member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), which, citing Article 3(9) of its constitution, revoked his membership and notified the Speaker of Parliament, who duly declared his seat vacant on 13 October 2020 under the provisions of Article 97 (1)g of the Constitution.

    Meanwhile, he has indicated plans to caucus with the NPP side in the 8th parliament.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Military and police storm Parliament amid chaotic Speaker vote stalemate

    Security personnel have stormed Parliament following several commotions recorded in the Parliament since the inauguration processes for the 8th parliament commenced.

    The military and police officers who were heavily armed and clad in full regalia marched unto the floor of the Parliament to restore calm after some opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs, for the fourth time, disrupted the electoral process of a new Speaker for the House.

    Some members of the Minority, led by their Chief Whip, Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka continuously disrupted the election process by carrying away the ballot box.

    But on the fourth occasion, not only the ballot bot was snatched, MP for Yapei Kusawgu, John Abdulai Jinapor was seen together with Mr Muntaka kicking the ballot booth.

    According to the NDC, the lawmakers of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) were breaking the order of secret voting by showing their ballot to their whip, Frank Annor-Dompreh before depositing it in the box.

    But after the heavily armed military officers barged into the House, the NDC chanted a portion of the national anthem saying, “and help us to resist oppressors rule with all our will and might forevermore.”

    Meanwhile, the soldiers left the House barely 10 minutes after storming the place.

    Source: myjoyonline

  • Speaker Mike Oquaye votes, impressed with the voting process so far

    The Speaker of Parliament, Prof Aaron Mike Oquaye has cast his vote at the Calvary Presby polling station at Haatso in the Dome-Kwabenya constituency of the Greater Accra Region.

    Speaking after voting, Prof Mike Oquaye urged Ghanaians to stop worrying about naysayers and look at the good side adding that he is impressed with the process so far.

    “This is how civilised people do their things. It tells you the level of development here in Ghana. I would like us to all stop worrying about pessimist things and look at the good sides. We are making progress. When we go like this, very soon America, the West and others would come and become election observers here because we are doing it right. I am very happy,” he told the Daily Graphic.

    Sarah Adwoa Safo is the incumbent Member of Parliament for the Dome-Kwabenya constituency after winning against Mike Oquaye Junior who happens to be the son of speaker of parliament and Ghana’s High Commissioner to India.

    Sarah Adwoa Safo is seeking a third term in parliament. She is contesting against National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate Elikplim Akurugu.

    About 2,794 registered voters are expected to cast their votes at the Calvary Presby polling station. As at 11 am, 821 registered voters had cast their votes.

    In total, 173,619 registered voters are expected to vote in the Dome-Kwabenya Constituency.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Rawlings’s death: Chief Justice, Speaker, sign book of condolence

    Mr Justice Kwasi Anin-Yeboah, the Chief Justice and Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, the Speaker of Parliament, Monday signed the book of condolence for the late former President Jerry John Rawlings.

    Mr Haruna Iddrisu, the Minority Leader in Parliament, Mrs Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, the Chief of Staff at the Presidency; Mr Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen, the Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Sam Okudzeto, a Member of the Council of State; and Mr Samuel Kofi Mills, the son of late President Professor John Evans Atta Mills also signed the book.

    Madam Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations and Chair of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group, also led a team of high powered delegation from the UN to pay tribute to Mr Rawlings.

    Members of the UN delegation included; Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWA); Madam Hanna Serwaa Tetteh, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General to the African Union and Head of the United Nations Office to the African Union; and Mr Charles Abani, UN Resident Coordinator in Ghana.

    The late former President Jerry John Rawlings died on Thursday, November 12, at age 73 after a short illness.

    Source: GNA

  • Dont abandon work in Parliament for your re-election bid – Speaker to MPs

    Speaker of Parliament Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye has cautioned members of Parliament against abandoning their work in the chamber for their re-election bid.

    The caution of the speaker follows the failure of many MPs to turn up for work on the first day of sitting this week.

    The house resumed work from the more than a month break to a near-empty chamber.

    This low turnout has been attributed to the filing of nominations by members seeking re-election. But in his welcome address, Prof. Oquaye charged the MPs to pay attention to work in the chamber too.

    The Third Meeting of the Fourth Session of the Seventh Parliament will be the final meeting of the year before the House is dissolved on the 6th of January 2021.

    Members of Parliament will sit for the next six weeks during which Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta will present the 2021 First Quarter Budget.

    Source: Starr FM

  • Gender Committee petitions Speaker over witches menace

    The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection and the Parliamentary Select Committee on Gender, Children and Social Protection is set to present a report on the witches menace in Ghana to the Speaker of Parliament.

    The report seeks to address the issue of witchcraft accusations that has resulted in the creation of witch camps in some parts of the country.

    In an interview with Alfred Ocansey on the Sunrise morning show on 3FM, the sector minister, Cynthia Mamle Morrison, noted that works on the report are far advanced and will be presented to the Speaker for debate to help draft a policy to permanently address the issue of witchcraft accusations in the country.

    “We are concluding on the compilation of the report and send it to the Speaker this week. I said we because I did not go alone, I paid the visit with my colleagues on the Gender Committee in Parliament as being tasked by the Speaker of Parliament who is passionate to see the end to this cancer,” she said.

    She further expressed commitment in ensuring a swift prosecution of persons involved in lynching women who are accused of witchcraft.

    “The chief of the community where Meiri [Ibrahim] was nearly lynched was arrested to produce the boys who engaged in the barbaric act. They will be arraigned before the court and dealt with appropriately to deter others from carrying similar acts.”

    Meiri Ibrahim was attacked in her house around 10:00 pm Saturday, August 29 by machete-wielding young men at Sumpini in the West Gonja District of the Savannah Region.

    Source: 3 News

  • Proposed draft bill on witchcraft in the pipeline – Speaker of Parliament

    Parliament has proposed a draft bill that will among other objectives prohibit the practice of professional Witchcraft or Wizardry and the declaration of a person as a Witch or Wizard and the molestation of a person on suspicion of being a Witch or Wizard.

    This follows the recent beating to death of a 90-year-old woman by a group of persons on suspicion that the 90-year-old Woman being a Witch.

    The Speaker of Parliament Rt Hon Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye announced this in Parliament last Friday before the House went on recess as the Second Meeting of the 4th Session (Year) of the 7th Parliament ended last Friday.

    According to the Speaker, a Consultant on Private Members Bill, who has been engaged by Parliament is working on the draft bill which will be submitted to the House for consideration and passage into Law.

    Rt Hon Prof Michael Aaron Oquaye congratulated members of Parliament for their hard work which ensured the successful completion of the Second Meeting of the House.

    “During the Second Meeting made up of 12 weeks of intensive work, 13 bills were passed into law whilst 11 Constitutional, Legislative and Executive Instruments were also passed by the House, ” the Speaker said.

    In the Second Meeting, the House also adopted a motion for the enactment of Private Members Bill.

    The Minister of Finance Mr Ken Ofori-Atta also presented the Mid-Year Review of the 2020 Budget statement and economic policy of the government and the subsequent approval by the House of a supplementary Budget estimate of Ghc 11.8 billion for 2020 financial year.

    Source: Peace FM

  • Prof Mike Oquaye to speak at Founders Day lecture

    The Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye will deliver the keynote address to mark this year’s Founders’ Day celebration on Tuesday, August 4, 2020.

    The 4th of August has been enacted by Parliament as a public holiday in accordance with the public holidays (Amendment) Act 2019, (Act 968).

    The day is to celebrate the Founders of Ghana and afford Ghanaians an opportunity to reflect on the sacrifices of the forbearers in the fight for independence.

    Activities for the day are also expected to encourage others to commit their lives to sacrifice for the nation.

    To this end, the Ministry of Information is organising a public lecture Ministry of Information Press Centre at 4 pm.

    The programme will be held under the distinguished patronage of His Royal Highness King Abukari Mahama II, overloard of Dagbon The Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye will deliver the keynote address to mark this year’s Founders Day celebration on Tuesday, August 4, 2020.

    The lecture will be live on television, radio and all the social media handles of the Ministry of Information, a statement issued by a Deputy Minister of Information, Mr Pius Enam Hadzide said.

     

    Source: Peace FM

  • Coronavirus: Go for voluntary tests Speaker urges MPs, Staff

    The Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Aaron Mike Ocquaye has disclosed that he has taken the test for Coronavirus and it turned out negative.

    He made this known in an announcement to the house when they sat on April 4, 2020

    “I wish to inform you that I took the Coronavirus test three days ago and my test result came Negative. Praise the Lord”. An elated Prof. Aaron Mike Ocquaye disclosed.

    The speaker who voluntarily tested on April 2 used the opportunity to encourage staff and all lawmakers to take the test

    “All members and staff who wish to do voluntary testing should see Dr Pambo.”

    Speaking on efforts at ensuring that the Members of Parliament and other staff at Parliament were safe, the speaker disclosed that ”In accordance with the crisis, we have made satisfactory arrangements to protect our MPs and officials in many ways including fumigation of the premises and offices, leave granted to some workers to enable spacing according to regulations, masks, sanitizers, self-isolation of all our people who returned from duties abroad, sensitisation and education,

    Source: mynewsgh.com