Day: February 8, 2023

The Minority in Parliament wants an ad hoc committee set up to thoroughly investigate the recent killing of some residents of Bawku in the Upper East Region by personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).

Speaking on the floor of parliament, the Ranking Member of the Defence and Interior Committee, Mr James Agalga, stressed that setting up an ad hoc committee will help investigate the incident as well as make recommendations to forestall future occurrences.

“Given the nature of the allegation levelled against our armed forces, I believe that an ad-hoc committee with the core members of the defence and interior committee playing a lead role will suffice … to delve into the matter and come out with recommendations to ensure that such brutalities do not happen again,” he said.

Bawku Central MP Mahama Ayariga has petitioned the Commission of Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) in connection with the recent killing of some civilians in the Upper East Region town allegedly by personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces.

In his petition, Mr Ayariga said: “In my capacity as the Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, I, hereby lodge a complaint on behalf of some residents of Bawku under regulation 2(2)(a) and (b) of C.I. 67 pertaining to several acts of violation of the human rights of some residents of Bawku by members of the Ghana Armed Forces.”

“Among the rights violated included the sacred right to life of 10 citizens of Bawku who were shot to death by members of the armed forces engaged in Operation Gongong in Bawku on Tuesday 31st January and Wednesday 1st February 2023. Children’s rights. Women’s rights and property rights were violated,” he noted.

He continued: “The military does not deny shooting and killing these residents of Bawku. A statement issued by the military authorities on 2nd February 2023 admitting responsibility for the killings is attached.”

He is demanding “compensation of GH¢500,000.00 for each and every one of those whose lives were taken, to be paid to their immediate families as punitive damage.”

Further, he wants GAF to be retrained from “further acts of brutalities in Bawku in the exercise of their responsibilities to maintain peace in Bawku and adequate compensation to those who have suffered physical harm.”

Source: Modern Ghana

The leadership of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Central Region has thrown their support behind the leadership of Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson for his appointment as the Leader of the Minority caucus in parliament.

According to the leadership, Dr. Ato Forson has exhibited his competence over the years as a ranking member on the finance committee of parliament adding that his appointment is a plus to the region.

Addressing the media in Cape Coast on Monday, February 6 on the elevation of Dr. Ato Forson, the Central Regional Chairman of the Party, Prof. Richard Kofi Asiedu expressed gratitude to the national leadership for entrusting confidence in him and the new leadership.

He said the new minority leader is the longest-serving member of parliament on the ticket of the NDC in the region and through his elevation, the party is confident of winning 20 seats in the region.

“In actual fact, with Dr. Ato Forson as the Minority Leader, the Leadership of Central Region NDC is confident of winning twenty (20) parliamentary seats and over 60% presidential votes. Hon. Dr. Cassiel Ato Baah Forson is a modern leader fit for this era, and the NDC in Parliament is better off with his leadership, considering the roles he has played in the Executive, Legislature, and party,

We urge him and his team to stay focused and committed to the purpose. True stars rise to the top not by chance, but through purpose and passion. We appreciate your zeal, resilience, and determination.”

Prof. Richard Kofi Asiedu, therefore, pleaded with the entire minority caucus to give their support and entrust confidence in the leadership of Dr. Ato Forson as the new minority leader in parliament.

He said “leadership evolves. Leaders will come and go but the Caucus must not be divided. Let us all give the maximum support and rally around the new leaders to deliver as we did for our previous leaders.”

Meanwhile, the leadership of the NDC has finally met with its members in parliament following the recent changes in its leadership on the floor of parliament.

Addressing the media after a closed-door meeting the national chairman of the NDC, Mr. Johnson Asiedu Nketia announced that all grievances on the matter have been resolved.

Source: Ghana Web

The Government has been advised to use a three-thronged approach of fiscal and structural adjustment and debt restructuring to ensure debt sustainability in the shortest time possible.

Specifically, the Government has been urged to further cut down its expenditure, including reducing the number of Ministers by merging some ministries, to support debt sustainability for its US$3 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan-support programme.

Professor Godfred Bokpin, Professor Peter Quarter and Dr John Kwakye – all eminent Ghanaian Economists, said this in an exclusive interview with the Ghana News Agency on the ongoing DDE programme.

Additionally, efforts should be intensified to change the structure of the economy from been highly-import-driven by streamlining various sectorial agriculture, manufacturing and trade policies and implement them effectively, they said.

They expressed confidence that the progress made on the DDE so far could lead to Ghana’s debt sustainability path to secure an Executive and Management Board of IMF by the March 2023 for the US$3 billion loan-support programme.

However, the Economists stated that DDE programme alone, requiring bondholders to trade about 80 per cent of a total of GHS137 billion in bonds for new ones, could not secure debt sustainability.

They, therefore, asked the Government, to immediately reduce the number of ministers and merge some ministries to save money in addition to intensifying efforts to change the structure of the economy with prudent and sustainable initiatives to spur manufacturing and industrial growth.

Prof Bokpin of the University of Ghana Business School, said efforts by the Government such as the audit of Ghana’s COVID-19 expenditure and reaching some level of agreement with bondholders signalled a sign of progress on the DDE.

However, he said: “When your debt is judged to be unsustainable, measures for sustainability must be a triangle approach, which involves fiscal adjustment, structural adjustment and debt restructuring.”

He said: “If the President decides that he is going to have to reduce the size of the Government by 50 per cent and also reduce the number of ministers, and merge some Ministries, Agencies, and Departments, we could have saved more than GHS10 bn.”

Prof Quartey, Director, Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) said the Government, in addition to proposed reduction in spending as put in the 2023, should “go ahead and reduce the size of government.”

The ISSER Director said: “If we minimise waste, corruption and ensure value for money in our expenditure, add value to our raw materials and support the agriculture value chain and manufacturing, we’ll be able to export more and get more foreign exchange and enhance our revenue mobilisation.”

“The Government should keep its focus, continue dialoguing and build consensus with the key stakeholders and ensure that we’re able to sign onto this IMF programme and get it running by the first quarter of this year.” He advised.

He added: “Hopefully when we sign onto the programme, we should make judicious use of the resources so, we’re able to grow the economy out of where were find ourselves. Once we do that, we can restore confidence and get our economy running.”

Dr Kwakye, Director,?Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), noted that while the Government urged bondholders to make some sacrifices, it was also prudent for it to do same.

“We believe the DDEP cost should be spread across the economy to the widest extent possible, in the spirit of burden-sharing,” he said, and encouraged the Government to also make some sacrifices.

“All the borrowings that the Government accumulated, the Finance Minister earned GHS160 million directly or indirectly, as part of burden sharing, why doesn’t he say, I’m also refunding 50 per cent?” He quizzed.

The DDE forms part of efforts by the Government to assure the International Monetary Fund (IMF) of debt sustainability through creditors’ confidence by signing up for the programme, which has so far seen four postponements in the deadline as government continues to engage stakeholders.

Individual bondholders and pension schemes have been exempted from the programme, though the Government has made new provisions for individual bondholders to be part of the DDE.

Source: Ghana Web

A national executive member of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has asked the leadership of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) to fix a date for its primaries to appease its members who are worried about the party not being able to meet the timelines for the organisation of primaries to elect a flagbearer for the 2024 general elections and stop worrying about the NDC.

Mr. Wonder Victor Kutor said, “matters that relate to the NDC in parliament should not be of concern to the NPP.”

According to him, the NDC, as it stands now, has a presumptive flagbearer in the person of former President John Dramani Mahama as well as a date of May 13, 2023, for the primaries.

Mr. Kutor made this call while speaking on the discussion segment of Accra 100.5FM’s morning show Ghana Yensom on Wednesday, 8 February 2023.

He posited that the NDC has put out a timeline and modalities for the organisation of primaries for the elections of Members of Parliament and a flagbearer.

“What should be engaging the NPP is how its teeming supporters are dejected about the party not being able to fix a date for their primaries,” he said.

He noted that what is of paramount interest to Ghanaians is how the NPP will sail the sinking economic boat ashore and bring some reprieve to the suffering people who queued to vote for president Nana Akufo-Addo in 2020.

He took the opportunity to commend the Functional Executives Committee of the NDC and the Council of Elders for the swift way they handled the leadership crisis that reared its ugly head in the Minority in Parliament.

“We are a party that always leads in the country’s democracy,” he parted the NDC on the back.

Source: Ghana Web

The new Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has indicated that the NDC caucus will not countenance any bad governance from the Akufo-Addo-led government.

In his maiden speech to Parliament as a Minority Leader, Dr. Ato Forson said the minority will offer fair and unbiased, balanced, consultative, and principled leadership to ensure the Akufo-Addo and Alhaji Bawumia’s government account in a manner that helps deliver public goods.

“To you my colleagues in the Minority Caucus, we pledge to offer fair and unbiased, balanced, consultative, and principled leadership in our journey to broaden the frontiers of Parliamentary oversight and hold the Akufo-Addo & Alhaji Bawumia government to account in a manner that helps deliver public goods,” he said.

He thanked the party and colleagues for allowing him to serve, and also commended Haruna Iddrisu for his distinguished public service since 2017.

“In January 7, 2009, I took the first step in this very chamber towards becoming a representative for the people of Ajumako Enyan Essiam and contributing my quota to Ghana’s Parliamentary Democracy. Fourteen years on, from a fresh legislator, I have the unique honour of being entrusted with the leadership of the Minority Caucus in the 8th Parliament of the 4th Republic.

“I wish to convey our profound gratitude to my party, the great National Democratic Congress, and our colleagues on the Minority side for this opportunity to serve at an even higher level and help shape the trajectory of this Parliament. I want to express on behalf of my colleagues, our profound appreciation and thanks to the immediate past Minority Leader and my senior brother, the Hon Haruna Iddrisu, for his many years of distinguished public service and his sterling leadership of the Caucus since 2017,” he said.

Source: Ghana Web