Reading is key to acquiring knowledge -Prof. Oquaye

The second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Aaron Michael Oquaye, has called on students in the country to inculcate the habit of reading in themselves, to improve on their knowledge base.

According to Prof. Oquaye, it was only through reading that one could acquire knowledge, in order to be part of the changing world.

“If you are not knowledgeable in today’s world, I’m afraid, you are hardly part of the world,” he said.

Prof. Oquaye made this remark when he officially launched the literacy project at the forecourt of Parliament, in Accra yesterday.

The project aims to improve on reading in the rural communities, especially, cocoa growing areas in the country.

To Prof. Oquaye, a lot of children were not reading, simply because of the unavailability of books, a situation, he said, infringes on the rights of the children.

“The most important human right is the right to read, the right to know, and the right to an informed society,” he said.

Over 34,000 books, ranging from novels, fiction, reference, science and mathematics, according to the Executive Director of Child Rights International (CRI), Bright Appiah, would be distributed to communities, especially, those in cocoa growing areas in 120 selected constituencies, from the kindergarten to the Senior High school.

Mr. Appiah said research had proven that almost 54% of children in cocoa growing areas cannot read and write, hence his outfit’s decision to empower children in those communities. The lack of libraries, he said also, were the main hindrances in those communities.

To address the problem, the CRI Executive Director said his outfit, in collaboration with Memifee Valley College from California, donor of the books, would establish e-libraries in 300 communities.

According to Mr. Appiah, the CRI was also looking at the one laptop per child initiative for those in the cocoa growing communities, to further address the problem.

“We are aware of a number of risks in this area, especially, lack of electricity, and that is why we are opting for the one laptop per child scheme. The computers could last for over four hours, and to us, the most important thing is to let the children have access to those laptops and things would improve.

Another option is to send the computers to the district level, and periodically invite the children to have access to the laptops. By so doing, their knowledge base would be enhanced,” Mr. Appiah noted.

Present to grace the occasion were Mrs. Akosua Frema Opare-Osei, Member of Parliament (MP) for Ayawaso West Wuogon, the Charity Baptist Church School, Accra, and children of the Adabraka Presbyterian Junior High School.

Boankra Inland Port needs $210m to complete

The Minister for Transport, Alhaji Collins Dauda has ruled out the possibility of completing the Boankra Inland Port project in 2012 as result of unavailability of funds.
Touted as part of the Government of Ghana’s Gateway projects, the Boankra Inland Port project is currently faced with a deficit of US$210million for the completion of Phase II of the said project.
Alhaji Dauda made this remark when he appeared in Parliament on Wednesday to answer to a question posed by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ejisu-Juaben, Kwabena Owusu-Aduomi on what plans the Ministry of Transport has to make the Boankra Inland Port operational before the end of December 2012.
Lack of funds coupled with the inability to rehabilitate the existing Eastern corridor Railway Line has been the two most outstanding factors impeding the project since its inception in 2002.
Construction of the project including the rehabilitation of the Eastern Rail Line was expected to be completed in 2007 after taking off with the acquisition of land in 2002.
Phase I of the project according to the Minister of Transport has been completed with funds being sought for the execution of Phase II which is projected to be completed in two years.
Phase I of the project included; payment of compensation for land and crop farmers, clearing of vegetation and fencing of site, building of two schools for Boankra and Hwireso to replace the one on the site used by the two communities, feasibility study, business plan, detailed drawings, construction of an administration block and provision of water, electricity and telecommunication.
Phase II of the said project comprise; the provision of roads, drains, culverts, security posts, sewerage, Customs Bonded and Open Warehouses, truck and car parking lots, commercials estates and light industrial estates.
Securing investors to undertake the project also forms part of Phase II, according to the Minister.
Alhaji Dauda told Parliament that three companies have shown beyond their expression of interest in completing the Boankra Inland Port project. The companies include; China Harbours Engineering, ACI-USA and Dominion Associates Mart.
The aforementioned companies, the Minister said has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ghana Shippers Authority (GSA) for the execution of the project.
Messrs Dominion Associates Mart is said to be on the verge of securing a US$250million facility from the Bank of Baroda, a premier Indian Bank with operations in Ghana and other parts of the world.
The GSA, according to Alhaji Dauda, has approached its bankers, Ghana International Bank in the United Kingdom for the required due diligence on the project.
The Ministry of Transport, Alhaji Dauda said has also taken up the issue of due diligence and is being pursued with the appropriate authorities.
Touching on the issue of rehabilitation of the Eastern Railway Line, the Minister said his outfit has reached out to several investors but is yet to settle on one who has proven to be competent and have the requisite fund and logistics to execute the task.

Let's empower Unit Committee members- Deputy Minister designate

The Deputy Minister designate for the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Aquinas Quansah has said it was time to empower Unit Committee members at the local assembly, to enable them perform better in the discharge of their duties in local governance.

“It is about time we train the people at the local level, especially those at the Unit Committee. By so doing, they will perform better.”

Mr. Quansah made this remark yesterday, when he appeared before the Appointments Committee of Parliament for vetting. Article 78 of the Constitution of Ghana empowers the President to appoint Ministers of State with the prior approval of Parliament.

Article 78 (1) states that “ Ministers of State shall be appointed by the President with the prior approval of Parliament, from among members of Parliament or persons qualified to be elected as members of Parliament, except that the majority of Ministers of State shall be appointed from among members of Parliament.

Unit Committee members have in the eyes of the public being perceived not to be performing any function. This perception necessitated the Member of Parliament for Ayawaso West Wuogon, Mrs. Akosua Frema Opare-Osei to ask the deputy Minister designate on how he will liaise with the sector Minister to use the Unit Committee as a tool for effective development.

Responding to the question, Mr. Quansah said when the Unit Committee is given equal attention as the Assembly members, he had no doubt that they will perform better.

“Mr. Chairman, it is time the MMDCEs seriously interact with the Unit Committees to enable them feel part of local governance. The way we deal with our Assembly members, we should do same to the Unit Committee members. We have to swear them into office just like we do the Assembly members,” he noted.

Reacting to how he will deal with the frosty relations between DCEs and MPs, the deputy Minister designate said he will collaborate with his sector Minister to bring the two on board, in a dialogue whenever there was a problem.
As to whether District Assembly election should be organized on partisan basis, Mr. Quansah said he totally disagree to that proposal. He maintained that the District Assembly election should be organized on non-partisan basis.

Also appearing at the Appointments Committee for vetting was Emelia Arthur, Deputy Minister designate for Western Region, and Ernest Attuquaye Armah, Deputy Minister for Communications.
Smart looking Emelia Arthur, after taking her oath, looked uncomfortable in her seat.

Seated at her right hand side, to lend their support to her were the Western Regional Minister, Mr. Paul Evans Aidoo and the Central Regional Minister, Ama Benyiwa Doe. The two couldn’t afford coaching their colleague to be brief, when responding to questions from the members of the Appointments Committee.

Responding to a question from the MP for Amenfi East, Joseph Boahen Aidoo on how she will deal with challenges of refugees from neighboring La Cote d’Ivoire, Ms. Arthur said the country already is faced with the provision of space for the refugees, but that not withstanding, “in the spirit of good neighbourliness, it is important Ghana provides space for the Ivorian refugees coming into the country.”

According to her, the Western Regional Coordinating Council, in collaboration with the UNHR and NADMO has programs in place to address the issue.

Ms. Arthur, a staunch Nkrumaist, believes that when there is equal distribution of national resources, the issue of party foot soldiers agitation would be solved.

“RCC has the responsibility for ensuring that all monies that come from the Central Government are used for the benefit of the people. We will do our best by getting the district assemblies to invest in places that will create jobs,” she said.

The Deputy Minister designate for Communications, Ernest Attuquaye Armah had a field day as he was spared from probing questions from the Appointments Committee. He lasted for seventeen minutes before the Committee.

However, he had some problems with his Curriculum Vitae. He was ordered by the Chairman of the Appointments Committee, Edward Doe Adjaho to withdraw his CV and furnish the Committee with the amended version before the Committee would consider his approval.

A legislator's shocking revelation: 80% MPs are womanisers

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Afram Plains North, Emmanuel Aboagye Didieye, yesterday bolted away from Parliament in typical ‘Usain Bolt’ fashion, for fear of being dragged before the Privileges Committee over a statement he made earlier on Adom FM, alleging that 80% of his colleague MPs were “extreme womanisers.”
The MP for Bimbilla, Dominic Bingab Aduna Nitiwul, before the commencement of Public Business in the House, drew the Speaker’s attention to Mr. Didieye’s ‘loose’ talk. Immediately the issue was raised on the floor of the House, Mr. Didieye sneaked out of the Chamber to escape the wrath of his colleague MPs, who were furious over his comments on Adom FM, made on March 17th and 18th 2011, respectively. But his vanishing act even worsened the situation. The Second Deputy Speaker and MP for Dome-Kwabenya, Prof. Aaron Michael Oquaye, who conducted the affairs of the House, ordered him to appear before the Privileges Committee of Parliament, after a thorough search for him in the House had proved futile. Mr. Nitiwul had dared the Afram Plains North MP, who was calmly slouching in his seat in the Chamber, to name and shame MPs he (Didieye) claimed to be “extreme womanisers”, or withdraw and apologise to Parliament.
“I stand on authority, and say that if you are a thief, at least symptoms should begin from your house. You can ask all the pretty women in Parliament whether I, Dominic Nitiwul, have ever talked to them, much more want to go out with them. He can go and find out. And for him to say that at least 80% of members of parliament are womanisers is uncalled for.”
“Womanisers are not women, they are men. Women are close to 20% of parliament, and that means that every Member of Parliament, who is a male here, is a womaniser. I want the honourable here to stand up to name and shame, or withdraw and apologise to Parliament, or I will propose that he be dragged to the Privileges Committee, and we will debate that report before we rise,” charged the furious looking Nitiwul. The Afram Plains North MP, on Adom FM’s ‘Dwaso Nsem’, alleged that with the exclusion of female MPs, most of his colleague MPs use their resources to chase women, especially, the “small girls, and even married women in the streets”. He could not, however, name any MP as an example to buttress his claim. According to him, he was once a womaniser, but stopped after realising that the practice was an immoral act. Male journalists were also not spared by the quiet looking MP, who hardly contributes to debates on the floor of the House. “Because they (journalists) are popular and famous, they use their offices as an advantage in chasing girls. Most male journalists have more than four girlfriends at a time.” This attitude is an ordinary instinct in men, which does not change even if tomorrow you become a Member of Parliament.” Even pastors talk about how to resist the temptation of chasing women,” he told Adakabre Frimpong, host of Adom FM’s ‘Dwaso Nsem’ program. His revelation came to his colleague MPs as shock, with some insisting that he be dragged before the Privileges Committee. “I will want to rise on the point of privilege. For far too long, when outsiders denigrate this House, we come here shouting with one voice against such denigration, how much more for such a person who should know better. “It is sad when matters of this nature are being raised, and members of the opposite side will encourage such a member to walk out from the Chamber. Such an irresponsible statement should not have come out of the member on air. I will propose that the member be dragged to the Privileges Committee, and we will produce the tapes,” said Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, MP for Manhyia. However, the Majority Leader, Cletus Avoka, pleaded with the Speaker to enable the Members have access to the recorded tape, to enable them make an informed decision over the matter. According to him, Mr. Didieye cannot easily be dragged before the Privileges Committee when the leadership of the House does not have the content of his alleged statement. “At the moment, it is hanging, it is on air, but we want to have information about the issue before the matter could be sent to the Privileges Committee. Let us trace the source of the alleged statement, and the leadership of the House will critically look at the whole issue, and decide on it,” noted Mr. Avoka. His plea was, however, not taken by the Speaker, who insisted that there was enough evidence before the House to decide on the matter, after Mr. Nitiwul named two members who were in the studios of Adom FM when the incident occurred, to buttress his argument.
“Honourable members, our country will not be engaged in the pollution of politics. It is increasingly becoming a sad custom that in politics, people can say anything. They give the impression that politics is a dirty game. That is not so.
“There are decent people in politics. And it cannot be allowed to become the norm and the political culture of Ghana that in politics you can lie about anyone, say any dirty thing about somebody any time, just because it is politics. “It will augur very badly for the governance of our nation. There should be men and women with dignity who want to enter into politics and serve their nation. In fact, after service to God, the next service is service to the nation, and that is why soldiers go and even die for their country. “People who are duly trained, and who have served in various capacities, should be able to bring the experience they have gathered over the years to serve their nation in politics, and as representatives of the people, even in Parliament, without even having the privilege to insult them anyhow and mar their well-acquired reputations overnight, just because it is politics. It cannot be true. “I will refer this matter before the Privileges Committee. The Honorable Nitiwul has given us enough prima facie evidence to work upon,” noted Mr. Oquaye. He added: “It is noteworthy that when the honourable member who lodged this complaint, members saw the Afram Plains North MP, Mr. Aboagye Didieyie leave the honourable House. I am told by the leader that all attempts to bring him back have failed. “He is, therefore, referred to the Privileges Committee accordingly. This matter will be reported back in one week from today, as a very serious matter, and for appropriate steps to be taken.

Ghana: 15 orphanages closed down

The Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare has closed down 15 orphanages, out of the one hundred and twenty seven operating in the country. This followed the rot exposé at the Osu Children’s home by ace investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas.

The Minister of Employment and Social Welfare, Enoch Teye Mensah disclosed yesterday, when he appeared in Parliament to answer a question posed by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Asunafo South, George Boakye, about what his outfit was doing to improve conditions in orphanage homes in the country, in the light of the recent revelations at the Osu Children’s home.

The names of the orphanages were not immediately disclosed. The Ningo-Prampram MP said the closing down of the orphanages formed part of his outfit’s ongoing campaign to discourage people from running such homes.

On August 23, 2007, the Department of Social Welfare launched the Care Reform Initiative to discourage the setting up of new Orphanages in favour of encouraging community based care and support.

Its aim is to transform the current system to ensure that Departments, Agencies and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in the country have the training and resources to encourage appropriate parental care, and ensure that institutional care in orphanages is used only as a last resort.

Mr. Mensah said the Department of Social Welfare under Legislation has also produced a data base of children in institutions, drafted guidelines for foster care and adoption and is in the process of drafting a Cabinet Memorandum for Ghana to accede to the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption.

The Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption is an international convention which aims at protecting children and their families against the risks of illegal, irregular, premature or ill-prepared adoptions abroad.
It does so by establishing principles for countries to follow that focus on the need for intercountry adoptions to occur only where it is in the best interests of the child and with respect for his or her fundamental rights.

The Convention also focuses on the need for countries to work to prevent the abduction, sale, or trafficking of children. It was concluded on 29 May 1993 and came into force on 1 May 1995.

But surprisingly, Mr. Mensah said five new orphanages have been issued with licenses to operate in the country. He did not disclose the names of these five orphanages.

n Ghana, according to Mr. Mensah, 4,000 children were recorded in the 127 orphanages, but there was evidence to prove that not all the children were orphans.

He told Members of the House that lack of funding has been an impediment to the smooth operations of the Department. He said a small amount of GH¢5,000.00, is allocated yearly to the various Departments of Social Welfare in all the 170 districts to carry out their duties. This amount he said is woefully inadequate.

Mr. Mensah said in spite of the move by the Department to regularize the operating of orphanages, many well-meaning public figures continue to organize fanfares to donate to orphanages out of the usually misplaced notion that “this is in the interest of the Ghanaian child.”

He, therefore, appealed to public to channel their donations to the Department to help strengthen to enable it carry out its operations. He also appealed to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning to have a second look at the finances of the Department.

Instructively, UNICEF and global partners define an orphan as a child who has lost one or both parents. By this definition there were over 132 million orphans in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean in 2005.

This large figure represents not only children who have lost both parents, but also those who have lost a father but have a surviving mother or have lost their mother but have a surviving father.

Out of the more than 132 million children classified as orphans, only 13 million have lost both parents. According to UNICEF, evidence clearly shows that the vast majority of orphans are living with a surviving parent grandparent, or other family member, while 95 per cent of all orphans are over the age of five.