Monday, July 29, 2013
Killer gas found at Dunkonaa
A seemingly harmless gas that emits from the ground may be slowly and negatively affecting the health of people who live at Dunkonaa and its environs in the Ga-South municipality in the Greater Accra Region.
Known as radon gas, the fume, which is colourless, odourless and tasteless, is known to be a major cause of respiratory infections, blood poisoning and lung cancer where it is highly concentrated.
The National Coordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Mr Kofi Portuphy, told the Daily Graphic on Monday that the emission was not a new phenomenon.
In 2000, studies conducted by a team of scientists, including scientists from the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, indicated that the gas coming out of the Dunkonaa area was highly concentrated.
The study found that the potency of the Dunkonaa radon gas measured 2,000 Becquerel per square metre.
Internationally, the allowable amount of radon gas for residential areas is 200 Becquerel per square metre.
The United States of America (USA) has pegged 200 Becquerel per square metre as the permitted amount of emission for residential areas and even with that the structures must have enough ventilation.
In the United Kingdom, the allowable amount is 150 Becquerel per square metre.
Mr Portuphy revealed that following that study, NADMO discouraged the Ghana Real Estate Developers Association (GREDA) from building its estates in the area, although the association had laid infrastructure, including roads and drains.
He said NADMO became curious when some residents of the area started reporting about the emission of smoke from the area some years ago.
He further stated that after the 1939 earthquake in the then Gold Coast, scientists advised state officials that Dunkonaa was a weak zone, since it was an earthquake epicentre, a situation which allowed the poisonous gas to emit.
According to residents of the area, the name ‘Dunkonaa’ was an adulterated one. Originally, the place was called ‘Dun ko naa’, which in Ga meant ‘the edge of smoke’, because the ground always emitted smoke.
Scientific publications explain that radon is formed as part of the normal radioactive decay chain of uranium. Uranium has been present since the earth was formed and its most common isotope has a very long half-life (4.5 billion years), which is the amount of time required for one-half of uranium to break down.
Unverified information volunteered by some residents of the area suggested that the RLG Communications building project which was earmarked for the area, the City of Hope, might no longer be located at Dunkonaa for health reasons.
Currently, Mr Portuphy said, NADMO was putting together its experts to undertake research again to ascertain the impact of the gas on people who had been living very close to the emission centre.
He said the area was declared a reserved green zone not suitable for human habitation and that it was for that reason that former President J.J. Rawlings intervened in 1998 to halt the development of the area after he had been briefed and shown documents indicating that the place was an earthquake epicenter emitting radon gas by NADMO.
Last month, the Vice-President of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences (GAAS), Professor Aba Bentil Andam, raised a red flag over the high concentration of radon in some parts of Ghana which could cause lung cancer when inhaled for a longer period.
She called for a national radon map to help identify the geographical areas where the population was most at risk of exposure above the reference levels established by the World Health Organisation.
A visit to Dunkonaa by the Daily Graphic yesterday indicated that a large tract of land had been developed.
Parts of the area had covered drains, well laid out and tarred roads, some of which were deteriorating over time. Various types of buildings, ranging from estate houses to stores and storey buildings, had also sprung up.
A resident, Richard Lamptey, said he had been in the area for the past 15 years and claimed that the thick smoke that was emitting from the ground was from a god, saying it stopped after some rituals had been performed.
Ms Roseline Amankwa, another resident, said she had never heard of any poisonous gas. Rather, she argued, stories about the emission of radon were strategies by some people to take away their land.
A leading member of GREDA contradicted the claim that they discouraged from putting up the estate because of a dangerous gas emission although it was raised at the time they decided to put up houses in the area.
He said basically, government policy stalled the efforts of GREDA to put up the houses at Dunkonaa but added that GREDA officials raised the issue at housing exhibition in the USA at the time for advice.
He said the estate developers were told that if they decided to go ahead with their project, they should construct big manhole to trap the gas so that it will not cause harm to the occupants of the estates.
However, other sources say that even the trapped gas in the manholes could still find its way into the building and become injurious to the health of the occupants.
PUBLISHED: June 16, 2013
Monday, February 25, 2013
Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala cautiones oil countries to build capacities
Nigeria’s Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has asked emerging African oil producing countries such as Ghana to be cautious in entering into contracts with foreign oil firms.
Dr Okonjo-Iweala, who for four year was the Managing Director of the World Bank Group, said Africans must first invest more in building their technical capacities and improve on their negotiation skills before entering into oil contracts.
She was presenting a paper on; “What Africa Should Do To Claim the 21th Century”, at the J.A. Kufuor Foundation Lecture Series in Accra last Friday.
Dubbed the Global Development Series, the lecture was the second since the establishment of the foundation, which is premised on three foundation pillars, Leadership, Governance and Development.
The vision of the foundation is to serve as a vehicle for the continued development and consolidation of leadership and democratic governance in Africa.
In her lecture, which traced Africa’s gradual economic recovery from the doldrums to its present promising state and the problems that must be addressed to get things right, Dr Okonjo-Iweala, who is also the Co-ordinating Minister of the Economy for Nigeria, came up with the usual Nigerian jokes.
For instance, she said anytime she, as the Finance Minister, presented a bright outlook for the Nigerian economy, the ordinary Nigerian would retort, “Ibi GDP growth we go chop? Nonsense!”
For her, the ordinary Nigerian was right in expressing his or her frustration in such a manner because economic achievements must reflect in the lives of the people.
Present at the lecture were former President J. A. Kufuor and his wife, Mrs Theresa Kufuor; the Minister of Finance, Mr Seth Terkper; the National Security Coordinator, Lt Col Larry Gbevlo Lartey, as well as the leadership of some political parties.
On her advice to oil-producing nations, Dr Okonjo-Iweala, whose country started producing oil in 1958, said the production of oil created “few jobs and also limited economic diversification”, saying that before its first shipment of oil in 1958, 64 per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was from agriculture and five per cent from manufacturing.
She said by 2010, agriculture’s contribution to Nigeria’s GDP had shrunk to 40 per cent and that of manufacturing contracted to about four per cent.
She, therefore, urged African countries to emulate the example of Norway, which had a lot of oil but had diversified its economy, resulting in the creation of some of the world’s best manufacturing, shipbuilding and service industries.
Another issue the economic expert spoke about was Africa’s behaviour towards the threatening and devastating phenomenon of climate change.
Quoting from scientific research findings, she explained that the African continent had become warmer by about half a degree in the past century, whereas annual average temperatures were likely to rise between 1.5 and four degrees Celsius in this present century.
Some of the consequences, according to Dr Okonjo-Iweala, were beginning to emerge, noting, for instance, that in 2000, Mozambique lost about $550 million as a result of flooding which reduced the country’s GDP by about 1.5 per cent.
She said Nigeria recently lost $700 million as a result of floods which affected 22 out of the 36 states and displaced about two million people.
In 2011, total grain production in Mauritania, Chad, Niger and The Gambia decreased by over 25 per cent due to low rainfall she noted, adding that some of the predictions were that up to 20 per cent of Africa’s arable land would become less suitable for farming by the end of the century.
Dr Okonjo-Iweala urged African nations to take the problems of climate change seriously because the Africa remained vulnerable to adverse weather shocks which could directly impact food production and prices and plunge many households into poverty.
Dr Okonjo-Iweala, who for four year was the Managing Director of the World Bank Group, said Africans must first invest more in building their technical capacities and improve on their negotiation skills before entering into oil contracts.
She was presenting a paper on; “What Africa Should Do To Claim the 21th Century”, at the J.A. Kufuor Foundation Lecture Series in Accra last Friday.
Dubbed the Global Development Series, the lecture was the second since the establishment of the foundation, which is premised on three foundation pillars, Leadership, Governance and Development.
The vision of the foundation is to serve as a vehicle for the continued development and consolidation of leadership and democratic governance in Africa.
In her lecture, which traced Africa’s gradual economic recovery from the doldrums to its present promising state and the problems that must be addressed to get things right, Dr Okonjo-Iweala, who is also the Co-ordinating Minister of the Economy for Nigeria, came up with the usual Nigerian jokes.
For instance, she said anytime she, as the Finance Minister, presented a bright outlook for the Nigerian economy, the ordinary Nigerian would retort, “Ibi GDP growth we go chop? Nonsense!”
For her, the ordinary Nigerian was right in expressing his or her frustration in such a manner because economic achievements must reflect in the lives of the people.
Present at the lecture were former President J. A. Kufuor and his wife, Mrs Theresa Kufuor; the Minister of Finance, Mr Seth Terkper; the National Security Coordinator, Lt Col Larry Gbevlo Lartey, as well as the leadership of some political parties.
On her advice to oil-producing nations, Dr Okonjo-Iweala, whose country started producing oil in 1958, said the production of oil created “few jobs and also limited economic diversification”, saying that before its first shipment of oil in 1958, 64 per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was from agriculture and five per cent from manufacturing.
She said by 2010, agriculture’s contribution to Nigeria’s GDP had shrunk to 40 per cent and that of manufacturing contracted to about four per cent.
She, therefore, urged African countries to emulate the example of Norway, which had a lot of oil but had diversified its economy, resulting in the creation of some of the world’s best manufacturing, shipbuilding and service industries.
Another issue the economic expert spoke about was Africa’s behaviour towards the threatening and devastating phenomenon of climate change.
Quoting from scientific research findings, she explained that the African continent had become warmer by about half a degree in the past century, whereas annual average temperatures were likely to rise between 1.5 and four degrees Celsius in this present century.
Some of the consequences, according to Dr Okonjo-Iweala, were beginning to emerge, noting, for instance, that in 2000, Mozambique lost about $550 million as a result of flooding which reduced the country’s GDP by about 1.5 per cent.
She said Nigeria recently lost $700 million as a result of floods which affected 22 out of the 36 states and displaced about two million people.
In 2011, total grain production in Mauritania, Chad, Niger and The Gambia decreased by over 25 per cent due to low rainfall she noted, adding that some of the predictions were that up to 20 per cent of Africa’s arable land would become less suitable for farming by the end of the century.
Dr Okonjo-Iweala urged African nations to take the problems of climate change seriously because the Africa remained vulnerable to adverse weather shocks which could directly impact food production and prices and plunge many households into poverty.
Friday, February 22, 2013
We would continue to sansitise Ghanaians - LMVT
THE leadership of Let My Vote Count (LMVC) alliance, a multiparty group, has stated that it will not relent in its efforts at sensitising Ghanaians to the rigging of the 2012 election and engender consensus for electoral reforms.
It also described as false claims that the group had threatened judges of the Supreme Court, neither had it called on its supporters to throw bombs, explaining that the alliance was committed to deepening democracy through the pursuit of justice by legitimate and legal means.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic, Mr David Boateng Asante noted that the group believed in the rule of law and that it would not resort to any unlawful means to make its case across but expressed the view that “the Supreme Court would not substitute peace for justice”.
According to the group, which has publicly expressed its support for the three leading members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for petitioning the Supreme Court over the elections results, the elections were rigged and indicated that the Supreme Court would make democracy the winner over fraud.
He commended the three NPP leaders, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, his running mate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, and their national chairman, Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, for using the right avenue to seek redress unlike other leaders in some African countries who used violent means, even though tempers were very high.
The group, which was inaugurated recently in the Dome-Kwabenya Constituency, has as its members, Mr Abu Ramadan, National Youth Organiser of the People’s National Convention (PNC); Mr Ernest Owusu-Bempah of the National Democratic Party (NDP), Mr Kwabena Bonfeh, a leading member of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), and Mr Sammy Awuku, Deputy National Communication Director of the NPP.
Explaining the political reform, he said the group was of the firm belief that the members of the Electoral Commission (EC) must have a tenure of office because the current situation where the chairman and his deputies stayed on till they retired was not democratic and also did not allow for innovation and efficiency.
“Democracy thrives when variety is introduced,” he said, and called for a national debate on the issue.
In an earlier statement signed by Mr Asante, the group described as “unfortunate unprofessional diabolic twist and turns given to our stories by certain media houses” and stated that the group was formed to rally support for the high-profile case of alleged electoral fraud being pursued at the Supreme Court; and call for electoral reforms at the Electoral Commission.
It expressed worry that some media houses and sections of the public who did not share in their ideals were attacking the personalities of some leading members of the group and added that no amount of vain threats would deter the group from pursuing justice.
“We remain firm and resolute that the 2012 elections were rigged massively for John Mahama. We will march forth in our legitimate quest for justice to be served to the good people of Ghana by rallying support for the pursuit of justice and push through for drastic electoral reforms in our Electoral Commission,” the statement added.
Public Asks Govt to Keep Fuel Subsidies
A number of residents of Accra have expressed grave reservations about suggestions that the government should remove fuel subsidies, saying such a move will rather compound the already harsh economic conditions facing Ghanaians.
Rather, they have asked the government to develop an innovative way of solving the problem, instead of always hiking fuel prices with the excuse that it will come up with social mitigation measures for the poor but which never materialise.
Some city dwellers who spoke to the Daily Graphic yesterday questioned the claim by the government that it was subsidising fuel prices which contained huge tax components.
Others also pointed out that people in authority were always in a rush to increase fuel prices because they never used their hard-earned incomes to buy fuel.
Already, civil society organisations such as the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Imani Ghana, ISODEC and the Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG) have strongly kicked against the proposed fuel price increases.
According to the government, from 2009 to 2012, it subsidised fuel products to the tune of GH¢1.5 billion.
The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) forecasts that subsidising fuel prices this year will cost the government about GH¢2.4 billion.
Pouring his heart out at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) Trotro Station in Accra, a 46-year-old driver, Mr Andrews Badu, stated that the removal of subsidies on fuel prices would mean the “government purposely wants to destroy the transport business in the country”.
“What is the reason behind the call to remove subsidies on fuel prices? Is it to ensure that the government gets enough revenue to fuel the activities of other sectors of the economy? Whatever the reason, the government should not forget that some of us in the driving business will suffer,” he said.
Sounding very religious, Mr T. Tandoh, who claimed to have worked as a taxi driver for 16 years, said, “I’m not bothered.”
He said his family had, over the past decade, leaned on the mercies and provisions of God such that “I, particularly, care very little about fuel subsidies”.
However, Mr Tandoh said, the removal of subsidies on fuel prices would, without doubt, affect the livelihood of many drivers.
Mr Eric Adjei doubted whether the government was really subsidising fuel prices and asked: “How can the government be subsidising and yet we continue to pay so much for fuel?”
“What is the essence of having oil on our shores and yet suffering so much? Where is the oil money?” he quizzed.
At Abuja, a slum near Accra Brewery, Ms Efua Attah, a tomato seller, said she joined a long queue overnight to vote only for her taxes to be used to fund the lavish lifestyles of MPs.
She said any increases in fuel prices would lead to her becoming jobless.
Another trader, Nana Ama Yeboah, noted that members of government promised to be of great help to market women when they were craving for power but now “one can clearly see they were all lies; otherwise the government will not come up with this”.
“We are suffering and if the government doesn’t come to our aid, we will take action. Again, the goods are not as expensive as the tax on them.The goods are like cocaine,” she said.
Reacting to the issue on Facebook, Mr Eric Agboada, a National Service person, did not mince words when he said, “I totally disagree with Mr Alex Mould of the NPA. In the first place, it’s not true that that huge amount is used to subsidise fuel. We have gone beyond these falsehoods.”
He challenged government officials making the case for fuel price hikes to “tell us the last time they bought fuel personally without a coupon or claim sheet”.
“The government should take out the many tax components from the prices of the fuel and we will pay the realistic price.....period,” he added.
Mr Cyrus Stan DeGraft-Johnson, for his part, said, “If they remove the subsidies, I will be shocked!”
“Has the ratio of the poor to the rich or private cars to commercial vehicles changed? What's wrong here? I don't want to believe that after electricity and water and almost poor public health care, there is the threat of petrol wahala too,” he lamented.
Mr Mohammed Sani of Sekondi also wrote: “I don’t see the reason our MPs should be given these huge amounts to hire rooms. If they truly care for the masses, that money could be used to subsidise fuel prices in order to help the poor in society.”
Nabi Princess Ama Ardayfio urged the government to use the levies and tolls collected at toll booths and other places to offset any losses incurred in the energy sector.
Published: Feb. 14/2013
Rather, they have asked the government to develop an innovative way of solving the problem, instead of always hiking fuel prices with the excuse that it will come up with social mitigation measures for the poor but which never materialise.
Some city dwellers who spoke to the Daily Graphic yesterday questioned the claim by the government that it was subsidising fuel prices which contained huge tax components.
Others also pointed out that people in authority were always in a rush to increase fuel prices because they never used their hard-earned incomes to buy fuel.
Already, civil society organisations such as the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Imani Ghana, ISODEC and the Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG) have strongly kicked against the proposed fuel price increases.
According to the government, from 2009 to 2012, it subsidised fuel products to the tune of GH¢1.5 billion.
The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) forecasts that subsidising fuel prices this year will cost the government about GH¢2.4 billion.
Pouring his heart out at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) Trotro Station in Accra, a 46-year-old driver, Mr Andrews Badu, stated that the removal of subsidies on fuel prices would mean the “government purposely wants to destroy the transport business in the country”.
“What is the reason behind the call to remove subsidies on fuel prices? Is it to ensure that the government gets enough revenue to fuel the activities of other sectors of the economy? Whatever the reason, the government should not forget that some of us in the driving business will suffer,” he said.
Sounding very religious, Mr T. Tandoh, who claimed to have worked as a taxi driver for 16 years, said, “I’m not bothered.”
He said his family had, over the past decade, leaned on the mercies and provisions of God such that “I, particularly, care very little about fuel subsidies”.
However, Mr Tandoh said, the removal of subsidies on fuel prices would, without doubt, affect the livelihood of many drivers.
Mr Eric Adjei doubted whether the government was really subsidising fuel prices and asked: “How can the government be subsidising and yet we continue to pay so much for fuel?”
“What is the essence of having oil on our shores and yet suffering so much? Where is the oil money?” he quizzed.
At Abuja, a slum near Accra Brewery, Ms Efua Attah, a tomato seller, said she joined a long queue overnight to vote only for her taxes to be used to fund the lavish lifestyles of MPs.
She said any increases in fuel prices would lead to her becoming jobless.
Another trader, Nana Ama Yeboah, noted that members of government promised to be of great help to market women when they were craving for power but now “one can clearly see they were all lies; otherwise the government will not come up with this”.
“We are suffering and if the government doesn’t come to our aid, we will take action. Again, the goods are not as expensive as the tax on them.The goods are like cocaine,” she said.
Reacting to the issue on Facebook, Mr Eric Agboada, a National Service person, did not mince words when he said, “I totally disagree with Mr Alex Mould of the NPA. In the first place, it’s not true that that huge amount is used to subsidise fuel. We have gone beyond these falsehoods.”
He challenged government officials making the case for fuel price hikes to “tell us the last time they bought fuel personally without a coupon or claim sheet”.
“The government should take out the many tax components from the prices of the fuel and we will pay the realistic price.....period,” he added.
Mr Cyrus Stan DeGraft-Johnson, for his part, said, “If they remove the subsidies, I will be shocked!”
“Has the ratio of the poor to the rich or private cars to commercial vehicles changed? What's wrong here? I don't want to believe that after electricity and water and almost poor public health care, there is the threat of petrol wahala too,” he lamented.
Mr Mohammed Sani of Sekondi also wrote: “I don’t see the reason our MPs should be given these huge amounts to hire rooms. If they truly care for the masses, that money could be used to subsidise fuel prices in order to help the poor in society.”
Nabi Princess Ama Ardayfio urged the government to use the levies and tolls collected at toll booths and other places to offset any losses incurred in the energy sector.
Published: Feb. 14/2013
Eastern regional NDC, Okyehene in tango
The Okyehene Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin has described comments by the Eastern Regional executive of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) regarding his recent visit to the Presidency as “unfortunate”.
He also noted that claims that he refused to use the occasion to allude to the legitimacy of the President but addressed a politically- sponsored agenda to make the President pledge to accept the court ruling on the 2012 elections when it was unnecessary, had the potential to “expose him to hatred and must therefore be withdrawn”.
Reacting to the allegations, lawyer for the Okyehene, Mr Kwame A. Boateng, a lawyer for the Okyehene, noted that as a chief the Okyehene spoke against politics of insults and violence and urged both the NDC and the NPP to accept the verdict of the Supreme Court in the case of a petition against the 2012 presidential election.
Last Tuesday, Okyehene the President of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs led members of the House to pay a courtesy call on President John Mahama to congratulate him on his assumption of office as the President of the Republic and also to discuss some challenges facing the region.
President Mahama made it clear at the meeting that he would respect the verdict of the Supreme Court on the petition challenging the results of the December 7, 2012 presidential polls.
Last Wednesday, three members of the NDC regional executives from the Eastern Region, Mr Sumaila Mahama, Mr Tawiah Boateng and Mr M.M. Doh, Regional Chairman, Organizer and Deputy Secretary respectively, signed a statement condemning the Okyehene for advising the President and other parties to accept the Supreme Court verdict.
Okyehene’s lawyer urged the regional executives to retract the allegation and apologize but if they failed to do so he would be compelled to complain to the national leadership of the party.
In their press statement, the regional executive were of the view that Nananom should have used the occasion to apologize to the President for acts of violence and disrespect perpetuated against him (President) and his entourage during his last visit to the Eastern Region and Kyebi in particular.
The chiefs, the statement said should have also apologised on behalf of their subordinates who were actively involved in campaigning for certain candidates in the last year’s elections.
The statement also expressed concern about comments that the President should have consulted the Regional House of Chiefs before nominating Mr. Julius Debrah as the regional minister- designate which it said suggested a disapproval of his nomination by the region.
“We wish to state without any shred of doubt that the whole region is grateful to the President for nominating Mr Julius Debrah as the Regional Minister and as a party, we are excited because we see the appointment as a recognition of his hard work as Chairman of the NDC in the region as well as his hard work at the Ghana Tourism Authority”, the statement indicated.
The regional executive of the party also thanked the President for the nominations he had so far made and congratulated Mr Debrah, as well as Mr Seth Terkper and Dr Omane Boamah for their nominations and subsequent confirmation as ministers respectively for Finance and Economic Planning and Communications.
Eurostar Limos launches luxury rental service
Eurostar Global Limousine Limited (Eurostar Limos), a luxury vehicle rental company has taken delivery of 36 luxury vehicles to push the Ghanaian hospitality industry into another level.
The move is also to offer very wealthy personalities, international corporate executives, superstars, multinational chief executives the range of services they are accustomed to in their home countries.
The fleet which is used in providing exceptional luxury limousine services to discerning clients, include Mercedes S-Class; Bentley Continental Flying Spur, Rolls Royce Phantom, Rolls Royce Ghost, Cadillac Escalade ESV, Lincoln Royal Edition.
Mr Walid Zoobi, the Managing Director of Eurostar Global Limousine Limited told the Daily Graphic that Ghana’s enviable stable democratic environment coupled with promising economic atmosphere required world class services that would meet the expectation of global tourists or the international investor.
Eurostar Limos is a ground breaker in the sense that the company was the first luxury vehicle service provider in Ghana; currently it has branches in Cote d’Iviore, and four other African nations and plans to make footprint in 14 other nations on the continent.
“Our operations will focus on providing an exclusive, luxury, specialised and personalised service to the discerning few who want value for money while enjoying a service level comparable to any in the developed world”, Mr Walid added.
For Eurostar, every time a client rents a Rolls-Royce, they insist on providing a back-up Cadillac Escalade ESV luxury SUV. This is in line with the international standards in luxury limousine service.
With the drivers, he noted that they have been trained both locally and internationally to appreciate the international business executive
Operating with a flat and dynamic organisational structure, direct communication across all levels was assured, a situation with enables its skilled personnel to focus on the delivery of high quality service, consistently.
For their social responsibility, Mr Oscar Yao Doe, Chairman of Eurostar Limousine Group, told the Daily Graphic, during the funeral ceremony of late President JEA Mills, his outfit considered as “honour and privilege” to support the occasion with their fleet of cars, especially considering the number of heads of state and government delegation who touched the nation’s soil to mourn with Ghanaians.
“To us providing free service during that occasion was non-negotiable for us”, he said.
Published:Feb 18. 2013
Thursday, February 21, 2013
NPP MPs must rescind decision--Group
New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament (MP) must rescind their decision to abstain from the House’s vetting committee and perform their duties as expected of them while awaiting the verdict of the Supreme Court, a group by name Probity and Accountability Platform has advised.
It argued that if the minority insisted on boycotting the sittings of the committee in support of their leading members who have petitioned the Supreme Court on the 2012 presidential elections, then they should resign from parliament.
Addressing the media in Accra today, the Spokesperson for the group, Mr Kafui Mensah, described the NPP MP’s action as insincere because they readily participate in deliberations that directly benefited them “but boycott anything that will benefit you and me”.
Within 21 days after President John Mahama had been declared winner of the 2012 presidential elections by the Electoral Commission (EC), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, 2012 presidential candidate of the NPP and his running mate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia together with the party’s National Chairman, Mr Jake Otanka Obetsebi-Lamptey petition the Supreme Court challenging the results.
The NPP subsequently boycotted the investiture of President Mahama on January 7, 2013. When President Mahama communicated to Parliament about the lists of his designated ministers, the NPP threatened to boycott the vetting and true to their words they have so far refused to participate in the deliberations of the committee.
The move attracted pleas from a pro NPP pressure group, Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG) and the Ghana Bar Association for the party to rescind its decision. On his part a founding member of the NPP, Mr Charles Wireko-Brobby took a swipe at the party for that decision and called their move “nonsensical”.
Articulating the views of the Probity and Accountability Platform, Mr Mensah, said ironically the NPP MPs attended their own inauguration ceremony which was at midnight, yet they boycotted President Mahama’s investiture which was under broad day light.
“They have attended End of Service Benefits Committee and car loan meetings..., they are also collecting a whopping Ghc 50,000 for rent allowance as MPs yet have gone missing when needed to work, this is unpatriotic,” he added.
He said it was the constitutional rights for the NPP and all its members to go to court if they had qualms with the conduct and outcome of the elections but such right should not be abused to impede the business of government.
Mr Mensah said the group was gradually getting worried and embarrassed by the unconstitutional mentality in which the NPP was using its MPs to undermine and sabotage the peace and tranquillity of the state.
He reminded the NPP MPs that that they were voted for by most likely the same people who voted for Nana Akufo-Addo and their MPs have accepted that the NDC had more seats that the NPP which culminated in the NDC nominating a Speaker of Parliament.
It argued that if the minority insisted on boycotting the sittings of the committee in support of their leading members who have petitioned the Supreme Court on the 2012 presidential elections, then they should resign from parliament.
Addressing the media in Accra today, the Spokesperson for the group, Mr Kafui Mensah, described the NPP MP’s action as insincere because they readily participate in deliberations that directly benefited them “but boycott anything that will benefit you and me”.
Within 21 days after President John Mahama had been declared winner of the 2012 presidential elections by the Electoral Commission (EC), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, 2012 presidential candidate of the NPP and his running mate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia together with the party’s National Chairman, Mr Jake Otanka Obetsebi-Lamptey petition the Supreme Court challenging the results.
The NPP subsequently boycotted the investiture of President Mahama on January 7, 2013. When President Mahama communicated to Parliament about the lists of his designated ministers, the NPP threatened to boycott the vetting and true to their words they have so far refused to participate in the deliberations of the committee.
The move attracted pleas from a pro NPP pressure group, Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG) and the Ghana Bar Association for the party to rescind its decision. On his part a founding member of the NPP, Mr Charles Wireko-Brobby took a swipe at the party for that decision and called their move “nonsensical”.
Articulating the views of the Probity and Accountability Platform, Mr Mensah, said ironically the NPP MPs attended their own inauguration ceremony which was at midnight, yet they boycotted President Mahama’s investiture which was under broad day light.
“They have attended End of Service Benefits Committee and car loan meetings..., they are also collecting a whopping Ghc 50,000 for rent allowance as MPs yet have gone missing when needed to work, this is unpatriotic,” he added.
He said it was the constitutional rights for the NPP and all its members to go to court if they had qualms with the conduct and outcome of the elections but such right should not be abused to impede the business of government.
Mr Mensah said the group was gradually getting worried and embarrassed by the unconstitutional mentality in which the NPP was using its MPs to undermine and sabotage the peace and tranquillity of the state.
He reminded the NPP MPs that that they were voted for by most likely the same people who voted for Nana Akufo-Addo and their MPs have accepted that the NDC had more seats that the NPP which culminated in the NDC nominating a Speaker of Parliament.
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