President Nana Akufo-Addo has already said the newly-created ministry will ensure a balance of security and freedom for in the security sector.

In this light, Mr. Kan-Dapaah indicated that the Ministry of National Security will be handling issues like illegal mining and the more recent incidents of post elections violence.

Speaking during his vetting by Parliament, he said “as we go along, we should find a way of stopping such behavior [as the post-election distrubances] and I think the creation of a Ministry for National Security will then enable the ministry and the secretariat to be more accountable to the people of Ghana because we have to report to Parliament this time.”

He also described the canker of illegal mining as “one of the major security challenges” confronting Ghana adding that, “I think we should find a way to deal with it in a manner that can stop it.”

Given the sensitive nature of his portfolio, Mr. Dapaah’s responses to the questions raised during the public sitting were succinct.

The vetting transitioned to an in-camera sitting, away from the media and the public, where more detailed engagement on national security issues were expected.

About Albert Kan-Dapaah

Mr. Kan-Dapaah is a Chartered Accountant by profession and a former President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Ghana.

He was a former partner in the international accounting firm, Pannell Kerr Forster. He worked in the Electricity Company of Ghana as the Director of Finance for six years before entering the Parliament of Ghana in January 1997.

He was the Minority Spokesman on Mines and Energy from 1997 to 2000. In 2001, he joined the government of President Kufuor and served in the Ministries of Energy, Communications, Interior and Defence between 2001 and 2008.

From 2009 to 2012, he chaired the Public Accounts Committee of the Parliament of Ghana. He left Parliament at the end of 2012, and has since been adjunct lecturer in Auditing and the Director of the Centre for Public Accountability at the University of Professional Studies, Accra.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post National Security Ministry will ensure accountability – Kan-Dapaah appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The two-day training workshop funded by the Open Society Initiative for West Africa(OSIWA), is aimed at preparing the aspirants for  parliamentary platforms by equipping them with knowledge that will assist their work as potential members of parliament.

The two-day workshop was on the theme: “Election 2016: Promoting Policy-Issue Based Debate and Post-Election Accountability at the Constituency Level”

Speaking to Citi News, Senior programs officer of the CDD, Mrs. Regina Tetteh said the training was the first of three workshops planned for parliamentary aspirants from 50 selected constituencies across the country, in preparedness for upcoming parliamentary debates which will focus on selected policy and developmental issues.

“This workshop will assist  fourteen  aspiring candidates particularly first time aspirants in the three regions of the north to understand the work of a member of parliament, equip candidates with effective communication skills in order to develop and prepare responses to issues during their campaign period and also to contribute meaningfully on the floor of parliament when they are elected.”

“It is to shift the campaign focus on insults and personality attacks on trivial issues to policy issues that affect the people, so when your vision reflects on the issues that affects the electorates; then you are providing them with information as to who to  vote for as their member of parliament.”

Mrs. Tetteh further explained that, the parliamentary debates would provide opportunity for citizens, particularly persons with disabilities, persons living with HIV/AIDS, and youth and women, to interact with the prospective legislators on issues affecting them to ensure full inclusion and participation in the political and governance process.

“The debates will deal with issues such as education and labour mismatch, maternal health and HIV Anti-stigma, implementation and compliance of the Disability Law and others, imperiling the advancement of women and children, as well as the utilization and management of the oil and gas resources for inclusion growth and development”.

The immediate past chairman of the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament and former Member of Parliament for Afigya-Sekyere West, Albert Kan-Dapaah, took the aspirants through the work of parliament and their duties as parliamentarians, in order to facilitate development for the constituents and the nation at large.

Some aspirants told Citi News the training has been useful to them and will not only guide them on how to conduct their campaigns, but also to play their roles well when elected as parliamentarians.

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By: Frederick Awuni/Citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post CDD builds capacity of parliamentary aspirants ahead of debates appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.