The Chairman of the Committee, Seth Akyeampong, said the initial research done by the Committee indicated that, the negative activities of nomadic herdsmen were widespread.

[contextly_sidebar id=”VB8RA1uP9gQMXieLogWjbYE5zIWDLPGo”]Thus, there was the need to study how other countries had dealt with the challenge.

Mr. Akyeampong said memos were already before the Majority Secretariat awaiting for approval for the fact-finding visits to the three countries, namely; Nigeria, Burkina Faso and Cote d’Ivoire.

Delivering his report on the fallout from tensions between farmers and nomadic herdsmen referred to the Committee by the Speaker of Parliament, the Mpraeso MP said, if approved, an eight-man team would travel for the mission.

“In consultation with leadership, it became evident that the Committee would have to step out of our boundaries and go to countries like Cote d’Ivoire, which is equally going through a similar problem, Burkina Faso, who are equally going through the same problem and Nigeria, who are also going through the same problem,” he said on the floor of Parliament.”

“We will bring the full complement of our observations and findings from there to add up to the initial work we did with the sector minister,” Mr. Akyeampong added.

The causes of tensions between farmers and nomadic herdsmen are seen to be essentially the same across the sub-region.

The disagreements are always over the use of farmland, grazing areas and water between herders and local farmers.

The herders have consistently clashed with farmers who accuse them of damaging their crops and failing to control their animals.

But the casualties are significantly higher in Nigeria, where more than 1, 200 people were killed in 2014 by different groups of Fulani herders, according to the Global Terrorism Index.

A mass burial for over 70 people was held in Nigeria’s central Benue State in January 2018.

Since the New Year,  more than 100 deaths have been reported in Benue and Taraba states, according to reports in Nigeria.

Fighting has been particularly heavy in Benue state, where 80 people have been killed and 80,000 displaced.

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By: Duke Mensah Opoku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post C’ttee to tour West Africa for solutions to herdsmen-farmer tensions appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Speaking on the Floor of Parliament on Sunday, he criticized the government over its communication of what he described as a “sensitive matter.”

[contextly_sidebar id=”eGeVyzAPUN55WH91TNwmD24R5YSGuRtW”]Dr. Bawumia left Ghana for the United Kingdom on Friday night on medical leave after the Presidency indicated that he had taken ill earlier in the day and was undergoing medical checks.

Mr. Iddrisu suggested that some of the wording in statements released on the matter were vague.

“Mr. Speaker, we are not happy with government communicators at the office of the Presidency. Mr. Speaker, it is a sensitive matter. I could be ill myself, but Mr. Speaker, they should communicate well. I have sighted a letter where they say he is on Medical leave. What medical leave? Words matter,” the Minority leader remarked.

What the gov’t has said so far

The first statement from the government revealing Dr. Bawumia’s condition said: “The Vice President of the Republic, Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, in the early hours of Friday, 19th January, 2018, reported feeling unwell. He was attended to by his doctors, and is currently undergoing medical tests and observation. Any further information will be duly communicated.”

The second statement, indicating that the Vice President had left Ghana to the United Kingdom on medical leave said, “The Vice President of the Republic, Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, on Friday, 19th January, 2018, left Ghana for the United Kingdom for medical leave, on advice of his doctors. He was accompanied by the 2nd Lady, Hajia Samira Bawumia.”

Bawumia is in the UK to rest – Hamid

The Information Minister, Mustapha Hamid, has since provided some further clarity saying the decision to fly Dr. Bawumia to the was to ensure that he was kept away from visitors who may disturb his rest and recuperation period.

“When he is in Ghana, people will come from his village; from Walewale, from Gambaga. Wherever he is in Ghana, people will still besiege him to visit him. Even me, I would think that if I don’t go and visit him, he may think that Mustapha didn’t come and see me and etc,” the Information Minister stated.

Unusual practice?

The practice of revealing the health status of a President or a Vice, is not a common practice in Ghana.

In most cases, they are kept top secret, leaving room for the public to speculate.  It is thus unclear why the current New Patriotic Party [NPP] administration has found it necessary to put out this information – something that will undoubtedly surprise many.

However, in most developed democracies like the United States and most parts of Europe, there is often full disclosure on the health statuses of Presidents.

Whiles some have commended the government for speaking about the Vice President’s ill-health, others have criticized it, saying the announcement has created panic.

It would be recalled that Ghana’s late President, John Evans Atta Mills, died of a disease that is still unknown to Ghanaians.

Whiles he was alive and in office, his party, the NDC, repeatedly denied reports that he was unwell, although his physical appearance depicted him as unwell.

When he passed on, most Ghanaians criticized the governing NDC at the time for not being truthful with the health status of the President, but rather went ahead to create an impression that all was well with him.

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

The post Come clean on Bawumia’s health status – Minority demands appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

At the moment, Speakers of Parliament who serve as acting President in the absence of both the President and the Vice, are to take only the Oath of Office.

[contextly_sidebar id=”7KJGafYwpxEaTxKcoFmM7NuKnBBMIyoc”]But speaking on the floor of Parliament on Sunday after Professor Michael Oquaye was sworn in as acting President, Mr. Mensah-Bonsu said the country could take a second look at the arrangement.

He argued further that the Speaker of Parliament is already administered the Oath of Allegiance when sworn in as Speaker of Parliament.

“The Speaker did not take Oath of Secrecy. For the Oath of Allegiance, the Speaker has already taken it, so I would want to plead that going forward, whenever he has to be sworn in, he does not need to take the Oath of Allegiance because he has already done so as a Speaker. What he didn’t do was the Oath of Secrecy that is done by the President.”

“So I would think that, going forward, when the Speaker has to be sworn in as a President, the Oath of Secrecy would have to be admitted. It has never been done, but I guess we can improve our own procedures,” the Majority Leader stated.

The Oath of Secrecy

The Oath of Secrecy is taken to ensure that one does not reveal State secrets.

The Oath of Secrecy says: “I,………………………………………………………………………………………………holding the office of…………………………………………..do (in the name of the Almighty God swear) (solemnly affirm) that I will not directly or indirectly communicate or reveal to any person any matter which shall be brought under my consideration or shall come to my knowledge in the discharge of my official duties except as may be required for the discharge of my official duties or as may be specially permitted by law. (So help me God)”

It is to be sworn before the President, the Chief Justice or such other person as the President may designate.

Controversy over swearing-in

The law concerning the swearing-in was breached by a former Speaker of Parliament, Doe Adjaho in 2014, when he refused to take the oath of office as acting President at a point.

Both President Mahama and his Vice Kwesi Amissah-Arthur, had traveled outside the country at the time.

This compelled the Managing Director of Citi FM, Samuel Atta-Mensah, and a United States-based Ghanaian lawyer, Prof. Kwaku Asare, to file a suit at the Supreme Court, to among other things, seek an interpretation of Article 60 (12) of the 1992 Constitution, which requires that the Speaker takes the oath of office each time he is to act as President.

The Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, declared that the Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Edward Doe Adjaho, violated Article 60 (11)-(12) of the 1992 Constitution when he declined to be sworn in to act as President.

The nine-member panel, presided over by Justice Sophia Akuffo, also averred that the “Speaker of Parliament shall always, before assuming the functions of the Office of President when the President and the Vice-President are unable to perform their functions, take and subscribe to the oath set out in relation to the Office of President”.

Some have however insisted that the law is obsolete, considering that a President on an international assignment remains a President, and so he or she doesn’t need anyone to act in his absence.

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By: Duke Mensah Opoku & Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Speaker needs only Oath of Secrecy to act as President – Majority Leader appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Without singling out any particular  embassy, the Minority Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, noted that the situation could affect diplomatic relations in Ghana if not checked.

[contextly_sidebar id=”b5nD89Z19m4P8LbkwrCAuWZGX31m5YuQ”]Making a statement on the floor of Parliament, the North Tongu MP said: “the blot I speak of is the shabby and dehumanizing treatment sometimes meted out to many Ghanaian applicants virtually on a daily basis.”

He added that “there is also what many Ghanaian visa applicants consider to be extortionist conduct on the part of some of these embassies.”

Mr. Ablakwa noted that, most  embassies have made “no provision for a decent and safe waiting area where visa applicants may be hosted as they wait their turn during visa interview appointments.”

The North Tongu legislator recalled visits to some missions which he said left him “outraged” as he found applicants queuing at opened areas and waiting at roundabouts at the mercy of the weather.

“To these embassies, they couldn’t be bothered if the sun is scorching or it’s raining or if there is a category five hurricane. They simply don’t seem to care,” he bemoaned.

Aside from the earlier points, Mr. Ablakwa raised concerns with the different kinds of fees some applicants are presented with.

According to him, “a new trend is emerging where some embassies, apart from their standard visa processing fees, demand all kinds of extra fees and charges under various guises. These guises range from express fees, early appointment fees, email fees, text messages fees and so on and so forth.”

Mr. Ablakwa stressed that, the visa applicants have rights and deserve respect, and “now is the time to demand action as the people’s representatives.”

Probe needed

Responding to the concerns, the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Frank Annor Dompreh, said his committee was aware of the situation, and would team up with the Foreign Affairs on how best to deal with this worrying trend.

“It has become so important and poignant that we take some important decisions and take some attempts to resolve this concern once and for all,” he said.

Mr. Annor Dompreh thus indicated the need for a thorough investigation, saying “there are some of these embassies that are doing a very good job and they need to be supported and encouraged.”

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By: Duke Mensah Opoku & Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonine.com/Ghana

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AMERI, in a statement following an appearance, before the Mines and Energy Committee of Parliament on Friday, however, said the government had the right to review the deal if it felt it was being ripped off.

[contextly_sidebar id=”8nYBjGl6LlVN7yIasGx8PtloOS8ZJBoV”]”AMERI acknowledges that the Government of Ghana has every right to assess all public contracts for value of money or quality of delivery. The company strongly believes the project delivered on both. An independent report by renowned auditors PriceWaterhouse Coopers (PwC) found that, out of 7 similar projects, the Ameri plant at Takoradi offered the best value for money,” the statement said.

According to the committee charged to review, restructure and recommend areas of amendment of the AMERI power deal, AMERI in its agreement with Government dated February 10, 2015, is said to have charged Ghana significantly higher than what it was charged by the Turkish registered company, PPR, which financed and executed the project.

The Turkish firm pegged the total cost of the project at a maximum of $360 million.

AMERI committed to Ghana’s development

Despite the concerns, AMERI stressed its “commitment to remain a positive contributor towards Ghana’s economic development,” after the “transformative effect” of previous dealings with Ghana.

“AMERI restated that the 250MW gas power plant, built in Takoradi, had been constructed in record time, having taken only 4 months to install. More importantly, the project has had a transformative effect on the Ghanaian energy sector. Supplying close to 20% of Ghana’s electricity, the plant is part of a successful wider push by the country for a more reliable and resilient energy market.”

The statement also noted that, AMERI’s CEO, Maher Al Alili, had defended the short-term five-year BOOT (Build, Own, Operate and Transfer) deal as the best option for Ghana.

“When we entered Ghana, the country was going through its worst energy crisis. The only option on the table for the Government was a rental deal, which offered no value for money to the country. We are proud to say that we are the only company working in the region which offered and delivered a short term 5 year BOOT (Build, Own, Operate and Transfer) solution, installed in record time the power plant features brand new, state of the art GE turbines.”

Go to court over AMERI deal – Jinapor dares gov’t

Ameri’s response comes at a time when a former deputy Power Minister, John Jinapor, has called on the Member of Parliament of Adansi-Asokwa, K.T Hammond, to seek redress in court if he wants to challenge the validity of the AMERI deal.

K.T Hammond, on Wednesday, moved that Parliament withdraw the agreement due to what he calls “misrepresentations” by the company, when the deal was presented to the House under the Mahama Administration.

Find below the full statement

AMERI speaks at Parliamentary Committee hearing: “We are proud of our power plant”

Company welcomes opportunity to address Takoradi plant contract

Reasserts timely delivery and flawless supply record since operations began

Positively declares that the project was good value for money – cites PWC report

Spokesperson: ‘We came to Ghana this week to reassert our commitment to this country and its people – we are proud of our power plant.’

ACCRA – Following a committee hearing at the Mines and Energy Committee at the Parliament of Ghana, Ameri Energy has today reiterated the positive effects of the Takoradi Gas Power plant. The company also iterated its commitment to remain a positive contributor towards Ghanaian economic development.

Today’s hearing followed concerns by some MPs over whether the contract was correctly valued. Speaking to committee members, representatives of AMERI welcomed the opportunity to address the committee and hear their concerns.

AMERI restated that the 250MW gas power plant, built in Takoradi, had been constructed in record time, having taken only 4 months to install. More importantly, the project has had a transformative effect on the Ghanaian energy sector. Supplying close to 20% of Ghana’s electricity, the plant is part of a successful wider push by the country for a more reliable and resilient energy market. Blackouts are now much rarer.

AMERI CEO Maher Al Alili said:

“Ameri prides itself on the partnerships that we forge across the world, supplying power to countries when they need it most. As a responsible organisation, we appreciate the chance to address any misconceptions about our work in Ghana. Only from a point of mutual understanding and cooperation with all stakeholders can we move forward.

When we entered Ghana the country was going through its worst energy crisis. The only option on the table for the Government was a rental deal, which offered no value for money to the country. We are proud to say that we are the only company working in the region which offered and delivered a short term 5 year BOOT (Build, Own, Operate and Transfer) solution. Installed in record time the power plant features brand new, state of the art GE turbines.”

AMERI acknowledged the Government of Ghana has every right to assess all public contracts for value of money or quality of delivery. The company strongly believes the project delivered on both. An independent report by renowned auditors PriceWaterhouse Coopers (PwC) found that out of 7 similar projects, the Ameri plant at Takoradi offered the best value for money.

Commenting, Mr Al Alili said: ‘Our facility offers the lowest levelized tariff of any thermal plant in Ghana. This is something we are very proud of. Value for money has always been a huge priority for our work in Ghana. The project is on a fully financed basis, with no sovereign guarantee from the Government, and a standby letter that covers less than 10% of the project value – Ameri have borne the majority of the financial risk.’

‘More importantly, the project delivered. Built at record speed, our company helped plug the energy deficit at a time of emergency. This plant remains the most reliable energy supplier to the country with not a single shutdown. Its contribution to Ghana’s energy supply remains substantial.’

Mr Al Alili also stated: ‘We came to Ghana this week to reassert our commitment to this country and its people. However, we are also aware that cases such as these have the potential to undermine investor confidence in Ghana.

We hope this is the beginning of a positive and constructive dialogue, one that continues to ensure a reliable and economical energy supply for the Ghanaian people.’

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

The post We gave Ghana best deal; but gov’t can scrutinize – AMERI appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MASLOC, Stephen Amoah, letters he wrote to the MPS involved asking them to honour their obligations have not received any reply.

Mr. Amoah, who made the revelation on the Citi Breakfast Show on Wednesday, however refused to name the legislators involved.

[contextly_sidebar id=”1MLMU77XYpP8jyHmCATzD3BqPbsMBxB8″]He only said the defaulters are from the two main parties in Ghana – the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NPP).

“Some of the MPS came for the cars or whatever loans or assets for their personal use, some of them actually did that for other people as guarantors. If you guarantee for a beneficiary, there is a declaration that anytime that there is default; you would have to perform that obligation…Some of them were leaders of the previous government. So I wrote to each of the MPs and put it into their pigeon holes—I never had any response from any of them. I also wrote to the clerk of Parliament, I did that but there was no response.”

When asked to disclose the identity of the MPs involved, Mr. Amaoh said “It’s not every bit of information I can bring up because it’s a high house and I have to respect them…For the MPs, I won’t bring it to the public domain now.”

The CEO made the claims on the back of reports that some 350 vehicles procured by MASLOC had been “left at the mercy of the weather” after the GPRTU refused to buy them because their prices were “too excessive.”

MASLOC has subsequently asked the Attorney General’s Department to examine the contracts following suspicion of inflated prices.

Actors, musicians, others owe us close to GHc100 million

“I went through my documents…I realized that our debt portfolio was over GHc100 million, and I found some of them to be actors, actresses, parliamentarians from both sides [of the political divide].”

Mr. Amoah said there were some who came for the vehicles and instead of using them, parked the cars at their garages for close to two years.

He also confirmed that his outfit has so far confiscated 350 of such vehicles and is currently in the process of retrieving the monies.

He threatened to take legal action against the recalcitrant debtors.

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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post MASLOC chases MPs, actors for non-payment of car loans appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

This is the third meeting of the first session of the Seventh Parliament.

Among bills to be considered during the sitting are the Zongo and Inner Cities and the Special Prosecutor bills.

President Akufo-Addo’s proposal to have August 4 declared as Founders Day and September 21 as Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day will also be discussed by the House.

The Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye in his address before the house went on recess chided the Minority for the recent spree of attacks on him over the manner he conducts affairs in the House.

The Minority had suggested that the speaker was being biased in conducting the affairs of the house against the Minority.

The Minority said Prof. Oquaye has been sidelining them during discussions on national issues in the House.

They therefore in a protest over the issue staged a walkout in one of the final sittings.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Parliament resumes sitting today appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The President of the association, Emmanuel Kwarteng Frimpong told Citi News that the current fees are too exorbitant.

[contextly_sidebar id=”LTZIeOXGdBxEODKV64A4fYO2ev7bulze”]According to him, the association has received numerous petitions from students over the increment in fees and his association is demanding the breakdown of fees so each student knows what services they are paying for.

“Until Parliament goes through the fees, gives the breakdown and approves for students, we should withhold payment, just in fulfillment of the constitutional provisions (Fees and Charges Act 793),” he stated.

The Fees and Charges Act 2009 (Act 793), which was amended by a legislative instrument (LI2228), 2016 seeks to safeguard the public against arbitrary and haphazard charges and levying of students by universities.

This Act mandates vice chancellors to seek approval from Parliament, through the National Tertiary Council, Mr. Frimpong reminded.

“It is a humble plea to the Vice Chancellors of Ghana that it is only prudent, fair and appropriate that that we get the breakdown of what exactly we are paying for so that we will have the firm knowledge of what we are being charged and what we are supposed to pay.”

Protests over the fees began in July, with continuing students of the University of Ghana complaining about the rise in their fees for the 2017/2018 academic year. Each year, the university increases fees based on prevailing inflation rate plus 2%.

The Minister of State in charge of Tertiary Education, Professor Kwesi Yankah, recently urged the vice-chancellors of Ghana adhere to the Fees and Charges Act 2009 (Act 793).

He noted they had resorted to fixing fees and other levies without recourse to the law.

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By: Zoe Abu-Baidoo/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Don’t pay increased fees yet – USAG to students appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Mr. Mensah Bonsu further described the Minority as being in a state of confusion in the immediate run-up to the matter coming up on the floor of the House.

[contextly_sidebar id=”kFNle9naToExoeYP3K8LfMHI2EkL2MbJ”]“What even preceded the House was that our colleagues [the Minority] were not even sure what to do… we had a pre-sitting meeting and we wanted to know from them what should be done and they said to us they would not participate in the motion.”

“Then they came to say they will raise preliminary issues against the motion if the motion got moved. So we wanted better and further clarity on what they wanted to do. Then they said well, they will participate in the debate but would not participate in the voting. So there was that confusion within their own ranks,” the Majority Leader recounted.

Eventually, on the Floor of Parliament, the Minority Speaker sought to make a submission on the motion but was prevented from doing so to the ire of the Minority, who proceeded to storm out.

“We left because we thought that he[The Speaker] should have allowed our leader to exhaust the case that he was making because he was citing Supreme Court rulings but he wouldn’t let that happen,” the Minority Chief Whip, Alhaji Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka said to Citi News.

This notwithstanding, Mr. Mensah Bonsu was of the view that the Speaker of the House, “in his wisdom” taking into consideration the motion noting fraudulent claim, “felt the matter was too weighty to be continued so the member should go to the committee on energy and then submit what information has come to him to the Committee.”

The motion in question was filed by K.T. Hammond, who was the ranking member of the Energy Committee of Parliament in 2015 when the deal was approved, seeks to reverse the decision.

The thinking behind the referral of the motion to the Mines and Energy Committee was that this would allow the Committee to reconsider the deal since it advised Parliament to approve it in the first place in 2015, Mr. Mensah Bonsu explained.

“… so the Speaker said he [K.T. Hammond] should submit what information that he has to the committee and that they would also avail the Minister of Energy because the minister at the time had submitted documentaiotn to the committee.”

The John Mahama administration in 2015 signed a contract with Africa and Middle East Resources Investment Group’s (AMERI Energy) to rent the 300MW of emergency power generator at the peak of the country’s power crisis.

The power agreement with UAE-based AMERI Energy deal cost $510m.

It later emerged that the government had been shortchanged by AMERI as they presented an overpriced budget and government overpaid by $150 million.

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

The post Minority were ‘confused’ in build-up to walkout – Majority Leader appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Mr. Samoa Addo, a member of the opposition National Democratic Congress, said the morning raid of the home of former Deputy Power Minister, John Jinapor for some evidence related to the AMERI power agreement, was an affront to the dignity of Parliament.

[contextly_sidebar id=”V5oYaF6BTPMDsGwqpsIxXyhuaKFy3KM8″]In Mr. Jinapor’s case, police did not give him a copy of the warrant after a legitimate request before the search and the lawyer, speaking on The Big Issue, noted that what the officers may have wanted to do was lawful but may not have been carried out lawfully.

In general, Mr. Samoa Addo felt the police were let off the hook for crossing the line over certain arrests.

“It is about time people started suing the police for what I would consider constitutes a lawful arrest because most times people feel that because you can hold a person for 48 hours means that you have necessarily got the unimpeded constitutional right to hold someone for 48 hours. The Constitution talks about reasonable suspicion – that you must a have a reasonable basis to hold somebody.”

“I think the Members of Parliament of Parliament themselves must take the matter to court… this is a fine opportunity for the courts to pronounce that when a Member of Parliament is on his way to or from Parliament, you cannot serve him with a process. So that service of the warrant on them at the time is illegal.”

Security personnel must be queried in public

Criticism of the raid was noted by the Speaker of Parliament summoned an emergency meeting with some national security officers.

But Mr. Samoa Addo said officers connected must be queried in public before the House.

“I think that Members of Parliament, to protect their own dignity, must drag the officers in question before Parliament. I don’t think Mr. Speaker should do this in private. Mr. Speaker must bring them to Parliament so that they will be educated on what they can do and what they can do and what they cannot do.”

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

The post AMERI raids: MPs must sue over unlawful searches – Lawyer appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.