His call comes after the Minority challenged the legality of the President’s decision to suspend the regional minister rather outrightly dismissing him.

[contextly_sidebar id=”OnWjdPoT1aFKL7LhnV7K86OerVd8Y768″]President Akufo-Addo on Thursday suspended Sulemana Alhassan for his alleged role in the aftermath of the attack on the regional office of the National Disaster Management Organizations (NADMO) on Wednesday evening.

The minister is said to have prevented the police from arresting some of the about 30 irate New Patriotic Party (NPP) youth who besieged the Organization’s premises and beat up the regional director’s aide.

Staff of NADMO declared an immediate strike which they have since called off, over the incident, describing the minister’s action as “worrying, annoying and unprofessional.”

While some commended the president for the swift action, the Minority has chided President Akufo-Addo for the action, arguing that he erred in law.

According to the Member of Parliament for Bawku Central Mahama Ayariga, the President is empowered by the Constitution only to sack, reshuffle or initiate censure procedures against the regional minister and not to suspend him.

Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, also argued that his directive to the Deputy Regional Minister Amidu Ishaq to act in the stead of Mr. Sulemana while investigations are conducted is illegal.

The 1^st deputy speaker, Joe Osei Owusu following arguments on the floor of parliament on Friday over the matter urged the minority to go to court.

Osei Owusu stated that he believes the president acted within his power.

“My view is that the power to appoint includes the power to suspend and dismiss, and so the president acted within his power…. If anyone thinks that President is acting out of the constitution, the person knows the appropriate means to use” he said.

‘Deputy Minister can’t act’

The leader of the Minority in Parliament described the directive by President Nana Akufo-Addo for the Deputy Upper West Regional Minister, Amidu Ishaq to act in the stead of the suspended Regional Minister, Sulemana Alhassan as unconstitutional.

While commending the decision taken by the President to suspend the Regional Minister, Haruna Iddrisu stated that, it was imperative that the President does not breach the Constitution in his effort to address the situation.

“We welcome the swiftness of the President’s action against the Regional Minister for attempting to [frustrate efforts] at getting an end to the lawlessness in the country by the masquerading NPP youth in that region and other parts of the country. But the President himself is a respected legal practitioner and must do what is appropriate legally and constitutionally within the meaning of the Supreme Court ruling on the status of deputy Ministers. It is wrong in law and constitutionally for the deputy Minister to be asked to acting in the absence of the regional Minister,” Haruna Iddrisu said on Eyewitness News.

‘Akufo’Addo’s action unlawful’

Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga described the president’s decision as unconstitutional, insisting that he should have dismissed the minister rather than suspend him.

He suggested that there was the need to seek the Court’s view on the matter.

“We can raise it on the floor of Parliament and debate it, but that doesn’t also give finality to the matter. It’s the courts that will give finality. The only way to obtain some finality is to go to the courts and test then Constitution in relation to the conduct of the President. Perhaps by [Friday] morning the President would have thought through it, realized he has done the wrong thing and reverse his decision. If he doesn’t then of course, there might be a need to challenge his actions and either myself or somebody else who has the space may decide to do that,” he said in an interview on Eyewitness News.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Go to court over Minister’s suspension – Osei Owusu dares Minority appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

This follows comments by the Minority that some members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) vigilante groups had been recruited to provide security in Parliament.

But speaking on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday, Mr. Osei Owusu said the comments were unfortunate given that the Minority understands how such exercises are undertaken.

“Let’s not use partisan considerations to embarrass the institution that we are part of,” he said as he chided the National Democratic Congress Minority.

“Before the police came here, the police were brought in by Honorable doe Adjaho in 2015, so Parliament security is not new. It is not a new institution that is being set up.”

“The most critical thing for me is not raising the issue with matters that have to do with Parliament, but going to discuss them as if something untoward is happening,” Mr. Osei Owusu stated.

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

The post Osei Owusu slams Minority over ‘false’ claims against parliament appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

This is in spite of calls by the public for the law to be scrapped.

In a Citi News interview, Mr. Osei-Owusu argued that, the policy is in the supreme interest of road users after research showed that a huge number of road accidents are caused by broken down vehicles.

[contextly_sidebar id=”DWvVJZbc9zOwrth4ZMu3vH6MQRXQeJKp”]The National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) is expected to begin a nationwide towing programme in July 2017, to ensure that all vehicles that breakdown on highways are cleared off the roads.

For this reason, drivers are required to pay a road safety fee ranging between GHC 10 and GHC 200 in addition to their road worthy certification fees.

Commercial vehicles and taxes will pay GH¢40, mini buses will pay GH¢80, while heavy duty trucks will pay between GH¢80 and GH¢200 annually, depending on their tonnage. Non-commercial vehicles are expected to pay GH¢20. The Road Safety Management Services Limited (RSMSL) has already acquired some 118 trucks ahead of the implementation, for the exercise.

But several persons have kicked against the policy calling on government to scrap it immediately. A former President of the Ghana Institution of Engineers (GhIE), Ing. Magnus Lincoln Quarshie, says the approach is a total rip-off.

But Osei-Owusu, who once headed the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), insisted in an interview with Citi News’ Duke Mensah Opoku that the counter arguments are not tenable.

“Your car may never have to be towed but you can run into a vehicle that is disabled. Sometimes we are just parochial; we discuss the issue only on one side. What you are discussing is not your vehicle; it is the risk to road users. The risk that a broken down vehicle possesses is not to only the driver but to everyone who plies the road,” he stated.

He urged that the arguments should revolve around the dangers that such broken down vehicles could cause to human lives.

“Anytime there is a disabled vehicle on the road, there is a risk to the life of every road user. So if we don’t focus on removing the risk to the road and we focus on how much will it cost, who is doing the work, we’ll  be missing the problem. It’s my vehicle that has broken down, and during the time, I don’t have money and it will genuinely happen to many people.”

The 1^st Deputy Speaker who was a lead discussant during the formulation of the policy in 2011, said initially the policy was to charge only heavy duty truck owners, but it was later extended to other categories of vehicles in order to create a pool of funds for undertaking such programme.

“When it comes to the heavy duty truck owners that were the main reason we changed the rule to making a contribution to a pool; because they explained legitimately that they carry the load, but they are not paid. The charges are paid to their owners so anytime they are on the road they have small amount of money for their personal expenses. When you observe, anytime those vehicles break down, you find that their owners come with mechanics because the drivers are not holding the money there. So if you leave it to them, the disabled vehicles will not be towed and other road users’ lives will be in danger,” he added.

“In 2011, every stakeholder was involved. All the driver unions in Koforidua, where we finalized the document were involved. Myself and Osei Prempeh were the lead discussants. All the driver unions were represented.  At the time, the controversy was whether to pay the entire amount to the operator or hold it and pay when they discharge services. Your car may never have to be towed but you can run into a vehicle that is disabled,” he reiterated,

Meanwhile, the Roads and Transport Committee of Parliament is currently locked up in a meeting with the Road Safety Commission, the DVLA and other stakeholders over the matter.

According to the Ranking Member on the Committee, Governs Kwame Agbodza, the committee wants to probe the issues surrounding the implementation and possibly recommend the recall of the Legislative Instrument supporting the fee.

Some MPs including the Deputy Minority Leader, James Avedzi Klutse, had earlier called for the policy to be scrapped following the reactions.

But Osei Wusu said the critics lack understanding of the issue.

“That is what politicians do; jumping on bandwagon…sometimes I think that some politicians are too hasty. If you ask them to go deep into the matter they have not even considered all the issues. As far as I’m concerned it is a risk to everybody.”

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

The post Mandatory towing fee criticisms baseless – Osei-Owusu appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to a private legal practitioner, Nii Kpakpo Samoa Addo, the Majority Members in Parliament could have capitalized on it to call for his removal and for a by-election to be held in his constituency.

“It didn’t make political sense to push the issue because the consequences I understand could go as far as even calling for his removal from Parliament. Politically if you push, and your area is a flip flop constituency, the majority could take advantage and call for a by-election, they could actually expel you from Parliament,” he opined.

[contextly_sidebar id=”MXRJgsovQB4zPZ7Pskknx9S1NsQqAvgS”]The Bawku Central MP was charged with contempt for making unfounded bribery allegations against the Chairman of the Appointments Committee, Joe Osei Owusu, the Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko and the Minority Chief Whip, Muntaka Mubarak.

A special committee, chaired by Joe Ghartey, the Essikado-Ketan MP was constituted by the Speaker of Parliament to investigate the matter.

The committee after its investigations concluded that Mr. Ayariga’s claim that Joe Osei Owusu was used as a conduit by the Minister for Energy to distribute a GH¢3,000 bribe to minority members on the Appointments Committee to facilitate Mr. Agyarko’s approval after his vetting was baseless and thus found him guilty of contempt of Parliament.

Although Ayariga openly disagreed with the report, he subsequently wrote a letter to the Speaker apologizing and he was pardoned.

Meanwhile, speaking on the Citi FM’s news analysis progamme, They Big Issue on Saturday, Nii Kpakpo who is also a member of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) explained that it was “politically risky” for Ayariga to have appealed the Joe Ghartey committee’s report.

This, the lawyer said was because there was no evidence backing his [Ayariga’s] claims.

“If you look at it from a political point of view…the committee was not only made up of NPP side but it was also made up of your own [NDC] members. Now members of the committee who were you own members came out to say that there was absolutely no evidence, and there was nothing on which they could evaluate and say the allegation was true. That means that you have no legs to stand on politically. If it was majority decision, then you could say that I my side support me but here is the case that your members were not on your side. It was virtually yourself and the whole Parliament. So I think, he took advice, weighed his options carefully and realized that this was not something that was worth pushing so let me take the honourable part by apologizing,” the lawyer added.

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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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The post Ayariga could’ve been expelled from Parliament if… – Lawyer appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The committee’s Chairman, Railways Development Minister, Joe Ghartey, explained that the break in the committee’s sitting was to accommodate Mr. Ablakwa’s request for the transcript and recording of the first sitting, where the First Deputy Speaker and Chairman of Parliament’s Appointment’s committee, Joe Osei-Owusu appeared.

Mr. Ablakwa made a request for an audio recording of the proceedings on Friday morning, and the committee has obliged the request.

“We have agreed to oblige that request. We are taking steps to give him a copy and a transcript of the proceedings of that day, and when he receives it, he will be in a position to come before us,” Mr. Ghartey said.

Mr. Osei-Owusu was the first witness before the committee as he was alleged to have attempted to bribe each of the Minority members on the Appointments Committee with GHc 3,000, said to have come from the Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko.

Mr. Osei-Owusu, reiterated his innocence in the supposed bribery scandal that rocked the Appointments Committee when he appeared before the five-member committee investigating the matter.

During his testimony, Mr. Osei-Owusu, also said he refused to push for investigations into the alleged bribery scandal because Mr. Ablakwa claimed it was framed.

It was this claim before the committee that forced Mr. Ablakwa to request to appear as witness to clear himself via a letter from his lawyers. The committee was set to admit only four witnesses.

‘Bribery scandal’

Mr. Ablakwa, along with two other members of the minority on Appointments Committee, Samuel Okudzeto Alhassan Suhuyini and Mahama Ayariga alleged that some monies were paid to them after the vetting of Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko to help facilitate his approval.

Mr. Osei Owusu and Minority Chief Whip Muntaka Mubarak Mohammed, whose names were mentioned as conduits of the alleged payment.

The three MPs subsequently petitioned the Speaker of the Parliament, Prof. Mike Oquaye to investigate the allegations.

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

The post Bribery committee adjourns sitting over Ablakwa’s invitation appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

He made the announcement on The Big Issue on Saturday when he was asked if he would go to court to prove his innocence.

“That is precisely where I’m going,” he added.

The Member of Parliament for Bawku Central and member of the Appointments Committee of Parliament had accused Energy minister, Boakye Agyarko of bribing the ten minority members on the committee with GHc3, 000 each in a bid to lure them to approve him [Agyarko] for the ministerial position.

The minority had refused to approve Mr. Agyarko because of some comments he made during his vetting against former President John Dramani Mahama.

Mr. Ayariga had claimed that Mr. Osei-Owusu gave the money to the minority Chief Whip, Muntaka Mubarak for onward disbursement to them.

But speaking on Citi FM’s news analysis programme, The Big Issue, Mr.Osei-Owusu said his hands are clean.

“I have never ever received any money from Boakye Agyarko or anybody for that matter for any such purpose. Mahama Ayariga knows that I have never spoken to him or Muntaka or anybody about any money, never. There are not many people on that side I like anyway for me to go to that level.”

“I took this thing as ordinary thing but I ignored it but when I heard that Mahama Ayariga had gone on air and was mentioning my name when he knows that I’m in no such relationship with him, I’m pissed off and I’m angry. The leadership of been trying to prevail over me not to respond but I think it is getting overboard. “On Tuesday I will make a statement on the floor of the House and in that respect and then I will take my personal responsibility for my image from there,” he noted.

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

The post Osei-Owusu to clear his name in court over bribery scandal appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

A member of the Minority in Parliament and Bawku Central MP, Mahama Ayariga, accused Mr. Agyarko of attempting to bribe Minority MPs, ostensibly to have his nomination as the Minister of Energy approved.

Rumours were rife in Parliament that some Minority MPs had allegedly been offered GHc 3,000 each by Mr. Agyarko, to facilitate his approval, a claim Mr. Ayariga further stressed on Accra-based Radio Gold.

But Mr. Osei Owusu, also the Chairman of the Appointments Committee, said a confession had been made to the effect that the allegation was made by some Minority members to settle scores, following prior claims by the Majority side that former President John Mahama was corrupt.

The source of the confession was however not disclosed.

In the supposed confession, Mr. Osei-Owusu said “… the news going round that I have received money from members of the committee was actually created to play on a level ground; the Majority had called the President [Mahama] corrupt so the corruption must be shared amongst all sides.”

Mr. Osei Owusu also assured that, tempers had been calmed and that Parliament would further investigate the matter.

“That confession has come and calmed tempers to some extent, because some of us were boiling up knowing the source and where it has come from, we will find a way to deal with it such that the entire members of the committee will continue to have the confidence of the Ghanaian populace,” the First Deputy Speaker said on the floor of Parliament.

My allegations still stand –  Ayariga

Despite the reports of the confession which some news reports have associated with Mr. Ayariga, the Bawku Central MP has said he has not withdrawn his allegations of corruption against Mr. Agyarko.

In a statement, Mr. Ayariga said: “Let me state categorically that I have not withdrawn any allegation against the nominee. The basis for such a withdrawal and apology does not exist because the Minority Members actually received some sums of money from the leadership which came from the nominee.”

“I wish to also add that I was not making up any facts to equalise for the bribery allegation against President John Mahama. My colleagues and I actually returned the money to be given back to Mr. Agyarko, who we are were told gave the money.”

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

The post Bribery allegations against Agyarko fabricated – Osei Owusu appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The party believes the Chairman is “over-protecting” various minister nominees appearing before it, and not “allowing the minority to flow more”.

This position was reiterated by the National Organizer of the NDC, Kofi Adams, who told Citi News “the leadership is just there to frustrate the work” of the committee.

“I don’t think that it’s decent enough. They should allow the minority to scrutinize those appearing before them because at the end of the day, when they get confirmed, they are going to be working for Ghana, using the authority of the state,” Mr Adams said.

He noted that, the Chairman’s position “sometimes even embarrasses his own members”.

“I have witnessed instances where the Majority Leader even came in to say that he believed that some questions that had been overruled by the chair of the committee should be allowed to pass, but when the ranking member feels that a ruling is not in the best interest, and the nominee should be made to answer, he doesn’t allow.”

Thirteen minister nominees have been vetted so far.

These include Minister Nominees for the Agriculture, Education, Health, Foreign, Finance and Local Government and Rural Development. The rest are Senior Minister, Energy, Trade and Industry, Attorney General, Defence, Interior and National Security.

While some have endured what has been described by many as grueling moments before the committee, others have sailed through rather easily.

Despite his stance that the Minority is being hindered, Kofi Adams said the minority members on the committee are doing their best in probing the issues.

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By:Eugenia Tenkorang/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Appointment committee chair frustrating our MPs – Kofi Adams appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Plant Breeders Bill, which was brought to Parliament for approval, triggered a massive debate in the country in 2014, with some groups including the Food Sovereignty Ghana insisting that it will undermine and damage traditional farming practices.

They also argued that approving the Bill will unnecessarily threaten public health, water resources, air and the natural environment.

Meanwhile, speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Wednesday, Communications Director of FSG, Edwin Kweku Andoh Baffour, clarified that they are instead against the Bill in its current form.

“We are not against hybrid, we are not against science, but we are against the genetic manipulation of organisms –when we take genes from one organism and artificially incorporate them into the gene of another.  We have never said the Plant Breeders Bill is about GMO. What we have said is that, the Plant Breeders Bill is going to open the way for multinational seed companies to monopolize our seeds. We are not against the Plant Breeders Bill, we are against the Plant Breeders Bill in its current form and we have clearly stated where we have a problem,” Mr. Baffour noted.

Mr. Baffour made the comment on the back of a petition his group sent to Parliament’s Appointment Committee to compel the House to reject Agric Minister nominee, Dr. Owusu Afriyie-Akoto, who they claim supports the introduction of Genetically Modified Foods in Ghana.

Their petition was however rubbished by the nominee, as the chairman of the committee, Joe Osei-Owusu, revealed that FSG had earlier apologized to Parliament for their public claims about the Plant Breeders Bill.

But Mr. Baffour rejected the claim saying, such incident never occurred.

Mr. Baffour told Bernard Avle on the Citi Breakfast Show that “…that was the first time I had heard of this, I don’t recall any need for an apology from Food Sovereignty so I was quite surprised when I heard the chairman of the committee stating that Food Sovereignty Ghana had apologized for something.”

“I’m not sure what exactly we had to apologize for,” he added.

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

The post We’re not against Plant Breeders Bill – Food Sovereignty appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.