According to him, the bill was far advanced and needed only three readings in Parliament to become law, but Mensah-Bonsu, who was then the Minority Leader, said his team members were not interested.

[contextly_sidebar id=”ZpmQZTOCIlBaocBCObI0DUrFC5iGB6xb”]“We had shepherded the bill and we were left with just few clauses. But you know when it got to the crunch and we were supposed to do it…it was the opposition leader then, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, who said there were better things they [Minority] are thinking about, [Mensah-Bonsu said] our people are not willing to do it, we would not want to do it. We [NPP Minority members] have had a meeting and we think that this is not the right time so when we [NPP] come [to power] we will pass it,” George Loh said on Citi FM’s current affairs and news analysis programme, The Big Issue on Saturday.

George Loh explained that his committee had done all the necessary amendments to the bill saying “we were at the tail end of it, few more amendments and we would have been done” but lamented that the minority members were adamant.

Mr. Loh, who is also a former Member of Parliament for North Dayi Constituency, said the NDC did all within its power push for the passage of the bill including getting the Attorney General’s Department to incorporate all the amendments needed into one document for easier scrutiny and approval.

RTI bill could be passed within three days

He noted that at that level, the bill could have been passed into law within three days, but for the Minority’s resistance.

“Let me give information about what we did on the RTI bill. We got the Attorney General’s department to get to incorporate all the amendments in a totally new document. So what was going to come to Parliament was no longer going to come with all the amendments on it. So we were going to go quickly go into the first reading, then one or two sessions, make sure we go through and make few changes then go through the second reading and then the third reading then it is passed.”

“So in actual fact, in three days, if government is minded to ensure that the Attorney General comes to sit in Parliament and be part of this bill, it could be passed. We have done all the work. We’ve incorporated all the suggestions and did all the necessary engagements,” he added.

Background of RTI bill

The RTI bill,which is expected to make information easily accessible by the media and Ghanaians to boost the fight against corruption has been in legislation for well over 17 years now because successive governments have failed to implement it despite several assurances.

Efforts by several advocacy groups to put pressure on the duty bearers to have the bill passed have also not yielded any positive results.

At his last address to Parliament, outgoing President John Mahama begged Parliament to pass the bill at the last minute but his call was ignored.

Although the incumbent New Patriotic Party (NPP) government has promised to pass the bill, it is unclear how soon that would be.

Cabinet yet to hold talks on RTI bill – Hamid

Information Minister, Mustapha Hamid, in January 2018 claimed that Cabinet had not held discussions on the RTI bill.

“Cabinet has proposed to have a special session to look at this particular bill because of the importance that it has before we then pass it and take it to Parliament…The bill is before Cabinet. It will be discussed. If you ask me when, I will not be able to say, but I am sure pretty soon the Cabinet Secretary will get a day when the entire Cabinet will retreat in order to look at this bill properly and then when we have a final consensus on it, we can then take it to Parliament,” he added.

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

The post Kyei Mensah-Bonsu blocked passage of RTI bill – George Loh appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The committee finally presented its report yesterday [Friday] February 2, 2017 after several postponements.

However, since the report was presented it has been revealed that it included only the input of the three members from the majority side on the committee, excluding the input of the Minority members.

[contextly_sidebar id=”Rmwqd6r2e39mtDUXq5jc2AeMnd4oGsmK”]A leaked report authored by the two other members from the Minority side appeared to indict the Trade Ministry and one of the organizers of the awards, Ashim Morton.

Speaking on Citi FM’s News analysis programme the Big Issue on Saturday, Mr. Abban who is also the NPP Member of Parliament for the Gomoa West constituency said all avenues should have been explored to prevent the discord in the Committee before the document was handed to Parliament.

“My problem is how they could not resolve this at the committee level so that if Dr. [Dominic] Ayine had a problem with the views of the majority, he could say that this is my view, could it be incorporated in this report so they present the whole report as one single report in conformity with the provisions of the standing orders. Then it comes as one report so we [Parliamentarians] deal with it. What he [Dr. Ayine] is presenting, is it a report or an opinion?”

The MP said the seeming double report contravenes Parliament’s Standing Orders.

“We don’t have anything like that in the standing orders. That is why I’m saying that nothing could have stopped him [Dr.Ayine] from giving his report to the committee so that it comes out as one composite committee report, all of us will read and see his views in that report then we will debate it,” Abban added.

Withdraw report

Meanwhile, a member of the minority on the adhoc committee, Dr Dominic Ayine has called for the withdrawal of the already laid document so that a composite report will be presented to Parliament.

According to Dr. Ayine, though Minority members including himself and Deputy Minority Leader, James Klutse Avedzi had detailed their perspectives on the saga, the Majority side had refused to integrate them before presenting the document to the house.

“I was expecting the committee chairman to integrate the report I had prepared with what he had prepared but he stated that he would not integrate my report since it was titled ‘Minority report’,” Dr. Ayine stated on Eyewitness News.

Confusion rocks committee

Dr. Ayine had raised similar concerns on Thursday which, according to the Majority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei Mensah- Bonsu, led to the committee’s failure to present the report, despite having had its deadline pushed back twice already

The Majority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu had told Citi News on Thursday that the laying of the report had been postponed several times because Dr Ayine had wanted to present a separate report capturing the Minority’s conclusions on the matter.

Background of “cash for seat” saga

The Ministry of Trade, which partnered the event organizers, Millennium Excellence Foundation, is alleged to have charged between $25,000 and $100,000, to enable expatriates to sit close to the President at the awards ceremony.

The allegation was first made by the Minority Chief Whip, Muntaka Mubarak in Parliament in December 2017.

Mr. Mubarak said the fees charged at the Ghana Expatriate Business Awards were not approved by Parliament, adding that the monies were also not accounted for in the Internally Generated Funds [IGF] of the Ministry’s accounts.

The allegation was further reinforced by Mr. Ablakwa, who suffered verbal assaults from Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry, Carlos Ahenkorah over the matter.

The Ministry of Trade said it played no role in determining prices for seats at the event, and clarified that it only facilitated the implementation of a new initiative by the Millennium Excellence Foundation.

But the Ministry after an order from the President to probe the matter clarified that an amount of GHc2, 667,215 was realized from the event. This was made known only after the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, had asked the Trade Minister Alan Kyerematen, to investigate the matter and report to him.

The organizers of the Awards had also explained that no one paid to sit close to the President, and that the amount was raised from sponsorship through a fundraising at the event.
Parliament subsequently formed a five-member bi-partisan committee to investigate the matter.

The Committee held several public hearings and a few in-camera sessions that featured all parties named in the allegation, and those who made the allegation.

The committee was supposed to present its report on January 24, 2018 but was subsequently given a one-week extension which was supposed to have elapsed on Wednesday January 31, 2018, but failed to do so.

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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Cash-for-seat committee’s ‘double report’ unfortunate – MP appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to him, such monies should be accounted for before government looks at possible ways of helping GBC settle its indebtedness of about 44 million Ghana cedis.

[contextly_sidebar id=”ZPSk2ifO0job7s7sWz0UWkYcLCcw0ePb”]Contributing to the debate on the budget of the Information Ministry, which has oversight over GBC, Kyei Mensah-Bonsu called for a forensic audit into the activities of the state broadcaster.

“Mr. Speaker, the Ministry stands for transparency, accountability in government and GBC should radiate same principles. In the lead up to the elections, we know of private media houses that took advertisement from the various political parties. GBC and GTV in particular were inundated with several advertisements from various political parties. It will be interesting to know how much they earned and how much indeed was paid to them. It will help greatly in reducing the indebtedness to GBC.

“I will serve notice to the committee, as part of their oversight, let them indicate to us how many of such adverts GBC, both on radio and television took, and what were their earnings on radio and television. Mr. Speaker, let it be the assignment of the committee, before they talk to us about any indebtedness,” said the Majority Leader.

The GBC has been struggling to operate smoothly due to the huge debt owed various service providers including the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).

The ECG has on several occasions disconnected some branches of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) over outstanding debts.

In November 2017, the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation’s Garden City Radio in the Ashanti Region, was taken off air after the Electricity Company of Ghana disconnected the facility from the national grid, leaving management with no option than run on a standby plant.

The GBC is said to owe the power company about GHc 1.75 million.

GBC is not the only media institution that is struggling to settle huge debts. Metro TV, a private broadcaster, is battling with similar challenges.

On Tuesday, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) shut down the Accra-based television station reportedly over their failure to pay their taxes.

A visit by Citi Business News to the Cantonment premises of the television station revealed that, the GRA had restricted entry into the company with a seal of the Commissioner General.

The station was later reopened after it “made the necessary arrangements”.

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By: Marian Ansah & Duke Mensah Opoku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post GBC must disclose proceeds from 2016 election – Kyei Mensah appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

“In most cases, Members of Parliament have been unnecessarily misunderstood and attacked for not championing the cause of socio-economic development in their constituencies,” Mr. Osei-Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, the Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, noted.

Addressing a ‘Parliamentary Constituency Forum’ at Asante-Bekwai in the Ashanti Region, he said the rate of ‘ignorance’ about the core functions of parliamentarians amongst the average Ghanaian was worrying.

“The august house has over the years lost some very experienced and knowledgeable personalities as their constituents agitate for their removal for not spearheading the development of their areas. This is unfortunate,” he lamented.

The Parliamentary Constituency Forum was a collaboration between the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE) and Parliament to promote public understanding of the duties and responsibilities of parliamentarians.

The programme was put together by the Public Affairs Unit of Parliament to create a platform for the people to engage their representatives, as well as the leadership in order to promote national development issues.

It fell in line with the on-going outreach programme of the Unit designed to allow for participatory democracy and rule of law.

The programme had in attendance the majority and minority leadership, traditional authorities, civil society organizations, and a cross-section of the public.

Topics discussed encompassed the legislative, informational and financial control functions of parliament, Directive Principles of State Policy, functions of the Public Accounts Committee, as well as duties of the various caucuses in Parliament.

Mr. Mensah-Bonsu stated that, parliamentarians would continue to build consensus on issues that affect the interest of the people.

He advised Ghanaians to be law-abiding in the discharge of their duties since no meaningful development could take place in a chaotic environment.

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Source: GNA

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According to him, the programme aims at providing education for all Ghanaians especially by cushioning brilliant but needy students.

[contextly_sidebar id=”SUxvXSSNowbSAQHgEk3Bz2Y0ulKid5eX”]He said the government was committed to the programme and will do everything possible to ensure its success.

“In the lead up to the elections of 2016, the New Patriotic Party explained in clear terms a desire to create equal opportunities for all in the country. We recognise that education is a platform to create a society of inclusiveness. A society that will afford all of us, individuals in the country the opportunity to create prosperity.

“The NPP government has decided to redefine basic education to include  Senior High Education. What it means is that from now onwards, when we talk of basic education it will not only include primary education but basic education. Basic education shall be universal, compulsory free.”

Mr. Bonsu was addressing both first year and continuing students of the T.I Ahmadiyya Senior High School in Kumasi, as part of a monitoring tour to assess the Free SHS programme in the Ashanti Region.

He advised beneficiaries to study hard and take full advantage of the programme.

He called on teachers and heads of schools to partner Government in the successful implementation and sustenance of the policy.

Senior Minister, Yaw Osofo Marfo, is leading a delegation on the tour which includes Trade and Industry Minister, Kwadwo Alan-Kyeremanteng, Aviation Minister, Cecilia Abena Dapaah and Mr. Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs.

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By: Hafiz Tijani/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Take advantage of Free SHS opportunity – Majority leader to students appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Ghana’s delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament, was left stranded outside the legislative house in Abuja, on February 10, 2017, after the speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament refused to swear in the members because the list presented was more than the number of seats available to Ghana.

The incident, which some members called an “international embarrassment to the country” resulted from the refusal of Fred Opare Ansah, Member of Parliament for Suhum, to step down as a Member of the regional legislature.

The MP for Effutu, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, subsequently stepped down from Ghana’s delegation to save the country from further embarrassment.

Commenting on the issue, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, who is also the Minster for Parliamentary Affairs, said he cannot be blamed for the embarrassment and called for closer collaboration to avoid future occurrence.

[contextly_sidebar id=”k0ldiG89gpiEpHVHNRKqGN4rqQTTZxEX”]“The composition of the last ECOWAS parliament was predicated on some assumption and agreement that we were going to re-constitute the entire delegation once the term of that parliament came to an end, and all those who were sent there agreed to that. It was a betrayal of trust what happened later, and then my name gets to be linked. Nothing can be furthered away from the truth,” he insisted.

Below is Kyei Mensah Bonsu’s explanation to Parliament on Friday:

“Mr. Speaker it is not as if we are not aware of the protocols underpinning the ECOWAS parliament, we are aware and I will not say it was not ignorance. When the very embarrassing situation occurred the way it occurred, I have been personally linked as if it was my insistence that Parliament seated the delegation the way the delegation came to be constituted…nothing can be furthered away from this.”

“I know that people who are clothed in pettiness and mischief went out there to tarnish my name that it was the Majority Leader who led Parliament to do that.  It was not the Majority Leader who led Parliament to do that. As the Minority Leader is aware, Mr. Speaker this matter came before you, we had agreed about the composition, and we had agreed to terminate membership. I think this should be clear to everyone else because I hear people amongst us saying that the decision was faulty, it wasn’t.

“The composition of the last ECOWAS parliament was predicated on some assumption and agreement that we were going to re-constitute the entire delegation once the term of that parliament came to an end and all those who sent there agreed to that. It was a betrayal of trust what happened later and then my name gets to be linked. Nothing can be furthered away from the truth.”

“I think I must forcefully register that. I’m not angry. Beyond that, there have been an attempt to engage the colleague in question unfortunately, over the past three days, he’s been coming to my office but we haven’t find time to meet because of what we have to do preparing towards the delivery of the budget statement. I believe that we can find space maybe over the weekend to engage in that and then bring this matter to a closure.”

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

The post Betrayal of trust caused ECOWAS Parliament fiasco – Majority Leader appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Mensah Bonsu who is the leader of government business in Parliament was nominated for the Parliamentary affairs ministry on Thursday by the President.

The position which had existed in previous administrations was scrapped by the Mills and Mahama governments.

Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Friday, Kyei Mensah Bonsu said the re-introduction of the ministry is key to bridging the gap between the executive and the legislature adding that it will further deepen Ghana’s democratic credentials.

“I thought that I would be afforded the opportunity to move on but the President comes in and talks to me that we need to stabilize my government as far as he and his members were concerned. Unfortunately for you, referring to me, I’m the only one left of the 1997 stock that came to Parliament. So he asked me to be in charge. I was loud on this that I wanted to move on. But then he comes in with this, he was quite persuasive so I decided to accept it and remain for the time being in Parliament to ensure that we are able to deepen our democratic governance.”

The minister nominee further noted that previous Majority Leaders took up the position in time past but Alban Bagbin rejected it saying “he didn’t like to be referred to as a minister…in order for him to be able to perform in Parliament.”

According to Mensah Bonsu, the move affected the then majority in Parliament because they struggled to lay government statements, bills among others on the Floor of the House since only a minister could do that, per Ghana’s laws.

“I remember that in the previous government, Bagbin, Cletus Avoka, even Dr. Kumbour could not even submit to Parliament simple statements on behalf of government because they were not ministers. And because they were not ministers if government intended to lay any paper you would have to go stamping for ministers who may not be very busy in the ministries, summon them to Parliament to come and lay those papers in Parliament because our rules provide that business be transacted on behalf of government should be introduced in the house by a minister. They were grossly intolerant and sometimes it was to their after embarrassment. This is why it is reasonable to have that status introduced,” he added.

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

The post Majority Leader defends re-introduction of Parliamentary Affairs ministry appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.