Govt to pay NYEP arrears by end of year

Accra, Dec. 3, GNA - By the end of this month, all arrears owed by the National Youth Employment Programme to its staff will be cleared, Mr Abubakar Siddque Boniface, Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing said on Monday.

Mr Boniface, who was the immediate past Minister of Manpower, Youth and Employment said also that all housing units under the affordable housing programme, would be ready for renting or purchase by the second quarter of next year.

He said monies that Ghanaians were using in paying rent advance to get a decent accommodation could be directed into acquiring some of these houses.

The Minister, who was contributing to the debate on the 2008 budget in Parliament, said government was committed to providing various facilities and social amenities in its programmes and was therefore sinking a lot of resources in accommodation, water and other vital areas.

He touched on sanitation, and said under the National Youth Employment Programme, sanitation was being taken to a higher level with, the Zoomlion Company doing tremendous work in cleaning up the country. Mr Emmanuel Bandua, (NDC-Biakoye), also touched on housing, and said there was a need for legislation to check the huge monies spent on rent advance.

Mr Bandua also said the Budget did not pay much attention to operations of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, and called for a review in the Investment Law which he said promised in the 2007 Budget. The Biakoye MP argued that the present law made it possible for foreigners to invade the local market without proper documentation, adding that a review of the law must take into account the ECOWAS Treaty on Trade and Investment.

Mr Samuel Owusu-Agyei, Minister of Public Sector Reforms, in his contributions, said government was doing everything to promote good governance by supporting development at the grassroots through increasing the district assembly common fund and the creation of new districts to accelerate socio-economic development.

Ms Akua Sena Dansua, (NDC-North Dayi) was concerned about government paying lip-service to the concerns of women and children. She said the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs budget was being mainly financed with donor support instead of domestic revenues. Mr Edward Doe Adjaho, Deputy Minority Leader, questioned the whereabouts of 50 million dollars approved by Parliament to transport the Osagyefo Barge from Effaso in the Western Region to Tema. He said the barge was still at Effaso and yet there was no mention in the budget of what had become of 50 million dollars.