News from Parliment

The Minority protests against Leader's treatment

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Accra (Greater Accra), 30th June 99 - The Minority on Tuesday registered its protest against the treatment meted out to Mr Joseph Henry Mensah, the Minority Leader, by Mr Kenneth Dzirasah, during a debate on the floor of the House on a private member's motion on Friday, June 25.

The debate was moved by Nana Akufo Addo, the Minority Spokesman on Constitutional and Legal Matters and amended by Mr Edward Doe Adjaho, the Majority Chief Whip. In the motion, Nana Akufo Addo requested the National Media Commission to ensure that the State-Owned Media (SOM) comply with the Supreme Court's ruling of 1993 to give equal access, space and time to the activities of all political parties. In the Amendment Motion, Mr Adjaho contended that the Commission should rather investigate whether the SOM have actually complied with the court's judgement, and then report back to the House to enable members take a decision on the matter.

When Mr Mensah took the floor, his contribution to the debate was met with several interruptions and interventions from members of the Majority side, and this made it impossible for him to finish by the time the House was to rise for the day.

The order from Mr Dzirasah that Minority Leader wound up his speech in two minutes, or consider it concluded when the House rose for the day, incurred the displeasure of Mr Mensah and the entire Minority members. In a protest statement signed by Mrs. Gladys Asmah, the Deputy Minority Leader and Member of Parliament for Takoradi, the Minority urged Mr Dzirasah to review his ruling to enable its leader to continue with his presentation whenever the debate opens.

The Minority pointed out that "we have never been amused at the apparent sympathy, that the Chair seems to have for the strategy of the Majority involving constant interruptions, often about nothingness, to filibuster the presentation of the Minority Group."

The Minority accused Mr Dzirasah of not being able on many occasions, to restrain himself in the heat of the exchanges, from taking part in the debate even though the rules of the House manifestly disqualifies him from doing so while in the chair. The Minority described Mr Dzirasah's decision as "most unfair" to the Minority Leader and by extension, to the entire Minority Group. It said the order meant that Mr Mensah "should be quarantined in a take-it-or-leave-it manner", and urged the First Deputy Speaker to "withdraw your unwarranted attack on the integrity and conduct of the Minority Leader."

House adopts report on Development Credit Agreement

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Accra (Greater Accra), 30th June 99 - Parliament on Tuesday adopted the report of the Finance Committee on Development Credit Agreement between Ghana and the International Development Association (IDA) for 180 million dollars to finance the Economic Reform Support Operations (ERSO two).

Giving the background information about the agreement, Commodore Steve Obimpeh (rtd), Chairman of the Committee, and mover of the motion, said in February this year, the government in collaboration with the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank prepared a Policy Framework paper. Cdre Obimpeh said under ERSO two, IDA agreed to support the government's policy reform measures, spanning the period 1999-2001. He indicated that the key activities of the programme, parts of which are already underway, initiated towards restructuring the economy, include measures to ensure macro economic stability, reforms in tax administration, financial sector reform, divestiture and the implementation of the Medium Term Expenditure Framework.

The Committee Chairman said the credit, which forms part of external inflows projected to support this year's budget, is aimed among other things, at accelerating the overall growth of the economy, achieving a single digit rate of inflation, and improving the country's external payments position. Cdre Obimpeh said the repayment of the principal amount of the credit, which is spread over a period of 40 years, shall be paid in semi-annual installments payable on each first days of August and February, beginning August one, 2009 and ending February one, 2039.

He indicated that the loan would enjoy a 10-year moratorium, and said he hoped the facility would go a long way to boost government's reform programme in order to develop a dynamic and efficient public sector to support a sustainable private sector-led economic development. Before the chairman could move the motion, members of the Minority pleaded with Mr Freddie Blay, Second Deputy Speaker, who was in the chair to suspend debate to enable members on that side of the House to study the Committee's report so as to make meaningful contribution. Initially, the Speaker overruled the suggestion by the Minority and allowed the debate to commence.

However, after a handful of members from the Majority had made their contributions in support of the motion, without any sign of the Minority contributing, Mr Blay changed his mind and deferred the debate to enable the Minority to study the report. In another development, the Road Tolls (Amendment) Bill was read the Second Time.

Mr Steve Senu Akorli, Deputy Minister of Roads and Transport said the purpose of the Bill is to amend the Tolls Decree, 1973 (NRCD 153) to limit the categories of vehicles, which are exempted from the payment of tolls and to consolidate the existing enactment.

Science and technology, prerequisites for Development, MP

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Accra (Greater Accra), 30th June 99 - Mr Francis Kwame Nyarko, Member of Parliament (MP) for Kade on Tuesday stressed the need for African governments to see science and technology as important tools for the development of their various economies. Mr Nyarko made the statement on the floor of the House to commemorate this year's celebration of the Day of Scientific Renaissance of Africa, which falls on Wednesday, Jue 30, under the theme "Science and Technology in Propelling Private Sector Development".

He observed that scientific knowledge has been accumulating for over a long period, and has had a consistent, if frequently unperceived effect in shaping the fundamental character of human societies. He explained that Science is the pursuit of knowledge and understanding of the physical and human environment, while technology is the application of this theoretical knowledge to specific social and economic circumstances.

Mr Nyarko disagreed strongly with the school of thought that believes that Africa has not invented anything, and described this notion as rather "otiose and inappropriate." He pointed out that because human beings are free to pursue certain branches of science rather than others, and apply the results as they see fit, Africa in its pursuit of science, does not have to re-invent the wheel. Mr Nyarko stated that the whole platform of scientific heritage is there for Africans to draw upon and that was the reason why the Organisation of African Unity passed the Resolution of July 1988 to celebrate the Day of the Scientific Renaissance of Africa.

The MP urged African governments to use the occasion to institutionalise science and technology as an instrument of national development policy, so that significant socio-economic progress could be made. Mr Nyarko said it is regrettable that in the bustling business quarters of Africa's advanced cities, there are utter poverty, ignorance, lack of health and educational opportunities and other basic needs. He said such gross distortions must be removed through the application of science and technology to industry adding that this could be done through partnerships between government and the private sector. There should also be partnerships between the universities and research institutions where Science and Technology are highly cultivated.

Mr Nyarko charged African governments to take pragmatic steps to inject science and technology in their policy formulations, and make firm political and financial commitment to these disciplines. Additionally, he said, African governments should allocate sufficient appropriations in their national budgets for manpower training and research and development.

Mr Nyarko said for science and technology to play a more pivotal role in shaping the character and direction of human society in Africa in the 21st century, leaders on the continent should seriously consider appointing Scientific Advisers to address with dispatch sensitive and effective, science and technology issues. Mr John Kwekucher Ackah, NDC-Aowin Suaman and Mr Al-Hassan Kwaku Dadzie, NDC-Assin South, associated themselves with the statement.