Apraku welcomes new political parties law

Accra (Greater Accra), 21 Jan. '99 -

Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, minority spokesman on finance, yesterday welcomed the government's plan to introduce a new political parties bill this year as said by the President in his sessional address.

Dr Apraku, however, said he will introduce a bill on funding of political parties this year since the president was silent on that.

On the whole, he described the address as ''lacking vision'', saying ''I expected an address that will bring forward a Ghana agenda not an NPP or NDC agenda and a vision that goes beyond the President, an address that is non-partisan and national in scope and character''.

Mr Moses Asaga, a deputy minister of finance, on a point of order wondered if Dr Apraku was present when the address was presented since it was based on the Vision 2020 document.

Dr Apraku's contribution to the debate on the President Sessional address which drew a lot of points of order and information, as well as heckling, was mainly on the economic and political vision for the country in the next century.

He said the address should have brought out measures as to how the country was going to deal with global competition, trained manpower, how to produce enough food and how to deal with technological advancement in the next century, among other things.

The member noted that the introduction of the bill has become necessary as a result of "popular demand" emanating from the national forum organised by the Electoral Commission.

''The demand for a new political parties bill from the people came from the recognition by the people of the need to institutionalise democracy, I have done a lot of research and consultations, and I hope that when it is brought to the house, members will support it''.

Mr Doe Adjaho, majority chief whip on a point of order, said the member was going contrary to the constitution by anticipating a bill.

On the economy, the minority spokesman said: ''It was in a mess'' adding that if inflation has truly gone done from 70 per cent in 1995 to 16 per cent today, this should have reflected in rediscount rate as well as other significant macro-economic indicators.

He said it is not fair that government is burrowing at 37 per cent interest rate, while the private sector and ordinary Ghanaians borrow at 42 percent

Again on a point of order, Mr Asaga said the rate for nine-day treasury bill has dropped from 40 per cent to 19 per cent.

Dr Apraku said the fact that interest rates on treasury bills are falling does not mean that industrial sector should be happy, since the rate of borrowing is still high.

He said if the rate of inflation has truly come down, the government must be bold to let it reflect in other indicators, adding that the President's remark that ''the problem is not knowing what should be done but doing what we know'' shows the government is suffering from ''lame duck paralysis''.

The minority spokesman said the exchange rate stabilisation is a "fuss and an illusion", since the rates advertised by forex bureaux are not the same as what one gets when one goes to change money and warned that the days of black market will emerge again soon if nothing is done to change the trend.

He said the rates are there, but one needs to negotiate since there is a shortage of foreign exchange on the market. The adverts therefore only present a semblance of stability.

Mr Doe Adjaho, Mr M. A. Seidu and some members of the majority, said it was a serious indictment on the forex bureaux, so the member should substantiate or withdraw the statement.

Mr Justice Annan ruled that whether the rates are correct as advertised is a matter of opinion.

Mr Asiedu Nketia on another point of order said the member was condoning illegality by negotiating instead of paying the advertised rates.

''Try and understand what a free market economy means'', Dr Apraku replied

Dr Apraku said the government's expectation of achieving a balanced budget by the year 2001 is of much concern to him.

The way estimates are arrived at by the Ministry tends to ''conceal'' some government expenditure to the tune of about 500 billion cedis from the books, he said.

The majority objected to the word ''conceal'', saying it was in contempt of the government, the ministry of Finance, IMF and the World Bank and asked the member to withdraw.

The member withdrew the word ''conceal'' and said the budget deficit does not capture the total deficit of about 50 billion cedis, which has been provided for in ''arrears''.

The member said the house should review the principle by which roads are to be tolled, saying that they should not impose unnecessary burden on the poor.

''The government has by its policies made education and health the preserve of the rich; and to make roads also the preserve of the rich is totally unacceptable. Alternate routes should be made available to the poor''.

He said by making the Offinso road a toll one, the majority want to rob him of his seat, a remark which brought the house into bouts of laughter.

Mr Kofi Attor, NDC Ho Central, said the member was on a ''borrowed seat, which will be taken back in the year 2000''.

Dr Apraku said VAT at the rate of 10 per cent was supposed to be revenue neutral, but the first quarter estimates showed that VAT will triple revenue for this quarter and cautioned that care should be taken not to hurt the economy.

He called for the establishment of a National Science and Technology Advisory Group to ensure that the country does not suffer from technological advancement from the world.

Mr Thomas Yeboah, chairman of the Committee on Mines and Energy, said for something to be nationalistic, it must have the support of the majority of the people; since the address was from the majority party, it was nationalistic.

''If the member is not convinced that the address from the Progressive Alliance is not a national one, then, God, help him''.

Mr Yeboah said the president presented a balance sheet in his address, because the ''assets are more than the liabilities'' and ''the strengths are more than the weaknesses''.

He denied that promises made by the president have not been fulfilled, saying the promise by the president that all district capitals will be connected to the national grid has been fulfilled.

The ministry of Mines and Energy also came out with pragmatic programmes to solve the energy crises as promised.

He said the water level of the Akosombo dam at the end of the rainy season was 252 feet and the government's policy is to ensure that it is not run down to below 240 feet.

Mr Yeboah said the government is also tackling the problem of energy of the steel mills and is considering waiving taxes on oil imports of Independent Power Producers, so that cost of energy supplied to the steel mills will be reduced.

''Energy supply to VALCO will also be increased to enable the industry to operate two more potlines''.

He spoke about future energy security programmes like the third phase of the Aboadze plant, West Africa Gas Pipeline Project, GNPC Western power project and the development of the Bui hydro dam, which he said are all on course.

Mr Yeboah suggested that the government should consider the use of nuclear energy in future to save the country from future energy crises.

He commended Unilever Ghana Limited for introducing energy and water conservation programmes, which have saved the company 3.74 billion cedis between 1984 and 1994, and asked other companies should emulate them and suggested that taxes on energy conservation appliances should be waived.

The government should also look at the problem of some communities demanding compensation for fallow lands from mining companies.

Mr Kojo Armah, PCP-Evalue-Gwira, described the President's address as "business as usual", but containing ''nothing new''.

On energy, Mr Armah said Ghana has large deposits of natural gas at Cape Three Points in the Western Region which could be developed as a sustainable alternative source of energy.

He said he was not enthusiastic about the West African gas pipeline project, a collaborative effort by Ghana, Nigeria, Togo and Benin, because the project could be aborted by lack of political will and understanding from the member-countries.

"If we develop our own gas pipeline, we can always depend on it if such a situation arises".

Mr Armah cited the CIMAO project for the production of cement involving Ghana, Togo and Cote d'Ivoire, to illustrate his point, stressing that the CIMAO project failed because the lack of political will of some of the members undermined the success of the venture.

Mr Armah said when the energy crisis hit the country last year, the Minority Group called for a timely action and long-term planning to avert any future recurrence, but ''our efforts were thwarted by the Majority side''.

Mr Armah wondered what is preventing the government from seeking funds to undertake the Bui Dam project in the Brong Ahafo Region, which has the potential of generating about 400 megawatts of power.

"We need to build this dam as an alternative source of energy supply and save the country from any future energy crisis", he said.

Mr Armah said it was unfortunate that after about 18 years rule, the NDC government has now recognised that the mass of the unemployed youth can be put to good use in the agricultural sector.

The member, however, supported the ideals behind the "Youth in Agriculture Programme'', but cautioned that ''this should not become another wing of the NDC. It should be properly organised to be effective to attain the objectives for which it was instituted."

Mr Armah said while the country is pursuing educational reforms, it is important that all bottlenecks along the way are removed to ensure the success of the programme.

He was worried about the continued stay of Ghanaian troops in Liberia and Sierra Leone and wondered when the soldiers would be brought back home.

"How long can we support the government in Sierra Leone? We cannot sustain any government in power from the outside", he said.

He commended the Armed Forces for their international peace- keeping efforts and their contribution to civil work, including road construction, and asked them to help in the other sectors of the economy.

Mrs Grace Coleman, NPP-Effiduase Asokore, said although there are "tremendous challenges ahead" as the country braces itself for the next millennium, the president's address did not capture them.

She therefore called on the government to change its attitude towards the next century and ready itself to face the challenges ahead adding if there is goodwill and the government sits up, a lot could be achieved in the economic sector.

Mrs Coleman urged the Bank of Ghana to reduce the interest rate further, saying the difference between the 16 per cent inflation rate and the 37 per cent interest rate is "staggering''.

She said all the economic indicators should be looked at and the necessary remedies provided to ensure a sound and sustainable economy adding that because of the over-liberalisation of the economy, more than 2,000 companies have closed down under the NDC government.

"If the government has now seen the need to help local industries, then, every effort should be made to enable them to thrive and be competitive".

Mrs Coleman bemoaned the low pensions paid to some pensioners who received 38,000 cedis under the SSNIT pension scheme and 8,000 cedis under the Government scheme.

On corruption, Mrs Coleman said merely talking about it will not remove the problem. What is needed is a sustained effort to eradicate "this social canker".

In his intervention, Mr Mahama Adam, NDC-Damongo-Daboya, said the address has a clear vision to propel the country into a middle- income nation in the next millennium. It is a "masterpiece" and "down to earth in development plans".