Disagreement over wording of resolution
Accra (Greater Accra)
13 December 2002- The management of Ghana Post Company Limited has drawn up a
policy to rejuvenate the operations of dormant Postal Agencies in collaboration
with local communities.
The Dambai Postal
Agency, which used to be dormant, is one of such postal agencies now
operational following a collaborative effort between Ghana Post and the local
community.
Felix Owusu-Adjapong,
Minister of Communications and Technology said this on Thursday when he
appeared in Parliament to answer a number of questions posed by members.
Francis Yaw
Osei-Sarfo, NDC-Krachi, whose question was asked on his behalf by Joe Gidisu,
NDC-North Tongu asked what efforts the ministry was making to extend postal
services to major towns like Chinderi, Dambai and Asukawkaw that are over 100km
from the only Post Office at the District capital, Kete-Krachi.
Owusu-Adjapong said
the Chinderi and Asukawkaw Postal Agencies have been reported to be dormant due
to the non-payment of postal agent's allowances by the District assembly and
for the poor road network of the area.
The Minister said his
ministry was in contact with the Ministry of Roads and Transport to open up the
Asukawkaw with good road network so that the Ghana Post would be in a position
to open commissioned agencies in collaboration with the communities in the area.
Edward Salia,
NDC-Jirapa asked whether it was the financial viability or economic viability
of the area that the Ministry was considering before opening postal agencies
and the Minister said both options are considered but the economic returns from
the area are very important.
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Accra (Greater Accra)
13 December 2002- The Minister of Communications and Technology, Felix
Owusu-Adjapong has said that major towns are to be connected with telephone
facilities within the next two to three years.
Towns with Training
Colleges or Senior Secondary Schools would be considered under the first phase
of the programme that is to be undertaken by the Ghana Telecom (GT).
Owusu-Adjapong said this in Parliament when answering questions from members.
Yaw Effah-Baafi,
NDC-Kintampo asked the Minister what plans the Ministry has to extend telephone
facilities to Babatokuma, Jema and New Longoro all in the Kintampo District.
Owusu-Adjapong said
under the current expansion plan of Ghana Telecom, a 1000 capacity switch has
been earmarked for the Kintampo, the district capital. He said the expansion is
expected to commence in 2003 and with the completion of the project other towns
such as Babatokuma, Jema and New Longoro would be served by the loop dial
system.
Effah-Baafi asked the
Minister why the original figure of 2000 lines has been changed to 1000 lines
and the Minister said it might be with the change in management of Ghana
Telecom but gave the assurance of rectifying it.
Abraham Kofi Asante,
NDC-Amenfi West asked what time table GT has for its plans of ensuring that
telephone facilities are provided and the Minister said Government has given
general directives for every big town to be connected and Ghana Telecom has yet
not provided its plan of action.
Kwakye Addo,
NDC-Afram Plains South asked how effective the loop dial system was as compared
to other system and the Minister said the system has been in use over the years
and there has not been any adverse report about it or of any deficiency.
In a related
development, Akwasi Dante-Afriyie, NPP- Atwima Mponua asked the Minister when
telephone services would be extended to towns in the constituency.
Owusu-Adjapong said the district capital, Nkawie has telephone facilities and
under Ghana Telecom's 2003 programme, plans have been made to link towns in the
Atwima Mponua constituency to the Nkawie facility via wireless technology.
Abraham Kofi Asante,
NDC-Amemfi West asked about the current telephone density and what is expected
to be in future to which the Minister said he would require notice. Prince
Oduro- Mensah, NPP-Techiman South requested that Ghana Telecom be made to
publish its plans for the benefit of the various communities and people and the
Minister said the request has already been made and the final document is being
awaited from Ghana Telecom.
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Accra (Greater Accra)
13 December 2002-A bitter disagreement between the Majority and Minority drawn
from legal technicalities on the wording of a resolution granting authority for
waiver of various taxes to the Minister of Finance pushed voting to another
day.
The resolution, which
has been advertised on at least two previous occasions had its structure and
wording deviating from previous ones. For the first time in the drafting
history of Parliament, Section 26(2) of the Customs, Excise and Preventive
Service (CEPS) (Management) Law, PNDC Law 330, was introduced as the foundation
of the resolution, which attracted the most serious criticism from the Minority
front bench.
Doe Adjaho, Minority
Chief Whip, said the resolution had a serious defect since the PNDCL 330 did
not cater for all taxes and levies to be exempted. He said the Minority did not
disagree with the waiver of the taxes and levies per se but sought to question
the legality of the resolution.
The member said laws
existed on the various taxes and related issues and must be quoted as such.
Papa Owusu Ankomah, Majority Leader, said: "When anything new is
introduced, there is bound to be room for doubt."
He said the PNDCL 330
had the capacity to relate to all the laws that relate to the taxes whose
exemption was been sought. The Leader quoted the VAT Act, Act 592 (Internal
Revenue Service Act) adding that even the Ecowas levy seeks unquestionable
relation to the PNDCL 330.
"We are doing
the proper thing today. All the wrong things that we did in the past shall be
done no more. The proper and correct thing ought to be done" Peter Ala Adjetey,
Speaker, ruled that the legality of the resolution was not faulted but advised
that the relevant laws relating to the various taxes should be quoted to erase
any form of uncertainty.
He invited members to
help in the redrafting of the resolution for voting to be taken afterwards. The
resolution prayed Parliament to grant the Minister of Finance the power to
grant tax and duty exemptions of 2 million dollars on vehicles and equipment
for the execution of a water project for six towns in the Eastern Region.
GRi.../
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