GRi in Parliament 26 – 02 - 2003
Accra (Greater Accra) 26
February 2003- Hon. Victor Gbeho, Independent Member
of Parliament for Anlo, on Tuesday said credits purported
to be distributed to women farmers in his area by the Ministry of Women and
Children (MOWAC) go to women who sympathize with the ruling party.
The member who was severally
challenged by members of the Majority, said many women
have complained to him adding that all beneficiaries of the credit facility
should be published periodically for proper scrutiny.
Gbeho was contributing to a debate on
the State of the Nation address delivered by President John Kufuor to
Parliament on 13 February. The member called for measures to alleviate the
suffering of the rural population, who are mostly in subsistent farming and
small-scale fishing.
"A safety net should be put
in place for these rural people who neither earn wages nor benefit from the
measures normally designed for urban workers." The Anlo
MP said the environment was getting worse everyday and
asked government to urgently address the issue before it got out of hand.
Mike Gizo,
NDC-Shai/Osudoko, asked the Committee on Government
Assurances to invite Ministers especially, the Minister of Education to
properly brief the house on the numerous promises made by government.
Joe Biadoo-Ansah,
NPP-Efiakwesimintin, said the NPP government had made
progress on the protection of fundamental human rights of Ghanaians. He said
government has so far protected press freedom and brought about an enabling
atmosphere for the expression of oneself.
"Gone are the days when
Journalists like Kabral Amihere
were kidnapped under the NDC government and maltreated by presidential guards.
This would not happen under the NPP administration", he added.
GRi.../
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The current developments going
on there are illegal and neither the Ministry nor the Government has released
any portion of the Achimota lands for private development. These were stated by
Prof Kassim Kasanga, Sector
Minister when Joseph Darko-Mensah, NPP- Okaikwei
North, in an urgent question asked the Minister what the Ministry was doing to
stop the encroachment of the
Prof. Kasanga
said the long term solution was for the school authorities to fence off the
entire land and there was the need for both the Ministry of Education and the
school authorities to be encouraged to do so.
He said the lands were acquired
under a Certificate of Title in 1921 and 350 hectares were vested in the
He said it had been confirmed
that the western portion of the school that shared boundary with the Kisseman village was under serious encroachment by
individual developers.
Kosi Kedem,
NDC- Hohoe South asked whether the Minister was aware
that the problem of encroachment was not peculiar only to Achimota and so what
comprehensive plans were being put in place to protect school lands.
Prof. Kasanga
said anytime government acquired land and paid compensation it was for the
beneficiary group to ensure its protection and advised that there was the need
for such properties to be fenced against encroachers.
Kedem also asked the Minister whether
he was aware that some of the acquired lands had not been paid for, the Minister
said a survey was being conducted to take inventory of all lands and to
determine those not properly paid for and to look for remedies.
Mumuni Abudu
Seidu, NDC- Wa
Central, asked whether there was any existing law that allowed for the
demolition of buildings on lands and the Minister answered in the negative.
Mike Gizo,
NDC-Shai/Osudoku, asked whether it was the Ministry's
responsibility to pay for lands acquired and the Minister said it was the
responsibility of the Ministry of Education.
GRi.../
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