GRi in Parliament 13 - 07 - 2002
Majority and Minority strike compromise on privileges issue
Parliament approves extension of state of emergency at Yendi
Accra (Greater Accra) 13 July 2002- Both the Majority and Minority in Parliament on Friday reached a compromise to release a public statement to inform Ghanaians on the true feelings of members on the alleged breach of the privileges of Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, NDC-Wenchi West. The two sides therefore refrained from voting for the adoption of the report of the Committee on Privileges on the issue as its contents drew the two sides apart.
Mr. Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, NDC Wenchi West had lodged a complaint of contempt of Parliament against Mr Kwadwo Yeboah Fordjour, Brong Ahafo Regional
Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in December, last year, for obstructing him (Asiedu Nketiah) from discharging his lawful duties as a Member of Parliament during a radio discussion on Sky FM in Sunyani and the matter was referred to the committee for consideration and report.
The Privileges Committee had returned the verdict of no guilt of contempt of Parliament against Mr Fordjour. Mr J. H. Mensah, Senior Minister had proposed the truce when he told the house that there was the need to rise above partisanship to protect the dignity and image of MPs and Parliament as an institution. "No member should be intimidated by members of the public in the discharge of his or her duties."
Papa Owusu Ankomah, Majority Leader, after a series of crises meetings with his Minority counterpart, Mr Alban Bagbin, said:" We need to come together as one to uphold the dignity, honour and strength of Parliament." Members had earlier begun debating the report on strict party lines.
In the report laid in Parliament on Tuesday, the committee said in determining the issue of contempt of Parliament, it took into consideration whether Mr Asiedu Nketiah was performing his official role at the Sky FM radio station and the circumstance of Mr. Fordjour coming to the radio station and clashing with him (Asiedu Nketiah).
It also considered whether Mr Fordjour had obstructed Mr Asiedu Nketiah and whether a mob was organised to threaten him, (Asiedu Nketiah) while performing his duty as an MP. The committee said Mr Asiedu Nketiah's participation in the programme at Sunyani Sky FM premises was in line with his lawful duties as a Member of Parliament.
It said however, that since the Brong Ahafo Regional Chairman of the NPP was allowed access to the studio by the authorities of the Sky FM, he could not be described as having forced his way into the studio, notwithstanding the circumstance that led the management of the station to be persuaded to allow him to participate in the programme.
It said though the behaviour of the NPP Regional Chairman was objectionable and improper at the studio, he could not solely be blamed since both parties got carried away and engaged themselves in hot exchanges of insults at the studio.
The Committee cautioned radio stations, presenters/moderators to take all the necessary steps to ensure that their programmes do not degenerate into violent confrontation. It urged MPs and the public to exercise restraint even in the most testing circumstances when they participate on radio, TV and other programmes in the interest of democracy and tolerance.
GRi…/
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Accra (Greater Accra) 13 July 2002 - Parliament on Friday unanimously granted government's request for the extension of the state of emergency at the Dagbon Traditional area for another four weeks. All 135 members present approved the resolution.
This is the fourth time the House had acceded to the wish of government for a four week long state of emergency to check the volatile security situation in the area.
The state of emergency was necessitated following clashes between the Andani and Abudu Gates that led to the death of Ya-Na Yakubu Andani II and several of his followers in March.
GRi…/
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Accra (Greater Accra) 13 July 2002-Four bills were on Friday passed by Parliament as the House ended its second meeting this session.
They were the Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill, which sought among others, to make provision for the appointment of public prosecutors, the sentencing of pregnant women convicted of capital and non-capital offences, the revision of fines and for certain miscellaneous matters.
The Customs and Excise (Duties and Other Taxes) (Amendment) Bill, seeks to abolish the Special Tax imposed on some selected commodities by the parent Act 2001, (Act 594). It was to bring in harmony Ghana's tariffs structure with that of other ECOWAS countries. The rest of the bills were the Customs, Excise and Prevent Service (Management) (Amendment) Bill and the Taxpayer Identification Numbering System Bill. All the bills await presidential assents to become law.
GRi…/
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First Session of the Second Parliament of
Sierra Leone opens
Freetown (Sierra Leone) 13 July 2002- The first Session of the Second Parliament of the Second Republic of Sierra Leone opened at Freetown on Friday.
President John Agyekum Kufuor of Ghana was among four African Presidents who defied a late morning rain to witness the ceremony, while the overwhelming enthusiasm of the Sierra Leoneans for peace and democracy was shown when thousands of people defied the rain to catch a glimpse of the African leaders and their Parliamentarians. The other African leaders were President Olusegun Obsanjo of Nigeria, President Alhaji Yahya Jammeh of the Gambia and President Lansana Conte of Guinea.
Mr Justice Edmond Kadoni Cowan is the Speaker of the 112-member Parliament formed after the May 14 elections, which ushered President Alhaji Dr Ahmad Tejan Kabbah into office for a second five-year term after he also won the 1996 elections but was overthrown in a coup d'etat a year later and plunged the country into a decade of civil war.
President Kabbah, 70, a former UN Diplomat for 20 years before he entered into politics won 70 per cent of the votes cast by the 2.3 million registered voters out of the 5.2 million Sierra Leoneans. Leading the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) against a host of eight challengers, during the elections, President Kabbah also won a strong majority in the Parliament winning 83 out of the 112 seats.
His nearest challenger, Ernest Koroma of the former ruling All People's Congress had 22 per cent of the votes cast and 27 seats and the remaining two seats went to the party of the one-time junta leader Johnny Paul Koroma Mr Alimamy Pallo Bangura of the Revolutionary United Front Party (RUFP) had only 1.7 per cent of the votes cast and failed to take a single seat in the new Parliament.
Observers for the elections from the Commonwealth, European Union and the United States Carter Centre said the elections were free and fair. President Kufuor, who was accompanied on the trip by Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, Minister of Information and Presidential Affairs and Miss Elizabeth Ohene, Minister of State have since returned home.
GRi…/
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