Sanitation fighting against the MDGs'

Accra, Ghana- Elias Sory, Director General of the Ghana Health Service said sanitation had become a crisis thwarting the progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), especially in Africa and Asia.
“The root of this unrelenting catastrophe lies in the plain, grim fact that four out of every 10 people in the world do not have access to even a simple pit latrine and nearly two in 10 have no source of drinking water”.
In a speech read on his behalf at the launch of the 28th Health Week Celebration of the University of Ghana Nursing School in Accra, he said the world continued to be off track in meeting the MDG target by half the proportion of people without access to basic sanitation by 2015 and noted that if the trend continued, there would be 2.4 billion people without basic sanitation by the same year.
It was on the theme: “ensuring a Healthy environment, a Way of Promoting National Development- the role of the individual”.
In Ghana, he said a staggering 60 percent of residents in the capital did not have toilets and one wondered how the situation in the districts would be and the precarious health-related effects it brought.
A concerted effort was therefore needed to combat the global poor sanitation phenomena with workable strategies and measures that would address the critical issues related to all aspects of sanitation, he said.
He also called for a purpose driven action such as advocacy for policy change to help mitigate its health related challenges.
The Chief Nursing Officer, Mr. George Kumi Kyeremeh said though efforts had been made by previous government to solve the country’s sanitation problems it still remained a major challenge.
He said there were still chocked gutters, few public toilets with long queues making people defeacate anyhow and polluting the water bodies.
Mr Kyeremeh said it consequences were the high incidence of malaria and the outbreak of cholera in some part of the country.
He also reiterated the need for continuous awareness creation, advocacy to sustain education from junior level as well as the involvement of all stakeholders to sensitize society.

Enact laws to regulate Midwifery

Accra, GHana- Mr Jude Edochie, UNFPA Deputy Representative on Tuesday called on countries with high maternal mortality rate to enact relevant regulations to create the enabling environment for the practice of midwifery.
"The world needs midwives now more than ever to save the lives of mothers and babies", he said at the opening of a two-week conference organised by the UNFPA and the International Confederation of Midwives.
The theme: "Investing in Midwives" was chosen to educate government of member nations on the need to develop that sector of the public health system as a way of promoting reproductive health.
Mr Edochie called on member countries to develop strong and credible professional associations and educational institutions for the training of midwives to raise the standards of practice.
Dr Elias Sory, Director General, Ghana Health Service noted that maternal mortality continued to be a major health problem globally, "We see a mother suffering complications of labour without access to qualified support".
He said an estimated 530,000 of complications of pregnancy and childbirth with over 90 per cent deaths occur in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa each year and suggested midwifery be given the needed attention especially at the community level where most complications occurred to help in achieving the universal access to reproductive health by 2015.
"This is because the presence of a midwife in over 99 per cent pregnancy and birth related cases could lead to a decrease in mortality by 73 per cent. Furthermore, midwives are professionally positioned to address the first two delays in the management of obstetric emergencies".
Dr Sory said the service had outlined a multi-strategic approach for improvements, which included pre-service training of more midwives and their deployment to the community level to provide the needed services.
Mrs Abigail Kyei, Advisor of the International Confederation of Midwifery said the formation of the council’s confederation sought to improve and increase the provision of midwifery services in low-income priority countries by developing the foundations of a sustainable midwifery workforce.
She said the body would also help strengthen and support midwives' professional autonomy to ensure that midwifery education was regulated, designed by midwives as well as supporting midwifery research to enhance evidence-based midwifery practices.
Mrs Kyei said the goals set would enable Ghana to achieve the objective set out by the Millennium Development Goals of reducing Maternal Mortality and Morbidity, Child Mortality, Promoting Gender Equality and Combating HIV, malaria and other diseases.

Twenty three to be vetted Deputy Ministers

Accra, Ghana - President John Evans Atta Mills has nominated 23 people in accordance with Article 79 (i) of the 1992 Constitution for consideration by Parliament as Deputy Ministers.
A statement signed by Mr James Bebaako-Mensah, Secretary to the President on Monday named them as: Mr Seth Tekpeh, Deputy Minister for Finance, Mr Fiifi Kwetey, Deputy Minister for Finance, Dr Kwesi Akyem Apea-Kubi, Deputy Minister for the Interior, Mr John Gyetuah, Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry, Mr Rojo Mettle-Nunoo, Deputy Minister for Roads and Highways, Mrs Elizabeth Amoah-Tetteh, Deputy Minister for Education, Dr Joseph Annan, Deputy Minister for Education, Dr Nartey Siaw-Sappore, Deputy Minister for Communications and Dr Kwabena Donkor, Deputy Minister for Energy.
Others are: Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Deputy Minister for Energy, Mr Henry Ford Kamel, Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Kwabena Owusu Acheampong, Deputy Minister for Tourism, Ms Dzifa Peace Aku Attivor, Deputy Minister for Transport, Ms Hawawu Boya Gariba, Deputy Minister for Women and Children's Affairs, Mr Nii Nortey Dua, Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports and Mr Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah, Deputy Minister for Local Government and Rural Development.
The rest are: Mr Eric Opoku, Deputy Regional Minister for Brong Ahafo, Mr Baba Jamal, Deputy Regional Minister for Eastern, Mr Kale Ceasar, Deputy Regional Minister for Upper West, Mrs Lucy Awuni Mbun, Deputy Regional Minister for Upper East, Mr Moses Mabengba, Deputy Regional Minister for Northern, Colonel Cyril Neku (Rtd), Deputy Regional Minister for Volta and Ms Betty Bosomtwi-Sam, Deputy Regional Minister for Western. 
The statement said President Mills has also nominated for consideration by Parliament, Mr Kwajo Tawiah Likpalimor, Mr Abdudl-Rashid Pelpuo and Alhaji Seidu Amadu as Ministers of State.

NCCE lauds development of Ghana's democracy

  Accra, Ghana – Mr. Larry Bimi, Chairman of the National Commission for Civic Education on Thursday noted the commission’s commitment to ensuring that Ghana became the cradle of constitutional democracy in Africa.
  “This is the more reason we have to take the study and practice of the constitution seriously. I am therefore happy that government has adopted the constitution as one of its flagship programmes.”  
  Mr. Bimi said this at the first National Organizing Committee (NOC) meeting entrusted with the responsibility of the 2009 Constitution Week Celebration.
  The week slated for April 28 to May 4, would be celebrated on the theme: “Beyond Elections: Citizens’ Participation and Governments’ Accountability” with series of lectures on selected topics aside nationwide activities.
  Mr. Bimi noted that deepening constitutional affairs and democracy in particular called for effective and responsible citizen participation.
  Proposed topics for discussion include: Literacy and Level of Participation in Governance, National Identity and Changing Cultural values, The Citizens and His Member of Parliament and Citizen Participation Through parliament.

Engage the Services of professional surveyors

  Accra, Ghana – Mr Jonathan Allotey Abbosey, President of the Ghana Institution of Surveyor (GhIS), on Friday advised the public to engage the services of qualified surveyors to ensure proper land acquisition and ownership.
  “The image of the profession is very important and that is why I call on the public to cross-check from the GhIS before engaging anybody as a surveyor,” he said. 
  Mr Abossey told the Ghana News Agency at the GhIS 40th annual general meeting their advice had become necessary to flush out quacks who were denting the image of the profession.
  He said this was the reason the Surveyor Council Bill needed to be passed to ensure effective regulation and modalities for practitioners to fight the land disputes and acquisition problems that individuals had to go through sometimes.
  Mr Aboosey noted that members of the Institution had been provided with identity cards and jackets and urged the public to demand the identity of people so as to engage qualified surveyors.

Ghana to fight road crashes

  Accra, Ghana – Mr Mike Hammah, Minister of Transport, on Monday said the Ministry had put in place stringent measures to enforce the Road Traffic Act, to curb the spate of accidents on the roads.
  “As a first step to addressing this socially unacceptable trend, the Ministry with effect from April 6, 2009, charges all commercial vehicles to introduce log books in their vehicles to monitor the number of hours drivers use over a distance,” he said.
  Mr Hammah, at a stakeholders’ meeting to find solutions to the accidents, charged commercial vehicles to have National Road Safety Committee (NRSC) approved reflective tapes and warning triangles to improve visibility. 
  “The police are required to enforce these directives while the NRSC monitors its enforcement,” Mr Hammah said.
  He said the National Road Safety Strategy II would be reviewed to reflect emerging trends. Institutional capacity, funding and legal framework within which the strategy is implemented would also be reassessed.
  Mr Hammah said the introduction of speed cameras, installation of speed limiters in commercial vehicles and instant towing of disabled vehicles were some of the long-term measures to be taken to ensure road safety.
  On the recent crashes on some major roads, Mr Hammah noted that preliminary investigation revealed that fatigue, carelessness, poor visibility and high speed were the major causes.
  “As the Minister of Transport, I cannot sit down for these needless road accidents to go on.”
  The stakeholders called for resources for the Police Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU), training of drivers and effective collaboration between industry players to mitigate road crashes.
  ACP Victor Tandoh (Rtd), former MTTU commander, advocated the training of “proper traffic police”, who would be dedicated and disciplined, to manage the traffic situation.
  “We do not need people who want to make hay while the sun shines or a policeman who is a friend of a driver; we need men who can instil discipline into drivers and ensure sanity on our roads,” he added.

Involve local consultants in state projects-Surveyors

Involve local consultants in state projects - Surveyors

Accra, Ghana – Mr Jonathan Allotey Abbosey, President of the Ghana Institution of Surveyors (GhIS), on Monday urged government to engage the services of local consultants to handle major state projects.
“Although we recognize that international best practices must be brought to bear in our developmental agenda, it is unquestionable that we have competent consultants in this country and they have the added advantage of local knowledge and expertise,” he said.
Mr Abbossey, speaking at a press conference to launch the 40th anniversary celebrations of GhIS, suggested that local and foreign consultants must be partnered for major projects to ensure efficient implementation.
The theme: “The Surveyor and the Millennium Development Goals” was chosen to highlight the contribution of GhIS to national development.
Mr Abbossey noted that surveyors were key players in the development agenda saying, “Surveyors have to be involved, if the implementation of the various ventures within the economy is to be successful.”
He said GhIS was working hard to enact laws that would control and regulate the practice of surveying. Currently two legislations - the Survey Council Bill and Estate Agency Bill - being championed by the GhIS have been drafted but are yet to be passed.
To weed out quack surveyors, the Institution has adopted a professional jacket for use by members in its three divisions - the Estate and Valuation, Quantity and Land surveying.
“We urge employers both in the public and private sectors to engage qualified professional surveyors to handle various aspects of projects which are survey related,” he said.
On the oil find, Mr Abbossey said it was imperative for proper demarcation to be done to ensure efficient utilization of land.
“In this regard wanton land sales without regard to land use plans must be discouraged,” Mr Abbossey added.

Ghana urged to put in place Transitional mechanisms

Accra, Ghana – Sheikh IC Quaye, Former Greater Accra Regional Minister said there was the need for the country to put in place transitional mechanisms to ensure that change in government did not result in rancour and acrimony.
“We are witnesses to the beautiful transition that has taken place in America recently. And we also aware of other bitter experiences in other parts of Africa. It is about time Ghana travel on that road of true democracies where transitions take place without any problems,” he added.
Sheikh Quaye said this when he officially handed over the administration of the region to Nii Armah Ashitey, the new Greater Accra Minister.
He noted that developing Ghana’s young democracy called for the placement of institutions to promote it.
Sheikh Quaye noted the maintenance of peace within the region as his remarkable achievement adding, “I would urge you to continue in same spirit so that we can preserve the peaceful atmosphere”.
Nii Armah Ashitey noted that change was always necessary to ensure dynamism as well as promoting new ideas for development.
He said Accra was important in the scheme of the country as it was the “eye of the nation” and called on all sectors within it to work hard to raise the status of the capital.
Nii Ashitey said the business of decongesting the capital, riding it of filth and privatization of certain sectors to attract investors and promote good governance would be high on the agenda.
He said the Regional Co-coordinating Council played a key role in the decentralization process.

Intake of pure cocoa, source of healthy living

Accra, Ghana – Professor Fredrick Addai, Head of the Anatomy Department, University of Ghana Medical School on Saturday said regular intake of pure cocoa or chocolate was a must for healthy living.
“Daily intake of cocoa is necessary to realise its optimum benefits for growth and development of the body as well as disease prevention,” he added.
Professor Addai said this at the end of a three-day lecture on cocoa and its benefits organized by Centuries International Organisation, an NGO which is promoting cocoa consuption in Ghana.
He said drinking pure cocoa powder drink at least three times daily could reduced the rate of diabetes and hypertension, “I advice that persons with these kind of diseases would stick to pure cocoa”.
Professor Addai however, noted that it was not really good for people with very low blood pressure or gastroesophageal reflux disease but could reduce the risks of getting stroke and aneurysm.
On chocolate, he urged the youth to eat the dark bar chocolate regularly in addition to drinking pure cocoa adding, “benefits require lifetime commitment to cocoa consumption”.
He said research had shown that pure natural cocoa has incomparable promotive, preventive, and curative health benefits, “most valuable nutrients are stored in the cocoa bean.”
Mr Ekow Otoo, Commercial Manager, Cocoa Research Institute, Tafo said it was working and researching into various aspect of the pod to churn out more products.
“We now have the cocoa fertilizer, soaps, wine, pomade, salts and others from the pod which is even a by-product”, he added.
Mr Stephen Dzilah, President of the Ghana Chefs Association called for improved technologies in cocoa production that would promote cocoa and chocolate in the country, adding “as chefs, we assure the public of nutritional menu from the product”.

Eschew ethnic sentiments-PCG Moderator

Accra, Ghana-Right Reverend Dr Yaw Frimpong-Manso, Moderator of the General Assembly of Presbyterian Church of Ghana, on Sunday urged Ghanaians to avoid ethnic sentiments that tend to create disunity in society.
“The ethnic sentiments that continue to generate flames at various parts of the country must give way to reconciliation and respect for one another”
Right Rev. Dr. Frimpong-Manso was delivering a sermon on the theme: ”The cleansing hand of Jesus, ”during the dedication of a new church building at New Achimota, constructed by the Salvation Congregation of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana .
He said the ethnic group to which one belonged is a divine act and despising any ethnic group was an indictment on God’s plan.
“The church is important because God does not save people in isolation so an important part of what needs to be restored is our relationship with other people and we can do this best as we unite fully with the Lord in a covenant relationship,” he said.
Right Rev. Dr. Frimpong-Manso urged Christians to seek God’s guidance in achieving their goals in life instead of bemoaning their weaknesses and past failures.
He said Christians can only overcome social and spiritual evils when they put on the whole amour of God.
“The forces of evil that assail us today such as armed robbery, alcoholism, occultism and ethnocentrism are too real to be ignored and we are powerless over the demons that afflict us with these evils so we need Jesus who has a superior power to help us,” he said.
Right Rev. Dr. Frimpong-Manso advised Christians to humble themselves and obey God in order to accept mercy and blessings.
“No Christian should even think that he or she is totally independent and does not need help from others and no one should feel excused from the task of helping others and the body of Christ, which is the church, functions well when members work for the common good,” he said.

Decentralize ICT policies to ensure efficiency

Decentralize ICT policies to ensure efficiency- Ofosu-Adarkwa

Accra, Feb 16, GNA – Mr Kwaku Ofosu-Adarkwa, Chief Director, Ministry of Communications, on Monday, reiterated the need for the decentralization of the government’s ICT policy to ensure effective implementation especially at the local level.
“It has been asserted that many e-government projects initiated under the governance transformation processes have failed to achieve the desired outcome, notwithstanding the huge investment,” he said.
Mr Ofosu-Adarkwa said this at a five-day Digital Literacy workshop organized by the Ministry, in collaboration with Microsoft, for participants from the Ministries, Department and Agencies.
The Digital Literacy programme is to help participants to access basic computer concepts and skills to enable them to use the technology to develop new social and economic opportunities to promote government’s businesses.
He said the training had become necessary to bridge the ICT supply gap within the Public and the Civil services and position them for the implementation of a comprehensive electronic government programme to improve service delivery.
“The Ministry shall collaborate with the Office of the Head of Civil Service to operationalise the scheme for IT classes in the public service, which has been developed with the support of UNDP”, he said.
Mr Ofosu-Adarkwa called on participants to become change agents in the governance transformation process, “and this is why I wish to request that all of you actively participate in the course modules outlined under the digital literacy curriculum”.
Mr Okay Ice, Regional Development Manager, Microsoft, Ghana, said the training for system administrators would be carried out in March.
He said Microsoft was poised to help developing countries in the use of ICT to achieve efficiency in the government machinery.

Pay attention to the hotel industry

Accra, Ghana-Professor Stephen Adei, former Rector of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) on Thursday noted that although the hotel industry contributed 10 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product, little attention had been paid to its development.
“State-owned hotels like the Ambassador, Atlantic and Continental have all collapsed and Ghana is now relying on private hotels which do not meet international standards,” he said.
Prof. Adei who was speaking at the National Council meeting of the Ghana Hotels Association therefore lauded private hoteliers for their contribution in generating both local and foreign income to support the development of the country.
“I urge you to work in unity and put your resources together, establish a co-operative bank that would enable you to have access to credit facilities to grow the industry.”
Prof. Adei called for excellent management practice and training of staff to raise the face of the industry in the country and tasked government to simplify taxes on hotels.
“It is time for the government to look on the SME in the hotel industry as national assets and come out with a comprehensive incentive package,” he said.
Nana Kofi Adjei Twinin I, National President of the Association, said it was looking at human resource development and capacity building to ensure quality and efficient service delivery.
He said the industry would continue to work to meet the current service standards required by the Ghana tourist board.
“Currently the association has submitted a proposal document for strengthening and harmonizing the operations of the hotels association,” Nana Twinin said.
Mr Martin Mireku, Executive Director, Ghana Tourist Board, said the promotion of tourism could not be effective without a committed and vigorous private and public partnership, adding “there is the need for us to cooperate to achieve the excellence the industry is striving for”.
He said recent inspections carried out by the Board revealed poor kitchen hygiene, housekeeping and supervision, inadequate provision of mandatory furnishing and unskilled staff coupled with lack of professionalism.
Mr Mireku therefore urged hoteliers to keep to standards adding that the tourism industry was dynamic.

Over-liberalised trade affecting rice - GRIB

Accra, Ghana – The country’s over liberalized trade system has badly affected the rice industry and this has to be reversed, Mr Fidelis Avogo, Executive Secretary of the Ghana Rice Inter-Professional Body (GRIB), said on Thursday.
“Although GRIB is not advocating a blanket trade blackout, it is restating that rice being a strategic crop needs some enabling conditions to strive and grow from its infant state,” he said.
Mr Avogo, speaking at GRIB’s Fourth General Assembly Meeting, said the industry was also faced with unstable market prices, adding that “more often due to the over liberalized economy, traders buy inputs from wherever and price them differently”.
He said consumption of rice had increased sharply, doubling to 14.5 kilos per capita since the 1990s.
In 2006, total rice consumption amounted to between 450,000 and 750,000 tonnes.
Mr Avogo said a survey in 2006 estimated an urban annual consumption of 38 kilos per capita while rural consumption stood at nine kilos per capita. The study also revealed that two regions, Greater Accra and Ashanti, were the largest consumers.
“Despite the existing potential for increasing national rice production as a result of abundant suitable ecologies, Ghana imports over two-thirds of its rice requirements which translate into 500 million dollars,” he said.
Mr Avogo urged government to establish a Rice Development Fund to help farmers in land development, which was capital intensive.
He lauded rice sector operators for their contribution towards food security and called on them to take advantage of technology to improve productivity.
“Rice among other cereals is attracting premium prices. This is a rare opportunity to the farmers that you must exploit to the full.”
GRIB is an umbrella organization of rice stakeholders and is aimed at identifying constraints, promoting market, price negotiations and profit sharing among stakeholders. It also proposes and lobbies for rice policies with relevant agencies and government.
Alhaji Naa Von Salifu, Zonal Coordinator, Northern Centre, mentioned policy sustainability, lack of good seeds, unreliable weather, high interest rates as some factors hampering the growth of the industry.
Mr Ralph Mends-Oduro, out-going President of GRIB, called on the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to show interest in the activities of the group and urged members to work in unity to advance their cause.

UG goes on-line with application forms

Accra, Ghana - Applicants seeking admission into the University of Ghana (UG), Legon, are expected to register on-line henceforth.Prof. Elorm Dovlo, Vice Dean, Faculty of Arts, UG, who announced this on Tuesday, said all programmes with the exception of the Diploma to Degree, Executive MBA, Post-degree Law and foreign applicants were, however, expected to purchase forms from the Registry. Speaking at a forum to educate the public and prospective applicants on programmes and subjects choices, admission requirements and processes, Prof. Dovlo said the forum was to straighten public perception of UG's admissions.He noted that, the university had seven subject areas with definite requirements with three campuses and 10 centres across the country to run its programmes on modular, full-time and distance basis.Prof. Dovlo urged prospective applicants to be circumspect in their choice of programmes and subjects to make the work of the admission board easy. "Each major programme has a different mode of calculating results with regard to subjects," he said.Prof. Dovlo advised applicants to pay attention to details and fill in the right information. "Now that we are going on-line, do not fill in wrong grades to persuade authorities, you will definitely be punished." He said, though the university operated within a cut-off point, affirmative action had, however, been taken to increase female enrolment while concessions are given to less endowed schools.

Institutionalize ATI

Accra, Ghana-A two-day workshop on Access To Information (ATI) on Monday opened in Accra with a call on the West African Sub-region to institutionalize legislations enacted on ATI to make it more effective and efficient.
The workshop, which brought together 20 participants: Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, the Gambia and Liberia was organised by the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) in collaboration with ActionAid International on the theme: 'Promoting the Peoples' Access to Information: The West African Experience'.
Nana Oye Lithur, said the workshop would identify ways of strengthen information flow to engender a culture of openness in West Africa and enhance capabilities to utilize existing information.
She said it also sought to share the findings of a legislative Audit conducted in Ghana to provide an opportunity for participants to examine the nature and effectiveness of the mechanisms for information access in Ghana.
Nana Lithur said though the right to information encouraged participatory democracy, Africa had not made any impressive strides in that regard, "With a record of only five states; Angola, South Africa, Uganda, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe having freedom on Information laws, progressive efforts must be made to enact more of these laws on the continent".
Mr Venkatesh Nayak, CHRI noted that none of the countries represented had overriding access to information legislation; nevertheless many laws passed by parliaments in these countries contain information disclosure provisions.
He said the findings of the legislative audit from Ghana would encourage members to recognize the usefulness of these provisions and test their efficacy as well as conducting similar research in their respective countries.
Mr Hussaini Abdu, ActionAid International, Nigeria who gave his country's experience and the role of ActionAid said though some countries like Zimbabwe and Uganda had enacted such laws, it was not operational. "Some countries have passed these laws just to satisfy the conditions of accessing loans and grants facility from international donors", he added

Mills sworn-in

Accra, Ghana- Ghanaians from all walks of life converged at the Independence Square to witness the swearing-in of Professor John Evans Atta Mills, the third President of the Fourth Republic of Ghana.
The whole Square was filled with people adorning NDC t-shirts and other party paraphernalia while others were displaying their skills at riding motorbikes.
The whole Independence Square was draped in the national colours of red, gold and green. A set of huge Fontomfrom drums was mounted at the Square. Also, the seats of the President and Vice-President were set and ready for the ceremony.
Security was very tight with security personnel doing their job including directing people to their designated seats.
Traditional rulers, Queens, Queen Mothers and religious leaders from all over the country were present to witness the ceremony.

Parliament makes hstory-woman Speaker chosen

Accra, Ghana– Mrs. Justice Joyce Bamford-Addo, retired Supreme Court judge, made history when she was elected as the first woman to the high office of the Speaker of the Fifth Parliament of the Fourth Republic.
She becomes the third in the leadership hierarchy in the country after the President and Vice President.
Mrs Justice Bamford-Addo was elected unopposed as Speaker in sharp contrast to what her predecessor, Mr Ebenezer Sekyi Hughes, went through.
The immediate past Speaker was elected Speaker of Fourth Parliament after a gruelling balloting following opposition from the late Peter Ala Adjetey, a former Speaker, who was nominated by the opposition.
Mr Alban Bagbin, Member-Elect of the Fifth Parliament from the Majority NDC side, who moved a motion for the election of the Justice Bamford-Addo had an easy task, as Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu, Member-Elect from the NPP Minority side quickly, endorsed her nomination.
The former Supreme Court Judge was born on March 26, 1937 and attended the Holy Child Secondary School in Cape Coast.
She trained as a lawyer in the United Kingdom and practiced briefly in London and relocated to Ghana.
She joined the Attorney-General’s Department in Ghana as a State Attorney in 1963 and rose to become the Director of Public Prosecution in 1986.
Between 1991 and 2004 she served as Supreme Court Judge.
She also served on various boards including the Legal Aid Board and the Judicial Council. In 1992, she served as a Deputy Speaker of the Consultative Assembly and retired from public service in October 2004, having served as a practicing lawyer for 43 years and as a judge of the Supreme Court for 13 years

Parliaments convene on a note of agreement from both sides

Accra, Ghana - Consensus building marked the opening of the Fifth Parliament of the Fourth Republic in Accra as both sides of the House agreed unopposed to the nomination of Mrs. Justice Joyce Adelaine Bamford-Addo, a former justice of the Supreme Court, as the new Speaker of the House.
Shouts of “agbe naa, agbe naa” (It is accomplished, it is accomplished) rang out in the Chamber after the soft-spoken Speaker, administered the oaths of allegiance and Member of Parliament to the 228 elected representatives of the Ghanaian citizenry. Two seats are yet to be filled.
Sheikh Ibrahim Codjoe Quaye, New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP for Ayawaso Central, as well as other big wigs now the minority, exchanged pleasantries, including hugs, with members from the National Democratic Congress (NDC), now the majority side.
Mrs. Justice Bamford-Addo, 71 , who was inadvertently referred to as “Mr” because of the provision in the Standing Order, commended the Members of the House on their election or re-election into the House, but gavelled down the excitement to call the House to order as Members ensured their names were in the attendance register.
The House accepted the nomination of Mr Doe Adjaho, MP for Avenor Ave (NDC), as First Deputy Speaker and Prof Mike Ocquaye, MP for Dome Kwabenya (NPP) as Second Deputy Speaker.
Mr Osei-Kyei Mensa Bonsu, Minority Leader said Mr Adjaho, a lawyer, was a knowledgeable Member of the House and had proved to be one of the best materials.
Prof Ocquaye’s nomination was put forward by Mr Kwame Osei- Prempeh, (NPP-Nsuta Kwamang Besposo) and seconded by Ms Akua Sena Dansua (NDC-North Dayi). Prof Ocqaye is a lawyer, former head of the Political Science Department of the University of Ghana, a reverend minister and also former Ghana High Commissioner in New Delhi. He was also Minister of Energy and Communications

The Legislature-It evolution

Accra, Ghana - Ghana achieved independence on March 6, 1957. The political struggles that preceded this historic event date back over a hundred years ago.
The early period of nationalist struggle for political independence created political awareness and desire to assert the right of self-determination both for the individual and the State.
As far back as 1850, Ghana, then the Gold Coast, was given its own Legislative Council to advise the colonial Governor in enacting legislation mainly in the form of Ordinances "for peace, order and good government of the subject."
The Legislative Council was purely advisory as the Governor exercised all legislative and executive powers.
In 1916 the Legislative Council was reconstituted to include nine nominated unofficial members, six of whom were Africans.
The first Legislative Council elections ever to be held took place in 1925 under the Guggisberg Constitution. Under this arrangement the Governor still retained complete control of legislation.
Under the 1946 Burns Constitution that replaced the Guggisberg Constitution, the representatives of the people formed the majority in the Legislative Council.
The Governor ceased to be ex-officio President of the Legislative Council, paving the way for an unofficial member to be appointed President.
This system continued until 1951 when the legislature elected its first Speaker under the 1950 Constitution.
In 1951 the first large-scale elections to the Legislative Assembly took place when 75 members were elected.
There were three nominated ex-officio members and six special members representing commercial mining interests.
The 1955 transitional Constitution provided for an Assembly of a Speaker and 104 Members elected on party lines on the basis of universal adult suffrage.
In 1957 when Ghana achieved full political independence, the Constitution was fashioned after the Westminster model.
In June 1960, 10 women were elected by the National Assembly to fill specially created seats. This was done to expose women to parliamentary life.
This system of election was not intended to be permanent. The Act made no provision in filling a vacancy caused by death, resignation or expulsion of a woman member. On July 1, 1960, Ghana became a sovereign unitary Republic.
In February 1964 Ghana adopted a one-party system of Government. The first National Assembly of the Republic was dissolved in 1965 and a General Election which comprised 198 members, all of the Convention People's Party (CPP), were elected unopposed.
The 1964 Constitutional Amendments among other things increased the powers and prerogatives of the President.
In February 1966, the First Republican Government was overthrown by a military coup, which installed a military government that remained in power up to September 1969. On its own volition, the military administration handed over power to another constitutionally elected government, and thereby restored parliamentary rule once again.
After 22 months in office, the Second parliamentary democracy also succumbed to another military rule between 1972.
In September 1979 the military government was compelled to usher in the Third Republican Parliamentary system.
Parliamentary democracy was once thrown into cold storage as a result of yet another military intervention in December 1981. However, the country returned to constitutional rule again on January 7, 1993, with 200 members.
Constitutional rule has survived a third term.
The Fourth Parliament of the Fourth Republic has 230 members.

Chiefs congratulates Mills

Accra, Ghana – The National House of Chiefs has congratulated President-elect John Evans Atta Mills and said as custodians of the country’s culture and tradition, “we see your successes as a monumental event symbolising the very essence of our unity and togetherness”.
A statement by Wulugu Naba-Naa Prof. John Nabila, President of the House, said the president-elect’s personal attributes as “peace maker” and his decades of professional experience as a “teacher”, combine to assure the chiefs that under his presidency, the peace being enjoyed would be deepened and “we will continue to learn new lessons and teach others about human dignity and sustainable development”.
“We know that you will; deploy your personal commitments and professional attributes to unite the country after a highly competitive and sometimes divisive election campaign.”
The House of Chiefs also congratulated Nana Akufo-Addo, losing candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), for accepting the results and out-going President John Agyekum Kufuor for his preparedness to facilitate a smooth transition to the next government.
The House of Chiefs urged all Ghanaians to desist from all the rivalry and acrimony which characterised the elections, saying “Let us resolve to work together as we continue to build our nation in unity, peace and stability through dialogue and reconciliation.”
It said the House was in the process of preparing its strategic plan to elaborate its vision for effective and cooperative governance that would consolidate democracy and ancestral heritage.