C’ttee on Government Assurances to follow up on flagship projects

Members of the Committee on Government Assurances (CGA) are to visit all the 10 regions from the end of November to ascertain the extent of implementation of flagship government policies and projects.

Speaking at a workshop for members of the Parliamentary Press Corps (PPC) at Ada Sunday, the Chairman of the CGA, Mr Yaw Frimpong Addo, said the committee would find out whether the free senior high school (SHS) education policy, the restoration of teachers and nurses allowances, the one constituency, $1 million and other policies were being implemented.

He said the committee would consider the funding and logistical challenges facing the policies, as well as the commitment of government officials to their execution.

Focus

Mr Addo said the verification visits, which would be sponsored by Star Ghana, would focus mainly on four ministries — Education, Special Development Initiatives, Railways Development and Energy and Power.

In the area of education, he said, the committee would find out the challenges facing the free SHS policy, with a focus on how the double-track system was being implemented.

He said the committee would verify the availability of classrooms and boarding houses and the quality of feeding for students.

Besides, he said, it would find out how far the government had gone with the promise to complete a number of community day SHSs started by the previous government.

Other areas

Mr Addo said the extension of electricity to remote areas and progress of rural electrification projects would be some of the areas to be considered in the power and energy sector.

The projects under the Ministry for Special Development Initiatives include the procurement of ambulances for districts and t $1 million per constituency.

And in the railway sector, the committee would ascertain the progress of work on the various railway projects.

He said if the committee had enough time, it would extend the verification to the agricultural sector.

Public hearings

Mr Addo, who is the NPP  Member of Parliament (MP) for Manso-Adubia, said after the field visits, the committee would hold public hearings to seek answers from the respective ministers of state on implementation lapses and funding challenges.

He said that would enable the ministers to explain why the challenges.

 Mr Addo said members of the CGA would also question the ministers on the floor of Parliament or at the committee level on the extent of work they had executed per the timelines they had given on the floor of Parliament or at committees of Parliament.

Thereafter, he said, the committee would write a report on the implementation of government policies and programmes to Parliament for consideration.

No witch hunting

The CGA Chairman assured all ministers of state that the CGA was not interested in witch-hunting and indicated that the interest of the committee was to see to the implementation of government policies, programmes and projects.

He said the development of the country would depend on the implementation of government policies and that the committee intended to work in the interest of the government and the people.

Sanctions

Touching on the sanctions regime, the NDC MP for Ho West and Ranking Member on the CGA, Mr Emmanuel Bedzrah, said if the committee was not satisfied with the extent of work done by a particular ministry, it could recommend to Parliament to censure the minister in charge of that ministry for poor performance.

He said if the recommendation was adopted by the House, Parliament could, by two-thirds majority, vote for the removal of the minister.

Besides, Mr Bedzrah said, the committee could name and shame a minister for persistently lying on oath, which could cause him or her his or her appointment.