The Deputy Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection (GCSoP) and Member of Parliament for Tano North Constituency, in the Ahafo Region, Hon. Freda Prempeh, has justified government’s intentions to build a hostel for head porters (Kayayies) to protect them from the dangers they are exposed to.

Hon. Freda Prempeh, in justifying government’s plans to build a shelter for head porters (Kayayies), emphasized the need for making this provision, describing the idea as giving hope and future to head porters who fall prey to social vises in the cause of earning a living in the city.

She indicated that majority of the youth, especially head porters, come all the way from the North in search of jobs in the cities, not because they can’t survive with the little resources available to them in their villages, but some are forced to run to the cities just to escape from early child marriage, female genital mutilation, among others.

“Whereas the Nana Addo government is making provision for them to be trained and aquire skills, you sit here as a member of parliament and speak against it, then I should be disappointed and I know the good people from the North will be disappointed as well”.

The Deputy Gender Minister made these remarks in a rebuttal to a point raised in the debate of the 2020 budget and financial policy, by the Member for Upper West Akim, Hon. Derek Ohene Asifu Bekoe, who described government’s plan of providing a hostel to house head porters which was captured in the 2020 budget, as misplaced priority.

“We have a listening government with prudent management by H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and therefore has no doubt that the good people of Ghana will give the NPP government another term come 2020”. She stated.

Pursuant to Article 179 of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, and Section 21(3) of the Public Financial Management Act 2016 (ACT 921), the Finance Minister, Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta, on November 13, 2019, presented the Budget Statement and Economic Policies of Government for 2020 to Parliament.

Mr. Ofori-Atta also submitted before the august House, the 2019 Annual Report on the Petroleum Funds, in accordance with Section 48 of the Petroleum Revenue Management Act, 2011 (Act 815), as amended, and a Report on the African Union 0.2 percent Import Levy.

Parliament began debate on the 2020 Budget Statement and Financial Policy on Monday , November 18, 2019, with a heated argument between the Majority and the Minority.

Source: Delali Gavor/www.newslinegh.com

 

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