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Second batch of Nominees
vetted
Accra, Feb. 9, Ghanadot/GNA – Mr Joe Gidisu, Nominee for the
Ministry of Roads and Highway, said delays in the payment of
local contractors were hindering the opening up of some
portions of the country by these contractors.
He said when given the nod by Parliament, he would help in
building the capacity of these contractors and help to
empower them financially to ensure that they competed
favourably with international contractors to win bids in the
country.
Mr Gidisu, who was responding to questions from the
Appointments Committee on Monday, said he would ensure that
Ghana had value for money for roads constructed and urged
Members of Parliament to take interest in projects being
carried out in their constituencies to ensure that only good
roads were constructed.
On charges that there were perceptions about corrupt
practices associated with the operations of the Ministry, Mr
Gidisu said he would pursue an open and transparent
programme to deal with corruption.
Alhaji Collins Dauda, Nominee for the Ministry of Lands and
Natural Resources, who also took his turn before the
Committee, said he would go into commercial plantation to
deal with environmental degradation and the restoration of
the forest cover.
He said currently the forest cover of the nation could be
pegged 1.6 million hectares, a major drop from 8.2 million
hectares that the country enjoyed at the turn of the last
century.
Mr Dauda also touched on the challenges posed by small-scale
miners known as galamsey and chain saw operators, and said
there was the need to streamline their operations to ensure
that they operated within the laws.
On issues of land use, he said poor documentation, land
ownership and lack of proper planning were some challenges,
which should receive attention.
He said coupled with the promulgation of the new Lands
Commission Act, there should be an improvement on land use.
Dr Joe Oteng Adjei, Nominee for the Energy Ministry, when he
appeared before the Committee said the policy of rural
communities contributing to a percentage for electrification
under the Self-Help Electrification Project would be
reviewed to lesson the burden on these rural communities.
On issues of increases in electricity tariffs, Dr
Oteng-Adjei said the use of pre-paid metres, the blocking of
illegal use of electricity and the improvement of network
and wires to reduce technical problems should add up to
reduce electricity tariffs.
In response to perceptions that oil discovery was a curse to
some African countries, the Nominee said the NDC Government
would involve all stakeholders and pursue a policy of
transparency to ensure that Ghana’s discovery of oil became
a blessing.
Ms Sherry Ayitey, Nominee for the Ministry of Environment,
Science and Technology, who also appeared before the
Committee, said she would pursue a programme of public
education at various levels to address the problem of
sanitation and ensure a clean environment.
Mr Mike Hamah, Nominee for Transportation, told the
Committee that he would use “Three Es Approach” –
Education–Engineering-Enforcement - to reduce carnage on the
country’s roads if given the nod to become the Minister of
Transportation.
He said he would work hard to regain the category one rating
of Kotoka International Airport by the United States Federal
Aviation Administration, which it lost because the
liquidated Ghana Airways flew substandard plane to the USA.
GNA
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