Ministry to harmonise fees charged by ICCES

The Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations would set up a technical committee to monitor and harmonise fees charged by the Integrated Community Centres for Employable Skills (ICCES).

This follows the observation by the Ministry that there were discrepancies in the current fees charged by the various Centres.

In some cases, certain unapproved items have been included.

“This is as result of the determination of fees by the independent Centre Boards without reference to or with prior approval by any central authority,” Mr Haruna Iddrisu, the sector Minister said on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday.

Mr Iddrisu was answering a question that stood in the name of Mr Bright Edward Kodzo Demordzi, Member of Parliament (MP) for Bortianor-Ngleshie Amanfro, seeking to know what the approved admission fee for the ICCES is.

Mr Iddrisu said the ICCES, which presently number 125, are primarily community based institutions, and do not operate a unified nationwide fees regime charged across by the various Centres, resulting in the policy that every Centre is permitted to fix its own fees for the purpose of running their respective Centres.

According to the Minister, the fees are determined by each Centre with the full involvement of the local Centre Boards, the membership of which includes the Traditional and District Authorities and Parents.

“For instance, in an academic year, Abosamso in the Ashanti Region charges GH¢ 213; Gyedu in the Brong Ahafo Region charges GH¢ 570; Ada in the Greater Accra Region Gh¢520; Lolobi in the Volta Region charges GH¢ 141 and Tatale-Sanguli in the Northern Region charges GH¢1,380, “Mr Iddrisu said.

Alhaji Mohamed Muntaka Mubarak, the Majority Chief Whip, on behalf of the Majority Leader Alban Bagbin, presented before the House the 2013 Annual Report and Financial Statements of the Architectural and Engineering Services Limited.

The Report of the Committee on Education on the Chartered Institute of Taxation Bill, 2014, and the Ghana Export-Import Bank Bill, 2015 were also presented to the House.

The House ratified the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Bill, 2014.