What Has Happened To The MPs Offices Complex?

In 2004, President Kufuor made the following promises:

? Government is determined to help rehabilitate Ghana Airways one way or the other even if as a joint-venture company flying the National Flag.

? Work on the projected ECOWAS Gas Pipeline is expected to be completed in 2005.

? This year, government expects to complete 120 medium-sized garments and textile factories as part of an industrial park in the Export Processing Zone.

In 2005, President Kufuor promised as follows:

? Playing fields will be developed for all schools, and sports will be on integral part of school activities.

? The National Ambulance Service which was introduced in Accra last year will be extended to the other regions.

? The ASCO factory has projected to export 10,000 tons of industrial starch with an estimated value of US$2.8 million this year.

? The passage of the Right to Information Bill will be a major priority this year.

In 2006, President Kufuor promised as follows:

? The resuscitation of VALCO is the first step towards the establishment of an integrated aluminium industry.

? MAERSK is here to build a container terminal, the biggest in Africa.

? A Consortium of investors comprising mining companies, port operators and foreign nations, has expressed interest in joining the government in rehabilitating our railway system by mid year.

? Gas from the West Africa Gas Pipeline is expected to be available by December this year.

? A special Home Ownership Scheme is to be established for teachers through the banking system.

For this year, 2007, the President has made the following promises.

? The West African Gas Pipeline Project is now programmed to be operational in August this year.

? Government expects that by April this year, the Ayensu Starch Factory at Bawjiase in the Central Region will resume operations ? Under the PSI for Garments and Textiles, 10 new factory units are being established in Kumasi, Koforidua, Tema.

As we stated earlier, the list of unfulfilled promises in President Kufuor?s annual State of the Nation Addresses is a tall one indeed. The above represent only a microcosm of those promises.

Sometimes one wonders whether the President intends his State of the Nation Addresses to be taken seriously. Sometimes one wonders why the President?s speechwriters continue to put deadlines to his promises which they are not compelled to put and which they know very well cannot be met. Sometimes one wonders why the Assurances Committee of Parliament has not hauled the Minister of Presidential Affairs before the House to answer for the numerous unfulfilled promises of the President.

We have two suggestions for Parliament. First is the promise about Job 600. Since it affects Parliament directly, we expect the House to demand of the President to ?do something? before he leaves office.

Second is the Assurances Committee of Parliament. It must go the route of the Public Accounts Committee and hold its sittings and conduct its proceedings in public. That way, not only the President but also Ministers who go to Parliament to make promises will be compelled to explain to the people why they have not kept their promises.

Hon. P.C. Appiah Ofori, NPP MP for Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa, used to be Chairman of the Parliamentary Assurances Committees until he was yanked off the position by his own people after exposing Kwamena Bartels for lying to the Committee about the US$10 million Italian loan. We are certain that he will agree with our suggestion.

In 2004, President Kufuor made the following promises:

? Government is determined to help rehabilitate Ghana Airways one way or the other even if as a joint-venture company flying the National Flag.

? Work on the projected ECOWAS Gas Pipeline is expected to be completed in 2005.

? This year, government expects to complete 120 medium-sized garments and textile factories as part of an industrial park in the Export Processing Zone.

In 2005, President Kufuor promised as follows:

? Playing fields will be developed for all schools, and sports will be on integral part of school activities.

? The National Ambulance Service which was introduced in Accra last year will be extended to the other regions.

? The ASCO factory has projected to export 10,000 tons of industrial starch with an estimated value of US$2.8 million this year.

? The passage of the Right to Information Bill will be a major priority this year. In 2006, President Kufuor promised as follows:

? The resuscitation of VALCO is the first step towards the establishment of an integrated aluminium industry.

? MAERSK is here to build a container terminal, the biggest in Africa.

? A Consortium of investors comprising mining companies, port operators and foreign nations, has expressed interest in joining the government in rehabilitating our railway system by mid year.

? Gas from the West Africa Gas Pipeline is expected to be available by December this year.

? A special Home Ownership Scheme is to be established for teachers through the banking system.

For this year, 2007, the President has made the following promises.

? The West African Gas Pipeline Project is now programmed to be operational in August this year.

? Government expects that by April this year, the Ayensu Starch Factory at Bawjiase in the Central Region will resume operations ? Under the PSI for Garments and Textiles, 10 new factory units are being established in Kumasi, Koforidua, Tema.

As we stated earlier, the list of unfulfilled promises in President Kufuor?s annual State of the Nation Addresses is a tall one indeed. The above represent only a microcosm of those promises.

Sometimes one wonders whether the President intends his State of the Nation Addresses to be taken seriously. Sometimes one wonders why the President?s speechwriters continue to put deadlines to his promises which they are not compelled to put and which they know very well cannot be met. Sometimes one wonders why the Assurances Committee of Parliament has not hauled the Minister of Presidential Affairs before the House to answer for the numerous unfulfilled promises of the President.

We have two suggestions for Parliament. First is the promise about Job 600. Since it affects Parliament directly, we expect the House to demand of the President to ?do something? before he leaves office.

Second is the Assurances Committee of Parliament. It must go the route of the Public Accounts Committee and hold its sittings and conduct its proceedings in public. That way, not only the President but also Ministers who go to Parliament to make promises will be compelled to explain to the people why they have not kept their promises.

Hon. P.C. Appiah Ofori, NPP MP for Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa, used to be Chairman of the Parliamentary Assurances Committees until he was yanked off the position by his own people after exposing Kwamena Bartels for lying to the Committee about the US$10 million Italian loan. We are certain that he will agree with our suggestion.