Accra, Aug 23, GNA - Minority in Parliament on Tuesday registered reluctance over 70 million Euro loan facility that is meant to finance the e-zwich rural branchless banking.
However, parliament without hitch approved the credit package purposed to secure funds to establish a Revolving Credit Fund from which loans would be provided to financial institutions on revolving basis to enable them to acquire e-zwich infrastructure for the implementation of the e-zwich Rural Branchless Banking Project.
The e-zwich rural branchless rural banking will allow customers who operate with single branch financial institutions to have access to banking facility wherever they are without necessarily going to their branches to transact business.
Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Efigya Sekyere West, said the committee was too economical in releasing information about the loan agreement to aid scrutinizing and encourage parliament to go ahead with granting the loan.
He said it was the duty of parliament to scrutinize whatever came before it and could only do that when it was given enough time to examine the issue.
He noted that e-zwich was not part of the 2011 budget neither was it part of the medium term plan for the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning.
"I have serious reservations about the loan. As a bank manager, I cannot go ahead to grant this loan," he said.
Dr Mathew Prempeh, NPP Member for Manhyia, said the introduction of th= e e-zwich system was a novelty for other African countries to copy. He stated that within a period of five to six years almost everybody i= n Ghana would use the e-zwich cards.
He, however, said the Bank, Kreditanstalt Fur Wiederaufbau (KFW), that gave the loan, also granted a loan package for the republic of Ghana to purchase ambulances.
Mr Joseph Yieleh Chireh, Health Minister and National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member for Wa West, said all was set for the delivery of the ambulances.
Mr Alfred Abayateye, NDC Member for Sege, said the loan that had a repayment period of 50 years and a maturity period of 45 years was the best for the country at the time and called on all members to support the motion= .. The loan, according to the Finance Committee report, had a grant amount of 500,000.00 Euros, a grace period of ten years, repayment period of 40 years and maturity period of 50 years.
Interest rate for the loan is 0.75 percent, a commitment fee of 0.25 maximum and the closing date, December 30, 2016.
The e-zwich product came to the market in April 2008 and has since operated in the urban areas and after three years of operation it became important to bring the service to the rural areas.
The house also read for the second time the Health Training and Research Bill 2010 and the Mental Health Bill 2010.
The Health Training and Research Bill has the object of setting four post graduate colleges such as the Centre for Plant Medicine Research for the promotion of scientific research knowledge and development of the field of plant medicine.
It will also establish the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons as a national post graduate medical college for the training of specialists in medicine, surgery and other disciplines.
Another institution under the bill is the Ghana College of Nursing and Midwifery to promote specialist education in nursing and midwifery and that of the Ghana College of Pharmacists to promote specialist education in pharmacy.
The purpose of the Mental Health Bill on the other hand is to promote access to basic mental health care in the least restrictive environment. It will also encourage early identification and prompt treatment of mental disorder in primary care at the district and regional hospitals.
