Parliament Wednesday unanimously approved the nomination of seven persons as ministerial appointees by the President, Mr John Dramani Mahama.
They are Mr Albert Abongo, Mr John Alexander Ackon, Mr Kweku Rickets-Hagan and Mr Abdallah Abubakari, ministers for the Upper East, Ashanti, Central and Northern regions, respectively.
The rest are Ms Mavis Ama Frimpong, Mr Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuije and Mr Prosper Douglas Bani, ministers for the Eastern Region, Youth and Sports and the Interior, respectively.
A report issued by the Appointments Committee of Parliament, signed by its Chairman, Mr Ebo Barton-Odro, who is also the First Deputy Speaker of the House, recommended the approval of the nominees.
It, however, observed that almost all the nominees did not take time to write their curriculum vitae.
It said there were many gaps and sometimes overlaps and seeming conflicts in the CVs.
“The indication is that the nominees were not diligent enough, yet the offices that they have been nominated to require diligence. The committee, accordingly, urges the nominees to exercise greater diligence in their respective endeavours if approved by the House,” it said.
In another development, the Road Fund Amendment Bill, 2016 was taken through a second reading by Parliament.
The bill is to amend the Road Fund Act, 1997 (Act 536) to enable the fund to assume a corporate status and legitimately source additional funding for road maintenance and empower the Minister for Roads and Highways to make regulations for the effective implementation of the objectives of the Road Fund Act.
The Road Fund was established under the Road Fund Act, 1997 (Act 536) to finance routine periodic maintenance and rehabilitation of public roads.
The fund is also charged with the responsibility to assist the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies in the exercise of their functions relevant to public roads under any enactment.
The sources of revenue as per the Establishment Act are the petroleum or fuel levy, bridge, ferry and road tolls, vehicle licensing and inspection fees, road-user fees, international transit fees paid by foreign vehicles that use the country’s roads and such money as the Minister of Finance, in consultation with the Minister for Roads and Highways, may determine, with the approval of Parliament.
The implementation of the Road Fund Act, 1997, Act 536 has ensured a steady flow of resources for road maintenance in the country, yet there is an appreciable gap in funding for the maintenance of a vast section of the road network.
To safeguard the national road infrastructure, valued at more than $6 billion, the government deems it necessary to re-position the fund to overcome some legal and administrative deficiencies in its operation in order to fully implement its mandates.
Source: Graphic.com.gh
