Paliamentary Delegation Off To Ethiopia

10 August 2006

A Three-member delegation of the Parliamentary Committee on Local Government, Rural Development and Environment has left for Ethiopia to interact with their Ethiopian counterparts to study how the local government system works in that country.

The delegation, which includes Mr Kwabena Appiah-Pinkrah, Member of Parliament (MP) for Akrofrom, Mrs Agnes Chigabatia (Builsa North) and Mr Joseph Yieleh Chireh (Wa West), would be away for one week.

The trip, sponsored by the Canadian Parliamentary Centre (CNC), a non-governmental organisation, under its Ghana Parliamentary Committee Support Project II (GPCSP), is to enable the MPs to make meaningful suggestions to improve upon Ghana’s decentralisation process.

Before their departure, the leader of the delegation, Mr Appiah-Pinkrah, who, incidentally is also the acting Chairman of the committee, told the Daily Graphic that since the committee had oversight responsibility over the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment, it was important for members to be equipped with the requisite knowledge to enable them to function efficiently.

He said the delegation would, therefore, use the visit to study the laws, structures and institutional arrangements in Ethiopia, which would assist local governance in the country.

The delegation is accompanied by the Clerk of the Committee, Ms Peace Abla Fiawayife, and an official of the CNC, Ms Gifty Adika.

Meanwhile, a three-member delegation of the Gender and Children Committee of Parliament has since returned home from Uganda.

The delegation, which included Mr Kofi Kra Mensah, MP Amansie West, Mr Rashid Pelpuo (Wa Central) and Mr Roger Abolimbisa (Builsa South), was accompanied by Mrs Akua Owusu Agyekum, Clerk of the Committee and Mr Adams Fusheini, an official of the CNC, which sponsored the trip.

The delegation used the visit to study the success story of Uganda’s fight against the HIV/AIDS menace through an interaction with the HIV Committee of the Ugandan Parliament.

It also learnt at first-hand how Uganda had been able to use legislation to combat the disease.

Story by Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
Daily Graphic