General News of Friday, 18 July 2008

Source: GNA

Anti Terrorism Bill passed

Accra, July 18, GNA - Parliament on Friday passed into law the Anti-terrorism bill. A memorandum accompanying the bill said the scourge of terrorism was unlike ordinary warfare as large numbers of people have been killed, massacred and maimed by terrorists in indiscriminate random acts of violence and terror. The bill seeks to combat terrorism, suppress and detect acts of terrorism, prevent the territory, resources and financial services of the country from being used to commit terrorism acts and to protect the rights of the people in the country to live in peace, freedom and security.

Earlier, the House also approved two loans for the water and housing sectors with 30 million Ghana cedis going to government's affordable housing project for the completion of 800 units of houses. A Parliamentary Committee's report said the loan had become necessary because the provision in the budget for the housing project was inadequate. "Unfortunately, in the past few months progress of work has greatly slowed down and the projects are seriously behind schedule. It is against this background that the government of Ghana is seeking additional funds to the sum of 30,000,000.00 Ghana cedis to complete the 800 housing units under the project." the report said.

The second loan, made up of 12,230,167.00 euros, is for the implementation of the extension of the Kwanyaku Water Supply rehabilitation project and the extension of water supplies to Kasoa and its environs.