Accra, July 14, GNA - Parliament on Tuesday adopted a report of the Finance Committee on a request by the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning for the approval of his jurisdiction to waive such taxes and duties or to exempt the payment of taxes and customs duties on imported products and services totalling 1,159,320 Euros.

The amount is in respect of an agreement between Ghana and France to finance the Northern Regional Rural Water Supply and Sanitation. The House also adopted the report of the joint committee on Finance and Health on a loan agreement between Ghana and the Instituto Credito Official of Spain, for an amount of 15 million US dollars for the supply of medical equipment to Korle Bu and the Komfo Anokye hospitals and other hospitals in the regions and districts countrywide.

Earlier, Mr. Kwadwo Adjei-Darko, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development urged communities to change their attitude towards waste disposal.

The Minister said this during a debate on the adoption of the Report of the Joint Committee on Finance and Environment, Science and Technology and Local Government and Rural Development on Development Credit Agreement between Ghana and the International Development Association (IDA) for 62 million US dollars to finance the Second Urban Environmental Sanitation Project (SUESP).

He said assemblies should be proactive and ensure that no building permits were approved if there were no toilet facilities in such houses. The Minister said building inspectors should issue certificates to developers before they were allowed to put up structures in new areas.

MP calls for more independent work by committees

Accra, July 14, GNA - Mr. Kosi Kedem, NDC-Hohoe South on Wednesday urged Parliamentary Committees not to depend solely on information from the Executive in the discharge of their duty. He said committees should also look for independent views on matters referred to them for consideration in order to balance the equation and investigate all parties on an issue.

Mr. Kedem was contributing to a debate for the adoption of the report of the Joint Committee on Finance and Local Government and Rural Development on a Development Credit Agreement between Ghana and the International Development Association (IDA) for 60 million dollars to finance the Community-Based Rural Development Project (CBRDP).

Mr Kedem said the report of the joint committee showed that the committee only met with government officials to gather information on the loan agreement, which he said was not the best.

He therefore, urged the House to consider strengthening the research department and the library of the Legislature to ensure that proper research was done instead of depending mainly on agencies under the Executive.

The Speaker Mr. Peter Ala Adjetey said the best way out was for every parliamentary committee to have access to consultants for expert views, adding that this was not possible now because of financial constraints.

He said the University of Ghana, Legon, had made some offers, which might enable the House to use the services of its experts if the house so desired.

The 60 million dollars was for the promotion of the decentralisation policy.

The terms of credit covers 30 years with 10 years moratorium and repayment would be made semi-annually commencing on September 1, 2014 and ending March 1, 2044.

The House also adopted two reports covering the road and water sectors.

The first was the report of the joint Committee on Finance and Roads and Transport on an agreement between the country and the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa for 8.800 million dollars to finance the Madina Junction to Pantang Junction stretch of the Tetteh-Quarshie-Mamfe road project.

The project, which would be completed during the last quarter of 2006, would improve traffic flow in the densely populated area. The other was the report of the joint Committee on Finance and Works and Housing on the Development Credit Agreement between Ghana and the International Development Association (IDA) for 26 million dollars to finance the small town water supply and sanitation project.