“Gov’t has been in power for the past six years, and I’m just coming in at the tail end” – K.T Hammond

The Government has been in power for the last six years, Kobina Tahir Hammond, the Minister-Designate for Trade and Industry, claims, thus the foundations have already been set; as a result, he will continue where Alan Kyerematen left off.

“Government has been in power for the past six years, and I’m just coming in at the tail end – two years to go,” said he.

On Monday, when he came before the Appointments Committee of Parliament for vetting, Hammond, who is also the New Patriotic Party’s member of parliament for Adansi Asokwa, claimed this.

He voiced worry over Ghana’s excessive reliance on imports, saying that it was having a detrimental impact on the nation’s foreign exchange reserves.

“I think it’s about time we took a serious look at this particular issue. I’m told a committee was put up by Cabinet to deal specifically with this matter.” 

Mr. Hammond listed the extension of rural electrification and the signing of agreements for the discovery of oil in commercial quantities as some of his accomplishments while serving as deputy minister of energy.

The Kufuor Administration made sure that immigration agents may carry some guns on them during his time as a deputy minister of the interior, he said.

In response to Mr. Kwame Governs Agbodza, the Minority Chief Whip, who brought up the report of the Sole Commissioner on Judgement Debt regarding the sale of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) Drill Ship and the Government’s White Paper on it, the nominee, K.T. Hammond, stated that the decision to sell the Drill Ship was made by the cabinet.

In addition, Mr. Hammond was referred by the White Paper to the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) for additional inquiries into the payment of $900,000 to the legal department at “Constant & Constant.”

“Government further directs EOCO to investigate the mandate, authority and/or basis of K.T. Hammond’s disbursement of the $900,000.00 to the Law Firm ‘Constant and Constant’ to cater for future debts of GNPC to other creditors.’’ 

The majority leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, encouraged the Committee to approach EOCO for more explanation of the situation.

Hammond discussed a number of other topics, including One District, One Factory, tax exemption, and other government signature programs, all of which he thought were excellent attempts to promote economic growth.

Source: Ghanatodayonline.com