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K’dua Central Assemblies of God Youth Ministry donates to Akuse Prison inmates
The youth ministry of the Central Assemblies of God Church in Koforidua in the Eastern Region has donated assorted food items, second-hand clothing and other items worth GH₵8.000.00 to the inmates of Akuse Local Prison.
The items donated also included, pairs of bathroom sandals, sanitary pads, toiletries and fresh fruit juice with pastries. The rest were bags of sachet water, paste and brush, hand fun, bathing soap and morning devotional books.
Handing over the items at the forecourt of the Akuse Local Prison, the Youth President, Mr Samuel Acolatse said the gesture was part of activities to climax their annual Youth Week celebration.
Quoting the bible verse of Hebrew 13: 3, he indicated that the Youth Ministry’s decision was to fulfill scripture, which says “Remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison yourself and those being mistreated as if you felt their pain in your own body”.
He said Christians must not see prisoners as outcasts in the society but rather show them love because God emphasised the need to always show love to one another.
Mr Acolatse noted that God in his own wisdom had diverse means of causing people to repent and that being in prison custody may be God’s own process of winning him/her into the body of Christ although not every inmate had committed a crime that warranted imprisonment.
“We the Central Assemblies of God Youth Ministry today wish we could feast and have some time to share the word of God to encourage these our brothers and sisters who are in prison custody today here in Akuse but as we are all aware, the world is not in normal times so I believe that God himself will speak to them through the devotional handbooks we have added to the items”, he said.
Receiving the items, the officer in- charge of religious affairs, Assistant Superintendent of Prisons (ASP) Rufus Eshun Mensah Jnr. commended the Central Assemblies of God Church youth for the kind gesture.
He also appealed to the pharmaceutical companies and other benevolent organisations to donate vitamin C drugs to the inmates to help boost their immune system to lower their risk of contracting COVID -19.
“What we have in stock is not enough so I am pleading with the vitamin C production companies and all individuals to donate some to us”, he said.
He indicated that the inmates were given vitamin C everyday to help boost their immune system because their daily feeding fee of GH₵ 1.80 was inadequate to serve them with nutritious food like kontomire and other fruits.
The Akuse Local Prison currently has a population of 271 inmates made up of seven females.
From: David Kodjo, Akuse.
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Speaker of Parliament inaugurates open Parliament Steering Committee, launches action plan
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has launched the Open Parliament Steering Committee and the Open Parliament Action Plan.
The ceremony was under the theme “Achieving Gender Equality: Action by Action.”
The Speaker highlighted the critical role Parliament plays in translating the will of the people into inclusive legislation, responsive policies, and accountable governance.
“The International Day of Parliamentarianism is worth celebrating, as it offers an opportunity not only to recognise and promote achievements in strengthening democratic governance, but also to pause and reflect on the remaining gaps in institutionalising parliamentary democracy,” he said.
He noted that the event was scheduled to coincide with the International Day of Parliamentarianism to reinforce the importance of open and inclusive governance.
The Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, stated that the International Day of Parliamentarianism is intended to recognise the vital role Parliaments play globally as pillars of democratic governance.
He noted that this marks the first time Ghana is formally observing the day.
“The gravity of our observance is further accentuated as we convene to witness the launch of the Open Parliament Action Plan by the Open Government Partnership Caucus,” he said.
Delivering a statement on behalf of the Minority Leader, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, the Deputy Minority Leader, Patricia Appiagyei, described the Open Parliament Action Plan as a transformative initiative aimed at strengthening the relationship between Parliament and the public.
She said the plan represents a bold commitment to making Parliament more transparent, accessible, and responsive to the needs of Ghanaians.
The Clerk to Parliament, Mr. Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, described the launch as a key milestone in the effort to build a citizen-focused and accountable Parliament.
He added that the International Day of Parliamentarianism is a call to action to recommit to the highest standards of public service and democratic accountability.
The inauguration was attended by a wide range of stakeholders, including the Majority and Minority Members of Parliament, members of the Open Parliament Steering Committee, the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Caucus, Parliamentary Network Africa, representatives from civil society organisations, members of the diplomatic corps, traditional and religious leaders, student bodies, the Parliamentary Press Corps, and other media partners.
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NACOC declares drug menace a national emergency
The Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Interior has paid a working visit to the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) to engage with its leadership and assess operational challenges hampering the fight against illicit drugs.
In a detailed presentation, Dr. Basha Ligbi, Head of the Commission’s Research Bureau, highlighted critical setbacks including broken body scanners at airport terminals, inadequate office infrastructure, overcrowded detention facilities, and deteriorating vehicles.
He also called for the Commission’s headquarters to be reclassified as a security zone, citing growing security risks due to private encroachment and nearby high-rise developments.
Director General of NACOC, Brigadier General Maxwell Obiba Mantey, described the escalating drug trade as a national emergency, warning that drug barons now rival armed robbers in threat level and are gaining influence at the highest levels.
He appealed for stronger institutional support and morale-boosting interventions to preserve the integrity of NACOC officers.
Chairman of the Committee and MP for Builsa North, James Agalga, assured the Commission of the Committee’s commitment to escalate the concerns to Parliament and engage key justice sector stakeholders to fast-track reforms in support of NACOC’s mandate.
