News
Auditor-General rejects MPs salary arrears…They seek redress in court
The Auditor-General has rejected a request by the Chief of Staff for an audit verification to be conducted for the payment of salary arrears to be given to more than 200 former and current Members of Parliament (MP).
Daniel Domelevo, the Auditor-General, explained that the request made by the former MPs was invalid and amounted to a conflict of interest because most of the beneficiaries were either serving as members of the current government, including the president and the Chief of Staff or were still in parliament.
In a letter dated May 8, 2020, the Auditor-General had however, stated that because some MPs on list for salary arrears were under investigation for receiving double salaries, it would not be right to pay any further monies to them.
The Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare’s request was based on a letter from a group known as Forum for Former Members of Parliament (FFMPs), some of whom left Parliament more than 10 years ago.
They are requesting payment of arrears of salaries and emoluments amounting to more than GH¢29.7 million owed its members by the State, and won’t give up on its demands and will seek redress at appropriate quarters.
Mr Domelevo cited case of conflict of interest since some beneficiaries of payment of supposed salary arrears were occupants of various positions in executive arm of the government, whom he described as ‘the approving authority’.
But David Apasera, former MP for Bolgatanga Central Constituency in the Upper East Region for Peoples National Convention (PNC) and leader of Forum, said they were not moved by the decision of the Auditor-General, saying, “ Options are there if you have an entitlement and the government is refusing you your entitlement, you can go through right quarters for redress.
“The appropriate quarters are there, we can go to for redress, we are not bothered by opinion of Auditor-General, if Auditor-General had time to listen to us, he would have understood our case, nobody told us to come up with issue, we took it up on our own, we didn’t go to discuss with Chief of Staff, we did it on our own because it is legitimate,” Mr Apasera bemoaned.
For his part, Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu was unhappy with the Auditor-General’s decision to reject the Chief of Staff’s request for conduct of an audit verification that would pave way for payment of salary arrears to be made to more than 200 former and current MPs.
He, however, clarified contrary to Auditor-General’s assertion, just about four MPs from Majority would have benefitted from payments and described it as unfortunate comment to come from the Auditor General and Majority who would otherwise come for consideration were only three or four but the Minority have many.
“It is my considered opinion former MPs are not entitled to what they are asking for, but it also came to me as surprise our former MPs are making such request at time of pandemic which has taken the entire world by surprise,” Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said. -citinewsroom.com
A 30-year-old man has been sentenced to 25 years imprisonment with hard labour by the Bekwai Circuit Court for his role in a 2022 robbery at a mining site at Manso Akwasiso in the Ashanti South Region.
The convict, Dominic Ofori, also known as Fanta, was arrested on 16th February 2026 after years on the run. He pleaded guilty before the Bekwai Circuit Court to robbery contrary to Section 149 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 Act 29, and was accordingly sentenced to 25 years imprisonment with hard labour.
On March 20, 2022, the Manso Adubia District Police received intelligence that a group of armed men from Manso Abodom were planning to attack a mining site at Manso Akwasiso to rob the owner of gold concentrate. Acting on the information, police mounted a coordinated operation and laid an ambush at the site.
At about 5:30 pm the same day, four-armed men arrived at the site, fired indiscriminately, and robbed the miners of their gold concentrate. The police team on surveillance intervened, resulting in an exchange of gunfire.
Three of the suspects, Abu Abubakar, Musah Latif, and Gideon Takyi, sustained gunshot wounds and were pronounced dead on arrival at St Martins Catholic Hospital at Agroyesum. Dominic Ofori escaped at the time but was later arrested and put before the court.
The Ashanti South Regional Police Command has assured the public of its continued commitment to combating violent crimes and bringing offenders to justice.
The Ashanti Regional Police Command has arrested 45-year-old Isaac Boafo, also known as “Duabo King,” for allegedly publishing false news intended to cause fear and panic.
Police said the arrest follows a viral TikTok video in which Boafo claimed that four officers at the Central Police Station in Kumasi engaged in inappropriate conduct with commercial sex workers during night patrols in Asafo.
Officers from the Police Intelligence Directorate (Ashanti Region) apprehended Boafo after receiving intelligence about the video.
During questioning, he admitted to creating the video to attract views and engagement online, and acknowledged that he could not prove the allegations.
Boafo also admitted making comments about the President of the Republic for content purposes and could not defend those statements.
He has been formally charged and is in detention as investigations continue.
The Ashanti Regional Police have warned the public against publishing or sharing false information on social media, noting that such acts can cause fear, panic, and damage reputations.
They said anyone found engaging in similar conduct will face legal action.
By: Jacob Aggrey
