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Bagbin: Prosecution of Ato Forson just a political gamble
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has raised concerns over what he describes as the persecution of the Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson.
Dr. Forson is standing trial with two others for counts of causing financial loss to the state in the purchase of 50 faulty ambulances.
The case against the Minority Leader is that he requested the letters of credit which formed the basis for the payment of the ambulances to the tune of €2.3 million without authorization, a claim he has denied.
During a visit to the spouse and family of the late former Majority Leader in Parliament, Felix Owusu-Adjapong, Speaker Bagbin said the prosecution of the Minority Leader is an act of political persecution.
“The Minority Leader is being persecuted,” Bagbin said, adding “On a number of occasions, he has been unable to join us in Parliament because he is appearing in court. As I speak to you, he is being tried.
“It is not that we don’t want the rule of law to apply, we all want it to apply. But where prosecution is just a gamble, I may win or I may not win but let me do it, I will not prescribe that for any politician. Because as a leader you always have to take the risk. You could get it right, you could get it catastrophically wrong”
On Thursday, Seth Terkper testified in favour of Dr Ato Forson, explaining that contrary to claims by the state, Dr. Forson acted on his express approval.
In his witness statement, Seth Terkper noted, “For the avoidance of doubt, I state again that, I as the then Minister of Finance, authorized A1 (Dr. Ato Forson) to request the Bank of Ghana to set up the LC (Letters of Credit) with the sole objective e of avoiding potential financial liability for the Government”.
The Attorney-General Godfred Yeboah Dame, however, during cross-examination inquired from the witness to point to exhibited documents that prove that he indeed gave authorization to Dr. Ato Forson.
But Mr. Seth Terkper explained that the authorization followed advice from the Attorney General’s department. According to him, the Attorney General had forwarded a letter written to the Ministry of Health to his outfit asking that steps be taken to honour the terms of the contract.
He further explained that the letters from the Attorney General were subsequently forwarded to the legal department of the Ministry of Finance.
The spokesperson for Dr. Bawumia, Dennis Miracles Aboagye, has criticised the implementation of the NDC government’s No Fee Stress policy, arguing that the programme has failed to deliver on its core promise.
According to him on Starr fm, the policy, which was introduced to ensure stress free payment of fees for level 100 tertiary students, has rather turned into what he described as post stress support.
He explained that students are required to pay their fees first before applying for reimbursement, a situation he believes defeats the purpose of the policy.
He questioned claims by government officials that the policy has been successful and that citizens are happy.
In his view, such claims do not reflect the lived realities of many Ghanaians. He stressed that while some people may appear satisfied, many others continue to struggle.
Dennis Miracles Aboagye pointed to the situation of trained teachers and nurses who have been picketing for nearly six months, demanding employment.
He noted that government responses suggesting it cannot accommodate all of them contradict claims of economic stability.
He further argued that economic indicators such as a stable currency mean little to people who are unable to secure jobs or access promised support.
He observed that telling an unemployed teacher or a struggling student that the cedi has strengthened does not address their immediate challenges.
On the issue of tertiary education, he maintained that no level 100 student benefited from stress free fees in 2025, despite the policy being announced.
He added that in 2026, students have already reported to school without receiving the promised support.
He insisted that asking students to pay fees first and seek reimbursement later amounts to support after hardship, not stress free education.
According to him, this approach goes against what was promised during the policy announcement.
Dennis Miracles Aboagye questioned why a government that presents the economy as strong is unable to fulfil what he described as simple and clear promises.
He added that there is a fundamental problem with the way the economy is being managed and indicated that he is prepared to explain his position further.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Dancehall musician Shatta Wale has issued a strong public statement calling for an end to what he describes as continuous attacks on his brand, following an apology from media commentator Awal Mohammed.
In the statement, Shatta Wale acknowledged the apology but stressed that persistent criticism and what he sees as deliberate attempts to damage his image must stop.
He noted that for many years, he has spoken for the streets, the youth, and people who feel ignored by society, while also promoting Ghana on the global stage and creating jobs through his work.
He expressed concern that some media personalities, commentators, and influential figures continue to target his name unfairly.
According to him, the issue goes beyond music and touches on respect, fairness, and national maturity.
The musician warned that continued disrespect toward voices that represent ordinary people could have wider consequences.
He emphasised that the Shatta Movement remains strong and organized, and that the patience of the masses should not be taken for granted.
He added that if systems continue to fail the people, they have the ability to organize politically through numbers and truth, not violence or hate.
Shatta Wale clarified that his message was not a threat but a reminder of reality, stressing that attacking a symbol that represents millions of people can have social, cultural, and democratic effects.
He called for respect, fairness, and unity, saying the voice of the people will always rise.
The statement comes after Awal Mohammed recently described Shatta Wale fans during a public discussion as junkies.
The comments triggered backlash from fans of the musician, prompting Awal to later issue an apology.
By: Jacob Aggrey
