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Easter holiday wind down: …pinics, beach parties feature prominently
Popular beaches were well patronised
The commemoration of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ comes with excitement and a renewed sense of hope and inspiration for Christians.
Therefore, following long days of fasting and somewhat stressful weekend of spiritual activities, many churches took the opportunity early this week to cool off even as they continued to keep the faith and live the life the Saviour encourages us to live.
A quick scan at some church premises and other locations in the city of Accra on Easter Monday, captured some individuals and groups engaged in one recreational activity or the other from mid morning to dusk.
While some groups made it to the beaches, others entertained and challenged themselves with games such as oware, lime and spoon race, sack race, ludo, tug of peace, and dancing competition, among others at designated venues.
The celebrations were to strengthen the bond among families and church members and encourage people to maintain moral standards that were pleasing to God and mankind.
Some churches mainly encouraged the “bring-and-share” approach as hundreds came together to interact with one another at the mini food bazaars interspersed with music.
There were morning services at some places of worship prior to the gatherings after which revellers from far and near found a way to keep themselves busy at seashores across the capital.
Public and private security was tight in spite of the large numbers who turned up to have fun. Operators at popular beaches in Accra also deployed lifeguards to handle eventualities.
Indeed, it was a fun-filled day for many people, including believers and non-believers.
Our photographer Lizzy Okai captured some of the exciting moments children and adults had at some of the event centres as they wrapped up the short holiday.
By Lizzy Okai
The prosecution has officially rested its case in The Republic v Solomon Asamoah & Another, the high-profile legal battle commonly referred to as the “Sky Train” case.
The Deputy Attorney General Justice Srem Sai announced the development, praising the state’s team of hard-working prosecutors for successfully anchoring the state’s evidence before the High Court.
The criminal trial centers on the former Chief Executive Officer and the former Board Chairman of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF).
The duo stands accused of illegally authorizing and paying out US$2 million to a foreign company without obtaining board directives or other mandatory statutory approvals.
State investigators have confirmed that the disbursed millions cannot be found.
Following the closure of the prosecution’s case, the accused persons moved the court for an opportunity to file a submission of no case.
The presiding judge granted the application, ordering the defense to submit their arguments by June 8.
The outcome of the June 8 filings will decide the fate of the trial:
With this, if the judge finds the defense’s submission convincing, the accused will be acquitted and discharged however, If the judge dismisses the submission, the court will order the accused officials to take the stand and explain why they should not face prison sentences.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Member of Parliament for Akuapem North, Sammy Awuku, has expressed deep sorrow following the sudden passing of Isaac Batsa, the constituency secretary for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) lawmaker issued a statement on Tuesday reacting to the news, which has shocked the local political community.
Mr.Awuku praised the late NDC secretary for his bipartisan approach to local governance.
He noted that despite their different political affiliations, Batsa consistently rose above party lines to serve the constituency with diligence.
The MP revealed that the news was particularly shocking given that he had last interacted with Batsa just three days prior on Saturday.
Concluding his statement, Sammy Awuku extended his heartfelt condolences to Batsa’s family, the constituency and regional executives, and the entire NDC fraternity, wishing the deceased peaceful eternal rest.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
