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Exit of experienced MPs will affect parliament – Henry Quartey
The Member of Parliament for Ayawaso Central and Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey, has expressed dismay at the departure of experienced MPs from Ghana’s legislature.
Several seasoned lawmakers from both sides of the House have either announced their decision not to seek re-election after their current terms expire or lost in their parliamentary primaries, signalling an imminent exit from Parliament after the December polls.
The Ayawaso Central MP highlighted the potential impact of their departure on the country’s parliamentary practice. He specifically pointed out the significance of seasoned legislators, exemplifying the enduring presence and contributions of Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu in Parliament as a testament to their importance.
Henry Quartey emphasized that the wealth of experience and contributions of long-serving MPs like Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu have played a crucial role in the development of the country.
The departure of such seasoned individuals, according to Henry Quartey, poses a challenge to the continuity and effectiveness of parliamentary proceedings.
Asked if experienced MPs should be protected by their respective political parties on Face to Face on Citi TV, Henry Quartey said “Ordinarily, it would have been a good thing to do because of the rate of attrition in Parliament. MPs doing their first and second terms and leaving Parliament does not help the parliamentary practice and when you look at other jurisdictions, you will notice that some people have been there [in Parliament] for 30 years or more and when you look at the performance of Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, it tells you that you learn on the job and that is what the country needs.”
“Having said that, the NPP believes that there should be competition and I want to commend the national executives for allowing a contest. It was decided at the national council that everyone should be allowed to contest and that nobody should impose a candidate on anybody because we are not in normal times and when you impose a candidate, we are likely to come to Parliament with some 60 or 70 MPs because the people will go and vote against the party’s choice or you have a lot of independent candidates emerging.
“But when the people are allowed to make their own choices, they are happy and so they will come on board with that energy and vote for that person and to campaign for that person,” the regional minister further told Umaru Sanda Amadu.
Source: Citinewsroom.com
Ghana’s First Lady, Lordina Mahama, has made a generous donation to the country’s national female Under-17 and Under-20 teams – Black Maidens and Black Princesses- as they continue preparations for major international assignments.
The donation, made on Friday, May 22, was presented on behalf of the First Lady by the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, at the GFA Technical Centre in Prampram.
The gesture forms part of efforts to motivate and support Ghana’s young female footballers as they prepare to represent the country on the international stage.
The donation included essential food items and toiletries aimed at supporting the welfare and well-being of the players and technical teams.
The donation included cartons of Milo, T-rolls, soft drinks, toiletries, and a range of essential supplies aimed at supporting the welfare of the players, enhancing camp conditions, and easing preparations ahead of their respective assignments.
The Black Maidens are currently engaged in preparations for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers and are set to take on Liberia women’s national under-17 football team in the second-leg encounter in Liberia this weekend.
Meanwhile, the Black Princesses have already secured qualification to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after overcoming Uganda in the qualifiers, extending Ghana’s remarkable record to eight consecutive appearances at the tournament.
The donation by the First Lady was expected to boost morale within both camps while reinforcing national support for the young female footballers who continue to make the country proud.
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
