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From church to beach parties: How 2023 was welcomed
New Year celebrations always come with a mix of activities and this year’s celebration was no exception. Many Christians had ushered in year 2023 at watch night services across the country and Monday January 2, was another opportunity to ‘let the hair down’.
As it was a public holiday, revellers found their preferred locations to ‘cool off’.
From the streets, to beaches and pubs, some residents in Accra stepped out in their numbers to take part in the fun as some jammed to records or live band music at various entertainment spots in the city.
Our Photographer, Lizzy Okai, was also out and about capturing sights and scenes at church services and selected beaches in the capital.
It was all praise singing at the Church of Pentecost, Kpobiman Assembly in the Greater Accra Region, with celebrants dressed in colourful traditional clothes or already made dresses. The sermons projected a positive outlook for the year as worshippers rededicated themselves to starting the year on sound footing.
Tambourine
Patrons at the beaches were from diverse backgrounds and age groups. Singles, couples and individual families were engaged in variety of fun throughout the day or for as long as their energy levels would permit.
The depth of the celebrations, to some extent, made some people doubt there was any form of economic hardship in the country. These notwithstanding, the happy moments spent in the Church or at the beaches clearly had a therapeutic effect as it bonded lovers, individuals, and families.
It is said that Ghanaians do not take their holidays for granted and, indeed, this buttresses the merrymaking as captured at various locations in Accra and beyond
By Serwaa Marfo
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
