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Godfred Dame as A-G means innocent people will go to jail – Jakpa

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The third accused in the controversial ambulance procurement trial, Richard Jakpa, has questioned the integrity of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame.

Jakpa and the first accused in the case, Minority Leader Cassiel Ato Forson, were on Tuesday acquitted and discharged of the charges of causing financial loss to the State.

Jakpa, a former soldier who had pleaded not guilty, sees his victory as upholding the rule of law, and described the Minister of Justice as a person who employs foul means against those who do not align with his interests.

He made these remarks following the 2:1 majority decision quashing the ambulance trial.

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Calling the Attorney General names and accusing him of not playing by the rules, Jakpa said putting Yeboah Dame up as the Attorney General means one “…can rest assured that innocent people will be jailed. You either join them to pillage and run the country down and capture the whole country or they send you to jail.”

Minority Leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson and Richard Jakpa, who is a representative for Big Sea, were accused of causing a financial loss of €2.37 million to the State in a deal to purchase 200 ambulances for the country between 2014 and 2016.

The Court said the two have no case to answer, and therefore set aside an earlier decision of the High Court for the case to proceed, for which Richard Jakpa, the 3rd accused, has had to call a number of witnesses.

During the interaction with the press, Mr Jakpa explained that “almost all our institutions have been captured, they have been cowered into silence.We only have a few men of integrity who are still in state institutions, who are still trying to hold the rule of law and protect this democracy of ours. If it was left to these people in government, there would be nothing left for Ghanaians.”

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Meanwhile, the Attorney General has vowed to appeal against the Appeals Court’s decision.

Godfred Dame indicated that his office “considers the decision of the Court of Appeal to be perverse in the quest for public accountability and the rule of law.”

“The decision clearly is heavily against the weight of the cogent evidence led by the prosecution in substantiation of all the charges against the accused persons at the trial,” he concluded.

Source: Myjoyonline.com

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Diaspora Affairs Office hosts African diaspora delegation ahead of citizenship conferment

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The Diaspora Affairs Office at the Office of the President has hosted a delegation of African diaspora women who are in Ghana ahead of a planned Presidential Conferment of Citizenship ceremony.

The Director of Diaspora Affairs, Kofi Okyere Darko, explained in a Facebook post that the visit was a gesture of appreciation by the delegation to the Government of Ghana for its continued efforts to reconnect Africans in the diaspora with their ancestral homeland.

He indicated that the ceremony, scheduled for next Monday, will officially grant Ghanaian citizenship to members of the delegation as part of the country’s broader engagement with the African diaspora.

The delegation was led by Erica Bennett, Founder of the Diaspora Africa Forum.

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According to Mr Okyere Darko, her years of advocacy have played an important role in strengthening ties between Africa and people of African descent living abroad.

He noted that the group’s journey towards citizenship represents not only a legal process but also a cultural and spiritual return to their roots.

Also present at the meeting was Natalie Jackson, an attorney who is also expected to receive Ghanaian citizenship during the ceremony. She works closely with renowned civil rights lawyer Ben Crump.

Mr Okyere Darko emphasised that Ghana remains committed to strengthening relationships with the African diaspora and promoting unity, identity, and shared heritage among people of African descent worldwide.

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By: Jacob Aggrey

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Ghana signs debt restructuring agreement with Belgium

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Ghana has signed a debt restructuring agreement with the Kingdom of Belgium as part of efforts to restore the country’s economic stability after the financial crisis that hit the nation in 2022 and 2023.

The Minister of Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson, today disclosed that he signed the agreement on behalf of the Government of Ghana.

He explained that Ghana experienced a very difficult period during the crisis, which forced the government at the time to declare a debt default.

However, he indicated that the country is now recovering and witnessing a significant economic turnaround.

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According to him, stronger systems are also being put in place to ensure that Ghana does not return to such a situation again.

Dr Forson noted that the agreement with Belgium is the eighth deal Ghana has concluded with countries under the Official Creditor Committee as part of its external debt restructuring programme.

He expressed appreciation to the Government of Belgium for its support and partnership with Ghana during the process.

The Finance Minister thanked Carole van Eyll, Ambassador of Belgium to Ghana, for her role in strengthening relations between the two countries.

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The agreement forms part of Ghana’s broader effort to restructure its external debts and stabilise the economy following the crisis.

By: Jacob Aggrey

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