News
Great Ningo Queen donates sanitary pads, examination materials to BECE candidates
Naana Dugbakuwor Dugba II
The Paramount Queen of the Great Ningo Traditional Area, Naana Dugbakuwor Dugba II, has visited some schools in the area to encourage the children as they write their Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
In the course of the two-day visit, she presented assorted examination materials and sanitary pads to enable them go through the examination successfully.
Addressing the children numbering over a thousand, the queen charged them to take their books seriously to enable them achieve the desired results.
She pledged to sponsor six female and four male students that records single grades through their secondary education to the tertiary level.
The Paramount Queen, through her foundation, Manye Dugbakuwor Foundation, engaged candidates from both the private and basic schools across the three circuits, namely the Tsopoli-Dawa Circuit, the Ayertepa-Mangotsonya Circuit and the Ningo Circuit of the traditional area.
She vowed to continually influence the development of education in her traditional area and promote girl child education at all levels.
She called on sons and daughters from the area who are blessed with resources to support the upcoming generation, since they are the future leaders of the area.
She assured that her NGO was ready to partner with other NGOs and individuals to drive the developmental agenda of the area.
Naana Dugbakuwor Dugba II was accompanied by the Chief of Nyigbenya, Nene Teyetsu Bediaku II, Nene Tetteh-Wayoe Duamorh XI, the Queen of Ayertepa, Naana Korkor Kudi I and Assemblymen of the Ayertepa-Mangotsonya and Lekpongunor electoral areas, Michel Nartey and Henry Kwao on the development-oriented tour.
By Spectator Reporter
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has been unanimously elected as the Chairperson of the Africa Geopolitical Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).
The election took place on October 19, 2025, during the ongoing 151st IPU Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland. His victory places Ghana at the center of continental and global parliamentary diplomacy.
With this new role, Speaker Bagbin will coordinate and harmonize Africa’s collective positions on major IPU decisions and policies.
He will also serve as the continent’s chief representative on key issues such as governance, peace, security, and sustainable development.
Speaker Bagbin currently serves as the President of the Conference of Speakers and Presidents of African Legislatures (COSPAL) and is the immediate past Chairman of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) International.
In his remarks after the election, he thanked African delegations for their confidence and unity, particularly commending Nigeria for seconding his nomination and Senegal for withdrawing its candidate in the spirit of cooperation.
He pledged to strengthen collaboration among African parliaments and promote transparency, democratic governance, and sustainable development through stronger legislative institutions.
He succeeds Ms. Angela Thokozile Didiza, Speaker of South Africa’s National Assembly, who served with distinction.
The Africa Geopolitical Group, formed in the early 1950s, serves as a continental branch of the IPU, ensuring fair representation of African countries in the Union’s committees and decision-making bodies.
It also coordinates Africa’s common positions on major parliamentary issues discussed at IPU assemblies.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has amended the charges in the ongoing case against former National Petroleum Authority (NPA) Chief Executive, Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, and nine others.
The number of counts has risen from 25 to 54 after investigators uncovered new evidence.
The accused are facing trial for alleged large-scale extortion, abuse of public office, and money laundering involving over GH¢291 million and US$332,000.
According to the OSP, the accused persons allegedly extorted huge sums of money from bulk oil transporters and oil marketing companies under the pretext of carrying out official duties.
The proceeds were reportedly laundered through the purchase of properties and investments in business entities to conceal their source.
The accused persons include Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, Jacob Kwamina Amuah, Wendy Newman, Albert Ankrah, Isaac Mensah, Bright Bediako-Mensah, Kwaku Aboagye Acquaah, Propnest Limited, Kel Logistics Limited, and Kings Energy Limited.
The OSP has also seized and frozen several assets, including tanker trucks, fuel stations, houses, apartments, and parcels of land valued at more than GH¢100 million pending the outcome of the trial.
The case, titled The Republic v. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid & 9 Others (Cr/0603/2025), is currently being heard at the Accra High Court.
By: Jacob Aggrey
