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James Klutse Avedzi Summons Ghana Buffer Stock Company And Free SHS Secretariat To Appear Before PAC
The Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament, and Legislator for Ketu North Constituency, Hon. James Klutse Avedzi has called for a meeting between Free Senior High School Secretariat and Ghana National Buffer Stock Company to help address the shortfall in supply of food items to Amenfiman SHS.
The Chairman made the call during the Committee’s investigations into the Auditor-general’s Report, 2023 at Takoradi on District and Municipal Assemblies, Technical Universities, Senior High Schools, Colleges of Education from the Western and Central Regions.
There are revelations that the Buffer Stock Company failed to supply Amenfiman SHS with the required quantity of food items. This situation has further compelled the School to under feed the students.
However the School Authorities explained to the Committee that, there has been a challenge to determine the number of food items that has to be supplied to the schools, adding that they now use a WhatsApp platform where you can access information regarding the number of food items.
Mr. Avedzi said “ There is the need to meet Buffer stock company to clarify the issues and circumstances leading to the shortfall in supply of items to the School. This is a serious issue, we can see a lot of loopholes in the process for the supply of food items to the School.”
PAC has directed that, Free SHS secretariat as well as Buffer Stock company to appear before the Committee on October 15, 2024.
In his closing remarks, the PAC Chairman expressed appreciation to all the officials who appeared before the Committee from the Regions for the one month probe into the Audit Report, 2023 emphasizing the need for all the Institutions cited on different counts of infractions to commence implementing all the recommendations before PAC presents its final recommendations to Parliament.
The family of Ambassador James Victor Gbeho, a distinguished statesman and diplomat, has paid a courtesy call on President John Dramani Mahama. They officially informed him of his passing.
The delegation, representing the Gbeho family, noted that it was culturally and diplomatically important to formally notify the President of the loss before making a public announcement of his death.
Ambassador Gbeho was a towering figure in Ghanaian and international politics. He served in many diplomatic missions, including New York. He was Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, a Member of Parliament for the Anlo constituency, and President (formerly Executive Secretary) of the ECOWAS Commission.
He was widely respected for his role in regional integration and his contributions to global diplomacy at the United Nations.
President Mahama expressed his condolences and shared reflections on Ambassador Gbeho’s contributions to the country, West Africa and the world.
Funeral details will be announced later.
The Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, has revoked all firearm permits in Ghana with immediate effect and announced a new registration process for all gun owners.
The minister made the announcement on Tuesday, June 23, at the information service department saying all individuals who currently hold licences to own firearms or sidearms must undergo a fresh registration process.
“From this afternoon, all permits that have been granted to any individual that you are holding a sidearm or firearm is hereby revoked,” Mr Muntaka said.
He explained that the government had identified gaps in the country’s firearm registration system and needed to introduce stricter measures to improve public safety.
“We are opening the window where everyone will have to come forward again to register or re-register the gun because we’ve changed the procedure,” he stated.
According to him, the government decided not to wait until the end of the year to make the changes because lives could still be saved within the next six months.
The Interior Minister said one of the new requirements would be mandatory mental health screening for applicants seeking firearm licences.
“We’ve seen that people with mental health have already gone through and have the sidearm. Now we are introducing mental health. Before we give you the sidearm, we have to be sure that you have the mental stability to hold the firearms,” he said.
Mr Muntaka also announced that applicants would be required to undergo drug tests before being granted licences.
“We’ve also realised that people who are on drugs are also holding their arms and they are legitimate because it’s been registered. Now you have to go through drug tests to be sure that you are not on drugs before you can hold sidearms,” he added.
The minister said the new measures form part of efforts by the government to tighten firearm control and prevent legally registered weapons from falling into the wrong hands.
He urged all firearm owners to cooperate with the new registration process once details of the exercise are announced.
By: Jacob Aggrey
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