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Organising events at State House endangering security of MPs – Bagbin
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has raised concerns about the challenges faced by the House due to events held at the forecourt of the State House.
He emphasised that several of these occasions present security threats to lawmakers as they carry out their official duties.
Bagbin addressed these issues during discussions with the top-five schools that took part in the National Public Speaking Competition on Friday.
During the interaction, Bagbin expressed concern over the potential threats posed to the functioning of Parliament by events frequently hosted at the forecourt of the state house.
“I’m sure when you were coming you heard some noise outside, when we are busy doing our work, then there are people outside there permitted to come and make noise. By the time we go outside, they could have broken into our cars, and stolen things. You talk to them but it is like they are deaf and dumb, they don’t hear. We are constrained to be able to function properly,” he said.
Furthermore, the Speaker raised eyebrows regarding the involvement of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in the collapse of Ghana’s economy.
“Anytime they want Ghana to falter and return to them, they will tell their small boys to come and misadvise us. When we do the wrong thing and we collapse, they [IMF] say aha, that is what they do to us. Ghana we have been there 17 times, we have not solved our problems.”
Additionally, Bagbin voiced apprehension about the declining trust in politicians among the general public.
“When you hear the politicians talking do you believe it? Once you are a leader and the people following you don’t believe you, you can’t achieve anything,” he said.
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
