Features
Parliament: Bagbin ‘arrested ‘in a ‘red’ lie net?
Readers, last Saturday, my column did not appear so as to make way for a rejoinder to my article in the Saturday, August 28, 2021 edition of The Spectator.
The rejoinder from the Office of the Speaker of Parliament was headlined: ‘George Frank Asmah’s aspersions on Speaker expose his ignorance.’
The rejoinder was authored by Mr Peter Bampoe who claims to be Communications Officer at the Office of the Speaker of Parliament.
The fact of the matter is that the rejoinder woefully failed or refused to respond to the SPECIFIC ISSUES I raised in my article and instead; attacked my personality and the personality of the General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party, Mr John Boadu.
Readers, in my article, I highlighted SPECIFIC STATEMENTS reportedly made by our Rt. Honourable Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, on alleged snatching of parliamentary seats by the NPP to gain Majority in Parliament, when the Ethiopian parliamentary delegation called on him.
I again highlighted the response made by the NPP General Secretary to debunk the Speaker’s statement claiming that, “even the NPP General Secretary admitted that the NDC won Majority seats in Parliament.”
I then drew inferences to conclude that our venerable Speaker told a ‘red’ lie to the Ethiopian delegation that called on him, on his claim about NPP snatching parliamentary seats to get Majority in Parliament. The simple reason is that our Speaker of Parliament has no evidence to support such a ‘red’ lie.
Indeed, the ‘red’ lie of Mr Bagbin on NPP snatching parliamentary seats to gain Majority in Parliament has even been ‘magnified’ and ‘exposed’ the more, by the rejoinder authored by Mr Peter Bampoe.
This is because the rejoinder could not provide any evidence from the Speaker’s Office to support the statement made by the Speaker.
Really, the rejoinder supports the conclusion that Rt. Honourable Bagbin lied ‘very big’ to the Ethiopian parliamentary delegation about NPP snatching parliamentary seats to gain Majority seats in Parliament.
Indeed, the author of the rejoinder, Peter Bampoe, called me on phone, introducing himself as speaking from the Office of the Speaker. He then asked: “Have you seen the video of the NPP General Secretary, speaking on snatching of parliamentary seats?”
I said, “no”. Then he said he would send me a copy for me to see it myself.
He added that, “even that part of the video capturing the NPP General Secretary saying, some parliamentary seats were snatched had been erased.” Readers, I am yet to receive the video he said he would send to me.
I asked Mr Peter Bampoe: “Is the video you are talking about the evidence of Mr Speaker?
“And apart from that, has Mr Speaker got any evidence to support the statement he made to the effect that the NPP snatched some seats to get Majority seats in Parliament?”
Peter Bampoe’s answer was: “You see, some of these things, it is very difficult to get evidence but it really happened.”
So, readers; I knew as an indisputable fact that Mr Bagbin has no evidence under the SUN, MOON and STARS to support his statement that: “But for last-minute movements where some parliamentary seats were snatched by the NPP, the NDC would have had Majority in Parliament.”
I strongly suspected also that the rejoinder that would follow would be full of vituperations against my personality, instead of addressing the issues raised in my article. This is because the evidence to address the issues raised in my article, does not exist.
And truly, I was not disappointed by the shabby rejoinder. That is; leaving the issues raised in my article and attacking my personality. A really “political-generated propaganda.”
Readers, kindly examine the rejoinder which appeared in the Saturday, September 4, 2021, issue of the Spectator and put it side-by-side with my article which was published in the Saturday, August 28, 2021, edition of The Spectator.
What were the issues I raised in my article?
I stated that the Speaker of Parliament in a recent interaction with a delegation from the Ethiopian Parliament is reported to have said; “but for last-minute movements where some parliamentary seats were snatched by the NPP, the NDC would have had Majority in Parliament.”
After making such a statement, the venerable Speaker seemingly chose the NPP General Secretary as his ‘witness’. Let us read what he said.
Reportedly, Rt. Honourable Bagbin said: “The NPP General Secretary, Mr John Boadu, even admitted that the NDC won more seats in Parliament, but some last-minute moves were made to snatch some of the seats from the NDC.”
Rt. Honourable Bagbin reportedly added: “That one is a statement of fact.”
Readers, let us read also what Mr Speaker’s ‘seeming witness’ (the NPP General Secretary) said.
I wrote: Expectedly, the NPP General Secretary described the claim by Rt. Honourable Bagbin that parliamentary majority went in favour of the Opposition NDC as “falsehood”.
Mr Boadu said : “There is no iota of truth in such statement made by Rt. Honourable Bagbin to the Ethiopian Parliament since I have never stated anywhere that the NPP devised tactics to get parliamentary majority in its favour.”
He insisted that; “the NPP has always maintained in its post-elections comments that our party won majority of the parliamentary seats.”
And the question I asked in my article was : “Has Mr Bagbin himself got water-tight evidence to back what he allegedly told the Ethiopian parliamentary delegation?” This question was not answered by Peter Bampoe’s rejoinder.
Another question I asked in my article was:”Assuming the NPP General Secretary said exactly what Mr Speaker is quoting him to have said; does it make his statement true?” This question was also not answered by Peter Bampoe’s rejoinder.
Yet again a question I asked in my article was: “Where is the evidence to justify that the so-called statement made by the NPP General Secretary is nothing but the truth?” This question was also not answered by Peter Bampoe’s rejoinder.
CONTINUATION
Readers, again I asked; “Rt. Honourable Bagbin: You are known as a very competent lawyer. Not so? In the ‘game of law’ is it not the case that EVIDENCE is supreme?
“So, where is the evidence that what you told the Ethiopian parliamentary delegation actually happened?” This question too was not answered by Peter Bampoe’s rejoinder.
Readers, the venerable Speaker’s Office is a ‘hallowed’ Office which must be protected and respected by all Ghanaians. But the Speaker is a human so if he errs he must admit and apologise and we move on as a ‘growing’ democratic state.
Mr Bagbin must always understand the circumstances for which he was ‘elected’ or ‘appointed’ the Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament.
Having made such ‘rich democratic history’, all eyes across the world are now intently focused on him and his venerable Office.
Consquently, Mr Bagbin’s acts and deeds; particularly his utterances, will be scrutinised by the media, the academia and democratic institutions across the world.
There is no doubt in the minds of many Ghanaians that Mr Bagbin is a politician with a ‘ fabulous experience’. But for me, his office must engage very competent; level-headed and ‘tried and tested’ communications team, with practical ‘intellectual fire-power’ to analyse, review, write and communicate effectively and efficiently.
Mr Speaker must not allow his Office to be turned into NDC propaganda machinery. Otherwise, history will not be kind at all to his record in that venerable Office.
For me , critical analysis of the content of the rejoinder to my article, speaks VOLUMES about the people ‘clothing’ themselves as ‘Communications Officers’ at the Office of the Speaker !!!
Was Professor Edward Gyampo also casting aspersions on Mr Bagbin when he said:” Bagbin is expected to be very firm and neutral person who will not even do the bidding of his own party and he sounded that caution.
“And if he begins to make such statements not backed by evidence, you open yourself up for needless criticisms.
“They went to court. If they had that evidence they should have shown this there.
“For a whole Speaker to be saying this; is a bit problematic because if you do that, it undermines the expected neutrality.”
And by his comments, was Professor Gyampo also looking for a “juicy” political position in the NPP government?
By G. Frank Asmah
Contact email/WhatsApp of the author:
asmahfrankg@gmail.com (0505556179)
Attention-Deficit or Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is often mistaken for laziness or indiscipline. In consulting rooms across Accra and in reports from school teachers, the pattern repeats: children who are bright but forgetful, parents who feel helpless, teachers who see incompleteness.
Research is clear-Barkley (2015) and others describe ADHD as a difference in the brain’s regulation of alertness, impulse and working memory, not a lack of effort.
The family’s role begins with structure. Regular sleep, predictable meal and homework times, and a simple visual list (uniform → books → water → corridor) provide the external scaffolding of these children need. Praise what is completed—“You opened the book and wrote the first sentence”-instead of rebuking what is missing.
Schools can help by seating the child front-row and centre, giving short written plus verbal instructions, allowing brief movement breaks, using quiet nonverbal cues and, where possible, grading effort and method as well as neatness. These adjustments reduce conflict and raise submission rates without lowering standards.
Couples and caregivers should share roles: one grounds, one pivots, and both protect rest. Shame-“bad parenting, bad child”-needs replacing with fact: different wiring, needs scaffolding.
Outcomes improve not by promises of perfection but by daily routines, clear limits and warmed connection. One homework slot kept, one instruction chunked, one calm repair after blurting-these small wins shift the family climate and let the child be seen beyond the label.
Resource
• CPAC (award-winning Mental Health and Counselling Facility): 0559850604 / 0551428486
Source: REV. COUNSELLOR PRINCE OFFEI’s insights on special needs support, relationships, and mental health in Ghana. He is a leading mental health professional, lecturer, ADR Expert/Arbitrator, renowned author, and marriage counsellor at COUNSELLOR PRINCE & ASSOCIATES CONSULT (CPAC COUNSELLOR TRAINING INSTITUTE) – 0551428486 /0559850604.
WEBSITES:
https://princeoffei22.wixsite.com/author
https://princeoffei22.wixsite.com/website
After two weeks of hectic activity up north, I drove to the Tamale airport, parked the car at the Civil Aviation car park as usual, paid the usual parking fee and boarded the plane for Accra.
Over the last two weeks, I had shuffled between three sites where work was close to completion.
One was a seed warehouse, where farmers would come and pick up good quality maize, sorghum and other planting material.
The other was a health facility for new mothers, where they were given basic training on good nutrition and small scale business.
And the third was a set of big boreholes for three farming communities.
The projects usually ran on schedule, but a good deal of time was spent building rapport with the local people, to ensure that they would be well patronised and maintained.
It was great to be working in a situation where one’s work was well appreciated. But it certainly involved a lot of work, and proactivity. And I made sure that I recorded updates online before going to bed in the evening.
When the plane took off, my mind shifted to issues in Accra, the big city. The young guys at my office had done some good work. They had secured five or six houses on a row in a good part of the city, and were close to securing the last.
When we got this property, unusually, Abena greeted them casually, and appeared to be comfortable in the guy’s company.
I was quite disappointed to hear that, because until the last few weeks, it seemed as if Abena and I were heading in a good direction. Apart from the affection I had for her, I liked her family. I decided to take it easy, and allow things to fall in whatever direction.
Normally I would take a taxi to her house from the airport, and pick her up to my place. This time I went to my sisters’ joint, where they sat by me while I enjoyed a drink and a good meal.
“So Little Brother,” Sister Beesiwa said, “what is it we are hearing about our wife-to-be?”
“When did you conclude that she was your wife-to-be? And what have you heard? I’ve only heard a couple of whispers. Ebo and Nana Kwame called to say that they have seen her in the company of—”
“Well said Little Brother,” Sister Baaba said. “By the way, Nana Kwame called an hour ago to ask if you had arrived because he could not reach you. Someone had told him that Jennifer had boasted to someone that she had connected Abena to a wealthy guy who would take care of her.”
I was beginning to understand. For some time, Abena had been asking me what work I was doing up north, and after I had explained it to her, she kept asking. So I think Jennifer fed her with false stories about me in order to get her to move to the Ampadu guy. Jennifer must have been well compensated for her efforts.
“In that case,” Sister Beesiwa said, “you should be glad that Abena is out of your way. She is easily swayed. Anyone who would make a relationship decision based on a friend’s instigation lacks good sense. I hope the guy is as wealthy as they say?”
“Who gets wealthy running a supermarket chain in Ghana?” Sister Baaba said. “Our supermarkets sell mostly imported products. Look at the foreign exchange rate. And remember that Ghanaians buy second-hand shoes and clothes. Supermarkets are not good business here. Perhaps they are showing off that they are wealthy, but in reality they are not doing so well.”
“Amen to that,” I said. “I’m beginning to understand. For some time, Abena had been asking me what work I was doing up north, and after I had explained it to her, she kept asking. So I think Jennifer fed her with false stories about me in order to get her to move to the Ampadu guy. Jennifer must have been well compensated for her efforts.”
She said that David Forson was only an agricultural extension worker in the north who did not have the resources to take care of a beautiful girl like her. And apart from being wealthy, the guy comes from an influential family, so Abena had done much better leaving a miserable civil servant like you for him.
“Amen to that,” I said. “I’m beginning to understand. For some time, Abena had been asking me what work I was doing up north, and after I had explained it to her, she kept asking. We would be able to sell all five houses to one big corporate customer, and we had already spoken to a property dealer who was trying to find a buyer in order to get a good commission.
That was going to be my biggest break. I had asked the boys to look for a large tract of land on the outskirts of the city where we could develop our own set of buildings, blocks of storey houses and upscale apartments. Things were going according to plan, and I was quietly excited. However, things were not going so well regarding my relationship with Abena.
My buddies Ebo and Nana Kwame had called to say that they met Abena and her friend Jennifer enjoying lunch with a guy, and Ebo believed that Jennifer was ‘promoting’ an affair between Jennifer and the guy. They were of the view that the promotion seemed to be going in the guy’s favour, because only an agricultural extension worker in the north who did not have the resources to take care of a beautiful girl like her.
And apart from being wealthy, the guy comes from an influential family, so Abena had done much better leaving a miserable civil servant like you for him.
“As I’ve already said, I will stop by her place, but I will mind my own business from now. Hey, let’s talk family. How are our parents? And my brothers-in-law? And my nephews and nieces? Why don’t we meet on Sunday? I’m going to drop my bags at my place, and go to see Mama and Dad.”
