News
Release funds for EC to perform mandate — Parliament urges Finance Ministry
The leadership of Parliament has impressed on the Finance Ministry to release the balance of the Electoral Commission’s budgetary allocation for it to be able to effectively undertake its duties this year.
The Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, who made the call at a media briefing in Parliament yesterday said, of the GH₵701 million allocated to the Commission for 2020, only GH₵400 million has been released; six months to the December 7, 2020 polls.
“Even though on paper, about GH₵701 million had been released to the Commission for the performance of their functions, only GH₵400 million has actually been received by the Commission,” he said.
The House, he told journalists, has since mounted pressure on the Finance Ministry to release the remaining funds to the Commission for it to be able to perform their constitutional mandate effectively.
“The Finance Ministry must release the outstanding GH₵300 million, if we want the EC to commit and indeed be able to pursue this enterprise and have a very credible elections.
“That amount should be released to the Commission as soon as possible.
“We all have to engage the Finance Ministry and put pressure on them to do what is needful.
“In this COVID-19 environment, time is certainly not on our side and there cannot be any slips,” he said.
The Finance Committee, he said, would continue to engage the Finance Ministry to ensure that the money was released to the EC.
Aside their budgetary allocation for the 2020 fiscal year, the Suame MP said an outstanding GH₵329 million which wasn’t released to the Commission as part of its 2019 budget must also be released.
Source: Ghanaian Times
Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has engaged South Africa’ International Relations Minister over xenophobic attacks on Ghanaians.
In a revelation on Facebook, he posted “I have this morning held a telephone conversation with my South African counterpart, His Excellency Ronald Lamola, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation. I called him on the trending videos about Ghanaians coming under extremely disturbing xenophobic attacks in South Africa.”
According to him, ” The South African Foreign Minister has expressed his empathy with the victims and promised full scale investigations into the depressing incidents.”
“The Government of South Africa is set to hold a briefing with African Ambassadors later today,” he added.
Okudzeto Ablakwa also confirmed that since yesterday, he had been in constant contact with Ghana’s High Commissioner in South Africa, His Excellency Benjamin Quarshie, coordinating the country’s response.
“I am gladdened that so far colleagues in our diplomatic mission have located the main victim in the viral video and are offering consular assistance. He is doing very well,” he added
The Minister revealed that “No Ghanaian life has been lost. We urge calm and confidence in our collective capacity to protect Ghanaians.”
He further noted that the Mahama Administration remains uncompromising about the welfare and safety of Ghanaians both home and abroad.
“We are determined to guarantee the protection of all citizens,” he added.
“May these regrettable incidents never quench our Pan-African love and solidarity for each other. The overwhelming majority of Africans are united and share an unbreakable bond — we shall not be divided by the hatred of a few fringe elements,” Okudzeto Ablakwa concluded .
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The Odumase-Krobo District Command on Monday, April 20, 2026, arrested a female suspect in connection with the abduction of a nine (9) year old girl at Agormanya Zongo in the Odumase-Krobo district.
On Sunday, April 19, 2026, the Odumase-Krobo district Command received a complaint from victim’s father that his daughter left home and had since not returned.
Following investigations and intelligence, officers from the Odumase-Krobo district with the assistance of BNI personnel at the Accra International Airport arrested suspect Regina Mamle Tawiah, aged 36, and rescued the victim at the Accra International Airport.
Preliminary investigations revealed that suspect was trying to send the victim to Kenya.
Meanwhile, the victim has been reunited with her father.
The suspect, Regina Mamle Tawiah who was arraigned before the Odumase-Krobo circuit court yesterday, April 21, 2026.
She pleaded not guilty and has been remanded into police custody to reappear on May 5, 2026 for case management conference.
The Eastern Regional Police Command has entreated the general public to remain vigilant at all times and promptly report any suspicious persons or behaviour to the police.
