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‘SaveGhanaFootball’ demo to hit Kumasi on February 23
A group of sports journalists in the Ashanti Region has announced plans to petition Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II as part of a scheduled demonstration against what they term a decline in football in the country.
This follows a similar action by sports journalists and enthusiasts in Accra earlier last week to register their displeasure over the abysmal performance of the Black Stars in the just-ended 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Convener of the protest, Atta Poku, told Citi News that the group had petitioned various stakeholders and would start at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium and end at the regional coordinating council where a petition will be submitted to the Ashanti regional minister.
“The plan is that it is going to happen on February 23, and we have actually delivered a petition to various stakeholders, so we intend to ramp up what we have done to expedite action on the engagement that is ongoing after the first demonstration. We are planning to actually converge on the seat of football, which is the Baba Yara Sports Stadium, at 9am, just as it happened in Accra.”
“We will go through the Wesley Roundabout and the regional coordinating council will be the final destination, so a petition will be sent to the regional minister and Asantehene because of his involvement with Asante Kotoko.”
Source: Citinewsroom.com
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
Member of Parliament for Akuapem North, Sammy Awuku, has expressed deep sorrow following the sudden passing of Isaac Batsa, the constituency secretary for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) lawmaker issued a statement on Tuesday reacting to the news, which has shocked the local political community.
Mr.Awuku praised the late NDC secretary for his bipartisan approach to local governance.
He noted that despite their different political affiliations, Batsa consistently rose above party lines to serve the constituency with diligence.
The MP revealed that the news was particularly shocking given that he had last interacted with Batsa just three days prior on Saturday.
Concluding his statement, Sammy Awuku extended his heartfelt condolences to Batsa’s family, the constituency and regional executives, and the entire NDC fraternity, wishing the deceased peaceful eternal rest.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
