News
Walewale Parliamentary Primaries: Incumbent MP Lariba Zuweira Abudu withdraws from the NPP race.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) incumbent Member of Parliament, for the people of Walewale constituency, Lariba Zuweira Abudu has withdrawn from the primaries.
This follows the inconclusive re-run of the parliamentary primary in the Walewale constituency on Monday.
The Electoral Commission was unable to declare a result as a result of an unfortunate incident.
The MP in a statement to announce her withdrawal said, “I have decided that in the interest of the greater good of the new patriotic party and peace and unity in the Walewale constituency, I will no longer be a candidate for MP in the 2024 elections.”
She noted that “Iam therefore formally withdrawing from the contest I would like to thank the party for the honour done me in representing my constituency over the last four years and can assure the party of my continued support in the 2024 election campaign.”
The High Court in Tamale on Monday, September 2, declared the December 2023 primary null and void and ordered for a rerun that came off on September 9, which was marred by chaos during the sorting process.
The Electoral Commission (EC) declared the September 9 rerun as null and void after an unknown individual disrupted the sorting process and destroyed most of the ballot papers.
It would be recalled that Dr. Kabiru Tia Mahama, a special advisor to Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, outwitted Hajia Lariba in a closely contested primary in January.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The Majority Chief Whip and Member of Parliament for South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, says Parliament and government officials are working closely with authorities in the Netherlands following the detention of the Member of Parliament for Asante Akyem North, Kwame Ohene Frimpong.
Speaking on the matter on Channel One news yesterday, Mr. Dafeamekpor disclosed that the MP was detained at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam on Sunday while travelling on a private trip.
According to him, Mr. Frimpong personally informed him about the incident around 5 a.m. on the day of the arrest.
He said the issue was immediately escalated to parliamentary leadership and other state officials for intervention.
Mr. Dafeamekpor explained that the Majority Leader, who was in transit at Heathrow Airport in London at the time, travelled to Schiphol to engage the detained MP and better understand the situation.
He added that the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ghana’s Ambassador to The Hague, the Attorney General, the Speaker of Parliament and the Clerk to Parliament had all been involved in efforts to address the matter.
According to him, a Ghanaian lawyer based in The Hague and qualified to practise there has also been engaged to represent the MP.
“The lawyer is dealing with the issues, but let me confirm that he is fine,” Mr. Dafeamekpor stated.
He noted that Parliament and the legal team were still waiting for official documents, including an authenticated copy of the arrest warrant and other details from Dutch prosecutors handling the matter.
The South Dayi MP therefore urged the media and the public to avoid speculation until all facts surrounding the case are confirmed.
“We want to urge all the media houses not to be throwing in things that have not been confirmed,” he said.
Mr. Dafeamekpor further explained that Parliament’s involvement was partly because the MP was travelling with a diplomatic passport.
He noted that extradition and detention cases involving political figures are not uncommon internationally, citing examples such as former Chilean leader Augusto Pinochet and Julian Assange.
According to him, authorities are hopeful the matter can be resolved for the MP to return to Ghana safely.
He appealed to the MP’s family, colleagues in Parliament and the public to remain calm while diplomatic and legal processes continue.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ghana Water Ltd has announced temporary water supply interruptions in several parts of western Accra following technical challenges at the Weija Water Treatment Plant.
In a press release issued on May 13, the company explained that the challenges had affected water production and distribution in some communities.
According to the management of the company, residents in areas including Dansoman, Mamprobi, Mataheko, Laterbiokorshie, Korle Bu, La Paz, MacCarthy Hill, Gbawe, Mallam, Tesano, Darkuman, North Kaneshie, Dome, Achimota, Anyaa and Ablekuma may experience low water pressure and erratic water supply.
Management noted that engineers and technical teams were working to fix the problem and restore normal water supply as soon as possible.
The company advised consumers to store water whenever there is flow in their communities in order to manage the temporary disruption.
It urged essential service providers to contact their Assembly Members or the Ghana Water Ltd Call Centre for assistance.
The company apologized to customers affected by the situation and appealed for calm and cooperation while efforts continue to resolve the challenge.
By: Jacob Aggrey
