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Akufo-Addo’s gov’t wants to imprison Ato Forson for unjust reason – Mosquito

By
MAXWELL OFORI
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Mr Asiedu Nketia-addressing the media

The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has alleged that the Akufo-Addo government refused to clear the ambulances at the centre of the Ato Forson trial just to prosecute the minority leader.

According to the NDC, but for the resolve of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government to prosecute Ato Forson, the items procured, which had arrived at the port about eight years ago, would have been cleared and installed.

“We firmly believe that the decision to take the Minority Leader and some others to court over this matter was borne out of malicious, sinister and wicked desire to silence him through unjust imprisonment, nothing more, nothing less,” the NDC said.

The National Chairman of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, addressed a press conference on Tuesday, May 28, 2024 argued that the government had to clear the equipment from the port and grant access to the engineers of the manufacturing company.

He said “All that was required for this government to do was to clear the medical equipment from the port and give the engineers of Big Sea access to the ambulances that have been parked at the Air Force base in Accra, to install them.”

The refusal to clear the equipment and the subsequent trial, according to the NDC, give credence to their claim that the Attorney General, Godfred Dame, was targeting the Minority Leader through unjust means.

The NDC argued that the timing of the case also demonstrates the government’s plot to silence the Minority Leader.

TAPE

The NDC, in a move to demonstrate the alleged lack of professionalism on the part of the AG, played a 16-minute phone conversation between Godfred Dame and the third accused person, Richard Jakpa.

The National Chairman, Asiedu Nketiah, ran commentary intermittently, ostensibly to help listeners appreciate the content of the audio.

The audio, together with some alleged WhatsApp conversations, were the evidence the NDC provided at the press conference against the AG, Godfred Dame.

PROSECUTE

The NDC made a number of demands following what it described as professional misconduct on the part of the Attorney General.

Among others, the NDC want the AG to resign or President Akufo-Addo to dismiss him with immediate effect and further prosecute him.

According to the NDC, there is enough evidence to prosecute Godfred Dame and should the NPP government fail to do so, the next NDC government would prosecute the current AG.

“We are calling for the immediate prosecution of Godfred Dame for multiple violations of the laws of Ghana. We wish to make it clear that should President Akufo-Addo refuse or fail to prosecute him, a future NDC government will prosecute Godfred Dame for his heinous crime of fabrication of evidence.

“Again, there should be a commencement of disciplinary proceedings by the General Legal Council against Godfred Dame and his disbarment for conduct unbecoming of a lawyer and more importantly, the leader of the Ghana Bar,” the NDC said.

COURT

The NDC held on statements by the third accused, Richard Jakpa, in open court that the AG had on several occasions engaged him to testify in a way to incriminate the first accused and Minority Leader, Cassiel Ato Forson.

Press Conference By The NPP On The Desperate NDC Attempt To Shield Ato Forson From Accountability

By
admin
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Mr Frank Davis

Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen of the media and thank you for honouring our invitation. INTRODUCTION It is not in dispute that, the justice delivery system is arguably the last bastion of our burgeoning constitutional democracy, and if it is constantly being bastardized by people who ought to in the very least, be responsible and know better, it leaves much to be desired.

We owe it to ourselves and posterity to rescue our dear Country from this ‘dark canker’ by those who’ve made it their ‘stock in trade’ to spew vitriol and unapologetically take shots at a system they have little or no faith in at all.

We have called you here because the NDC have since last week set in motion a malicious scheme fueled by lies, falsehoods, misrepresentations, blackmail and needless pollution of the mass media, with the sole intention of obstructing the course of justice and scandalising the criminal proceedings in the High Court, to shield ATO FORSON (MP), Minority Leader in Parliament and former Deputy Minister of Finance, and his associates from taking responsibility for authorizing some payments which resulted in a whopping sum of 3.27 million Euros being lost by the state— monies that belonged to you and I as Ghanaians.

Ladies and Gentlemen, How did we get here? BRIEF FACTS On 22nd December, 2011, Cabinet endorsed an executive approval of a joint memorandum submitted to Cabinet by the then Minister for Health and 1st accused Cassiel Ato Forson, then Deputy Minister for Finance, for the purchase of 200 ambulances out of a medium-term credit facility of €15,800,000.00 between Stanbic Bank Ghana Limited and the Government of Ghana through the Ministry of Finance.

On 1st November, 2012, the Parliament of Ghana granted approval for the financing agreement between Stanbic Bank Ghana Limited and the Government of Ghana for the purchase of the 200 ambulances.

By an agreement dated 19th December, 2012, the Government of Ghana contracted a company in Dubai, described as Big Sea General Trading LLC (Big Sea) whose local agent is 3rd Accused, Richard Jakpa and which company was to supply the 200 ambulances to the Government, even though that company was unknown to the Cabinet and Parliamentary approvals regarding the transaction. By the terms of the agreement, advance payment for the contract was prohibited.

Payment for the vehicles was stated in the agreement to be through letters of credit established for twenty-five percent of the Contract Price “upon the delivery of every fifty (50) Ambulance Vehicles”. On 7th August, 2014, in disregard of the financing arrangement for the transaction approved by both Cabinet and the Parliament of Ghana, 1st accused, Cassiel Ato Forson authorised the Bank of Ghana to “urgently establish the letters of credit for the supply of 50 ambulances amounting to EUR3,950,000.00, representing 25 percent of the contract sum”.

At this time, not a single ambulance had been delivered. On 12th August, 2014, 1st accused also directed the Controller and Accountant-General to pay the sums of GHC806,688.75 representing bank charges covering the establishment of letters of credit for the supply of 50 ambulances, and further directed for the amount to be charged against the Capital Expenditure Vote for the Ministry of Health.

Ladies and Gentlemen, all these directives by 1st accused, Cassiel Ato Forson were contrary to the agreement for the supply of the ambulances as well as the Parliamentary approval regarding the financing of the transaction. It is also important to note, that Ato Forson’s authorisation of payment for the transaction was without any request from the Ministry of Health.

In fact, the Ministry of Health had asked Big Sea to stop producing the ambulances as there was no valid contract regarding the transaction. In spite of that, Ato Forson without cause, proceeded to authorise payment for the ambulances.

Pursuant to the unlawful directives of 1st accused, Ato Forson, Big Sea shipped 30 vehicles in three consignments between October, 2014 and February, 2015, which were fundamentally defective and lacking in the basic requirements for an ambulance. This was confirmed by a letter written by the then Minister for Health, Dr. Alex Segbefia and other assessments by the National Ambulance Service.

In point of fact, Alex Segbefia, in a letter to Big Sea, described the ambulances as “ordinary vans”—to wit, trotro. These vehicles were never used and could not be used as ambulances during the Mahama Administration.

Following the change of Government in 2017, investigations commenced and statements were taken from several people including the incumbent Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Kwaku Agyeman-Mensah, Madam Sherry Ayittey (Decdeased) and Dr. Alex Segbefia, all of whom were former Health Ministers as well as 1st Accused, Cassiel Ato Forson and other persons such as the 3rd Accused.

Out of these many people, the Attorney-General, convinced that the willful act of Cassiel Ato Forson had resulted in a financial loss of 2.37 million euros to the state, charged him before the high court together with Sylvester Anemana, former chief Director of the Ministry of Health and Richard Jakpa a businessman, for causing financial loss, abetment to causing financial loss and misapplying public property.
PROCEEDINGS BEFORE THE HIGH COURT

Ladies and Gentlemen, proceedings in the matter have run its course since commencement in December 2021. The Prosecution, led by the competent Attorney-General, called Five (5) Witnesses in support of its case. Lawyers for the 1st accused, in an attempt to truncate the proceedings, filed a submission of no case and urged the Court to rule that CassielAtoForson had no case to answer as no prima facie case has been made against him.

This plea was outrightly rejected by the Court presided over by Justice Afia Serwaa Asare Botwe, a justice of the Court of Appeal sitting as an additional High Court Judge. The Court ruled, that the Attorney- General, had led sufficient evidence to establish a case against Ato Forson and therefore ordered him to open his defence. 4 Ato Forson subsequently opened his defence and has also closed his case.

The 3rd Accused, Richard Jakpa also opened his case and was last Thursday being cross-examined when he made a scandalous, malicious, baseless and spurious allegation that the Attorney General had approached on several occasions to skew his testimony to implicate Ato Forson.

Ladies and Gentlemen, DISCOMFORT OF THE NDC AND PRESSURE TO DISCONTINUE PROSECUTION It is no secret that the NDC since the commencement of Ato Forson’s prosecution has threatened rain and storm against Government, the Attorney-General and any person they can find to cajole the Attorney General from discontinuing the prosecution.

Pressure has come from every angle including former President Mahama, the Leadership of the Minority in Parliament, clergy, business friends of Ato Forson etc.
Indeed, Former President Mahama specifically maintained the discontinuance of the Ambulance Trial as a condition to get Members of the minority in Parliament to agree to the recent recall of Parliament and has on several other occasions, stated it as a condition for the cooperation of the Minority in Parliament.

This pressure stems from some warped and baseless logic of the NDC that the AtoForson’s prosecution is politically motivated and its Leader in Parliament, should be immune from prosecution even when the facts indicate conduct resulting in financial loss to the state.

As mentioned earlier, investigations commenced as far back as 2017 making it imperative to ask, “Why is Ato Forson the only government official being prosecuted from all the former NDC Ministers from whom statements were taken?”.

Clearly, the prosecution is based on the various documentation available from the participating agencies in the transaction and this is evidenced by the Court’s ruling upholding that a case has been made by the Attorney General that warrants an answer from the defence.

It is also worth noting, that prosecution of CassielAtoForson commenced even before he became Minority Leader making worthless and nonsensical the suggestion that he is being prosecuted because he is minority leader of the NDC.

NDC’S PERRENIAL DISLIKE FOR THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

Ladies and Gentlemen, if at all, the only persecution in this instance is the malicious and perennial dislike of the NDC towards the Attorney General since he assumed office, and the several attempts to stultify his work.

The records are there to show that right from his appointment as Attorney General, the NDC has spent one of the longest periods in vetting him with the hope of impeaching his appointment but the Attorney General remained resolute to their admiration. Having failed, the NDC filed a Motion for Censure to remove Godfred Dame from office as Attorney-General soon after his appointment which also failed.

The NDC have since his appointment held over twelve(12) Press Conferences against the person of the Attorney General.
The latest allegation by Richard Jakpa, the 3rd accused and an associate of CassielAtoForson in this botched Ambulance procurement transaction, is therefore only a further ploy, contrived to curtail the prosecution of AtoForson and smear the Attorney General’s integrity and reputation.

But this would also not see the light of day as we believe firmly that public officials, regardless of social standing must be equally accountable for their use of public resources. Needless to say that the law is no respecter of persons.

SPURIOUS ALLEGATIONS OF RICHARD JAKPA- 3RD ACCUSED.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the allegations by Richard Jakpa that the AG has on several occasions met him in privately at odd hours, in person and on phone to coax him to testify to implicate the Attorney General is at complete variance with the prevailing facts.
In fact, the attempt to selectively present facts without the whole, is telling of intentions of the 3rd Accused.

For the record: a. It is unacceptable, that Johnson AsieduNketiah, runs a commentary over the alleged tape calculated to prevent you the Ghanian people from making your own deduction reasoned judgment.

b. Again, even though from the screenshots displayed, the alleged conversation is 26mins, the NDC schemed to play only 16 minutes. The question then is, where is the rest of the tape. Even in respect of 6 what was played, it is apparent that there are repetitions, overlaps, incoherence, voice overs and distortions, demonstrating that, the NDC has spent these past days doctoring whatever tape they played.

c. Even on the Doctored tape, the Attorney General never requested the witness falsify, fabricate or concoct any evidence or testify in the prosecution’s favour.

d. Again, on the question of who initiated the meeting, even from the NDC’s presentation, it is clear that any meeting at all was mooted and initiated by the 3rd accused.

e. We would like to also put on record, that as of February 2022 when Jakpa requested for a meeting with the AG, the AG never met him and never made any arrangement through the Supreme Court Justice, Emmanuel Yonny Kulendi.
It was not until the AG was invited to the residence of Justice Yonny Kulendi in 2023 that he surprisingly met Richard Jakpa at the residence.

f. We remain resolute that the Attorney General has never approached 3rd Accused for any conversation, let alone request him to skew his testimony against 1st accused, Cassiel Ato Forson. The only meeting at which the Attorney General, met the 3rd Accused was in the residence of a Supreme Court Judge, His Lordship Justice Emmanuel Yonny Kulendi who about six (6) weeks ago, requested to see the Attorney General.

It is not out of place for the Attorney General to visit the said Justice upon request. More so, when the two were friends even before the elevation of the latter to the Supreme Court.

g. Again, the Attorney General at the time of the invitation was unaware that the 3rd Accused person was going to be present and therefore his subsequent appearance in the house of the Justice was surprising.

It is pertinent to note, that prior to this meeting, the Attorney General had closed his case and the Court had thrown out the application of Ato Forson as being without merit.
The 3rd accused had also by four different letters by his lawyers, requested and made proposals to the Attorney General for a Plea Bargain which would see Big Sea General, 3rd accused’s principal pay 2 million Euros in exchange for the cessation of prosecution.

This 7 had been roundly rejected by the Attorney General. In fact, 3rd Accused through his lawyers in the letter dated 16th May, 2023 had indicated unequivocally that they were requesting a Plea Bargain and following the rejection had requested the AG for terms which the AG will consider acceptable.

h. The Supreme Court Judge therefore sought to enquire whether there was room for a Plea Bargain and the AG highlighted that he was not opposed provided it was made in proper form and assured 3rd accused that he had nothing personally against any of the accused persons.

The AG further requested that since the charges principally focus on the public officials through whose actions the loss was occasioned, Richard Jakpa should show fidelity to the transaction records which were already on record.

i. Finally, there is also a record that 1st Accused himself, CassielAtoForson, had in the company of a Senior Parliamentarian, visited the AG in his house to plead with him to end the prosecution. The NDC in their Press Conference today have conveniently failed,refused or neglected to respond to this fact which was also contained in the response of Ministry of Justice following the proceedings of Thursday.

Ladies and gentlemen, if the Attorney General desired to cajole the 3rd Accused as suggested, then the best avenue would have been following 3rd Accused request for the AG to propose terms acceptable to him and the several whatsap messages sent to the AG, pleading with him.

Clearly, the 3rd accused is a hired mercenary, contracted to exploit his relationship with the Supreme Court Judge, knowing the AG’s inability to disrespect the said justice when invited after failing to secure a meeting with the AG.

SUCCESS RECORD OF ATTORNEY GENERAL

Ladies and Gentlemen, let me again put on record, the in the 4th Republic, the current Attorney General, Hon. GodfredYeboah, Dame, has been one of the most successful both in and out of Court. As remarkably noted by the President at the last State of the nation’s Address, he had successfully saved the state over GHS10trillion and his verve in protecting public resources is shown by his commitment to the 8 prosecution of public officials whose acts resulted in financial loss.

This is beside the other several infrastructure and logistics improvement to the office of the Attorney General and Ministry of justice including the almost completed Law House. Conclusion Ladies and Gentlemen, if it is the firm belief of the NDC and AtoForson that no loss had occasioned the state from his conduct, then they should remain faithful to our judicial system and cease these malicious orchestrations targeted at bastardising our judicial system prevent him from standing trial to conclusion.

We are clear in our minds that the calls for the resignation of the Attorney General is misplaced, unwarranted and this would not put any spokes in the prosecution of Cassiel Ato Forson and his associates. Also, coming from the NDC the call for the attorney General to resign is very very rich.

The AG would not resign and would continue to remain witty, resolute and focused in the delivery of his work. The wheels of justice they say grinds slowly but eventually, it grinds to a halt. Thank you once again for coming on such short notice.

The Alleged Telephone Conversation Between A-G Dame And Richard Jakpa

By
BERNICE BESSEY
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NDC National Chairman, Asiedu Nketiah

Alleged Attorney – General’s Voice- You pay only after the goods have been delivered because that’s also the contract, not so.
Richard Jakpa- Yes, but then the financial instrument for the project is an irrevocable letter of credit.

So that credit letter has already been sent.
Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice  – No problem. But in my view, that letter of credit area, the contract requires that you pay by letters of credit, not so.
Richard Jakpa- Yes, in addition, you should establish it upon the signing of the contract. So already you have paid…

Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice  – Upon the signing of the contract for every 50 ambulances.
Richard Jakpa – Yes. No, upon the signing of the contract for every 50 ambulances since there was no advance payment.

That LC was a security that you have to establish ahead.
Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice   – No problem. The signing of the contract for every 50 ambulances is it the contract for the contract for every 50 ambulances.
Richard Jakpa- The signing of the contract is for 200 ambulances in tranches of 50, 50, 50.
Alleged Attorney – General’s Voice  – Good. Hold on. So that contract for 50 ambulances is different from this one?

Richard Jakpa – No. It is… The contract is one contract for 200 ambulances, which has been broken down within the contract for every few… You establish LC for every 50 tranches. So you have four LCs for the 200 ambulances…..

Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice   – No, For that part, I disagree with you. Because if you look at the terms of the contract, it’s quite clear. And it should not be difficult for you to accept because really, it doesn’t put you in any problem. That’s not put you into any difficulty. You know, the Minister of Finance. So for him, if he accepts that, then it doesn’t put you in any difficulty.

Richard Jakpa – No, see, the problem I have in accepting that for you is that there are letters that confirm that, both from government, and from a principal, that is for every 50 ambulances. That confirms that. And I’ll be tending those letters in. So I cannot go against what the letters say and the contracts say, because I was the agent at that time. Jakpa and business was the agent.

Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice – Hold on. LC is on site. Payment shall be in your… First of all, you said they have no advance payment.
Richard Jakpa – Yes..

Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice  – What does advance payment mean?
Richard Jakpa – What it means is that the supplier was not going to be paid any cash, any money for him to use in procuring all the accessories and everything to manufacture. So the manufacturer will use his own money to buy the ambulance vans, all the accessories from across the globe, with the security from government being the LC and the LC has conditions precedence.

Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice  – Hold on, hold on. Okay. Yes.
Advance payment does not mean paying in advance of the delivery of the goods.
Richard Jakpa- They said no advance payment.

Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice  – Yes. Advance payment means that we are paying before the goods are delivered to you.
Richard Jakpa- No. They said no. No advance payment. Not that there is advance payment. No advance. Meaning you will not pay.

Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice   – Yes. Until the goods are delivered to you. Not so.
Richard Jakpa – Yes.
Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice   – Yes. Until the goods are delivered, you don’t pay at all, not so.
Richard Jakpa – Yes

Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice  – Uh-huh. And then also, it goes ahead to say that payments shall be in a free manner. LC is on site of goods. In fact, what is the LC on site of goods? What does it mean?
Richard Jakpa-What LC on site of goods means is that when you ship the documents, when you ship the goods,

Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice  – When you ship the documents?
Richard Jakpa- No, when you ship the… Sorry, sorry. When you ship the goods from your port of origin, the bill of lading of the goods is what you use as…
AllegedAttorney-General  – So LC on site of goods means when the goods have been shipped.

Richard Jakpa- They have been shipped.
Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice – Not when the goods have been delivered in Ghana.
Richard Jakpa- No, When the goods have been shipped. Because you have gone to do precipitously.

Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice – You lets go by that
Richard Jakpa – So, what I’m trying to explain is that you use the bill of lading. You use the bill of lading. You use the bill of lading.

Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice – You establish it. You establish it. You establish the LC after the precipitate inspection. No one will ever dispute about that.
Richard Jakpa- No, the LC is established as soon as you sign the contract. You establish the LC and that becomes the security comfort for the supplier to invest his money.
Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice – No, It says, LC on site of goods has been signed upon the signing of the contract.

Richard Jakpa- Yes.

Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice – For every 50 ambulances. Yes. Yes. Which contract is this? It’s not a contract for every 50 ambulances. So under this main contract. This is like the main contract.

Richard Jakpa- The main contract and LC for every 50 of the 200 you have said. So , you can, so the contract is not saying that government should establish one LC which is 15.8 million euros for the whole 200 at the goal. No. Government has a bulk contract of 15.8 million euros. Now, this contract will become branch will become entranches of 50 ambulances. So, you establish your LC for the 50.

When that 50 have been delivered. And everything sorted out and handed over, another LC is established for another subsequent 50 until you finish all the 200. That is what the contract says. So, the LC that was established….

Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice – Even then, even then, hold on. I don’t agree with your explanation. But even then, this your explanation that’s not what happened in this case.
Richard Jakpa – Okay. What happened?
Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice  – Yes. That’s not what happened in this case. Yes. Because the LC was established even before this principle in session
Richard Jakpa – Yes. Yes.

Alleged Attorney-General  – There was no principle in this session. So, it means there was no basis for the LC to be established in the first place.
Richard Jakpa- No, no, no.

Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice – That is really not your problem anyway.
Richard Jakpa- Right. That place, that place, in that particular place, you are getting it wrong. If you may have patience for me to explain to you.
Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice – No, no, no.

Richard Jakpa- You are getting it wrong there because when you establish LC, the LC had conditions precedent for it to be honored. Okay. And the condition precedent states that. Okay. You can only cash the LC when you present shipping documents, which is bill of lading, to the Ghana International Bank of the buyer, before the LC can be on it.

So, even though the LC was established upon the signing of the contract, was supposed to be established upon the signing of the contract, it cannot be cashed or honored. It becomes a form of security for the supplier to invest his own money. Okay. And when he ships the ambulances, he can then send a bill of lading to your bank, your bankers, to then honor the LC. Because that is a condition precedent.

Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice – But in any case, in this case, even the LC was actually cashed. Everything.The payment was actually made before the goods were shipped.
Richard Jakpa- No.
Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice – Before the goods got to Ghana.
Richard Jakpa- No, no, no, no, no, no.

Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice – Oh yeah.
Richard Jakpa- He couldn’t have, he couldn’t have. The supplier, there is no way under the sun he could have cashed the LC before the shipping document, which were condition precedent, was presented to Ghana International Bank of the buyer. Even when he presented the documents to Ghana International Bank, Ghana International Bank refused to honor the LC, raising issues of discrepancy. which came back to Bank of Ghana, which later went to the Ministry of Health and then Animana authorized Bank of Ghana through Ministry of Finance to pay because they had sorted out the discrepancies with Big Sea.

That time, around this time, all the ambulances had already arrived in Ghana. You are not privy to this one, I’m telling you.
AllegedAttorney-General  – In my view, if you, if you, if we agree to this theory, it’s so simple, the theory of the case.

Richard Jakpa- Not agree to the way you want to go, the way you want to go about it.
AllegedAttorney-General  But you let’s agree, you let’s describe it that way, you let’s describe it that way, you don’t want to go about it.
Richard Jakpa- Okay, fine.

Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice  – If you agree to it this way, it makes it simple.
Richard Jakpa- Yes, it will make it, if I…
Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice – It doesn’t also involve, it doesn’t involve any difficulty for you.

Richard Jakpa- Yes, I agree, I understand your point.
Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice – Because when you say there is no advancement. Yes. No advancement ordinary meaning in Ghana means that you, you, you, you don’t pay until you get your goods. Now, the contract here, even the play terms, unless maybe you guys did not draft a contract or it says, LCs on site of goods, it shall be established upon the signing of the contract for every future goods.

Richard Jakpa- No, the contract was drafted by government. It was drafted by government.
Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice – Oh, yes, yes, yes, yes and whoever did, did not….
Richard Jakpa-And it was, and LG, LG department perused the contract and approved the contract for government.
Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice -It is not a problem. Every contract has to be approved for later when they implement it.

Richard Jakpa- You see, what the difficulty I have, I have with your, your, your position is that, you see, I, frankly speaking, fine as you are saying, if I agree to your, your, your position, how you want to go about it and how you want me to go about my answering questions and things. If I go by that way, frankly speaking, I’ll be dishonest because I know that is not how it’s supposed to be.

And I’ll be dishonest. And I’ll be dishonest in such a way that I’ll be assisting for someone I know is completely innocent about this. For example, I have to force him to be jailed because I knew something was wrong, was not the way and I decided to, to, to keep quiet and to answer the question in a way that will make your case better for you to jail him. I’ll be battling with my conscience.

That is the problem I’m having. Anytime you bring up this issue with my, with Yonukulendi, when Yonukulendi’s place. Anytime you bring this issue. That is my problem I’m having. Because me, for example, I am in this case because I’m innocent and I’m going through ordeal. So I’m looking at another person also going to go through ordeal and through me because I know the truth and I decide not to say it because I want to help the AG make his case. And I ask myself, what is my interest in it?

Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice – I’m not asking you to even help me. I’m just going by it… Anyway, so, so, so that’s fine. So this one was even just by the way.
Richard Jakpa- I hope you get my difficulty.

Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice – It’s on the phone and I don’t know who is recording.
Richard Jakpa- Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, don’t worry about that one. My issue, my issue, I’m just, oh no, you and I we’ve be meeting, we’ve be meeting me at my cousin’s place and you’ve been bringing this issue up several, several times and I keep telling you that I can’t do that because. It doesn’t sit well with me.

Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice – The terms of contract are simple. Is it on the side of the service or on the side of the contract for every 50 ambulances.
Richard Jakpa- Yeah. It’s for every. So when you see that here, for every 50 ambulance means that it’s not only 50.

Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice – Yeah. Okay.
Richard Jakpa- For every. It means that it is not only 50.
Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice – All right.

Richard Jakpa- Means that there are a lot of 50s that will be following. So that is what I was trying to explain to you. So frankly speaking, the LC that was established was, was as a security for the supplier to invest his own money. Since there’s no advance agreement.
Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice – Yes. It is the same thing that was used to pay because LC was the means of payment. That is the agreement.

Richard Jakpa- Yes. When the conditions precedents are met. Okay.
Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice – Which is what?  They have some documents.
Richard Jakpa- That yes. Yes. The bill of ladings, the ambulance have been shipped and the bill of ladings are presented. That is when you can cash the LC. So until you ship the ambulance, you can’t cash the ambulance. You can’t cash the LC.

Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice – And it was done in this case, not so ?
Richard Jakpa- Yes. In this case. Yes. When he shipped the ambulances, he then presented the documents to Ghana International Bank. And then Ghana International Bank refused to honor the LC and raise issues of discrepancies which was later cleared by Animana at the Ministry of Health for payment to proceed.

And that is how he was paid. So in frankly speaking. If there’s somebody who authorized this payment to go on. Even though in Ghana International Bank raised issues of discrepancies. It’s Animana. He was authorizing those payments.

Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice – But you were in court when you heard the Bank of Ghana Officials and the Ministry of Officials. And even the defect, see that no payment can go on except with the Ministry of Finance authorization. There’s no way the Ministry of Health will authorize. In fact, the Ministry of Health actually in their letter, they said no, they shouldn’t go ahead and produce ambulances.

Richard Jakpa- No, as for that letter that Shirley Ayitey wrote that they should suspend production and those things was contrary to the terms of the contract. And that letter went to your office, the AG’s office and the AG debunked that letter and wrote his legal opinion and told her that they should proceed. So AG that letter had been destroyed by your department, by your ministry. So that letter is of no value.

It is the AG’s legal opinion that overrode that letter and Minister of Finance had to implement the AG’s opinion.
Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice – And by the AG’s bigger opinion, the terms of the contract were honoured and only the terms of the contract were breached.
Richard Jakpa- Because they were already breached and the AG wanted them to honour it so that Shirley Ayitey’s letter that you want to rely on is of no value…
Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice – Did they honor it? Did they honour the terms of the contract?

Richard Jakpa- The ministry?
Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice – Yes
Richard Jakpa  – Yes, they still didn’t honour some part of the contract they honoured the LC part but when it came to the pre-shipment inspection they refused to honour that particular part.
Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice – Okay

Richard Jakpa – So they were right to go and inspect and then they turned around and blamed people for you not going to inspect to rectify any manufacturing defect that the pre-shipment inspection was meant to kill.
Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice -mmmm

Richard Jakpa- Aha, so Shirley Ayitey, through her negligence and refusal to implement the pre-shipment inspection, created this problem. that’s what I was trying to tell you.
Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice  – The reason why I called as I said that’s my timetable for the rest of the….

Richard Jakpa- Oh then it means that you are not going to be around
Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice – And then even next week, the whole of next week, I will not be around there is a way of if you are not even finishing next week, I would appreciate it…

Richard Jakpa- I will not finish next week, I don’t think I will be able to finish because the documents are many so you will surely go and come and meet me but that will also depend upon the judge’s behavior.

Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice – You can bring one medical excuse next week
Richard Jakpa- Okay fine, if you bring a medical excuse next week
AllegedAttorney-General  – I said you, how can I bring a medical excuse?

Richard Jakpa – Ahn, you are saying that I should bring a medical excuse next week
Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice – you can, you can if you want to
Richard Jakpa – But brother, you want this woman to issue a bench warrant for me again right, hahahaha, because you can see that I was really in admission struggling for my life and she issued a bench warrant for me to be arrested and my name was put everywhere, now if I go and do another one as you are saying, my brother, this woman will issue another bench warrant for me and destroy the little of my reputation left she will destroy it for me.

Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice – Alright
Richard Jakpa- But you will surely go and come and meet me still talking so don’t worry
Alleged Attorney- General’s Voice – No Problem
Richard Jakpa- Okay, thank you my brother thank you my brother

Angela List Named Female CEO of the Year in Mining 

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Miss Angela List receiving her award from Former President Mahama

Miss Angela List, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Nguvu Mining Limited and Adamus Resources, has been named the ‘2023/2024 Female CEO of the Year in Mining’.

The award was bestowed upon her at the 8th Ghana CEO Summit and Excellence Awards held in Accra over the weekend.

Ms Angela List received the Excellence Award in recognition of her contribution, dedication and remarkable achievements in Ghana’s mining industry and in the West Africa sub-region.

She attributed the prestigious award to the staff and Management of indigenous Ghanaian companies – Nguvu Mining Ltd and Adamus Resources for their unflinching support, hard work and commitment over the years.

Organised by the CEO Network Ghana, the CEO Summit is a high-profile annual business leadership forum that attracts industry leaders, chief executives, policy makers, and investors and is committed to unlocking the country’s potential by championing private sector-led growth and leading discussions around innovative public policies and best growth-oriented business practices.

The annual forum also provides an avenue for discussing Ghana and West Africa’s economic transformation and the essential role of both private and public sectors and recognises individuals who exemplify business excellence, leadership, and vision.

This year’s event saw several CEOs, Business leaders and Executives in private and public sectors being awarded for their contribution at their respective various fields.

The CEO of Margins ID Group, Mr Moses Baiden Jnr., who took the award for CEO of the Year, Technology, Infrastructure National, also won Overall CEO of the Year, Private Sector, while the Group Chairman of KGL Group, Mr Alex Appau Daddey won the Group CEO and Conglomerate CEO awards.

Over 500 CEOs, business leaders, industry captains and market leaders attended the 8th Ghana CEO Summit and Excellence Awards, including former President H.E. John Mahama and Vice President of Ghana H.E. Dr Mahamoud Bawumia, who joined the session via Zoom.

KON directs contractors to observe safety protocols

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KON with officials of the GNFS

Minister for Works and Housing, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has issued a stern directive to protect contractors across the country to strictly adhere to health and safety protocols on construction sites. This call came during his recent inspection of key projects in the Abuakwa North Municipality, where he highlighted the importance of maintaining and high safety standards to protect workers.

The Fire Service Training School

During the visit, Minister Oppong Nkrumah expressed deep concern over the observed neglect of safety gear and protocols among workers on several construction sites. “The Works Inspectorate Unit of the Ministry has noted a worrying trend of disregard for safety gear among workers. It is imperative that contractors ensure all workers are equipped with appropriate safety gear to prevent onsite injuries or fatalities,” Oppong Nkrumah stated.

He stressed that maintaining high safety standards is not only a legal obligation but also a moral duty to protect the lives and well-being of workers. “The health and safety of our workers should be our top priority. I urge all contractors to adhere strictly to safety regulations,” he added.

Minister Oppong Nkrumah’s inspection tour included several significant projects in the Abuakwa North Municipality. One of the highlights was the newly completed bridge over the Birim River, a vital infrastructure project aimed at mitigating the risk of flooding in Kyebi and its environs. The Birim River had previously overflowed its banks, causing significant disruption and displacement within the town.

During the inspection, the Minister reiterated the importance of maintaining the river to prevent future floods. He directed the Hydro Authority to urgently dredge and remove silt from the river to ensure the smooth passage of water.

The new market under construction

Additionally, Minister Oppong Nkrumah visited the site of the ongoing construction of a Modern Community Market Center and the Fire Service Training School, both nearing completion. These projects are expected to enhance local commerce and improve emergency response capabilities in the region.

The Minister was impressed with the progress of work but emphasized the need for timely completion. “I have instructed the contractors to work diligently to meet the project deadlines. These facilities are crucial for the development of our community and must be completed on schedule,” he said.

He reiterated government’s commitment to expediting construction works within Kyebi and other regions stressing that the Ministry of Works and Housing is closely monitoring all ongoing projects to ensure they adhere to quality standards and timelines.

Godfred Dame Vrs Richard Jakpa–How It All Started

By
BERNICE BESSEY
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Law Courts Complex, Accra

The trial of Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, former Deputy Minister of Finance and first Accused (A1), and Richard Jakpa, third Accused (A3), a businessman, in the ambulance case took a new twist on Tuesday, May 21, 2024 based on the following;

The refusal by Dr. Ato Forson’s legal team to cross-examine Mr Jakpa first, after his evidence-in-chief response by the Attorney-General (A-G),Mr. Godfred Yeboah Dame, and confrontation between the A-G and A1’s lead counsel, Dr. Abdul Baasit Aziz Bamba.

Dr. Bamba had vehemently objected to the offer to cross-examine A3 first, before the prosecution, saying it will be to the disadvantage of A1, as the call is extremely unfair, prejudicial and constitute violation of fair trial under Article 19(1)(2)(c) and (e).
According to him, Article 19 takes precedence over any other statute, including Section 69 of the Evidence Act.He argued that in an adversarial legal system like Ghana, when a witness, not of the prosecution had testified, the first to cross-examine the accused in the case would be the prosecution.

The counsel added that only a compelling reason could push aside this principle, and in that regard, Section 69 of the Evidence Act does not provide sufficient legal basis for A1 to be called upon to cross-examine A3 first.

The Financial and Economic Division of the Accra High Court, presided over by Justice AfiaSerwahAsare-Botwe, Court of Appeal judge, sitting with an additional responsibility of the High Court, however, told Dr.Bamba that it was not the first time counsel for a first Accused was being called upon to cross-examinean accused person before the prosecution comes in.

Secondly, the high court does not have the powers of the Supreme Court to take a decision on constitutionality of the matter.
Dr. Bamba responded that: “unfortunately, by the jurisprudence of our Supreme Court, if you are raising any issue of unconstitutionality during the course of a trial, we are required to raise it before the trial court.”

The counsel also informed the court that his argument has been put into writing and he was even praised by Her Ladyship for being a good academician.
The legal argument changed to a ‘different gear’, when Mr. Godfred Dame, in concluding his argument in opposition, referred to Dr.Bamba’s submission as a clear fallacy and lacking intellectual honesty.

On two occasions, Dr. Bamba angrily stood up with the speed of light to object to the submission of the A-G. He pushed the chair so hard that, the judge who was in the middle of writing her ruling had to pause to find out what was happening.

Hearing how angry Dr.Bamba sounded, Justice Asare-Botwe expressed shock and said: “Dr.Bamba, do not get agitated, you scared me. You have always been a calm person.”
Dr.Bambaagreed with the court that he was an extremely calm person, but added that the A-G had misrepresented what he said.He prayed for leave to respond to the A-G, as his submission was made in open court, but his prayer was denied.

To calm down the atmosphere in the courtroom, the case was stood down for 15 minutes and the parties were invited to the judge’s chambers.
Before the parties could seek audience with the judge, the situation had gotten out of hand. It happened that when the A-G was walking in front of the defence team to the judge’s chambers, he repeated his comment about ‘academic dishonesty’, which immediately infuriated Dr. Bamba.

Dr.Bamba, on top of his voice, asked the A-G the kind of person he was and that he should get out of his face. He said other things like, the A-G being his junior in training and practice of the law.

The commotion forced Her Ladyship to open her door, after retiring to her chambers to meet the counsels.Other members of the bar present calmed down the feuding parties and forced them into the judge’s chambers.
The court resumed and Dr. Bamba started his cross-examination, asking about 13 questions before the case was adjourned to Thursday, May 23, 2024 at 12 noon.
On the next adjourned date, the feisty argument shifted from the A-G and Counsel Bamba, to the A-G and Jakpa (A3).

This time round, A3 was enraged for being accused by the Attorney-General for defending A1(Dr. CassielAtoForson), when he was in court to defend himself. In the ensuing arguments, A3 accused Godfred Dame of calling him on phone and also meeting him in person to discuss the case.

A3, in open court, revealed that the A-G has been impressing upon him to cooperate with the prosecution to secure the sentence of A1, the Minority Leader in Parliament.
The third accused then threatened that if the A-G dares him, he will open the Pandora box because Mr. Dame has brought hostility right to his door-step, and the soldier in him could not resist a reprisal attack.

Mr. Jakpa’s outburst came from an answer to a question from Godwin Edudzi Tamakloe, holding Dr.Bamba’s brief, and the A-G’s interjection that he wondered what Mr.Jakpa’sbusiness was, in testifying about authorisation. The A-G also added that “just by force to defend other accused persons.”
How it all started

Q: Can you tell the court what seal it is, if there is any name, agency or department of Ghana on it?
A: It is the Controller and Accountant General Department security seal.

Q: You will agree with me that without this seal from the Controller and Accountant General Department, the Bank of Ghana will not honour the payment?

A: Yes my lady, and to explain further, this is a seal that is in the Office of the Minister of Finance. Any letter that originates from the office of the Minster of Finance, if it is going to CARQD, it carries a seal of authorisation from the MOF office.
This is because the Minister of Finance office is the only place where the authority to debit any local or foreign account of government emanates from, with explicit approval of the Minister himself.

Whenever the Minister of Finance, for whatever reason is unable to be physically present in his office and had to delegate any part of his statutory authority to any of his deputies or the Chief Director once any of his subordinates signed any letter, be it authorised by the Minister and writes it as memo or a verbal instruction to write a letter to debit any account of government.
That letter, once written and signed for the substantive Minister by any of the delegated officers under him, that letter is conveyed by either the Secretaries or by those delegated officers.

Hon. Dame: My lady, I am a little bit constrained to intervene because the Minister of Finance at that time was in court and testified about authorisation. I wonder what Mr.Jakpa’s business is, to testify about authorisation.
By Court: I have decided not to make any further comments and I will just sit and watch you people because if Ido not, I may find myself in conflict with a lot of people because when my junior at the bar tells me that in doing my job, I have engaged a witness.

I think we have raised the bar to a level which is an odd new level, so I will not make any more comments, so do what you want to do. When the time comes and I need to sit through the evidence, I will because when the question is put there, which is a very direct clear question, that the seal is what gives it some kind of authenticity and the person wants to tell us all the workings of the Ministry of Finance, I will sit and listen.

Hon. Dame: Just by force to defend other accused persons.
By Court: No, that is not the point. Hon. Attorney General do not talk. Two days ago, you caused a third world war here, so please.

Mr. Tamakloe:My lady, I do not know that the problem of the Attorney General is against Al.
By Court: You people please, please….
Mr. Tamakloe: Where from this defence? Is he defending him? Are we not entitled to cross-examination? No, what is this?

By Court: Mr. Tamakloe, I do not have a gavel. Please all of you just resume your seats.
Hon. Dame: My lady, the point I am making is actually part of my objection, if my learned friend wants it to go on record, then let it be on record.
Mr. Tamakloe: My lady, if he thinks the question is not properly asked, the question can be disallowed.

By Court: I think that we fail to appreciate how very academic our work is. Everything is provided for by law or procedure by case law. Nothing new is being created here. Everything we are doing now has already been written and we are just trying to listen to the evidence and see how it applies to all those things, which have been written.

And even if he gives evidence, which is not objected to and it is time to assess the evidence, I will have to sit through it and decide, which is relevant and which is not. Which is allowed and which is not and that is what I have decided to do so, this thing that you want to lose your temper by all means, I will not allow it.

I will not lose my temper and you will also not lose yours because if we start doing that and I start exercising the powers that I exercise as a Judge, may be all of you will not go home. Because the way some of you are interjecting and those who are also shouting, if I do that, all of you will not go home, so I will just sit and I am tired of trying to direct the witness as to what to do, and the unfortunate thing is that, Mr.Gyawu has a victim mentality.

Every little thing I say, he has decided not to understand. I do not get it. And I think I have done everything to demonstrate that, I do everything in my power to be fair. But what I see is that the question is very simple…

A3: My lady, I want to put on record that I am not here to defend A1.
By Court: I have not told you that you have defended Al.
A3. No I am not talking about you.
By Court: Who said so?

A3. The Attorney General did that… He accused me directly and I want to respond.
By Court: Please Mr. Jakpa, all that fight they were fighting and disgracing the Bench and the Bar, I did not write it. Please move on.

A3: My lady, I have heard that but I want to make it clear here that the Attorney General has on several occasions had meetings with me privately at odd hours, both in person and on phone in respect of this case to cooperate or answer in a manner that will make his case better against A1 and I have refused.

And I have evidence to that and so if he is accusing me here that I am here to defend A1, he has brought hostilities to my door step and I am responding to the hostilities. And if he continues on this angle, I will open the Pandora box and we will all know actually what transpired. He has brought it up and I will give it to him.

By Court: Sit down a bit
A3: My lady I am a little bit uncomfortable.
By court: Why are you uncomfortable?

A3: I am angry because how can he accuse me to be defending Al when I am here to fight for my liberty and he has been impressing on me to cooperate with him so that he can put Al in jail and I refused. So he comes here to accuse me of defending Al. It is unacceptable.
By Court: Mr.Jakpa, twice or three times that you have said it, I have heard you.

A3: So, if he dares me, I will open the Pandora box here and I have evidence for that.
ByCourt: As for Pandora box, everybody in Ghana here is opening a Pandora box.

A3: So let us slag out and I am ready for that.
By Court: You cannot use such language here in the court of law. Let me also caution you. You see, your lawyer is not doing his job, when you are granted bail one of the conditions, apart from coming to court, is that you will also behave well.

A3: Yes my lady.
By Court: So when you come to court and start saying things like, we are slugging it out, who is slugging what out?

A3: He is daring me.
By Court: This is not about show of manhood. I have told you it is okay. They should record what you have just said. Beyond recording what you have just said, there is nothing any judge is supposed to do and there are things people want to do and do not want to do.
Tuesday, May 28, 2024

Following the scene created on the last sitting of the court and subsequent adjournment, the next court date became dramatic.
Before the case was called at 12 noon, the court was full to capacity, to the extent that Her Ladyship ordered that no more people are allowed to enter.

A3 was then called to mount the box to continue with his cross examination and was also reminded of his previous oath.
Dr.Bamba rose to his feet, informing the court that they have two motions pending. The first pending motion was about Stay of Proceedings, filed on May 21, 2024 and the return date was May 28, 2024.
The second motion was for an Order for Enquiry, but the court stepped in, leaving Dr. Bamba’s submission hanging in the air.
According to the court, the applicant remained focused on the earlier motion, which was ripe for hearing but the other is not.

The judge advised the counsel that she did not want the court to be turned into a circus. A3 at this point had been asked to step out of the witness box and resume his seat.
The judge now turned her attention to the aftermath of Thursday’s proceedings, particularly the public discourse on the matter.

She entreated the public to calm down and reassess the situation and adjourned the case to next week Tuesday.
But before the court could rise, Sammy Gyamfi – Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) – was invited to mount the witness box.

Mr.Gyamfi, in doing so, was going where the recorder and the clerks sit. The judge immediately pointed out to Mr.Gyamfi that because he has not been coming to court as a lawyer, he does not even know where to pass.
After Mr.Gyamfi took the other way round to the box, the court told him he was not going to take the oath.

The court, therefore, lands Mr.Gyamfi his first question (Q): “Last week, when did you get here?”
A: In terms of time?
Q: In terms of scheme of things and don’t ask me questions.
A: My lady, I need clarification of things.

Mr. Tamakloe stepped in to defend Mr. Gyamfi, by saying that he (Sammy Gyamfi) was in the court throughout and indicated to the court that, the court only noticed him after he had gone out and was returning.

Mr. Tamakloe added that it was when Mr. Gyanfi was returning to the courtroom that the judge noticed him and commented on his attire as a lawyer.
Mr. Gyamfi was ordered to go back to his seat, but was later asked to stand for a comment he made, that if the Attorney-General could call an accused behind his lawyer, why can’t he call the judge.

The NDC communication officer rebutted, telling the court that it had misquoted him and that heused ‘a judge’ and not ‘the judge’.
The court responded that “a judge” and “the judge” does not make any difference and cautioned him not to go about casting slur on the Judiciary.

According to the court, the judiciary is not made up of politicians and she, Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe does not want to be one.
She urged Sammy Gyamfi and his cohorts of politicians to stay in their arena and leave them alone, saying “be more responsible in your statement, do not ever forget you are a lawyer for convenience seek. No lawyer does what you are doing to the bench.”
Sammy Gyamfi responded that he has not attacked any judge to warrant the observation of the court.

Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong attempted to intervene in the back and forth argument between the judge and Sammy Gyamfi, but ended up telling Justice Asare-Botwe that it was her court.
The court further stated that the NDC, Attorney-General’s Department and the government, which Mr Dame represents, all erred with the issue of statements on a matter before the court.

Editorial: Western Regional House Of Chiefs Should Sustain The Current Peace

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THE CHRONICLE
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Editorial

In our yesterday’s edition, we reported that paramount chiefs who constitute the Western Regional House of Chiefs (WRHC) have decided to smoke the peace pipe to bring to an end, the three and half years of protracted dispute that has plagued the House. The development has led to the appointment of President and his Vice, albeit in acting positions to steer affairs of the House.

Awulae Amihere Kpanyile III, Omanhene of Eastern Nzema is now the Acting President and Awulae Angamatuo Gyan II, Omanhene of Gwira is the acting vice president. Nana Kwesi Agyemang, Omanhene of Lower Dixcove, Obrempon Hima Dekyi, Omanhene of Upper Dixcove and Tetretteh Okuamoah Sekyim, Omanhene of Wassa Akropong and the acting president, are representing the House at the National House of chiefs (NHC).

The chiefs reached the agreement at a meeting reportedly attended by the regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko Mensah and his Chief Director, Fred Agyemang. The decision to choose the acting President and Vice, according to the story, was to satisfy both camps in the House.

The Chronicle is aware that following the controversy over the disputed election of the President and his Vice in October 2020, the House has been divided along two camps. We, therefore, applaud the decision to appoint both the president and his vice from both factions.

We are also aware that following a series of court and counter court actions over the 2020 disputed elections, the House has failed to sit and deliberate on issues of interest and development.

We are being told for instance that there are backlog of chieftaincy cases that have not been settled because the judicial committee is unable to sit due to the dispute over who should be president of the house. The House has, apart from representation at the National House of Chiefs, also failed to nominate a representative to both Police and the Prison Councils as mandated by law.

These are the major challenges thwarting effective administration of justice in the region. It is upon the basis of this that The Chronicle is happy that at least, the first step had been taken to resolve all the misunderstandings in the house.

It is the hope of The Chronicle that the peace initiative will be sustained and not discarded at the last hour. We are saying this because somewhere last year, the chief Executive Officer of LABIANCA, Nana Akwanzi Abroba, who is a chief, brokered a similar peace deal amongst the warring factions, but the combatants later discarded it, which further divided the House.

We also remember how the former Chieftaincy Minister, Ebenezer Kojo Kum, came up with a roadmap to end the dispute, but that also did not work. We do not, however, want to sound pessimistic, but hopeful that a lasting peace has, indeed, come to the House.

GAMA is committed to plight of menstruating girl child -Project Coordinator 

By
ERNEST BEST ANANE
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Ing. George Asiedu Coordinator of GAMA

Engineer George Asiedu, the Coordinator of Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA) Sanitation Project, has expressed the commitment of the project to the plight of the Menstruating Girl Child.

Dignitaries at the ceremony

According to him, the sanitation, water, hygiene and capacity building components of the project are mostly designed for people living in low-income communities and households to address the needs of the weak in society.

Speaking at the commemoration of 2024 Menstrual Hygiene Day celebration at the Garden City Special School in the Asokore Mampong Municipality, in the Ashanti region, Ing. Asiedu stated that they usually look beyond income levels and consider differently abled persons, especially in their construction designs.

He disclosed that, over the past seven years, the GAMA Sanitation and Water Project, which is strongly supported by the World Bank has provided 598 modern toilets in schools in the Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions to demonstrate its commitment to the plight of the menstruating girl child.

He stressed the fact that it is compulsory to designate a special changing room for them to safely manage their period with privacy and in dignity while every school toilet provided by the project has special chambers and access paths for people who are less able to walk.

The GAMA Sanitation and Water Project believes that every female person is bound to menstruate every month for close to 40 years of their life and that, menstruation, when properly managed, does not have to limit any girl or any woman or any differently abled female, from making a meaningful contribution to society and humanity as a whole.

Teachers and students at the occasion

Ing. Asiedu observed that, in that regard, through their capacity building team, they have been working with experts to train many Municipal Assembly and other professionals on how best to reach out to menstruating girls with every possible support through awareness creation, skills development and direct provision of menstrual hygiene materials to girls.

He said over the past two years, the project has facilitated the production and distribution of menstrual awareness materials for girls, including those who are visually impaired and also working with other stakeholders to set up a Pad Bank, where philanthropists and institutions can voluntarily donate pads to support children whose parents are unable to provide them with enough menstrual pads during their period.

Dr. Josephine Kyei, Senior Lecturer, School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Ghana, as the Guest speaker, stated that individuals who are differently abled face challenges when it comes to menstrual hygiene.

She urged the general public, especially men, parents and teachers to understand the challenges of the girl child by providing support in infrastructure and accessibilities in schools, workplace and wherever they find themselves.

According to her, there is the need to continue with education and awareness and advocate for policies that mandate inclusive and accessible menstrual health facilities.

She also advocated for government bodies, Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and Community Organisations to work together to create guidelines and frameworks that would support the course.

Obuasi observes World Menstrual Hygiene Day with a grand durbar

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Stakeholders with information manuals and learning materials on menstrual health after the launch.

A grand durbar to commemorate World Menstrual Hygiene Day has been held at the Independence School Park at Brahabebome, in the Obuasi East District of Ashanti region.

In attendance were final year students from all the Junior High Schools in the district, female students from Christ the King SHS and Queen mothers, among other Women Groups.

Mrs. Nana Yaa Kyei with some of the girls displaying their sanitary pads

Speaking on behalf of the Community Relations Manager of AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine, Mrs. Mavis Nana Yaa Kyei, Social Development and Gender Superintendent of the company noted that although menstrual hygiene campaigns have made significant progress over the years, there are still many more women and girls facing several difficulties in managing their periods because they lack access to menstrual products and adequate facilities for menstrual health.

She thanked GIZ, the Ghana Health Service, Nananom and other partners for supporting AngloGold for the last three years in celebrating the day.

“Let us pledge to continue these efforts and work together towards creating a world where menstruation is not a barrier to education, health or dignity.

“Let us educate, empower and advocate for menstrual hygiene rights for all individuals so that every person can fully participate in society without fear or shame,” she added.

A Senior Medical Officer at the AGA Health Foundation, Dr. Bernadette Osei Kuffour, on her part, took the girls through menstrual cycle education.

She encouraged them to constantly contact the Girl Child Cordinators in their various schools for advice and counselling on their menstrual issues.

The Ashanti Regional Girl Child Coordinator, Madam Hanna Amponsah, said her outfit was going to embark on series of sensitisation programmes in all the schools, starting from the SHS to the basic level for the girls to know that menstrual hygiene is not only the distribution of sanitary pads but involves education and sensitisation.

The Obuasi East District Director of Education, Mr. Kwabena Owusu Nketiah, said menstruation is a normal thing that happens in the life of any girl as she attains maturity in life and charged student girls not to use menstruation as an excuse to stay away from classes.

The highlight of the Programme was the distribution of sanitary pads to all the girls invited to the occasion and the launch of Information and Learning Material on Menstrual Health and Hygiene.

From Frederick Danso Abeam, Obuasi

Chief Justice summons judges over conflicting orders on Kano Emirate tussle

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admin
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Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola

Amid the Emirate tussle in Kano State, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, has summoned the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, and the Chief Judge of Kano State High Court over conflicting interim injunctions.

Justice S.A. Amobeda of the Federal High Court in Kano had issued an order to evict the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II from the Kofar Kudu Palace.

The order had enforced the authority of the 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero. “An order of interim injunction restraining the respondents from inviting, arresting, detaining, threatening, intimidating, harassing the Applicant, or infringing on his rights is hereby granted.

“This order ensures that Emir Aminu Bayero enjoys all rights and privileges accrued to him by virtue of his position,” the judge ruled.

On the other hand, Justice Amina Adamu Aliyu of the Kano State High Court issued an injunction that protected Sanusi from being evicted from the palace.

Justice Aliyu also restrained security agencies from harassing Sanusi and others.

The order prevents any interference with the Emir’s autonomy and the seizure of key symbols of his authority, such as the twin spear, the Royal Hat of Dabo, and the Ostrich-feathered shoes.

Justice Aliyu emphasised, “An order of interim injunction is granted restraining the Respondents from harassing or intimidating the Applicants or confiscating any symbols of the Emir’s authority.

“The respondents are ordered to maintain the status quo pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.”

The conflicting orders have led to confusion regarding the rightful authority and protection of the emirs in Kano.

The State High Court case is set for further hearing on June 13, while the Federal High Court has adjourned its case to June 4.

Credit: dailypost.ng

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