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Parliament fights for compensation for Ashaiman victims

By
AGNES ANSAH
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Following injuries suffered as a result of brutalities from the military, the Committee on Defence and Interior of Parliament has assured victims of Ashaiman that there will be some sort of compensation for them.

Speaking to residents yesterday when the Committee, together with Minister for Defense, Mr Dominic Nitiwul and the MP for the area, Mr Ernest Norgbey paid a visit to the community, Chairman of the Committee, Mr Kennedy Ohene Agyapong said they would not make phantom promises but would ensure that the recommendations that will be made to the government will put smiles on the faces of the victims.

“…We will go through the document that has been given to us, we will come out with recommendations. The onus is not on us to say that you should be compensated, but when we go through the document we will make recommendations to government.

“I will not stand before you and say you should be given some compensation, but what I want to assure you is that definitely our recommendations will make you smile. That is the assurance I want to give you,” Mr Ohene Agyapong said.

The Assin Central Legislator noted yesterday that the military indeed went overboard with their actions but was quick to add that the family of the slain soldier are also in pain, so he would not want to point fingers or blame any of the parties involved in the incident.

He, however, sympathised with the residents and pleaded with them not to take the law into their own hands but allow the law to work.

“I didn’t want to say anything but I am tempted to say something about the military. I think they went overboard; they went overboard but I will not condemn everything the military did, because the deceased’s family are also mourning their death.

“I cannot stand before you and point fingers at anybody. If I do that, I am not going to be a good leader, I will inflame passion.”

The Ranking Member of the Committee, Mr James Agalga, who also sympathised with the residents, said the committee will evaluate the evidence and make some recommendations.

He was hopeful that the executive branch of government will work hand in hand with them to ensure that justice is done to ensure that the victims are catered for.

He called for calm and asked the people of Ashaiman to have confidence in state institutions.

He trumpeted that both parties need each other so there is the need to ensure peaceful co-existence.

The Minister for Defense, Mr Dominic Nitiwul, on his part was worried about the clash between the parties.

According to him, this is not the first time residents of Ashaiman have had issues with the military and indicated there is a fundamental problem that needs to be resolves.

Mr Nitiwul said it was necessary for the two parties to resolve their differences and they must learn to live together.

The Minister noted yesterday that contrary to what is happening in Ghana, the military’s best friends are the communities where they stay and that criminals stay away from such communities because of the presence of the military.

“And for the military to have issues with the people of Ashaiman or anyother person, we will look into it to ensure that things are dealt with properly”.

Mr Nitiwul also pointed out that the people of Ashaiman can benefit from the presence of the military in their community in the form of recruitment, protection and good roads and friendship and hence, called on them to find a way to resolve their differences.

“All of us here should find a way of protecting each other. It does not matter whether you are a soldier, police or civilian, we should find a way of protecting each other,” he said.

He also called on the chairman of the Committee to come up with recommendations to ensure that the two parties can find a way of living together.

 

Court slaps man, 25, with GH¢300,000 bail

By
BERNICE BESSEY
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Court

A 25-year-old man and sachet water supplier, Michael Azu, has been slapped with a bail sum of GH¢300,000.00 for allegedly defrauding a close friend off the sum of GH¢250,000.00.

Azu allegedly obtained the money with a promise that he could give his friend, Kwadwo Tetteh, a Kia Rino truck at a time he knew the statement was false.

Azu was, therefore, charged with the offence, defrauding by false pretences, but pleaded not guilty when brought before an Accra Circuit Court, presided over by Samuel Bright Acquah.

The brief facts of the case, as presented by the prosecuting officer, Superintendent Augustine Yirenkyi, are that the complainant is a trader and lives at Old Fadama in Accra, while the accused person is also a trader and resident of Odumase Krobo.

He said both parties knew themselves as they supply sachets water in large quantities to their respective customers.

Nevertheless, the prosecutor said, during the month of September 2020, Azu approached the complainant at his work place at Konkomba Market and collected cash of GH¢250,000.00, under the pretence that his brothers living abroad had shipped a Kia Rino trucks to him to be cleared at the Tema Harbor, but could not afford the duty.

The prosecutor further added that the accused allegedly lured the complainant to believe that if given the amount to clear the vehicles, he would give him one to use to supply his sachet water.

He said the complainant also believed him and made payment to that effect.

Unfortunately, the accused, after taking the money, went into hidden, so the complainant reported the matter to the police and the accused was arrested.

After investigations, he was charged with the offence before the honourable court.

 

Fuel filing station Manager in court over landguards charge

By
BERNICE BESSEY
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Court

Ebenezer Sowah, Manager of a fuel filing station, has been accused of engaging the services of landguard to encroach on land allegedly belonging to a pensioner, Rosemary Cudjoe.

Sowah was arraigned before an Accra Circuit Court, presided over by Samuel Bright Acquah, yesterday, on charges of conspiracy to commit a crime, prohibition of land guard activities, and attempt to commit crime.

He was put before the court together with the fourth accused (A4) in the case, Henry Owusu Atta, a taxi driver and electrician, for unlawful entry.

Both accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges, and have been granted bail in the sum of GH¢50,000.00 and one surety each. They were further ordered by the court to report to the police once a week, and make sure they stayed at least 200 metres away from the disputed land.

There were two other persons – Patrick Borquaye Nii Amassah (A2), banker, and Jeremiah Nii Ashale Brown (A3) – involved in the case.

Mr. Acquah was told that while A2 was at large, Paul Kumi, counsel for A3, submitted a medical report to the court with the claim that his client was on medical admission.

The court has, therefore, adjourned the plea of Jeremiah Nii Ashale Brown to be taken on April 6.

Brief facts:

The case, according to the prosecuting officer, Chief Inspector Isaac Anquandah, the complainant is Rosemary Cudjoe, a pensioner and a resident of North Kaneshie.

The accused persons, Ebenezer Sowah, Patrick Borquaye Nii Amassah, Jeremiah Nii Ashale Brown and Henry Owusu Atta, are businessmen, banker and electrician respectively.

He informed the court that in the year 1998, the complainant, Rosemary Cudjoe, acquired a parcel of land at Baatsona-Spintex from the Nii Amasah Nii-Whano Family of Nungua.

The complainant fenced the land and put up a four-bedroom uncompleted house on it and placed Adams Agbemasu as a caretaker on the land.

However, sometime on June 1st and 2nd, 2022, the accused persons, who claimed to be the grandsons of complainant’s grantor, went to the land to prevent the complainant’s workmen from further development of the land.

The complainant, therefore, petitioned the Director-General of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, and Ebenezer and Patrick were invited, but failed to honour the police invitation.

Later, within the same month, Ebenezer and Patrick led thugs dressed in military uniform with masks on their faces to threaten the occupants on the land, who are living in wooden structures, to vacate the land within two weeks or risk losing their lives.

Later in October, 2022, Ebenezer and Patrick engaged the services of Jeremiah and others who went to the land to threatened and harassed the occupants, and caused damage to part of the complainant’s fence wall and the caretakers wooden structures, and warned them to vacate the land or be killed the next time they visited the land.

On March 10, 2023, Ebenezer and Patrick allegedly engaged the services of four men, who went to the land to remove one of the gates and took it away after seizing the cell phone of Winifred Arthur, a neighbour who took a video of the incident, and deleted the video from her phone.

Furthermore, on March 14, 2023, around 6.00am, Ebenezer called Henry Owusu Atta on phone and directed him to the complainant’s fenced land to disconnect the squatters’ source of electricity from the main grid at a fee of GH¢150.00 in order to render their stay on the land difficult, but he was arrested.

On the same day, March 14, Ebenezer and Jeremiah were arrested and cautioned.

The court was told that Patrick was at large and that efforts were underway to get him arrested.

Editorial: KMA must be serious about sanitation in Kumasi

By
THE CHRONICLE
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Editorial

On Tuesday, this week, we carried a story with the headline “Kumasi continues to reel under growing filth,” which, once again, exposed the poor sanitation situation in the Ashanti Regional capital.

Our report stated that in the last one month, The Chronicle had observed mountains of garbage at various locations of the Central Business District (CBD), including the median of roads.

Indeed, sanitation challenges at the CBD in Kumasi and some business districts in the entire country may not be news, as several publications have been made on same.

Whilst monitoring the sanitation situation in the CDB in Kumasi, The Chronicle has also observed the congestion in the city center, which, we believe, is contributing to the menace. It is our view that the city authorities appear overwhelmed by the number of traders and those who patronise the CBD.

At the beginning of this year, the Kumasi Traditional Council, under the leadership of Baffour Owusu Amankwatia VI, who doubles as the Warlord of the Asantehene, warned that if the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) failed to decongest and clean Kumasi, the traditional leaders would take up the charge and clean the Metropolis.

The traditional leader sought to challenge the KMA and the Ashanti Regional Co-ordinating Council about the inability to stamp their authority and rid Kumasi off unauthorised structures and filth.

Indeed, about three months into the said directive, it is unfortunate to state that sanitation in Kumasi continues to get worse by the day. Kumasi has, undoubtedly, grown in leaps and bounds, with a corresponding upsurge in garbage production.

The question is whether the KMA has run short of waste collectors or does not have the financial strength to pay their staff. One may ask what they use they tolls/taxes they collect on a daily basis for?

It further begs the question about who monitors the sanitation situation in the CBD, especially during weekends. Who monitors and punishes those who litter the CBD? Why has the monthly clean-up exercise in Kumasi ceased?

It is mindboggling, for want of a better expression, to see marketplaces and some key areas across the country engulfed in filth.

The Chronicle believes the Ashanti Regional Co-ordinating Council must offer leadership and, together with the KMA, help to nip this canker in the bud before danger strikes.

 

Comptroller-General of immigration tours Volta Region

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admin
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The CGI and his entourage inspects the illegal route at Pentecost Down, Nyive (between Ghana and Togo) during his tour of the Volta Region
The CGI, Lawyer Kwame Asuah Takyi flanked by personnel of GIS and CEPS during his Volta Region tour after a durbar at Wli Afegame

The Comptroller-General of Immigration (CGI), Mr Kwame Asuah Takyi (Esq), has paid a two-day working visit to the various Sectors, Border Crossing Points and Administrative areas of the Ghana Immigration Service in the Volta Region.

The tour took him to the Nyive Sector Command and the adjoining border posts, such as the Shia Border, Atukpui Border, Pentecost-Down border and the Klave inland checkpoint.

He also visited Wli-Afegame, Kame-Tonu border, Hohoe Sector Command, the Mountain Afadjato tourism site (Twin Mountains) and the Baglo Border Post (Oti Region).

The CGI toured the region as part of activities lined up after attending the 66th Independence Day Anniversary.

Mr Takyi’s visit was intended to familiarise himself with the conditions under which his men work and interact with them.

A durbar was held with Officers at each of the places the CGI visited, where he emphasised the need for Officers to be disciplined, work hard and closely collaborate with other security services to efficiently maintain security at the borders.

He assured them that his administration is doing all it could to ensure that pertinent logistical challenges are resolved.

He also mentioned a new distribution template that has been adopted by the Service in sharing uniforms, especially the camouflage ones. He was quick to add that Officers at the various entry and exit points will be considered first before all others.

The CGI highly commended the personnel for their relentless efforts in protecting the borders, despite the deplorable conditions they face.

Also speaking at a durbar, the Deputy Comptroller-General, Operations and Command Post, (DCG/OPS) Mr. Laud Affrifah, urged personnel of the Service not to abuse the privileges and opportunities they have but rather conduct themselves creditably in order not to bring the hard-earned reputation of the Service into disrepute.

This caution was premised by the recent trending videos of some personnel of the Service, which he said contravenes the Code of Ethics of the Service.

‘Disciplinary action would be taken against anyone found culpable of such act to serve as a deterrent,’ he stressed.

On that score, the DCG/OPS informed Officers that administrative sanctions have been taken against an Officer for wearing Service uniform on social media in a way that negatively impacted on the image of the Service.

Officers and men in the various commands visited could not hide their joy seeing the CGI and having personal interaction with him for the first time.

On his way to Accra, the CGI and his entourage made a brief stop at Asikuma Check Point and the Asuogaman District Office of the Service to interact with the Officers.

With him on the tour were the Regional Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Immigration (DCOI) Michael Kwadade, the Chief Staff Officer (CSO), Assistant Commissioner of Immigration (ACI) Lawrence Agyei Agyapong and the Officer in charge of Protocol, Deputy Superintendent Barbara Sam.

Former MD of Volta Lake Transport wants gov’t to yank off the social services

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admin
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Managing Director of VLTC, Rose Appiah Okyere and Former Managing Director of the Volta Lake Transport Company Limited, Martin Hiles
Cargo being transported to the North (Buipe) via the Volta Lake

A former Managing Director of the Volta Lake Transport Company Limited, Martin Hiles says for the company to be economically viable, government may have to de-couple the North-South profit making cargo transportation service from the cross-lake ferry social service.

According to Mr. Hiles, the concept of marrying both services under one company is wrong, making it difficult for management to market the company to potential investors and clients.

“Basically the cross-lake ferry services lose money and the north-bound cargo services make money when they are running regularly. When you merge two companies and one is losing money while one is making a bit of money, the end result is disaster,” the former MD asserted at the ‘Eye on Port’ program recently.

He lamented that a 5-million-dollar government subsidy to be allotted to VLTC yearly for the management of the cross-lake ferry service during the President Atta-Mills era, never saw the light of day.

“I became MD in the first month of 2011. I rattled the cages of various bodies but the money has not come to this day – that money would have made a dramatic difference. It will not allow the cross lake ferry services drain the North-South cargo service,” he added.

Martin Hiles also said someone in government needs to be put in charge of promoting the use of the “marvelous asset” called the Volta Lake.

He said currently the Volta Lake and its operators come under the Ministry of Energy, whilst issues of transport should come under the Ministry of Transport.

According to him, “the two sides do not talk to each other and it needs someone more senior to pull the strings together.”

He revealed that as far as he knows, on 5 different occasions foreign investors have tried to recapitalise the company but they are all interested in the same thing, for the separation of the cross-lake ferry services from north-south cargo services.

In addition to that, 13 different studies have been conducted on how to use the Volta Lake, all pointing to enormous social and transportation benefits.

The Former Boss of VLTC said the cross-lake ferry services should remain a social service due to its relevance to the inhabitants of the area, but government should subsidise it.

He empathised with the current management of the company, who according to him have come to inherit many years of a lack of vision from governments.

Martin Hiles explained that the vision for the Volta Lake to serve as a vibrant transport corridor has not been achieved despite having “its moments”.

He argued that the Lake’s use for transportation could be as important as its use for electricity and should be treated as such, because over the years the cost of transportation has been the major factor for the rising cost of food in the south. He insinuated that with the help of transportation, via the Lake, food from the north would not cost as much in the south.

Meanwhile, the Volta Lake Transport Company Limited (VLTC) has called on businesses in Ghana to take advantage and cart bulk quantities of their cargoes across the Volta Lake because it is safer and cost-efficient to do so, compared to road transport.

Speaking on the same programme on maximising the benefits of Inland Water Transport, the Managing Director of VLTC, Rose Appiah Okyere, said the company has the full complement of equipment and human resource to support the logistics needs of companies who want to convey goods between the Southern and Northern parts of Ghana.

The company has at its disposal 3 barges of 2,250 ton-capacity dedicated to shipping of solid bulk cargo and 6 barges with a total capacity of 4,676 tons.

Mrs. Okyere said “we have the capacity. We have two tug boats which ply the North-South commercial route and one tug boat per voyage could pull 9 barges at a go which is equivalent to 100 Bulk Road Vehicles (BRVs) of about 54,000 litres of liquid cargo capacity and 48 trucks of 1000 bags of cement capacity.

“It is 40% cheaper than by road. Per one voyage about 140 trucks will be moved from the road, meaning in a year over 2000 trucks will be moved off our roads and that will free our roads and help us conserve them and reduce the amounts of money we use to rehabilitate these roads, as a nation,” she continued.

She also urged government to look into the possibility of influencing cargo volumes through the lake.

“I believe there is a policy to direct some 30-40% of cargo earmarked for the north should be channeled through the lake.”

The VLTC Boss said the company’s North Bound Commercial Line from Akosombo to Buipe is capable of recording 150,000 to 160,000 tons per year, yet they are turning around only 26% of the total annual capacity.

As a result, the VLTC Boss disclosed that the company seeks to embark on a vigorous marketing strategy to increase awareness and patronage of the once-vibrant company.

She said the company, established in 1970 by the state, following the construction of the Hydroelectric Dam in Akosombo, has been experiencing diminishing levels of cargo volumes, attributing this to the seeming preference of local companies to transport by road.

Mrs. Okyere disclosed that in its solid bulk category of goods, VTLC only operates shipping for GHACEM currently and in its liquid bulk category transports for the Bulk Storage and Transportation Company (BOST).

Hence, she called on Ghanaians to tap into the advantages of inland water transport present.

She explained that by its commercial line significantly boosted by increased patronage, the company will be able to recapitalize, as well as find enough funds to subsidise its ferry operations.

NPP Grassroots Delegates caution MPs against breaking up the party

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admin
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Frederick Owusu a.k.a Ortega, flanked by other members at the press conference
A section of the polling station executives

The members of a group calling itself the Ashanti Region New Patriotic Party (NPP) Grassroots Delegates Platform are blaming their Members of Parliament (MPs) who have grossly “betrayed the mandate of the grassroots” and are, therefore, cautioning them to desist from actions that would “not break the party before we all break the ‘8’.”

The group, which comprises the polling station executives of the party in the region, “observed that some MPs holding juicy appointments and contracts in this current administration have been moving from funeral to funeral and granting media interviews endorsing Dr. Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia, as well as forcing down the throats of NPP polling station executives to accept him” as the flagbearer and the 2024 presidential candidate of the party.

Addressing a press conference at Bantama in Kumasi yesterday, Mr. Frederick Owusu, popularly called Ortega, the Convener who is also the Bantama Polling Stations Chairman, maintained that those MPs championing the cause of Dr. Bawumia are doing so for their “selfish gains, and are not the mouthpiece of the suffering polling stations executives of the party.”

“We want to state it unequivocally without any shred of doubt, that we, the grassroots delegates, stand united behind a presidential candidate who would be accepted by the people of Ghana. An ideal presidential candidate, who has [a] message of hope for the teeming unemployed youth, and the good people of Ghana.”

Ortega, who is also a former Communication Officer of the Bantama Constituency, said they were fully aware of an external cabal with tacit support from some greedy appointees in the government to thwart the larger collective interest of the grassroots members of the party.

He explained that all the aspirants for the position are committed and experienced members of the party, and deserve to become a flagbearer, but it was wrong for the MPs and some leading members of the party to force down the throat any aspirant on the polling station executives.

He said what the grassroots demand and required of their leaders was proper development, and to relook at the welfare issues at the grassroots, and not championing the selfish agenda of a particular individual in the party.

The Grassroots Delegates Platform, therefore, has warned that any “Member of Parliament who does not stay neutral in this presidential primary is at the greater risk of losing his seat during the parliamentary primaries,” and called on the leadership of the party “to stand firm and defend the suffering grassroots members.”

From Thomas Agbenyegah Adzey, Kumasi

Bono minister urges PURC to institute policies to enhance transparency

By
FRANCIS OWUSU-ANSAH
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Madam Justina Owusu Banahene, Bono regional minister addressing participants at the PURC clinic

The Bono Regional Minister, Madam Justina Owusu-Banahene, has urged the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) to introduce transformative policies and programmes to enhance transparency and accountability. That, she said, will drive the improvement of the work of the PURC.

She said it would also enable the Commission to gain the confidence of service providers and consumers alike, saying ”as customers are paying their bills on time and the service providers are also ensuring the best of services, most of these unnecessary conflicts would be drastically reduced to the barest minimum for a peaceful co-existence among the institutions and the individuals.”

Madam Owusu-Banahene was speaking at the maiden edition of the Consumer Service Clinic (CSC) programme, organised by the Bono, Bono East and Ahafo regional office of the PURC in Sunyani.

The clinic was attended by hundreds of participants that comprised staff of Northern Electricity Distribution Company, Ghana Water Company Limited, corporate institutions, individuals and staff of PURC, drawn from the three regions.

Madam Owusu-Banahene emphasised that PURC serves as the mediator between consumers and the utility service providers and thus always subjected to constant criticism by the public.

“But it is through such constructive criticisms and right suggestions that would enable the Commission to deliver on its mandate”, she said.

Madam Owusu-Banahene said “water and electricity are critical commodities for domestic and industrial purposes and for the well-being of humanity”.

She added that, “those essential utilities also contributed immensely to the socio-economic development of the country, hence the need for high-quality standards to sustain continuous quality service delivery”.

Madam Owusu-Banahene, therefore, encouraged individuals and all sector players and interest groups, including the academia, trade unions and policy think tanks to continue to participate in the work of PURC for the benefit of the citizenry.

The Executive Secretary of PURC, Dr. Ishmeal Ackah, explained that the CSC aims at providing a platform for utilities to educate consumers on their operations and challenges hindering their service delivery for efficient service delivery.

He added that it also serves as an avenue to set up a desk to address complaints and challenges affecting consumers, saying the clinic would enable the PURC to explain to the public that their roles and responsibilities and the need for citizens to continually engage them and their services.

Mr. Kassim Abdul Karim, an Assembly member from Techiman and a participant, appealed to the PURC to make such programmes regular for the benefit of the public.

Letter to Senior Opupulepu (223) “I Reject It In Yahweh’s Son’s Name…Amen!”

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admin
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Opinion

Dear Senior Opupulepu,

How are you do? I hope you are do fine, fine, just as me and all of mine are all do fine.

Senior, are you remember skuul speech and prize-giving days? Those were special days when the skuul authorities separate the sheep from the goat.

Senior, those who are bedfellows with books and are the sheep, and are made to stand up and stand out among their peers and counted as the best among equals. By mention of their name, they will rise and walk to receive books like My First Copy Book; The Easiest Way To Learn ABC; How To Say ABC Backwards;How To Pronounce 1,2,3 Properly; How To Boil Water Without Burning The Under Of The Pot among many others.

Senior, among the others who are the goats, most are very allergic tobooks and so are book-short, are also seated. All they do is to applaud as the sheep go to receive their prizes. Unfortunately, they do not receive any prize for clapping.

Senior, some of the goats decided to prefer jumping like frogs, running like bailar,(field mice) being chased by kobolor boys, and doing all those useless things called sports.

Senior, these goats are woken up from bed at 3 a.m. and made to implement the feat of Philippides and run all around the hamlet covering a distance of more than from here to Alata village and back.

Senior, during their joggling they will sing GAP Band’s hit song, Early In The Morning, sideways. They will go like this, “Oh, what a life…. So, I get up, get up early in the morning, in the morning, running round the neighbourhood… And I get up, get up early in the morning, in the morning, at the break of dawn, some fool thinks he is doing me good!”

Senior, among these goats are special goats and these special goats also receive books as gifts and prizes during the speech and prize-giving day. Books like, How To Run Ahead Of The Wind; Making The Wind Chase You; Gutter-to-Gutter Made Easy; Breathing In And Breathing Out Without Tearsamong many others are given out.

Senior, when these goats collect the book prizes, they grab them with all their might, as if someone want to thief them. Then, they pose for the cameras and hold the books just as the academically brilliant hold books.

Senior, many years on, they will show these pictures to their children and children’s children and advise them to study hard to win prizes just as they did when they were in skuul. They were very brilliant during their skuul days, and know book well, well, like how they know the back of their palm.

Senior, their children will then struggle and struggle and try to make friends with books, but since their genes are allergic to books as the genes of their fathers are, no matter how hard they try, the social distance between them and knowledge would remain forever the same.

Senior, it is this speech and prize giving day that the most illustrious omanhene of Ogyakrom, Nana Kung-Fu, transformed into prize awards for villagers who stand up and stand out among all others for doing this or that very well.

Senior, there was prize awards for those who can snore non-stop without break, those who can snore melodically as if they are playing Presby hymns and those who can sleep with one eye open. Also, there are prizes for those who can chew food with both sides of their jaws, at once.

Senior, this has become the tradition and culture of Ogyakrom to this very day and so it was not surprising when our Omanhene, the Great Leopard, Nana Onsurowuo Owuobia ye owuo, decided to award deserving villagers with prizes.

Senior, when the list came out, two villagers from the Umbrella clans were counted in the number when the saints went marching in. The names of the selected sheep run out loud and people heard with shock, joy and merry-making.

Senior, it went like this, Do-U-C Mamajulor (Present Sir), Nyogbor Teley (present), Babaliba Soldier (present) Anas Amen Yaw (present); Hong Kong Fuii (can’t respond); Veronica Agatha Toffee (present sir); Gloria Hosanna Akuf (forever present sir); Martha Rita Blue (can’t respond, sir) and Veronica Bucket Come Fight (present sir), among others.

Senior, the list dropped out Hong Kong Fuii and Martha Rita Blue because they refused to respond to the call.

Senior, all of Ogyakrom was shocked and surprised and wanted to find out why they rejected this honour the village had done them.

Senior, they cleared their throats and said, “Ladies, Gentlemen and Others, Good day to some of you. We, who have decided to reject the awards in Yahweh’s Son’s Name, did so because as good followers of Yahweh, we do not want to yoke with unbelievers. As you know, we are allergic to anything Elephant and we realized that all the awards were made of Elephant skins. So, we reject them.”

Senior, they continued and said that members of Elephant clan are well known crooks, scammers, tricksters and what have you. “If we collect an award made of Elephant skin, the Elephant clan people can come and accuse us for killing an Elephant. We don’t want, Asem!”

Senior, I am Dan, sorry I am done.

It’s me.

Why many Reps lost re-election bid –Gbajabiamila

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Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has said several members of the 9th House lost elections in their constituencies because the voters focused more on religion and ethnicity instead of the performance of the lawmakers.

Mr Gbajabiamila stated this on Tuesday while speaking with members of the House of Representatives Press Corps at the National Assembly Complex.

He said the voters did not consider the performance of the lawmakers either on the floor of the House or in their constituencies.

The Speaker, who won his re-election in Surulere 1 federal constituency of Lagos State on 25 February, said he was just lucky to win the election because “this election was not as it should be.”

He added, “It was a hard-won battle not just for me but for many of our colleagues on the floor (of the House) there…all 360 of us. Many were unlucky. Some were lucky. I used the word ‘lucky’ deliberately because this election was not as it should be; not so much about the performance of members whether on the floor or in their constituencies.

“It was about a lot of other things. It was about religion. It was about ethnicity. It was about so many other things which I hope that as we develop as a nation, one’s election would be based solely, or at least mostly, on his or her performance on the floor and in the constituency,” he said.

Mr Gbajabiamila also blamed the poor outing of the lawmakers on the indirect primaries in the Electoral Act.

The speaker stated that direct primaries would have addressed a merit-based electoral process. He said the National Assembly must work to perfect the Electoral Act in order to improve the electoral process.

“That is why I fought tooth and nail to make sure the Electoral Act adopted strictly the direct mode for primaries because of elections.”

Credit: premiumtimesng.com

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