Some beneficiaries and officials at the distribution ceremony
Improved goat species have been distributed to farmers
As part of the government flagship programs to improve the livelihood, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture under the leadership of the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has distributed six hundred goats to some selected districts under the Savannah Investment Program (SIP).
In line with this, the Kintampo municipality has taken delivery of improved breeds of goats.
The Savannah Investment Program (SIP) is a profitable agriculture value chain which seeks to improve the livelihood of Ghanaians and farmers in the country.
Mr. Felix N. Darimaani, the National Project Coordinator explained that over six hundred goats were bought and about 25 farmers are expected to benefit, adding that each farmer shall take delivery of about 25 goats in the first consignment.
He added that beneficiary farmers will be expected to pay back 50 goats in two years which will be given to other farmers to breed to sustain the cycle.
The Kintampo Municipal Coordinating Director, NaaThadiuosZaasan expressed his gratitude to the government for the support to farmers in the municipality. He charged beneficiaries to take care of the animals’ instead of letting them move around in town.
On his part, Mr. Robert Asare, animal health specialist, underscored the significance of the project, adding that the initiative will help sustain the country’s livestock.
He added that the main objective is to reduce and improve export of meat to create livelihood for women households and to eliminate poverty.
Madam Akua Comfort, a beneficiary, who spoke in an interview, expressed her gratitude to the government for the initiative. She promised to take care of the goats in two years’ time and the proceeds will multiply as expected.
Numo Abbey IV, Stool Father of the Prampram Traditional Area
A copy of the petition to the police requesting protection
The kingmakers of the Prampram Traditional Area in the Greater Accra Region say had the police administration heeded their request for protection for their family heads, they would not be mourning the gruesome murder of a family head at a shrine in Prampram.
Led by Numo Osabu Abbey IV, Stool Father of the Prampram Traditional Area, the heads of the various royal families, last month, petitioned the Tema Regional, Greater Accra Regional and the National Headquarters of the Police Administration to provide protection for them, following a series of threats on their lives by persons suspected to be in the camp of the other feuding factions in the protracted chieftaincy disputes of the area.
None of the recipients acted on the addressee’s request and Numo Abbey IV told The Chronicle that the murder of Nene Ayeh Otusei Kro II, head of the Kley Tsokunya Clan, on October 26, 2021, by gunmen, while having a dawn meeting with some kingmakers, vindicated their position that they were living under obvious threats.
“Last week’s killing confirms our fear of the hatched plot by one Michael Quarcoopome Parker, who has been at crossroads with the kingmakers over who becomes the Chief of Prampram. We mentioned all these numerous threats on us, and expressed our concerns in our letter to the police, but, it is sad they failed to act.
“The arrest of Nasser Abbey Osabutey and Kingsley Nortey, who are known allies of Michael Quarcoopome Parker, in connection to the murder of the family head, vindicates our claims of the threat these people posed to the Prampram township. We mentioned them in our letter to the police, and the police can refer to our petition to them. We told them so, but the security protection never came,” Numo Abbey IV explained.
That notwithstanding, Numo Osabu Abbey IV pleaded with the police to be on the heels of one of the runaway suspects, whose name he gave as Richard Doku.
Richard Doku, the Stool Father said, brandished weapons on one of the family heads before the murder at the shrine last week.
“I want the IGP to investigate some past statements made by Nasser Abbey Osabutey and Michael Quarcoopome Parker, who parades himself as Nene Tetteh Wakah II, threatening bloodshed if the kingmakers foiled his plans of becoming the chief of Prampram,” Numo Abbey said.
Flashback
The Prampram Divisional Police picked two persons to assist in investigating the gunning down of Nene Aryeh Otusekrom at the Lalue Shrine at Prampram in the wee hours of Tuesday, October 26, this year.
The incident left Tawiah Nyumu and Nene Tettey Kwadzo, who were with the deceased at the shrine, in critical condition, as they sustained gunshot wounds, Chief Inspector Stella Dede Dzakpasu, the acting Public Relations Officer (PRO) for the Tema Regional Police Command, said in a press release copied to The Chronicle.
Preliminary investigations, she explained, showed that the victims were the heads of some families in Prampram, who went to the Value Shrine at Prampram, where they were attacked by unknown gunmen.
She said the Tema Regional Police Crime Scene Management team went to the crime scene to examine the place for evidential materials that would aid in the investigation.
The Chronicle reported that the deceased was the head of the Kley Wetsotse Clan, one of the clan houses in the Prampram Traditional Area.
The two injured persons, who were senior members of the Anner Wey Royal Gate, and Nii Otu Sei Klo were in the company of other kingmakers at the shrine house to perform some traditional rites when the unknown gunmen opened fire on them.
The Members of Parliament (MPs) in Ghana enjoy some privileges and immunities, and these are contained in the 1992 Constitution of Ghana. However, these privileges and immunities have limits, and Parliament is not vested with the authority to determine the limits of its own privileges. And to the extent that these privileges and immunities are granted by the basic law of the land, Ghanaian courts have the jurisdiction to determine the existence and scope of any claimed privilege by Parliament.
For some time now, lawmakers who are either needed by the courts or the police have evaded court appearances or arrests by hiding behind parliamentary privileges and immunities. When in 2019 the Member of Parliament for Bawku Central Constituency, Mahama Ayariga was put before the Financial and Economic Court 2 Division of the Accra High Court by the then Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu for alleged tax evasion, the legislator told the court presided over by Justice Afia Serwaa Asare Botwe to respect his privileges and immunities as a lawmaker. The then-Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye rose to the defence of the legislator. However, Mr Ayariga later found himself in court to respond to the criminal charges.
These same parliamentary privileges and immunities have been cited in 2021 in defence of the Member of Parliament for Madina Constituency, Francis-Xavier Sosu, who is needed by the police over some alleged criminal acts. It’s important to note that these are a few of the many incidents which have occasioned the citing of parliamentary privileges and immunities to protect lawmakers. Are these privileges and immunities absolute? And are legislators untouchable as they seem to be behaving? The answer to these questions is ‘NO.’
Parliamentary privilege refers to the immunities and rights deemed necessary to insulate lawmakers, Speaker, and Parliament as an organ of state from undue and needless interference in order for them to go about their functions which are to legislate, deliberate, and debate government decisions and to hold the government to account. These privileges and immunities include freedom of speech in both the House and committees, freedom from arrest in civil actions, freedom from obstruction, interference, and intimidation, exemption from jury duty, and exemption from being subpoenaed to attend court as a witness. It is important to note that these privileges were first claimed centuries ago when the English House of Commons had an issue carving out a role for itself within Parliament. These rights and privileges became necessary to protect the House of Commons and its members from the power and interference of the King and the House of Lords in England.
Today, parliamentary privileges are enjoyed by lawmakers across the world and are contained in the Constitution where applicable as vital for the proper and effective functioning of the legislature. In a memorandum to the Joint Committee on Parliamentary Privilege in 1998, the respected Constitutional lawyer, Francis Bennion explained to the lawmakers in England that the purpose of a parliamentary privilege is to “safeguard the dignity, and assist in the effective working, of Parliament considered as the prime organ of the state’s democratic government.”
He further said that: “Privilege extends to Parliament itself, and to the members and officers of each House, infringing it constitutes contempt of Parliament and is punishable in various ways.” According to the 25th Edition of Erskine May’s Treatise on the Law, Privileges, Proceedings, and Usage of Parliament, certain rights and immunities, including freedom from arrest or freedom of speech exist primarily to allow lawmakers to contribute effectively to the discharge of the functions of the legislature. “Fundamentally, however, it is only as a means to the effective discharge of the collective functions of the House that the individual privileges are enjoyed by Members,” the respected authority said.
It is submitted that because of the need to safeguard the dignity and sovereignty of Parliament, it became important for countries that operate a constitution to codify the privileges and immunities. This was rehashed by Francis Bennion when he wrote in his memorandum to the Joint Committee on Parliamentary Privilege that “the need to uphold the dignity and sovereignty of Parliament makes it essential to embody the code in Resolutions of the two Houses so far this can be done in consonance with the need for the code to be fully effective in law.”
The Constitution 1992 like many others across the world believes that all strong democracies need to have at their core the recognition that parliamentarians must be free to do their work, speak their mind during debates and deliberations in the House. It also recognises that MPs need to be given the facilities and freedom to represent their constituents’ views without fear or favour. This explains the reason why the framers of our Constitution made provisions for parliamentary privileges in Articles 115 (freedom of speech and proceedings), 116 (Immunity from proceedings for acts in Parliament), 117 (Immunity from service of process and arrest), 118 (Immunity from witness summons), 119 (Immunity from service as juror), 120 (Immunity for publication of proceedings), 122 (General contempt), and 123 (Criminal proceedings).
Of particular importance is the provision on immunity from service of process and arrest. Article 117 of the Constitution 1992 provides that “Civil or criminal process coming from any court or place out of Parliament shall not be served on, or executed in relation to, the Speaker or a member or the clerk to Parliament while he is on his way to, attending at or returning from, any proceedings of Parliament.” The provision of Article 117 of the Constitution 1992 has been restated by the Parliamentary Standing Orders, specifically Order 23.
As provided for in Article 122 of the Constitution 1992, “any act or omission which obstructs or impedes Parliament in the performance of its functions or which obstructs or impedes a member or officer of Parliament in the discharge of his duties, or affronts the dignity of Parliament or which tends either directly or indirectly to produce that result, is contempt of Parliament.” It is suggested that where Parliament decides to exercise its power to punish for contempt, this according to Article 123 of the Constitution 1992 would not be a bar to the institution of proceedings under the criminal law.
Although the police have the power to arrest any Member of Parliament, it is submitted that that power as per Article 117 of the Constitution 1992, is limited in situations where the legislator in question is on his/her “way to, attending at or returning from, any proceedings of Parliament.” It is submitted that the reason the framers of our Constitution 1992 placed a restriction on the arrest of Members of Parliament who are on their “way to, attending at or returning from, any proceedings of Parliament” is to ensure that the House has first claim on the attendance of its Members.
But this is not expected to interfere with the administration of criminal justice. The MPS’ Guide to Procedure, another authority on this subject, has said that MPs are only protected when they are “engaged in proceedings in Parliament, and have no special protection for anything they do outside those proceedings.” So, therefore, the privileges and immunities enjoyed by the legislators have limits. Also, it is not everything that happens in Parliament that can be categorised as a proceeding. What this means is that the protections of privilege will not apply to some things the lawmakers may expect to be covered. Correspondence with constituents, tweets or other posts on social media, speech at party meetings, and statements made to the media outside the confines of Parliament, among others are not covered by the parliamentary privileges and immunities.
It is suggested that the present debate stoked by the attempted arrest of the Madina MP by the police should not be about whether or not the police have the power to arrest a lawmaker – this isn’t in doubt at all. It is submitted that the debate should rather be about the manner the arrest is effected. Are the police required to notify the Speaker of Parliament of the arrest of any Member? And can the police be arbitrary in their arrest? The practice in the House of Commons in the United Kingdom is that the police forces are required to notify the Speaker of the arrest of any Member.
Upon receipt of the said notification of arrest, the Speaker then notify the House accordingly by causing it to be published in the Votes and Proceedings. Erskine May states that “in all cases in which Members of either House are arrested on criminal charges, the House must be informed of the cause for which they are detained from their service in Parliament.” This requirement is important to the ancient claim to privilege for freedom from the arrest of Members of Parliament. It is, therefore, submitted that the police are required to notify the Speaker of the arrest of Members, however, there is no requirement anywhere that the notice must be served before the arrest is made. If ever there’s any such requirement in the laws of Ghana, then I am more than ready to read about it.
But the police are not expected to be arbitrary in their arrest or detention of anyone, including Members of Parliament. The term arbitrary was interpreted in the case of [Albert Womah Mukong v. Cameroon] to mean an arrest or detention that includes elements of inappropriateness, injustice, and lack of predictability and due process. Article 9 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights provides for the right of all persons to not be arbitrarily arrested or detained. The same provision is found in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights particularly in Article 9(1), and Article 6 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, among others. Article 15(1) of the Constitution 1992 provides that the dignity of all persons shall be inviolable. Clause 2 of the said Article 15 protects persons whether or not s/he is arrested, restricted or detained, from; (a) torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; (b) any other condition that detracts or is likely to detract from his dignity and worth as a human being.
It is, therefore, submitted that in seeking to arrest any person, the police have to respect the dignity of all persons and work within the parameters set out in Article 15 of the Constitution 1992 to guard against arbitrary arrest. It is worthy to note that the arbitrariness of any arrest made by the police can be determined by the Ghanaian court.
Newcastle’s new Saudi-led regime have finally appointed their first manager, with Eddie Howe having signed a two-and-a-half-year deal to take over at St James’ Park.
The 43-year-old had been out of a job since leaving Bournemouth following their relegation from the Premier League two seasons ago, but after talks progressed last week and he watched their draw at Brighton from the stands, Howe was officially confirmed in the post on Monday.
‘It is a great honour to become head coach of a club with the stature and history of Newcastle United. It is a very proud day for me and my family,’ Howe said.
‘This is a wonderful opportunity, but there is also a lot of work ahead of us and I am eager to get onto the training ground to start working with the players.
‘I would like to thank the club’s owners for this opportunity and thank the club’s supporters for the incredible welcome they have already given me. I am very excited to begin our journey together.’
Howe will be taking charge of the club with the world’s richest owners, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund thought to be worth more than £700billion. First, though, he faces a battle against relegation and there are still nine games to play before he will be able to strengthen his squad in the January transfer window.
Xavi was officially presented to 10,000 adoring Barcelona fans at the Nou Camp on Monday afternoon and vowed to restore the club to its former glory.
Fans waited with baited breath before the iconic former midfielder emerged from the tunnel into the sunshine on the pitch with president Joan Laporta.
They waved their flags in unison and for a moment it seemed as though the 41-year-old was genuinely taken aback by the outpouring of support.
‘I don’t want to get too emotional,’ he told them. ‘So I can just tell you one thing – we are the best club in the world. And we will work with the highest standards to have success. We cannot accept defeats or draws, we have to win every game.
‘We are going to work to try and win many titles, thank you very much, this is an emotional moment for me.
‘We need you. Especially during the bad moments. We are in a difficult situation as a club. We need you more than ever.’
Xavi then proceeded to sign a contract on a table that had been set up on the turf while his family and friends watched on a few metres away.
He then posed for pictures while holding up a Barcelona shirt with his name on the back.
Ghanaian forward Mohammed Anas has been released by South African top-flight side TS Galaxy on the grounds of ‘carrying bad luck’.
Some senior players of the Premier Soccer League (PSL) approached the club’s leadership that their current struggling status on the league table is because of the presence of Anas in the squad, which led to the club’s decision to fire the Ghanaian star.
The Ghanaian striker joined Free State Stars and they were relegated, before he moved to Polokwane City, where they suffered a similar fate. He then made a move to Black Leopards and they were also relegated.
Subsequently, he transfered to TS Galaxy and this has now sparked concerns among the players that they would be relegated he is not sacked.
This led to the decision of the management of the club to sack the Ghanaian star.
A source told South Africa’s Citizen News newspaper that the Galaxy players raised their concern about Anas having bad luck and transferring it to the whole team.
“Every team he’s played for here (in South Africa) has either dodged relegation by a whisker or got relegated. He was at Maritzburg and they merely survived relegation that season. He was at Free State Stars when they were relegated and the same happened at Polokwane City
“Last season he was with Black Leopards and the same thing happened. The players were worried that they are trying everything but the results are just not coming,” said the source.
Anas joined TS Galaxy in August this year from Black Leopards who got relegated at the end of last season.
The weak financial standing of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) has compelled management to misappropriate funds from the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) accounts for the payment of ex-gratia to Sub-Committee members and Assembly members.
The Chronicle has stumbled on evidence that members of the 6th Assembly of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) have reportedly been paid a total of GH¢240,071.00 in ex-gratia.
The said payment was captured in an audit of the Internally Generated Funds (IGF) accounts of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) for the period January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020.
On the year under review, the KMA had two Metro Coordinating Directors in the persons of Samuel Donkor and Kwadwo Akuamoah Boateng; two Finance Officers, namely, Daniel Kofi Kankam (January-June 2020, and David Adjei Abbam (July-December 2020), and two heads of Revenue, namely David Adjei Abbam (July-December 2020) and Eugene Asante-Koranteng (July-December 2020).
According to the report, which identified financial indiscipline and mismanagement under the supervision of various officials, an amount of GH¢240,071.00 was advanced from the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) funds for the payment of allowances and ex-gratia to Sub-Committee and Assembly members.
The report also indicated that three payment vouchers covering GH¢57,881.07 were not pre-audited before payments were made.
The audit report also detected that the KMA transacted 67 businesses without Value Added Tax (VAT) invoices involving an amount of GH¢556,498.05, an indication that either the businesses were not VAT registered, or evaded charging VAT with the KMA’s connivance.
It was also detected that the total payment of GH¢61,113.20 for building works and vehicle repairs were not supported by works orders and certificates of satisfactory work done.
The Metro Finance Director was unable to provide 11 payment vouchers for GH¢167,346.34 for the inspection of the audit team. He (Finance Officer) also made payment of GH¢13,540.00 without payment vouchers, the report indicated.
The KMA, however, raised GH¢20,952,314.52 (87.30%) from its traditional sources, against a budget of GH¢24,000,000, and that even though it budgeted to spend GH¢35,882,023.01 from its IGF, it ended up with an actual expenditure of GH¢34,729,199.63, resulting in a positive variance of GH¢1,152,823.38.
The auditors attributed the lapses to inadequate internal controls and non-compliance with the financial rules and regulations.
The report further suggested that the Metro Coordinating Director must ensure that the amount of GH¢240,071.00 was refunded into the BRT bank account, because the situation had deprived the BRT off the needed funds for its programmes and operations.
The Regional Auditor, Alhassan Z. Mahama, recommended that the KMA deals with VAT registered entities or persons, as well as strictly adhere to provisions of the Public Financial Management Regulation and Stores Regulations in future.
Collins Sarfo handcuffed before the Bekwai Circuit Court
A 38-year-old mason, Collins Sarfo, has been jailed twenty years after he pleaded guilty to attempting to have anal sex with a 16-year-old boy.
During the in-camera hearing of the case by the Bekwai Circuit Court, the Prosecutor, C/Insp Stephen Ofori, explained that the complainant in the case was the Assembly Member for Fomena Electoral Area and a teacher by profession.
C/Insp Ofori disclosed to the court that the victim and Collins Sarfo are all residents of Adansi Fomena in the Ashanti Region.
According to the Prosecutor, about a week ago, the accused engaged the victim at a public lavatory, where he (victim) helps a relative who is the attendant.
The Prosecutor told the court that the accused tried to lure the victim to have anal sex with him, but the latter rejected the idea, including money offered him.
The court was further told that despite rejecting the proposal, the accused persistently disturbed the minor. This forced the latter to report his conduct to a certain Osman, his elder brother. C/Insp Ofori indicated to the court that, on October 17, 2021, at about 8:00 am, the convict went to the victim again and demanded to have anal sex with him.
“Accused removed his penis and asked the victim to lick it. Victim became scared and walked out from the chamber of the lavatory, where he was at the time. Accused followed the victim to a plantain farm behind the lavatory, and promised to give the victim GH¢20.00 if he allowed him (convict) to have anal sex with him,” the Prosecutor further told the court. However, because the locals were frequenting the toilet at the time he engaged the boy, the convict asked him (victim) to go home and come back at an appointed time.
The worried victim, who was increasingly being bombarded with the anal sex plea from Collins Sarfo anytime he visited the toilet, again communicated the development to his brother, Osman, who also informed the complainant, Unit Committee members, and some members of the Neighbourhood Watch Committee.
The Prosecutor told the court that the witness (Osman) agreed to lay ambush and wait if Sarfo (convict) would come to execute his intention, as communicated to the victim. Around 9am, the convict arrived at the lavatory and went straight into the chamber to meet the victim, as he had agreed with him (victim).
The victim also arrived and went into the chamber to meet the convict. The latter then closed the door and as he was about to engage the victim in the act, Osman, who was lurking around, forced the door open and arrested him (convict) half naked. An amount of GH¢10.00, which was given to the victim to lure him for the sex act, was handed over to the police for investigations.
After investigations, the accused was charged with the offences.
Former Mayor Osei. AssibeyAntwi (right) hands over the management and administration of the KMA to Sam Pyne
Mr. Pyne gets 94.8% confirmation by assembly members
On Sunday September 19, 2021, eight months into the second administration of the ruling government, the President nominated Mr. Samuel Pyne, also called Sam Pyne, as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA).
Subsequently, the 60-member Assembly, on Tuesday October 5, 2021, confirmed his appointment, as he polled 55 (94.8%) of the 58 votes cast to become the Mayor of Kumasi.
Sam Pyne, among 29 metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives (MMDCEs) was on Friday October 8, 2021, inducted into office by the Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah, after he had sworn the Oath of Allegiance, Oath of Office, and Oath of Secrecy to resume his tenure as the 29th Mayor of Kumasi.
The new Mayor of Kumasi has, since October 12, 2021, fully assumed office with the handing over of the administration and management of the KMA, and by extension the Kumasi Metropolis, to him by Osei Assibey Antwi, the immediate past Mayor of Kumasi.
The new KMA boss has noted that the task ahead was enormous, but gave the assurance that with the cooperation of assembly members, he would hit the ground running and work hard to actualise the vision of the President and champion the development of Kumasi.
Sam Pyne – Mayor of Kumasi
SAM WHO?
Until his appointment last September, Sam Pyne had been the Ashanti Regional Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) since 2010.
Samuel Pyne hails from Afigya Kyekyewere in the Ashanti Region, where he served as an elected Assembly Member of the then Afigya Sekyere District Assembly, from 2006 to 2008, during which period he was the Convener of the Social Services Sub–Committee. He also served as the Convener of the Environmental Sub-Committee of the Assembly in 2006.
This experience was after he had a stint as Assembly Member for Aowin Suaman District in 1989.
He was subsequently elected Regional Secretary of the New Patriotic Party in the Ashanti Region in 2010, a position he held until his nomination by the president last September.
Sam Pyne is a professional teacher, having trained as such at the Wesley College of Education in Kumasi, where he was the Entertainment Prefect, from 1994 to 1995.
He had his Secondary Education at Saint Augustine’s College at Cape Coast in the Central Region.
His last place of work as a teacher was at the Anglican Senior High School (KASS) in Kumasi, where he taught English Language.
The Regional Minister decorates the Mayor with the symbol of office
Experience
The new KMA Mayor has a rich experience in local governance and politics, which is heightened by his interest and expertise in Public Administration.
Mr. Samuel Pyne holds an M.A. in Local Government Administration and Organisation (LGAO) from the Local Government Institute in Accra. He also holds M.A. in Governance and Sustainable Development (GDS) from the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Cape Coast, and a Bachelor of Education in English Education from the University of Education, Winneba.
Mr. Pyne has served and continues to serve on boards, council’s and associations.
He is a Board Member of the Kumasi Abattoir Company Limited from 2018 to date.
He was the Chairman of the Search Committee of Saint Louis College of Education in January, 2021, and serves as Council Member, Saint Louis College of Education, from 2019 to date.
Mr. Sam Pyne is a Member, Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT).
He is a Director of the Adutwumwaa Foundation, a non-governmental organisation(NGO), and once served as a Lecturer (English Education) at the University of Cape Coast (UCC).
Politics
He has served as Campaign Committee Member of the New Patriotic Party (Ashanti Region) for 2012, 2016 and 2020.
He is a Member of the National Council, National and Regional Communication teams, and National Training Team of the New Patriotic Party since 2010.
Sam Pyne has also been a Member of the Regional Training Team since 2004, and served as a Ward Secretary (NPP) –Old Tafo Suame Constituency, from 1992 to 1998, after which he became the Polling Station Chairman,Suame Constituency, from 1998 to 2010.
Trainings, Workshops and Conferences
Sam Pyne participated in the Annual Conferences Forum for Democratic Change in Uganda in 2017, and embarked on a development path suitable to National Conditions the Chinese experience (the Communist Party of China Beijing in October, 2019), and served as
Secretary for the Publicity, Research and Information Management (PRIM) in the Ashanti Region.
He was also exposed to Best Practices in Corporate Governance by the Ministry of Finance in December 2019, and also experienced Functions, Roles, Good Practices: Colleges of Education (N.C.T.E 2019) and Political Communication (Conservative Party United Kingdom –2016).
From Teacher Pyne to Mayor Pyne
By dint of hard work and perseverance, Teacher Pyne has proved to be an asset to the NPP, and thus moved on over the years in humility to become Honourable Pyne as an Assembly Member and Executive Committee Member of the Afigya Kwabre District Assembly, from 2008 to 2010, and now the new Mayor of Kumasi, a city with a population of 3,490,030, from the position of Ashanti Regional Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party.
Sam Pyne is married to Faustina Acheampong and has three children.
On Thursday, the WTO boss announced that her son was one of the first spinal surgeons in Maryland to perform a successful navigated lumbar spinal fusion using a robot.
The proud mother took to her Twitter account to share the good news, as she congratulated and encouraged her son on his medical feat.
Sharing pictures from the operation, she wrote, “Congratulations Dr. Uchechi Iweala, on being one of the first spinal surgeons in Maryland to perform a successful navigated lumbar spinal fusion using a robot! So proud to be your Mum! Keep it going!”
According to the Center for Advanced Orthopeadics, Dr. Iweala is a fellowship-trained orthopaedic surgeon who specializes in spine surgery.
The doctor earned his Bachelor’s and Masters Degrees from Harvard and completed his residency training in orthopaedic surgery at George Washington University. Furthermore, Dr. Iweala completed a fellowship in spine surgery at New York University.
He majors in Robotic Spine Surgery, Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery, Cervical and Lumbar Disc Replacement, Spinal Fusion/Arthrodesis, Nerve Releases, etc.
