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Confusion over body to manage TNA Sports stadium resurfaces

By
KWESI ALFRED ADAMS
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NSA Officials at a meeting with the Regional Minister

The misunderstanding over which body is mandated to manage the refurbished TNA sports stadium at Tarkwa in the Western Region has resurfaced.
This time round, the Western Regional Minister, Joseph Nelson, has directed the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Tarkwa Nsuaem, Ebenezer Cobbinah, to immediately constitute a management committee comprising members of the National Sports Authority to oversee the T&A Park.

“I propose establishment of a management system that includes both the National Sports Authority (NSA) and the Assembly to oversee the stadium”.
This collaborative approach, according to the Minister, would ensure effective management of not only the physical structure, but also the matches played at the stadium.

Without NSA’s involvement, it is unclear how the operational aspects of the stadium would be managed, the Regional Minister noted in a meeting with officials of the NSA at his office.
Meanwhile, the MCE for Tarkwa-Nsuaem, Ebenezer Cobbinah, has requested additional time from the Regional Minister to engage stakeholders on the matter.

“While I acknowledge your decision, I’d like to request some time to familiarise myself with the surrounding issues. Would it be possible to revisit this matter and reconvene the meeting at a later date? This would allow me to get up to speed on the stadium’s issues and come back better prepared,” he pleaded.
The directive from the Regional Minister to the MCE comes after the resurrection of misunderstanding between key stakeholders in the management and supervision of the TNA Park.

Commissioned on August 16, 2024, the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Sports Stadium was upgraded by Gold Fields Ghana Foundation (GFGF) from a 400-seater facility to an ultra-modern arena with over 10,000 seats. During the commissioning, the facility was handed over to the NSA.
However, the former Municipal Chief Executive, Benjamin Kesse, declined to allow NSA to assume managerial control. He instead formed a committee that allegedly excluded NSA members.

Regional Director of NSA, Jospeh Alabi Bortey, told the Regional Minister that the management of the stadium had been handed over to Medeamma Sporting Club, a decision according to him, was unlawful and contravened national regulations.
“Handing over the keys to a private individual is equivalent to handing over a state asset to a private club, specifically Medeama FC, which is a limited liability company. This raises concerns about the facility’s future, as Mr. Parker would have control over it”.

ICC renamed Bola Tinubu International Conference Centre

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Bola Tinubu International Conference Centre

The International Conference Centre, ICC, in Abuja has been renamed President Bola Tinubu International Conference Centre.

The new name was unveiled when the President commissioned the newly rehabilitated facility on Tuesday.

The event was witnessed by Federal Capital Territory, FCT, minister, Nyesom Wike, Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, Deputy Senate President, Jibril Barau, among others.

The facility was reportedly renovated at a cost of N39 billion.

Other projects executed in the FCT are to be commissioned by Tinubu ahead of the Democracy Day celebration on June 12, 2025.

FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, was seen dancing at the commissioning ceremony.

The facility was shut down for rehabilitation in April 2024.

Credit: dailypost.ng

Nigerian govt forfeits $4m from World Bank loan

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World Bank

The Nigerian government may lose $4 million from a World Bank loan after failing to get a pass mark on key audit standards in its revenue-generating agencies, such as the Federal Inland Revenue Service and the Nigeria Customs Service.

This is according to a World Bank restructuring paper dated June 2025.

The amount, which is the equivalent of around N6.2 billion with an exchange rate of N1,568 per dollar, could have helped to address one of Nigeria’s infrastructural deficits.

The fund formed part of the $103 million Fiscal Governance and Institutions Project, a public financial management initiative financed through a credit facility from the International Development Association.

Accordingly, the revenue assurance audit covering the FIRS and Customs for the 2018 to 2021 financial years was assessed as not achieved because the reports submitted did not meet international auditing standards.

“Revenue assurance audit of Main Income Generating Agencies, including the Federal Inland Revenue Service and the Nigeria Customs Service for FY 2018–2021, with an allocation of $4m.

“These Intermediate Results to be implemented by the Office of Auditor-General of the Federation were assessed as not achieved by the Independent Verification Agent because the reports submitted for verification did not meet the requisite international auditing standards.”

Also, the unsuccessful audit was one of ten performance-based conditions under the project that the government could not deliver before the closing date of June 30, 2025. Consequently, the Federal Ministry of Finance formally requested the cancellation of $10.4 million in project funds.

“The FMF has requested cancellation of $0.9m of unused funds for technical assistance and $9.5m, which is the amount allocated to 10 performance-based conditions, which will not be achieved by the close of the project on June 30, 2025,” the document read.

Further analysis shows that $4.5 million was tied to the uncompleted Revenue Assurance and Billing System, while $1 million was allocated to the development of a National Budget Portal.

According to the document, the Budget Office of the Federation, which was responsible for the portal, did not submit any evidence of achievement. In addition, $0.9 million in technical assistance funding was left uncommitted and has also been cancelled.

Credit: dailypost.ng

Govt policies making life rosy for the rich, harsh for the poor -Falana

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Femi Falana

Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has criticised the administration of President Bola Tinubu, saying its economic policies have made life better only for the rich, while worsening the plight of the masses.

The senior lawyer, who spoke on Monday’s edition of Channels Television’s Politics Today, said that although some top officials within the All Progressives Congress (APC) celebrated Tinubu’s two years in office, many Nigerians struggle to survive under excruciating economic conditions worsened by Tinubu’s policies.

“For members of the government—and I’m talking of top officials—it’s been very rosy. One of them was singing a week ago that things are getting better.

“Of course, for the rich, the bourgeoisie, things are getting better. But for the masses of our people, things are getting tougher because they are going through an excruciating economic crisis,” Falana stated.

When he assumed office in May 2023, President Tinubu introduced economic reforms, such as the unification of the forex windows and subsidy removal, which drove up energy prices, transport fares, food costs, and overall expenses.

Despite these policies, Falana lamented that Nigerians are hungry, citing that Tinubu had repeatedly appealed to Nigerians for patience and promised that his economic reforms would eventually lead to national prosperity.

“In fairness to the President, on many occasions, he has asked Nigerians to bear with him, to exercise patience, that our economic programme will lead to prosperity

“Whether you believe that or not is another matter, but the government itself realises that there is a crisis in town, that people are hungry, that many are about to withdraw their children from school because of the rigid implementation of neoliberal policies dictated or endorsed by the IMF and World Bank,” the lawyer added.

Credit: channelstv.com

Don’t pay attention to busybodies, Tinubu tells Wike 

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President Tinubu in handshake with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike Wike

President Bola Tinubu has urged the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, not to be distracted by busybodies and naysayers but to focus on his mandate to transform the nation’s capital.

Tinubu stated this on Tuesday when he inaugurated the rehabilitated and refurbished International Conference Centre, Abuja, which was renamed in his honour as the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, Abuja.

The President said the refurbished international conference centre was part of his administration’s “determined efforts to change the way we do things, to reflect us as people of quality, people of character, people of determination, people of great spirits, that’s what we are”.

“And I am glad, Nyesom Wike, you are reflecting that. Don’t pay attention to busybodies and the bystanders, and whatever they say. Continue with your good work. You are a transformational leader. You have the vision, foresight and determination to succeed,” Tinubu said.

The President said his administration was aware that modern infrastructure remained the backbone of economic prosperity.

He said, “Through the Renewed Hope Agenda, we are determined to renew the infrastructural and other key sectors of this country (including) transportation, healthcare, education, energy and urban development.

“Because we understand that modern infrastructure is the backbone of a thriving economy in an inclusive and progressive society.”

Tinubu also said the rehabilitated conference centre was a reflection of Nigeria’s commitment to “regional diplomacy, continental trade discussions, global partnerships, and many more thoughtful, well-outlined goals that reflect our Nigerian first”.

The President also informed his political friends, appointees and government officials that there won’t be free usage of the conference centre for social or corporate events.

Credit: channelstv.com

MoH to retired nurses: Come to ‘Macedonia’ and help

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Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, Health Minister

The Government on Monday appealed to public-spirited retired nurses and midwives to volunteer their services for a brief period pending the resolution of the ongoing industrial action by the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA).

Mr Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, the Health Minister, said while working round the clock to resolve the impasse, the Ministry had taken the steps to mitigate the suffering of Ghanaian patients unduly affected by the strike.

Addressing the press at the Presidency in Accra, he said the Ministry would, in the next few hours, publish a comprehensive list of facilities to complement places where nursing services were lacking and where patients could seek healthcare.

“We further express our deep appreciation to practicing nurses who have opted to remain at post to help suffering patients and urge others to show similar fellow-feeling and assist our ailing compatriots even as efforts are made to address their concerns,” he said.

Mr Akdadoh said the ongoing strike action by the GRNMA was borne out of discussions on the new Conditions of Service signed in May, 2024 and originally scheduled for implementation in July, 2024.

He said upon assuming office, he, on behalf of the Government, engaged with the GRNMA on several occasions to explore the best possible avenue to approve and implement the new Conditions of Service.

While expressing regret over the current impasse, he stated that the Government appreciated the invaluable contributions of Ghanaian nurses and midwives to the development of the health sector.

“The Government remains committed to the needed engagements that will lead to the approval and implementation of the new Conditions of Service for nurses and midwives,” he said.

Accordingly, the Ministry of Finance and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission had been directed to, as a matter of urgency, lead the development of a roadmap to ensure a smooth implementation of the process.

“I engaged the leadership of all nurses and midwives associations within the health sector on 30th May, 2025 to address their challenges and discuss the subsequent roadmap leading to the implementation of the new Conditions of Service,” he noted.

“Fortunately, the other associations supported my intervention with the exception of the GRNMA, which declined and proceeded to declare the strike on 2nd June 2025 despite the caution by the National Labour Commission (NLC).”

The NLC, on Thursday, June 5, 2025 summoned all stakeholders to an emergency meeting to address the matter, Mr Akandoh said, however, the GRNMA did not cooperate nor attend the meeting.

Consequently, the NLC was compelled to take legal steps to declare the strike illegal and called on the GRNMA to immediately call it off in line with the law.

On Monday, June 9, Mr Kwabena Mintah Akandoh said he invited the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission to engage the GRNMA, and the Ministry of Finance on a roadmap for the successful implementation of the new Conditions of Service.

At that meeting, the FWSC once again, per the law, directed the GRNMA to call off the strike to allow negotiations to continue.

He reiterated the Government’s readiness to further engage towards implementing the Conditions of Service in a manner that would not dislocate the National Budget.

“We wish to draw attention to the fact that the conditions of service under reference are not captured in the 2025 Budget and will completely throw the economy off-gear if implemented immediately in the manner it currently exists,” he said.

“We are mindful of the serious economic consequences of unbudgeted expenditure and want to avoid the economic slippages that led to hardships in the recent past.”

The Health minister reiterated the Government’s commitment to continuing to engage with the nurses to achieve a mutually acceptable outcome in the interest of the public for full services to be restored.

Mr Thomas Nyarko Ampem, the Deputy Finance Minister, said the Ministry was ready to support in resolving the industrial action, considering the critical role of the GRNMA to healthcare delivery.

“But the reality is that we have over 120,000 nurses and the implementation of the current condition of service that they are demanding will have serious consequences for the budget,” he said.

“In fact, if we fully implement it, we are going to add in excess of two billion cedis to the compensation budget.”

“We have all committed that in our resolve to reset the economy of this country, we must maintain a 1.5 per cent primary balance surplus every year in order to bring our debt to sustainable levels.”

Mr Ampem appealed to the leadership of the GRNMA to negotiate with the Government to ensure a win‑win situation, assuring the nurses to have faith in the current administration to give them a fair wage for their sacrifices.

Mr Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the Presidential Spokesman and Minister of State in-charge of Government Communications, said government’s doors were opened for further negotiations to reach an agreement that would foster an amicable resolution of the matter.

GNA

Chairman Wontumi’s supporter remanded for allegedly assaulting Joy FM reporter

By
BERNICE BESSEY
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Accra Circuit Court

A supporter of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Theophilus Kpakpo Thompson, has been arraigned before the Circuit Court in Accra for allegedly assaulting a JoyNews journalist and threatening him with death, during a protest at the offices of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) on May 27, 2025.

Presided over by His Honour Kwabena Kodua Obiri-Yeboah, the accused was charged with two counts: Assault, contrary to Section 84 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29) and threat of death, contrary to Section 75 of the same Act.

According to the prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Olivia Ofori-Adu, the complainant, Latif Iddrisu, a journalist with the Multimedia Group’s JoyNews channel, was on assignment at EOCO headquarters in Accra to cover the arrest of Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NPP.

During a live broadcast at about 7:00 pm, a group of NPP supporters, aggrieved by the arrest of their regional chairman, confronted the journalist, accusing him of biased reporting.

The court heard that the accused, Theophilus Kpakpo Thompson, together with others who remain at large, physically assaulted Latif Iddrisu by hitting him on the head and ribs, pelting him with stones and spitting on him.

Further, the accused and his accomplices allegedly issued chilling threats to the journalist, saying: “Today is your last day, we know where you are coming from and we know what we can do,” thereby putting the victim in fear of death.

Following a complaint lodged at the police station, Latif Iddrisu was given a medical report form and treated at a hospital.

The medical report confirmed he had been assaulted. Police investigations, including review of video footage from the scene, identified Theophilus Kpakpo Thompson among the attackers.

The accused was arrested on June 7, 2025 in James Town, Accra.

In his statement to the police, Theophilus Kpakpo Thompson admitted being present at the scene and assaulting the journalist. However, he pleaded not guilty when he appeared before the court.

Theophilus Kpakpo Thompson’s lawyer, Enoch Afoakwa, prayed the court to grant bail to his client, but the court declined and remanded the accused into custody until June 18, 2025.

The court also ordered the prosecution to file disclosures within 10 days.

Meanwhile, efforts are ongoing to apprehend the other individuals involved in the attack.

Ghana hosts High-Level Roadshow to mobilise Business Participation for IATF2025

By
BERNICE BESSEY
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Intra-African Trade Fair 2025 signing

A pivotal milestone in Africa’s economic transformation is taking shape, as top government officials, business leaders, and development partners gathered for the Ghana High-Level Roadshow of the Intra-African Trade Fair 2025 (IATF2025).

The event, jointly organized by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat and Afreximbank, aimed to galvanise Ghanaian businesses ahead of the continent’s premier trade and investment event scheduled for September in Algiers, Algeria.

In a keynote address, H.E. Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat underscored the importance of IATF2025 as a “marketplace of ideas, opportunities and partnerships,” and a direct engine to convert the promise of the AfCFTA into “trade deals signed, investments mobilised and jobs created.

“Africa’s path to genuine, inclusive prosperity depends on stronger trade performance,” H.E. Mene said. “IATF2025 is the platform where this vision becomes reality.”

With intra-African trade still hovering at a modest 15%, the fair is seen as a key driver to unlock new regional value chains and reduce the continent’s dependence on external markets.

H.E. Mene emphasised that the AfCFTA framework is actively dismantling trade barriers, standardizing customs protocols, and enabling industrial value addition across sectors including agriculture, manufacturing, automotive and energy.

The Roadshow, attended by high-level stakeholders from the Ghanaian government and private sector, featured passionate calls for immediate action and participation in the IATF.

H.E. Mene urged Ghanaian businesses to take full advantage of IATF2025:“Whether you’re an SME, a manufacturer, a financier or a creative entrepreneur, the IATF is your gateway to forging new partnerships and playing your part in building a truly integrated and prosperous Africa.”

Representing the Ghanaian government, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry highlighted the fair as a gateway for Ghanaian enterprises to showcase innovation and secure strategic partnerships across the continent.

A key highlight of the event was the address by Mr. Gabriel Edgal, Chairman and Group CEO of Oakwood Green Africa and IATF2025 Ambassador. He emphasised the fair’s role in transforming potential into productivity:

“Platforms like the IATF are not about speeches and panels. They are about action. They are the bridges that move us from potential to product, from hope to supply and from vision to value,” Mr. Edgal stated.

Mr. Edgal cited real-world examples of intra-African business collaborations—from dairy partnerships in East Africa to vaccine production in West Africa—showcasing the tangible benefits of African businesses trading with one another. Ghana, he noted, is uniquely positioned as a logistics hub for regional trade.

Also speaking at the event, Dr. Yemi Kale, Managing Director of Research and Group Chief Economist at Afreximbank, addressed the structural challenges facing intra-African trade, notably the lack of accurate, actionable market intelligence.

“Trade cannot flourish in the absence of information,” Kale said, citing the $3 billion annual import bill for meat products in West Africa, largely sourced outside the continent despite sufficient local production capacity.

He reiterated Afreximbank’s continued commitment to facilitating trade through platforms like MANSA (a due diligence database), PAPSS (Pan-African Payment and Settlement System), and an expanding suite of trade finance tools tailored for SMEs and manufacturers.

The Roadshow, one of several being held across the continent ahead of IATF2025, aims to ensure that Ghanaian exporters, financiers and creatives are not only aware of the fair, but fully prepared to leverage its potential.

Stakeholders were briefed on exhibition opportunities, financial instruments, and sector-specific platforms such as CANEX (Creative Africa Nexus), which supports Africa’s booming creative economy.

The Intra-African Trade Fair 2025 will take place from 4–10 September 2025 in Algiers, Algeria, with over 2,000 exhibitors, 35,000 visitors, and $44 billion in projected trade and investment deals.

5 Things You May Not Know About Your Period

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Think you know all there is to know about your period? Women have about 450 periods during their lifetime, which means you have plenty of chances to learn all about it.

Even so, your period can still manage to surprise you — and not just by showing up when you least expect it.

Did you know these five facts about your monthly visitor?

1. You can get pregnant during your period.

It’s time to quash that age-old myth: Your period doesn’t protect you from pregnancy. There are a couple of reasons why. First, some women may bleed when their ovaries release an egg each month, called ovulation, and mistake it for their period. You’re at your peak fertility when you ovulate. So if you have sex during this time, it could actually make you more likely to get pregnant.

Second, you may ovulate before your period is over or within a few days after the bleeding stops. Since sperm can hang out in your body for up to 3 days, having sex during your period could lead to conception.

Use a condom or other form of birth control to prevent an unplanned pregnancy, no matter what time of the month it is.

2. The period you get while on the pill isn’t a ‘true’ period.

Sure, you bleed during the week that you take the sugar pills. But technically that’s “monthly withdrawal bleeding.” It’s slightly different than a regular period.

Normally, you ovulate in the middle of your menstrual cycle. If the egg your ovaries release isn’t fertilized, your hormone levels drop, causing you to shed the lining inside your uterus, and you get your period.

Birth control pills, though, prevent ovulation. With most types, you take hormones for 3 weeks followed by 1 week of pills without them. Though they keep your body from releasing an egg, they usually don’t prevent it from building up the lining of your uterus all month. The period-like bleeding during that fourth week is your body’s reaction to the lack of hormones from the last week of the pill.

3. Your period changes throughout your life.

Just when you start to feel like you can predict exactly when your period is going to show, everything can change. For that, you can thank the hormone shifts that happen throughout your lifetime.

Once you get your very first period, your cycles may be longer, meaning more time may pass between when one period starts to the next. A typical cycle for a teenage girl may be 21 to 45 days. Over time, they get shorter and more predictable, averaging about 21 to 35 days.

Hormone changes that happen during perimenopause — the years before menopause when your body starts to make less estrogen — can throw you for a loop. The time from one period to the next may get shorter or longer, and you may have heavier or lighter bleeding during your period. This phase can last up to 10 years before you start menopause and stop getting your period for good.

Gradual life changes are normal, but sudden, unusual issues like very heavy bleeding or missed periods are not. Talk with your doctor if you notice that something seems off.

4. Tampons and pads aren’t your only choices.

You have more options to help you manage that time of the month.

A menstrual cup is a flexible cup that fits inside your vagina and collects blood during your period. Period panties are super-absorbent, and you can wear them on their own on your lighter days or with a tampon during heavier times. Reusable cloth pads can be washed and worn again.

These products can be cost-savers, since you can reuse them, and they also create less waste. In some cases, they give you more time between changes. For example, you need to change a tampon every 4 to 8 hours, but you may be able to go up to 12 hours with a menstrual cup before you empty it.

There are pros and cons to all these options, just as there are with tampons and pads. But you can find one that works best for you with some trial and error.

5. PMS is still a mystery.

It’s 1 or 2 weeks before your period starts, and here come the breakouts, sluggishness, cravings, bloating, and mood swings. Sound familiar? Every woman is different, but for many, PMS is a fact of life.

But doctors don’t know exactly why that is. It seems to be a mix of hormone changes during your menstrual cycle, chemical changes in the brain, and other emotional issues you might have, such as depression, that can make PMS worse.

What’s more, once you get your period, the rollercoaster may continue. One study found that period-related pains such as cramps, bloating, backaches, and headaches can cloud your thinking, because the pain may make it harder for you to focus on the tasks at hand. Not that you can’t still do them — you can. It may just feel like it takes more work.

Credit: webmd

Six Arrested over Alleged Forged Currency Scheme Targeting Ukrainian Investor

By
BERNICE BESSEY
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0
Accra Circuit Court

Six individuals have been arrested in Accra for allegedly conspiring to defraud a Ukrainian businessman by offering forged U.S. dollar notes under the pretense of an investment opportunity.

The accused—Abdel Razak Djidonou, a 44-year-old consultant residing in Paris; Simon Mbillam, a 39-year-old property agent from Oyarifa; Mohamed Ibrahim, a 62-year-old contractor based in Tema; Prince Pius, a 44-year-old businessman from Spintex; George Bonsu, a 64-year-old driver from Kwabenya Abuom Junction; and Chief Toni Silas, a 53-year-old businessman from Dome Kwabenya—were apprehended on June 8, 2025, at a warehouse in Abokobi, in the Greater Accra Region.

According to facts presented before the Accra Circuit Court, the accused allegedly lured the complainant, Grygorii Morozov, a Ukrainian businessman to Ghana, with the promise of assisting in transporting one million U.S. dollars in counterfeit currency to Austria for investment. They reportedly charged him a $10,000 “appointment fee.”

Upon his arrival, Morozov was taken to the warehouse, where National Security operatives intervened and seized a green trunk and a “Ghana-Must-Go” bag, both containing the alleged counterfeit notes.

The suspects face charges under Section 23(1) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29) for conspiracy to commit a crime, specifically forgery, uttering, and possession of forged notes—and under Section 18 of the Currency Act, 1964 (Act 242) for the actual offense.

Prosecutor ASP Abel Amanie urged the court to remand the accused, stating that the case is still under investigation.

However, defense counsel Andrew Vortia challenged the request, claiming his clients had suffered police brutality.

He noted that one of the accused sustained a split nose, while another had a bloody eye from the alleged assault.

Despite arguments from both the prosecution and the defense, the Accra Circuit Court, presided over by Her Honour Susana Eduful declined to entertain the case, citing a lack of jurisdiction to handle first-degree felony matters.

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