“In my honest and candid opinion, Mahama withdraw the Election 2020 petition
“In my honest and candid opinion, once the opportunity to reopen his case and to issue the subpoena has been denied him, his case in my honest opinion has suffered a fatal blow, and so there will be no point in continuing. He has to withdraw the case.” This was the opinion of a legal practitioner Nii Kpakpo Samoa Addo who was speaking on Asaase Breakfast Show monitored by Apexnewsgh.com. His advice to former President Mahama came as a result of the court ruling against an application by lawyers of the petitioner to reopen their case and subpoena EC chairperson Jean Mensah for cross examination. Meanwhile, responding to the ruling, Mr. Addo stated that the closure of the case by the petitioner’s lawyers affected the progress of their case. “The petitioner should not have relied on one of the affidavits that was sworn that he would have the opportunity to cross examine EC chair. He should have insisted and asked for the subpoena to be issued before he closed his case, that seems to have been a fatal blow to his case because evidence can be obtained from cross-examination”. He stressed Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: +233555568093
You’re my ‘small boy’ at the Bar; stop ‘inciting’ SC against me on my ‘predetermined agenda comment’ – Ayine warns Oppong Nkrumah
Former Deputy Attorney General, Dr Dominic Ayine, has accused Information Minister-designate Kojo Oppong Nkrumah of “always” seeking to “incite” the Supreme Court against him in his post-trial commentary to journalists in the ongoing election petition in which former President John Mahama, the petitioner, is challenging the results of the 2020 presidential polls. Dr Ayine’s complaint follows a chastisement of him by Mr Oppong Nkrumah after Tuesday’s hearing, in which the Ofoase Ayirebi MP of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) accused the Bolga East MP of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) of “scandalising” the Supreme Court by suggesting that there was a “predetermined agenda” to rule against his client, Mr Mahama. After the court ruled against Mr Mahama’s application to reopen his case on Tuesday, Dr Ayine told journalists: “The Supreme Court asked itself a question, which we deem as a wrong question and answered that question. It said: why does the Chairperson need to account to the people of Ghana when she’s not a party to the suit”. “Now you’ll recall that counsel made it clear that one of the reasons we are in court is because of the unconstitutional conduct of Mrs Jean Adukwei Mensa as the returning officer under the Constitution and it is not true that there is only one issue that needs to be determined in this matter”, the lawmaker said. He continued: “I am surprised that the Supreme Court itself, having set down five key issues to be determined, is now reducing the issues to one, which is whether and extent to which the evidence that we have led, shows that no one got more than 50 per cent of the votes in accordance with article 53 of the Constitution”. “But we have made it abundantly clear in the petition that there were a number of infractions”. “We are contesting even the constitutionality of the declaration that was made. We are saying that she violated article 23 of the Constitution because she’s an administrative body”. “We have also said her exercise of discretion was contrary to article 296 of the Constitution”. “These are all germane issues under the Constitution and laws of Ghana and to reduce the petition into a single-issue petition, is rather unfortunate and smacks of a predetermined agenda to rule against the petitioner in this matter”. Reacting to his comments, Mr Oppong Nkrumah said: “It is not fair to the judicial system, it’s not fair to our democracy, it’s not fair to the people of Ghana that when you lose an application because it is not grounded in law or because you’ve failed to meet the legal standard, then you come here and literally poison the minds of the public and make claims that they may be having a predetermined agenda. That’s scandalous of the court”. “When you make a legal argument and it is upheld, that one is good; when you make an argument and it doesn’t meet the threshold, then it means that they are wrong in law or that they have a predetermined agenda”. “The Supreme Court has not reduced the petition to a single issue. We tried our best to transcribe the ruling and we’re waiting for the written version of it. The court said that the major issue, it didn’t say there was a single issue before it…” Mr Ayine has, however, taken issue with his fellow lawyer and lawmaker’s counter-comments. “I must say that I am severely disappointed in the honorable Kojo Oppong Nkrumah. I am a senior lawyer to Kojo. Kojo should not take to always seeking to incite the court against me, as if I do not know what I am saying”, he complained in an interview with Accra-based Starr FM. First of all, he pointed out, “as a former Deputy Attorney General and a senior person at the bar, I know what it means to scandalise the highest court of the land”, insisting: “I have had no intention whatsoever of scandalising the Supreme Court of the Republic of Ghana”. “If I came across as having said that the court is in cahoots with the respondents; that, I will apologise and withdraw”, he noted, explaining: “But the reason I said that is because that is what the respondent has been telling the media”. Dr Ayine continued: “Now, tell me: is the duty of the respondent to evaluate the evidence brought by the parties or it is the duty of the lawyers, spokespersons to say that your petition is empty even when they are commenting on the merit?” “Kojo Oppong Nkrumah should know that he has been violating the sub judice rule on a daily basis. He has always been preempting outcomes of the courts saying: ‘The petition is empty’, ‘it does not discharge the burden the proof and so on’. Does he know that is a violation of the sub judice rule and that he should be hauled before court for commenting on the merit of the petition?” Dr Ayine said he would not be surprised if the court admonishes him for his comments. “I will not be surprised and the court is entitled to take a position on it or express disappointment on it – even go as far as committing me for contempt”. “I won’t begrudge them”, he said, “but that honestly wasn’t meant to disparage the court or bring its reputation into disrepute”, he clarified. Classfmonline Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: +233555568093
Armed robbers devise new trick on Bolgatanga roads
Some residents of Bolgatanga say armed robbers have worked out a new way of stealing from motorists on the roads of the Upper East regional capital. The gangsters, according to them, stand well-dressed by the roadside and, with pistols concealed under their clothes, draw closer in a friendly manner to any motorcyclist as road users are being held at an intersection by the red traffic lights. Once they are close enough, they start a brief chat with the biker with audible greetings. Soon after the conversation begins, they draw out a handgun exposed only to their target and whisper a strong caution for calm. At that time, onlookers far and near would think that the spectacle (which is actually a highway raid) is a usual roadside gathering of old pals whose paths have crossed again. Then, they whisper a stern order to the victim to quietly hand over the bike to them and to either remain calm at the spot until they leave with the automobile or get shot for any gesture of resistance. “Just recently, a woman was riding on the Bolgatanga-Navrongo Highway around 7:00pm and a man stopped her around the regional library junction as if they knew each other. One might even think the man wanted the woman to give him a ride. The woman stopped. He walked to her and whilst he was talking with her, the woman got down from the motorbike. The guy rode the bike away. It was after he had gone far out of reach the woman began to wail. She then narrated to a crowd that she had been robbed of her motorbike at gunpoint by a man who stopped her as though he needed assistance,” an eyewitness (name withheld) told Starr News on Tuesday. It has also been reported that a raid was launched on a biker in a similar style some time ago around an old steel bridge that links the Bolgatanga Municipality and the Bolgatanga East District. The Bolgatanga Divisional Commander of the Ghana Police Service, Chief Superintendent Dela K. Dzansi, advised the public in a Starr News interview: “If you have other road users around you when you are under such an attack, you could raise alarm because he couldn’t have fired you alone. Or you can jerk up your motorbike for the motorbike to fly out of your body and fall on the ground. That will confuse the person and you can raise alarm. We will be making the police mount checks at the various traffic lights. They will be parking there intermittently and be observing.” Armed robber reportedly lynched at Nyariga Reports also emerged this month about a failed attempt by a four-member armed gang to rob at Nyariga, a community in Bolgatanga. Overpowered by members of the community, the hoodlums fled in different directions. One of the armed robbers was overtaken, caught and lynched, according to sources who now fear that the escapees might return with reinforcements from their hideouts to the area and stage a tit-for-tat attack for the killing of one of their own. About two weeks ago, some men in masks gunned down two drivers at the Pusu-Namongo area of the Bolgatanga-Tamale Highway and robbed the occupants of the vehicles of large sums of money. Hours later, angry members of the Ghana National Tomato Traders and Transporters Association staged a protest on that highway because the affected travellers were on a business trip to Burkina Faso to purchase tomatoes. The development prompted the Inspector General of Police (IGP), James Oppong-Boanuh, to order police protection for tomato traders travelling from Ghana to Burkina Faso. Just last week, another armed-robbery incident saw a cattle dealer killed near Katiu in the Kassena-Nankana West District. There had been a robbery raid the previous day by some armed men who also held some market women at gunpoint and raped them on the Chiana-Sandema Road. A serial social-media critic of armed robbers in Chiana, an area in the Kassena Nankana West District, had luck on his side when some masked men scaled the fence around his house and attempted to break in upon entering the compound. “The man has been criticising armed robbers on social-media platforms and his criticisms have intensified of late because of the recent spate of armed robbery attacks in the region. The man and his wife were absent at the time the men arrived. But his children were at home. As the men were trying to force the main door open, one of the children noticed it and thought their parents had arrived home. “But in order to be sure first that the people at the door were their parents before he would open the door, he walked to the window side to take a peep. But he rather saw those men, each of them in a hood (a piece of cloth covering their heads). He became frightened and sounded the alarm. The scream scared off the men. But as they were leaving, they said the man (their target) was fortunate that he was not around to have suffered for the social-media comments he had been passing against them,” a resident of the area told Starr News by phone. Starrfm Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: +233555568093
You can sack me, I seriously don’t care — Allottey dares NDC
Suspended Central Regional Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Bernard Allottey Jacobs insists he will have no worries if he is eventually sacked from the NDC. “They can go ahead and sack me from the NDC, I don’t give a damn about it,” Mr. Jacobs, who was fired up, openly dared the NDC leadership during an interview with Kumasi-based Akoma FM. According to him, his suspension period had elapsed but he had not been reinstated into the party yet, but added that “I seriously don’t care about my suspension from the NDC anymore.” The former NDC Central Regional Chairman, who said he had been in active politics for over five decades now, said he would not allow what he called “inferior” politicians to control his political life. Mr. Jacobs claimed that the current leadership of the party seemed uncomfortable with his bold and unbiased pronouncements with regards to party affairs, so they suspended him. He said he hadn’t done anything bad against the NDC, because he only said things just as they appeared and he was suspended, therefore he wasn’t bothered about his predicament in the NDC. Koku Anyidoho’s Sack According to him, Koku Anyidoho, a former NDC Deputy General Secretary, who he said also had his “bold and frank traits,” had also been suspended, adding that he had consoled Mr. Anyidoho to take heart. “We have weak leadership in the NDC who don’t see eye-to-eye with some of us, who are independent minded,” Mr. Jacobs fired, touching on a lot of current issues pertaining in the NDC. Still jabbing the party leadership, he said, “They think I and Mr. Anyidoho are fighting against the NDC, and it is hypocrisy and sycophancy for people to petition the NDC leadership to suspend us.” More Fire Mr. Jacobs said the NDC now boasted of some young and inexperienced politicians, whose modus operandi was to insult the elderly in the party without justification, noting that such acts did not build the party. He said the insulting nature of such young politicians was driving several people away from the NDC, noting that even though he was treated badly, he would not leave the NDC to join any other political party. Political Predictions Mr. Jacobs said with his rich experience in politics, he could easily predict the outcome of events in the party, adding “I have been in active politics for 51 years now so I can see things. If you will lose an upcoming elections I can see it and predict correctly. I said it in 2016 and 2020 and we lost.” Supports Nana Addo Mr. Jacobs said even though he would not cross carpet to the join the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), he would never hide his affection and support for President Akufo-Addo and his Vice, Dr. Bawumia. “I see Akufo-Addo as a mature President who is leading the country into prosperity; and knowing him very well, I will support him to succeed,” he said. He also described Vice President Dr. Bawumia as a fascinating and unique leader, who has a lot of potential, stating emphatically that “Dr. Bawumia is the new kid on the block.” Daily Guide Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: +233555568093
Local road contractors blast Amoako-Attah over lack of capacity comments
The Ghana Chamber of Construction Industry (GhCCI) has expressed its disappointment at comments made by the Minister-designate for Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako-Attah that no local contractor has the capacity to undertake the design and construction of the Accra-Tema Motorway Extensions Project. Kwasi Amoako-Attah who took his turn at the ongoing ministerial vetting on Tuesday, February 16, 2021, noted that the government signed a contract with the Portuguese conglomerate Mota-Engil to construct some interchanges because it has the ability to carry out the projects, unlike Ghanaian construction firms. But in a Citi News interview, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Construction Industry, Emmanuel Cherry blamed the inability of Ghanaian contractors to win such contracts on poor payment plan by the government. He also said any of the major projects funded by foreign donors come with terms that prevent them from being contracted. “Most of these huge contracts are donor-funded contracts with conditionalities attached. Secondly, most of the local contracts are short-changed because the payment regimes are not favourable to our local contractors to help them build the capacities they require. Whenever a condition is attached to a project, it will be very difficult for a local contractor to go in and win,” he said. Mr. Cherry further called on the minister-designate to review the payment terms for local contractors when approved by Parliament. “All we are expecting from the minister is to try as a matter of urgency to review the payment mode at his ministry so that payment will go according to the contractual terms. If payment is very swift as expected in the contact, most of our local contractors are ready to build the financial, technical and logistical capacity to be able to match up with their foreign counterparts in any bid that may come,” he added. citinewsroom Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: +233555568093
GHS issues Ebola alert after Guinea records seven cases
The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has directed all regional and district health facilities to activate their preparedness and response plan for Ebola. It follows confirmation of seven cases of the Ebola virus disease (EVD) in Guinea over the weekend. Authorities in the West African country have also confirmed two deaths so far since the outbreak. A circular cited by Asaaseradio.com and addressed to all regional directors of GHS said: “All regional and district public health emergency management committees should include EVD on their agenda. “Additionally, regions, districts, health facilities, port health units at all border posts particularly along the Western border and all landing beaches are to heighten surveillance for EVD using standard case definition. They are also requested to remind all Ghanaians and residents in Ghana on the need to protect themselves from the disease.” The circular further warned the public against any attempt to transport suspected cases of Ebola in a private or public transport. Find the circular below: Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: +233555568093
COVID-19: Ghana records 19 deaths in a day
At least 702 new COVID-19 cases have been confirmed increasing the active cases in Ghana to 7,866, according to the Ghana Health Service. Ghana has recorded its highest daily deaths of 19 so far since the outbreak of COVID-19 in March 2020, latest figures from the Ghana Health Service (GHS) reveal. The country’s death toll now stands at 561 as at 13 February. At least 702 new COVID-19 cases have been confirmed increasing the active cases in Ghana to 7,866. This brings the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 77,748 since March 2020. According to the GHS, 69, 321 have so far recovered and been discharged. Airport update At least 1,179 cases have been confirmed at the Kotoka International Airport since it was reopened to human traffic in September 2020 out of which 981 have recovered. The latest figure also puts severe cases at 86 with 29 people in critical condition. Regional breakdown of cases Greater Accra Region – 45,191 Ashanti Region – 13,822 Western Region – 4,559 Eastern Region – 3,342 Central Region – 2,697 Volta Region – 1,386 Bono East Region – 966 Northern Region – 862 Bono Region – 833 Upper East Region – 814 Western North Region – 773 Ahafo Region – 625 Upper West Region – 307 Oti Region – 258 Savannah Region – 69 North East Region – 61 Asaase Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: +233555568093
Ebola outbreak in Guinea: Government to intensify border patrols – Ambrose Dery
The Minister-designate for Interior, Ambrose Dery has disclosed that government has initiated processes to intensify border patrols following the outbreak of Ebola in Guinea. According to him, Ghana currently has over 200 unapproved routes along our borders which needs critical attention in order to prevent importation of the disease into the country. Guinea has so far recorded up to 10 suspected cases of Ebola and 5 people have died since the start of the new outbreak of the deadly virus in the West African nation, medical authorities said on Tuesday. Guinea’s Health Ministry said it has identified 115 contacts of the known cases in the city of Nzerekore in the country’s south east and 10 in the capital Conakry since the outbreak was confirmed on Sunday. Unlike the deadliest known outbreak, which tore through West Africa from 2013 to 2016, Guinean authorities have said they are better prepared to stop the spread of the virus. JoyNews/AdomNews · Ebola outbreak in Guinea: Government to intensify border patrols But responding to a question during his vetting Mr Dery said the Immigration Service together with other security agencies will secure Ghana borders from any such outbreak. Noting that the outbreak is a matter of concern to government, he told the Appointments Committee that government will ensure the needed resources are provided to officers of the Immigration Service to prevent the outbreak in Ghana. “We need to work hard to ensure that Ebola doesn’t come here (Ghana). And I am committed to making sure that we protect our borders as much as possible, that is why we are building the Immigration Service’s capacity.” “But at the end of the day, we still need some technology to help us, and I think that above all we need support from the people. That is why we are building good relations with the people at the border,” he said. Myjoyonline Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: +233555568093
2020 polls: Perpetrators of violence’ll be brought to book – Dery
Minister-designate for Interior, Ambrose Dery has given the assurances that perpetrators of violence that led to the death of some citizens during the 2020 elections will be brought to book. At least five people died in December 2020 election violence. There were dozens of incidents of violence during the divisive election Twenty-one of the incidents were true cases of electoral violence, six of which involve gunshots resulting in the death of five. So far, nothing has been heard about the ongoing investigation or prosecution of perpetrators. Taking his turn at the appointments committee on Monday, 16 February 2021, Mr Dery disclosed that government is still pursuing the issue rigorously and assured the families of the victims that the perpetrators will be brought to book. “Let me now tell the relatives of the deceased that we’ll do all in our power to make sure all those who perpetrated those acts are brought to book. Yes, they have my assurance,” Mr Dery stated. Classfm Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: +233555568093
KATH: Abandoned 44yr old maternity block to be demolished
Government has given the green light for demolishing of the 44-year-old abondoned maternity block at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital to pave ways for the construction of a new building. President Akufo-Addo, on Friday, 15th May 2020, cut sod for the reactivation of work for the construction of the forty-four (44) year old Maternity and Children’s Block of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital. The project, which was being funded by the German Bank, Deutsche Bank, will cost €155 million and was expected to be completed within 36 months, with the construction being undertaken by Contracta. The Maternity and Children’s Block was to be a state-of-the-art, modern health edifice, with paediatrics, gynaecology and obstetrics units. It would have also served as a referral centre for twelve (12) of the sixteen (16) regions of our country. It was to have seven hundred and fifty (750)-bed building, with outpatient areas for adults and children, and it will have ten (10) operating theatres and diagnostic rooms, fully equipped with X-Ray, ultrasound, and mammography facilities among others. However, ten months after the sod cutting, the government has received structural integrity test report from Contracta, a construction firm responsible for the completion of the project saying the structure must be pulled down. According to the Ashanti Regional Minister Simon Osei-Mensah, the building failed structural integrity test which calls for total demolishing. “Currently we have launched stakeholder’s consultation on how best to bring the structure down without necessary coursing avoidable nuisance to people who live around the structure. I mean the Armed forces basic school, the military, KATH staff and patience on admission,” he said. He added, “based on the report available to me, the building will collapse in future if they ignore technical advice from the construction firm. Because of the weak nature of the building as at now,’’ he disclosed. Starrfm Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: +233555568093