AICO I Etoo demise: Let this incident be the last- MP to GIS

Member of Parliament for WA West Constituency in the Upper West Region, Hon. Peter Lanchene Toobu has expressed his discomfort following the shooting of a young vibrant Officer of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), AICO I Michael Ekow Otoo.

According to him, they are tired with the words from the Security Officers whenever their member is killed in the line of duty.

He added that, somebody must be held accountable if their misconduct on the side of the leaders caused the death of the Officer.

The late AICO I Michael Ekow Otoowas shot and killed at Kokoligu, a village between Nandom and Hamile in the Upper West Region.

Unknown assailants killed him on Tuesday, 22 March 2022, while on night patrol duty on the Ghana-Burkina Faso border.

But Hon. Toobu said, they should let this be the last for allowing an Officer to be exposed like that.

.…HON. TOOBU FIRST…..

Hon. Peter Peter Lanchene Toobu again said, there are a lot of questions surrounding his death that needs to be answered either he went there alone or what.

….HON. TOOBU SECOND….

Review funding options for Free SHS – Dr. Manteaw

Co-chair of Ghana Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, Dr. Steve Manteaw has disclosed that, the current funding module of the Free Senior High School policy is not sustainable and needs to be reviewed urgently.

More than GH¢1.8billion of crude oil revenue goes into financing the policy every year, but Dr. Manteaw says this approach is not sustainable because oil is a finite resource and the policy puts an extra burden on government. He therefore believes corporate bodies can be encouraged to contribute to the policy.

According to him, when they make this point some think they are against Free SHS but he is not against the policy.

He added that, we are at a point where Free SHS risks collapse if they don’t pass the E-levy; the economy is in dire straits because over GH¢1.2billion of oil revenue goes into financing Free SHS on a yearly basis, and it is not sustainable.

Nearly five years down the line, the policy’s long-term future remains uncertain due to dwindling production volumes, falling revenues against rising expenditure, and ballooning public sector debt and lack of diversified funding sources.

Given that oil can be depleted, Dr. Manteaw said the first mistake the country made was to use a chunk its oil revenue to finance Free SHS education instead of using the returns on investment of such revenue: “What happens to the education of these children if the money gets finished or the resource becomes depleted?”

….DR. MANTWEAW….

 

 

 

Minority threatens protest at Kotoka if COVID-19 testing isn’t made free

The Minority in Parliament has threatened demonstrations at the Kotoka International Airport if the mandatory COVID-19 testing at the airport is not made free.

According to the Ranking Member on the Health Committee, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, the must accompany the re-opening of the land borders with the removal of the costs for KIA testing.

He added that, some countries have stopped the mandatory PCR test due to the decreased of the active cases in their country.

The government engaged Frontiers Healthcare Solution Services Limited to conduct the rapid COVID-19 tests at KIA following the reopening of the airport to international passenger flights in September 2020.

The 30-minute PCR COVID-19 test initially attracted a $150 fee but was subsequently reviewed.

While the amount was maintained for non-ECOWAS citizens, those from any of the West African countries were to pay $50 for such services at Kotoka International Airport.

Last week, the Minority Leader indicated that some of its members will push a motion demanding accountability from the company handling the testing.

The Juaboso Lawmaker added that, inasmuch as they welcome the opening of land borders, they want to see a complete reversal of the PCR test…..

….HON. AKANDOH….

 

 

It won’t be easy for the NPP to win Assin North- Obiri Boahen

Deputy General Secretary for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Lawyer Obiri Boahen has stated that, the NPP won’t find it easy to win the Assin North seat should there be any by-elections.

According to him, in his own personal opinion, unless the NPP embark on a strategy it won’t be easy for them hence as a matter of urgency no member of the NPP should think they will the Assin North seat.

A Court of Appeal in Cape Coast on Tuesday struck out the appeal by embattled Assin North MP James Gyekye Quayson for non-compliance with court procedures.

Mr. Quayson filed an appeal challenging a high court ruling that declared fresh elections to be held in his constituency and ordered him not to hold himself out as MP for the area.

Delivering her judgment on Tuesday, the presiding judge, Irene Charity Larbi, stated that the embattled MP failed to comply with the court’s directives to submit his written submission within a stipulated time.

The judge further ordered that all applications before the panel in relation to the Assin North MP have to be struck out.

However Lawyer Obiri Boahen added that, the Central region and Greater Accra region are not like the Ashanti region where they can confidently say they will win the seat.

….OBIRI BOAHEN…..

 

 

 

Demonstrating pupils assault linguist, convey palace stools to school

The pupils of Osenso D/A Basic School in the Wassa East District of the Western Region have embarked on a demonstration to protest the lack of chairs in their classrooms.

The pupils are reported to have attacked the chief’s linguist and tore his shirt in the process and later carry all the chairs at the palace to the school.

The pupils, who were without the protection and guidance of their teachers, began the protest around 8:30 am on Tuesday, March 22, from the school’s premises through the main street of the Osenso Community and ended at the chief’s palace.

Chief of Osenso, Nana Yaw Gyesi speaking to the media today said, he is not happy with the students’ behavior.

According to him, the linguist narrated that the school children came and beat him up and tore his shirt because they complained that they lacked chairs in the school.

He added that, the school authorities demanded school chairs from him but told them it was the responsibility of the Education or the DCE to provide them with the chairs.

He noted that, he decided to intervene a get them the needed chairs.

The displeased chief noted that the action of the children was not right and he was saddened that, the entire staff of the Osenso D/A Basic School for allowing the students to embark on such demonstration.

…NANA GYESI…

Meanwhile the Headmaster of Osenso D/A Basic School, Mr. William Duodu denied that, he ordered his students to go to the palace and bring their chairs to the school.

According to him, though he ordered them to bring chairs from the house but not enter the palace house.                                                 

        ….MR. DUODU….

 

Politicians who discontinue govt projects should be shunned – Okudzeto Ablakwa

South Tongu Member of Parliament (MP), Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has taken position on ruling governments (Politicians) that discontinue projects of their predecessors.

According to him, leaders who engage in the act of abandoning existing government projects should be shunned.

He added that, his position on what has clearly become a canker is that politicians who discontinue projects of their predecessors should be shunned.

He disclosed there are no sanctions to governing leaders who abandoned government projects by their predecessors, hence provisions must be made with sanctions to culprits at all levels.

Hon. Ablakwa noted that, “Even though in the constitution successive governments are enjoined to continue projects of their predecessors, it doesn’t appear that there is any sanction for governments that come and do not really comply with that.

He thinks the time has come for us to put in place our legal regime more stringent provisions and should come with sanctions at all levels,” he continued.

He noted that political leaders portray their selfishness with an agenda of legacy creation, however, overlooking the importance of the betterment of the living conditions of the good people of Ghanaians.

 “There is no commitment. If those E-blocks had been completed we wouldn’t have had double-track on our heads. Double-track is a clear result of lack of planning and lack of provision of infrastructure,” he cited.

He urged leaders from both the ruling and the opposition groups to desist from the acts of abandoning government projects.

…HON. ABLAKWA….