Author: Akumaa GhanaMPs

Hon. Albert Kan-Dapaah was robbed at gunpoint last night. The chairman of the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament, Hon Albert Kan-Dapaah, was robbed at gunpoint on Tuesday night, Citi News understands.

The specific amount or exact items made away with is not yet known. CitiNews learned the MP for Afigya Sekyere West was attacked at gunpoint after appearing on Metro TV’s Good Evening Ghana show that evening.

The incident happened just after 11 pm. His private vehicle was vandalised in the process by the gunmen amidst gunshots.

Hon Kan-Dapaah becomes the second legislator to be attacked by robbers in less than a week. Last Friday the MP for Chereponi, Hon. Samuel Abdulai Djabanyite, was also attacked at gunpoint in the Northern region, but he managed to flee from the highway robbers.

The burglars, however, succeeded in robbing occupants of other vehicles following his Ford Expedition, including that of the District Chief Executive.

Citifmonline.com

Ghana’s Parliament has passed a Constitutional Instrument that will govern the 2012 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections.

MPs passed the CI by consensus at Tuesday’s sitting of the House; giving legal backing to the Electoral Commission’s proposed Biometric Verification exercise at the point of voting this December.

With Tuesday being the 21st Parliamentary sitting day since the CI was laid in the House, the Instrument would become law by close of Tuesday in line with Article 11 (7) of the 1992 Constitution.

A member of the Parliamentary Committee on Subsidiary Legislation, Hon. John Tia Akologu, moved the motion for the adoption of Committee’s report and went to read excerpts of the report to MPs at Tuesday’s sitting.

He said: “The Electoral Commission has since 1996 been conducting public elections under the Public elections regulations 1996, CI 15. However, due to the emerging challenges in the country’s electoral system, the EC has embarked on a number of reforms to address the challenges. One of such reforms is the introduction of the biometric registration system through the passage of the Public Elections Registration of Voters, 2012 CI 72 which came into force on Friday, 23rd March 2012.”

“With the introduction of the biometric registration, the EC has expressed its intention to implement a biometric verification of registered voters during public elections, effective December 2012 to further strengthen existing electoral procedures. Consequently, it has become necessary for the EC to make new Regulations to replace the existing CI 15 in order to incorporate the reforms introduced into the electoral system.

“To give legal effect to the new proposals by the EC regarding the changes in the electoral system and in line with Article 51 of the Constitution, the EC on 14th August, 2012 laid before Parliament the Public Elections Regulations, 2012 (CI 75,” he explained.

According to Hon Akologu, the Committee observed that the major reason for the introduction of the CI 78 is to give legal effect to the introduction to the biometric and verification of registered voters and other matters connected with the election process in the country.

“And so having duly discussed the Constitutional Instrument, it is satisfied that the Public Elections Regulations, 2012 CI 75 conforms to the requirements of the Constitution and other existing electoral laws. The Committee therefore recommends to the house to adopt its report and allow the Public Elections Regulations, 2012 CI 75 to come into force in accordance with Article 11 (7) of the constitution.”

The Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Subsidiary Legislation, Hon Kwame Osei Prempeh, seconded the motion for the adoption of the Committee’s report.

Explaining why the CI 75 did not spark a Parliamentary storm as was the case with the withdrawn CI 73, he said: “In this one, the EC cooperated with the Committee and therefore we were able to come out freely.”

He further stated that “In this one, the EC brought it to the Committee, we sat on it for three days, did all the corrections before it was officially laid in this House and that is why people have not heard so much noise about it because the EC unlike CI 73, 77, 78, the EC cooperated with the Committee fully and that is why we have gotten an incident-free instrument which is going to help us in this election.”

Citifmonline.com

The Supreme Court has dismissed an application by a member of the ruling NDC’s legal team, Chris Ackumey, to join the case concerning the controversial CI 78 which when passed into law will allow the Electoral Commission to create 45 new constituencies.

Lawyer Chris Ackumey, last Wednesday, filed a motion seeking an order to permit him to join the matter to protect his interest.

According to his lawyer, David Annan, his client has a vested interest in the case since he intends to contest as a Member of Parliament in one of the yet-to-be created constituencies; Ablekuma West.

But Lawyer Atta Akyea, in response to the application, stated that the A-G was already in the suit protecting the public interest and there was no need for the action, adding that granting Mr Ackumey’s application will encourage other people to join in the suit, thus over-burdening the court.

The court, after hearing both aruments, fixed September 25th, to rule on whether to permit Mr Ackumey to be joined in the substantive matter or not.

At today’s sitting, Supreme Court Judge, Justice Julius Ansah threw out the application. He however permitted Mr Akumey to be a friend of the court.

Counsel for the applicant David Annan expressed his satisfaction on the ruling and said the dismissal of the application does not completely rule his client out of being party to the case.

Peacefmonline.com

A six- classroom block with an office, store, library and washrooms built for the Anomangye M/A Primary School in the Kumasi Metropolis at the cost of GH¢230,000.00 has been inaugurated.

Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, Minority Leader and Member of Parliament (MP) for Suame, funded the project from his share of the Common Fund.

In inaugurating the project, he said, it underlined his determination to promote education in the area.

He said given the critical role of education in the socio-economic development of both the individual and society, it was important for all to work together to create the right conditions for teaching and learning.

He promised to continue supporting the school with blocks, exercise books and computers.

Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu spoke of his award of scholarship to a number of students to pursue higher education and thanked Nana Agen Frempon II, the Tafohene, for the release of the land for the school project.

He used the occasion to appeal to people in the constituency to vote massively for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the December 7, elections to transform the economy and put it on the real path of growth.

Mr Joseph Nsiah, Officer-in-Charge of the Suame Sub-Metropolitan Directorate of Education, urged parents to enroll their children in the school and expressed satisfaction with the performance of schools in the area in the Basic Education Certificate Examinations (BECE).

He appealed to the teachers to continue to work harder to maintain the standard.

Mr Cosmos Agyemang, Assembly Member for Anomangye , praised the MP for his contribution towards improving the living conditions of the people saying the supply of electricity poles and bulbs to boost illumination in the community has been well received.

Nana Agen Frempon, reminded the people to ensure that the block was properly maintained to keep it in good shape at all times.

Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu later presented 10 laptop computers and two footballs to the school.

GNA

The Independent Member of Parliament for Bekwai Hon .Joe Osei-Owusu has won the Bekwai constituency primary organized by the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

He garnered an amazing 476 votes to defeat former Minister and MP, Hon Kofi Opuku Adusei who polled an insignificant 37 votes.

Speaking on Okay FM on Monday 24th September, Hon. Osei Owusu thanked the delegates for the trust reposed in him, and promised that he would work hard to ensure a resounding victory for the NPP in both presidential and parliamentary elections come December.

He noted that his efficient work as an MP, his love for his constituents and his readiness to assist people in need endeared him to the delegates which translated into the massive win for him.

Hon. Joe Osei-Owusu who is a Member of the NPP has been in Parliament for almost four years as an Independent Member of Parliament but decided to side with the Minority(NPP) side in Parliament.

In 2008, Mr Osei-Owusu, a former DVLA boss, lost the primaries to the then incumbent MP who was then Deputy Minister for Fisheries by a single vote.

This led to several agitations by the supporters both contestants which resulted in Hon. Osei Owusu deciding to contest an Independent Candidate in the 2008 Parliamentary election and won convincingly.

His action was in contravention of the party’s constitution which made the NPP sack him from the party, but was extended an olive branch by the party hierarchy after he decided to seek re-election on the party’s ticket.

Kwadwo Anim/Ghanamps.gov.gh

The Member of Parliament for Adenta, Kojo Adu-Asare has challed ex President and Founder of the ruling NDC party to public declare which political party he will in the upcoming December election.

According to him the refusal of the Founder to come out clear on which party he will campaigning for with a little more than two months to the general election is very worrying.

Ex president Rawlings has severally criticized the NDC government accusing it of engaging in corruption and has been linked to the breakaway NDP party which his wife is tipped to be the flagbear, but recently Mr Rawlings has given NDC supporters hope with his appearance at the party’s special congress in Kumasi and his comment that President Mahama could win the election.

But speaking on Asempa FM’s Eko sii sen show, Hon. Adu Asare stated that this is not enough to tell which party he was going to throw his weight behind.

He said Mr Rawlings should come out clear so that members of the NDC would know how to deal with him in the run up to the election.

Hon. Adu Asare was confident that with the good work that the NDC government has done, Ghanaians are sure to retain the government.

Kwadwo Anim/Ghanamps.gov.gh

The Supreme Court has thrown out an application for injunction on the CI 78 that would give legal backing for the creation of the 45 new constituencies.

Supreme Court Judge, Justice Julius Ansah in his ruling stated that the right thing to be done is for the case to be dismissed.

The ruling clears the first legal hurdle on whether or not Parliament should be stopped from considering the Representation of the People (parliamentary Constituencies Instrument), 2012 CI 78.

A businessman, Mr Ransford France, entreated the Supreme Court to restrain Parliament from considering the CI 78 which has been laid and is expected to mature on October 3, 2012 until the final determination of a suit tie that has been filed against the creation of the new constituencies.

The applicant went to court on July 6, 2012, praying it to declare as unconstitutional and illegal the creation of 45 new constituencies by the Electoral Commission (EC).

The EC’s move to create the 45 new constituencies has received stiff opposition from the Minority in Parliament.

Mr. France was represented in Court by his lawyers Mr Joe Ghartey and Hon. Atta Akyea while the Attorney¬General and Minister of Justice, Dr Benjamin Kunbuor, argued for the state.

The judge stated that it is proper for injunction to be dismissed to allow the substantive case be heard on October 4.

RadioXYZonline.com