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The Member of Parliament for Adansi Asokwa, Kobina Tahir Hammond has issued a stern demand for a public apology and retraction from popular radio presenter Captain Smart, following allegations of tribal remarks attributed to him in a viral video circulating on social media.

The controversy stems from a video in which KT Hammond is seen in an agitated state, surrounded by a group of people outside his residence. According to Hammond’s lawyer, Kweku Y. Paintsil, the footage itself contains no offensive remarks.

However, the accompanying commentary from Captain Smart reportedly accuses Hammond of making derogatory comments about an “Ewe person” contesting him for a parliamentary seat in the Ashanti Region.

K. T. Hammond has strongly refuted the allegations, calling them “false and defamatory.” In a formal statement through his lawyer, he expressed that the claims have caused him significant emotional distress and public embarrassment.

He is also seeking substantial compensation for the reputational damage and legal expenses he has incurred as a result of the incident.

In a letter dated December 16, 2024, Hammond’s legal team has given Captain Smart an ultimatum to issue a public apology and retract the allegations by December 18, 2024, or face legal action.
According to his lawyers, they will proceed to issue a writ if a satisfactory response is not received by December 18, 2024, which has already passed.

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In the wake of the act of vandalism of vehicles in parliament on Wednesday, December 18, 2024, security has been beefed up at the premises of the lawmaking House.

Parliament’s security personnel could be seen giving thorough checks on visitors who were coming to the premises of Parliament House.

Even journalists signed to the House were directed to display their identification cards for checks before being allowed into the premises.

On Wednesday, December 18, 2024 two suspects namely Wisdom Ahlie, forty-two and Christopher Okyere, thirty-three were apprehended by the police in Parliament House for vandalizing windscreens and side glasses of parked vehicles in Parliament House.

Five vehicles were involved; two Toyota Land cruisers belonging to Members of Parliament, a Toyota Rav 4, and twoToyota Camry belonging to staff of the parliamentary service.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

The sitting of the seventh meeting of Ghana’s Parliament has been reverted to the chamber, after the previous three days meetings were held at the Grand Arena of the Accra International Conference Centre when the chamber was not fully finished.

As at the time of writing this story Ghanamps.com saw Members of Parliament talking among themselves discussing the new look of the chamber.

Members of Parliament are waiting for estimates of the first quarter of next year being worked on to be presented on the floor for approval.

The new chamber has an upgraded microphone which pops up when the Rt. Hon. Speaker recognizes you to speak and goes off after the presiding Speaker has finished recognizing you.

As expected, Members of the Majority side have not shown up on the floor of the House

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Minority Chief Whip, Governs Kwame Agbodza has accused the outgoing Akufo-Addo administration of fleecing Ghanaians with the E-gate initiative at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA).

He said that whereas it took the previous Mahama administration $250 million to build the entire Terminal 3 at the KIA, the Akufo-Addo administration spent $147 million to provide just the E-gate alone.

Addressing a press conference in Parliament on Wednesday, December 18, he said “The Vice President went to the airport attempting to launch something called e-gate. The truth is that the thing has been part of Terminal 3 at KIA. The debate was how it would be activated. The news of the activation of the gate should have been welcoming news; but the disaster and the embarrassment it cost. It is basically a new create, loot and share which the Vice President should have known better”.

“President Mahama spent $250 million to build the entire Terminal 3 at KIA but Vice President Bawumia actually looked on when an entity in this country proposed that the e-gate alone would be $200 million dollars. That amount has been revised to $150 million and today we are told it is still around $147million. What will be the justification for this? The Ministry of Finance and Ghana Immigration Service are in a rush to activate this and allow a private entity to fleece the people of this country.”

The E-gate system was expected to grant smooth and easy passage for passengers on arrival at the airport. It was thus expected to improve turnaround time for passengers on arrival. It is also expected to help check and deal with miscreants who may want to enter the country illegally.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

On Wednesday, December 18, 2024 in the hours of 10:00am two suspects namely Wisdom Ahlie, forty-two and Christopher Okyere, thirty-three were apprehended by the police in Parliament House for vandalizing windscreens and side glasses of parked vehicles in Parliament House.

In all five vehicles were involved; two Toyota Land cruisers belonging to Members of Parliament, a Toyota Rav 4, and two Toyota Camry belonging to staff of the parliamentary service.

A statement released by the director of media relations noted that an axe head was used in that operation, meanwhile the motive behind their action remain unknown.

The perpetrators have been handed over to the police service of Parliamentary unit to carry out further investigations into the matter.

Parliament has assured the public that there were no casualties; and the extent of the damage is yet to be determined.

Ghanamps.com

The Parliament of Ghana has appointed Mr. Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror as its new Clerk of Parliament after going through a fierce competition with two others.

He succeeds the current Clerk of Parliament, Mr. Cyril Kwabena Oteng Nsiah who will be attaining the compulsory retirement age of sixty years on February 2, 2025.
The decision to settle on Mr. Djietror was by the Board of the Parliamentary Service at its extra ordinary meeting held in November 2024.

Mr. Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror is an experienced lawyer by profession and one of the longest serving procedural clerks. In addition to serving as the Clerk at the Table of the legislature, he has in the past served as the clerk to various committees of Parliament including the committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, the Business Committee, Committee on Judiciary as well as Committee on Foreign Affairs of Parliament.

A statement released by the Parliamentary Service on Wednesday, December 18, 2024, revealed that the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has already issued an appointment letter to the incoming Clerk.

This is to enable him to commence work from January 1, 2025 following a directive from the Speaker to Mr. Cyril Kwabena Oteng Nsiah to proceed on his due annual leave.

Swearing-in of new MPs

One of the visibly main tasks that will welcome the newly appointed Clerk to Parliament is to Chair and oversee the swearing-in of newly elected Members of Parliament and the Speaker for the 9th Parliament on January 7, 2025.

The incoming Clerk to Parliament is expected to conduct proceedings of the House without any difficulty.

The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin is expected to formally announce to the House about the appointment of the new Clerk to honourable Members of Parliament before the House rises Sine Die for the Christmas holidays.

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The Minority members of Parliament are opposing tall order of business when the Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin presented business statement on the floor of the House on Monday, December 16, 2024 and indicated that the House should not seat beyond Friday, December 20, 2024.

According to the Majority Leader the government businesses presented are not new to the House since some of the businesses have been on the order paper since 2022, others as far back as May, 2024.

The whole of Monday, December 16, 2024 was wasted on agreeing to adopt the business statement on the floor of the House as the Minority indicated that the Majority should not commit the incoming administration with financial burdens.

The most contentious item was the thirty-third report of the Appointment Committee of the eighth Parliament on the approval of the nominees for the Supreme Court as vetted by the Appointment Committee.

The Effutu MP noted that a bad example should not be set because some members disagree with some portions of the business statement, so they want to vote against the business statement.

A business statement is presented, just express your opinion, if your opinion carries the day on a subject matter that is fine, but you do not say the entire report should be rejected, he said.

In the wake of the heated debate on the floor of the House, the Speaker Rt. Hon Alban Sumana Bagbin intervened pointing out that the House has been confronted with the subject matter they are looking at (approving judges when the lifespan of a parliament is just about terminating), and stated that when on the Committee of Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs which Nana Akufo-Addo now President then Ranking member of the Committee raised serious objection to the approval of judges when the lifespan of a parliament was few weeks to terminating, the then government had to drop those nominees; reasons given by the president who was MP at that time was that there was not time to do a thorough job.

The Speaker further added that, the Majority Leader should rather be pointing out ways of improving the issue that had previously confronted them.

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Without any hint of who becomes the Speaker of the 9th Parliament of the fourth Republic which kicks start on January 7, 2025, Majority Leader, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin suggests that whoever may be decided on should come from within parliament.

He did not hide his desire to see the new government under John Mahama to allow the current Speaker Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Bagbin to continue in his current position.

According to him because the current Speaker is a former lawmaker, he was able to guide workings of the House with his experience. “We do not know if a new person is going to be appointed. Will they sack you with all you have done for them?” He queried.

Mr. Afenyo-Markin who was delivering his welcome message on the floor, the first meeting post the December 7, general elections noted that the NDC Minority cannot be predicted, and “if they decide to retain you, it will be the happiness of this House.
But if the new government decides to bring a new Speaker, the person should be from parliament; “we do not want an outsider, we want someone from within who understands the workings of the House”, he added.

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Minority Leader Dr. Ato Forson has said the incoming government led by former President John Dramani Mahama will not behave like the Akufo-Addo and Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia led government but would be sensitive to the needs of Ghanaians.

He thanked Ghanaians for the confidence reposed in the opposition National Democratic Congress.

“They have shown that they can rise to the occasion when it is needed most, and I congratulate the NDC MPs for their dedication which has resulted in the unprecedented number of MPs”.

“We were able to snatch over fifty parliamentary seats from the ruling party; we have shown that it is possible to reduce the NPP Majority to ‘nkoko nkete nkete’; indeed ‘nkoko nkete nkete’ is possible”.

Again, our Majority would be a contest of ideas between the NDC supper majority and the mini micro NPP Minority. It was the people’s revolution against the government that is obsolete and insensitive.

Ghanaians have shown that they cannot be taken for granted and when it matters most they will boot out those in office. NPP has been booted out for its poor governance and mismanagement of the economy, arrogance of power and impunity.

It shows the political class should not take the people for granted and calls for reflection on the part of the political parties, he added.

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The Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has expressed confidence in the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) ability to stage a comeback in the 2028 general elections.

According to him NPP will rebuild and strengthen its position as a credible opposition. In his open remarks when parliament reconvened on Monday, December 16, 2024, he said the people of Ghana have spoken and given the NDC the mandate. “Our role in opposition is clear: to hold them accountable. “This victory is not eternal, and we expect them to govern with humility while we prepare for the next election.”

Mr. Afenyo-Markin highlighted the party’s determination to learn from its shortcomings, unite its ranks, and regain public trust. “We are optimistic that by 2028, Ghanaians will see the NPP as the better alternative. We’ll evaluate our errors, make necessary corrections, and come back stronger.”

He also pledged responsible opposition, emphasizing constructive engagement over chaos. “As a principled minority, we’ll focus on issue-based debates and demonstrate our credibility as a government-in-waiting,” he added.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com