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A friend to the Appointment Committee and Majority Leader Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin has insisted that the Chairman of the Committee has voting right despite his absence from the process.

This follows a split on the Committee’s yet to be prepared recommendation with fourteen members showing up to vet two nominees for the Supreme Court Justice Bernasko Essah and Professor Richard Frimpong Oppong.

The seven Majority members during the vetting voted for the approval of the nominees whiles the seven Minority members voted against their approval.

The Majority Leader in an interview with the media at the vetting of the two nominees noted that the chairman Joseph Osei-Owusu who is out of the jurisdiction and could not make it to the vetting of the nominees has a voting right and the standing orders of the House allow that.

According to him the recommendation of the Committee would come before plenary for approval but was quick to point out that the chairman was unavoidably absent because he is out of the jurisdiction but has a voting right and the rules of the House permit that.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Mr Kwasi Ameyaw-Cheremeh, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Sunyani East Constituency says the constituency has witnessed unprecedented level of development since he became the MP.

He said the constituents had benefited from numerous development projects in his 16 years in parliament, and therefore, deserved another term and called on the electorate to retain him in the Election 2024.

“What I have done is enough to be retained as MP” Mr Asomah-Cheremeh stated when he visited the Sunyani Traditional Council to officially introduce himself as the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Election 2024 Parliamentary Candidate.

He said his visit was also to enable him to account for his stewardship to the chiefs and queens and rally their support in the elections.

Accompanied by Mr John Ansu Kumi, the Sunyani Municipal Chief Executive, constituency executives of the party and some Assembly Members, Mr Ameyaw-Cheremeh touted some of his achievements, and called on the chiefs and queens to support his candidature and vote for him when they go to ballot on December 7.

He said health, education, sports, and road infrastructure had all seen remarkable improvements in the Sunyani Municipality, saying “I have served well, and I haven’t failed my constituents”.

Mr Ameyaw-Cheremeh said virtually all the Community-based Health Planning Services (CHPS) co mpounds in the municipality as well as the Sunyani Teaching Hospital had benefited from modern medical devices and equipment.

He said the CHPS compounds and nurses’ bungalows constructed at Atronie, Benue Nkwanta, Wawasua and Nkrankrom communities were all spearheaded by him.

The MP said he had improved physical education infrastructure at Atuahenekrom, Daadom and Wawasua among others, saying work on a standard artificial football facility was also progressing steadily at the Sunyani Penkwase ‘Sakora Park’ while construction work on a similar facility at the Sunyani Newtown and the Sunyani Senior High School (SUSEC) would commence soon.

He said very soon work on another artificial football pitch would begin at the Abesim community, stating that SUSEC had also benefited from a dining hall and several classroom blocks.

Work on the construction of a Science, Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) facility at Sunyani Ridge Experimental Basic School would be completed and handed over for use very soon.

Nana Kwaku Sabeng II, the Akwamuhene (sub-chief) and the Acting President of the Sunyani Traditional Area commended the MP for bringing the development of the Municipality to the next level and assured that the council would continue to support him to improve the development and socio-economic lives of the people.

Dennis Peprah/Christopher Tetteh

The Minority believes the recently advertised recruitment into the security services is politically motivated and cast doubt on a non-existing backlog as the move is to recruit party vigilantes and goons to help achieve a favourbale outcome in the upcoming 2024 general election.

According to the ranking on defense and Interior Jamse Agalga, advertisements come on the back of a recent petition by the Minority to the Commissioner of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate our complaint of unequal and unfair recruitment of personnel into the security services based on a purported backlog.

The Minority is amazed that the security services under the Ministry of the Interior namely; the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana National Fire Service, Ghana Prisons Service and the Ghana Immigration Service have all placed open advertisements which restrict the 2024 recruitment process to only persons who applied in 2021, at a time the legality of recruiting from a purported backlog is the subject of a petition before CHRAJ.

“Again, it is an attempt to stampede CHRAJ in its investigations and to mislead Ghanaians into believing that the right thing is finally being done. This development has confirmed our long-held position that the reason why the recruitment was being shrouded in opacity is to create unequal access to some people in the name of a so-called backlog, when no such backlog exists on the record.

Ghanaians have not forgotten how the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia NPP government unleashed party vigilante and goons clothed in uniform on innocent civilians during the 2020 general elections. Eight (8) innocent Ghanaians were killed in the process, including the dastardly shootings at Techiman South”.

The Minority asserts that the peace and security of our dear country and the stability of our democracy will once again be in serious jeopardy should this government be allowed to have its way through this ongoing restricted recruitment into the security services.

“The Minority hereby calls on the National Peace Council, the Christian Council of Ghana, the Office of the National Chief Imam, our Development Partners, Civil Society Organisations and all lovers of peace to speak out before it is too late.

Also, the Minority wishes to renew our call for a strict adherence to a balanced structuring of all the security services including the Ghana Armed Forces, through the creation of equal access and opportunity for all by the security services in terms of recruitment”.

The Minority reiterates that they are in principle not against the recruitment of the youth of this country into the security services. “On the contrary, our objective is to guarantee equal access and opportunity for all regardless of one’s gender, ethnicity, religion or creed when it comes to recruitment into the security services”.

Ghanamps.com

The Minority National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Ghana’s parliament has called on President Akufo-Addo to immediately abrogate what it described as unconscionable, sweetheart, family affair US $34 million ambulance spare parts deal awarded to Service Ghana Auto Group Limited (SGAGL).

The caucus is convinced that the contract awarded to SGAGL, a company belonging to the daughter of President Akufo-Addo through sole sourcing was inflated.

Speaking on behalf of the minority caucus at a press conference in response to a statement issued by SGAGL in parliament, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa shredded the statement by the company which he said failed to address the fundamental issues raised by his expose’.

He noted particularly the deliberate silence of the statement on the politically exposed status of a key director of the company, Stephen Okoro who he said is “not just a close business partner of the President’s daughters, Gyankroma Akufo-Addo and Edwinna Akufo-Addo” but also has “family ties with the presidential family” as father to the president’s grandchild.

Mr Ablakwa who is the Chairman of Government’s Assurances Committee of parliament disclosed that the company is also linked to the president’s daughters through a longstanding business partnership.

“A key director of Service, Ghana Auto Group Limited, is named, Stephen Okoro. We have discovered through our parliamentary oversight, diligent parliamentary oversight, that Stephen Okoro is not just any Ghanaian or Nigerian for that matter. He is an in-law to President Akufo-Addo. Stephen Okoro has given President Akufo-Addo a grandchild.”
“This is a fact, and now in the corruption literature, politically exposed persons come under greater scrutiny. That is why when we were formulating the Office of Special Prosecutor Act, we included politically exposed persons.
The other thing that makes Stephen Okoro so politically exposed is that we have discovered that he is a longstanding business partner of the Akufo-Addo daughters.”, Mr Ablakwa revealed.

Flanked by minority members on the Health committee, Mr Ablakwa who is also Member of Parliament for North Tongu urged president Akufo-Addo to hold a presidential dinner with his family and announce a stoppage to the deal immediately.

He indicated that US $10 million out of the US $34 million has already been paid to the company by then Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta for no work done with an outstanding amount of US$ 24 million which must not been denied the nation.
“Then you need to also consider the fact that between 2020 and 2023, this company, Service Ghana Auto Group Limited, has been paid 115 million Ghana cedis in addition to the $54.3 million; then the latest scandal”.

“Ken Ofori Atta on the 9th of February 2024, a few days before he left office on the 14th of February, he instructed that this $34.9 million should be approved and that his ministry would take care of $10 million and the National Health Insurance Authority should take care of the outstanding $24.9 million”.

Additionally, the Minority also demands from President Akufo-Addo to instruct the Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei Opare to desist from mounting pressure on Health and Finance Ministers to make unlawful payments to SGAGL.
The NDC caucus is also urging the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to expedite investigation and prosecution into the deal, saying “Ghana is bleeding”.

Below is the full statement by the Minority

Akufo-Addo’s Ambulance Scandal — My Response to Service Ghana Auto Group Limited’s
Statement
My attention has been drawn to a preposterous and most offensive statement from the discredited Service Ghana Auto Group Limited.

Even though none of the directors of Service Ghana Auto Group Limited could muster the courage to boldly put a name to their statement, I deem it necessary in the interest of public accountability to respond as follows:

1. I strongly condemn the use of threats by Service Ghana Auto Group Limited and their disgusting attempt to gag Ghanaians, particularly Members of Parliament and the media.

2. This ill-advised strategy to use naked threats to prevent parliamentary scrutiny, media discussions and the legitimate demand of accountability from patriotic Ghanaians who have every right to know what a colossal US$108million of our taxes are being used for under this opaque ambulance transaction is a strategy bound to fail. SGAGL is well advised to desist from issuing empty and pathetic threats as nothing will stop our democratic and patriotic resolve in the spirit of transparency, probity and media freedoms – which are all guaranteed under the
1992 Constitution, to demand full accountability in this matter. We cannot be intimidated by their bogus threats.

3. Service Ghana Auto Group Limited’s statement deliberately failed to respond to the politically exposed status of a key director, Stephen Okoro who is not only a close business partner of the President’s daughters, Gyankroma Akufo-Addo and Edwina Akufo-Addo as irrefutably demonstrated with official incorporation documents of SFO Initiatives Limited, Goodbox Limited and Good Grow Limited; SGAGL was also disingenuously silent on Stephen Okoro’s familial ties with the presidential family having fathered a grandchild of the President with the President’s daughter. Politically exposed persons always come under greater scrutiny in the fight against corruption as they can unduly influence procurement processes, abuse due process and orchestrate unconscionable payment terms in their favour, as we have seen in this transaction.

4. From the statement of Service Ghana Auto Group Limited, it purportedly participated in a competitive procurement process by the Ministry of Special Development Initiatives from 15th November, 2018 as a consortium of 7 companies. Instructively, this consortium could not have existed in 2018 and 2019 as unimpeachable records at the Registrar of Companies reveal that Service Ghana Auto Group Limited was incorporated much later, specifically on April 24, 2020.

5. Claims by SGAGL that it’s a consortium which leveraged the expertise and resources of its companies in procurement of ambulances is most laughable and ridiculous. Incorporation records show that at least 5 of the 7 companies were hurriedly incorporated between April and September 2017. None of the companies had any expertise or track record in procuring and servicing ambulances. The evidence speaks for itself: BEFT engineering was incorporated on April 20, 2017 primarily to carry out construction, renovation, civil engineering works and electrical engineering works; Elok Consult was incorporated on July 25, 2017 to carry out management consultancy, civil works, roads and building construction; Prestige Era Company Limited was incorporated on April 19, 2017 with its objects being to carry out general supply, road and building construction, oil and gas products dealer, transport and haulage. None of these companies had expertise in ambulance procurement and after-sales maintenance. This must explain why the Auditor-General exposed SGAGL for using staff of the National Ambulance Service for their maintenance contract.

6. Service Ghana Auto Group Limited peddled another blatant falsehood when it claimed that companies in its so-called consortium put in a bid at US$133,000 per ambulance.

7. Incontrovertible Payment Vouchers obtained from GIFMIS show that some of its companies were paid over US$145,000.00. Others were paid as low as US$77,034.46 and US$82,066.57 for the same specs of ambulances which confirms the reckless nature of how the cost of these ambulances was unconscionably inflated. The true and accurate payments for these ambulances per GIFMIS records are duly attached to this response.

8. The official payment vouchers obtained from GIFMIS also expose another blatant fabrication – the payments these 7 companies received were for 4X4 Mercedes Benz Sprinter 316 CDI Ambulance Vehicles and not a varied inferior 4X2 as claimed in SGAGL’s statement. Another case of financial loss to Ghana.

9. It is worth highlighting, that Ghana’s Auditor-General determined at page 24 of the Performance Audit Report on Fleet Management of the National Ambulance Service that the unit cost of the ambulance in issue is US$80,000.00
10. The discredited Service Ghana Auto Group Limited should therefore be explaining to Ghanaians what accounts for their cruel and unpatriotic inflationary pricing on the procurement of the ambulances by more than US$29million.

11. Service Ghana Auto Group Limited failed to disclose that in addition to the inflated payments on procurement of the ambulances, between 2020 and 2023 the Government of Ghana has paid them over GHS115million for servicing the ambulances, albeit under shady circumstances as firmly concluded by the Auditor-General without any challenge from the management of the National Ambulance Service.

12. SGAGL claims to have entered into an after-sales service and maintenance agreement in December 2019. On the contrary, the Ministry of Health in its public statement of July 25, 2024, states that this agreement was signed on September 10, 2020. Ghanaians are beginning to lose count of the litany of contradictions and fabrications.

13. In any case, SGAGL has only confirmed the Auditor-General’s query that SGAGL was awarded the service contract long before it was incorporated. SGAGL was incorporated on April 24, 2020 and yet it claims to have been awarded a service contract in December, 2019.

14. The claims by SGAGL that they were not contacted by the auditors cannot be credible as paragraphs 76, 82 and 83 of the Auditor-General’s Performance Audit confirms extensive field inspection and interaction with staff of SGAGL by the Auditor-General.

15. SGAGL’s purported compliance with Ghana’s procurement laws is not supported by the evidence as the Auditor-General discovers violations of PPA regulations as contained in paragraph 74 of the Performance Audit.
16. The confirmation by SGAGL that it refunded amounts as instructed by the Auditor-General can only serve as an admission of the damning findings made against SGAGL by the Auditor-General.

17. SGAGL’s attempt to justify the outrageously inflated and unconscionable US$34.9 million spare parts sweetheart deal by seeking to separate mechanical and medical spare parts is most infantile and an insult to our intelligence. With the ambulance in issue’s determined market value by the Auditor-General for a new fully-equipped ambulance being US$80,000 – how can its spare parts, be it mechanical or medical, be in excess of US$113,000?

18. The ex post facto rationalization by SGAGL to seek refuge in arrears as another justification for the unconscionable US$34.9million spare parts deal is most dubious. This is because none of Ken Ofori-Atta’s letters approving the request and his further instruction to the Controller and Accountant-General refers to arrears. Indeed the 23rd February, 2024 payment as captured by GIFMIS does not make reference to arrears. This afterthought of arrears is totally unmeritorious.
It is therefore not surprising that SGAGL was unable to state any specific amount it classifies as arrears.

19. Claims that the US$10million was not a direct payment to SGAGL is another palpable falsehood. All official communication signed by Ken Ofori-Atta including the instruction to the Controller for payment was carried out in the name of Service Ghana Auto Company Limited.

Published GIFMIS payment description also confirms this fact.

20. The lack of parliamentary approval (flagrant violation of Article 178 of the 1992 Constitution) for the US$34.9million unconscionable ambulance spare parts sweetheart deal which was duly confirmed by the Health Minister at the Assurance Committee public hearings on Thursday 1st
August, 2024, further amplifies the grave illegalities and impunity associated with this transaction. 21. I shall continue to cooperate with the Office of the Special Prosecutor and lead efforts in Parliament to scuttle this sleazy transaction in the supreme national interest.

22. We shall not rest until all the masterminds and politically exposed persons involved in this grand heist are prosecuted, and our public funds fully retrieved.
Demands:

1) President Akufo-Addo should immediately stop this US$34.9million scandalous, unconscionable, sweetheart, family affair ambulance spare parts deal.

2) President Akufo-Addo should instruct his Chief of Staff, Hon. Frema Opare, to desist from mounting pressure on the Ministers of Health and Finance to make unlawful payments to SGAGL.

3) We also urge the OSP to expedite investigations and prosecutions into this putrefying scandal.
For God and Country.

Ghana First
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

The Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga has revealed that the National Security Minister Takes Six Million Ghana Cedis (GHC6, 000,000.00) every month in the name of the Bawku Conflict.

According to him the National Security Minister, Kan Dapaah takes Eighteen Million Ghana Cedis (Ghc18, 000,000.00) every quarter to deal with the Bawku conflict.

He made this revelation on Waezor TV on Sunday, August 4, 2024 and described this as outrageous.

He accused the NPP government and especially the National Security Ministry of cashing in on the suffering of the people of Bawku.

The MP also insisted that after mismanaging the situation in Bawku, the NPP government has turned it to their advantage financially.

Ghanamps.com

Rt. Hon. Peter Ala Adjetey, born on August 11, 1931, in Accra, Ghana, served as the 2nd Speaker of Parliament in Ghana’s 4th Republic from January 2001 to January 2005. A distinguished lawyer, he obtained his Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) from the University of Nottingham and was called to the Bar at Lincoln’s Inn in London. Adjetey also held a Master’s degree in Law from the University of London. Before his tenure as Speaker, he was the President of the Ghana Bar Association and a member of the Consultative Assembly that drafted Ghana’s 1992 Constitution. His leadership in Parliament was marked by a commitment to parliamentary independence, democratic governance, and the rule of law, leaving a lasting impact on Ghana’s legislative body. Adjetey passed away on July 15, 2008.

Shang Annang Papa Nii/ghanamps.com

Majority Leader Mr. Alexander Kwamena Afenyo – Markin has categorically stated that, he would use all legal means to recall Parliament back very soon to complete businesses which the House should have done before adjourning sine die.

He explained that the decision of Mr. Speaker, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin to adjourn Parliament abruptly on Tuesday, July 30, 2024, was not properly done especially where several national interest businesses were before the House and could not be completed.

In addition, he expressed his disagreement with the decision of the Speaker to adjourn Parliament sine die on Tuesday without even allowing leaders of both sides of the House to give their closing remarks.

The Effutu Member of Parliament in addressing the media noted that he was in the chamber and was the one who called for motion 23 which has to do with the two hundred and fifty million dollars facility from the World Bank.
And he signaled his colleague the Minority leader for them to discuss the Supreme Court nominees before the appointment Committee as earlier the Minority chief whip raised issue with regards to the vetting process.

“Surprising, the Speaker did not give his closing remarks neither did he allow leaders to make some remarks, stating that closing remarks have become part of the practice of Parliament. “These notwithstanding, he is the father of Parliament; we do not want to have banter with him and appear to be disrespectful of the chair except to say we disagree with the unilateral decision to adjourn the House sine die.

We would engage the caucus to get their signature according to the law to recall the House; so expect a recall from us the Majority”, he affirmed.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo Markin has cautioned politicians, especially the National Democratic Congress, (NDC) members of parliament not to politicize the judiciary on their judgments whether it favours or goes against them.

He said there can’t be any hand from the executive to manipulate the work of the judiciary and whatever being the outcome must be respected rather than chastising the judiciary whenever a ruling goes against politicians.

Mr Afenyo-Markin made these comments when he was responding to comments made by the MP for Tamale South, Mr Haruna Iddrisu accusing the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame on how he wrongfully handled the Ambulance trial case against the Minority leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson.

The leader finally expressed joy that the Minority leader through the appeals court decision has been acquitted and discharged in the ambulance trial.

Ghanamps.com

Chairman of the Finance Committee Yaw Patrick Boamah as part of letting members of the Parliamentary Press Corps (PPC) know workings of the Committee has revealed that one hundred and seventy-four (174) Senior High Schools (SHS) would benefit from two hundred and forty (240) laboratories to be built across the country.

According to him the finance committee is seeking additional funding for phase two which is a project government is building on.

Last week Friday, July 26, 2024, the finance Committee laid a report and sort Parliamentary approval for these facilities.

“It’s important we are trying to introduce a lot of ICT infrastructure in our senior high schools”, he said at a press conference on Monday, July 29, 2024, before the House started proceedings.

The document presented to parliament reads, “In accordance with the provisions of the Constitution and at the request of the Government of Ghana acting through the Minister responsible for Finance, there has been laid before Parliament a request by the Minister for Finance for the prior approval of Parliament the exercise by him of the power conferred under the Laws and Regulations relating to the waiver of Import Duties, Import VAT, Import NHIL, Import GETFund Levy, EXIM Levy and Special Import Levy amounting to the Ghana Cedi equivalent of One Million, Five Hundred and Seventeen Thousand, Forty Euros (€1,517,040.00) for the supply and installation of integrated e-learning laboratories in Senior High Schools (Televic Phase II)”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

In the wake of the brouhaha over when the House should go on recess with the Minority whip Govern Kwame Agbodza pushing for the House to rise on Tuesday, July 30, 2024, the Majority Leader Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin says the Business Committee programmed Friday, August 2, 2024.

According to the Majority Leader it is not acceptable that unilaterally the Minority decides that the House goes on recess Tuesday, July 30, 2024, rather there should be consensus building around the day; the House should go on recess as this is a democracy.

“This House would not sit beyond Tuesday, is that what you are telling the people of Ghana? The speaker gave an indication; do not put words in his mouth, you are taking the liberty of opposition to far, when we were in opposition we did your government business for you, I was on the left of Mr. Speaker”, he added.

The Majority leader asserts that there is a way to solve a problem, saying “in my dealings, I do not believe in surprises and I have reservation in some aspects of views expressed by my colleagues on the other side, and Hon Kofi Buah I am not aware of any decision for rising on Tuesday, July 30, 2024; the Speaker gives indications and we in leadership guide those indications.

And I have no indication from colleagues that we should rise on a particular date of which indication I agree, and I am at this point making a turnaround.

“If I agree and turn back on it in the future it would turn against me, I will not do that. At the business committee there was no such indications from your colleagues who were there, I would have approached things differently and I have reached out to colleagues opposite me:, he pointed out.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com