The SSNIT Conference room at Adum in Kumasi last week was nearly turned into a boxing arena during a Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly meeting.

Fierce exchange of words ensued between Kumasi Mayor Kojo Bonsu and Presiding Member (PM) of the Assembly, Nana Senya.

The two men nearly heckled each other on the dais over a letter which was supposed to contain the list of members forming the various sub-committees of the House.

Kojo Bonsu said a copy of the letter was sent to Nana Senya for his perusal before the assembly meeting.

But the PM flatly denied the Mayor’s claim, insisting that he was kept in the dark with regards those forming the various sub-committees.

This reportedly resulted in a verbal assault between the Kumasi Mayor and the PM, disrupting the event in the process.

The meeting was to make it possible for Kojo Bonsu to deliver his maiden address to the assemblymen but that was not to be.

People’s suspicion of animosity existing between the two personalities came to bear in the presence of the assemblymen.

The heated debate that ensued between the Mayor and the PM over this minor issue seemed to have shocked the assemblymen present.

It all started when Nana Senya said he was not served with a letter which contained the list of members constituting the various sub-committees of the assembly.

This statement by the PM seemed to have infuriated Kojo Bonsu so he quickly rubbished the PM’s statement.

The Kumasi Mayor said a letter was sent to Nana Senya and that he had even discussed its content with Nana Senya in his (the Mayor’s) office.

Kojo Bonsu said he was extremely shocked and said over Nana Senya’s sudden behaviour at the event.

Before the Mayor could land, spontaneous shouts were sparked among the assemblymen present.

There was confusion in the House as members loyal to both parties were seen throwing verbal blows at each other.

Sources present at the meeting said ugly scenes erupted, disrupting the activities penciled for the day.

There are wide spread rumours in town suggesting that Kojo Bonsu and Nana Senya do not see eye-to-eye.

Those fanning these speculations had given political connotations to their suspicion.

According to them, Kojo Bonsu was a known National Democratic Congress (NDC) member while Nana Senya belonged to the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

They said due to their different political affiliations the Mayor and the PM seemed not to get along.

Some assemblymen told the paper that they were surprised about the rift that erupted at the assembly meeting over this minor issue.

However, they said they were expecting more of such nasty incidents to occur during assembly meetings. This, they feared could affect Kumasi’s development.

Source: Daily Guide

The Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has roundly condemned the growing culture of the serial callers, partisan communicators and propagandists for creating a polarised partisan political climate.

He said it can be dangerous for the country’s democracy if this is allowed to fester.

His comments formed part of his lecture delivered during this year’s Democracy Lecture organised by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE)on the topic: “Advancing Together”.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu II said the serial caller phenomenon has “pushed Ghana into an age of the howlers’.

“I speak of the compulsive and obsessive politicisation of our society which now virtually compels us to look at every issue from the narrow and darkened prism of party politics”.

The practice does not give room to independent thinking and must not be allowed to fester, he observed.

He noted that politicians “in and out of government” were inflicting irreparable damage to each other.

“Who was funding the serial callers, he asked rhetorically and said “it is the same politicians whether they call themselves communicators or propagandists”.

He said by funding the “blatant lies and malicious gossips” spewed out by so-called communicators and serial callers, politicians were killing sound scholarly discourse.

This resulted in a situation where “perpetrators jump in glee” while “victims frets with anxiety”.

He said with the challenges facing the country there was the need to focus on solving everyday concerns on the labour front, utilities and general economic hardships.

One does not have to be an economic genius to recognise that there are tough challenges facing the economy, he said.

SINCE 2011 when the Bolgatanga Rehabilitation Training Centre was closed down due to lack of funds, government has still not made funds available for the reopening of the centre.

In 2011, the Upper East Regional office of the Department of Social Welfare was compelled to close down the training centre because government for a long time had not released feeding grants/funds. The closure saw about fifty trainees sent home.

Barely a year after The Chronicle’s investigations and subsequent publication of the closure of the centre, absolutely nothing has been done to recall the trainees some of whom our sources say are now begging for alms.

Even before government stopped releasing feeding grants to the centre which led to its closure, most of its structures were in deplorable state. Located at Doporetidongo opposite Awogeya Primary School in the Bolgatanga Municipality, ceilings and widows of the Boys’ and Girls’ Dormitories, windows, doors and facial boards and roofs of other buildings including staff bungalows are fast deteriorating.

 It is rainy season and whenever it rains, the rain water is collected in the affected rooms soaking beds and wheel-chairs the trainees used when the centre was functioning. The supposed dining hall is not also in good shape as its ceilings and windows are getting rotten.

A female instructor who was at the centre on Wednesday during this reporter’s visit confirmed nothing has since been done after our first publication, and lamented that they could no longer trace their students two years after the closure of the centre. Though the centre is closed down and the instructors have no work doing, they still receive their salaries. Obliviously, this is not their fault.

 Upon entering the compound, one will appreciate the well planned and built structures that one would have expected to be put to good use but unfortunately, they are left to rot while Persons With Disabilities who were the beneficiaries have also been sent home. This means that their dreams have been cast into the dark and their families overburdened.

Our investigations revealed that much attention was not given to the centre in terms of funds allocation to cater for its running and welfare of the trainees who hailed from across the region and other parts of the country. It was revealed that even at the time the learners were staying in the facility, their toilet facilities were malfunctioned thus, they were compelled to go out to respond to nature’s calls.

Meanwhile, the land allocated to the centre is vast enough to even accommodate more structures in case of expansion.

Other facilities on the compound included a classroom block, guest house, Maiden’s Quarters, and dining hall.

Some of the courses that were available included tailoring, dressmaking, leather work, textile weaving, and rope work.

Questions that need concrete answers are; why can’t the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) provide funds for the renovation of the structures as it does for second cycle institutions? Why does government provide feeding grants for Senior High/Technical Institutions but not doing same for a handful of persons who need the support most? Where are the numerous NGOs parading themselves as seeking the welfare of persons with disabilities not coming to the aid of this centre? Has Social Welfare Department done enough to help the situation but has not been given the needed support?

The Regional Director of the Department of Social Welfare, Mr. Ignatius Dankwa-Smith was out of the region at the time of our visit to his office on Wednesday. In a telephone interview, he lamented over the situation and said he was asked to submit a proposal for the revamping of the centre which he had since done but no response yet.

This story of submitting proposal for funds was the same last year and if the plight of Persons With Disabilities, who were mainly the beneficiaries of the rehabilitation centre is anything to go by, then someone – maybe, the government, must act now. Time for lip-services is over and it is time to act.

CREDIT: William N-lanjerborr Jalulah/chronicle.com

International auditing firm KPMG has agreed to audit the contentious issue of the number of pink sheets filed by the petitioners free of charge.

Justice William Atuguba, president of the panel of judges hearing the election petition at the Supreme Court, announced to the court on Wednesday first thing after they resumed from lunch break.

In conveying the message, he described the offer as a “certificate of good news”.

A sense of gratitude filled the court audience as the Judge asked the Court registrar to “duly acknowledge [KPMG]” for the gesture.

He described their decision as “noble” and “patriotic” and asked that counsel and witness emulate their gesture by proceeding the second half of court proceedings “without acrimony”.

Officials of KPMG were in court to acknowledge the Judge’s satisfaction of the “good news”

Source: Myjoyonline.com

The referee appointed to audit pink sheet exhibits provided to the court by petitioners in the ongoing presidential election petition had its inaugural meeting with the parties involved in the case on Tuesday.

Five officials of KPMG met with lead counsel of the four parties in the petition together with two representatives each from the parties to discuss the modalities which will underpin the audit.

Justice William Atuguba with the consent of the parties appointed KPMG to audit the pinks sheets after the Respondents challenged the figures provided by the petitioners.

Tsatsu Tsikata said they do not have a total of 11,842 pink sheets as petitioners would have the court believe.

Members of his legal team put the total number of exhibits in the custody of the third Respondent as ranging between 7,000-8000, a figure the petitioners have disputed.

Joy News’ Court correspondent Anny Osabutey has learnt that Tuesday’s inaugural meeting which was held behind closed doors had the parties discussing the modalities under which the audit will be conducted.

He learnt also that the issue of the cost of auditing did not come up in the meeting even though it is expected to be crucial part of the auditing process.

It is still not clear if there are timelines for the conclusion of the auditing process.

Source: Myjoyonline.com