Monday, 14 March 2016

Breaking News:Woyome Must Be Investigated..........Ursula

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Attorney General and Minister of Justice Marietta Brew Appiah Oppong has been urged to initiate efforts to contest the Court of Appeal’s ruling on Thursday March 10, 2016, upholding the High Court’s decision to acquit businessman Alfred Agbesi Woyome of defrauding the state of GHS51.2 million.

The Member of Parliament for Ablekuma West, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, said on Saturday, March 12 that there was enough grounds for the appellate court to quash the ruling of sacked High Court judge John Ajet-Nasam.

“The Court of Appeal, thankfully for us, is not the final opinion on this matter. I urge the Attorney General, if they are serious about protecting the interest of the state in this matter, to appeal the decision of the Court of Appeal,” the lawyer and lawmaker insisted.

“I disagree that anyone served with the facts of this matter can say that Woyome deserved to be paid [GHS] 51 million.”

Mrs Owusu-Ekuful, in spite of her opposition to the ruling on the case, stated that the verdict was of little surprise to her, given the actions of some government officials in the matter, which were everything, but in the state’s interest.

“I am not surprised Mr Woyome has won. And the conduct of the office of the Attorney General is what has resulted in this. Because the man (Mr Woyome) didn’t walk in there and take the money by himself. Officials of the state, the legal advisor to the state, the one who is in charge of protecting the legal interest of the state, for some reason, contrived to hand over these monies to Woyome,” she noted.

She said despite court records quoting Waterville as having already paid Mr Woyome, and the Kufuor administration writing to the government under the NDC that Mr Woyome did not deserve any claim, “somehow my sister Betty Mould Idrissu and Hon Barton-Odro [then Attorney-General and Deputy, respectively] decided that: ‘OK, let’s look at this matter again’”.

“And even when the court had said: ‘Don’t pay everything’, even when the president of the republic had said: ‘Halt, don’t give anybody any money’, you go ahead and approve a payment of GHS51million to this man. And the question I ask myself is: ‘Why was [Alfred] Woyome standing alone in the dock?’ Who did he act in concert with to deprive the state of this money? And where are those people? They are untouchable because they are key members of the NDC administration.”

He urged persons in positions of trust for the state to “move beyond politicisation of issues when the interest of the state is at stake” and take decisions that will benefit Ghana rather what will profit their “political traditions”.

“We are doing ourselves too much disservice as a nation when we focus too narrowly on the interests of our political cronies, our friends,” she added.

Mr Woyome was paid the GHS51.2 million after he sued the state over an alleged breach of a purported contract between him and the government. In connection with the termination of the same alleged contract, foreign construction firm Waterville Holdings BVI, was also paid €25 million

Shocking News: Bank Of Ghana Governor Must Resign...

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Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG) Dr Henry Kofi Wampah is likely to exit from the bank soon as pressure mounts on him to do so.

Dr Henry Kofi Wampah for some time now has been criticized over his approach in managing a number of issues in the sector he regulates.

BreakiNG News: Wayome In Hot Water Again

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Businessman Alfred Woyome must not get away with the GHS51.2 million he was fraudulently paid by the state, Deputy Finance Minister Mona Quartey has said.

In her view, Mr Woyome (whose acquittal of criminal charges by a High Court, in connection with the payment, was recently upheld by the Court of Appeal) got the money for doing nothing, and, thus, every legal avenue available must be exploited by the Attorney General to get him to answer for it.

“…Cases that involve monies paid to people for no work done or no work that can be seen always create emotional problems, and that’s why I guess Abdul Malik [Kweku Baako] said something is going wrong in this nation. And, especially, when the person would come out to say he’s forgiving certain people; those kinds of statements don’t help the situation. First and foremost there is nothing to show for the monies that was given to him, however, you did say rightly that it was about the process…what I would say is that this matter has protracted; it has gone on and on and on…and the last thing that this nation needs is for anyone to take GHS51 million for no work done, one, and then to almost always tease the rest of us that: ‘Well I’ve gotten away with it.’

“I believe as Attorney General, as she [Marietta Brew Appiah Oppong] said earlier that she would appeal, she would appeal again. I suspect strongly that she will appeal again. People are tired in this country of people coming up with judgment debts …and then claiming monies that are not rightfully due them, at the end of the day…there is something called natural law, there is something called common sense, …so we can’t continue to encourage or allow people to walk away like this, otherwise people will even turn this into a business and they will look for contracts, find little loopholes and create all sorts of troubles…so, it has to come to an end and this nation has to decide that it will not encourage such attitude and behaviour anymore,” Ms Quartey told Samson Lardi Anyenini on Joy FM’s news analysis programme ‘Newsfile’ on Saturday March 12

Mr Woyome was paid the GHS51.2 million after he sued the state over an alleged breach of a purported contract between him and the Government. In connection with the termination of the same alleged contract, foreign construction firm, Waterville Holdings BVI, was also paid €25 million.

In the Waterville case, the Supreme Court, on June 14, 2013, declared as null and void, and of no operative effect, the contract between the firm and the Government of Ghana titled: ‘Contract for the Rehabilitation (Design, Construction, Fixtures, Fittings and Equipment) of a 40,000 Seating Capacity Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi, Ghana’ entered into between the Republic of Ghana and Waterville Holdings Limited (BVI), of P.O. Box 3444, Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands on April 26, 2006.

The ruling was premised on the basis that the alleged contract, which was the ground for the payment of the judgment debt to Waterville, following its alleged illegal termination, contravened Article 181 (5) of the 1992 Constitution, which required such contracts to go to Parliament for approval. The same court ruled that Mr Woyome did not merit the GHS51.2 million based on similar grounds.

Mr Woyome promised to refund the money by the end of 2015. In March last year, his lead counsel, Sarfo Boabeng, told the nine-member Supreme Court panel that heard the AG’s application for the retrieval of the money that his client had already resolved to make the payment at the end of 2015.

Mr Woyome’s accounts and assets were frozen about three years ago after he was arrested and charged for causing financial loss to the State, as well as defrauding by false pretence, with regards to the payment made to him between 2009 and 2010 under Mrs Betty Mould-Iddrisu and Mr Ebo Barton-Odro, as Attorney General and Deputy, respectively.

However, he was acquitted and discharged by a High Court on two counts of defrauding by false pretences and causing financial loss to the state.

According to the presiding judge, John Ajet-Nasam – who is one of 34 judges being investigated by the Chief Justice for corruption and who was recently removed from the judiciary on the orders of President John Mahama after investigations regarding his bribery conduct found him to have sullied his office – the prosecutors failed to prove Mr Woyome fraudulently obtained the GHS51.2 million.

Justice Ajet-Nasam also indicted the prosecution for failing to call Mrs Mould-Iddrisu, Mr Rex Magnus Danquah, Mr Barton-Odro, Mr Paul Asimenu, Mr Samuel Nerquaye-Tetteh and others – who had all given written opinions that Mr Woyome was entitled to the money – as witnesses.

Subsequently, a civil suit on the same case by Mr Amidu resulted in the apex court ruling that Mr Woyome, as well as Waterville, did not merit the payment for the work they allegedly did for the state ahead of Ghana’s hosting of CAN 2008, since he had not parliamentary approval for the contract that covered that endeavour.

Anti-corruption crusader Martin Amidu recently filed a suit at the Supreme Court praying the highest court of the land to throw out a suit filed by one Abdulai Yusif Fanash Muhammed, in which he is praying the same court to overturn its own ruling in which it said Mr Woyome must refund the GHS51.2 million.

Breaking News:Anas Speaks At Harvard...............

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Harvard affiliates and locals interested in Africa gathered to discuss the continent’s future at the 7th annual African Development Conference, hosted at Harvard Law School this weekend.

The conference included discussion groups, panels, and keynote speeches focusing on highlighting successful development initiatives and rethinking development beyond 2015, according to pamphlets distributed at the event.

Breaking News:Anas Exposed Chief Justice..............

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Ace investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, says the Chief Justice erred when she identified Tiger Eye PI as the one who petitioned President John Dramani Mahama to remove 12 High Court judges over allegations of corruption.


The Chief Justice in a letter to the judges to respond to the allegations against them mentioned Tiger Eye PI, as the petitioner based on the fact that the petition was on the letterhead of the said entity owned by Anas.

Breaking News:Dede Ayew Arrived In France......................

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Ghana winger Andre Ayew has arrived to France to undergo treatment over an ankle injury while playing for Swansea City.

The 26-year-old arrived in the French capital of Paris over the weekend to undergo treatment over his turned ankle.

Breaking News: President John Dramani Mahama..............

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President John Dramani Mahama has expressed his sorrow following the news of the death of Ghanaian Comedian Samuel Kwadwo Boaben a.k.a Bishop Bob Okala.
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After the president received the news of the death of the renowned comedian, he took to his facebook page to openly expressed his sorrow and to also extend his condolence to the bereaved family.

Breaking News: Bishop Bob Okala Is Dead............

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Brytfmonline.com can confirm that Ghanaian Comedian Samuel Kwadwo Boaben a.k.a Bishop Bob Okala has died.

Bishop Bob Okala died in the early hours of Sunday, March 13, 2016, at the Koforidua Regional Hospital.

Bishop Bob Okala, before his death did a live performance at the Koforidua Jackson Park, which was organized by the management of Joy Industries Limited, producers of Joy Dadi Bitters.

Friday, 11 March 2016

Breaking News: President Mahama Pledge Africa Support

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President Mahama made the commitment when he received a five-member ERERA delegation led by the institution’s acting Chairperson, Mrs Ifey Ikeonu and Regulatory Council Member, Mr Alagi Gaye, at the Flag Staff House in Accra.

Breaking News: UN Question Ghana On RTI.............

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The government of Ghana has been asked by the UN Human Rights Committee (UNHRC), to provide information on key human rights concerns in the country.

Notable among the list of issues the Ghanaian government is expected to respond to are concerns about privacy breaches, the status of the Right to Information (RTI) legislation and matters relating to press freedom violations.

The UNHRC is a body of experts mandated to oversee compliance with provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) among states parties. Ghana signed and ratified the ICCPR in 2000 and thus, committed to adhere to the provisions of the Convention.

The UNHRC published its list of issues on Ghana on December 4, 2015, titled: “List of issues in relation to Ghana’s initial report” after Ghana had submitted its first country report to the Committee in 2014.

The UNHRC report requests Ghana to respond to or provide information on a total of 26 human rights concerns, which relate to Ghana’s obligations under the ICCPR

Breaking News: Minister Called For Development In Palm Oil........

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Dr. Ahmed Yakubu Alhassan, Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, has asked stakeholders to work assiduously to develop the palm oil sector in a sustainable manner to help increase its benefits.

Dr. Alhassan made this known at the Africa Palm Oil Initiative workshop organized in Accra by Proforest on behalf of Tropical Forest Alliance (TFA) 2020 in collaboration with the government through the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.

Breaking News: Black Star Coach Advised KP Boateng............

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Former Black Stars Coach, James Kwesi Appiah has denied KP Boateng’s hate claims.

It will be recalled that KP Boateng in an interview with Sky Italia accused the former Black Stars Coach of hatred and only wanted an opportunity to sack him from the camp of the Black Stars during the 2014 World Cup.

But Coach Kwesi Appiah in an exclusive interview with Kasapa Sports expressed shock and dismay at KP Boateng’s claims of hate.

Breaking News: Standard Chartered Bank CEO Assures Clients............

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Mr Kweku Bedu-Addo, the Chief Executive Officer of the Bank, noted that the poor performance in relation to previous years’ performance had to be seen in the context of the challenging operating environment that had persisted in the country.