A former Member of Parliament for Kumbungu, Ras Mubarak has filed his nomination to represent the people of the Northern Region in the Council of State election scheduled for Friday, February 12.
Speaking to Citi News, Mr. Mubarak who is confident of winning says he will prioritise the needs of assembly members when given the nod.
“At the end of the day, we are looking at how we can compensate or how we can encourage assembly members for their sacrifices to the country.”
“Whether you like it or not, the assemblymen and women are the bedrock of our decentralisation system. Without them, we don’t have a decentralisation system,” Mr. Mubarak said.
In an earlier statement, the former legislator said he also wanted to ensure the representation of youth on the council.
“My decision to contest, was arrived at after extensive consultation with family, friends, leading figures in our country from the major political parties, some opinion leaders from the Northern Region, who have all counselled that, Ghana would be best served if young people are part of the democratic process.
“With diversity and inclusion come better decision-making. What’s needed at the Council is a combination of senior citizens, women and youth.”
The Constitution mandates the Council of State under Article 89 to counsel the President in the performance of his functions.
President Akufo-Addo has already made his 11 appointments to the Council of State for his second term.
The composition of the Council will be completed with the election of regional representatives.
Donald Trump’s impeachment trial that opens on Tuesday could take longer than expected after a leading member of his defense team requested that the proceedings are suspended during the Sabbath so that he can meet his obligations as an observant Jew.
David Schoen, 62, has written to senior figures of both main parties in the US Senate asking for an agreement that the trial is postponed from 5.24pm on Friday until Sunday so that he can observe the Sabbath. In the letter, reported by the New York Times, the lawyer apologises for any inconvenience, adding that “the practices and prohibitions are mandatory for me … so I have no choice.”
Schoen, 62, is an Orthodox Jew attached to the congregation Beth Jacob in his home town of Atlanta, Georgia.
The request presents managers of the trial with a scheduling dilemma. To complete the trial by sundown on Friday would require breakneck speed that could appear unseemly; to delay it until Sunday might push the proceedings into the following week that had been earmarked as a Senate holiday.
Schoen and his fellow defense lawyer Bruce Castor, a former district attorney from Pennsylvania, were brought on at the eleventh hour to represent Trump after the previous defense team quit en masse having refused to play along with Trump’s false claims that the election was stolen from him.
Schoen has a colourful list of previous clients in both criminal and civil law. Among them are Roger Stone, the longtime friend of Trump who was convicted of lying to Congress but who later received a presidential commutation.
Last September he told the Atlanta Jewish Times: ““I represented all sorts of reputed mobster figures: alleged head of Russian mafia in this country, Israeli mafia and two Italian bosses, as well a guy the government claimed was the biggest mafioso in the world.”
Castor also has a checkered professional history. He declined to prosecute Bill Cosby more than a decade before the comic was convicted in 2018.
Trump faces one impeachment count of incitement of insurrection relating to the storming of the Capitol building on 6 January. Five people died as a result of the violence which followed an incendiary rally headlined by Trump
Ghana Premier League side, Kumasi Asante Kotoko, have confirmed the appointment of Abdul Gazale as the club’s head coach until the head of the current season.
Gazale replaces Maxwell Konadu who was fired back in December 2020 after a poor start to the season and were without a substantive coach, with Konadu’s assistant, Johnson Smith put in charge of match day duties.
“Asante Kotoko have today, February 8, 2021 notified the Ghana Football Association of the confirmation of the appointment of Coach Abdul Gazale, a CAF License “A” holder as the substantive head coach of the club,” GFA said in a statement on its website.
“Following the departure of Maxwell Konadu, the league leaders and CAF Confederation Cup campaigners informed the Association that Coach Abdul Gazale has been appointed in an Acting capacity until a substantive one is appointed.
“Under the Duty To Notify requirement by clubs and the Club Licensing Process, Asante Kotoko SC notified the GFA of the interim appointment of Abdul Gazale and Johnson Smith as head coach and assistant respectively for a 30 day period on December 22, 2020.
“On Wednesday, January 20, 2021, the club was reminded of the expiry of the interim appointment and the need to confirm a substantive appointment on or before the January 22, 2021 by the Association or risk being sanctioned.
“Accordingly, the club has confirmed the appointment of Abdul Gazale as the head coach for both their domestic and continental competitions for the remainder of the 2020/21 season.”
Johnson Smith, who has been the main actor during this period, has guided the club to the summit of the Ghana Premier League table with 23 points after 13 games played since taking over from round five
The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has proposed for schools in the country to be shut down in order to control the rising spread of Coronavirus in the country.
The call comes in the wake of increasing fatalities among COVID patients in the country.
The death rate of the virus has reached 464 following the confirmation of eight more fatalities.
Additionally, the country has recorded 765 new infections, raising its active cases to 6,411 from a previous 6,095 since the last update on Saturday, February 6, 2021.
The new infections are from tests conducted as of February 03, 2021.
Speaking to Francis Abban on the Morning Starr Monday, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the GMA Dr. Paa Kwasi Baidoo said the rate of infections will get out of hands if immediate measures are not adopted.
“With the evidence available now, I will not hesitate to say that let’s close or suspend schools. We can test the children, send those who test negative home and keep those who test positive, and manage them. Ghana will not be the only country where they’ve opened schools and closed them because of #COVID19. So there should be a national discussion on what threshold we hit before we close down schools”.
He also noted drinking spots and bars in the country have become superspreaders of the virus.
“One difficulty we have is the drinking spots, bars, and puns. These are superspreader activities but they tell you it’s an open space. But we’ve recorded cases where people went out drinking with friends.”
Lawyers for the President, Nana Akufo-Addo and the Electoral Commission (EC) have indicated that they will not present any witnesses in the case ongoing election petition case.
Following the conclusion of the cross-examination of the petitioner, John Mahan’s 3rd witness, Rojo Mettle Nunoo, the defense lawyers were to open their defense by announcing their witnesses.
They however, unexpectedly announced that they will not call any witness.
Justine Amenuvor, representing the Electoral Commission (EC) in the case told the court that, “it is our case that we would not wish to lead any further evidence, and therefore we are praying that this matter proceeds under order 36 rule 43 and C.I. 87 rule 3 (5) and we hereby on that basis, close our case.”
Lead counsel for President Nana Akufo-Addo, Akoto Ampaw also made a similar request.
Akoto Ampaw argued that the petitioner has not been able to make a solid case in court hence such decision.
Nigeria’s central bank ordered deposit-taking banks and other financial institutions to immediately close accounts transacting in or operating cryptocurrency exchanges, saying such deals are “prohibited.”
Failure to comply with the directive will result in “severe regulatory sanctions,” according to a circular sent to financial institutions on Friday and published on the central bank’s website.
The country’s Securities and Exchange Commission said in September it would regulate trade in digital currencies to provide protection for investors and to ensure that transactions are transparent.
The tough stance by the central bank of Africa’s largest economy comes after protests in October against the excesses of the police’s Special Anti-Robbery Squad, known as SARS, which saw organizers accepting Bitcoins for funding after the government allegedly blocked local payment platforms for collecting donations.
“There’s a direct line that can be drawn from the EndSARS protests — which carried on partly with funding from cryptocurrency even though CBN restricted several accounts — to these latest regulations,” said Joachim MacEbong, a senior analyst at SBM Intelligence in Lagos. “This latest instruction will end up making the case for cryptocurrency adoption better than any other argument. One promises freedom, while the status quo only reinforces restrictions.”
Robert Joseph Mettle-Nunoo, the third witness for John Mahama, the petitioner in the ongoing election petition case, will proceed with his testimony when the Supreme Court resumes hearing today, Monday, February 8, 2021.
Mr. Mettle-Nunoo may join the hearing via online video conferencing as was done last Friday because Mahama’s counsel had told the court that he was unwell.
Although his cross-examination was slated for last Friday, it failed to happen following objections raised by Akoto Ampaw, counsel for Nana Akufo-Addo who was seeking to have portions of Mr. Mettle-Nunoo’s witness statement expunged and counter-arguments from Tsatsu Tsikata, lead counsel for Mr. Mahama. The arguments lasted for several hours.
Akoto Ampaw wanted 23 out of the 32-paragraphed witness statement struck out, a move resisted by Mr. Tsikata.
The Justices of the apex court in a unanimous ruling ordered the removal of only five paragraphs to pave way for the cross-examination.
Mr. Mettle-Nunoo has become critical in the petition after the second witness, Dr. Michael Kpessa-Whyte, during his cross-examination, said the former minister was instructed by the Chairperson of the EC, Jean Mensa, to go and consult with Mr. Mahama over some grievances.
This led to them being absent from the National Collation Centre when the election results were declared.
Mr. Mettle-Nunoo together with Dr. Kpessa-Whyte were agents for the petitioner on Election Day and were responsible for the review and certification of the presidential election results in accordance with regulations spelt out in CI 127.
The Government of Ghana withdrew its candidate, Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee, from the deputy chairperson race at the African Union Commission (AUC) at the last minute, a source at the Foreign Affairs Ministry has told GhanaWeb.
The position went to Rwanda’s candidate, Monique Nsansabangwa.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration campaigned to get the one-time ambassador and permanent representative of Ghana to the United Nations to occupy the second topmost diplomatic seat in Africa.
The Ministry disclosed that the nomination was withdrawn days to the February 6 vote. A press statement is expected to explain the circumstance behind the withdrawal.
The position prior to yesterday was held by a Ghanaian diplomat and one-time secretary to former president John Dramani Mahama, Kwesi Quartey.
African leaders attending the 34th Heads of State summit voted to elect leadership of the continental bloc’s administrative body. The incumbent AUC chairperson Chad’s Moussa Faki Mahamat was re-elected for a second and final term.
Ghana’s “candidate” had also previously served as Minister and Head of Chancery at the Ghana Embassy in Washington DC.
The Deputy Chairperson of the AUC assists the Chairperson in the execution of his or her functions to ensure the smooth running of the Commission and is in charge of administration and finance. The Deputy acts as the Chairperson in his or her absence.
The Deputy Chairperson is elected by the Assembly for a four-year term, renewable once. The election is by secret ballot and a two-thirds majority of the Member States eligible to vote.
The Deputy must not be from the same region as the Chairperson of the Commission. Elections and terms are governed by the AU Assembly Rules of Procedure and the Commission Statutes.
The Member of Parliament for Asawase, Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka has apologized for making bribery allegations against a justice of the Supreme Court.
Mr. Muntaka had alleged that a Supreme Court judge had promised to extend some privileges to a female National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP if she had voted for the NPP’s Speaker of Parliament nominee, Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye.
“So shamefully, a Supreme Court Judge calls a colleague lady, telling her what they will give her. She has children, they will help her take care of her children. She can take fuel from a filling station for the four years [should she vote for Prof. Oquaye],” Muntaka had earlier stated in an interview on Joy News.
The Minority Chief Whip in a statement retracted and apologized for his comments which in his view had damaged the reputation of the Justices of the Supreme Court and the Judiciary.
“Admittedly because I did not specifically name any judge, this may have had the effect of scandalizing the judiciary in its entirety. This unintended consequence is deeply regretted. I, therefore, wish to respectfully retract some and apologize for the harm done to the image and reputation of my Lord Justices of the Supreme Court and the Judiciary as a whole.”
Mr. Muntaka said he had decided to “let sleeping dogs lie and will consequently refrain from any further public comment on the matter.”
The Chief Justice, Kwasi Anin-Yeboah had early said the judiciary had taken a serious view of Mr. Muntaka’s allegation
The hearing of the 2020 Election Petition at the Supreme Court this week saw the continuation and conclusion of cross-examination of John Mahama’s first witness, Johnson Asiedu Nketiahon Monday, February 1, 2021.
The cross-examination ended with the second respondent, Nana Akufo-Addo’s lead counsel, Akoto Ampaw putting questions to the witness and requesting answers aimed at discrediting the witness’ own statement.
Prior to the commencement of the day’s sitting, Chief Justice, Kwasi Anin-Yeboah cautioned Frank Davies, one of the lawyers representing Nana Akufo-Addo against granting media interviews at the end of sittings.
He said the court was “uncomfortable” with Mr. Davies’ interviews because it was unethical and goes against the Legal Professional conduct and Ethical Rules of 2020.
“Mr. Frank Davies, we respectfully want to draw your attention to the Legal Professional Conduct and Ethical Rules of 2020. If you look at rule 38, the court is not comfortable with the post-trial interviews that you grant outside,” he said.
Frank Davies
Quoting the rule, Justice Anin-Yeboah said, “A lawyer who is practising or has participated in the investigation or litigation of a matter that is still pending before a court shall not make an out-of-court statement or grant an interview to the media on the matter.”
The caution, according to the Chief Justice, applies to all lawyers introduced in court as being involved with the case.
On Tuesday, February 2, 2021, the petitioner, John Mahama, through his lawyers filed an application to inspect EC’s documents.
The documents they had wished to inspect included the original constituency presidential election result collation forms for all constituencies, constituency presidential election results summary sheet, regional presidential election summary sheets for all regions and the declaration of the presidential results form.
Dr. Michael Kpessa-Whyte, Mr. Mahama’s second witness mounted the witness box on that day and was taken through cross-examination mainly carried out by lawyer for the Electoral Commission (EC), Justice Amenuvor.
Dr. Kpessa-Whyte
The cross-examination ended with Mr. Kpessa-Whyte insisting that the EC Chairperson, Jean Mensa instructed him and Mr. Rojo Mettle-Nunoo to leave the EC Strongroom and go to confer with Mr. Mahama on issues about some irregularities.
He said the instruction was a trick to ensure that the two were out of the room, so the election results could be declared.
Mr. Kpessa-Whyte, however, conceded that he did not speak directly with Jean Mensa.
On Wednesday, February 3, 2021, the court dismissed unanimously John Mahama’s application to inspect the EC’s documents.
On that same day, John Mahama’s lawyers sought leave from the court to present a potential third witness who was later revealed to be Rojo Mettle Nunoo.
Their request included the fact that the witness, due to a health situation could not be physically present in court.
The court did not sit on Thursday.
On Friday, February 5, 2021, the court administered the oath of a witness to Rojo Mettle-Nunoo who joined proceedings via online video conferencing.
Akoto Ampaw objected to 23 paragraphs out of 32 of Mettle-Nunoo’s statement.
Rojo Mettle-Nunoo
After hours of argument for and against the objection, the court struck out five of the paragraphs.
They included paragraphs 4, 5, 6, 7 and 18.
The court thus adjourned hearing to Monday, February 8, 2021, for the cross-examination of Rojo Mettle-Nunoo.
