Author: newsfilegh

Ghana’s newly sworn in Speaker of Parliament, Professor Mike Aaron Ocquaye, is rallying support of his members for a review of the country’s electoral law with the view to sanitise the system. Though the West African nation has one of the best democratic regimes and electoral system in the African region, the Speaker believes it still has a lot to learn from other nations with respect to their electoral laws. “Honourable members, I challenge [you] respectfully, to help improve our laws on elections. We have a lot to learn from others, including Kenya who learnt the hard way after brutal…

Ghana has ushered into office 275 newly elected members of parliament with a call on the legislators to control public expenditure and champion the interest of the Ghanaian people to give them hope.  The members, who were elected in the December 7, 2016 general elections, took the oath of members of parliament [oath of office] and oath of allegiance, which were administered by the country’s newly elected Speaker, Prof. Mike Aaron Ocquaye. The 72-year-old lawyer-cum-politician reminded the legislators of the task ahead of the seventh parliament under the fourth republic, noting the Parliament is for the people of Ghana. “This…

Former President Jerry John Rawlings has patched up with the Member of Parliament for Ablekuma South, Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije, barely 48 hours after he was snubbed on live television by the ex-president. Mr Okoe Vanderpuije was left red faced by Mr Rawlings when the former approached him to exchange pleasantries on a red carpet at the Parliament House Wednesday morning. Former President Rawlings prevented Mr Okoe Vanderpuije from walking side by side with him into the Parliament House where they were attending the last State of the Nation Address by former President John Mahama. A video of the episode immediately…

Former Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament Reverend Professor Michael Aaron Oquaye has been elected as the Speaker of the Seventh Parliament of Ghana. He was proposed by Minority Leader of the immediate past Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensa-Bonsu, at the inaugural sitting of the Seventh Parliament on Saturday, January 7. Proceedings were supervised by Clerk of Parliament Emmanuel Anyimadu as a result of the absence of a speaker. As per Standing Order 85, Mr Kyei-Mensa-Bonsu’s proposal was seconded by the Tamale South Constituency Member of Parliament, Haruna Iddrisu, who will be the Minority Leader. The former Minister of Communications swore the oath…

Scores of New Patriotic Party supporters in Tamale due to attend Saturday’s inauguration of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as the president of Ghana are stranded. About 300 of the supporters who were to travel to Accra to witness the swearing-in ceremony have been stranded at the Tamale Metro Mass terminal due to unavailability of buses. Officials of the Metro Mass Transport Company told TV3 Friday evening that 38 buses had already left the terminal for Accra with some party supporters. According to them they will need more than10 buses to transport the stranded supporters to Accra, expressed doubts over getting…

Five people have been shot dead by a gunman at Fort Lauderdale airport in Florida, say officials. It happened at the baggage claim area in Terminal 2, just before 1300 local time (1800 GMT), the airport confirmed. Five people were killed and one person was in custody, said police. A second man appeared to be led away handcuffed some time later. Hundreds of people were standing on the tarmac as dozens of police cars and ambulances rushed to the scene. Thirteen people have been injured and were taken to local hospitals, Broward County Mayor Barbara Sharief told US media. One…

Some African heads of states have arrived in Accra for the inauguration of Ghana’s president-elect, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Saturday. The African leaders, who started arriving at the Kotoka International Airport earlier in the day, were received by Minister designate for National Security, Albert Kan-Dapaah and Hackman Owusu Agyeman among others. By 5:00pm Friday, seven heads of states had arrived in the country for the special ceremony at the Independence Square. First to arrive was President of the Algerian Senate, Abdelkader Bensalah, followed by the Prime Minister of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic, Abdelkader Taleb Omar. Former Prime Minister…

Celebrated Takoradi-based gospel songstress Amy Newman has revealed on Accra-based Onua 95.1 FM how some Christians frown on her anytime she is invited to perform at Christian-oriented events in the Western Region. In an interview with Christian Agyei Frimpong, host of Anigye Mmre, on Friday, Amy Newman said at times “as soon as I get there, people start to frown and change their attitude towards me”. “We are spiritual beings so if you go to a place and you are not accepted but tolerated, you will feel it. “It has not been once or twice…this keeps happening and I realized…

Speaker of Parliament Edward Doe Adjaho has expressed pride in the “significantly improved infrastructure and logistics” pooled together at the disposal of Parliament during his tenure. He says these will be a legacy left for the next Speaker of Parliament. In his closing remarks in the dissolution of the Sixth Parliament on Friday, January 6, Mr Doe Adjaho, who until his elevation to Speaker was Member of Parliament for Akatsi South Constituency, expressed gratitude to the Sixth Parliamentary Service Board as well as the leadership for what was achieved during his tenure. Seventy-five bills and 66 instruments were passed by…

Contractors owed by the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) started receiving payment today January 6. 2017 started with some contractors working on GETFund projects picketing at the Ministry of Finance to demand monies owed them. It is to the tune of over GHc 300 million spanning a period of six months. This also incited the Association of Building and Civil Engineering Contractors in the Volta Region to threaten to block access roads and facilities they have constructed today if they are not paid monies owed them. But speaking to 3FM business, Deputy Director of GETFund, Stephen Baffoe, says the Fund has…