The loan was procured in 2007 and handed over to the John Mills administration after 2009, but 10 years later, Alhaji Saddique says “you can’t trace it [the loan].”

[contextly_sidebar id=”YgMgWxxDuYuvmKNofrazUZjs7f4wrlbq”]”This place as I stand here today, over the last 10 years, should have been a changed place. In 2007, I signed a loan for 73 million euro to change this place and move the whole of this place to Adjen Kotoku,” he said at a Town Hall meeting organized by Gh One Television for residents of Old Fadama in Accra

Alhaji Saddique, who was then the Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing, said he had invited the leadership of the entire area to his office and also “created a market for the Konkombas to start before we finish Adjin Kotoku, but they politicized it. Today, where are we; One step forward, five steps backward.”

Adjen Kotoku, on the outskirts of Accra in Ga West Municipal District, has long been earmarked for the relocation of the market, and it was secured under the Kufuor administration for their relocation.

The issue of the relocation came up in April 2017, after clashes between Konkombas and Dagombas at the Agbogbloshie Yam Market. It is believed the relocation will ensure stability in the area.

Alhaji Saddique also spoke on the Korle Lagoon Restoration Project initiated under the Kufuor administration, for which he had envisioned the Konkombas gaining employment because the project was taking place in their vicinity, and “the very people who will enjoy the facility must be made to work.”

“…But unfortunately, for the project, nobody knows where it is. I was there last two weeks with the World Bank people and most of the items there have been stolen,” he said.

Alhaji Saddique reminded that, ultimately Ghana was going to suffer because “any government which comes will pay for it [the loan]. Your children and children’s children are those who are going to pay for it” he said.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Form where the Minister stood, he viewed the desperate and the poor as the main casualties in political tensions, and advised the masses to rethink their uncompromising loyalty to political parties.

[contextly_sidebar id=”fnIiufYNGN0YsM71rSve7lnI99ZEqBXz”]Ghana’s two main political parties, the New Patriotic Party and the National Democratic Congress, are known to have some friction between them, which has, in the past, erupted into pockets of violence.

But speaking at a Town Hall meeting organized by Gh One Television for residents of Old Fadama in Accra, Alhaji Saddique was clear that when the foot soldiers of opposing political parties clash, the figureheads of these opposing parties make merry in the background.

The Minister, who has an MA in Conflict, Peace and Security from the Kofi Annan International Peace Keeping Center, noted that “all the conflict you see in Ghana and outside is brought about by two things; poverty and politicians. When you see us arguing, we are not fighting. When we finish, we go to drink tea and eat meat.”

To further explain his point, he noted that key politicians had siblings on either sides of the political divide, and always reaped the fruits of governance.

“Osafo-Maafo is in NPP, but his brother, Kumah Adjei Maafo is in NDC. Sherry Ayitey is NDC but her elder brother, Professor Ayitey is NPP. NDC lawyer, Larry Adjetey is the son of NPP’s Peter Ala Adjetey. Samuel Jinapor is NPP his elder brother John Jinapor is NDC, and then myself I am NPP but my elder brother, Baba Kamara is NDC so how can we fight?”

“We will never starve in my house. My party, the NPP, may have been in opposition but I was not. When the NDC was in power, I always got what I wanted from my brother Kamar and today when he needs anything, I will give to him. So think about this,” Alhaji Saddique told the people.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Politicians eat, drink together; don’t fight for them – Boniface appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

He said the 219.5 million cedis allocated to the Ministry by the Akuffo-Addo administration would go a long way to resource inhabitants of Zongos to work and build good secular schools for the overall advancement of that faction of society.

Mr. Boniface was speaking to journalists at the ‘Eighth stakeholders’ consultation on the Zongo Development Fund Bill’ at Appollo in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan area of the Western Region.

The consultative meeting with more than 24 different Muslim groupings was to seek their inputs on areas of pertinent concerns, and what benefits the setting up of the Fund could bring to such communities to enhance infrastructure and sanitation as well as control crime.

The Minister said the Fund Bill, when approved by Parliament, would be used to provide sanitary facilities, security and crime control, lighting systems, drains and roads and other critical infrastructure.

Mr. Boniface said development over the years had been dis-integrative with focus on urban centres to the neglect of areas such as the Zongos and slums.

“It is time to shift the focus of development to these areas where poverty continues to breed lots of criminals and as we are all aware, poverty and crime are bed fellows.”

The Zongo Development Fund Bill, according to the Minister, would be put before Parliament by next week to solicit their support in legitimizing the Fund to enable the Ministry kick start projects by September.

Dr. Kwaku Afriyie, Western Region Minister, said the region is prepared to support the Minister and the Ministry to achieve the objectives it had set out to realize.

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Source: GNA

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He was sentenced to four years in prison for tax fraud last year, commuted to four hours work a week with elderly dementia patients.

The care home says the 77-year-old will be treated like any other assistant.

As he arrived, Berlusconi was heckled by a trade unionist in a clown hat who shouted: “To prison!”

“We Italian workers have one dream in our hearts: Berlusconi in San Vittore!” he yelled, referring to a prison in Milan, before being led away by police.

The billionaire has been embroiled in a string of court cases.

His conviction last year was in connection with the purchase of TV rights by his firm, Mediaset, in the 1990s.

But he was spared prison because the Italian legal system is lenient to the over-70s.

Berlusconi chose community service rather than house arrest to serve out his commuted sentence.

The BBC’s David Willey in Rome says this will enable him to continue to lead his centre-right party, Forza Italia, in the European elections, although he was forced to resign his seat in the upper house of parliament.

Berlusconi has also had to surrender his passport and his travel within Italy is severely restricted.

He also has to observe a nightly curfew at his palatial home near Milan.

Berlusconi is said to have been studying Alzheimer’s disease in preparation for his community service.

Massimo Restelli, head of care services there, told La Repubblica newspaper that Berlusconi’s introduction would be “gradual” so that he and the elderly patients could get used to each other.

“It will be small steps so as not to make any mistakes, and then he could do all sorts of things. He could help with meals, which are tricky because sometimes you have to ‘remind’ the patient that they are eating,” he said.

He said Berlusconi would be accompanied at all times by a medical worker specialised in Alzheimer’s.

“We’ll see if Berlusconi’s presence creates some kind of close bond, if he is a reference for anyone,” he added.

Berlusconi has always denied the charges against him, accusing left-wing judges of a witch-hunt.

Last year he was convicted of paying for sex with an underage prostitute and abusing his powers, which brought him a lifetime ban from public office.

He is appealing against the underage sex conviction, in a trial known as the “Ruby” case.

He is also on trial for allegedly bribing a centre-left senator to switch sides.

Source: BBC

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