The two, Bin Atef and Khalid Muhammad Salih Al-Dhuby, who were in detention for 14 years after being linked with terrorist group Al-Qaeda, were brought to Ghana in 2016, for a period of two years, after which they are expected to be reintegrated in their home country, Yemen.

[contextly_sidebar id=”5NDghF8Oq5uxEHOveRuqTtgTpjmGJN3Q”]But two Ghanaian citizens, Margaret Bamful and Henry Nana Boakye, subsequently sued the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, together with the Minister of Interior, accusing then-President John Mahama of illegally bringing in the two without recourse to the laws of the land.

The plaintiffs were seeking among other reliefs, a “declaration that on a true and proper interpretation of Article 75 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, the President of the Republic of Ghana acted unconstitutionally by agreeing to the transfer of Mahmud Umar Muhammad Bin Atef and Khalid Muhammad Salih Al-Dhuby.”

After staying in the country for over a year, the Supreme Court a few weeks ago declared as unconstitutional the hosting of the two detainees without parliamentary  approval of the agreement for their stay.

The court in its judgement thus asked government to put before Parliament an agreement that will legalize the two detainees’ stay in the country, or they risk being repatriated within three the next months.

Following the Supreme Court’s judgement, President of the Conference, Reverend Philip Naameh, has told Citi News the two should be repatriated once the Supreme Court has made provision for such a move.

“Once it makes provision for the detainees to be taken back to the country I will support that because there might have been a reason why US did not want the people to come back to the US, so if the ruling of the Supreme Court is that either it goes back to Parliament so that it is legalized or the people are taken to the US , I will think that it is the most logical thing because we were saying we did not see that it was legal enough and it has been confirmed by the Supreme Court ruling and therefore if they will take them back to the US, we will have no issue with that.”

The Conference had earlier cautioned that hosting the two in the country was dangerous. The Council, in a statement had indicated that, the move posed a major security threat to Ghana.

“…We expect our Government to focus a lot of attention on helping to secure peace and security in the country by dealing with the above-mentioned and related challenges and not to risk the security of our land by hosting two former terrorists,” the Conference intimated.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline,com/Ghana

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The head of the Catholic Church denounced the continuing suffering of children.

He mentioned those who faced hunger, danger on migration routes and bombing in Syrian cities such as Aleppo.

Those taking part in the service inside St Peter’s Basilica had to pass through metal detectors.

BBC Vatican correspondent David Willey described what he called a sense of insecurity at the Mass following recent terror attacks in Europe.

Saturday’s Mass celebrating the birth of Jesus is the first major event of the Christmas season for the Pope, which will include his noon blessing on Christmas Day.

During the service, he said Christmas had been “taken hostage” by materialism, and that the season needed more humility.

Throughout the past year, the Pope has urged compassion towards refugees, urging Christians to remember that Jesus himself was a migrant.

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Source: BBC

The post Pope Francis marks Christmas Mass at Vatican appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The highest decision making body of the Roman Catholic Church considers vote buying as an insult to the integrity of the Ghanaian electorate.

The two main political parties, the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) have been accused by civil society groups of votes buying.

[contextly_sidebar id=”b6V6zTtDVn9ADurxTczo0FIEMTy4FUcd”]The Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference has therefore cautioned desperate power seeking politicians against using money and items to coerce discerning electorate on December 7.

“Such practice is an insult to the intelligence and dignity of the unsuspecting voters. We call for a stop to such acts of vote buying and also entreat the electorate to desist from yielding to such needless enticements.”

This was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the Catholic Bishops Conference one week Plenary Assembly held in Tamale under the theme: “Reconciliation with God, humanity and nature in the year of mercy.”

The communiqué espoused that, “Participation in the political life in the light of fundamental moral principles is an essential duty of every Christian and of all people of good will.”

“We therefore encourage all registered voters to be vigilant as they exercise their franchise. To decide not to vote is to neglect your duty and run the risk of leaving others to decide your future for you”, the communiqué emphasized.

The communiqué also advised politicians to make realistic promises in their manifestos, and further urged political leaders to be decorous in the mass media and on their campaign platforms.

“Politicians should conduct themselves honourably and respect their opponents both in their utterances and actions. Politicians should realize that their political opponents are not their enemies; but neighbours who share different views”, the communiqué underscored.

Electoral Commission

The communiqué commended the Electoral Commission for the pragmatic measures put in place to ensure peaceful, free, fair and transparent and credible elections.

It however warned the EC to avoid complacency. “The integrity and success of the forthcoming elections depend primarily on the Electoral Commission and we call on Ghanaians to repose trust and confidence in the work of the Electoral Commission throughout the period of elections.”

The communiqué reminded parents and guardians of their civic responsibility to discourage minors from voting just as it kicked against aliens’ participation in national elections.

“In the same vein, we appeal to non-Ghanaians who registered for one reason or the other to refrain from voting.”

Media circumspection

The communiqué implored the mass media to be guided by professional ethics especially on election coverage.

“We recommend that news about the elections should not be based on hearsay or prejudice. Information must be verified and the truth professionally ascertained. News stories should not be targeted at causing disgrace or embarrassment to personalities especially where it is clear that such reportage may trigger disaffection or incite violence”, it advocated.

Chiefs must be neutral

The communiqué condemned chiefs’ open endorsement of Presidential and Parliamentary hopefuls and challenged them to be neutral.

“We entreat our kings and chiefs to protect the integrity of their stools and skins by refraining from meddling in partisan politics to the displeasure of their subjects as if to say that the party they associate with or endorse is representative of their subjects’ choice as well.”

“Politicians and traditional leaders must work to foster peace and seek the integral development of Ghanaians rather than to divide them.”

Election prophesies must stop[contextly_sidebar id=”lTpioxk5UjY61Q3Gj1084wS3TsGrUHNl”]

It strongly scolded religious leaders who have openly predicted the outcome of the December 7 polls in favour of their preferred candidates.

“Religious leaders must be circumspect in their pronouncements and predictions on the outcome of the elections”, the communiqué opined.

The Catholic Bishops Conference overwhelmingly elected the Archbishop of the Tamale Metropolitan Diocese, Most Reverend Philip Naameh as its new leader.

He succeeded the Bishop of Mampong Diocese, Most Rev. Joseph Osei-Bonsu.

The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference is a religious organisation having its legal foundation in the Canon Law of the Roman Catholic Church respected by all Catholic Churches of the Roman Rite worldwide.

The Bishops’ Conference, according to the Canon Law of the Catholic Church (Canon 447-459), is the central Body of the Church in Ghana. Its purpose is to deliberate on matters of concern to the Church in Ghana; and to encourage activities in accordance with the needs of the times.

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By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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