Brogya Genfi, is among other things, praying the Court to “set aside” the agreement on grounds that it is “not in the national interest of Ghana, and contravenes articles (1 (2), 2, 11, 33, 125, 135, 140, 75 and 73 of the 1992 constitution.”

[contextly_sidebar id=”iBNXa44jbWTPk94WRGKEyf10Uy9X9oMl”]Speaking on Eyewitness News on Monday, the former deputy Interior Minister under the John Mahama administration said the suit against the agreement was justified because Parliament had acted unconstitutionally by ratifying the deal on Friday.

According to him the document that was laid before the House for ratification did not include the signatures of the parties involved in the deal, rendering the deal and Parliament’s further actions null and void.

He added that in order for Parliament to have been able to ratify the document, it needed to have been assented to by the government.

“The agreements signed in 1998 and 2015 are fundamentally different from the 2018 agreement which was passed by Parliament unconstitutionally on Friday. If you look at the Constitution, Parliament can only pass executed international agreements, parliament does not, cannot and should not ever ratify draft agreements. But unfortunately that is what we did, we ratified an agreement that was yet to be executed,” he said.

James Agalga stated that despite drawing the attention to the alleged illegalities, Minority MPs were ignored and the deal was eventually approved.

“We drew the attention of the House, the Minority Leader did that in very clear language, we did that at the level of the Committee and yet they just railroaded the entire process and got the agreement passed. Now we have been slapped with a suit,” he added.

In the suit, which has the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Gloria Akuffo and Defence Minister, Dominic Nitiwul as the defendants, Mr. Genfi is demanding a “declaration that the word ‘ratify’ used within the provisions of Article 75 of the 1992 constitution is a term of art which has a true meaning of incorporating international law and treaties into the domestic legal system of the Republic of Ghana and not prior approval or approval.”

Another relief being sought by the plaintiff is a declaration that the “ratification by Parliament of the supposed agreement between Ghana and the Government of United States of America on Defence Cooperation, the Status of United States Forces, and Access to and use of agreed facilities and areas in the Republic of Ghana (hereinafter referred to as Defence Co-operation Agreement) on March 24, 2018, when the supposed agreement had not been executed by the President or person authorized by the President as provided for by Article 75 of the 1992 constitution, is contrary to the said Article 75 of the 1992 constitution and same is null and void.”

When asked whether the Minority intended to file a similar claim against the deal in court, James Agalga said: “It’s our mandate to do so as citizens. I wouldn’t hesitate. At the Committee level, we raised those objections. In Parliament, Haruna Iddrisu made the statement in very clear language so we will not hesitate at all. A citizen has already taken the lead. In terms of us solidarising with the citizen, I wouldn’t hesitate.”

“A citizen felt aggrieved by the conduct of Parliament and decided to act as such. As citizens, we are enjoined to uphold the Constitution at all times so the person felt that we had violated Article 75 and decided to go to court and seek redress. it envisages that before international agreements, treaties or conventions are signed, they must first been executed by the President or his agent prior to being laid in Parliament for ratification. The agreement is not signed, the Americans did not sign it and we did not either. We didn’t want to partake in any unconstitutional behaviour,” he added.

Deal ratified

The suit comes days after Parliament ratified the pact despite stiff opposition from the Minority.

The approval was done by only Majority members because the Minority members staged a walkout during the debate on the floor of Parliament.

With the agreement ratified, it means that the US troops will among other things be exempted from paying taxes on equipment that are brought to Ghana as well as use Ghana’s radio spectrum for free.

The troops and their equipment will also have unhindered access to the US forces and their equipment.

The Government has consistently explained that it was only respecting the existing Status of Forces Agreement with the US signed since 1998 and reviewed in 2015, under the previous NDC administration.

But the NDC Minority has downplayed this argument saying the agreement as existed in the past, did not have the same clauses like the current one that gives the US unlimited access to Ghana’s military facilities.

The US Embassy in Ghana has also explained that it is only planning joint security exercises with Ghana, which will require that US military personnel are allowed access to Ghana’s military facilities and that they are not building a military base.

The deal has caused some discomfort among some sections of the public, with a group calling itself Ghana First, serving notice it will demonstrate on Wednesday, March 28, against its approval.

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By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Minority MP backs suit against ‘unconstitutional’ US military camp deal appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Agreement was ratified last Friday amidst fierce resistance by the minority caucus led by Haruna Iddrisu.

[contextly_sidebar id=”K1rX3MOHWaSiJCQzPegqGxPg183R1Qyp”]Some Ghanaians had also staged a protest in front of the Parliament House to kick against the ratification of the controversial agreement, but the majority caucus went ahead to ratify after the minority staged a walkout.

Even though government has defended the Agreement and justified its ratification, the Ranking Member of Parliament’s Committee for Defence and Interior, James Agalga, has told Citi News the process of ratifying the agreement did not go through the due constitutional processes.

“If you look at the constitution, Parliament can only pass executed international agreements. Parliament does not, cannot and should not ever ratify a draft agreement. But unfortunately, what we did was to ratify a draft agreement,” he said.

As part of the agreement which has in the past week been a subject of most radio and television discussions, the US military will be exempted from paying taxes on equipment they will bring to Ghana.

They will also be allowed to set up a telecommunication system on Ghana’s radio spectrum for free.

Ghanaian authorities will also be restricted from accessing the facilities given to the US officials when they begin using them.

With some suggesting that signing of the agreement will mean ceding Ghana’s sovereignty to America, the US Ambassador to Ghana, Robert Jackson, said the presence of the troops must not be seen as an invasion.

Meanwhile, the Ashanti Regional Youth Organiser of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Brogya Genfi, has filed an application at the Supreme Court challenging the Parliamentary ratification of the Ghana-US defence cooperation agreement.

Among other things, he is seeking a declaration from the court that the Minister for Defence, Dominic Nitiwul erred in law by laying before Parliament an unexecuted draft agreement.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Commenting on the recent insecurity, the Minority held that the NPP had lost control of the monster it had created.

Though violent crime has marred 2018 so far, 2017, the NPP’s first year in office was noted for the activities of vigilante groups which terrorized government installations nationwide throughout the year.

The Kumasi-based Delta Force notably stormed a court to free some of its members that were standing trial in a Kumasi circuit court.

Dropping one of his trademark proverbs at a press conference on Friday Morning, the Minority’s Spokesperson, A.B.A. Fusseini, said “if you transform your son into a monster, you will be among the first to be devoured.”

Also at the press conference, the Minority Spokesperson on Defence and Interior, James Agalga, alleged that some members of these vigilante groups received special training at Asutsuare in the Shai Osudoku district.

Aside from this, Mr. Agalga further claimed that the controversial ex-police officers from South Africa, said to have been invited to Ghana in 2016 to train NPP security personnel, were again brought back into the country.

“We have alluded to the fact that some members of the vigilante groups have been trained at Asutsuare. We have the facts. Mercenaries who were brought into this country in the run-up of the 2016 elections came back into this country and took part in the training of some of those elements.”

“We are saying that when you train people in that manner and you don’t engage them actively, what do you expect? There is a correlation and we are not running away from that fact,” Mr. Agalga stated.

The ‘South African mercenaries’

The mercenaries Mr. Agalga made reference to are three South African former police officers who sparked controversy in the build-up to the 2016 elections.

They are alleged to have been invited by the NPP to train the security detail of Nana Akufo-Addo and Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.

They were said to be training 15 men in various security drills, including unarmed combat, weapon handling, VIP protection techniques and rapid response exercises.

They were arrested on Sunday, March 20, 2016 at a hotel in the Central Region.

The three, Ahmed Shaik Hazis, 54; Warrant Officer Denver Dwayhe, 33, and Captain Mlungiseli Jokani, 45 were charged with conspiracy to commit crime and unlawful training.

They were eventually deported from Ghana on March 29 after their entry visas were revoked by the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS).

Critics suggested that the NPP brought in the South Africans to train persons to cause trouble in the 2016 elections.

But the party rubbished those claims, saying the critics, particularly the NDC, was only seeking to score cheap political points.

The party said the three men were in Ghana not for any acts that can be said to remotely threaten the country’s security.

I hope recent robberies are not politically motivated – Rawlings

In the wake of the increased robberies and the violent crime, Former President Jerry John Rawlings has said that he hopes the heightened insecurity is not politically motivated.

In a statement on social media, he noted some concern that some persons may be orchestrating the upsurge in crime for parochial motives.

“Let us hope the recent robbery and killings is downright plain robbery and not a politically motivated action from within or without, calculated to undermine those in charge of the security machinery in order to pave the way for certain parochial ambitions,” the former President stated.

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

The post Recent robberies linked to NPP vigilante groups – Minority appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Six unidentified assailants, armed with machetes and a gun stormed Mr Opoku’s residence on Monday as he was holding a series of engagements and meetings with his constituents in the building as part of activities to mark the Christmas festivities.

[contextly_sidebar id=”oOTrbvfwsck7YWUz7Hf2tjSuRRAbynG1″]They reportedly broke the glass windows and doors of the house, vandalised several of the vehicles that had been parked on the property and other things they could lay their hands on.

However, when they failed to gain access to one of the top floors of the building where the participants of the event had been moved, the angry youths turned their attention to the private and commercial vehicles which had been hired by the sympathizers and supporters of the MP, breaking the windscreens, side mirrors and deflating the tyres.

According to Citi News checks, the program hosted by the MP was an annual event organized to interact with his constituents to make merry, share experiences and also afford him the opportunity to render an account of his stewardship.

There have been suggestions that the attack on the former Brong Ahafo Regional Minister’s house was politically motivated.

The Minority had, in an earlier statement, condemned the incident stating that it was one of many “designed to intimidate, harass and silence vocal and outspoken members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).”

And speaking to Citi News, the Minority Spokesperson on Defence and Interior, James Agalga called for a thorough investigation into the incident and the arrest of the perpetrators.

According to him, it is important to ascertain the identities of the assailants to determine whether they had indeed attacked the MP’s house because of political motives.

“A sitting Member of Parliament has been attacked for no apparent reason when he was having a meeting with his constituents to mark the Christmas festivities and from every indication, those who unleashed the attack are his political opponents. Is it not important for such an attack to be investigated promptly and the perpetrators brought to book? What happened was an assault on our young and fledgling democracy and should not be tolerated at all,” he said.

“I am reliably informed – and remember there were people in the house at the time of the attack. In any case, that is why I am calling for swift investigations which will lead to the arrest of the perpetrators then you’ll know their real identities. We issued a statement yesterday and we expect that action will be taken.”

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By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Arrest Asunafo South MP’s assailants – Minority appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to the Minority, despite the President’s directive for his appointees not to get involved in the dispute, there have been claims that some members of the administration have tried to influence the matter.

[contextly_sidebar id=”J5EyhhqMGtnbCvx1aXQ2TQmJmtcZSM9R”]Speaking at a Press conference on Wednesday, Minority Spokesperson on Defence and Interior, James Agalga, called on the President to call his appointees to order, as their interference could affect the peace in the area ahead of the burial of Nakpaa-Naa Salifu Dawuni.

“It is worthy of note that, the Nakpaa-Naa Salifu Dawuni, is the subject of a pending appeal launched by the same family in the Supreme Court. Information available to us indicates that, many people are fleeing from Bimbilla when news broke that the late Nakpaa-Naa’s remains are on its way to Bimbilla for burial tomorrow [Thursday]. Only last week, the President admonished his appointees to desist from interfering in Chieftaincy matters, and that such matters be left to the traditional authorities. What has become of the President’s admonition?” he queried.

“It’s against this backdrop that we want to call on the President to walk the talk by ensuring that the chieftaincy dispute in Bimbilla is resolved devoid of political interference. It’s especially important that the status quo relative to the Chieftaincy of Bimbilla, is preserved pending the outcome of the litigation in the Supreme Court. We call on the people of Bimbilla to exercise restraint, and use all the legitimate and legal means to vindicate their rights so that the peace will continue to reign in Bimbilla for the collective good of the area.”

Speaking to Citi News’ Duke Mensah-Opoku after the press conference, a former deputy Interior Minister, Jame Agalga, stated that until the Supreme Court rules on the matter, any attempt by political figures to influence the matter could worsen the already tense situation in the area.

“At the press conference of the family of the acting Bimbilla-Naa in Accra today on the troubling situation, the names of some political functionaries were mentioned. They mentioned a number of names and alluded to political interference. We cannot independently confirm that. It’s important that the Supreme Court is allowed to deal with the matter. The issue about whether the  Nakpaa-Naa was legitimately installed as the Bimbilla-Naa, is yet to be determined by the Supreme Court. If we resort to conducts which could prejudice the outcome of the Supreme Court’s decision, the peace of the area could be undermined,” Agalga added.

“Bimbilla is a flash-point, so we think that government must tread cautiously by not meddling in these things and allow the institutions of state to come out with its ruling so that as a government we can put steps in place to ensure that the decision of the Supreme Court is respected by all.”

‘Tensions in Bimbilla’

Tensions in Bimbilla are reportedly running high ahead of the burial of the late Nakpaa-Naa October 12, 2017.

Scores of military and police personnel left Tamale today (Wednesday) for Bimbilla, to augment the operations of the team there. This is to avert any untoward situation in the area following the upcoming burial of the late chief.

The late Nakpaa-Naa Salifu Dawuni died on 5th March 2014, and his remains have been deposited at the Yendi hospital morgue.

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By: Edwin Kwakofi & Duke Mensah-Opoku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Gov’t officials meddling in Bimbilla chieftaincy issues – Minority appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

“I am not surprised that the Delta Force has taken up the challenge to scare off security agencies of the state like they did in the case of the regional liaison officer in the Ashanti region. These things have happened because leadership is beginning to show signs of weakness. I will say without fear of any contradiction that leadership has failed in dealing with the vigilante groups,” Mr. Agalga said.

[contextly_sidebar id=”6Cb6GkvwyNg2f9fJtn8qqY7L1bDujpre”]Speaking on Eyewitness News on Thursday, James Agalga said the failure of the government to prosecute members of vigilante groups that perpetrated various forms of violence in the past, has emboldened them to commit more of such acts with impunity.

“Right after the verdict was declared by the EC, we started experiencing once again the nefarious activities of these vigilante groups mostly those associated with the NPP. Maybe they felt emboldened by the fact that their party had won political power and so they can act with impunity. Unfortunately, leadership did not act decisively.   Up till date, no arrests have been effected. I’m sure this is what has emboldened the Delta Force to misconduct themselves in monumental proportions in Kumasi. It is a dangerous situation that is beginning to unfold. Our national security is at stake and those who are charged with the responsibility of managing our national security must sit up,” he said.

Some members of a vigilante group affiliated to the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Delta Force, stormed the Kumasi Circuit Court on Thursday, and freed 13 members of their group who were facing charges for causing disturbances at the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council.

The group vandalized some court property, and almost assaulted the Judge, Mary Senkyire.

The judge had ruled that, they be remanded to reappear before the court on the 20th of April, 2017, after charges of conspiracy to assault a public officer and causing unlawful damage.

Since the news broke, many Ghanaians have expressed anger over the blatant demonstration of lawlessness, and urged the various stakeholders to deal with the matter.

According to Mr. Agalga, urgent efforts must be made to arrest those who raided the court premises.

Report yourselves or be pursued – Derry warns Delta Force 

Meanwhile, the Minister of the Interior, Ambrose Derry, has given a strong indication that members of the vigilante group will be arrested and brought to book.

He said other security agencies will be engaged if necessary, to clamp down on the group and ensure that justice prevails.

Speaking at an emergency press conference in Accra, Ambrose Derry warned the perpetrators that it will be in their interest to resubmit themselves to the police.

Meanwhile, eight members of those who attacked the court have been arrested by the Police.

The Ashanti Regional Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Yaw Nketiah-Yeboah said the eight were arrested around the Asafo overhead close to the Prempeh Assembly Hall in the capital, Kumasi.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @jnyabor

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The MP, who gave the assurance at the launch of his campaign in Sandema on Saturday, said the unprecedented development projects undertaken by the government during its four year tenure of office would give the party victory come the December 7.

“The 2016 general elections is a done deal for me and President John Dramani Mahama“, he said.

Recounting some of the development projects in the Constituency, the MP who is also the Deputy Minister of Interior, said they included the construction of roads and the building of schools and health facilities in the area.

He said the ongoing rehabilitation of the Sandema-Chuchuliga-Wiaga road is one of the examples of roads being constructed in the area.

He said apart from the infrastructural development, he spent GH₵170,000.00 in sponsoring brilliant but needy students in the area.

Mr Agalga said the NDC government was constructing and de-silting more dams in communities across the Upper East Region and this included the Builsa North Constituency.

He said government has established about four thousand hectares of irrigable land for farmers in the area to go into rice farming.

He said he also helped to ensure that women in the Constituency were supported with micro loans from MASLOC to undertake micro businesses.

The MP, who selected his campaign team from the five zones in the constituency- Sandema, Wiaga, Chuchuliga, Senensi and Kadema, entreated them and all party supporters to work to ensure victory for the party.

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Source: GNA

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Since this is a fairly new trend, researchers are just beginning to focus attention on the subject, and we don’t have definitive answers yet. But we are aware of many social factors, which are probably primary contributors:

#1. Longevity. We are living very long lives these days. And not only are we living longer, we are healthier and more active for a longer time. However, as we grow older, our tastes and interests change and develop as well. Who we are at 20 or 30 is not who we are at 50 or 60. This relates to whom we want to spend our time with and how we want to spend it. So the partner of our youth may not be a good fit with the person we become later in life.

#2. Greater Confidence and Self-Respect. Women initiate almost 80 percent of divorces at all ages. With age comes wisdom, greater confidence, and the ability to end a relationship that is not satisfying or supportive. For instance, one woman in her 60s got a divorce upon learning that she had a serious cancer diagnosis. Her reasoning was that if she only had a little time left to live, she did not want to spend it with the spouse she had grown to dislike. Her awareness of a shortened life motivated her to take action and end the marriage.

#3. Viagra. Medicines that reduce erectile dysfunction in elderly men have probably contributed to their willingness to seek out new relationships. In the past, with their sexuality waning, men may not have had the confidence to seek out a new relationship or be open to extramarital affairs.

#4. Unwillingness to Be a Caretaker. A recent study revealed that women over 50 who were diagnosed with a serious illness were likely to be divorced by their husbands. The reason seems to be that men are less willing to assume a caretaker role or tolerate a disabled spouse.

#5. Less Disapproval From Others. Divorce no longer carries an enormous stigma. Most Americans believe that divorce is morally acceptable in many situations. People over fifty are usually done with child rearing and couples who stayed together for “the sake of the children” now feel they can afford to put their own needs first. As a psychologist, I have talked to many people whose parents split up as soon as they left for college. Friends are less likely to criticize those seeking divorce when developing children aren’t involved.

#6. Serial Monogamy. All studies of divorce show that second and third marriages have a higher rate of dissolution than first marriages; for instance, almost 60 percent of second marriages end in divorce. A larger percentage of people over 50 are in second or third marriages. Having divorced once (and survived), people are more willing to face the prospect again and have greater confidence that they will be able to cope with the changes.

The Negative Side of Gray Divorces 

Statistics do show that, like younger people who divorce, older people who divorce are more likely to be low income. When people separate late in life, even if they are comfortable financially, they are exposing themselves to more financial risk because they are dividing up their savings and there is less time left for them to earn and accumulate more. Pensions, social security and savings can all be adversely affected and both partners may end up struggling. Finances are a factor in any marriage and later in life the financial impact of divorce can have particularly severe consequences.

Also, even adult children will feel the impact of their parent’s divorce. People over 50 cannot assume that just because their children are now adults, they won’t be affected by the changes in their parents’ lives. Some may have grief or anger that the divorcing spouses will need to address.

Is Gray Divorce Good or Bad? 

Like all other divorces, there is no universal answer to the question of whether late-in-life divorce is a positive or a negative trend. For many people, at all stages of life, divorce can lead to improvements in how they view themselves and the opportunities that develop for new beginnings. For others, a divorce can lead to financial hardship, isolation and increased risk of depression. Our lengthening life spans lead to changes in all areas of modern existence and divorce appears to be developing as a major trend that is emerging. As it becomes more commonplace, we will be able to make more definitive conclusions about what happens to people after divorce.

And if your going through a divorce your self, check out Kris Jenner’s advice on surviving divorce in the video above.

Source: Magazine.foxnews.com

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