In a statement issued in Cape Coast on Sunday, Mr. Hagan said: “I urge all my supporters and sympathizers not to be disheartened by the temporary setback. We will contest the matter in court and come out victorious. We will then go into the election and get a great victory for the people of Cape Coast South.

“It is important that all my supporters remain confident, resolute and upbeat as we await the outcome of the legal challenge. I thank everyone for the overwhelming support since I decided to contest the Cape Coast South Constituency Chairman position,” Mr. Hagan added.

The Cape Coast High Court placed an injunction on the party’s constituency election on Friday following a suit filed by some members of the constituency challenging the eligibility of Mr. Hagan to contest the party position.

Hagan, a renowned geologist, philanthropist and public spirited person, says he decided to contest the position because he wants to bring his years of experience and expertise to bear on the management of the party.

Meanwhile, the Deputy General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party [NPP], Nana Obiri Boahen, has told Citi News that the party’s leadership will meet to address all the legal issues that have plagued the constituency elections which took off on Saturday February 24, across the country.

The constituency elections, which are expected to end on Tuesday, February 27, have seen some aggrieved parties take legal action against individuals, whiles others are challenging some of the processes leading to the polls.

In constituencies such as Cape Coast South, Suame, Ahafo-Ano South among others, the elections were halted by court injunctions.

–

By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Aspiring NPP Chairman urges calm in Cape Coast South appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

In 2012, the employee, Abena Pokua Ackah, who is the applicant, was handed a letter by adb which indicated that her appointment had been terminated for gross misconduct, and for bringing the name of the bank into disrepute.

“You will be paid an amount equivalent to three months basic salary in lieu of notice as well as other benefits due to you in accordance with the terms of your employment less your indebtedness to the bank,” portions of the letter indicated.

However, Pokua Ackah, who felt her rights had been infringed upon, subsequently sued the bank for what she described as “wrongful dismissal.”

She initiated the action at the Human Rights Division of the High Court, pursuant to Article 33(1) of the Constitution, 1992 and Order 67 of the High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, C.1 47 2004.

What led to the dismissal

The salient facts upon which the Applicant relied upon for the trial of the action in the High Court are the following:-

Sometime in or between May and June 2011, the Applicant herein had a conversation with a certain Nana Yaw Yeboah, reputed to be a journalist. In that conversation which was allegedly secretly taped by the said Nana Yaw Yeboah, the Applicant was heard complaining about the restructuring of the Respondent Bank and the excessive bonus that was received by it’s Managing Director.

After the contents of the tape had been made known to the Applicant by the Respondents on or by 8/8/2011, she was called by the Human Resources Department to discuss her current debt profile. However, when she went, she was rather directed to meet the Board of Directors. At this meeting, an edited version of the recorded conversation was played, and the Chairman of the Respondent’s Board of Directors described the remarks of the Applicant as “vulgar, abusive and which qualified her for disciplinary action.”

On 10th August 2011, the Applicant received a letter suspending her with half pay pending completion of the disciplinary proceedings. As stated supra, the letter described the recorded conversation and characterized her language as “vulgar, intemperate and abusive” and “criminal and defamatory.”

The letter also stated that, she had “put into the public domain false and inaccurate information” and that her behaviour amounted to willful and gross misconduct, a breach of her oath of secrecy, and a poor reflection on her integrity as an officer of the bank. She was directed to show cause why disciplinary action should not be taken against her.

On the 18th of August 2011, the Applicant reacted to the letter in two ways. The first was to file an application in the High Court for the enforcement of her fundamental rights to privacy and freedom of speech. The second was to submit a letter to the Chairman of the Respondent Bank through her Solicitors, in which she again asserted her rights to privacy and freedom of speech.

In December 2011, the Respondent appeared before the Respondents Disciplinary Committee with her Lawyer, and the recorded conversation was played again.

It had been contended by the Applicant that her Lawyer objected to the tape on grounds that the recording and use of the secretly recorded conversations in disciplinary hearings contravened her rights of privacy and freedom of speech.

The Committee invited her to comment on the contents of the tape, but beyond disputing their admissibility, she offered no further comment.

On 13th February 2012, the Respondents wrote the letter terminating the appointment of the Applicant with immediate effect.

Following this development, the applicant abandoned her previous application for the enforcement of her fundamental human rights in the High Court, and filed a fresh action in response to her dismissal at the High Court.

Applicant loses at High Court

However, the High Court presided over by Justice Edward Amoako Asante on June 7, 2012, dismissed the applicant’s application, and held that indeed the dismissal did not in anyway infringe on her freedom of speech and expression.

Applicant loses again at Court of Appeal

Feeling aggrieved and dissatisfied again, the applicant filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal, but that was also dismissed in April 2014.

Applicant wins at Supreme Court

The dissatisfied applicant then moved to the Apex Court of the land, the Supreme Court, where she secured a favaourable ruling after her reliefs were granted.

The Supreme Court in delivering its ruling said ” The applicant is granted Ghc100,000.00 damages under the violations of her rights arising from reliefs (i) and also reliefs (v) and (vi). There will however be no consequential orders in view of the nature of the procedure used by the applicant in this case as already amplified supra”.

–

By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah

The post Supreme Court awards dismissed adb employee Ghc100,000 appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The two MPs got into a heated argument in Parliament over the controversial Ghana Expatriate Business Awards, following claims by the Minority that government charged $100,000 from expatriates to make them sit close to the President.

[contextly_sidebar id=”lGvLCm4HhSD2EzWqw0wNFeefOFulgVo8″]Even though Mr. Ahenkorah, who called the Minority Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs a “thief and a liar” subsequently apologized on Accra-based Peace FM, Mr. Ablakwa says he does not regard the apology.

He told Citi News’ Sixtus Dong Ullo that he will be heading to Court to clear his name.

“I want to place on record that I have not received any apology from Mr. Carlos Ahenkorah. I have no apology. That audio making the rounds, I do not consider that an apology and my lawyers have already advised that I take up the matter and bring a defamation suit against him which we are proceeding in earnest. We have him a perfect and golden opportunity to come to the court and prove that indeed I am a thief. I have already issued an instruction to my lawyers and the processes are underway.”

Mr. Ahenkorah clashed with Mr. Ablakwa in Parliament, after he felt the MP was besmirching the Akufo-Addo government with corruption allegations during an interview he was having with journalists.

Mr. Ablakwa had previously called on the Trade Ministry to apologize to President Nana Akufo-Addo and repay the monies to the expatriates, saying the incident had tainted the presidency.

Speaking on Accra-based Peace FM, Mr. Ahenkorah maintained that he did not take the accusations against the President lightly, but he still admitted that his reactions were not justified.

“Ghanaians should forgive me and forgive my failings. When the matter came up and I had issues with it [the Minority’s approach], I should have taken my time and watched my temper.”

Mr. Ablakwa says the Deputy Minister was so furious that his actions bordered on assault.

The deputy Minister initially showed no remorse when he was interviewed on Eyewitness News, claiming that Mr. Ablakwa was out of order when he suggested that he and the NPP government were corrupt.

He however apologized directly to Mr. Ablakwa, and indicated his willingness move past the matter.

“My brother, Okudzeto Ablakwa, although younger than me, is still my senior in Parliament. That exchange we had in Parliament should not have happened because we are two gentlemen… None of us acquitted ourselves well, but if he won’t apologize I will so that there will peace and we can move past this.”

No wrongdoing by Trade Ministry in expatriates saga – Nana Addo

Meanwhile, President Nana Akufo-Addo has found the allegations baseless, saying there was no wrongdoing.

Following a query to the Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kyeremanten, demanding answers from him over the allegations, a statement from the government has said “the facts, as reported to the President, do not disclose any wrongdoing on the part of the Minister of any government official.”

In view of this, the President has “therefore asked the Minister to put those facts before the Ghanaian people.”

GHc2.6m was raised for Expatriate Business Awards – Alan

In presenting the facts as directed by the President, the Trade Minister, Alan Kyeremanten revealed among other things that, GHc 2,667,215 was raised for the awards ceremony.

–

By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Ablakwa rejects Ahenkorah’s apology, threatens suit appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The EPA shut down the Happy Sunshine Tomato factory which is managed by some Chinese expatriates, after a series of Citi News reports had revealed that the company was operating illegally in the residential area.

[contextly_sidebar id=”OM9hxi2JOd9m69OZwD8cNfNRx5PDCId8″]A notice of closure was posted on the doors and walls of the factory after officials of the EPA, accompanied by the police went to the premises.

Illegal Chinese tomato factory operating again with DCE’s backing

However, despite the order from the EPA and complaints from the residents, the factory has reopened and is operating again, with the tacit support of the Ga West Municipal Assembly led by the District Chief Executive, Clement Wilkinson.

A letter addressed to the Executive Director of EPA asked the Authority to take swift actions to halt the operations of the factory within 14 days or face a lawsuit.

“Please take the necessary steps to proactively halt the operations of the company forthwith in the swift manner demonstrated in the Exton Cubic matter when bauxite was to be mined at Nyinayin without EPA permit. Please take notice that if within 14 days upon receipt of this letter you fail in your duty, a court action will be brought against you,” the letter from the lawyer, Alexander Afenyo Markin said.

Factory shut down, asked to relocate

The EPA had earlier held a closed-door meeting with the management of the factory where the company was directed to move its operations to an industrial area, as their current location has not been zoned for such activities.

The Principal Programmes Officer at the Accra Regional office of the EPA, Sophia Vanderpuye, who confirmed the directive to Citi News said: “At the meeting, it was made very clear to them that the site where they are operating is not appropriate for the kind of manufacturing activity that is going on there is wrong. We had got evidence of the thick smoke that was emanating from their chimneys into the atmosphere, and with the accompanying noise issues. Based on these, they were made to understand that the EPA cannot permit such an activity in a predominately residential area so they have to relocate.”

“They must find an appropriate location, most preferably, an industrial area where they can conveniently produce. The Assemblies have already zoned the areas.”The tomato factory was fined GHc 15,000 by the EPA in August 2017 for operating illegally, whilst the company was also ordered to halt any form of production.

However, the management of the factory violated that order and resumed full production in November.

Residents at Korleman City, an estate at Kuntunse in the Ga West Municipality, where the Chinese factory operates, had raised concerns about how the activities of the company were affecting their health.

–

By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah

The post Kuntunse residents to sue EPA in 14-days over illegal factory appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

[contextly_sidebar id=”O0BKpjqUoSVO8REadQgXnD0MAbR4SXvA”]The Majority Leader, who heads the Special Budget Committee which has oversight responsibility of the EC, indicated that the Commission at this time must be retooling its IT department, while taking stock of the last election but the alleged frosty relationship between its Chairperson, the management and staff of the Commission has stalled these duties.

“We have a pack, a whole lot of those equipment that may not be able to work and the IT section of the Commission is out of joint. Equipment that were procured were suppose to last for a period. Equipment in the IT section require replacement maybe every five years but it has been there for close to ten years now and nothing is happening. These are non election related matters that they should be attending to now in preparation to what may happen next.

“Now we have some referendum proposed in some regions. What happened to those equipment that will be taken there? They are in a state of disrepair so those things should be attended to now but as we speak because of their internal squabbles, they are not attending to those matters,” Mr.  Mensah-Bonsu complained.

The EC chair has been under fire in the past week due to a petition to the President asking for her removal.

Employees of the Commission have accused her of financial malfeasance and cronyism among others, which she has denied.

She has indicated that she will respond to these allegations in due course.

I”ll sue aggrieved EC employees – Charlotte Osei

On Thursday, Charlotte Osei also revealed she would take legal action against the aggrieved employees seeking her removal.

She said the petitioners made unsubstantiated claims to damage her reputation.

In a letter written by her lawyers, to the lawyer of the petitioners, she demanded the list of the names of workers who had made the claims for her removal.

She said this was “to enable us commence legal action against them for the defamatory statements contained in their petition…”

The President has confirmed receipt of the said petition seeking Mrs Osei’s removal. He has however neither commented or taken any action so far.

–

By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah

The post Petty squabbles affecting EC’s work – Kyei Mensah-Bonsu appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The employees have accused Mrs. Osei of corruption,  breaching public procurement regulations and disregarding administrative procedures in her management of the electoral body.

[contextly_sidebar id=”LfOnuQ8XNTOoscmQzj0Ce4PXXHlIQ6Dl”]They therefore petitioned the President to dismiss her.

But Mrs Osei in a rebuttal dismissed these claims , saying they were a “product of an overactive evil imagination.”

“The political motive hunting would not serve the greater purpose. The ‘motiveless malignity’ behind this Petition are self-seeking and faceless individuals with the sole motive of satisfying their purely personal vendetta against my person and protecting illegal financial interests,” she said in a statement.

Mrs. Osei also revealed that she would respond to the allegations made in the petition in due course.

“I understand from the media that the Presidency has received the alleged petition. I have my full responses ready for each and every allegation made in the so-called petition. However, in deference to His Excellency the President of the Republic, for whom I have the highest levels of respect, I would respectfully wait to be formally informed by the Presidency before I make my responses public.”

I’ll sue aggrieved EC employees

On Thursday, Charlotte Osei revealed she would take legal action against the aggrieved employees seeking her removal.

She said the petitioners made unsubstantiated claims to damage her reputation.

In a letter written by her lawyers, to the lawyer of the petitioners, she demanded the list of the names of workers who had made the claims for her removal.

She said this was “to enable us commence legal action against them for the defamatory statements contained in their petition failing which our client will be constrained to proceed against you alone as defendant in the suit our client intends to commence against them since you are to all intents and purposes, their agent.”

The President has confirmed receipt of the said petition seeking Ms Osei’s removal. He has however neither commented or taken any action so far.

–

By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah

The post Allegations against me ‘bogus’– Charlotte Osei appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The seven-member panel of justices, presided over by incoming Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo, did not give reasons for their judgment but indicated that they will make available the full details of the decision in a few hours.

The order of the court follows a suit filed by pressure group, Occupy Ghana in June 2016, seeking an order directing the Auditor-General to issue disallowances and surcharges to and in respect of all persons and entities found in relevant, successive reports to have engaged in misappropriation of state funds.

[contextly_sidebar id=”B2MM7GpdJPjYJeqSZCRDhQqicLs1TCTA”]Occupy Ghana had explained that it sued the Auditor General for refusing to surcharge persons who are said to have misappropriated monies belonging to the state to the tune of over GHc40 billion.

Occupy Ghana in 2014 wrote a letter to the Auditor General reminding it to surcharge such persons or face them in court.

A statement issued by the pressure group said, it filed a case against the two Generals at the Supreme Court on Wednesday [June 22, 2016], because several efforts to ensure that the Auditor General makes such surcharges have proved futile.

The group in the statement said, in November 2014, it wrote a letter, “reminding him [ Auditor-General] of his powers of Disallowance and Surcharge under the Constitution, demanding that he exercises them…Subsequently we engaged several times with the Auditor-General, with a view to assisting in putting in place the structures upon which he would exercise those powers.”

“Regrettably, after a dozen letters and exchanges, and one publicized meeting on 27th March 2015, the Auditor-General has not taken any steps to exercise those powers, which would lead to the recovery of huge sums of money for the State,” the statement added.

Occupy Ghana had prayed the Supreme Court to declare  “that the Auditor-General’s omission, failure, refusal or neglect to issue any Disallowances and Surcharges in respect of the above, and as appears in his successive Reports since the coming into force of the Constitution, violates the Constitution.”

–

By: Fred Djabanor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Retrieve ‘looted’ state cash – Supreme Court orders Auditor General appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Lawyer indicated that, he might sue the AG if she fails to make details on the bond available.

[contextly_sidebar id=”TCGJkM4jp1mW8dCroMGy7AT8VvOObXFU”]“If the information I have is in the public domain, then there will be no need for me to go to court to compel the AG, but if I don’t have those details I think the best place to go will be the court,” he said.

The Lawyer had earlier explained that, the information he was seeking for was aimed at addressing several concerns voiced on the bond issuance.

Speaking on the Point Blank segment of Eyewitness News, Mr. Adawudu justified his request , saying “I am am exercising a constitutional mandate which says that I have a right to information.”

Making a case for his request , Mr . Adawudu further stated that, Ghanaians deserve to know how much will be paid as interest on the said bond.

What the lawyer requested for

In a letter addressed to the Attorney General and copied to the Ministry of Finance, Mr. Adawudu, who also enclosed a processing fee of GHc 1,000, said the information he was seeking for was aimed at addressing several concerns voiced on the matter.

“I am exercising my legal and constitutional right and the Attorney General is the principal legal adviser to the government. If you look at the Right to Information Bill, it is the Minister of Justice and Attorney General who is responsible if information is wanted,” he said.

“If you look at the information I am seeking, it is a very a extensive question, and I ask that the data should also be added.”

Mr. Adawudu noted that, most of the information on the bond issue was circulating in the media, but could not necessarily be taken to be the truth, despite the “rebuttable presumption that it is authentic.”

“The information that we are getting cannot just be said to be the authentic information, that is why I am asking for the authentic information from the government.”

Background

Concerns were raised about the transparency of the $2.25 billion bond, with some suggesting that, the apparent secrecy over the deal fueled the allegations of conflict of interest against the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta.

Chief Executive Officer of Dalex Finance, Ken Thompson, remarked to Citi News that in times past, when bonds have been issued, there have been road shows, announcements or visits to Parliament “but this seems to have happened rather quickly.

The Minority in its conflict of interest allegations, said a non-executive director on the board of Investment Firm, Franklin Templeton, who purchased 95 percent of the $2.25 billion bond, is also the Chairman of the Enterprise Group, which has links to the Attorney-General and the Finance Minister.

The Minority eventually called for a full-scale parliamentary probe into the bond issue.

The Ashanti Regional Youth Organizer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Yaw Brogya Genfi, has also petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate the $ 2.25 billion bond.

But the Finance Minister through the AG’s department, has asked CHRAJ to dismiss the petition because the claims are completely false.

–

By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah

The post Lawyer threatens to sue AG over $2.2bn bond appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

In a writ sighted by Citi News, he also accused the Governing Council of misappropriating the funds of the University after the expiration of its two tenure in 2013.

[contextly_sidebar id=”JngNYkMixN318Vh6D3L7xZFV3laaAyYV”]The suit comes months after the Member of Parliament for Effutu, Afenyo Markin, called for the immediate withdrawal of thousands of certificates issued by the University of Education, Winneba, since 2013.

The MP argued that, such certificates and degrees had been invalidated by the fact that an “illegal” University Council caused them to be issued without proper legal authority.

The mandate of the University Council expired since 2013, but a silent presidential directive caused the members of the Council to continue to serve in apparent defiance of the law establishing the University.

The Ghanaian Citizen is seeking the following reliefs: 

A declaration that the extension of the mandate of the Governing Council of the 1st Respondent by the 2nd respondent to stay in office to perform such functions as a properly appointed council was in breach of Section 8 Act 672.

A declaration that all decisions taken by the defacto body of persons who constituted themselves as Governing Council is null and void and of no effect.

A declaration that the contracts awarded to Sparkxx Gh Ltd, Paabadu Construction and C-Deck, were done in breach of the Procurement Act (Act 663).

A declaration that all payments made to Lamas Ltd were done without the express written consent of the Ghana Highway Authority, and in breach of the Memorandum of Understanding and same must be refunded.

A declaration that the illegally appointed Principal Officers of the 1st Respondent willfully misappropriated public funds by failing to put to public tender for the construction of the North campus road and thereby causing financial loss to the state.

The University says it has been served with the suit and will respond appropriately.

–

By: Caleb Kudah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post UEW, gov’t sued over extension of Governing Council’s tenure appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Kofi Adams in his writ, is praying the court to compel Obiri Boahene to compensate him with GHc1 million.

The vehicles; two land cruisers and three pickups, were confiscated in the wake of allegations that some officials of the previous government were in possession of state assets, but were later returned.

[contextly_sidebar id=”cxhB1Vu0Kx01tkop7TJAY3EljuNKqoEp”]But Obiri Boahene expressed displeasure with the decision, saying the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), failed to do due diligence in establishing the truth before the release.

Kofi Adams in his writ dated February 22, 2017, complained that Mr. Boahene’s comment was defamatory against his personality.

Kofi Adams is praying the court for an order for “an unconditional retraction and an unqualified apology for the said defamatory comments/broadcast/publication, doing so separately and in the Daily Graphic newspaper, and for same to be given equal prominence as the complained comments/broadcast/publication within 14 days from the day of judgment.”

He is also seeking an order “that the contents of the relief (i) above be subject to the prior approval of plaintiff, and for defendants to personally and separately read out same on all media networks mentioned in paragraph 12 above, and doing so within 14 days from the Day of Judgment.”

Below are other reliefs sought by Kofi Adams:

An order of perpetual injunction restraining defendants from any further comments of said complained defamation.

General damages for defamation.

Aggravated or exemplary damages for the malicious defamation.

Compensatory damages of GHc1,000,000.00 each for injury to character and integrity.

Cost, including legal fees.

Further or other reliefs.

–

By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post Kofi Adams sues Obiri Boahene; wants GHc1m for defamation appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.