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‘Who checks the buffoonery of Ghana’s Parliament?’

• Mr. Alban Sumana Bagbin, Speaker

Wikipedia defines ‘buffoonery’ as a behaviour that is ridiculous but amusing.

Synonyms for ‘buffoonery’ include rowdiness, roughhouse, trickery, gamboling and mischief.

Thesaurus also says ‘ridiculous’ means; deserving or inviting derision or mockery.

According to Webster’s Dictionary, synonyms for ‘ridiculous’ include; irrational, illogical, outrageous, shocking, unbelievable and unthinkable.

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Just recently, that is, before the eve of the 2021 Christmas, Ghana’s Parliamentary Service Board was reportedly airlifted to Dubai to hold their board meeting with the Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament because the Speaker was receiving medical care in Dubai.

Reportedly, members of the Parliamentary Service Board were airlifted back into Ghana at the expense of the Republic of Ghana.

So, in effect, their plane tickets, the hotel bills, ‘the per diems’ and ‘the boarding and lounging’ were all reportedly paid by the Government of the Republic of Ghana.

Media reports indicated that the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu was also in Dubai receiving medical attention, together with the Rt. Honourable Speaker, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, thus, probably influencing Ghana’s Parliamentary Service Board meeting to be held in Dubai at the expense of the poor Ghanaian tax payer.

But the question is: Is it very true that members of Ghana’s Parliamentary Service Board left the beautiful shores of the Republic of Ghana to hold its board meeting in Dubai?

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Indeed, Ghana’s Parliamentary Service ought to issue a convincing statement clarifying the alleged Dubai Parliamentary Board meeting since the image of Parliament in respect of the alleged Dubai meeting is gradually but steadily , ‘getting close’ to the proverbial ‘Lavender Hill.’

Really, media reports have wrapped the image of Ghana’s Parliamentary Service Board into the ‘septic containers’, illegally queuing to off-load their ‘nose- breaking’ contents onto the ‘notorious’ ‘Lavender Hill.’

Readers, for now , I will not go into the ‘prognostics’ of the ‘Lavender Hill ‘  ‘palava’ and its ‘corrosive’ and ‘debilitating’ impact on its environment.

But the fact of the matter is that if an image is ‘buried’  in the bowels of ‘Lavender Hill’ in Ghana; it does not only speak ‘negative’ volumes about that image, but also ‘negative’  tonnes and tonnes of that image.

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The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, however, asks this fundamental question: “If the board meeting couldn’t wait for the return of the Speaker and the Majority Leader from Dubai; because urgent matters had to be discussed, couldn’t the board meeting have been organised virtually, so that other members could participate from Ghana?”

He further queries:”It would be most disconcerting if it emerges that truly, there was no virtual component to this board meeting.”

The North Tongu Member of Parliament ‘fires on all cylinders’. He says:” We must admit that as an arm of government responsible for financial oversight, especially over the Executive, this doesn’t look great if confirmed, more so, when Parliament has been trying with much difficulty, in recent times to rein in an unhinged profligate Executive.”

Another critic of the government, veteran journalist Mr Kwesi Pratt, also says:”It is of great concern that , for Ghanaians appointed to serve the nation , they would fly all the way to Dubai just for a meeting about Ghana.”

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According to hin, “even if it was a training programme that the board had gone for in Dubai, not for merely a meeting; does it explain anything that a training for the Parliamentary Service Board is done in Dubai?

“If the meeting was done at Abokobi, won’t it have been successful?”

Readers, it must be emphasised that media reports about the alleged Parliamentary Service Board meeting in Dubai cast a ‘huge slur’ on the already tattered image of Parliament.

Some critics say:”If parliamentarians are not misconducting themselves on the floor of Parliament; by trading blows; disfiguring the faces of their opponents with knives and razor blades; then they are stealing our money, via their huge salaries and their ex-gratia.”

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Others also claim that:”Parliament has taken Ghanaians for granted, so they spend the nation’s money without thinking properly,” contending that, “look at how the ‘double-salary issue in Parliament’ was handled harphazardly by the state.

“And with many good companies into carpentry in Ghana, Parliament at a time in its life had to rush to China to import tables and chairs for use in that ‘August House’. Oh! mother Ghana!!! 

“And now, look at a mere meeting of the Parliamentary Service Board taken out of the jurisdiction of the Republic of Ghana in the unholy name of profligacy.”

Others also ask in ‘loud silence’: “Who checks the ‘buffoonery’ of Ghana’s Parliament?”

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 Contact email/WhatsApp of the author:

asmahfrankg@gmail.com (0505556179)

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The Prophet part 2

Some young men queing for visas
Some young men queing for visas

“I can see in the spirit, that some of you have been trading for years without seeing any mean­ingful profits, some young women have been disappointed by men who have either abandoned them and left for foreign lands and forgotten about them, or stopped sending money for the upkeep of their wives and children.

I can see young men who are desperate for visas to travel abroad but have either been duped by visa contractors or refused at the embas­sies. From tomorrow, I assure you, the visas will be given.

Young women, I have news for you. You will receive telephone calls, and you will hear very good news. Handsome young men with money in their pockets will come and marry you, and take care of you. Traders, you will get big business and big profits from today. From today, you will see that I am a true prophet who has come to deliver you.”

Shouts of “Amen,” “thank you Prophet” and “I receive it” greeted his sermon. After a final prayer, he asked the congregation to come early the following day, and bring others, because there would be many testimonies.

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There would also be “special anointing” for great miracles. Although he did not ask for an offering, most of the people came and dropped notes, and coins at the “pulpit.” When they left, Antobam counted the money.

“GH¢900!” he almost shouted, ‘and I did not even ask for an offer­ing. This is fantabulous!’ Going to the Nana Kofi Broni shrine, he told himself, was a very wise move.

He started making plans……He had to choose a few assistants who would carry out his orders……. He had to hire some chairs as soon as possible……He had to find a suit­able piece of land and, if possible, build his own church……. He had to start looking for a nice car, befitting the status of a popular preacher …… And, most importantly, he had to select two, three or four nice, young women to take care of his needs, apart from the servants who would cook, wash, iron and do other errands for him.

Abruptly, he told himself, this hungry, scruffy Kukurantumi boy was being transformed into a man of power and money, with some of the most beautiful women in town at his beck and call. Wow!

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After a shower and supper, he shut the door to the very small room that served as his bedroom and dropped on the bed. Almost immediately, the shrill sounds, like whispers, began.

This time he did not express any fears. He realised to his great sur­prise that even though the sounds were not in the form of any lan­guage, he could understand them.

Tomorrow there will be testimo­nies……they will give money……. some rich people are being prepared …….they will bring big money ………. we will give them what they want, and they will bring money ……. big money …….big, big money……the women will also come, a number of them. ‘

He went to sleep smiling and whis­pering to himself, ‘big, big money, and women!’

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He woke up at 5 and took a shower. After a breakfast of tea and several slices of bread he set off. On reaching the venue he saw to his great surprise that the place was full.

Very full, and quite a number of people rushed to embrace him and give him the wonderful news. The excited people narrated the testi­monies about big sales, telephone calls from relatives directing them to go to Western Union, and impo­tent husbands who had miraculously rediscovered their magic powers.

He was truly glad that Nana Kofi Broni’s magic had already started working, but most of his attention was focused on the ladies in the congregation. He noticed to his great delight that some of them were really nice. I must start mak­ing my selection, he told himself. Today!

“Give a mighty clap offering to the great, mighty one for his won­ders among us!” he started, and the response was very big.

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“I said yesterday that you were going to see signs and wonders, and I am very happy that my word has been fulfilled. Even though we have taken allowed one hour for testimo­nies, many more of you would like to testify.

Tomorrow, I promise you that there will be ample time. I will only preach a short sermon. The rest of the time will be taken up by consul­tations, after which I will give direc­tions on what to do to ensure that you defeat your enemies, secure your marriage and, most important­ly, continue increasing your profits in your business.” His sermon was interspersed with ecstatic shouts of “Amen,” “it is true,” “God bless you” and “I receive it.”

His final word was emphatic; “Big miracles are coming your way. Keep attending church, and don’t forget to give thanks to God.”

By Ekow de Heer

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Full Gospel Businessmen Fellowship launches project to transform young lives

• Members of the Full Gospel Businness Fellowship
• Members of the Full Gospel Businness Fellowship

The Full Gospel Businessmen’s Fellowship International (FGBMFI) Ghana has launched the Senior High Schools and Colleges Project (SCP) aimed at empowering and transforming the lives of young people.

Speaking at the launch, Professor Mike Ocquaye, the former Speaker of Parliament, emphasised the need to catch them young and train them as the current times were challenging.

He lauded the project, calling on all to support it, saying “In fact, it’s very important to catch them young, train them, lead them, guide them, and men­tor them because the times are indeed rough,” Prof. Ocquaye said.

Mr Ekow Egyir Dadson, the Director, Schools and Colleges Directorate, stated that since its inception in 2018, the SCP had reached over 70 educational institutions with countless testimonies of transformation.

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“We began with the Presbyterian Boys Secondary School (PRESEC) Legon, and now in 2024, we have visited 74 schools and impacted the lives of over 100,000 students, some of whom were personally mentored and now have graduated from the universities.”

He explained that the SCP, a vision by FGBMFI Ghana, was a bold outreach pro­gramme designed to call young people to Christ, train and equip them for the future.

He cited testimony-sharing, mentor­ship, career guidance, entrepreneurship and counseling as some of the unique approaches to be used in reaching out to the targeted students.

Mr Emmanuel Baba Mahama, the National President of the FGBMFI Ghana, launched the SCP Manual, which would help the FGBMFI Zonal Family Chapters across Ghana in order to adopt schools and colleges within their catchment areas.

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The Schools and Colleges project is making a great impact; we have had first-hand testimonies from school heads, teachers, and students (mentees) about the SCP. This project has come to stay, Mr Baba Mahama assured.

He, therefore, called for more vol­unteers and partners to help the SCP shape the next generation of leaders and citizens.

Findings by the FGBMFI revealed that Ghana’s senior high schools, colleges, and university students face growing challenges like addictions, indiscipline, poor academic performance, pornogra­phy, homosexuality, broken homes, and a lack of godly guidance.

That had been a concern to many parents and society, “but the FGBMFI believes there is hope to rescue and re­store these young students,” Mr Mahama said. –GNA

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