News
Philip Addison petitions party over disqualification in Akuapem North
Philip Addison, a New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary aspirant disqualified from the race in the Akuapem North Constituency in the Eastern Region has petitioned the party’s national leadership over the issue.
Mr Addison, who believes his disqualification was “pre-meditated”, in his petition, pleaded with the national leadership to probe the circumstances leading to his removal from the race and he also wants the NPP leadership to reverse his disqualification to enable him to contest in the party’s June 20 primaries.
Ahead of the 2016 general election, he emerged victorious in the NPP primaries to represent the party in the Klottey Korle Constituency in the Greater Accra Region and he, however, lost to Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) parliamentary candidate.
The party’s June 20 primaries will be held in 165 constituencies across the country due to elections in three constituencies have been put on hold and the party will hold the primaries in electoral areas rather than at the constituency level in order to ensure social distancing.
Mr Addison, who was the lead counsel for the NPP in the 2013 Presidential Election Petition case explained that contrary to claims of failing to “nurture the constituency”, he had “given assistance and support to the party for a long time stretching from the time of William Boafo and the previous executives to date.
“Some of my encounters with some members of the party in the constituency who raised issues with my decision to contest for that seat made me believe my disqualification was premeditated but I have contributed my quota to the party, including handling legal cases for the NPP “pro-bono”.
“I have worked hard to enhance the image of the party in the constituency, I have established a rapport with all the traditional authorities in the constituency and within this short space of time I have endeared myself to a majority of the delegates and the electorate and I pray that the vetting committee will find my contributions to the party worthy of recognition.
“I respectfully invite the committee to look favourably on my petition, reverse the disqualification and allow me to contest the parliamentary primaries in the Akuapem North Constituency,” Mr Addison indicated in the petition. -citinewsroom.com
News
Craze for x’mas shopping: Crowded markets, low patronage
Vendors of food and other wares associated with the Christmas celebration have expressed surprise at the low patronage despite the increased number of visitors to some of the major markets across the capital.
Four days to the celebration(Christmas), the markets are filled with various products ranging from food, clothing, livestock and many other stuff, but according to the vendors, patrons are doing more ‘window’ shopping.
The Spectator on visits to some of the markets in the capital, notably the Odawna, Makola, Accra Central Business District, New Town and others made similar observations as shoppers crowd them but did little in terms of purchases.
The paper also observed that majority of vendors, originally selling other wares have switched to product related to the festive season.
What it means is that there are a lot more clothes, food and vegetables, livestock and poultry, toys, firecrackers, drinks of different types and many others on display.
The markets have also stretched to the pedestrian pavement, leaving very narrow spaces for commuters to move about freely.
That, in addition to a few of the female vendors dressed in coloured attires to reflect the occasion, has heightened the euphoria, leaving the low sales as the only headache for the vendors.
Speaking with this paper, they sounded very optimistic, believing that sales would improve in the last few days to the yuletide.
According to them, there was the opportunity to sell beyond Christmas as the New Year celebration offers similar opportunity to trade the same wares.
They urged patrons to throng the markets to shop since prices were quite moderate and products affordable for all.
News
Retirement service for Elder John Ackom-Asante,3 others
Retired Deputy Editor of The Spectator, Elder John Ackom-Asante, was last Sunday honoured by the Church of Pentecost Windy Hills District in Kasoa in the Central Region, with a retirement thanksgiving service, after serving for 26 year as an Elder of the church.
He was honoured with a citation and certificate of service along with three other elders who served in the capacity for various years.
Elder Ackom-Asante was baptised at the Darkuman Central Assembly in 1979 and ordained as an Elder in 1997.
The citation read “Your selfless service, zeal, willingness to relate wholeheartedly and your desire to effect change has gone a long way to shape the lives of many people in the church and the nation over the 26 years of your dedication to the service of the Lord.”
Elder Ackom- Asante held many positions at the Darkuman Central Assembly, Obuasi in the Ashanti Region and Tema, serving in various capacities as youth and evangelism ministry leader and marriage counsellor.
He was the founding member of the Darkuman Christian Fellowship, a member of the Greater Accra Christian Fellowship; member of Bible Society of Ghana; founding member Obuasi Chapter Full Gospel Businessmen Fellowship International and founding member of New Times Corporation Christian Fellowship and Chaplain, Methodist University Tema Campus 2009- 2010.
As a professional journalist, Elder Ackom-Asante combined effectively and efficiently his duty as a member and elder of the church and the demands of his profession, with admiration from the church, kith and kin, till his retirement on December
From Alhaji Salifu Abdul-Rahaman, Kasoa
