News
‘Retract and Apologise’: Ablakwa clashes with Oppong Nkrumah over “bully pulpit” remark
Tempers nearly flared when Chairman of the Parliamentary Assurance Committee, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa strongly demanded for a retraction and apology from the Works and Housing Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah.
This follows a controversy over the delays in completing housing units for victims of the Akosombo dam spillage.
Against this backdrop, Mr. Ablakwa insisted that the Minister’s comments were inappropriate and requested a formal apology.
“Honourable Minister you will be well advised to watch your diction. You will be well advised. You will be well advised. I will not take that. To suggest that I am using this position as a bully pulpit,” he said.
He proceeded to add that, “You have to retract that because that is not what I am doing here. You must retract and apologise. I am well within my standing orders. You have to retract that. You have to retract and apologise.”
Responding to the Chairman of the Committee, Mr.Oppong Nkrumah said he has the right to defend himself against the attacks on national television.
He quizzed, “It is okay for the Chairman of the committee and the committee to accuse the Minister of being insincere, of deflecting without more and I do not have the right to answer or to share a different view?”
According to Mr.Oppong Nkrumah, “…If you choose to accuse me of insincerity of introducing red herrings of deflecting, that is not about the people. That is you accusing me and if you are accusing me I must have a right to respond.”
Despite this, Mr. Ablakwa cautioned the Minister of his choice of words, maintaining that a retraction and apology were necessary, as he was acting within his rights in accordance with parliamentary standing orders.
But Mr Nkrumah shared a different view, emphasizing that if he is accused of insincerity or introducing red herrings, he must have the right to respond.
Against this backdrop, proceedings were halted for a while for calm.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
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
