News
James Klutse Avedzi Summons Ghana Buffer Stock Company And Free SHS Secretariat To Appear Before PAC
The Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament, and Legislator for Ketu North Constituency, Hon. James Klutse Avedzi has called for a meeting between Free Senior High School Secretariat and Ghana National Buffer Stock Company to help address the shortfall in supply of food items to Amenfiman SHS.
The Chairman made the call during the Committee’s investigations into the Auditor-general’s Report, 2023 at Takoradi on District and Municipal Assemblies, Technical Universities, Senior High Schools, Colleges of Education from the Western and Central Regions.
There are revelations that the Buffer Stock Company failed to supply Amenfiman SHS with the required quantity of food items. This situation has further compelled the School to under feed the students.
However the School Authorities explained to the Committee that, there has been a challenge to determine the number of food items that has to be supplied to the schools, adding that they now use a WhatsApp platform where you can access information regarding the number of food items.
Mr. Avedzi said “ There is the need to meet Buffer stock company to clarify the issues and circumstances leading to the shortfall in supply of items to the School. This is a serious issue, we can see a lot of loopholes in the process for the supply of food items to the School.”
PAC has directed that, Free SHS secretariat as well as Buffer Stock company to appear before the Committee on October 15, 2024.
In his closing remarks, the PAC Chairman expressed appreciation to all the officials who appeared before the Committee from the Regions for the one month probe into the Audit Report, 2023 emphasizing the need for all the Institutions cited on different counts of infractions to commence implementing all the recommendations before PAC presents its final recommendations to Parliament.
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