News
New voters’ register: No decision on stranded Ghanaians abroad to register–EC
Dr Serebour Quaicoe, the Director of Electoral Services at the Electoral Commission (EC), has affirmed that the Commission has made no decision on Ghanaians stranded abroad as it readies to compile a new voters’ register.
According to him, the commission would have to take a decision on such persons at a later date should they be unable to come down to register during the 38-day mass registration which begins on June 30.
As part of measures to stop the importation of the COVID-19, President Nana Akufo-Addo shut the country’s borders since March although the government was readying to evacuate Ghanaians stuck abroad and there is no certain date of their return.
Dr Quaicoe explained that as the borders remained closed, it was impossible for the EC to also go abroad to register such persons, ruled out transfer of votes in the upcoming general elections, to transfer ones vote, one must have registered 12 months prior to the transfer and with less than six months to the election, nobody would qualify to transfer their votes with six months of registering.
“Despite the structured period being used for the registration, we will spend more time at a location should natural activities like rain mar the registration since there will be a mopping up exercise across the country as well and with the compilation of a new voters’ register in the offing, the electorate will be expected to register at where they reside or will be voting in December,” he assured.
The Supreme Court is set to deliver its judgment on June 23 on whether or not the old voters’ ID, which the EC has described as a fruit of a poisonous tree, should be accepted as proof of identity for the compilation of a new voters’ register. -myjoyonline.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
