General News
NDC criticises NPP government for arresting former toll collectors
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has slammed the New Patriotic Party administration for arresting several disabled people who used to collect tolls.
The PWDs were toll collectors who had gone to the Roads Ministry to seek an appointment with the Minister on the matter of unpaid wage arrears. They were detained by police.
According to the NDC’s Communication Director, Kakra Essamuah, “reports that disabled persons whose entire livelihood depended on remuneration in these extremely difficult times could be arrested and detained by peace officers in the Ghana of the twenty-first century are a dark blot on the Akufo-Addo government’s already terribly blackened human rights record.”
“It is even more baffling that the loud-mouthed Minister for Roads, apparently afraid of a meeting with disabled persons, ordered their arrest and detention.”
Mr Essamuah stated that the party, in accordance with its responsibility to hold the government responsible, would keep a careful eye on the situation and demand justice for people whose only offence for their arrest and incarceration was a chance to meet with the Minister to discuss their difficulties.
Read the full statement below
STATEMENT ON THE ARREST BY THE POLICE OF DISABLED TOLL BOOTH COLLECTORS AT THE MINISTRY OF ROADS
The National Democratic Congress has learnt with utter shock and disbelief the arrest of some members of a group of disabled people who, until the arbitrary closure of all road tollbooths in Ghana by the government, were the personnel collecting tolls, and who had gone to the Ministry to seek an audience with the Minister on the issue of the payment of their unpaid salary arrears.
As our people say, if you have no money for your in-laws, you do not go further to insult them, thus adding salt to injury.
Reports that disabled persons, whose entire livelihood depended on the remuneration in these extremely difficult times could be arrested and detained by peace officers in the Ghana of the 21st century are a dark blot on the already terribly blackened human rights record of the Akufo-Addo government.
It is even more baffling that the loudmouthed Minister for Roads, apparently afraid of a meeting with disabled persons, ordered their arrest and detention.
We will, in accordance with our mandate to hold the government accountable, be watching closely and be demanding justice for those whose only crime for their arrest and detention, is an opportunity to engage with the Minister for the resolution of their problems.
ISSUED IN ACCRA THIS 15TH NOVEMBER, 2023
KAKRA ESSAMUAH
Communication Director NDC
A terrible accident occurred at the base of Galenkui Mountain in Ho, claiming the lives of nine people, including babies.
The terrifying occurrence occurred as a 207 Benz was transporting goods and passengers from Abotoase to Sogakofe.
The car encountered brake failure while descending the mountain, culminating in a collision with a Zoomlion garbage truck.
Initial reports verified seven fatalities at the disaster scene, including newborns and children.
Following that, Mary Dzifa, a nurse at Ho Municipal Hospital, informed Citi News that roughly ten children had died in the disaster.
“I was at our facility yesterday, November 22, when a car rushed in with dead and injured children and injured adults, especially men. Some were attended to at the facility, and the rest who were severely injured were taken to the Ho Teaching Hospital. The dead children will be about 10.”
Officials at the Ho Teaching Hospital said that 32 people were admitted for injuries incurred, with 9 dying as a result of their injuries.
Amos Jah, the Public Relations Officer of Ho Teaching Hospital, said that the injured patients are receiving medical attention and making progress in their rehabilitation.
“I received a call from a friend yesterday who was going back to town and that he saw the accident, so I quickly informed the nurses to be on alert. Some were brought in with pickups, ambulance, tricycles; the situation was very bad, some had broken limbs, some heads almost being severed, some were bleeding from all parts of the body. After two hours, we were able to calm the situation down.”
“We had a total of 30 accident victims brought here. Two others were brought from the Municipal Hospital this morning, making it 32 in all. My information is that we lost 9 of them, 4 are kids and 5 are adults. For the kids, three were brought in dead. Those injured are responding to treatment.”
Dr Adam Bonaa, a security expert, has requested the Oti Regional Minister to restrict all public events in Nkwanta in response to the riots that have taken eight lives.
The fights, in his opinion, were avoidable.
“The Regional Minister and his men must make certain that this never happens again.” This was avoidable, yet 8 people died as a result,” he remarked on TV3’s Ghana Tonight on Tuesday, November 21.
He further suggested that “It is important to suspend all public activities that are likely to take place by the two factions, this is the surest way of letting them know that there is an authority within Nkwanta and the region.”
The Oti Regional Security Council (REGSEC) will host an emergency security meeting today, Wednesday, November 22, in response to the Nkwanta riots.
Regional Minister Joshua Gmayenaam Makubu, appearing on the Ghana Tonight show on TV3 on Tuesday, November 21, verified the number of dead and described the pandemonium as “ethnic clashes.”
“Tomorrow we are going to have an emergency security meeting again, ” he further said.
He also disclosed that there had been conflicts in town two weeks earlier between members of two tribes, Adele and Akyode.
Following the conflicts, the Minister of the Interior, Ambrose Dery, acted on the advice of the REGSEC and via Executive Instrument to impose a curfew on Nkwanta township.
The curfew will be in force from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 21.
On Tuesday, November 21, an attacker opened fire in the town’s central market area.
Several people have been murdered and others have been injured as a result of the incident.
The Oti Regional Security Council dispatched officers to the region to handle the situation.
“Government wishes to appeal to all to exercise restraint and to use the established mechanisms for the resolution of all their conflicts and disputes.
“Meanwhile, the Government will like to reiterate that, there is a ban on all persons in Nkwanta Township and its environs from carrying arms, ammunition or any offensive weapons and any persons found with any arms or ammunition will be arrested and prosecuted,” the Minister said.
Alban Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament, has categorically rejected selling his official house to a private developer.
He then stated that his home was “almost sold” to a private developer.
The Speaker of Parliament recently revealed that his Accra home was sold to a private developer while he was still living there.
He said this only came to light when the developer went to the Lands Commission to register the land on Monday at the Speaker’s Breakfast Forum in Accra.
However, the Lands Commission claimed in a statement that “at no time did the Lands Commission sell the said property to a private developer.”
In a recent meeting with civil society organisations, the Speaker emphasised that his official house was on the verge of being turned over to a developer except for the intervention of the Lands Commission.
“I didn’t say my residence was sold. That was not what I said. This was just a comment in passing when I said it was almost sold but luckily, I was in possession. And I said it was when they went to Lands Commission that they realised from the search that it was the residence of the Speaker,” Alban Bagbin clarified.
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