In the wake of the visa scandal at the ongoing 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia, the Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, Pius Enam Hadzide alongside the acting Director General of the National Sports Authority, Robert Sarfo Mensah have been suspended by the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
A statement signed by Director of Communications at the Jubilee House, Eugene Arhin states that the decision was taken after “preliminary investigations conducted into the circumstances that led to the arrest of some sixty (60) Ghanaians, who had allegedly attempted to enter Austrailia by false pretences".
But the Minority in Parliament described the suspension of the Deputy Sports Minister as merely cosmetic, indicating that the minister should have been sacked by the president.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service is set to summon again and question some NDC MPs for allegedly taking double salaries while serving as both Members of Parliament and Ministers or Deputy Ministers. In a statement issued by the CID, the nine accused persons including Minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu and Tamale Central MP, Inusah Fuseini will need to provide some more information to help it properly investigate the matter.
Meanwhile, the accused NDC MPs have come out to accuse the CID of political witch-hunting and vowed to sue the CID and Daily Guide for defamation. According to them, they will only assist the CID in its investigations if they are provided with details of the allegation.
Also, the Acting Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Peter Abum-Sarkodie was sacked from his position on Wednesday, April 11. In a letter signed by the Secretary to the President, Nana Bediatuo Asante, Mr. Abum-Sarkodie was asked to hand over to the Deputy Director of the Agency in charge of Field Operations, John Pwamang.
The statement added that the decision had been taken by President Nana Akufo-Addo on the advice of the governing board of the EPA, which had not been formed when he was appointed. The board, according to the statement, did not deem Mr. Abum-Sarkodie a “suitable candidate” to take over the position in a substantive capacity.
Some persons indicted in EOCO’s forensic audit report on the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), may face prosecution for their roles in the alleged misappropriation of funds at the Centre. Key individuals indicted in the report by EOCO include the former Chief Executive Officer of MASLOC, Sedinam Tamakloe Attionu, and her predecessor, Bertha Sogah.
The report, among other things, revealed that MASLOC invested an amount of GHc 500,000 in a 91-day fixed deposit with Obaatampa Microfinance Company Limited, at an interest rate of 25% per annum on July 24, 2014.
These and many more will be the key issues panellists will discuss in this week's edition of JoyNews' flagship current affairs program Newsfile.
Watch a playback of the program here
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