Freshmen in SHS to pay 668 Ghana cedis as fees

Education Minister, Jane Naana Opoku Agyeman has announced that freshmen accessing boarding facilities at Senior High School (SHS) will pay 668 Ghana cedis as school fees for the first term in 2015. The amount will include a miscellaneous fee of 339 Ghana cedis, uniform 175 cedis, approved teaching and learning support fee 97.50 cedis and a Parent and Teacher Association (PTA) levy of 37 cedis. Freshmen day students, on the other hand, are expected to pay 385 ghana cedis school fees. The minister made this known when she was addressing Parliament this morning where she indicated that a committee has been set up to ensure that heads of the various schools comply with the directive. She said heads that are found charging more than the approved rate will be dealt with. Prof. Opoku Agyeman also indicated that a complaints unit has been established to allow issues pertaining with the education sector to be dealt with. She directed Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) to utilize the district education oversight committees to assist in the general monitoring and supervision of the guidelines.

Source:Myjoyonline.com

SC dismisses Amidu’s review over ISOFOTON judgment

The Supreme Court has, by majority decision, dismissed a review motion filed by Martin Amidu against international firm ISOFOTON and the State. The former Attorney General had earlier won a case he brought before the same court challenging the legality of the judgment debt paid to ISOFOTON. In his review motion Mr. Amidu prayed the Court to order the agent of ISOFOTON, Anani Forson to personally refund the entire 325, 000 dollars paid by the State as judgment debt. According to Starr FM’s reports, the Supreme Court, by a majority decision of 8 to 3, maintained that the company must refund the money and not its agent, who was only a conduit through which ISOFOTON operated. ISOFOTON was ordered last year by the Supreme Court to refund monies illegally paid to the firm as judgment debt. Per the ruling, ISOFOTON was expected to cough up 325,472 dollars and the interest accrued on the amount since 2011, the year in which the monies were paid. Isofoton were seeking in excess of 1.3 million judgment debt over claims their contract was illegally terminated by government. They were alleged to have been contracted to execute a rural solar electrification project in 2006, but the then government upon further scrutiny re-awarded the contract to another Spanish Company Elecnor. With the arrival of a new government, Isofoton accused the erstwhile NPP government of illegally abrogating a valid contract and demanded judgment debts to be paid to them. 

Source:StarrFmonline.com

Alhaji Dawood weeps in court over Nayele cocaine saga

Businessman Alhaji Dawood Mohammed, who is facing prosecution for his alleged involvement in helping Nayele Ametefe to transport cocaine to the UK, wept when he appeared in court on Thursday. Alhaji Dawood Mohammed denied reports by the Bureau of National Investigation (BNI) that he was arrested at the Kotoka International Airport last Sunday upon his arrival from Nigeria. He told the court that he presented himself to the BNI, escorted by his lawyer. Alhaji Dawood was arrested for aiding Nayele Ametefe and her two friends to use the VIP lounge at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) in Accra, to transport cocaine weighing about 12 kilograms into the UK. According to earlier reports, he called officials at the airport to allow Nayele Ametefe and the other women, easy passage into the plane. Alhaji Dawood who appeared before the Accra court has been charged with abetting crime. According to Citi News reports, Alhaji Dawood was in tears but his lawyer, Addo Tuah calmed him down. Citi News reports that the court dismissed an application for bail pushed by the lawyer of Alhaji Dawood. The court has adjourned the case to December 8 for further hearing. So far twelve persons have been also arrested  in Ghana in connection with cocaine bust. Meanwhile, Nayele Ametefeh has pleaded guilty to charges proffered against her during her trail in a UK court.

Source:Citifmonline.com

CHRAJ Commissioner Lauretta Lamptey expresses disappointment in CJ

Embattled Commissioner for the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) Lauretta Vivian Lamptey says she is disappointed in the Chief Justice, Georgina Wood. The Chief Justice has established a prima facie case in the petition filed by Richard Nyamah, accusing the Ms. Lamptey of abusing her office. Even before the Chief Justice constitutes a panel to begin full investigations into the complaints, the CHRAJ Commissioner in a statement said, she is very disappointed by the fact that the Chief Justice has determined that a prima facie case has been established against her. Ms Lamptey does not state the grounds of her disagreement with the conclusions drawn by Mrs Wood except to say that she has respect for the constitutional processes and full confidence in both this process and the recently completed Special Purpose Audit into my accommodation arrangements. She is confident she will be cleared of all the charges when she presents her side of the story to the yet-to-be-constituted investigative committee. Meanwhile, the man who petitioned the President over alleged abuse of office by the CHRAJ Commissioner is demanding her suspension, following the establishment of a case of abuse of office by the Chief Justice. This, according to Mr. Richard Nyamah, will foil any attempts Commissioner Lauretta Vivian Lamptey may make in order to interfere with investigations into the allegations of misconduct and abuse of office against her.

Source:Myjoyonline.com