Friday Briefing: Uproar over anti-local names registration, Speaker to take presidential oath

Here are the stories that made the news Friday:

1. Births and Deaths directive misunderstood - expert

A local government expert has risen to the defense of the Births and Deaths Registry, describing its anti-local names registration policy as relevant. Dr Eric Oduro Osae said the directive on the non-registration of some local names such as Nana and Nii is to avoid duplicity and prevent foreigners from easily acquiring Ghanaian birth certificates and other documents. Speaking to Emefa Apawu on Joy FM’s Top Story Friday, the governance expert said the position of the Registry on the matter has been misunderstood by Ghanaians.

2. Speaker to take another presidential oath Saturday

Parliament will sit on Saturday to swear in the Speaker, Prof Mike Ocquaye as president of Ghana, the Majority Leader has said. The president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is leaving the country for Ethiopia to participate in the 30th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU). From there he will go to South Africa where he is expected to attend Hugh Masekela's funeral.

3. Minority to sue over practice of swearing in speaker as president

The Minority in Parliament says it will head to the Supreme Court to seek a review of its decision endorsing the practice of swearing in of the Speaker as president. The opposition lawmakers say the tradition is “completely unnecessary,” insisting the non-availability of the president and vice president does not incapacitate them. Describing the apex court’s earlier ruling on the matter as a disservice to the nation, Kumbungu Member of Parliament (MP) Ras Mubarak said the Minority wants it reversed.

4. Gender Minister, other sued

Gender and Children's Affairs Minister Otiko Afisa Djaba and the Director of Social Welfare have been cited for contempt of court over an adoption case involving two US-based couple. The lawyer for the Applicants, Daniel Opare Asiedu is asking the court to jail the Minister and Daniel Nonah Gbeabu for refusing to respect a court ruling on the matter in December 2017. The affidavit on the case, a copy of which is available to Adom News, indicates that the Applicants, Ethan Michael Ram and Hilary Holt Ram secured a Koforidua Circuit Court approval for the adoption of a child in Ghana (name withheld) back in February 2017.

5. Justify or reverse - Parliament summons Local Gov't Minister over anti-local names

Parliament has summoned the Local Government Minister and officials of the Births and Deaths Registry to respond to questions on plans to bar Ghanaians from registering some local names. Legislators, including Haruna Iddrisu and Joseph Osei Owusu, are unhappy at the directive and demanded the legal basis for which the Registry has issued such. The Registry had maintained, the use of local names like Nana, Torgbui, Nii, Maame, Junior which it says are titles, was not permissible by the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1965 (Act 301).

6. Births and Deaths Registry sued over unpopular decision

The refusal of the Births and Deaths Registry to register certain Ghanaian names which it considers titles has landed the Registry in court. Some citizens enraged by the order, are in court challenging the directive by the agency and the outcome could be “interesting”, private legal practitioner, Samson Lardy Anyenini hinted. The order is seen not only as discriminatory but also opposes efforts to encourage Ghanaians to use local names to project their African identity.

7. Ex-Akuapem MCE deplores Akufo-Addo appointee over Gitmo 2

A former Akuapem North Municipal Chief Executive has taken a dead aim at the Deputy National Service Secretariat Director, describing his 2016 Gitmo 2 suit as needless. Opare Addo said Nana Boakye popularly known as Nana B would have been more informed if he had asked for details of the past administration’s agreement with the US government on the detainee transfer. Speaking on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo Friday, the aspiring National Democratic Congress (NDC) National Youth Organiser defended the acceptance of the two Yemenis into the country.

Read Full Story