The Ghanaian press on Tuesday focuses on the Vice President’s defense of the management of the economy by the government and two key verdicts by the Supreme Court.
The Times reported that Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia on Monday said that the government was showing better leadership skills in managing the economy and alleviating the plight of the ordinary Ghanaian against the COVID-19 crisis.
“If anyone wants to test the robustness of an economy, it should be tested in times of crisis,” Dr. Bawumia said, adding that, available data indicated that the leadership of President Akufo-Addo in crisis management was better than that of his predecessor.
The newspaper also said that the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) has directed Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the region to provide nose masks to the vulnerable in the various communities.
The report added that the decision forms part of government’s effort to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country.
The Public Relations officer of the Greater Accra RCC, Yaa Boahemaa Okyere, said yesterday in Accra that the Regional Minister, Ishmael Ashitey along with other members of the Regional Security Council (REGSEC), would in collaboration with the Police, strictly enforce the mandatory wearing of nose masks within the week.
The Graphic reported that cargo congestion at the Tema Port, caused by last week’s disconnection of the technology cargo clearance systems of service providers, has reduced drastically.
The report said that work by the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), in collaboration with terminal operators and shipping lines, last Friday and Saturday facilitated the clearance of the backlog of goods by importers and agents.
According to the Commissioner of the Customs Division, Col Kwadwo Damoah (retd), considerable progress was made on the exercise, leading to the release of cargo to importers and agents who went through the clearance chain and paid the necessary import duties.
The newspaper also said that the Supreme Court has declared that the defence co-operation agreement signed between Ghana and the United States of America in 2018 did not breach any law.
In a unanimous decision on Tuesday, May 5, 2020, a seven-member panel of the court dismissed a suit challenging the agreement.
The court, presided over by the Chief Justice, Justice Anin Yeboah, held that the suit had no merit and that it would release its reasons for upholding the defence agreement by May 20, 2020.
In another report, the newspaper said that the Supreme Court has dismissed a suit which accused the Finance Minister, Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta, of procedural error and conflict of interest in the issuance of the $2.25 billion Eurobond in 2017.
In a unanimous decision on Tuesday, May 5, a seven-member panel of the court, presided over the Chief Justice, Justice Anin Yeboah, held that the suit had no merit and that it would file its reasons for the dismissal of the suit by the close of Wednesday at the court’s registry.
GIK/APA