The Member of Parliament (MP) of Damongo, Samuel Abu Jinapor, reacted to a post by Franklin Cudjoe, the President of IMANI Africa, suggesting that an “Abu” made the “Daughter of Murderer” comment against the MP of Klottey Korle, Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings.

In a reaction to Franklin Cudjoe’s post on Wednesday, March 5, 2025, Abu Jinapor indicated that the IMANI Africa president does not know the facts of the matter.

He refuted assertions that he made the comments, stating that he would never make such a comment.

“You have gotten it all wrong. I did not and will never utter such derogatory and hateful words. That is simply NOT in my nature.

“I have said it multiple times, and let me repeat, I have had a long-standing warm relationship with the Rawlingses, and it’s a matter of record,” he wrote on X on Wednesday.

He added, “No amount of effort will turn this blatantly false allegation against my person to be true. As for the insults from you, I ignore. Truth stands!”

Background:

Franklin Cudjoe stated the name of an individual he believes to be behind the disparaging ‘daughter of a murderer’ comment made during parliamentary proceedings on February 4, 2025.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday, March 5, 2025, Franklin Cudjoe identified the individual he claimed is responsible for the remarks as ‘Abu.’

He urged this ‘Abu’ to take responsibility for his comments and issue an apology to the Member of Parliament for Klottey Korle, Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, for making such disparaging remarks directed at her.

Cudjoe argued that in terms of intellect, integrity, and respect, this ‘Abu’ cannot compete with Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings, nor can he be considered her equal or associate, except in their shared roles as lawmakers in Parliament.

“Dear Abu,

“Just apologise to the lady for the uncouth remarks. But for Parliament, you really wouldn’t be fit to be her associate in intellect, respect, and honour,” he posted.

Although Franklin Cudjoe did not explicitly mention the individual’s full name, referring to him only as ‘Abu,’ many critics have linked the comment to Samuel Abu Jinapor, the Member of Parliament for Damongo.

This follows Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin’s directive ordering a formal investigation to identify the MP who made the comment in the chamber.

Bagbin further gave the culprit a week’s ultimatum to come forward or face severe consequences.

On February 5, 2025, Samuel Abu Jinapor, however, denied the widespread claims accusing him of making unsavoury and defamatory ‘daughter of a murderer’ remarks aimed at attacking the character of Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings during a parliamentary sitting.

In a statement on his social media account on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, Abu Jinapor expressed his respect for the family of the late Jerry John Rawlings, emphasising that attempts linking him to the comments are false.

“The general public is kindly advised to totally disregard the suggestion that I made unsavoury comments about Hon. Dr. Zanetor Rawlings while she was on her feet on the floor of Parliament contributing to a statement. For the record, the said allegation is absolutely false. I have utmost respect for Former President Jerry John Rawlings, his family and Dr. Zanetor Rawlings in particular,” he said.

The former Minister of Lands and Natural Resources maintained his integrity, emphasising that he does not engage in debates that involve insults or character assassination.

“I have always believed in decent debates and intellectual discourse in Ghanaian public life and Parliament especially, devoid of insults and character assassination!” he added.

It must be stated that it is unclear how many Members of Parliament currently are known as ‘Abu.’

Meanwhile, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has ordered an investigation into the matter.

BAI/EK

In the meantime, catch the latest Twi News on GhanaWeb TV below:

Meanwhile, watch this Ghana Month special edition of People and Places as we hear the story of how the head of Kwame Nkrumah’s bronze statue was returned after 43 years, below:

According to GhanaWeb, former Attorney-General Godfred Yeboah Dame has strongly countered allegations made by MP Rockson Nelson Dafeamekpor regarding his security arrangements during his time in office.

In a pointed letter, Dame accused Dafeamekpor of fabricating information and spreading falsehoods during a segment on TV3’s The Key Points program.

He firmly rejected the claim that he traveled with a contingent of military officers in armored vehicles, describing it as entirely untrue.

Dame clarified that throughout his eight years in office, he was only accompanied by one bodyguard.

He stated that he never had a convoy or military escort and that his security arrangements remained consistent from his role as Deputy Attorney-General until the end of his tenure.

Additionally, Dame refuted allegations of lavish spending, explaining that he lived in his personal residence, did not seek government housing, and rarely used state vehicles in Accra.

He noted that he only utilized a government car for occasional trips outside the capital.

“I lived in my private residence, never requested government accommodation, and never used state vehicles in Accra. The only time I used a government car was for rare travels outside Accra,” he asserted.

Dame called for an immediate retraction of the statements made on TV3, warning that failure to comply could lead to legal action.

He indicated that he would pursue punitive damages for defamation if the false claims continued.

The letter was also sent to the Speaker of Parliament, parliamentary leaders, TV3, and major media outlets, emphasizing the seriousness of the matter.

Former Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has stated that he will never be part of any scheme to tarnish the image of Nhyiaeso MP, Stephen Amoah, popularly known as Sticka.

Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen show, Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu responded to concerns raised by Sticka over a report regarding the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) performance in the 2024 elections in the Ashanti Region.

Dr. Amoah alleged that the report unfairly portrayed him and his constituency in a negative light, demanding a retraction and an apology.

However, Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu clarified that the findings were based on interviews conducted with party members in various constituencies, including Nhyiaeso.

“Some of those we spoke to from Sticka’s constituency did not speak well about him. In fact, some of their comments were so harsh that I had to ask that certain parts be edited to use more appropriate language,” he explained.

He noted that the report was compiled from feedback gathered across all constituencies and would eventually be made public, making it unnecessary to single out individuals for defamation.

“When Sticka told me he had heard what was said about him in the report, I assured him that I would never preside over anything that would deliberately destroy him,” Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said.

He acknowledged that some criticisms against Dr. Amoah, such as claims of inaccessibility, were based on perceptions that could be addressed through better engagement.

“These are mostly relationship issues, which I believe can be resolved. Sticka is someone with great potential and can do even better in Parliament,” he added.

Regarding Dr. Amoah’s threat to expose those behind the report, the former Suame MP, who described Sticka as more like a relative to him, advised him to use the appropriate channels to address his concerns.

 “If he has something to say, he should go through the right processes to fix the issue,” he concluded.

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The Governor of Ghana’s Central Bank, Dr. Johnson Pandit Kwasi Asiama, is currently appearing before Parliament to address concerns regarding the cost of the new Bank of Ghana headquarters, constructed under the former Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo administration.

His appearance follows an invitation from the House seeking answers on the project’s total expenditure.

Dubbed “The Bank Square,” the building was commissioned on November 20, 2024, by President Akufo-Addo at a reported cost of approximately $250 million.

Construction began in 2019, with the initial contract awarded to Goldkey Properties Limited in 2020 for $81.8 million. Funding was reportedly sourced from internally generated funds and government support.

However, the project’s cost escalated significantly over time, rising to $121 million before ultimately reaching approximately $250 million upon completion.

The 20-storey building, located in Accra’s Central Business District, spans 21,551 square meters and features a banking hall, a currency processing center, and extensive parking facilities.

Despite various justifications, the cost has sparked significant controversy, particularly given the country’s economic challenges, including a default on Eurobond debt in December 2022 and reliance on a $3 billion IMF bailout in 2023.

Critics, including the then-opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), condemned the project as an extravagant misuse of public funds, questioning the bank’s transparency and financial priorities during a period of fiscal strain.

Dr. Ernest Addison, who oversaw the project as Governor of the Bank of Ghana, proceeded on terminal leave starting February 3, 2025, ahead of his retirement on March 28, 2025, after serving two full terms since his appointment in April 2017.

In his stead, President John Dramani Mahama swore in Dr. Johnson Pandit Kwasi Asiama as the new Governor of the Bank of Ghana, alongside Dr. Zakari Mumuni as the First Deputy Governor, on February 25, 2025.

Watch the briefing by the BoG Governor below:

GA/MA