A photo collage of Martin Kpebu (L) and Gifty Oware-Mensah

Private legal practitioner, Martin Kpebu, has expressed willingness to represent Gifty Oware-Mensah, the former Deputy Executive Director of the National Service Authority in court.

Speaking on TV3’s ‘Key points’ on Saturday March 8, 2025, he emphasised the importance of adhering to the 48-hour rule of detention as stipulated in the constitution.

“If you arrest somebody, whether suspect or the person is accused at that time, and there are differences and you want to detain the person beyond 48 hours, then make sure that you go to court within the 48 hours, not after the 48 hours.

“If something happens and then you don’t find the court early enough and it goes beyond, it’s a breach of the law. Gifty Oware can sue you, and I’ll be happy to represent her once it’s 48 hours”, he stated.

He also pointed out that justice must not be served at the expense of violating an individual’s right.

“The fact that I want her to face justice doesn’t mean that we should keep her beyond 48 hours. Let’s not do that, it’s not worth it, she has come into the country.

“If she intended to abscond, I’m sure she wouldn’t have come back. So, once she has come in, let 48 hours be 48 hours”, he added.

Gifty Oware-Mensah, has been detained by the National Investigations Bureau (NIB) as part of an ongoing payroll fraud investigation.

JKB/EB

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:

Parliament has undertaken a comprehensive reconstitution of its committees, including the Appointments Committee, Business Committee, and Committee of Selection, following recent leadership changes and ministerial appointments.

This restructuring aligns with Article 103 of the 1992 Constitution and the Standing Orders of Parliament, ensuring that committee compositions reflect the current parliamentary landscape.

In Ghana’s parliamentary framework, specific committee roles are assigned based on members’ official positions, such as the Majority Leader, Deputy Majority Leader, and Chief Whip.

The current composition includes 183 members in the Majority Caucus, 88 in the Minority Caucus, and four Independent Members. Notably, the Independent Members have chosen to align with the Majority Caucus, effectively adjusting the parliamentary ratio to 187 for the Majority and 88 for the Minority.

Adhering to Standing Order 210, which mandates that committee chairperson appointments reflect the parties’ numerical strengths in Parliament, the Committee of Selection has finalised the reconstitution process.

The updated list of committee members has been submitted for the House’s approval, marking a significant step in maintaining the legislative body’s functionality and responsiveness to recent political developments.