PLAYBACK: 'Newsfile' on JoyNews

Evans Mensah was joined by a host of panellists which include Managing Editor of the New Crusading Guide, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako; Prof of Finance at the University of Ghana, Prof Godfred Bokpin; Member of Parliament for Tamale North, Alhassan Suhuyini; Conflict Analyst, Col Festus Aboagye (Rtd) and lawyer, Ace Ankomah for this week on current affairs show, ‘Newsfile’.

Among issues discussed on the show was the issue of kidnappings and fear of terrorism attacks in Ghana.

Two Canadians who were kidnapped on 4th June 2019 in Kumasi were rescued by a team for the National Security after eight days and have been flown back to their country safely whilst the three girls kidnapped in Takoradi in 2018 remain missing. There are also several unsolved cases of kidnapping in the country.

With the recent gun attacks on churches in Burkina-Faso, there is high security alert in the Northern part of the country, especially the border towns. Two Burkinabes have already been arrested in Hamile in the Upper West region wielding guns.

Is the government and security forces doing enough to protect citizens from terrorists and kidnappers?

Also up for discussion was the recent study by the Political Science Department of the University of Ghana on the performance of Members of Parliament.

The study revealed that about 49.5 per cent of Ghanaians will vote out their Members of Parliament (MPs) over poor performance if elections were held today whilst 42.6 per cent are ready to retain their lawmakers with 7.9 per cent of respondents still undecided.

Also, a majority of the respondents representing 46.7 per cent do not want their incumbent MPs to contest in the 2020 general election while 42.4 per cent want their MPs to contest with 10.9 per cent still undecided on whether their MPs should contest or not.

The report has been met with mixed reactions with the Speaker of Parliament, Professor Mike Oquaye accusing the pollsters of inciting the electorates against Members of Parliament which he says is likely to affect quality and performance of MPs in discharging their constitutional mandate.

Government has denied assertions by the Minority in Parliament that it has borrowed over 80 billion cedis which it has failed to account for.

The Minority at a news conference on Thursday accused the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government of borrowing in excess of over 80 billion cedis with nothing to show for it.

The Minority stated that the reckless borrowing under the NPP government is a betrayal of the trust reposed in President Nana Akufo-Addo and his Vice, Mahamudu Bawumia.

But Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah insists the statement by the Minority is ridiculous and mere propaganda.

The panellists also discussed if there is a justification for this much borrowing within 2years of being in power.

Also on the table for discussion was the controversy surrounding the arrest of the Chairman of the main opposition party, NDC, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo.

Watch a playback here