*After Months In Obscurity*

*By Ras Liberty Amewode *

Eighteen months after stirring up controversy for sweeping his official residence clean of items belonging to the state, Ghana’s only surviving ex-Speaker of Parliament, who went into obscurity after the infamous incident, has suddenly popped up.

Mr. Ebenezer Begyina Sekyi-Hughes was sighted cheerfully mingling with colleagues at an old student’s reunion of his Alma Mater, the Adisadel College, in Cape Coast last Saturday.

The ex-speaker, whose action has till date kept Mrs. Justice Joyce Bamford-Addo, his successor, from moving into the official residence, was observed heartily chatting with old friends at the Centenary Durbar and Awards Day of the school, where President John Atta Mills was the Special Guest of honour with Sam Jonah, also an Old Boy of the school, as Guest Speaker.

A few weeks after the NDC swept to power, news of the ex-speaker packing state property from his official residence made the headlines.

The much-respected former head of the legislature and lawyer, added more fuel to the flame when he, through his lawyers, issued a statement virtually claiming that as an ex-speaker, he was entitled to cart the items away upon leaving office and exiting the official residence.

However, a parliamentary committee, which went into the issue, faulted him for his action and ordered him to return the properties including curtains, bed sheets, doormats, spoons, ladles and other cooking utensils. Some even made fun of him that he wanted to empty a mango tree in the house of all its fruits by plucking them away, and be eating them as dessert.

Mr. Sekyi-Hughes, has since that incident disappeared from public view unlike his predecessors Justice D.F. Annan and Peter Ala-Adjetey, who were busily delivering lectures on various platforms towards the enhancement of the country’s democratic process until their untimely demise.

The ex-Director -General of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Mr. Frank Adu Poku interrogated him over the issue but a much-trumpeted criminal trial never saw the light of day.

Addressing the gathering, President Mills called on current and old students of the Adisadel College to rededicate themselves to the ideals and principles of the school’s founding fathers towards the sustenance of its achievements.

He said Adisadel has a “successful and colorful story” as it had produced distinguished and prominent personalities, who have served and are still serving in various fields of endeavours in Ghana and internationally.

He paid glowing tribute to the founding fathers of the school as well as illustrious Old Boys of the educational institution including the three late chief justices of Ghana: Justice Philip Archer, Justice Wiredu and Justice Acquah, saying that the country would forever be grateful to them.

The durbar climaxed the centenary celebration, which was on the theme: “Projecting the Adisadel Spirit into the Next Century”, was attended by a large crowd including prominent persons, most of them Old Boys of the school such as Mr. Kojo Yankah, president of the African University College of Communication.

Also present was Mr. Allan Kyeremanten, a presidential aspirant of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

President Mills called on students of the school to strive for excellence as their school motto “Either the First or with the First” urges them to do, reminding them that their future would depend on what they make of the opportunity at their disposal.

He said “Your ability to break new grounds and open the door of success will depend on the extent to which you take advantage of the quality education that Adisadel College has for you”.

President Mills called for private sector support for the expansion of educational infrastructure and facilities.

He gave the assurance that government would continue to invest in the country’s human resource base by creating more educational opportunities for the people.

The President said that syllabi would be shaped to meet the exigencies of the time while the environment for teaching and learning would be made more conducive with scholarships provided for brilliant but needy students, especially in science education to add value to the human resource base of the country.

Dr Sir Sam Jonah, also paid tribute to successive headmasters of the school, whom he said inculcated in students talents and virtues that helped shaped their future.

He appealed to the students to take the study of Information and Communication Technology seriously as it was a determining factor in the current job market.

Dr Sir Jonah bemoaned the inadequate infrastructure at the school and re-echoed calls for support from the private sector, alumni of the school as well as government to help reverse the trend.

The chairman of the Board of Governors of the School, Mr. Abam Quartey asked both old and current students of the school to let their school ode deepen their resolve for perseverance and perfection in all their endeavours.