A former Deputy Minister of Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has said the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has unmatched records in the area of Information and Communications Technology (ICT).

He said the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) cannot compare itself to the NDC’s records in this area.

He was reacting to the achievements of the NPP administration as touted by Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

Dr Bawumia during the launch of the ‘Ghana Digital Innovation Week” said “Furthermore, let us use the opportunity of this conversation to highlight our nation’s achievements in the digital innovation ecosystem and lead the conversation on how best Ghana can position itself to drive its development agenda through inclusive and collaborative stakeholder participation in this ecosystem.

“It is only through an open, inclusive and participatory process, where the voices of all can be heard, that we can craft Ghana’s digital future and unleash the true potential that innovation holds,” he urged.

Reacting to him, Mr Kwakye Ofosu in a Facebook post said “I have just seen a video in which Vice President Bawumia dabbles in yet more misleading claims about his bungling government’s performance in the area of ICT infrastructure.

“On the specific issue of fibre optic cables, we in the NDC have been emphatic in our position that while in government, we put in money directly to lay 1000 kilometers of rural Fibre optic cable from Tema to Bawku which passes through 126 towns and over 20 Districts in the Eastern Corridor of our country.

“We also lay claim to a 300km radius Metro Fibre optic cable within Accra and Tema.Now Bawumia claims that he is not aware we did this and that his government through the NCA has “licensed private entities to invest in 88% of Fibre optic cables in Ghana”.

“That is mundane and perfunctory as every operator within the Communications sector of Ghana requires licensing from state regulators like the NCA.

“That is a deliberate attempt to run away from the appalling record of his government in the area of ICT infrastructure.”

He added “Our challenge to him is simple; let him tell everyone, how much money his government has put into laying Fibre optic cables anywhere in Ghana.

“Let him stop claiming the investment of private entities as that of his government

STC Managing Director, Nana Akomea, has charged Ghanaians to embrace the e-levy policy of the government.

According to him, the e-levy is a “brilliant move by government”,  stressing “that’s the only way we can accurately account for economic activities in the country”.

The Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, reading the 2022 budget statement, said “government has abolished all tolls on public roads and bridges. This takes effect immediately the Budget is approved”.

Road tolls across the country, according to the Information Minister, amounts to 78 million cedis per annum.

Government has therefore introduced the e-levy for Parliamentary approval to support infrastructure development in the country.

Ken Ofori-Atta expouned;”After considerable deliberations, Government has decided to place a levy on all electronic transactions to widen the tax net and rope in the informal sector. This shall be known as the ‘Electronic Transaction Levy or E-Levy.’ Electronic transactions covering mobile money payments, bank transfers, merchant payments and inward remittances will be charged at an applicable rate of 1.75%, which shall be borne by the sender except inward remittances, which will be borne by the recipient”.

“Mr. Speaker, to safeguard efforts being made to enhance financial inclusion and protect the vulnerable, all transactions that add up to GH¢100 or less per day (which is approximately GH¢3000 per month) will be exempt from this levy. A portion of the proceeds from the E-Levy will be used to support entrepreneurship, youth employment, cyber security, digital and road infrastructure among others. 3y3 Baako, Ye nyinaa bey tua. Mr. Speaker, this new policy also comes into effect (once appropriation is passed) from 1st January, 2022. Government will work with all industry partners to ensure that their systems and payment platforms are configured to implement the policy.” 

Nana Akomea, speaking on Peace FM’s ‘Kokrokoo’ programme, was shocked at the amount of road tolls across the nation saying it’s meagre and in no way enough to revamp the road sector.

To him, the e-levy is the right alternative, disclosing electronic transactions in Ghana exceed bank transactions and generate GHc 960 billion of revenues.

“In fact, the transactions there is propably bigger all the transactions in the banks. That’s how big and mature the e-economy is.”

He supported the e-levy stating, “the nation needs revenue. We are a poor country. We don’t really have money and we complain everyday that we borrow too much. Today, the borrowing is about 78% of GDP. If you don’t raise revenue from your country, won’t you go and borrow”.

He, however, appealed to Parliament to have a relook at the 1.75% rate since there are complaints that it’s high.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/yltJaH_FRjk

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Director of Communications for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Yaw Buaben Asamoa has said the government is seeking to reduce the fiscal deficit.

To that end, he said, the government intends to reduce borrowing to rather focus on generating revenue locally to embark on development projects.

Speaking on the ‘Pae Muka’ Show on Onua FM with host Yaa Titi Ocrah on Monday November 22, the former Member of Parliament for Adentan said the 2022 budget statement presented to Parliament by the Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta will lead to a reduction in the fiscal deficit which he said is currently at 15 per cent.

By the end of the 2022, he said, the deficit is expected to reduce to 12 per cent, he said, adding that within the next four years, it will drop to below 5 per cent.

He further expressed optimism that this target would be achieved given the measures that have been introduced by the managers of the economy.

The Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta announced a new levy to be charged by government in 2022 on all electronic transactions to widen the tax net and rope in the informal sector.

“It is becoming clear there exists enormous potential to increase tax revenues by bringing into the tax bracket, transactions that could be best defined as being undertaken in the ‘informal economy’,” Mr Ofori-Atta observed on Wednesday, November 17 as he presented the 2022 budget statement in Parliament.

“After considerable deliberations, government has decided to place a levy on all electronic transactions to widen the tax net and rope in the informal sector. This shall be known as the ‘Electronic Transaction Levy or E-Levy’.”

He explained that the new E-levy will be a 1.75 per cent charge on all electronic transactions covering mobile money payments, bank transfers, merchant payments and inward remittances to be borne by the sender except inward remittances, which will be borne by the recipient.

This will, however, not affect transactions that add up to GH¢100 pr less per day.

“A portion of the proceeds from the E-Levy will be used to support entrepreneurship, youth employment, cyber security, digital and road infrastructure among others.”

This new levy is scheduled to start Saturday, January 1, 2022.

In 2020, total value of transactions was estimated to be over GH¢500 million with mobile money subscribers and users growing by 16 percent in 2019.

According to a Bank of Ghana report, Ghana saw an increase of over 120 percent in the value of digital transactions between February 2020 and February 2021 compared to 44 percent for the period February 2019 to February 2020 due to the convenience they offer.

This was definitely heightened by the advent of Covid-19 especially during the lockdown.

By Laud Nartey|3news.com|Ghana

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Northern Executive Committee has suspended Mion Constituency Chairman, Alhaji Abdulai Zakaria.

According to the NDC, the move follows the Regional Disciplinary Committee report finding the chairman guilty of breach of Oath of Office as provided in article 48(8) of the party’s Constitution.

“In April, some members of the NDC filed a petition against the Chairman for anti-party conduct, and behaviour contributing to the NDC’s losing the Mion seat. With an attached audio recording on which the Chairman is heard encouraging voters to vote against the NDC’s interest,” the NDC Northern Regional Secretary, Mohammed Abdul-Salam told Starrfm.com.gh.

He said the Chairman was suspended and the petition referred to the Northern Regional Disciplinary Committee for hearing, adding that the latest action follows the decision by the Regional Executives on the disciplinary committee’s report.

Attached is the suspension letter

In accordance with Article 179 of the 1992 Constitution and Section 21 (3) of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016, (Act 921), the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, on behalf of the President laid before Parliament, the 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of Government on Wednesday, 17th November, 2021.

The budget primarily focussed on expanding on Ghana’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as creating a climate-friendly entrepreneurial state to address unemployment and import substitution.

Fixing The Country Movement sees the 2022 Budget statement as the most empathetic, thought-provoking, and forward-looking budgets in recent years against the backdrop of disruption and “pain” imposed on Ghanaians by CoVID-19.

Digitalization of the economy, skills development and entrepreneurship also featured prominently in the presentation.

The government is looking more of stabilisation as about revitalization and transformation.

But as usual, the opposition NDC is in their full elements engaging in distortions, cat-calls and propaganda in an attempt to water down the lofty objectives of the government 2022 economic policy.

As a movement, we deems it prudent and prosper to set a few records straight.

First of all, the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy) is Broad, Equitable, and ultimately Fairer, the kind of tax we all have been advocating for. It must also be viewed against the new tax reliefs for businesses, and increased investment in supporting entrepreneurship through the YouStart initiative.

On the otherhand, the YouStart INITIATIVE comes on board as a New Youth Entrepreneurship Programme.

The GHc1 Billion YouStart initiative will provide:

☑Training: Skills Development, Entrepreneurial Support and Business Advisory services;

☑Funding: Access to Competitive Credit and Starter Packs;

☑Enterprise Promotion: Mentoring and Access to Markets including Portals to facilitate “digital linkages” between youth-led enterprises and other businesses and relevant Government agencies.

☑The funding aspect will be structured as follows:
i. District Level Loans under 10 000 GHC after 2-3 months of training;

☑Soft loans of up to GH¢50,000 to help start-ups (in particular by young graduates and school leavers) and small businesses to expand;

☑Starter packs (Soft loans tied to equipment acquisition) of up to GH¢50,000 for individuals and GH¢100,000 for associations/groups; and

☑A standardised loan package of between GH¢100,000 to GH¢400,000 at concessional rates for SMEs through financial institutions;

☑Some Tax, and Tax Administration Measures: Budget 2022

☑VAT Relief for Textile Manufacturers: Extended for another two years

☑The Flat VAT Rate has been limited to only retailers with annual turnover not exceeding GHc500,000 to plug the loophole which has made local goods with imported substitutes uncompetitive

☑The Modified Taxation System to simplify tax compliance for informal sector/small businesses will be amended to cover more small business by increasing the threshold from Ghc200,000 to GHc500,000

☑WHT on sale of unprocessed gold by small-scale miners has been reduced from 3% to 1.5%

☑All Road Tolls abolished on public roads and bridges.

☑Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy) of 1.75% will be charged on Bank Transfers, Merchant Payments, Mobile Money Transactions, and Inward Remittances, to be borne by the sender, except the remittances which would be borne by the receiver.

These are all lofty objectives of the budget, and at the same time the administration needs revenue to revive the economy, fighting corruption and combating insecurity.

The Akufo-Addo administration is fixing the country. The government needs the support of all Ghanaians to undo the damage Mahama caused the state.

The Ghanaian economy was on a roller-coaster ride throughout the four years under Mahama as twin fiscal and current account deficits undermined confidence in the economy.

Ghana’s fiscal crisis began in 2010 with huge pay rises offered to government employees, without a clear plan to increase government revenues in step. Between 2010 and 2012, the national wage bill increased 47%, eventually rising to consume more than 70% of tax revenues.

The imposition of a special 17.5% levy on petroleum was potentially more contentious. Wholesale oil prices were reduced on the international markets, but imported inflation on top of an additional tax drove up fuel prices considerably for Ghanaian citizens.

Mahama mismanaged the economy to a point where it had to rely desperately on raising taxes on cutlasses and condoms to generate revenue.

The reality is that we have been going through a big change for the past four and half years, and with each year, it only seems to grow exponentially. Denial of this does not negate that it has been occurring and will continue to occur.

As a country, we must not loose sight of the transformation agenda being rolled out by this president.

Indeed, in the year 2020, Ghana came second in attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Africa. As a nation, we bagged $2.7billion worth of investment out of which $2.6billion was from FDI.

The FDIs were realized from 271 registered projects in Ghana and it is envisaged that 27,000 direct jobs were created, according to statistics from the Ghana Investment Promotion Center.

President Akufo-Addo is supporting Ghanaian workers by throwing a life line to them.

The country’s wage bill has more than doubled under the last three (5) years. Which is why the Fixing The Country Movement, is by this statement calling on all right thinking Ghanaians to stand by for our maiden match in support of President Akufo-Addo’s resilience in fixing the country.


Let’s join hands and be participants in propagating the success stories of the Akufo-Addo regime.


Long live Ghana!!

(Signed)
Ernest Kofi Owusu Bempah
Political Strategist, Convener- Fixing The Country Movement

Source: Peacefmonline.com

National Youth Organizer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), George Opare Addo, has noted that the 2022 budget statement presented to Parliament by Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta has no plan to create jobs for the youth of this country.

In a statement, he said “To our young people, you are right to be disappointed in the budget presented for the FY2022 as it does not include a comprehensive plan to create jobs for the many young people out of school without jobs, vocational or professional skills in this hardened economy.

“In the absence of creating jobs and equipping you with the right skills to be employable, this administration must not look to further burden you with more inconsiderate policies that will make life more unbearable for us. Government has no justification whatsoever on the position it has taken.”

The government had announced the creation of one million jobs for the youth of this country. This was announced by the Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta in the budget statement for the 2022 fiscal year on Wednesday November 17.

Mr Ofori Atta “The understanding of the youth employment challenge, as well as extensive consultations with stakeholders including youth associations and educational institutions across the country, have led to the development of the YouStart initiative
which proposes to use GH¢1 billion each year to catalyze an ecosystem to create 1 million jobs and in partnership with the Finance Institutions and Development Partners, raise another 2 Billion Cedis.

“In addition, our local Banks have agreed to a package that will result in increasing their SME portfolio up to GHC 5 billion over the next 3 years.

“This, Mr. Speaker results in an unprecedented historic 10 Bn Cedis commitment to the private sector and YouStart over the next 3 years.

“Mr. Speaker, YouStart is a vehicle for supporting young entrepreneurs to gain access to capital, training, technical skills and mentoring to enable them launch and
operate their own businesses.

“Mr. Speaker, the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA), the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP), and partner financial institutions, will serve as the implementing arms of YouStart.

“Entrepreneurs will be able to apply for support through a dedicated YouStart online portal.

“NEIP will also engage our Faith-Based Organisations as partners for the delivery of essential artisanal skills, business competitions, and feasibility studies and introduction to financing institutions with a commitment of up to 10% of GOG contribution to the YouStart Programme.”

But George Opare Addo said “Times are really hard, especially for the Youth; there is no better way to put it. The 2022 budget presented by the Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta earlier this week failed to address some of the existential threat facing young people and our determination to rise up from poverty through hard work and enterprise.

“Like many of you, we are alarmed and disappointed that such a heartless budget will be presented by the New Patriotic Party government, after all preparing a budget is one of the most basic responsibilities of any government. But it appears no innovative and critical thinking went into the preparation of this budget, thus falling short of addressing our needs as a people. More importantly, for the Youth of Ghana, this budget was far from our reality, our hopes and aspirations.

“Reading the entire document, one cannot ignore the singular theme that reflects in those hurriedly written lines; the hardheaded and irresponsible posture to the plight of the Ghanaian people. It is not surprising how Ghanaians have responded to the thoughtless budget presented for the 2022 fiscal year, and rightly so because the scourge of this budget will be borne by the people.

“Everywhere, when budgets are presented, it inspires hope amongst the masses, as it offers government’s thoughtful and considerate blueprint to alleviate the suffering of the people and improve on the socio economic wellbeing of the masses. What our finance minister presented is far from that and a direct ‘insult’ to the Ghanaian people especially our industrious young people.

“To our young people, you are right to be disappointed in the budget presented for the FY2022 as it does not include a comprehensive plan to create jobs for the many young people out of school without jobs, vocational or professional skills in this hardened economy. In the absence of creating jobs and equipping you with the right skills to be employable, this administration must not look to further burden you with more inconsiderate policies that will make life more unbearable for us. Government has no justification whatsoever on the position it has taken.

“We empathize with you and oppose vehemently these new taxes and increases in some levies as well government fees. We recognize that Majority of entrepreneurs who rely on electronic payments to run their businesses are young people and this draconian tax will adversely affect you. Thus the proposed 1.75% levy on electronic payments will be counter productive. We are sorry that this government, under the guise of widening the tax bracket is oblivious to our plight as young people and has resorted to taxing every service that makes our lives easier. Rest assure that we stand with you on this, we will oppose this!

“While this government has failed you, we ask that you do not give up especially on your dreams even in these hard times. We have requested through Leadership that the Minority Group in Parliament works to reject the budget in its current form. Every NDC MP will be committed to this course earnestly. Any other outcome will be ab inconveniente.

“In the spirit of camaraderie, we will also be presenting a petition to parliament on why the Youth of Ghana is against the 2022 budget. It is our firm belief that everyone, on both sides of the House must work together to reject this budget as it is antagonistic to the Youth of Ghana.

“There is the need to increase government’s revenue but it is a lame approach to tax almost every service and product that is used by young people to achieve that. Government must find a way to patch up the revenue loopholes and come up with an innovative way of effectively collecting taxes. It is their responsibility to implement the right stop-gap measures and comprehensive plan to generate more revenue rather than resort to a tax driven agenda to exploit our already drained pockets.

“While we wait and observe what will be the Legislature’s position on this budget, government must focus on efficiently generating revenue by considering innovative schemes to ensure tax is collected effectively and accounted for, while creating jobs and opportunities for young people.

“As young people, it is imperative that our capacity, and human potential is developed and harnessed properly; government must be held accountable if it cannot do this simple thing. What we want as young people is a government that is considerate of our plights and will work hard to ensure our lives are better and not the opposite as we see with this insensitive government.

“To all young people , we encourage you to summon your political courage and add your voice to this advocacy. This budget is dangerous to our progress and detrimental to our hopes and aspirations. Arise Ghana Youth, Your Nation Demands Devotion Now

Fixing The Country Movement says it sees the 2020 budget statement as the most empathetic, thought-provoking and forward-looking budget in recent times.

The Movement makes this observation “considering the ravaging effect of Covid-19 even on the economy of the so called super power nations”.

It, therefore, argues that all what the 2020 budget statement delivered on Wednesday, November 17 intends to do is to give pragmatic proposals of solutions of how the country can recover from the shocks of Covid-19.

The Movement is, therefore, calling on Ghanaians to support the Akufo-Addo government to succeed in this endeavour.

All these were contained in a statement issued on Friday, November 19 and signed by Convener Ernest Kofi Owusu Bempah.

Find the statement below:

Akufo-Addo is fixing it, lets support him- Fixing The Country Movement

In accordance with Article 179 of the 1992 Constitution and Section 21 (3) of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016, (Act 921), the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, on behalf of the President laid before Parliament, the 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of Government on Wednesday, 17th November, 2021.

The budget primarily focussed on expanding on Ghana’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as creating a climate-friendly entrepreneurial state to address unemployment and import substitution.

Fixing The Country Movement sees the 2022 Budget statement as the most empathetic, thought-provoking, and forward-looking budgets in recent years against the backdrop of disruption and “pain” imposed on Ghanaians by CoVID-19.

Digitalization of the economy, skills development and entrepreneurship also featured prominently in the presentation.

The government is looking more of stabilisation as about revitalization and transformation.But as usual, the opposition NDC is in their full elements engaging in distortions, cat-calls and propaganda in an attempt to water down the lofty objectives of the government 2022 economic policy.

As a movement, we deems it prudent and prosper to set a few records straight. First of all, the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy) is Broad, Equitable, and ultimately Fairer, the kind of tax we all have been advocating for. It must also be viewed against the new tax reliefs for businesses, and increased investment in supporting entrepreneurship through the YouStart initiative.

On the other hand, the YouStart INITIATIVE comes on board as a New Youth Entrepreneurship Programme.

The GHc1 Billion YouStart initiative will provide:

☑Training: Skills Development, Entrepreneurial Support and Business Advisory services;

☑Funding: Access to Competitive Credit and Starter Packs;

☑Enterprise Promotion: Mentoring and Access to Markets including Portals to facilitate “digital linkages” between youth-led enterprises and other businesses and relevant Government agencies.

☑The funding aspect will be structured as follows:i. District Level Loans under 10 000 GHC after 2-3 months of training;

☑Soft loans of up to GH¢50,000 to help start-ups (in particular by young graduates and school leavers) and small businesses to expand;

☑Starter packs (Soft loans tied to equipment acquisition) of up to GH¢50,000 for individuals and GH¢100,000 for associations/groups; andA standardised loan package of between GH¢100,000 to GH¢400,000 at concessional rates for SMEs through financial institutions;☑Some Tax, and Tax Administration Measures: Budget 2022☑VAT Relief for Textile Manufacturers: Extended for another two years☑The Flat VAT Rate has been limited to only retailers with annual turnover not exceeding GHc500,000 to plug the loophole which has made local goods with imported substitutes uncompetitive☑The Modified Taxation System to simplify tax compliance for informal sector/small businesses will be amended to cover more small business by increasing the threshold from Ghc200,000 to GHc500,000☑WHT on sale of unprocessed gold by small-scale miners has been reduced from 3% to 1.5%☑All Road Tolls abolished on public roads and bridges.☑Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy) of 1.75% will be charged on Bank Transfers, Merchant Payments, Mobile Money Transactions, and Inward Remittances, to be borne by the sender, except the remittances which would be borne by the receiver.These are all lofty objectives of the budget, and at the same time the administration needs revenue to revive the economy, fighting corruption and combating insecurity. The Akufo-Addo administration is fixing the country.The government needs the support of all Ghanaians to undo the damage Mahama caused the state.

The Ghanaian economy was on a roller-coaster ride throughout the four years under Mahama as twin fiscal and current account deficits undermined confidence in the economy.

Ghana’s fiscal crisis began in 2010 with huge pay rises offered to government employees, without a clear plan to increase government revenues in step.

Between 2010 and 2012, the national wage bill increased 47%, eventually rising to consume more than 70% of tax revenues.

The imposition of a special 17.5% levy on petroleum was potentially more contentious. Wholesale oil prices were reduced on the international markets, but imported inflation on top of an additional tax drove up fuel prices considerably for Ghanaian citizens.

Mahama mismanaged the economy to a point where it had to rely desperately on raising taxes on cutlasses and condoms to generate revenue.

The reality is that we have been going through a big change for the past four and half years, and with each year, it only seems to grow exponentially.

Denial of this does not negate that it has been occurring and will continue to occur. As a country, we must not loose sight of the transformation agenda being rolled out by this president.

Indeed, in the year 2020, Ghana came second in attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Africa.

As a nation, we bagged $2.7billion worth of investment out of which $2.6billion was from FDI.

The FDIs were realized from 271 registered projects in Ghana and it is envisaged that 27,000 direct jobs were created, according to statistics from the Ghana Investment Promotion Center.

President Akufo-Addo is supporting Ghanaian workers by throwing a life line to them.

The country’s wage bill has more than doubled under the last three (5) years. Which is why the Fixing The Country Movement, is by this statement calling on all right thinking Ghanaians to stand by for our maiden match in support of President Akufo-Addo’s resilience in fixing the country.

Let’s join hands and be participants in propagating the success stories of the Akufo-Addo regime.

Long live Ghana!!

(Signed)

Ernest Kofi Owusu Bempah

Political Strategist, Convener- Fixing The Country Movement

Source: 3news.com|Ghana 

“The Speaker is not above the House, he is not a Member of Parliament,” Mr. Annoh-Dompreh has said.

Majority Chief Whip in Parliament, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, says the Speaker’s directive to the Roads and Highways Minister to reverse the cessation of the collection of road tolls is an error.

He insists the Speaker, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, does not have the “persona” in this regard making it wrong for him to give such an order as though that is the official position of Parliament.

“Based on standards and the standing orders of the House, the Speaker cannot rule on his own authority and say that he is directing. The Speaker is not above the House, he is not a Member of Parliament, so the Speaker’s ruling is to convey the position of the house. So to start, we think that the Speaker erred in his ruling and he should consider it again”, he told the media.

Mr. Annoh-Dompreh’s comment comes after the Speaker asked the Minister to withdraw his directive for the immediate cessation of the collection of tolls on public roads.

The Roads Minister, Kwasi Amoako Attah called for an immediate halt in the collection of road tolls after the Finance Minister announced the abolishment of same in the 2022 budget in Parliament.

But following a debate on the subject, the Speaker, Alban Bagbin, said the instruction by the Minister was illegal and must be immediately withdrawn.

He argued that although the cessation of tolls on public roads was announced in the 2022 budget, it remains a proposal until Parliament approves it.

While defending the Minister’s move, however, Frank Annoh-Dompreh who is also the Member of Parliament for Nsawam Adoagyiri, said the Speaker had no locus as far as this issue is concerned.

“We are of the view that the Speaker is an arbiter when we are sitting, so anything there should be a directive. Parliament as an arm of government, has to convey a consensus position of the house. On this occasion, we should all recognize that the Speaker has no persona in this matter, and we need to put it to him in a very dignified way. We think that the Speaker failed to convey the sense of the house.”

Alban Bagbin warned that the failure of the Minister to heed the order would put him in contempt of Parliament, but the MP argued that the Speaker must take a second look at his order to avoid any further action from his colleague MPs.

“We are also aware of the options that are available to us if we want to challenge the Speaker – we come by a motion, but we want to put on record that the Speaker erred because the Minister acted in good faith”, he said.

Source: Citinewsroom

A former Deputy Minister of Finance, Mr Fiifi Kwetey has accused the government of insensitivity following the introduction of some taxes in the budget statement for the 2022 fiscal year.

According to Mr Kwetey, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) promised to move the country from taxation to production.

However, he said, after winning political power, they have reneged on that promise to introduce what he calls humongous taxes on Ghanaians.

His comments come at a time the government has introduced tax on mobile money transaction in the budget statement for the 2022 fiscal year.

The Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta announced a new levy to be charged by government in 2022 on all electronic transactions to widen the tax net and rope in the informal sector.

“It is becoming clear there exists enormous potential to increase tax revenues by bringing into the tax bracket, transactions that could be best defined as being undertaken in the ‘informal economy’,” Mr Ofori-Atta observed on Wednesday, November 17 as he presented the 2022 budget statement in Parliament.

“After considerable deliberations, government has decided to place a levy on all electronic transactions to widen the tax net and rope in the informal sector. This shall be known as the ‘Electronic Transaction Levy or E-Levy’.”

He explained that the new E-levy will be a 1.75 per cent charge on all electronic transactions covering mobile money payments, bank transfers, merchant payments and inward remittances to be borne by the sender except inward remittances, which will be borne by the recipient.

This will, however, not affect transactions that add up to GH¢100 pr less per day.

“A portion of the proceeds from the E-Levy will be used to support entrepreneurship, youth employment, cyber security, digital and road infrastructure among others.”

This new levy is scheduled to start Saturday, January 1, 2022.

In 2020, total value of transactions was estimated to be over GH¢500 million with mobile money subscribers and users growing by 16 percent in 2019.

According to a Bank of Ghana report, Ghana saw an increase of over 120 percent in the value of digital transactions between February 2020 and February 2021 compared to 44 percent for the period February 2019 to February 2020 due to the convenience they offer.

This was definitely heightened by the advent of Covid-19 especially during the lockdown.

Speaking in interview with TV3 on this development, Mr Kwetey who is also former Member of Parliament for Ketu South said “You don’t have a government that runs to power on the mantra that taxation is the lazy man’s approach to governance. A government that says you are moving the country from taxation to production and then you come into office only to slap these humongous taxes on ordinary people.

“For me, it is callous, it is wickedness, it is insensitive and above all, it is hypocritical and that is the challenge that this country faces especially with Bawumia.

“As far as I am concerned he is the embodiment of deception, somebody who absolutely should not desecrate the high office of the land and if he has any consideration of running for the highest office of the land he better think twice and step aside because this country deserves better.

“You are talking about a group that spoke against taxation and for you to do what you have done is the level of immorality that this country has degenerated into.

“I can understand if they have the honour, the decency and the courage to apologize to the people of this country and tell the people that it was a mistake and they have learned but they have not had the decency and the courage to do that and as far as I am concerned this is inexcusable and unforgivable

The Member of Parliament for Manhyia South, Dr Mathew Opoku Prempeh, has said he is ready to serve in any capacity that the President believes he is competent enough to fit in.

Asked whether he will be partnering Dr Mahamudu Bawumia as the running mate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2024 general elections if Dr Bawumia becomes the flagbearer, Dr Opoku Prempeh who is also Minister of Energy told TV3’s Johnnie Hughes that the power to choose a running mate does not rest with him.

The former Minister of Education said on the New Day show Thursday November 18 that he is not part of any presidential bid within the governing party.

Pictures of Napo, as he is affectionately called, were flooded at the venue of the recently held NPP’s Ashanti Regional delegates’ conference in Kumasi.

Reacting to this, he said among other things, that “All I have to do is to do my work well.”

Read below transcript of portions of the conversation on this matter that took place between Johnnie Hughes and Dr Mathew Opoku Prempeh.

Johnnie Hughes: Do you want to be president?

Napo: What does that mean?

Johnnie Hughes: I saw in the Ashanti Region your banners around the conference venue ‘Napo for Vice president.’

Napo: The electorate are watching and let me say this, I am not part of any presidential bid. I am not part because I have never seen anybody bid for Vice President.

Johnnie Hughes: Would you be happy to partner Dr Bawumia?

Napo: I will be happy for the president of the country to give me any job that he thinks I am competent to do. I am not the one choosing so how can I say?  All I have to do is to do my work well.

By Laud Nartey|3news.com|Ghana

Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, has registered his displeasure with the 2022 Budget statement presented by the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta at Parliament on Wednesday, November 17, 2021.

The budget nicknamed ‘AGYENKWA Budget’ seeks to relieve Ghanaians from the economic burdens and improve their living conditions.

During his presentation to parliament, Ken Ofori-Atta enumerated policies and strategies to achieve the government’s goal of alleviating the sufferings of the populace.

“Mr Speaker, we are under no illusions as to the economic challenges facing our country today. How to ease the sufferings of Ghanaians, transform the economy to create jobs and share the expected wealth across all households, such as providing security and education, keeps the president awake at night.

“How to broaden the revenue base, keep a grip on expenditure, protect the public purse and at the same time build with urgency the needed infrastructure, collecting revenue, managing our debt and expenditure commitments, and paying the bills to stimulate economic activity are the orders he has given to us, his Ministers and other appointees, to carry out over the next three years,” he said.

He also declared that, as part of efforts to mitigate the hardships, the government is widening the tax net.

“After considerable deliberations, Government has decided to place a levy on all electronic transactions to widen the tax net and rope in the informal sector. This shall be known as the “Electronic Transaction Levy or E-Levy”.

“Electronic transactions covering mobile money payments, bank transfers, merchant payments and inward remittances will be charged at an applicable rate of 1.75%, which shall be borne by the sender except inward remittances, which will be borne by the recipient. Mr. Speaker, to safeguard efforts being made to enhance financial inclusion and protect the vulnerable, all transactions that add up to GH¢100 or less per day (which is approximately GH¢3000 per month) will be exempt from this levy,” Ken Ofori-Atta further read while also touching on other sectors of the economy.

The Minister encouraged Ghanaians to embrace the budget saying, “we wish to reiterate that we are in challenging times, which require radical measures, so let us embrace these new policies to enable Government to address the fundamental issues affecting the economy, to ensure that, our Nation continues to maintain its position.” 

Responding to the budget statement, the Minority Leader says the Finance Minister will be recorded in the Guinness Book of Records for what he believes is Mr. Ofori-Atta’s abysmal performance.

He ridiculed the Minister stating, “it’s only Ken Ofori-Atta who ironically eases burdens to quote his words that there is no emotion about the suffering of Ghanaians, yet he is imposing further suffering, imposing a 1.75 MOMO electronic banking tax. So, it’s only Ken Ofori-Atta who eases suffering with the imposition of new taxes targeted at GHC 15 billion within this period”.

” . . Mr. Speaker, with this promise of unsustainable debt, increase suffering and hardships . . . we are not in a haste to debate him. And when you project the value from 53 billion to 80 billion within one year, the market have listened to you, Ghanaians have listened to you; this budget does not end any suffering. You will be credited in the Guinness Book of Records for borrowing more than any other Minister under the Fourth Republic,” he asserted

The Member of Parliament for Builsa South, Clement Apaak, has taken a swipe at President Akufo-Addo for embarking on leave when residents in Keta have been hit by tidal waves.

He said the President has not shown any concern despite the damages the incident had caused affected victims.

He said if the President had any form of empathy, he would not have embarked on a leave when people were in crisis.

He further slammed the President for not commenting on the matter but was quick to extend condolence to other parts of the world when similar incidents occur.

The MP made the remarks after former President John Dramani Mahama had donated some items to the affected victims of the tidal waves.

According to him, the victims of the tidal wave disaster in the Volta region expressed joy on the arrival of JM not just because of his impressive donation (more than what the state has given to the people via the ill funded NADMO) but, also because he took time to visit and commensurate with them (see video).

He said “Ideally Ghanaians expected NADAA, the man who has sworn an oath to protect all Ghanaian citizens, and also controls the public purse, to have personally visited the disaster area to see the situation for himself, to see the plight of victims first hand.

But guess what, NADAA has started his vacation (13/11/21). Yet when we say NADAA is insensitive, has no empathy, and doesn’t care about the welfare of Ghanaians we are said to be overly critical.

If you were President would you be comfortable taking your vacation when tidal waves have rendered thousands of citizens traumatised, homeless, and without food? I doubt you will be that uncaring,’” he indicated.

He added: “By the way, like many Ghanaians, I also find it strange that NADAA seems averse to publicly commensurating with Ghanaians who suffer tragedy and or misfortune, but finds time to publicly commensurate with victims of misfortune and tragedy in other parts of the world.”

The 2020 flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) donated 10,000 items to support the victims.

The items are 3000 Mattresses, 1000 rice bags, 2000 pieces of canned fish, 2000 pieces of canned tomatoes, and 2000 litres of cooking oil.

A leading member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and Former Ghana’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom Victor Smith has reiterated claims that the party won the 2020 elections.

According to him, the NDC was robbed of its victory by the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) and that is not going to happen again.

“We were cheated and this is the second time it has happened. Ayawaso and this one but it won’t happen again,” he said.

“The NDC won the election and anyone who will engage in such form of rigging again does not have Ghana at heart. Everyone including the NPP members even say we won the elections but we were not resolute so they stole it from us but that won’t repeat itself,” he told Accra-based Kessben FM.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) believes that they won the 2020 elections but the Electoral Commission, Security agencies and governing NPP stole the verdict from them.

After the 2020 elections, the party’s flagbearer went to court to challenge the declaration of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as winner of the election because to him, no candidate made the 50 plus 1 mark needed to win the elections.

His petition was quashed as baseless as all Supreme Court Judges who sat on the case voted against his case.

However, the 2020 NDC flagbearer regardless of the ruling by the Supreme Court has insisted that he won the elections but it was stolen for the governing political party by the security agencies and the electoral commission.

The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has told former president John Dramani Mahama that the 2020 elections are over therefore, he should manage to get over it.

A Deputy Director of Communications of the NPP, Mr Richard Nyama said at a press conference in Accra on Friday October 29 that the shock and pain that accompanied the defeat by the Presidential Candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the polls is deep hence his never-ending lies against the Electoral Commission just to discredit the elections management body.

His comments come after Mr Mahama had alleged that the Electoral Commission thumb printed one million ballot papers in favour of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in the 2020 presidential election.

Mr Mahama claimed when he addressed the Divisional Chief of Prestea Himan, Nana Nteboah Prah, recently, as part of his Thank You tour of the Western Region that “More than one million extra ballot papers were printed, which the EC claimed happened by mistake but on the day of the elections, some of the more than one million extra ballot papers had already been secretly thumb-printed in favour of the NPP.”

He added “And, so, all these things dented the credibility of the polls and caused an embarrassment”,But a Deputy Chair of the Electoral Commission (EC) Dr Bossman Asare, asked the Police to investigate a claim.

Dr Bossman Asare said at a press conference that “We see that our silence on this matter has dire consequences on public confidence in the Commission, and we want the police to investigate it,” he stressed.

“Distinguished citizens, in the last few weeks Former President Mahama has made a number of allegations against the EC and the 2020 elections. As Officials charged with the responsibility of conducting elections in Ghana, we owe it a duty to provide Ghanaians with the facts and the truth about the elections and the allegations raised. We are of the view that our silence on these false allegations could have dire consequences as it could undermine citizens’ confidence our dear country.

“The Former President has said the EC thumb printed 1million ballots in favor of the president. This is untrue. This is a grave matter that undermines the credibility of our electoral process and should not be ignored. We call on him to provide evidence to support his claim. This is not a matter to be ignored and we call on the Ghana Police Service to investigate this.

“The Transparency of our process makes it totally impossible for this to happen. At the polling stations, prior to the start of the elections, the empty ballot boxes are opened and displayed in the presence of everyone, and thereafter they are sealed. There are serial numbers on the ballot papers for each region and constituency. This is made known to the Agents before the elections. Our ballot papers also have security features; so any trace of new material will be clearly visible.

“Again, at the end of the poll, the ballots cast are crosschecked against the voters who were verified and issued the ballot papers.

This ensures that over-voting is detected immediately. Nationwide, we had no issue with over-voting at all our 38,622 polling stations except in Savelugu in the parliamentary election where there was one and I repeat one over-voting. The transparency of our processes from the beginning to the end makes this impossible. Ballot Stuffing cannot be done-it is impossible. We call on the Former President in the interest of our democracy to provide evidence of the stuffing of the ballot boxes by the EC.

“The Police should investigate this as a matter of urgency due to its potential to derail and undermine our democracy, and lead to a lack of confidence in our systems and processes.”

Mr Richard Nyarma said “The NPP agrees with the Electoral Commission that the allegations of the former president Mahama that the Commission engaged in electoral fraud through ballot stuffing is uprightly criminal and we call on the Inspector General of Police to invite him for questioning and for the former president to make available all evidence of the said one million stuffed ballots to the Police for the Police for appropriate charges to be brought against the said personnel of the electoral commission who engaged in the said action.”

He added “The pain of this defeat is so deep that he is seeking to destroy ever I situation that played a role in the 2020 election s by fabricating and maligning them. And sending his harks to do same. The net effect of his actions are that he is eroding confidence in our institutions, which institutions he had the privilege of overseeing for about six years as president.

“When it suits him and it is in his favour, he is full of praise for the Electoral Commission and when it is against him hell must break loose.

“For his information the same Electoral Commission after the 2020 elections has been adjudged by the same domestic and international observers as free and fair and by far the most credible , transparent, free and fair elections since 1992 but he is too He is too blinded by pain and anger of his defeat he has not seen or heard this.

“The former President needs to be told in no uncertain terms that elections is over and he should get over it.”

Former Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Koku Anyidoho, has rebuked the NDC’s Deputy General Secretary, Peter Otokunor for stating that Konadu Rawlings must reapply to join the party.

Koku said that his statement was a sign of gross disrespect to one who supported her husband in founding the party.

He added that many who left the party and decided to come back were not required to reapply and as such it will be “preposterous” to ask one of the founding members of the party to reapply.

He was speaking in an interview with Samuel Eshun on the Happy Morning Show when he said: “Anybody who says someone will have to reapply is being ridiculous. It is a political organization. So where from this reapply? It is ridiculous and preposterous to the extreme. Reapply for what? When the NDC was being found by Konadu and her husband, where was the person saying that Konadu should reapply? Let’s give respect to where respect is due.”

Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Boamah Otokunor has said the wife of the late Jerry John Rawlings, Konadu Agyemang Rawlings must reapply if she wants to return to the party.

This follows the appeal made by daughter of the late Jerry John Rawlings, Zanetor Rawlings at the 1st Anniversary of her late father where she asked the party to work to bring back her mother.

Meanwhile , the National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress, Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, has said that the party will take steps to ensure the former first lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, returns to the party.

The late Rawling’s wife broke away from the party after missing out in a flagbearer bid to form her own party, the National Democratic Party (NDP).

Following the death of her husband last year, she withdrew from the 2020 general elections and has since not been active in politics.

Source: happyghana.com

The Chief Executive Officer for the Atta Mills Institute, Samuel Koku Anyidoho has said that no one can sack him from the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

In July 2021, the party through its General Secretary through a statement announced that Koku Anyidoho had been sacked from the NDC for engaging in anti-party behaviour.

The statement announcing his sack said, “The Functional Executive Committee (FEC) acting in compliance of article 48 (1) of the NDC Constitution unanimously adopted the report and accepts full responsibility for your expulsion from the Party”.

“You are, therefore, by the decision of FEC expelled from the National Democratic and for that matter, you are no more recognized as a member the Party cannot carry yourself as such,” the party indicated.

But speaking on Accra-based OKAY FM in an interview, Koku Anyidoho indicated that till date he has not received his sack letter and therefore considers himself as an integral member of the NDC.null

To him, attempts to push him out of the political party was someones antics to gain some form of political capital but it failed woefully.

“I’ve not got the letter, who is writing that letter and who will bring it to Koku Anyidoho. Whoever instigated that move was just doing for some political capital and was just playing around. It was nothing serious.

“The intended actions were to infuriate me so that I will say I’ve resigned from the political party then later they will come and say we did not send him a letter. I’ve the patience so since I’ve not received any letter, I’m an integral member of the NDC.

“Nobody can sack me from the NDC, under which clause of article are they going to sack me? Nobody, nobody can sack me,” he said on Accra-based OKAY FM.

Source: mynewsgh.com

Managing Editor of the Daily Dispatch Ben Ephson has cast dark shadows on suggestions to get Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, the wife of the late Founder of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), rejoining the party.

He said NDC will rather lose votes if Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings rejoins the party.

“In 2020, she got less than 6,600 votes,” Mr Ephson noted on TV3′s News @10 on Friday, November 12.

“It tells you that her departure from the party did not affect the party numerically. Politics is about numbers and if she decides to take a step in rejoining the party, I will be shocked and people might say ok.

“But if the NDC makes the attempt to cajole her to come back, the party will be worse off for it.”

The suggestion for the party leadership to extend an olive branch to the former First Lady to return was articulated by Member of Parliament for Klottey Korley Constituency Dr Zanetor Rawlings, who is also a daughter to the former first couple.

She made the suggestion at a ceremony to mark the first anniversary of the death of her father, Jerry John Rawlings, who founded the party.

The ceremony at the NDC headquarters attracted the party’s elders, to whom the plea was made.

The NDC MP wanted the move to be made to brighten the fortunes of the party in the 2024 polls.

Mrs Rawlings had left the NDC in 2012 to found the National Democratic Party (NDP) after unsuccessfully contesting then incumbent, the late Professor John Evans Atta Mills.

Ben Ephson was of the opinion that if Mr Rawlings himself had not been able to bring back his wife while alive, who else can.

He rather criticised Dr Zanetor Rawlings for the manner in which she made the plea.

He said she has rather made it difficult for a reunion between the NDC and her mother.

“She herself knew the slippery ground she was treading. She should have been a bit more diplomatic, finding ways and means but throwing it out there that the party should go and bring her mother was a bit undiplomatic and it’s going to harden people’s attitude.”

By Emmanuel Kwame Amoh|3news.com|Ghana

• The NPP must be careful not to lose power

• If they do, they will stay in opposition for 24 years

• This is a prophecy advanced by lawyer Maurice Ampaw

Private legal practitioner Maurice Ampaw has prophesied that should the main opposition National Democratic Congress wrest power from the ruling, New Patriotic Party, NPP, the former will stay in power for over two decades.

Ampaw, who classifies himself as pro-NPP warned on Accra-based Okay FM that the NPP’s fixation on rule of law and enforcement of same is not good for their political fortunes.

“If NDC comes to power, they will govern for 24 years, the hunger that will afflict you (NPP members) in this country will be no joke,” he advanced.

Asked whether he was pained that the NPP had abandoned him in his time of need, he said he was being truthful especially with the way and manner in which the NDC was tackling the government of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.null

“When he (Akufo-Addo) started his second term, it is not up to a year but Mahama and his people are not giving him breathing space and they are gradually losing power. It is being eroded gradually and I am warning them.

“Because the NDC has decided that eight years is enough, it is their turn, so they are going to make the government unpopular by putting pressure and making all kinds of threats … all the government is doing is sitting down and talking rule of law.

He continued: “If they (NDC) come to power, the Electoral Commission chair and the Chief Justice will be the first to be sacked followed by all persons perceived to be NPP, they will remove you from office and they will bring their own and for 24 years (they will be in power).

“They will go for the third term. You sit back and be joking with power and going on and on about rule of law and ‘I don’t want to intervene’,” posture.

The NPP have won the last two General Elections, the party has intensified its ‘Break The Eight’ agenda, aimed at retaining power beyond the two-term limit where a ruling party loses power under the Fourth Republic.

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Former Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Koku Anyidoho has said he supports the call to the leadership of the party to bring back former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, into the party.

Daughter of the late Former President Jerry John Rawlings, Dr. Zanetor Rawlings made a passionate appeal to the National executives of the NDC to bring back the wife of the late former President to the party.

Dr Zanetor Rawlings made the appeal at the commemoration of the one year anniversary of the late former president at the party’s headquarters in Accra on Friday November 12.

According to Zenetor, for the NDC to win the 2024 elections , her mother must rejoin the party.

“We cannot do it alone. It would take all of us. You don’t have to have a title or be an executive. And I would like to use this occasion to also express my appreciation to the leadership of the NDC, to the rank and file, for the support and the show of love. And so, on behalf of my mother, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, my siblings and myself, we say Thank You.

“I would like to use the opportunity to ask that as we remember the old man, thinking that he ll not pass what he did, let us recognize the fact that we don’t know when our last day would be, let’s make amends with those we have wronged. On this particular occasion, I’d say the thing that nobody wants to say: Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings is an integral part of this party. Let us do what we have to do bring her back.”

Nana Konadu broke away from the NDC to form her own party, the National Democratic Party, NDP which has so far contested two national elections.

Commenting on this in a tweet, Mr Anyidoho said “I support 100% the very deep, passionate, and profound, call by Hon. Ezanetor Rawlings, for the NDC to make efforts to stretch a hand of peace in the direction Mrs. Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings. Let egos be buried & Let the greater good of the NDC prevail. Let’s give it a try.”

I SUPPORT 100% THE VERY DEEP, PASSIONATE, AND PROFOUND, CALL BY HON. EZANETOR RAWLINGS, FOR THE NDC TO MAKE EFFORTS TO STRETCH A HAND OF PEACE IN THE DIRECTION MRS. NANA KONADU AGYEMAN RAWLINGS. LET EGOS BE BURIED & LET THE GREATER GOOD OF THE NDC PREVAIL. LET’S GIVE IT A TRY!🙏— Samuel Koku Anyidoho🇬🇭 (@KokuAnyidoho) November 13, 2021

By Laud Nartey|3news.com|Ghana

Minister for Information and Member of Parliament(MP) for Ofoase-Ayerebi, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has asked the 2020 Flagebearer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama to enumerate the number of jobs or employment avenues he created for the unemployed youth in this country when he was President.

According to him, Mr Mahama’s administration is on record to have placed a freeze on employment when he was president leaving a majority of Ghanaian youth unemployed.

Speaking on Okay FM’s ‘Ade Akye Abia’ programme, he explained that the NPP Government having realized the toll unemployment had on the youth, designed programmes that has created not only jobs but provided them with meaningful income.

The NPP government, he added, has also restored allowances that the Mahama administration refused to pay.

“If former president Mahama is asking government to provide jobs, then he should equally tell us what he was able to do within his years as president in terms of jobs and solving the unemployment problem he spoke about.

“Apart from essential service providers, there was a ban on employment in the country as part of IMF’s conditions given to the country when Ghana was placed under an IMF programme.

“You don’t talk without providing evidence. For us, we talk and back whatever we do with evidence and the needed data. If you can remember, it was during Mahama’s era that we were told that we had eaten all the meat and it was left with the bones so we had to take the country to the IMF,” he said.

End of ‘Thank-You Tour

Former President John Dramani Mahama brought his thank-you tour to a close on November 10, 2021, in Accra.

At a forum to address challenges facing the people of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama said the unemployment situation in the country has currently become a “national security crisis” that needs to be addressed head-on.

He complained about the government’s approach to the crisis, criticizing the ad-hoc measures taken.

Watch Video Below:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/FTxgk_ZipUA

Source: peacefmonline.com

The Bono regional chairman of the NPP questions why the former president failed to present evidence of vote padding in court during the election petition hearing

• “You have the evidence that will make your case strong in court. You left that evidence in the house … and you are organising a press conference. Then what was the basis for going to court?”

The Bono regional chairman of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as Abronye DC, has said that the former president John Mahama could be suffering from what he describes as “political bipolar”.

During his recent “thank you” tour, the 2020 National Democratic Congress flagbearer alleged that the Electoral Commission padded the presidential vote in the December 2020 election with one million fake ballots in favour of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

Speaking on The Asaase Breakfast Show on Thursday (11 November), Abronye DC questioned why the former president had failed to present evidence of vote-padding in court during the 2021 election petition hearing.

“What is wrong with you?”

“I heard him [Mahama] yesterday saying one million-plus votes were added to that of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, [plus] stolen ballot papers here and there.

“You filed a case at the Supreme Court; you are the petitioner of that case. The so-called one million votes that were added to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s votes: you had the evidence, but you failed to mount the witness box,” Abronye said.

He added: “Then there is something wrong with you. If you are not suffering from bipolar, then I don’t know what to say.

“You have the evidence that will make your case strong in court. You left that evidence in the house, you didn’t send it to court, and you are organising a press conference. Then what was the basis for going to court?”

Investigate claim of vote-padding

The Electoral Commission has called on the police to investigate claims by John Dramani Mahama that the Commission engaged in vote-padding in the 2020 election.

Speaking at a briefing in the Commission’s “Let the Citizen Know” series in Accra on 25 October, the deputy chairman in charge of corporate services at the EC, Eric Bossman Asare, challenged Mahama to provide evidence to substantiate his claims.

“The former president has said the EC computed one million ballot papers in favour of the president [Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo]. This is untrue. This is a great matter that can undermine the credibility of our electoral process and should not be ignored,” Dr Bossman Asare said.

“We call on him to provide evidence to support this claim. This is not a matter that should be ignored. And we call on the Ghana Police Service to investigate.”

He added: “The transparency of our process makes this impossible to happen

 Yaw Buaben Asamoa, NPP communications director

Buaben Asamoa says Mahama’s words were contradictory to his own actions and that Mahama “was a walking embodiment of corruption”

The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has said former President John Dramani Mahama is not an alternative to solving Ghana’s problems.

According to the party, Mahama has been touring the country under the guise of thanking Ghanaians for his defeat in the 2020 election and creating the impression that he has the solutions to the country’s problems.

The Communications director of the NPP, Yaw Buaben Asamoa at a press conference on Thursday (11 November), said Mahama was just desperate to rule the country again, hence making false claims of having all the answers to the country’s problems.

He said when Mahama had the chance to rule the country, he messed up the country’s economy, and therefore has no moral right to be claiming that he has solutions to the country’s problems.

For him, former President Mahama was only throwing tantrums that he would be able to improve the country’s economy if given the mandate again in the 2024 elections just for him to satisfy his personal ambitions.

Asamoa said even though the country was not in an election period, Mahama had been behaving as if the country was preparing for an election or was in an election mood.

Mismanagement

He said Mahama lost the 2016 election due to his mismanagement of the country’s economy which resulted in the worsening plight of the ordinary Ghanaian and that Mahama has nothing to offer except to draw back the country’s progress if Ghanaians mistakenly give him power again.

He expressed shock that whereas Mahama was claiming to have solutions to the country’s unemployment situation during his tours and lectures, it was during his tenure that the country witnessed the formation of the unemployment graduates association.

Social interventions

Asamoa said even though Mahama claimed to have the interest of the poor at heart, he never introduced any pro-poor policy or intervention during his administration.

He said former President Mahama and his opposition NDC had been fighting all social intervention policies introduced under the various NPP administrations, including the free SHS, Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP), and National Health Insurance Scheme.

He was of the view that Mr Mahama and his team were only scheming to get power in order to continue their mismanagement of the country.

Corruption

The NPP’s Director of Communications said it was laughable that former President Mahama would be talking about solutions to corruption in the country.

He said Mahama’s words were contradictory to his own actions and that Mahama “was a walking embodiment of corruption.”

Asamoa also chastised former President Mahama for crying foul over projects started under his administration that had been abandoned by the ruling NPP government.

For him, it was untrue that projects started by Mahama had been abandoned, saying Mahama has not changed from his incompetence even in opposition

• Allotey Jacobs has described Dr Bawumia as an emerging leader

• He says whenever the Vice President speaks, others speak in tongues

• He advised the NPP delegate to make Dr Bawumia the flagbearer for the party

Bernard Allotey Jacobs says whenever Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia speaks, other people speak in tongues.

According to him, the Vice President is a politician who has something new to offer whenever he steps on the platform to speak and his speech is above the reasoning of the ordinary person.

He said, both President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his Vice do not react to everything that they hear, yet they keep working.null

Allotey Jacobs who was contributing to a discussion on Peace FM, Wednesday, November 10 said, “Kwami, the last time I told you that we should give Dr. Bawumia the mandate to rule in 2024. I am so convinced that, he is the new politician on the bloc and whatever he brings up is something new, sometimes above our reasoning.

“Whenever he comes out to speak in public, he is making it for the NPP and again we have a leader [in Bawumia]. You don’t hear anything from the President and the Vice but they are still working. They don’t just talk unnecessarily but as a Vice President, Bawumia whenever he steps on a platform and speaks, then people start speaking in tongues. I am telling you, just watch it.”

He added, “[Bawumia] is an emerging leader so if the wins the flagbearer race of NPP and he is being presented as the Presidential Candidate for the 2024 elections and he wins the elections, there is something new for us in this country.”

Jacobs believes that, the Vice President’s last public lecture at Ashesi University boosted the confidence in Ghanaians.

He claims, people within his area, on that day, gathered before their TV to watch the Vice President like they were watching a football game.null

“People were convinced [during his speech] because that is their business…what is important is to underline all that he said and ask ourselves if it is true or false. By so doing, we are separating facts from propaganda,” Allotey Jacobs stressed.


https://www.youtube.com/embed/dihehy_m-JI

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

• NPP, NDC have always promised to manage fuel prices

• Has Bawumia dealt with the problem of petroleum pricing? Kwesi Pratt questions

• Dirvers are calling on government to scrap nuisance taxes

The Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr., has questioned why the ruling government has not reduced petroleum prices given that it is one of the clear promises the governing NPP made during their campaign.

According to him, vice president Mahamudu Bawumia had earlier indicated it was insensitive for any government to be increasing fuel prices, but he [Kwesi Pratt], therefore wondered why he [Dr. Bawumia] has not dealt with the issue of fuel pricing as promised.

He added that an increase in fuel prices always has a rippling effect on the economy which includes the exchange rates.

Pratt further quizzed Dr. Bawumia on the spike in the exchange rates despite assuring Ghanaians he had ‘arrested the cedi and given the key to the IGP’.null

“…We were told by Mahamudu Bawumia that he knows how to deal with that problem, has he dealt with that problem?, he told us he had arrested the cedi and given the key to the IGP and so on. Who went and took the key from the IGP? Who did the IGP give the key to?” Kwesi Pratt quizzed.

Speaking on the back of GPRTU’s call for the government to scrap nuisance taxes, Kwesi Pratt said every politician often claims to have solution to manage fuel prices until they come to power.

“When it comes to petroleum pricing, there is no politician in Ghana who has not said that he or she knows how to manage petroleum prices to bring it down”, he added.

“This government promised to reduce petroleum prices, clear promise and said that it was insensitive to be increasing petroleum prices. I recall in 2016, Dr. Bawumia angry said it takes only an insensitive government to be increasing prices by a few pesewas then so we are not going to talk about anything.”

“Government has told us they know how to reduce petroleum prices to alleviate the suffering of people in Ghana and I agree with the drivers, they should reduce the petroleum price?” the veteran journalist said on Good Morning Ghana on Metro TV.

“Who is the NDC or NPP has not told us they know how to reduce petroleum prices? They should go ahead and reduce it. An increase in petroleum prices have a rippling effect throughout the economy so when you increase fuel prices it affects everybody and we know the push factors and one of them is the rate of foreign exchange,” he added.null

Speaking on the exchange rate the host of the show said Dr. Bawumia had indicated that the management of the cedi against other foreign currencies, by the Akufo-Addo-led administration, has been one of the best by any government in its first term, since 1992.

In response, Kwesi Pratt said that was a bad argument as even Kwame Mpiani a renowned economist has said the slowing down of the cedi is artificial.

“Drop that argument, it’s a bad argument so that one of the push factors and other factors are taxes on petroleum product. Why should we load all the taxes on petroleum?” he said.

“Did you listen to Kwame Mpiani recently saying that the cedi slowing down is artificial? He said our cedi is been shoring up by our foreign reserves and he said it is the most reckless way of shoring up the cedi,” he added.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/HoXoz32YyA0

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Former Minister for Central Region, Kwamena Duncan, has fired shots at former President John Dramani Mahama for slamming the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) over their response to the Catholic Bishops after the clerics criticized the Akufo-Addo government for failing the people of Ghana.null

The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has questioned President Akufo-Addo and his government’s empathy towards the plight of Ghanaians.

Catholic Bishops’ Statements

The President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Most Rev. Philip Naameh, speaking at this year’s plenary assembly of the Association in Wa on Monday, November 8, indicted the current administration of ignoring the abject poverty of Ghanaians by engaging in deals for personal gains.

He said; “Though poverty stares us in the face, it appears lost to those with power. The expressed commitment of the President of the Republic to protect the public purse, a promise that citizens welcomed, seems to be an illusion now” and further asked; ”Are those managing the public purse not concerned about waste and misapplication of resources that belong to all Ghanaians? Can this be referred to as irresponsible use of power or the lack of compassion and empathy?”

“Those who are entrusted with power that comes from our collective will must know that what they do with that (power) shapes what we all will become in the future,” he cautioned the government and politicians not to toy with Ghanaians’ votes.null

NPP Response

Reacting to the Association’s remarks, NPP Director of Communications, Yaw Buaben Asamoa argued that the criticisms from the clerics lacked focus and clarity.

“Where are the specifics on that? Some level of clarity at that level is important. It is not about enabling the NDC to come in and spout . . . we are widening the social net, and we believe we are sending the economy in the right direction . . . The impact of Covid-19 that we are still riding has affected cost of living and prices, and many people worldwide have lost their jobs,” he replied.

Arrogance of Power

But former President Mahama considers the NPP Chief Communicator’s quick response to the Bishops as a show of ”arrogance of power”.null

Addressing a durbar of NDC faithfuls at Ashaiman, as part of his two-day tour of the Greater Accra Region, John Mahama said; “If they are saying Ghana is hard, do the things that will make things more affordable for the people of Ghana. But that is what we call the arrogance of power. They said when the gods want to destroy you, they first make you mad. Because this is madness. The Catholic Bishops have spoken; what is your business holding a press conference against them? Accept criticism in good faith.”

He recounted how, during his reign, he welcomed criticisms in good faith, therefore blasting the NPP for their arrogance.

“During my government, I did not do a press conference to respond to them. Whatever they said I took in good faith and I took corrective measures.”

Kwamena Goes After Mahama

However, commenting on the issue on Wednesday morning, the former Central Regional Minister appeared utterly shocked over Mr. Mahama’s comments, particularly with the part where he claims he took criticisms in good faith during his regime.null

Kwamena Duncan reminded the former President about how he and his government officials including his party members lashed out at every person who spoke against his administration.

”Let former President Mahama listen; unlike the NDC attacking Chiefs, Pastors and national leaders who disagreed with them which even had the late former President saying the NPP approaches issues with respect but the NDC engages in incitements, so [wherever the former is and listening to me] I am telling him the difference. When the NDC disagrees with you, whether you are a Chief or clergy, no matter who you are, if you speak your mind and they don’t agree with you; they will come at you in contempt that sometimes you wonder if these people weren’t trained well as the person they are attacking could be of the same age as their parents”, he recollected.

He challenged Mr. Mahama to ”point out that what Buaben Asamoa said is seditious or that what Buaben Asamoa has undermined the reputation of the Catholic Bishop”.

”Let him say so, then we can interrogate that. Is he saying that if the Bishop speaks or even if the conference speaks, that we are stopped from commenting on what they say? Is that his point?”, he queried.

Kwamena Duncan strongly held that ”the response by the Communications Directorate was fair and proper”.null

He made these submissions on Peace FM’s morning show ”Kokrokoo” on Wednesday, November 10.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/ITaZb7EX-LQ

Source: peacefmonline.com

 The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame

The Attorney General, Godfred Dame, has advised the GLC to offer admission to all 499 students who were refused admission into the Law school

The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, has advised the General Legal Council (GLC), the statutory body responsible for the regulation of legal education in Ghana, to offer admission to all 499 students who were refused admission into the Ghana School of Law for the 2021/2022 academic year.

In a four-page letter addressed to the chairman of the General Legal Council, the Attorney General highlighted what he says is the perception “of a lack of transparency and doubts about the integrity of the admission processes into the Ghana School of Law, created by the manner in which the admission processes were handled by the GLC in 2021, as well as the enormous public interest generated thereby”.

“These circumstances, in my respectful view, warrant a reconsideration of the decision not to admit the 499 candidates. I am aware that arrangements have been put in place already for commencement of the first year professional law course by candidates deemed to have passed the entrance examination for the 2021/2022 academic year,” the Attorney General’s letter read.

AG recommendation

The Attorney General further indicated in his letter to the GLC that in view of the observations he has made in his letter and “pursuant to Section 1(5) of Act 32, I advise the GLC to: (a) grant deferred admission to the 499 candidates with effect from May, 2022”.

“A special provision can be made for the first year professional law course by candidates already admitted to run from October, 2021 to April, 2022. The 499 candidates may undertake their programme from May, 2022 and ending in November, 2022. Arrangements will have to be put in place for the two sets of candidates to undertake their pupilage and be called to the Bar at a common date in the next two years,” the AG recommended concerning his first proposal.

Alternatively, the Attorney General suggested to the GLC to “grant admission to the entire 499 candidates with effect from November, 2021 and provision made for the organization of classes in a way as to be able to cater for the needs of the entire candidates of the Part One Course of Professional Law Programme”.

The third recommendation of the Attorney General to the GLC is for them to “organize a special examination in November, 2021 to accord to the 419 candidates an opportunity to justify admission into the Law School for the 2021/2022 academic year. Such examination may be on “essay questions” which properly assess the ability of candidates to reason legally and resolve practical problems”.

Future GLC Examinations

Godfred Dame ends his letter by advising that in the GLC’s further notice “inviting applicants to register for the entrance examination for the 2022/2023 academic year, the basis for a determination of successful candidates be clearly spelt out, in order to avoid a reoccurrence of the situation experienced this year”.

Aggrieved 499 students

A total of 790 students (28%) out of the 2,824 who sat the 2021 Ghana School of Law entrance exam passed, official figures released by the law school in October 2021 showed.

The figure represents a 10% drop from the total number of LLB candidates who passed the previous year. In 2020, a total, 1,045 out of 2,763 students who sat the entrance examination passed. In 2019, only 128 candidates out of 1,820 succeeded.

Some 499 aggrieved students who sad for the 2021 examination and obtained 50% and above, have accused the GLC for their inability to gain admission following a new quota system introduced after the law school entrance examination had taken place and the results had been released.

The new requirement was that candidates had to score at least 50% in both sections of law school entrance exams to be eligible for entry into the Ghana School of Law. According to the affected students, the new rule was unknown to them before, during and after the exams

Former President John Dramani Mahama has criticized the Akufo-Addo administration for having nothing to show for the borrowings that the administration has engaged in over the past four and a half years in office.

He observed that the government is borrowing only for consumption hence, the inability to point to projects being funded from monies borrowed.

“They are borrowing for only consumption. Between 2016, GHS120 billion debt, you have taken us to 375 billion in four and a half years for only consumption,” he said.

He further told the government to up its game to deal with the hardship Ghanaians are saddled with the moment.

Mr Mahama said time are hard for Ghanaians.

The economy, in his view, is not doing well hence the hardships.

 Speaking on TV XYZ, as part of his tour of the Greater Accra region, Mr Mahama said “I think that this government has to sit up.”

By Laud Nartey|3news.com|Ghana

• Catholic Bishops slammed government for not being sympathetic to the plight of Ghanaians

• NPP says claims by Catholic Bishops’ Conference lacks clarity

• John Mahama on the other hand says the NPP’s response is borne out of the arrogance of power

Former President John Dramani Mahama has equated the response of the New Patriotic Party to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference, over their recent complaint of economic hardship, to insanity.

According to the former President, the response of the ruling party can be said to be an act of insanity induced by the arrogance of power.

“If they are saying Ghana is hard, do the things that will make things more affordable for the people of Ghana. But that is what we call the arrogance of power. They said when the gods want to destroy you, they first make you mad. Because this is madness. The Catholic Bishops have spoken; what is your business holding a press conference against them? Accept criticism in good faith”, the former President told a durbar of the National Democratic Congress party faithful in Ashaiman on Tuesday, November 9.

The Ghana National Catholic Bishops’ Conference at a plenary assembly held on Monday, November 8, 2021, criticized the government for its failure to fight corruption while bemoaning what the association described as a lack of empathy from the government of Ghana towards its citizens.

But reacting to the Bishops, the Director of Communications for the ruling New Patriotic Party, Yaw Buaben Asamoa said their criticism was without specifics and thus lacked focus and clarity.

However, according to former President Mahama, his tenure was equally characterized with various criticisms from the clergy and other civil society organizations.

He states that contrary to what the NPP is doing, he took such criticisms in good faith instead of what he says an arrogant response by the current government.

“During my government, I did not do a press conference to respond to them. Whatever they said I took in good faith and I took corrective measures,” the 2020 NDC flagbearer recounted.

Mr Mahama has thus challenged the ruling party to focus on addressing pertinent matters raised by the Bishops and Ghanaians instead of replying to criticisms.

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Former President John Dramani Mahama will today, Wednesday, 10 November 2021, speak to the nation on matters of national interest as well as the performance of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his New Patriotic Party administration so far.

The talk, dubbed ‘Nation Thank You Address’, will be held at the Gold Coast Kempinski Hotel in the Greater Accra Region.

The event is strictly by invitation, the Greater Accra Regional Secretary of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Theophilus Tetteh Chai said.

He noted that the programme is for selected stakeholders and will be carried live on all social media platforms as well as some traditional media platforms.

The address will climax the two-day tour of the former president in the Greater Accra Region.

The Greater Accra tour was to thank the party’s supporters for the over six million votes it garnered in the 2020 general election

The NDC’s flagbearer in the 2020 Presidential elections, John Dramani Mahama has accused President Akufo-Addo of causing young people to lose confidence in Ghana’s democracy.

Addressing a teeming crowd of party enthusiasts at the Nii Amui Park on Tuesday, the former President explained that, many young people have become disinterested in Ghana’s current democratic discourse.

This he said, is a result of the failure of President Akufo-Addo to fulfill the litany of promises he made to Ghanaians in his bid to become the President of Ghana.

“But for me, the danger I see ahead is that the Akufo-Addo administration has destroyed the confidence of our young people in our democracy. Our young people no longer believe in our democracy, because of the way that it’s no longer working for them. When you make promises you can’t fulfill, it undermines the credibility of our democracy; and that is the stock in trade of the NPP”, Mr. Mahama said.

The former President also attributed the growing disinterest to the bastardization of democratic institutions by the current regime.

Citing the Judiciary, for example, John Mahama said the Judiciary appears to have lost its credibility, causing many Ghanaians, especially the Ghanaian youth to become apathetic.

Touching on the current state of the economy, John Mahama also lamented the increasing levels of borrowing by the current Akufo-Addo administration and the series of lies that have been peddled by the President since he assumed office.

Former President John Dramani Mahama also wondered why some people choose to applaud President Akufo-Addo and even compare him to the late Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.

In his view, that kind of comparison should not be started in the first place; stressing that the current suffering in Ghana, occasioned by President Akufo-Addo cannot be compared to any other period of hardship the country has ever experienced.

The former President is currently on a two-day tour of the Greater Accra Region to interact with party executives and supporters of the NDC. The tour on Tuesday took him to Dodowa, Tema, and Ashaiman.

The ‘Thank You’ tour is expected to continue on Wednesday, with a closing engagement at the Kempinski Hotel, where he will be expected to extensively address current issues in the country

NDC’s petition with the Supreme Court was unanimously dismissed on Thursday, March 4, 2021

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has filed an election petition – this time with the Inspector-General of Police – over alleged infractions by the Electoral Commission, Ghana (EC) in last year’s polls.

According to the legal team of the party, this is in direct response to the apparent challenge thrown by the EC over allegations made by John Dramani Mahama.

After Mr Mahama alleged that the EC had stuffed the ballot boxes with over one million votes to favour incumbent Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the EC called on police to investigate this claim.

“This is a grave matter that undermines the credibility of our electoral process and should not be ignored,” a Deputy Commissioner in charge of Corporate Services, Dr Eric Bossman Asare, told journalists at a press conference on Monday, October 25.

“We call on [John Dramani Mahama] to provide evidence to support this claim,” he demanded.

“This is not a matter that should be ignored and we call on the Ghana Police Service to investigate.”

At a press briefing on Tuesday, November 9, member of NDC’s Legal Team Abraham Amaliba disclosed that “the party saw it fit to as it were present to the IGP the evidence that we have complained about that over one million presidential ballot papers were printed by the EC and that we thought that that affected the credibility of the elections”.

He said the largest opposition party wants the conduct of the EC to be brought to book.

The two-pronged petition, according Mr Amaliba, wants the IGP, Dr George Akuffo Dampare “to investigate and then prosecute persons who were involved in the printing of the over one million excess ballot papers”.

“These persons could also include Innolink, one of the companies that had the responsibility to print the ballot papers and whose care we saw the excess one million ballots.”

He said the second part is seeking an update on the “atrocities and violence” that took place in the elections.

“What has the police done so far? Have they prosecuted anybody? Have they opened any docket?”

By Emmanuel Kwame Amoh|3news.com|Ghana

Managing Director of the Intercity STC Company, Nana Akomea, has refuted reports attributed to him that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s promise to reduce fuel prices was only a campaign talk.

According to a publication, Nana Akomea said the President’s promise should not be held against him emphasizing it was borne out of excitement of the political campaign.

Nana Akomea, who was on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana show last week with the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablawka reportedly stated; “Every political leader on campaign makes the same comment. CJA, where Sammy Okudzeto says that is where he got his political influence, they made the same sentiments. All of them. When leaders are campaigning they make these promises but when they come into office, there is a reality check.

“When you are a political leader and you make certain statements as part of your messaging to the Ghanaian people and you come into office and see that the reality is different, you need to go back to tell them why you made this promise but why it is difficult for you to fulfill that promise. You need to do that.

“President Kufuor is very famous for that when he talks about some issue that he campaigned against the Rawlings government. When he came into government and realized that the reality of the situation is that he couldn’t do much about it, he actually acknowledged and accepted it. He came out and said it is different and acknowledged it. I think leadership should acknowledge it.”https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-2623005858729319&output=html&h=343&adk=3559006387&adf=3229197991&pi=t.aa~a.2816640267~i.13~rp.1&w=412&lmt=1636484903&num_ads=1&rafmt=1&armr=3&sem=mc&pwprc=2278969447&psa=0&ad_type=text_image&format=412×343&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.peacefmonline.com%2Fpages%2Fpolitics%2Fpolitics%2F202111%2F455426.php%3Futm_source%3Ddlvr.it%26utm_medium%3Dfacebook&flash=0&fwr=1&pra=3&rh=319&rw=382&rpe=1&resp_fmts=3&sfro=1&wgl=1&fa=27&dt=1636484903346&bpp=23&bdt=8517&idt=24&shv=r20211103&mjsv=m202111040101&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&cookie=ID%3Db278d9b6173a9fe2-22ee6fe569cc0018%3AT%3D1636484901%3ART%3D1636484901%3AS%3DALNI_MYH5-pAU0uMQbzj2mZKY1mDNSDIaw&prev_fmts=0x0%2C412x343%2C412x343%2C412x343&nras=2&correlator=3132141003592&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=491081179.1636484900&ga_sid=1636484900&ga_hid=309768022&ga_fc=1&u_tz=0&u_his=1&u_h=892&u_w=412&u_ah=892&u_aw=412&u_cd=24&adx=0&ady=2285&biw=412&bih=797&scr_x=0&scr_y=269&eid=31063182%2C31060475&oid=2&pvsid=168719215076073&pem=46&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fm.facebook.com%2F&eae=0&fc=1408&brdim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C412%2C0%2C412%2C797%2C412%2C797&vis=1&rsz=%7C%7Cs%7C&abl=NS&fu=128&bc=31&ifi=9&uci=a!9&btvi=3&fsb=1&xpc=N4p0jaZ15F&p=https%3A//www.peacefmonline.com&dtd=112

His comment came on the heels of the current fuel price hikes by some Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs).

The prices of petrol and diesel at some pump stations have increased to GH¢6.90.

But the NPP stalwart has dismissed the report.

Clarifying issues during Peace FM’s ”Kokrokoo”, the STC Boss told host Kwami Sefa Kayi that his statements have been misconstrued as the word about the President’s promise being a campaign promise didn’t emerge from his mouth but rather a conclusion made by some bloggers.

He explained his actual remarks stressing what he said was, “every politician use petrol prices to campaign. I remember, during the regime of President Kufour when he was campaigning, we would send gallon to rally but when he came into power, petrol prices went up during his time. When NDC was campaigning, Committee for Joint Action (CJA) led by Kwesi Pratt, they also used it to campaign against President Kufour…but when they came into power, they also experienced petrol price increases…They came to meet 28 pesewas tax on a litre and when they left power, it had increased to 146 pesewas on a litre. So, everyone campaigns with it”.

“When you’re a politician and outside government, you see things differently but when you come into government and the reality dawns on you and you find out you can’t fulfill some of your promises, you have to be honest with the people,” he added.

Nana Akomea warned the bloggers and the media practitioners who enjoy sensationalism to desist from such character.

“When you watch the video, I didn’t say that and when you read the story too, they quoted what I said exactly but their headline doesn’t reflect the quotation. When you read the story, the headline is not part of the story…But they need to watch it because, in journalism, you have to report precisely what the person said,” he cautioned.

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Former President JohnMahama has said Ghana is in a state of despair, following the failure on the part of the Akufo-Addo government to fulfill promises made to Ghanaians

Speaking in an interview on TV XYZ, Mr. Mahama stated that he discovered the hopelessness after touring the country to thank Ghanaians for their votes in the 2020 election.

“We’re in a state of despair; people are sad, people have regretted because this is not what the government promised them,” he told Tonton Sansan host Prince Minkah.

“Before the elections, they did a lot of things, i.e., free water, free light, free this and they spent GHS11.9 billion of the COVID funds from March to December and a lot went into convincing people…They gave small business loans via MoMo of about GHS2,000 but today, we are all paying that back,” he stated.

Mahama’s interview on November 9, 2021, was to speak to Ghanaians ahead of his last ‘thank you’ tour which is scheduled to be in the Greater Accra region on Tuesday, 9 November 2021.

Expressing his disappointment in the Akufo-Addo government, Mr Mahama said the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the lies of the government, blaming Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta for “cooking”  figures to make the country’s economy look good regardless of the hardships Ghanaians are grappling with.

“They said the economy was resilient and the vice-president said if there was any external shock, for six months, Ghana will not need any external intervention. But within two weeks of COVID, we went to the IMF for money. What happened to that resilient economy?” he quizzed.

“The economy had no buffers and, so, within two weeks of a COVID situation, [there was a] lockdown; we were begging the IMF for money… , so, it shows there’s a certain culture of lying about things and all that to deceive Ghanaians and we can see that it has all unravelled and the truth is here for all to see,” he added.

“Very soon, the Finance minister will be presenting the budget and you’ll realise the economy is in tatters,” the 2020 flagbearer of the NDC noted.

Source: Myxyzonline.com

The Akufo-Addo-led government is only paying lip service to the fight against corruption, former President John Dramani Mahama has said.

According to Mr Mahama, asking whistleblowers to provide evidence before probing alleged corrupt acts is not the way to go as a government.

Speaking in an interview on Accra-based TV XYZ on Monday, 8 November 2021 ahead of his Greater Accra regional Thank You tour on Tuesday, 9 November 2021, Mr Mahama said the government’s approach to corruption fight is wrong.

He said: “This government is just paying lip service to the fight against corruption. Look at the special prosecutor’s office, it had someone like Martin Amidu, a lawyer of a certain standing and former deputy Attorney General and if someone like Martin Amidu resigns and says the president is the ‘mother serpent of corruption’, it’s a very serious charge because he knows what he has seen”.

“Several attempts were made to obstruct him from investigating certain cases and that was why he said what he said”, Mr Mahama noted.

“So, your own appointed special prosecutor comes out to say you’re the ‘mother serpent of all corruption’; what else do you need anybody to say about your fight against corruption?” he wondered.

Mr Mahama bemoaned that when a case is presented to the special prosecutor, the same case is sent to the CID and “after investigation, the CID clears the suspect; meanwhile, the case is already before the special prosecutor…that’s why the president is referred to as the clearing agent…”

The 2020 flag bearer of the NDC explained that “the thing about corruption is that man is not perfect and everybody has his character based on where you were moulded in your home or where you grew up”.

“The president cannot work alone, the president needs people to help him, he doesn’t know the character of every single person he appoints.

“So, there will be cases of corruption. How you deal with it is what makes the difference. We are not saying you can clean the stables 100 per cent and there will be no corruption but when it occurs, how you deal with it to serve as a deterrent to other people is what is most important.”

Mr Mahama stressed that calling for evidence from whistleblowers before investigating corrupt allegations was wrong.

“[A] whistleblower cannot give you evidence; he is not an investigative agency; he doesn’t have the capacity. He only gives you the lead that ‘this is what I suspect has happened’. It is your duty, as government, to investigate the claim but if you say anyone who makes an allegation should bring evidence, am I the police? am I an investigative agency? So, the media can expose suspected acts of corruption and it is the duty of anti-corruption state institutions to pick those leads and investigate,” Mr Mahama stated

• Captain Smart dares Akufo-Addo

• Anti-corruption journalist wants president to prove himself as incorrupt

• He tags Akufo-Addo government as most deceptive in Ghana’s history

Outspoken Ghanaian anti-corruption journalist, Captain Smart, has dared President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to tout himself as not corrupt.

According to Captain Smart, President Akufo-Addo, contrary to his much-touted anti-corruption tag, has failed to prove such after attaining the presidency.

“Nana you are corrupt. Nobody wants to tell you but I am telling you, my name is Blessed Godsbrain Smart, and I dare say you are corrupt. You see you no longer say you are not corrupt. I dare you to say it, even the gods in your hometown will strike you dead.

“I dare you to say I Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is not corrupt, the gods of Kyebi will strike you dead,” he stated.

On the Tuesday, November 9, 2021, edition of his Onua Maakye morning show on Onua TV, Captain Smart further tagged the presidency of Nana Addo as the most deceptive in the history of Ghana’s fourth Republican dispensation.

“You have deceived Ghanaians more than any government in the Fourth Republic. This particular government has been the most deceptive. Even Rawlings whose government was a military government did not do such, J. A. Kufuor did not do this, Prof. Mills also did not do same.”

“When Mahama increased fuel prices on some few occasions you were all over the place raging, now you come to tell us you are performing,” he added.


https://www.youtube.com/embed/qYvfTjcC49I

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

He has dared anyone with the address of any property belonging to Mahama in Dubai to present it for him to resign.

Blessed Godsbrain Smart, Onua TV/FM’s morning show host, has apologised to former President John Dramani Mahama.

He says many media personnel, including himself, lambasted Mr. Mahama when some newspapers and portals reported of his (Mahama) acquisition of properties in the United Arab Emirates.

Captain Smart says his personal tour in Dubai to investigate the said properties acquired by the former president revealed the reports were falsified, but couldn’t admit and apologise then due to shame and how disappointed he was with the said dailies that carried the story.

He has dared anyone with the address of any property belonging to Mahama in Dubai to present it for him to resign.

The former President, according to the ‘Maakye’ host, does not own even a single room apartment in the Middle East.

He made those comments whilst castigating the massive corruption that has engulfed the Akufo-Addo led administration, saying “the thievery going on at the Flagstaff House is unprecedented.”

“The journalists that said Mahama had buildings in Dubai, including myself, where are they? Ghanaians don’t want the truth. The corruption at the Flagstaff House is unprecedented, yet we can’t say it. A lot of lies were said about Mahama”

“I’m sorry Mahama, for all the chastisement when some newspapers published that you own apartments in Dubai. I am telling you today, that Mahama has no single room in Dubai. Whoever says he knows his house address in Dubai should bring it and I’ll resign tomorrow.”

“I personally went to Dubai to check and he had nothing there. I’m not an NDC and I’ll never vote for Mahama but I stand for the truth. All the online and newspapers that said Mahama has houses and accounts in Dubai were all lies,” he disclosed.

With the allegations of owning accounts in banks in Dubai, Captain Smart noted he personally visited the said bank John Mahama was accused to be possessing accounts to realise the claims were fabricated.

“He has no single account in Dubai with GH₵1.00. I went there in person to ascertain the facts and when I went to a certain bank to open an account –I don’t want to mention the name. That’s where they said his accounts are [and] –they told me here you can’t open an account just like that,” he averred.

Source: SmartMediaGh.com

The Minority in Parliament have called for the establishment of a parliamentary committee to investigate the Agenda 111 project which was introduced by the government to build 111 hospitals across the country.

They want to know whether “the construction of hospital projects under agenda 111 complied with the Public Procurement Act 2003 (Act 663) and the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921).

The also want to “investigate the circumstances leading to the award of the contracts under the Agenda 111 hospital projects from the presidency.”Scan-09-Nov-2021Download

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo described the Agenda 111 as the nation’s biggest ever investment in the health sector.

He said he was happy that this project was taking place during his tenure.

Delivering a speech during the sod cutting in the Ashanti region on Tuesday August 17, he said “I am glad that the biggest ever investment  in the nation’s healthcare  is being made .We have met this morning  because of the ravages of Covid-19  which has affected every country  on the planet .

“For us in Ghana not only has the pandemic disrupted our daily lives, but it has also  exposed the deficiencies  with our healthcare system  because of the  years of under  investment and neglect.”

Health Minister Kwaku Agyeman-Manu said during the event that the surest way for the government to improve on the healthcare delivery of the people was to provide infrastructure.

To that end, he said the government was committed to providing the needed health infrastructure.

He said “As you know, a healthy people guarantee a healthy  nation  and government  being mindful of this fact has proved to show to the people  its commitment  to improve the health status of all residents in the country.

“The surest way to improve healthcare system through providing new  infrastructure  or improving just  existing ones across the length and breadth of the country

• A Catholic Bishops bloc has criticized the Akufo-Addo government

• The clergy believe the President’s pledge to protect the public purse has become an illusion

• But the NPP top official says their position is ‘difficult to sustain’

Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party, NPP, has stated that he believes the strongly-worded advice issued by the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, GCBC, on issues of governance is ‘difficult to sustain.”

He opined that the pronouncements, which included talk about the President’s pledge to protect the public purse having turned into an illusion and a spike in general hardships on the populace, largely were generalized.

Buaben Asamoa was reacting to the statement on Accra-based Citi FM on Monday, November 8, 2021. He admitted that the government is continually working to improve the lot of Ghanaians stressing that the country was generally being steered in the right direction.

“The kind of pronouncements that I hear, generalized as they are, I find it difficult to sustain. We don’t believe that we have achieved everything, far from it and we don’t believe that everything we are managing is socket and complete, far from it.

“But we believe that we are working very hard towards the public good, we believe we are widening (the) social net and we believe we are moving the economy in the right direction. I sincerely hope that this is generalized advice,” he added.



In a quick rebuttal, his opposite number in the opposition National Democratic Congress, Sammy Gyamfi, insisted that the pronouncements by the Bishops were a pointed condemnation at the misrule and misgovernance of the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia government.

“He was very categorical in bemoaning the alarming rate of corruption and the misapplication of public funds under the watch of president Akufo-Addo and Dr. Bawumia. He was very specific in lamenting the rising cost of living and the increasing rate of poverty among our people,” Gyamfi stressed.null

What the GCBC president said on corruption

President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, GCBC, Most Rev. Philip Naameh, at a gathering of the GCBC held in Wa, capital of the Upper West Region, spoke in critical terms about issues of governance in the country.

One of the most stinging points was about how the President’s pledge to protect the public purse has all but become an illusion.

“Though poverty stares us in the face, it appears lost to those with power. The expressed commitment of the president of the republic to protect the public purse, a promise that citizens welcomed, seems to be an illusion now.

“Are those managing the public purse not concerned about waste and misapplication of resources that belong to all Ghanaians? Can this be referred to as irresponsible use of power or the lack of compassion and empathy?

”Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Former President John Dramanai Mahama has accepted the challenge thrown by the Electoral Commission (EC) to the police to investigate a claim he made to the effect that there was one million vote fraud in the 2020 elections done to favour President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo

Speaking on TV XYZ on Tuesday November 9, he said “That is what I want, they said we should have an investigation, let’s have an investigation. But I don’t know if the police are the best to do that. I don’t know what the police are going to investigate. We want an independent inquiry or let’s go to ECOWAS.

“ECOWAS has an electoral body, let them come and investigate Ghana’s election of 2020. I will welcome it, I will testify. Under oath, I will swear an oath and testify. I won’t run away from the witness box,” Mr Mahama said.

Mr Mahama had accused the commission of thumb printing one million ballot papers in favour of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in the 2020 presidential election.

He had alleged when he addressed the Divisional Chief of Prestea Himan, Nana Nteboah Prah, recently, as part of his Thank You tour of the Western Region that “More than one million extra ballot papers were printed, which the EC claimed happened by mistake but on the day of the elections, some of the more than one million extra ballot papers had already been secretly thumb-printed in favour of the NPP.”

The Presidential Candidate of the NDC in last year’s elections added “And, so, all these things dented the credibility of the polls and caused an embarrassment”,

“The former President has said the EC thumb-printed one million ballot papers for the President of the Republic. This is untrue; and it is a great matter that undermines the credibility of the electoral system and should not be ignored.”

But responding to him, Dr Bossman Asare said at a press conference that “We see that our silence on this matter has dire consequences on public confidence in the Commission, and we want the police to investigate it,” he stressed.

“Distinguished citizens, in the last few weeks Former President Mahama has made a number of allegations against the EC and the 2020 elections. As Officials charged with the responsibility of conducting elections in Ghana, we owe it a duty to provide Ghanaians with the facts and the truth about the elections and the allegations raised. We are of the view that our silence on these false allegations could have dire consequences as it could undermine citizens’ confidence our dear country.

“The Former President has said the EC thumb printed 1million ballots in favor of the president. This is untrue. This is a grave matter that undermines the credibility of our electoral process and should not be ignored. We call on him to provide evidence to support his claim. This is not a matter to be ignored and we call on the Ghana Police Service to investigate this.

“The Transparency of our process makes it totally impossible for this to happen. At the polling stations, prior to the start of the elections, the empty ballot boxes are opened and displayed in the presence of everyone, and thereafter they are sealed.  There are serial numbers on the ballot papers for each region and constituency.  This is made known to the Agents before the elections.  Our ballot papers also have security features; so any trace of new material will be clearly visible.

“Again, at the end of the poll, the ballots cast are crosschecked against the voters who were verified and issued the ballot papers. This ensures that over-voting is detected immediately. Nationwide, we had no issue with over-voting at all our 38,622 polling stations except in Savelugu in the parliamentary election where there was one and I repeat one over-voting.  The transparency of our processes from the beginning to the end makes this impossible. Ballot Stuffing cannot be done-it is impossible. We call on the Former President in the interest of our democracy to provide evidence of the stuffing of the ballot boxes by the EC.

“The Police should investigate this as a matter of urgency due to its potential to derail and undermine our democracy, and lead to a lack of confidence in our systems and processes.”

In a reply to Dr Bossman Asare at a press conference in Accra on Thursday October 28, the General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia said “We take note with satisfaction Bossman Asare’s call on the Ghana Police Service to investigate the fact put out by President Mahama, given that President Mahama was on solid grounds when making this statement. The NDC stands ever prepared to assist in any credible investigation into the matters raised,”

“We are aware however that Bossman Asare’s call is only a red herring because he cannot feign ignorance of the fact that the Police Service is already seized with all the evidence on this matter.

“On the specific printing of 1 million excess ballot papers and arrest of persons with thumb-printed ballot papers, the Ghana Police Service carried out the arrests and therefore should be providing updates on the status of investigations to the population.

“All that Bossman Asare needs to do is to call on the Attorney General to ask the police to prosecute the offenders

Former President John Dramani Mahama has said that he has no hatred for the Jean Mensa-led Electoral Commission (EC).

He said he is only seeking to make the commission better and the number one in the whole of Africa with his criticisms against the conduct of the 2020 elections.

Mr Mahama has heavily criticised the elections management body after last year’s polls. In his view, the EC did a poor job, hence his constant outburst against the Commission.

For instance, he accused the commission of engaging in a one million vote fraud to favour President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo

Speaking on TV XYZ on Tuesday November 9, he said I don’t hate the electoral Commission or Jean Mensah. I want to make sure they are the number one Electoral Commission in the whole of West Africa because that is the perception of the EC.

“When Afari Gyan and Charlotte Osei were there we have been the leading electoral commission. When I went to Liberia for election monitoring, after first round there was confusion, ECOWAS  sent a technical team led by Charlotte Osei to come and sort out the Liberian EC problems and she came and sorted it out .

“Every thing that I say is to make them sit up , they must redeem themselves in 2024 so when I am pointing out their mistakes it is not that I hate them.”

He further accepted the challenge thrown by the EC to the police to investigate the vote fraud claim he made.

“That is what I want, they said we should have an investigation, let’s have an investigation. But I don’t know if the police are the best to do that. I don’t know what the police are going to investigate. We want an independent inquiry or let’s go to ECOWAS. ECOWAS has an electoral body, let them come and investigate Ghana’s election of 2020. I will welcome it, I will testify. Under oath, I will swear an oath and testify. I won’t run away from the witness box,” Mr Mahama said.

He had alleged when he addressed the Divisional Chief of Prestea Himan, Nana Nteboah Prah, recently, as part of his Thank You tour of the Western Region that “More than one million extra ballot papers were printed, which the EC claimed happened by mistake but on the day of the elections, some of the more than one million extra ballot papers had already been secretly thumb-printed in favour of the NPP.”

The Presidential Candidate of the NDC in last year’s elections added “And, so, all these things dented the credibility of the polls and caused an embarrassment”,

“The former President has said the EC thumbprinted one million ballot papers for the President of the Republic. This is untrue; and it is a great matter that undermines the credibility of the electoral system and should not be ignored.”

But responding to him, Dr Bossman Asare said at a press conference that “We see that our silence on this matter has dire consequences on public confidence in the Commission, and we want the police to investigate it,” he stressed.

“Distinguished citizens, in the last few weeks Former President Mahama has made a number of allegations against the EC and the 2020 elections. As Officials charged with the responsibility of conducting elections in Ghana, we owe it a duty to provide Ghanaians with the facts and the truth about the elections and the allegations raised. We are of the view that our silence on these false allegations could have dire consequences as it could undermine citizens’ confidence our dear country.

“The Former President has said the EC thumb printed 1million ballots in favor of the president. This is untrue. This is a grave matter that undermines the credibility of our electoral process and should not be ignored. We call on him to provide evidence to support his claim. This is not a matter to be ignored and we call on the Ghana Police Service to investigate this.

“The Transparency of our process makes it totally impossible for this to happen. At the polling stations, prior to the start of the elections, the empty ballot boxes are opened and displayed in the presence of everyone, and thereafter they are sealed.  There are serial numbers on the ballot papers for each region and constituency.  This is made known to the Agents before the elections.  Our ballot papers also have security features; so any trace of new material will be clearly visible.

“Again, at the end of the poll, the ballots cast are crosschecked against the voters who were verified and issued the ballot papers. This ensures that over-voting is detected immediately. Nationwide, we had no issue with over-voting at all our 38,622 polling stations except in Savelugu in the parliamentary election where there was one and I repeat one over-voting.  The transparency of our processes from the beginning to the end makes this impossible. Ballot Stuffing cannot be done-it is impossible. We call on the Former President in the interest of our democracy to provide evidence of the stuffing of the ballot boxes by the EC.

“The Police should investigate this as a matter of urgency due to its potential to derail and undermine our democracy, and lead to a lack of confidence in our systems and processes.”

In a reply to Dr Bossman Asare at a press conference in Accra on Thursday October 28, the General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia said “We take note with satisfaction Bossman Asare’s call on the Ghana Police Service to investigate the fact put out by President Mahama, given that President Mahama was on solid grounds when making this statement. The NDC stands ever prepared to assist in any credible investigation into the matters raised,”

“We are aware however that Bossman Asare’s call is only a red herring because he cannot feign ignorance of the fact that the Police Service is already seized with all the evidence on this matter.

“On the specific printing of 1 million excess ballot papers and arrest of persons with thumb-printed ballot papers, the Ghana Police Service carried out the arrests and therefore should be providing updates on the status of investigations to the population.

“All that Bossman Asare needs to do is to call on the Attorney General to ask the police to prosecute the offenders

Former President Mahama and President Akufo-Addo

Former President John Dramani Mahama has told the Akufo-Addo administration to up its game in dealing with the hardships Ghanaians are saddled with at the moment.

Mr Mahama noted that times are hard for Ghanaians.

The economy, in his view, is not doing well hence, the destitutions.

Speaking on TV XYZ on Tuesday November 9 as part of his tour of the Greater Accra region, Mr Mahma said “I think that this government has to sit up.”

The three-time leader of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) began this tour to thank Ghanaians for their votes during the 2020 elections on Tuesday, August 17, 2021 in the Upper East Region.

He has since toured 15 regions, wrapping up with the latest in the nation’s most populous region.

Incidentally, Mr Mahama beat all 11 candidates in the Region but his 1,326,489 votes were not enough to win him the national tally as incumbent Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo won it.

Though Mr Mahama had challenged the results in court, it was never to be as his suit was unanimously dismissed by the Supreme Court.

The former president is expected to wrap up his tour with a special address on Wednesday evening

• The Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference has criticized government

• They are worried especially about corruption and the failure to combat it

• The opposition NDC are happy that neutral voices like the Church is speaking up

National Communications Officer of the opposition National Democratic Congress, NDC, Sammy Gyamfi has stated that a recent critical statement by the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference on ongoings in the country was a welcome development.

According to him, it was important that neutral voices like that of the Church stood up and spoke out against hardships that the citizenry are having to endure in the country.

President of the Catholic Bishops umbrella body, Most Rev. Philip Naameh, a gathering of the GCBC held in Wa, capital of the Upper West Region, spoke in critical terms about issues of governance in the country.

One of the most stinging points being about how the President’s pledge to protect the public purse has all but become an illusion.

Reacting to his views, Sammy Gyamfi stated on Citi FM’s Eyewitness News that the Bishops had delivered a verdict on the misrule and misgovernance of the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo-Mahamudu Bawumia government.

“He made a categorical statement that the promise made by then-candidate Akufo-Addo, now President Akufo-Addo to protect the public purse has now become an illusion.

“We are not talking about an association that is offering generalized advice to politicians. These are people just like many Ghanaians who had high expectations of the NPP and then-candidate Akufo-Addo and his vice Bawumia.

“They were told that they should vote for the NPP and that the NPP was going to fight corruption head-on, that the NPP was going to make life better for them and improve their living conditions but today, the contrary is the case,” he added.

He accused the government of pursuing policies that led to the high cost of living with the ever-soaring prices of basic commodities whiles Ghanaians became poorer and poorer by the day.

He parried a position by NPP’s Yaw Buaben Asamoa to the effect that the views of the GCBC president were generalized saying it was “not general advice but a specific condemnation of the misrule and misgovernance of the NPP Akufo-Addo-Bawumia administration.

“For us in the NDC, this corroborates what we have been saying all along and we are happy that neutral respected voices like the Catholic Bishops Conference are now coming out to speak up about these issues, this is what we expect to see,” he stressed.

The 2020 theme for the Catholic Bishops Conference is “Fratellituti and COVID-19: pastoral challenges and opportunities in Ghana.”null

What the GCBC president said on corruption

“Though poverty stares us in the face, it appears lost to those with power. The expressed commitment of the president of the republic to protect the public purse, a promise that citizens welcomed, seems to be an illusion now.

“Are those managing the public purse not concerned about waste and misapplication of resources that belong to all Ghanaians? Can this be referred to as irresponsible use of power or the lack of compassion and empathy?”

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Ahead of the 2016 elections, then candidate Akufo-Addo promised to reduce prices of fuel if elected

The prices have however gone up since he became president

Nana Akomea has downplayed the significance of the statement he made prior to the elections

Nana Akomea, the Managing Director of the State Transport Company has said that a promise by then-candidate Akufo-Addo to reduce the prices of fuel was a campaign promise which should not be held against him.

According to Nana Akomea, on the campaign trail, politicians make all kinds of promises, some of which they are unable to fulfill.

He explained that President Akufo-Addo’s promise was borne out of the excitement of the political campaign and therefore should be disregarded.

Nana Akomea who was on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana show last week with the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablawka accused the lawmaker of making similar promises as a member of the Committee for Joint Action, CJA.

He however added that politicians should show honesty by apologizing to the citizenry when they are unable to fulfill a promise they made.

He singled out former President John Agyekum Kufuor as a leader who conceded to not being able to fulfill a promise he made during his campaign.

“Every political leader on campaign makes the same comment. CJA, where Sammy Okudzeto says that is where he got his political influence, they made the same sentiments. All of them. When leaders are campaigning they make these promises but when they come into office, there is a reality check.

“When you are a political leader and you make certain statements as part of your messaging to the Ghanaian people and you come into office and see that the reality is different, you need to go back to tell them why you made this promise but why it is difficult for you to fulfill that promise. You need to do that.

“President Kufuor is very famous for that when he talks about some issue that he campaigned against the Rawlings government. When he came into government and realized that the reality of the situation is that he couldn’t do much about it, he actually acknowledged and accepted it. He came out and said it is different and acknowledged it. I think leadership should acknowledge it”, he said.

Some Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) recently week increased the prices of fuel at their respective pump stations.null

Viral photos indicate that Total has increased their prices of petrol and diesel to GH¢6.90.

Chief Policy Analyst at Ghana Institute of Public Policy Options, Charles Wereko Brobbey has meanwhile advised the government to use the windfall from the oil revenue to cushion the price.

“We’ve been told by the President that we’re a net exporter of oil now. That means that each time oil prices go above the baseline figure of $54 per barrel [that is used for our budgeting for revenue projections], the Government of Ghana is making a windfall from the price increase and as this goes on, we the consumers are suffering from the price increase because of the application of price formula.

“So I think if the Government of Ghana wants to be a caring government, it should ensure that all the extra windfall profits which have come from $54 to $85 are applied to moderate the price increase,” he said.

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Communications and Legal Team Member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Abraham Amalibah has accused the ruling government of employing the Police Service to pester Madina Member of Parliament (MP), Francis-Xavier Sosu.

He believes members of the government are seeking to contravene parliamentary standings and processes, just because he belongs to the opposition NDC.

“Gov’t officials are using the Police to harass Francis Xavier-Sosu, undermine the Speaker of Parliament and also undermine the institution of Parliament,” he told Don Kwabena Prah on Happy98.9FM’s Epa Hoa Daben political talk show.

Abraham Amalibah expressed his surprise at the Police saying they will arrest the MP on the grounds of disrespect. “I want to know under which section of the criminal offenses act that someone is arrested for showing disrespect to the Police. You can only arrest someone for committing a main offense and not for disrespect.”

The legal mind noted that because an MP cannot be arrested during the execution of Parliamentary duties, the former Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye made provisions for them (MPs) to be questioned in Parliament. He believes the Police could have fallen on this provision rather than publicly declare his arrest.

“But what I am seeing now is that the government is using the Police against Sosu. They’re using the Police against him because he is an opposition MP and so is the Speaker of Parliament,” he reiterated.

Earlier reports indicate that personnel from the Ghana Police Service stormed the church premises of Madina lawmaker, Francis-Xavier Kojo Sosu, to arrest him over his protest on Monday, October 25.

Sosu, a lawyer and Member of Parliament for Madina, led the youth to protest deplorable roads in his constituency.

During the demonstration on Monday, the police attempted to arrest the lawmaker for what they described as an unlawful protest.

The police were, however, resisted by the youth while the MP fled from the scene.

The Ghana Police Service has, however, denied any claims that personnel were sent to arrest the MP in church.

Former National Democratic Congress (NDC) member and stalwart, Allotey Jacobs, has eulogised Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, describing him as a modern day Kwame Nkrumah.

The former Central Regional Chairman of the NDC praised the Vice President after his public lecture on Tuesday at the Ashesi University.

Mr. Jacobs said Bawumia’s lecture and focus on digitalising Ghana is worth applauding.

“Yesterday’s presentation was special or something unique that is being created that will move this country forward,” he noted on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo Show on Wednesday, November 3, 2021.

The embattled NDC man who has been sacked from the party over misconduct and misbehaviour opined that Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is the next Kwame Nkrumah.

“God Bless Bawumia… there is some magic in that man. … we are seeing the re-emergence of Kwame Nkrumah in Bawumia,” he added.

He pleaded with Ghanaians to support the Akufo-Addo government, particularly Bawumia.

Dr. Bawumia during his lecture at Ashesi outlined and showed what the Akufo-Addo administration has been able to achieve by digitizing sectors in the economy.

He spoke on the theme: “Transforming An Economy Through Digitization; The Ghana Story”.

Dr. Kwame Nkrumah is Ghana’s first president who saw the development and industrialization of the West African country after independence.

Defence Lawyers in the ongoing treason trial involving ten persons have prayed the Accra High Court to out rightly reject the recordings done by the star prosecution witness.

Some of their reasons were the fact that the over 70 videos’ dates, times, places and situations varied, stating that whilst the time on the recordings indicated 2013, the alleged offence occurred between 2018 and 2019.

Victor Kwajoga Adawudu, counsel for four of the accused persons, said the prosecution (investigators) breached the constitution, in that they did not secure a court warrant before doing the secret recordings.

Again, he said that the recordings violated the fundamental human rights of the accused persons because they were obtained in violation of their rights as they were secretly recorded.

Mr Adawudu noted that some of the contents were irrelevant to the matter before the Court, citing a portion of one of the videos where a third party was recorded as part of the video when he called one of the accused persons, though nobody gave the permission for the recording.

The various recordings, he said, which talked about different roles played by some of the accused persons must be separated and analysed differently and not to be put together on one hard drive as done by prosecution, saying that every bit and piece must meet the admissibility criteria.

Anthony Lartey, Counsel for Johannes Zikpi, who associated himself with the mentioned submissions, also said the recordings were not authentic (had been tampered, that is manipulated with through editing or alteration) and not original because they were not in their raw footage form, unedited of what was allegedly recorded by the prosecution’s star witness- Staff Sergeant Sule Awarf.

He explained that to render the recordings admissible, Prosecution was under duty to produce the original, unmanipulated, unedited recordings whereas the Court was also entitled to examine the original recordings, stressing that those before the Court must be rejected in the interest of justice.

Bede Tuuku, Counsel for Lance Corporal Ali Solomon, also associated himself with the objections raised and added that the exhibits sought to be tendered in court were not from proper custody, saying that Staff Sergeant Awarf was not even privy to the content because he only sent the recordings to Colonel Amponsah, (in charge of the Military Academy Training School and first prosecution witness in the case) who in turn downloaded and accessed the contents without him (Sule) knowing the content.

The rest of the lawyers associated themselves with the submissions made by their colleagues.

In a rebuttal, Yvonne Attakorah Obuobisa, Director for Public Prosecution (DPP), prayed the Court to accept the recordings as evidence without which prosecution’s case would be jeopardised.

She emphasised that the materials were relevant and must be admitted because they had witness and the witness had also talked about all the facts in them important to help determine the case.

The right to privacy is not absolute. It can be infringed upon in the interest of the state, she said.

The DPP argued that the information was original and was not recorded in 2013 but between 2018 and 2019, it was procured by the Ghana Armed Forces and the original date was the same registered when it was first used.

With the authenticity, she said the chain of custody had not been broken which made the recordings original, witnesses identified them as well as Staff Sergeant Awarf having knowledge of the contents.

Dr Frederick Yao Mac Palm, Donyo Kafui, alias Ezor, Bright Alan Debrah, alias BB, Johannes Zikpi, Colonel Samuel Kojo Gameli, Warrant Officer Class Two Esther Saan, Corporal Seidu Abubakar, Lance Corporal Ali Solomon, Corporal Sylvester Akanpewe, Assistant Commissioner of Police Benjamin Kwasi Agordzo have been charged for varied offences such as conspiracy to commit crime, high treason, abetment of crime and possession of arms.

They have denied the charges and are being tried by a three-member-judge panel.

GNA

National Democratic Congress (NDC) National Communications Director Sammy Gyamfi has described the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) as a celebrity IGP who is only interested in media hype and not doing the real work.

This description comes after a report by the Ghana News Agency indicates that violent crimes in Ghana were up by 20%.

Sammy Gyamfi argues that the current IGP instead of fighting crime in Ghana has rather focused on hounding political opponents of the current government; a move he sees as sickening and worrying.

“The rate of violent crimes in Ghana has reached alarming levels in recent time. Yet, our new IGP is busy hounding political opponents, Pastors, socialites and musicians over less weightier matters, while real criminals are having a field day.”

To him, this Inspector-General of Police is only good at clamouring attention to himself but the real work on the grounds continue to suffer.

“This is what happens when you have a celebrity IGP who is only interested in media hype; a people who are easily hoodwinked by publicity stunts; and a #SerwaahBroniGov’t that majors in the minors,” the NDC communications director said in a tweet.

Ghana News Agency Report

The Ghana Public Safety and Crime Report has said that violent crimes went up from 183 in 2020 to 220 from January to June 2021, representing a 20 per cent increase.

This was contained in a report assessing crime wave in the country which indicates that the top five most reported violent crimes were murder or manslaughter, armed robbery, assault, burglary and suicide.

Nana Yaw Akwada, Chief of Party at the Bureau of Public Safety (BPS) at the presentation of the report said firearms use in the commission of violent crimes had increased by 79 percent over the same period compared to 2020.

“Seventy-four per cent of reported armed robbery cases involved the use of firearms, while 20 percent of homicides involved firearm use. More than 80 per cent of violent crimes occurred outside of the place of abode or homes of victims; these included roads and highways, offices, business or trade spaces, places of worship, and other transitional spaces.https://e2a6a14c8657817a038fd89bf964bb4d.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

“More than 95 per cent of armed robbery incidents occurred outside of home, and 76 per cent of murder or manslaughter cases were reported to have occurred out of home. Violent crime deaths reportedly increased from 134 in 2020 to 171 in 2021 representing a 28 percent increase,” he said.

Nana Akwada said Central region recorded most suicide cases of six out of a total of 21 cases for the period in 2021, representing 29 per cent of suicides reported across the country; followed by the Greater Accra region with 14 per cent of such cases.

He said most armed robbery incidents occurred in the Greater Accra region forming 24 percent of all armed robberies with the Ashanti region following with 16 percent of incidents.

“Fifty per cent of all property crimes reported for the period occurred in the Greater Accra. More females (59 percent) were reported as victims to murder or manslaughter cases, while 81 percent of males were reported as victims of armed robbery events,” he said.

Source: mynewsgh.com

Former President John Dramani Mahama has said that there is no doubt that these are very challenging and unprecedented times
for Africa and the rest of the world.

However, he said, despite all the challenges and heartbreaks this pandemic has ushered humanity to, when the pandemic is finally over, one sanitary practice that will remain for sure will be the washing of hands more often or the use of hand sanitisers.

He noted that admittedly, COVID-19 is one of many challenges that has aggravated Africa’s vulnerabilities and exacerbated existing development challenges. COVID is impacting and impeding the previously steady progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), whose target date is only eight years away.

Mr Mahama said this in his opening remarks at the African Economic Congress 2021 on the theme ‘Accelerate Africa: Building Back Better’.

He said “So soon, COVID is in its 2nd year! This is why we must thank Nancy and her team for the initiative to put together the African Economic Congress (AEC).

“I missed my first opportunity to join the deliberations because of other commitments. I am glad for yet another invitation, this year, on the theme “Accelerate Africa: Building Back Better”.

“The theme for this year’s programme offers an opportunity to reflect on our collective response so that we can build resilience during future pandemics. Additionally, it provides options to reset our economic progress by leveraging the inclusiveness exhibited during the crisis.

“I am happy to announce that an Independent Global Health Panel that I am honoured to be part of, is advocating the establishment of a Global Public Health Convention that will ensure adequate Pandemic Preparedness and Response.”

By Laud Nartey|3news.com|Ghana

A former Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Koku Anyidoho, has asked former Finance Minister Dr Kwabena Duffuor to go ahead and attempt to lead the NDC into the next general elections as flagbearer if he has the interest.

Dr Duffuor who is also a former Governor of the Bank of Ghana is seen a video canvassing for more supporters for the NDC.

In a one-minute 21 seconds video making the rounds on some TV stations and online platforms, Dr Duffuor asks “What does the NDC mean to you?”

The video ends with the founder of the defunct Unibank saying “What the NDC means to me is that everyone in this country will have an opportunity to achieve the Ghanaian dream.”

Claims are that he has an interest in the flagbearer position of the main opposition party ahead of the 2024 general elections.

Koku Anidoho

Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Atta-Mills Institute, Samuel Koku Anyidoho is beginning to expose how his political party, National Democratic Congress (NDC) accepted that Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo genuinely won 2020 elections but behaving contrary in the public eyes for sympathy.

The NDC demanded for refund of the monies filed for their presidential candidate, John Dramani Mahama, the immediate past Deputy General of the NDC said.

According to the laws, filing fee for presidential candidates was only a deposit per a benchmark set by EC and would be refunded to candidates who polled 25 per cent of valid votes cast in the presidential election.

Per regulations 8 (1b) of C.I 127, “a candidate for presidential and parliamentary elections shall, at the time of nomination of the candidate, deposit or cause to be deposited an amount of money determined by the EC”.

Regulation 46 (1) of C.I 127 states that “Subject to regulation 13, a deposit made by a candidate under this Regulations, shall as soon as practicable after the results of an election is declared, be:

a) Returned to the candidate or the personal representative of the candidates, or b) forfeited to the state.

This according to one of the series of tweets on Friday October 29, 2021 by the Immediate-Past NDC Deputy General Secretary that “So, they accepted the EC’s announced results, & went ahead to demand for a refund of their monies? So, they have collected the refund and “chopped” and are Deceiving the Footsoldiers? I weep for my NDC!”

The statement made on social media by Koku Anyihodo indicating that the opposition wrote to the EC for refund indicates that they have accepted defeat of the 2020 elections.

Former Presidential Aide & Head of Communications, Office of the President, Ghana was of the view that his former boss, Johnson Asiedu-Nketiah is a dangerous man as far as the democracy of Ghana is concerned.

He therefore asked Asiedu Nketia to dare him to expose his letter written to the EC demanding for refund of their monies.

“I want, Asiedu-Nketiah, to dare me to expose his letter to the EC, demanding for the refund of monies based on his tacit acceptance of the 2020 General Election,” he continued.

Touching on matters concerning his party, Koku Anyidoho advised the NDC to get rid of its General Secretary for the betterment of the party.

“If the NDC does not get rid of, Johnson Kwadwo Asiedu-Nketiah, the NDC, Shall die! Let Asiedu-Nketiah account for monies he has received on behalf of the NDC from the EC,” he stated in another tweet.

The Ghana Police Service must update the country on the case involving some persons who were arrested with already-thumb-printed ballot papers during the 2020 polls, the Director of Elections of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, has demanded.

Mr Ankrah told Joshua Kojo Mensah on Class91.3FM’s 505 news programme on Thursday, 28 October 2021 that “these are matters that are already in the public domain”, adding: “Indeed, if you have an IGP, who is very proactive and is arresting people for brandishing guns on social media, for which, I think, he deserves commendation – arresting people for misdemeanours, for which he deserves commendation – then all those grievous issues that occurred during the elections should also be given priority”.

Indeed, he said: “I think it’s important to look at the issues in their context”, explaining: “If you saw some of the pictures and videos, the gentleman who was arrested in Ejura with already-thumb-printed ballot papers, thumb-printed for Nana Akufo-Addo, was arrested by members of the Ghana Police Service”.

“I think it’s important to know what the Ghana Police Service is doing with that case because a proper investigation will then unravel where he got those already thumb-printed ballot papers which had the official validating stamp of the EC”, he noted.

That then, Mr Ankrah contended, “will lead to all these other matters”.

“So, I think it’s a no-brainer that these issues are already in the system”, he stressed.

He said: “However, because Dr Bossman Asare came out recently and pretended, in the face of overwhelming documentary video evidence, that these things did not occur and he said that they were going to report to the police, we are taking up that challenge”.

“Should the police say they have not seen those things, we’ll give them the benefit of the doubt and supply them with all that information and more and then they should tell us how far they’ve gone with the persons that were arrested with the thumb-printed ballot papers, those that were disposed of by us with their support – the police were part of the team that supervised the burning of the one million ballot papers and the National [Intelligence] Bureau”.

A few days ago, the Electoral Commission asked the Ghana Police Service to investigate a claim by former president John Mahama that the election management body secretly thumb-printed some ballot papers which were used to pad the results in favour of the governing New Patriotic Party in the 2020 polls.

Deputy Chairman of the EC in charge of Corporate Affairs, Dr Eric Bossman Asare, told journalists at a press conference on Monday, 25 October 2021 that: “The former president has said that the EC thumb-printed one million ballot papers in favour of the President of the Republic. This is untrue”.

“This is not a matter that should be ignored, and we call on the Ghana Police Service to investigate it,” Dr Bossman Asare added.

“This is a great matter that undermines the credibility of the electoral process and should not be ignored. We call on him to provide evidence to support this claim,” he challenged.

According to Dr Bossman, “the transparency of our process makes it totally impossible for this to happen”, explaining: “The ballots cast are cross-checked against the list of the number of voters who were verified and issued with ballot papers”.

Also, he said: “Nationwide, we had no issue of overvoting at all the 38,620 polling stations except in Savelugu in the parliamentary election where there was one over voting”.

“The police should investigate this as a matter of urgency due to its potential to derail and undermine our democracy and lead to a lack of confidence in our system and processes,” Dr Bossman Asare noted.

Two weeks ago, Mr Mahama said some 1 million extra ballot papers which were printed for the 2020 general elections, were thumb-printed in favour of the governing New Patriotic Party and stuffed during last year’s polls.https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-4549410436183225&output=html&h=250&slotname=4705176708&adk=1921530005&adf=2732832048&pi=t.ma~as.4705176708&w=300&lmt=1635627046&psa=0&format=300×250&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmobile.classfmonline.com%2Fnews%2Fpolitics%2F2020-polls-Afriyie-Ankrah-demands-police-update-on-busted-ballot-paper-thumb-printers-28161&flash=0&wgl=1&dt=1635627045519&bpp=4&bdt=6589&idt=806&shv=r20211026&mjsv=m202110270101&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&prev_fmts=0x0%2C300x250%2C300x250%2C300x250%2C300x250&nras=1&correlator=3624825942753&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=1902275594.1635627046&ga_sid=1635627046&ga_hid=731600838&ga_fc=0&u_tz=0&u_his=1&u_h=892&u_w=412&u_ah=892&u_aw=412&u_cd=24&adx=56&ady=5005&biw=412&bih=797&scr_x=0&scr_y=3054&eid=31062944%2C31063294%2C31063307%2C31063330%2C31063166%2C31063182%2C31060475&oid=2&pvsid=1532616115154776&pem=819&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fm.facebook.com%2F&eae=0&fc=1920&brdim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C412%2C0%2C412%2C797%2C412%2C797&vis=1&rsz=%7C%7CEebr%7C&abl=CS&pfx=0&alvm=r20211027&fu=0&bc=31&ifi=6&uci=a!6&btvi=2&fsb=1&xpc=mYXVUbhEx7&p=https%3A//mobile.classfmonline.com&dtd=831

“More than one million extra ballot papers were printed, which the EC claimed happened by mistake but on the day of the elections, some of the more than one million extra ballot papers had already been secretly thumb-printed in favour of the NPP”, Mr Mahama alleged when he addressed the Divisional Chief of Prestea Himan, Nana Nteboah Prah, recently, as part of his Thank You tour of the Western Region.

“And, so, all these things dented the credibility of the polls and caused an embarrassment”, the 2020 flag bearer of the main opposition National Democratic Congress said.

He noted that it was important that everybody felt satisfied with the results of any election but fudging results stir up a lot of suspicion.

Mr Mahama also complained that the way the Supreme Court dealt with his election petition case was not fair. Responding to a recent assertion by the Chair of the Electoral Commission, Mrs Jean Mensa, that the 2020 polls were the best-ever for Ghana, Mr Mahama said: “I heard her [Jean Mensa] say ‘it’s the best election Ghana has ever had’ and yet you run away from scrutiny at the Supreme Court”.

“So, how do you boast that ‘it’s the best election has ever had?’”

“If you believed it’s the best election Ghana had, then you should have mounted the witness box to be interrogated for everyone to ascertain that fact

The pollster Ben Ephson has lashed out at the former president John Mahama over his failure to present allegations of ballot box stuffing in the 2020 elections during the 2021 Supreme Court election petition hearing.

Speaking in an interview on his “thank you” tour of the Western Region, Mahama said: “The 2020 election is one of the worst elections organised since 1992.

“Tell me which election in Ghana was ballot papers printed, yet one million ballot papers were found elsewhere … We didn’t witness this under Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan. She [Jean Mensa] knew there was ballot stuffing.”

Reacting to the claims after the National Democratic Congress (NDC) accepted a call by the Electoral Commission for the police to probe the allegation, Ephson said the largest opposition party must move on because the 2020 polls are over.

“I think that John Mahama is being unfair to his party,” the pollster told the sit-in host of The Asaase Breakfast Show Beatrice Adu on Friday (29 October).

“You had the opportunity to challenge the results at the Supreme Court. And what is happening now, if he had added … that: ‘My Lords, I’ve this evidence of a million ballots,’ I’m sure the Supreme Court would have ordered the police to investigate within two weeks. He did not do that.”

Sealed and finished
Ephson said disputes relating to the presidential results in the 2020 general election are done and dusted.

He added: “The court has ruled, [but] once you keep doing this, what are you doing to yourself? The 2020 results are sealed and finished.

“I don’t think you’re energising your base with this. He [Mahama] should look ahead, because there is nothing they can do to reverse the results.

“Mahama has been misguided in all this by some of his advisors. He’s not listening to the general views.

“If the NDC’s aim is to discredit the EC I believe it’s not going to wash. The nature of the NDC is a bit far remote from their grass roots.”

Source: asaaseradio.com

The chances of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) winning the 2024 general elections is largely dependent on contesting with a united front, some leading members of the Party have stated.

They believe the Party remains the best choice for Ghanaians based on its track record, but any internal wrangling ahead of the elections could hurt the Party’s quest to win three consecutive elections for the first time under the Fourth Republic.××

Various speakers at the Party’s Ashanti Regional Annual Delegates’ Conference at Akyawkrom in the Ejisu Municipality, underlined the need for members to work towards party unity, so as to be able to maintain power to continue to improve the lives of the good people of Ghana.

They particularly, spoke against character assassination as various aspirants for executive positions laced their boots for the internal contests.

Ashanti Regional Chairman of the Party, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, said contestants must not see opponents as enemies, because they were all seeking to serve the same party.

He entreated all contestants to be decorous in their campaigns by telling the delegates what they could do to improve the fortunes of the party rather than attacking fellow contestants.

“This is an internal contest and I believe we all mean well for the party, so let us desist from attacking our opponents in the interest of party unity,” Mr. Antwi Boasiako advised.

Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei-Mensah, also stressed the need to unite the Party from the grass root to the national level.

He said much as the NPP stood a better chance of winning the 2024 elections, the Party needed to work hard to unite all factions and address the grievances of the grass roots to secure a resounding victory.

“Let us make sure resources are equitably distributed especially to the grass root, which is the base of the Party to be energised for the task ahead,” the Regional Minister suggested.

He also spoke of the need to put together strong communication teams to propagate the impact of all the good policies being implemented by the government.

General Secretary of the Party John Boadu, called for renewed efforts from members of the Party at all levels to prosecute a good campaign to retain power.

He urged them to take active part in the membership drive currently ongoing at the polling station level, saying it was the first step towards winning the next election

• Kwesi Pratt claims Henry Quartey‘s constituency has been engulfed with sanitation challenges

• He says the minister has not shown desire to deal with the situation

• He is not impressed by his exploits so far

The Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, has explained why he is yet to be impressed by the actions of Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey.

Pratt says unlike some Ghanaians who have been wowed by the innovations of the Minister, he still has reservations about the genuineness of his actions.

Pratt’s skepticism about Henry Quartey is premised on what he perceives to be the lack of implementation of those actions in the minister’s constituency.

Pratt stated on Metro TV that while Henry Quartey is enforcing the law in other constituencies, his area which is Ayawaso Central is engulfed with same challenges.

He cited an example of ‘dirty banners’ of Henry Quartey littered in the streets of Alajo to buttress his view.

Kwesi Pratt says until he sees those same changes in Henry Quartey’s backyard he will not join the bandwagon of praises.

“From the very beginning I stated that I’m not one of those enthused by what the Greater Accra Regional Minister is doing. I said I was waiting to see if what he is doing in Adenta, Tudu and those areas would be done in his own constituency which is Ayawaso Central and I have been watching very closely.

“I drive through Alajo a lot and if you drive through, his own torn banners and posters which have become an eyesore are still hanging there. All the electricity wires have his banners which are dirty and nobody is cleaning them. Why is the exercise not being carried with vigour in Ayawaso Central?

“Why is the exercise being carried in Tudu, Adenta, Kpone and other places and not Alajo. If the exercise is good for all, it must happen in every constituency. That for me is a problem,” he said.

Kwesi Pratt also asked the minister and the government to consider some of the concerns raised by the Ranking Member of Parliament’s Transport Committee, Kwame Agbodza.

Agbodza is arguing that Henry Quartey is not clothed with the powers to ban tricycles in Accra.

His claim has been rejected by Henry Quartey but Pratt who supports the move wants more stakeholder engagement on the matter.

“The issues about legality raised by the minority are worthy of consideration. The other issue worthy of consideration are the needs the tricycles are fulfilling. Can you imagine Accra without these tricycles carrying rubbish? What would have been the state of waste in Accra.

”Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Former Central Regional Minister, Kwamena Duncan, has taken a swipe at Ex-President John Mahama who has accused the Electoral Commission (EC) of thumbprinting 1 million ballots for President Nana Akufo-Addo during the 2020 elections.null

The former President, who was the 2020 Presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), is reported as saying the EC used soldiers to cow his party’s polling agents at the collation centres and also stuffed ballots in favour of the President.

“2020 was Ghana’s worst election. If I was marking her, I would have given her an F. She is marking her own paper after the examination so she can give herself any mark she likes…Tell me which election in Ghana was ballot papers printed yet one million ballot papers were found elsewhere . . . We didn’t witness this under Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan. She [Jean Mensa] knew there was ballot stuffing,” the former President said in an interview quoted on 3news.com.

Kwamena Duncan, in response, finds Mr Mahama’s claims ridiculous as he wondered why he (Mahama) never forwarded such claims to the Supreme Court during his election petition case.

He read a constitutional provision that gives a 21-day period for any person who has an issue with the elections to file a case in the court to challenge the legitimacy of the winner, which President Mahama and his NDC did; however asking ”are you saying that, within 21 days after the declaration, you did not have this evidence? You did not have it?”https://77bc2be74f194bab25d9934058cdd2a3.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

“You’re worth your sort; you’re worth a political party, a former President that you had as many as 1 million stuffed in favour of your opponent and that did not come to your attention the 21-day period. It didn’t come to your attention to enable put all of that together to go to the Supreme Court and challenge it,” he was alarmed.

To him, what Ex-President Mahama seeks to do is to have power at all cost, hence resorting to making wild allegations against the EC.

“For their cause, it is either our power or nothing. For President Mahama’s cause, for the NDC cause, it is either we have the power whichever means even if this country will come crushing.”

Kwamena Duncan made these submissions on Peace FM’s flagship programme ”Kokrokoo”

Source: peacefmonline.com

Members of Parliament from the Volta Region have asked President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to apologise to the Paramount Chief of Aflao, Torgbui Adzonugaga Amenya Fiti, over the way and manner he responded to the traditional ruler.

Lawmaker for Ketu South, Dzifa Gomashie, speaking at a press conference on  Thursday October 28 said the President’s comment was affront to the entire Volta region hence he must retract those comments.

“The respected traditional ruler merely advocated for  an abandoned E-block in his community to be completed so his people will have fair access to education as citizens. As a bonafide tax payer that wasn’t too much to ask.

“Torgbui Fiti deserves praise for prioritising education by speaking up against the culture of abandoning inherited project.  He does not deserve such disrespect from the President of the Republic of Ghana.

“The president’s conduct which we do not see him exhibit against Chiefs from other parts of the country is a total affront to the entire Volta region and the Aflao Traditional area in particular.

“We demand d retraction and apology from the president.”

Minority members on the Education Committee of Parliament visited uncompleted projects in some parts of the country. They visited was in Aflao in the Volta region.

Over there they met the Paramount Chief Torgbui Adzonugaga Amenya Fiti, who then raised issues against the failure to finish the project and further gave the government a four-month ultimatum to open the e-block community day senior high school which in his view, has stalled since 2016.

The ¢9 million project which was part of some 200 classroom blocks the erstwhile Mahama administration started was supposed to have some 26 classrooms attached and 5 departments including a science block.

Torgbui Adzonugaga Amenya Fiti speaking with the Minority side of the Education Committee who toured the uncompleted school buildings in the Ketu South constituency says, government’s approach to education is appalling.

“After senior high school education, the next degree that my people have to do is to go to border and go and do kayayo, no school.

“The only school that we have is the RC Senior High School that belongs to the Catholic Mission Minor Seminary. So this thick population have no place to go and people sit down in that big hall called parliament and not thinking about Aflao, a place after the Tema Harbour, the next revenue generation is from the Aflao border.

“I had to push the former President Mahama for the structure to be constructed over there. I had to be running from here to Accra begging.  Should we beg for education?”

In response to the Chief’s comment, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo who was not happy with the ultimatum given by the Chief,  in a sarcastic manner, asked the Chief to complete E-block by himself.

The President said most of the E-block projects started by the Mahama administration have been completed by his government. Others are also at various stages of completion, he said.

He said on Accra-based Peace FM Thursday, October 21 that “Many of the E-blocks are being worked on across the country.

“Is he [Aflao Chief] the one to give the minister ultimatum then he should go ahead and complete the project

He noted the Supreme Court is not prepared to protect the integrity of the 1992 Constitution.

General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, has stated that, the Supreme Court of Ghana is not ready to protect the country’s democracy.

Speaking on The Pulse on JoyNews on Wednesday October 27, 2021, he noted the Supreme Court is not prepared to protect the integrity of the 1992 Constitution. 

According to him, the court has shown this in many instances like the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election that the EC scheduled 72 days after the demise of the MP.

The court according to him did nothing about the violation when the NDC presented the issue before them.

“When there is a by-election, occasioned by death of a candidate the by-election must be held within 16 days black and white in the Constitution. If it is occasioned by resignation, the by-election must be held within 30 days. Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election happened and Electoral Commission proceeded to fix a date 72 days after the occurrence of the vacancy. We took the matter to the Supreme Court what did the court say?”

He added that the issue about our democracy is not about a bad Electoral Commission but an “ailing court” and that all evidence proves that the 2020 general elections were the worst.

Meanwhile, the NDC is set to hold a press conference today, October 28 to address more of the issues raised during the press conference held by the Electoral Commission on October 26.

Source: Myjoyonline.com

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has served notice that the 2024 general elections will be different from all other elections that have been held in this country.

According to the Director of Elections of the NDC, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, the party will no longer resort to the courts to settle any election dispute.

Speaking in an interview on Accra based Joy FM, Mr. Ankrah said despite their loss in court, they are still convinced the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the Electoral Commission (EC) colluded to rig the 2020 general elections.

“So if you have a Supreme Court that will not create the conditions for the truth to come out, no wonder they’ll come out to say that it was very transparent despite the issues that went on. That is why we are saying that okay, 2024, we have learned our lessons, and we’ll not go to court. We’ll settle it. Whatever, anyway, anyhow …” Mr. Afriyie Ankrah remarked.

His comment was in response to a press conference by the Deputy Commissioner of the EC, Bossman Asare on some allegations made against the EC by flagbearer of the NDC, John Dramani Mahama.

Bossman Asare described as ‘false’ all the claims by John Mahama and dared him to produce evidence to back same. He called for John Mahama to provide evidence to his allegations and asked the Police to investigate those allegations.

”The Former President has said the EC thumb printed 1million ballots in favour of the president. This is untrue. This is a grave matter that undermines the credibility of our electoral process and should not be ignored. We call on him to provide evidence to support his claim. This is not a matter to be ignored and we call on the Ghana Police Service to investigate this,” the Commission insisted.

John Mahama and the NDC contested the 2020 elections at the Supreme Court, however, in a unanimous decision, the court upheld the results as announced by the EC.

The National Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi, has lashed out at the former Member of Parliament for Ledzokuku, Bernard Okoe-Boye, over what he says are attempts to paint the NDC with the same brush as the NPP in terms of abandoning of projects.

According to him, the current New Patriotic Party continues to prove how much they are not ready to continue projects that they inherited from the previous administration.

He spoke on the Saturday, October 23, 2021, edition of NewsFile on the JoyNews channel, monitored by GhanaWeb.

“They have come into office: these E-blocks we are talking about, I can give you a list of 50 E-blocks they have abandoned. And this issue that Okoe Boye is raising that even though the promise was in 2012, we started in 2014 and we didn’t finish all, and so what?

“We made the promise in 2012 as part of a campaign, we took office 2013, construction started in 2014. Now, we awarded 124, fully completed 46 and your own handing over notes bares that one out. You promised to build 350 secondary schools, you are in your fifth year, you’ve not built one,” he said.

Sammy Gyamfi also stated how shameful a thing it is for the former deputy minister of Health to try to justify the failure of his government, stressing that it is hypocrisy.null

“You have no shame. You are rather attacking a government that promised 200, awarded 124, completed 46, with the rest at different levels of completion. What kind of hypocrisy is this?” he quizzed.

The Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government has promised to construct a number of buildings for both education and the health sector.

One of such is the government’s Agenda 111 project which is to see to the construction of 111 hospitals across the country.

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has thrown a subtle jab at Former President John Dramani Mahama over the latter’s thank you tour of the country after the 2020 general elections.

Both Messrs Akufo-Addo and Mahama are currently touring parts of the country.

Whereas Mr Akufo-Addo is inspecting and commissioning projects, the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is also thanking the people of the country for the support they gave to him during the polls.

Asked what his message has been while touring the country, Mr Akufo-Akufo-Addo said among other things on Accra-based Peace FM Thursday October 21 that “I’m going round inspecting road projects, schools, hospitals, how far ? What are their problems? The response of the people which then help shape the conversations of the government and policy direction.”

“I am also thanking the people for their votes especially Greater Accra, 2020 was not what we had hoped for, we lost some more seats , at least seven. But nevertheless, we have the substantial votes here so it is important that I also thank them for the expression of confidence. Even people who lost the elections are going round thanking people.”

Touching on some of the works he has done so far, he said that his administration has performed well in the road sector of the economy.

He stated that the government is expanding the road network considerably.

However, Mr Akufo-Addo, said there is still more to be done to give the country modern road network.

He said “In the first four years the amount of road coverage that has taken place, we are expanding the road network considerably.

“It is obvious even here in Accra you can see the road works that are going on and we are seeing it all over the country.

“It is by no means enough, we still have more to do to give our country the modern  road network  which it deserves  but we are on it.

“For me that is the encouraging aspect of my period as the president, serious efforts are being made to tackle some of the problems, not all will be resolved in my time

The National Chairman of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, has warned persons campaigning to unseat incumbent MPs of the party, to desist from such acts or face disciplinary action.

According to Mr Ofosu-Ampofo, it is anti-party for any person to begin campaigning when the party has not opened nominations to that effect.

He said the NDC will not countenance such divisiveness in the party.

Speaking with party stakeholders in the Oti Region during former President John Mahama’s ‘Thank You’ tour, Mr Ofosu-Ampofo noted that the party will not prevent anybody from pursuing their ambitions but timing, in his view, was key.

“Some of our MPs are not even a year old in parliament; they have a four-year mandate but people have started campaigning for their seats”.

“It is not acceptable,” he said.

“Those activities are classified as anti-party activities and they are punishable by law in the NDC constitution”, he warned.

“So, whoever campaigns when we have not opened nominations, we’ve not said we want any MP anywhere, if you’re fished out, we will use the party’s constitution to discipline you…” he warned.

Mr Ofosu-Ampofo noted that he will support any disciplinary action against people who want to foment trouble and divide the party.

“I’m not saying nobody should pursue their ambition but there’s time for everything,” he added

The Chief of the Challa traditional area in the Oti Region, Nana Kennewu Chederi II, has said the 2024 presidential election is former president John Mahama’s for the taking.

The chief described Mr Mahama as a God-fearing person who, for the sake of Ghana’s prevailing peace, refused to hold onto power in the 2020 election, although, in his view, the polls were “shamefully stolen”.

For this reason, Nana Kennewu Chederi II said the people of the Oti Region “love and respect you because of your values, your charisma, openness, honesty, tolerance and humility and God-fearing attitude.”

Speaking to Mr Mahama and top officials of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) when the former President paid a courtesy call on the chiefs and queen mothers of the region, as part of his ‘Thank You’ tour, Nana Kennewu Chederi II said: “Mr Mahama, if you were not to be God-fearing, and had chosen to cling tenaciously to the tenets of power, you would have unexpectedly plunged this dear nation of ours, into an unparalleled state of pandemonium or simply into a state of higgledy-piggledy which would have been too nasty to contemplate when the people’s verdict in the 2020 general election was simply trodden upon and shamefully stolen.”

“Mr Mahama, bear in mind that during your term of office as the president of Ghana, a couple of years back, as the people’s dear president, Ghana was revered as the icon of democracy and the oasis of peace in Africa. Is it so today?” he quizzed.

The chief expressed confidence that Mr Mahama will win the 2024 election “with the unflinching support of the stalwarts of the great NDC and the numerous loyal activists and supporters of the country”.

He further said it was “nonsensical” for critics to have misinterpreted Mr Mahama’s ‘do or die’ statement in relation to the 2024 election as a call for bloodshed.

“When last you made mention of ‘do or die’, your detractors hastily arrived at the conclusion that that was a sanguinary language and that you may turn to be a sanguinary ruler”.https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-4549410436183225&output=html&h=250&slotname=4705176708&adk=1921530005&adf=520316108&pi=t.ma~as.4705176708&w=300&lmt=1634732297&psa=0&format=300×250&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmobile.classfmonline.com%2Fnews%2Fpolitics%2F2024-presidency-yours-Chief-to-Mahama-27909&flash=0&wgl=1&dt=1634732295445&bpp=3&bdt=2195&idt=2346&shv=r20211018&mjsv=m202110130101&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&prev_fmts=0x0%2C300x250%2C300x250&nras=1&correlator=1586700248898&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=863812952.1634732297&ga_sid=1634732298&ga_hid=319737993&ga_fc=0&u_tz=0&u_his=1&u_h=892&u_w=412&u_ah=892&u_aw=412&u_cd=24&adx=56&ady=2659&biw=412&bih=797&scr_x=0&scr_y=0&eid=31062579%2C31060475&oid=2&pvsid=4480660473964394&pem=616&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fm.facebook.com%2F&eae=0&fc=1920&brdim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C412%2C0%2C412%2C797%2C412%2C797&vis=1&rsz=%7C%7CEebr%7C&abl=CS&pfx=0&fu=0&bc=31&ifi=4&uci=a!4&btvi=2&fsb=1&xpc=NwI2p0jo74&p=https%3A//mobile.classfmonline.com&dtd=2388

“Please don’t take into consideration that nonsensical remark. When you were the president a short while ago, how many people did you kill?”

“How many soldiers did you send to the polling stations during election time to terrorise and kill? You have the right to express your views,” Nana Kennewu Chederi II stated.

The chief, who described the 2020 NDC flag bearer as Ghana’s Lee Kwan Yew, Ghana’s Obama and Ghana’s Mao Tse Tung, expressed gladness with Mr Mahama’s stance on LGBTQ+.

“Your excellency, your stance on LGBTQ+ as well as that of your predecessor is well known and unambiguous, appreciative and admirable because you have taken into consideration, the societal norms of the people you represent – down with Greek aid

John Dramani Mahama (R) and Togbe Afede XIV

Former President John Dramani Mahama has launched a scathing attack on the leadership of the National House of Chiefs; describing the house as one without a voice.××

In what appeared to be pitching the current national house of chiefs’ president, Nana Ogyeahohoo Yaw Gyebi II against his predecessor, Togbe Afede XIV, Mr. Mahama said ever since the latter’s tenure ended in November 2020, the voice of the house has muted.

He described the situation as unfortunate and hoped that the National House of Chiefs which constitutes very prominent chiefs across the country and represents the authentic voice of the masses will be bold to speak truth to power.

The NDC Flagbearer in the 2020 elections made the assertion in Ho, when he and his national executives paid a curtesy call on Togbe Afede XIV, the Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State last Monday; October 18, 2021.

The interaction was part of the one-day “Thank You” tour of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) flag bearer after he lost the 2020 elections.

Togbe Afede became the President of the National House of Chiefs in 2016. After his first term, he hoped to get a second term in November 2020, but lost to Nana Ogyeahohoo Yaw Gyebi II, Paramount Chief of Sefwi Anhwiaso in the Western Region.

Prior to the election, the two chiefs had been on a collision course when Togbe Afede’s administration removed Ogyeahohoo from his positon as the Chairman of the Governance and Development Committee of the House. He was removed for disagreeing with what Togbe Afede said was the unanimous position of the National House on some national issues.

That notwithstanding, Mr. Mahama paid glowing tributes to Togbe Afede for being consistently frank, bold and firm on national issues while he was President of the National House of Chiefs.

He said “We admired your frankness and boldness when you were President of the National House of Chiefs. Since you left the voice of that house on national affairs is muted.

That is the truth. There are a lot of things that are going wrong in this country and the house of chiefs is silent.”

He described traditional leaders as the last hope of the country’s discerning voice, hence wondered why the Chiefs have been silent on the hardships being faced by the populace.

He observed that “Times are hard. You the chiefs are the ones who are the grassroots to the people. You know the hardship that the people are going through. You must be bold and talk.”

The former President also alleged that many pastors have also lost their voice on national issues for fear of intimidation by the government and its assigns.

To this end, if all voices should be lost, it should not be the national House of Chiefs.

He was sure that if Togbe Afede was still the President of the national House of Chiefs the situation would have been different. “At a time like this if the house had a bold leader like you (Togbe Afede); I am sure you would have drawn the government’s attention to what is going on in the country, “he stressed.”

Nana Ogyeahohoo Yaw Gyebi II and Togbe Afede XIV

The NDC Party Chairman, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, and the General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, who also spoke at the Palace of Togbe Afede expressed similar sentiments.

They observed that Togbe Afede had expressed similar bold and frank sentiments before the 2016 elections, but they (the NDC government) ignored him and paid dearly for it.

They therefore extended an olive branch to Togbe Afede and the people of the region for the unflinching support and votes they gave the party in the recent general elections in December 2020

Allotey Jacobs is a former Regional Chairman of NDC

Former Central Regional Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Bernard Allotey Jacobs, has thrown his support to the debate as to whether the region prefers airports to fishing harbours at the coastal stretch of the region.

In justifying his conviction, he claims explained that the Accra-Cape Coast trunk road has become a death trap for commuters and that alone calls for an airport to be built in the Region.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as part of his tour to the region reiterated his promise to build an international airport in the Central Region capital of Cape Coast.

He told the Paramount Chief of the Oguaa Traditional Council, Osabarimba Kwesi Atta II, that all is set for the takeoff of the project as feasibility studies are near completion.

This has sparked a debate as to whether a coastal and agricultural region would prefer an airport to a harbor.

Reacting to the issue on 3FM’s Sunrise on Tuesday hosted by Alfred Ocansey, Mr. Allotey Jacobs who has been sacked from the NDC said “the people will prefer an airport to harbor because Cape Coast to Accra road has become a death trap”.

“There are a lot of accidents on the road and being a tourist destination, what Cape Coast needs is an airport and I am happy it is closer to my farms. It has been demarcated”.

Mr. Allotey Jacobs noted that “even the fishermen will prefer an airport. Where are you going to construct the fishing harbor? Cape Coast will prefer an airport that will promote tourism in the Region”.

According to him, one other reason the region needs an airport is the traffic situation on the main Accra-Cape Coast road.

“Passing through Budumburam on weekends will take you several hours. You get to Mankessim and it is also another headache. If the road had dual carriage, it’s beautiful but the reason is to promote the tourism of the central region. So that it will attract people from the diaspora”.

By Kweku Antwi-Otoo|3news.com|Ghana

Director of Communications for the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Hon. Yaw Buaben Asamoah, believes the Komenda Sugar Factory commissioned by former President John Dramani Mahama in May 2016 was a ploy to win the hearts of the people of Komenda in the Central Region.

According to him, the commissioning of the Komenda Sugar Factory was a “419” move that has cost the people of Komenda rather than benefiting them.

Hon. Yaw Buaben Asamoah was commenting on recent allegations by the former President that the Akufo-Addo government has deliberately failed to operationalise the factory, years after its grand commissioning in 2016.

Revamped & Shutdown

In May 2016, then President John Mahama inaugurated the revamped Komenda Sugar Factory in a move by his administration to restructure the economy and create jobs. However, it was closed in June 2016 barely a month after its inauguration for lack of raw materials to feed it.

The $35 million factory, built from an Indian EXIM Bank facility, has the capacity to crush 1,250 tonnes of sugarcane per day.

Envisioned to create more than 7,000 direct and indirect jobs, the factory was revamped to revive the local production of sugar, thereby reducing the importation of the commodity, but remains shut five years after it was inaugurated.

Indian Connection, Vision For Its Operationalisation

Mr Mahama, on a recent “Thank You tour” to the Central Region, accused the current government of purposefully allowing the factory to waste away, since they (NPP) could have applied for readily available funds from the Indian government to

“The Indian government offered to assist us with the project. We were to set up the factory first and later apply for a $24 million support for sugar cultivation from the Indian government. When this current government was elected, they indicated that the project was not among their priorities. Therefore, they didn’t apply for the funds…..

“I’m not that foolish to set up a factory and have no plan for the provision of raw materials. I knew what the vision was. It was to get the raw materials first, and when we start production, we would have already had a processing plant,” he added.

Mahama Didn’t Think Through Project

Reacting to this on Okay FM’s Ade Akye Abia Morning Show, Hon Buaben Asamoah, a former Member of Parliament for Adentan Constituency discounted Mr Mahama’s claims saying no such loan facility from the Indian government existed for the NPP administration to access to sustain the operations of the factory.

He also indicted the Mahama-led administration of failing to conduct any feasibility study to ascertain whether the soil can ensure optimum growth for the kind of sugar cane needed for production.

“There must be measures in place to get the kind of sugar canes that can be used to produce the quality sugar we require and looking at the factory, we will require at least 10,000 acres of land which can be used to produce the raw materials required to power the factory…..it will take 2 to 3 years to get the kind of sugar canes he [Mahama] talked about to power the factory….

“He commissioned the factory when he had not put any measures in place to keep the factory running for the benefit of the people of Komenda. So, if John Mahama says he is not a fool, then I will tell him that he didn’t think about it carefully before commissioning the Komenda Sugar Factory because there is nowhere you can build a house when you don’t have the materials for the building”, he jabbed.

Watch Video Below

https://www.youtube.com/embed/GbcLDJpaMv8

Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com

Former President John Mahama has hit back at the Director of Operations at the Presidency Lord Commey over his claim that the ruling New Patriotic Party will not hand over power to the opposition National Democratic Congress.

According to Mr Mahama, members of the ruling party are exhibiting arrogance of power with their comments and desire to hold on to power at all cost.

“What kind of democracy is NPP fostering in this country, when you listen to people like Lord Commey, It’s about power. It’s not about the welfare of the people, what is the meaning of that?

“This is the sovereign will of the people who elected you to serve. You know when arrogance of power sets in then you hear people speak so carelessly, and recklessly. I think it is most unfortunate. It’s been arrogance of power; he was quoting the President, the President said he is going to hand over power to an NPP President, he will hand over to someone he knows well; it is not your will it is God’s will and the will of the people,” Mr Mahama noted in an interview in the Volta region where he is currently embarking on his Thank you tour.

What Lord Commey said

Speaking on behalf of the President at a party conference last week, Mr Commey noted the President has every intention of handing over power to the next NPP flagbearer and not the opposition.

“I don’t care who becomes national chairman, I don’t care who becomes flagbearer, what I care is that the NPP continues to reign in this country. The power I have I will not hand it over today or tomorrow.

He charged NPP members at the grass-root level to work hard in ensuring that the NPP doesn’t make costly mistakes based on pettiness that would cause the party to hand over power

“Breaking the 8, it’s become a slogan. I don’t have any 8 to break. I am continuing; tell your friend, we are continuing…you are just scaring yourself as if there is something to break

“Many of the polling centres injected soldiers and forced the electoral officers to pronounce results that were not real,” John Mahama said.

Former President, John Dramani Mahama, claims the deployment of military personnel to collation centres forced some electoral officers to declare results in favour of the governing New Patriotic Party.

The former President says the 2020 election was not transparent, as touted by the Electoral Commission and government.

Speaking on Global FM in Ho during his “Thank You” tour to the Volta Region, the former president said, although the 2020 elections were manipulated in the NPP’s favour, there is hope for the NDC to win the 2024 elections.

“But for a lot of scheming that took place, the NDC would have won the election. I do believe that we did win, but a lot of things went untoward and so even though power did not come into our hands, it does not mean we do not have the prospects of winning.”

“We won the majority in Parliament, but you saw what happened on the day. Many of the polling centres injected soldiers and forced the electoral officers to pronounce results that were not real.”

Although there were 61 recorded cases of electoral and post-electoral violence across the country, the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Jean Mensa, has described the 2020 general election as historic, transparent, efficient, and cost-effective.

She has however urged the security agencies to make public the findings from the investigations conducted into the circumstances that led to the killing of seven persons during the 2020 general elections.

She pointed out the recommendations will make elections in subsequent years better.
“Sadly, seven lives were lost, and though these did not occur at our polling stations or arise as a result of misconduct on our part, one life lost is one too many. We are hoping that our security agencies will share their findings and recommendations for future learning”.

Source: Citinewsroom

• John Dramani Mahama is on a tour in the Volta region

• He said the NDC is re-organizing

• The former president will meet with traditional heads as well

John Dramani Mahama has stated that there is no disunity within his party, the National Democratic Congress.

According to him, several activities are being undertaken in the party to buy into this, as well as a comprehensive lineup of exercises to ensure that the party is ready for future assignments.

“Yes, our party is united. Our party’s front is strong and formidable, is working towards 2024. We’ve started the re-organisation as soon as we finished the Supreme Court case and the re-organization started here [referring to Ho], and then we started the post mortem: what went right, what went wrong, why did we lose this seat, how come won these seats, and we’ve built on those reports.

“The process of re-organization will start next year with branch elections, constituency elections, regional and national,” he said in an interview on Global FM in Ho and monitored by Kwesi tv 24

The former president is in the region as part of his Thank You tour of the country, just right after completing the same exercise in the Central region.

As part of the two-phased tour of the region, John Dramani Mahama will meet the Agbogbomefia, Togbe Afede XIV, and the Asogli Traditional Council.

He will also hold an interaction with religious leaders at Dela Cathedral, Ho Kpodzi.

Other activities lined up include a visit to the residence of late comrade Courage Worlasi Danku where he will commiserate with the family and sign a book of condolence in memory of the late Deputy Regional Youth Organizer at Sokode Gbagble.

Mr. Mahama will also meet party stakeholders at the G.M. Afeti Auditorium, Ho Technical University.

NPP respects rights of minority groups but won’t tolerate LGBTQI+ activities – John Boadu

The ruling New Patriotic Party, NPP, says it has no form of tolerance or whatsoever for activities of LGBTQI+ groups.

Speaking at the Eastern Regional Delegates Conference in Kyebi, General Secretary of the NPP, John Boadu said: “The NPP will not support the activities of the LGBTQI+ community. We respect the rights of the individuals but cannot support actions that are against our principles. But should there be a regulation, we would ensure that their rights are protected, but we will not support LGBTQI+ activities.”

Some Members of Parliament have sponsored a private member’s bill against LGBTQI activities dubbed: ‘Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021.’

The bill has generated some widespread conversation, with many expressing varied views about some clauses in the document.

Many persons and institutions have filed memoranda in support of the Bill and to help fine-tune it.

The Savanna arm of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has sacked some constituency executives in the region including the constituency chairmen for Salaga South and Daboya-Mankarigu.

A letter dated Thursday, 14 October 2021, and signed by Regional Secretary Salisu Be-Awuribe, announced the fate of Haruna Salifu and Alhaji Mohammed Mutala.

“Adverse findings were found against them by the Regional Disciplinary Committee to the effect that some of their actions in the constituency contravened some sections of Article 48 (8) of the party constitution”, the letter copied to the party’s National Chairman Samuel Ofosu Ampofo and General Secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketia, said.

“Consequently, in the exercise of the powers vested in the Regional Executive Committee of the party as per Article 48 (9) of the Constitution, the Regional Executive Committee at its meeting on the 7th of October 2021, resolved to relieve the above-named officers of their positions they once held in the Salaga South Constituency Executive Committee with immediate effect”, it added.

The party also expelled some other executives.

“The former Chairman, Mr Haruna Salifu and former Organiser, Mr Murtala Falalu have been barred from holding any executive position within the party for two years and one-and-a-half years, respectively while the former Communications Officer, Mr Abubakari Abu Omega, former Youth Organiser, Muazu Mamuda, and former Women Organiser, Madam Haruna Fuleraare, also barred from holding executive positions in the party for a year each,” one of the letters stated

“The NDC is a democratic party so all those who show interest and qualify to contest must be allowed to do so,” Mahama said.

Former President John Dramani Mahama has urged the leadership of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) not to hinder persons who want to become the party’s flabearer for the next general elections.

Addressing party stakeholders as part of his ‘Thank you’ tour in the Western Region on Thursday, October 14, 2021, Mahama said the party must rally behind any candidate who will emerge victorious after their primaries.

“From next year, we (NDC) will begin our branch, constituency, regional and national elections. From there we will do our flagbearership elections.”

“The NDC is a democratic party so all those who show interest and qualify to contest must be allowed to do so. We must all support whoever emerges victorious into the 2024 elections, and I am certain that God will give us victory,” he said.

Duffuor to contest NDC flagbearership?

There have been rumours about some senior members of the NDC lacing their boots to contest the flagbearer slot.

In a video making rounds on social media, a former Finance Minister, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, is seen soliciting support for the party ahead of the 2024 elections.

Though it is unclear whether the former Governor of the Bank of Ghana would contest for the flagbearer position, sources indicate there is a possibility.

However, some big wigs in the party believe John Mahama is the NDC’s best bet at winning the next elections.

One of such persons is the former Deputy Minister for Youth and Sport, Joseph Yamin.

In a post on Facebook, he said the NDC shouldn’t allow anyone to contest John Mahama in the party’s next presidential primaries.

Another person with a similar position is former Minister for Youth and Sports and Member of Parliament for the Odododiodoo constituency, Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye.

He has even gone ahead to predict a massive defeat for any member of the party who contests John Mahama for the flagbearer position.

“John Mahama is our next candidate. We are going to endorse unanimously him as our candidate in the next congress.  Anyone who will be courageous enough to come forward will not have more than 1%.”

“This does not mean we do not have other viable candidates. We do, but John Mahama is the candidate people identify more with. They have come to identify with him more.”

Source: Citinewsroom

The nationwide ‘Thank You’ tour across the country by former President John Dramani Mahama, is expected to land him in the Volta Region in Ho, next Monday.

A statement signed by Kafui Agbleze, Volta Regional Communications Director of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), and copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said “the tour is meant to thank the chiefs and people of the Volta Region for their massive support for him during the 2020 elections”.

He said the tour would be concentrated in the regional capital, Ho, and would begin with a radio interview early Monday morning, which would be carried on all frequencies in the Region.

The former President is expected to pay a courtesy call on the Asogli Traditional Council and then meet with religious groups, stakeholders of the Party and other identifiable groups in the Region.

President Mahama, who has been on the tour for the past two months, had been using the opportunity to contribute towards the governance process.

Source: GNA

Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia is asking the New Patriotic Party (NPP) faithful to be disciplined and united to break the ‘Eight-year’ change of governance and political administration.
In a speech delivered on his behalf by a Senior Advisor at the Office of the Vice President, Fred Oware, at the NPP Greater Accra Regional Annual Delegates’ Conference, he charged the members to show commitment in their work to enable the Party to maintain power in the 2024 general election.

He said the NPP had the vision, capacity and good programmes to manage the economy to provide better standards of living for every Ghanaian, hence the need for every member to work towards breaking the ‘8’.

Dr Bawumia supported the regional conference with GHS20,000 and GHS2,000 each for the constituencies’ conferences.

Director of Operations at the Presidency, Lord Oblitey Commey who addressed the delegates on behalf of President Nana Akufo-Addo, said the NPP was holding on to power forever.

“We have tasted power and tasted opposition, myself and John Boadu and if you know what it is to stay in opposition and to have power, we will stop joking and work to hold on to the power,” he added.

He advised the delegates to stop complaining about not being treated fairly and keep sacrificing for the party to enable it to reach higher heights.
Greater Accra Regional Chairman, NPP, Divine Otoo Agorhom, said the NPP had learned from its mistakes that led to the loss of seats in the 2020 Parliamentary election and was going to make amends.

He said the Party would employ hard work, dedication and ensure there was unity to recapture power in all constituencies lost to the opposition National Democratic Congress.

“If we allow party structures to work and do not interfere in the work of the leadership and empower them to work hard, then we can propagate development.
We are one big elephant and must work together to regain power and victory,” he added

John Mahama

Former President John Dramani Mahama has urged the traditional rulers across the country to support the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) efforts in its demand for electoral reforms.

According to him, “We hope that the National House of Chiefs and the Regional House of Chiefs will join voices with us so that we have an independent view of the proposals that have been brought.”

He explained that”Because, in most cases, after an election, the Electoral Commission takes steps to set up a panel to look at some of the issues that went wrong and come up with proposals for making sure we correct them. We expect that this Electoral Commission will do the same,” said Mr. Mahama.

The 2020 NDC Presidential candidate made this known recently when addressing the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs as part of his “Thank You Tour” in Koforidua.

He explained that the Electoral Commission hasn’t reviewed the last elections to even come up with proposals to correct some of the anomalies that were witnessed in the 2020 elections.

Mr. Mahama further claimed that the 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary election is one of the worst organized elections in the democratic history of Ghana.

According to him, the election was riddled with many irregularities and security infractions unleashed to the advantage of the ruling New Patriotic Party, NPP.

He said the Electoral Commission showed clearly that it had problems with the NDC hence snubbed concerns raised by the party.

John Mahama said even though the electoral commission has refused to acknowledge suggestions for electoral reforms sent to it by the NDC, it will continue to use available means including engagement of key stakeholders to push for the reforms to avert a repetition of the irregularities that occurred in 2020 polls.

He explained that “Many things went wrong in the 2020 election. The EC was reluctant to listen to the NDC when we foresaw them. Talk of the issues in collation centers, extra ballot papers found among others. We have been voting every election”.

” Every four years we vote but it seems this particular electoral commission seems to have a problem with NDC so they snub whatever we raised”.

John Mahama added “So this is one of the worst ever elections we’ve had in Ghana. Because many things went wrong. Military invaded collation centers and forced Electoral officers to declare results. I have not witnessed any election that after printing ballot papers, another one million extra ballot papers are printed. So many things went wrong”

He, however, called on the Electoral Commission of Ghana to set up a neutral body to review the 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary elections for reforms to enhance the credibility and acceptability of future elections

Former President John Dramani Mahama has told supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to work hard to ensure that the party wins power in the next general elections.

Addressing supporters of the NDC in the Western Region on Thursday October 14 as part of his thank you tour, he assured that if the supporters kill themselves for the party to win power, the party will reciprocate their effort and not forget them.

“We urge you all to work hard and bring the party back to power.

“When you work hard and we come into office we won’t forget you, the party shall not forget you.

“If you die for the party, the party will also die for you when we come into office.

“Do that and we come into office we won’t forget you, we will reward you for your hard work when we come to power.”

He further expressed optimism that the NDC will win the 2024 elections with revived energy and commitment.

“When I said do or die, I meant we will work hard. I strongly believe that God will give us victory in the next elections.

“NDC will win the 2024 elections with revived energy and lesson learned from the 202 elections,” the Presidential Candidate of the NDC in the 2020 elections told the supporters.

Earlier in the week, he paid a visit to the Esatern Regional House of Chiefs to thank them.

Over there, he noted that times are hard for Ghanaians under the Akufo-Addo administration.

He said food prices and other commodities are increasing on a daily basis.

“Fuel costs are rising, every day the pump prices go up,” he said.

He added “This year many unions are unhappy with the negotiations that took place where a paltry 4 per cent was given to them” when those of Article 71 office holders have been given wider increment.

“Even though you do free SHS you have no jobs for them to do when they come out. Times are hard and people suffering, food prices are going up. every day the prices are increasing,” he stressed.

“These are things that are not going on well and I believe Nananom (Chiefs) will speak about it,” he said.

Source: 3news.com

Former President John Dramani Mahama has assured supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) that the party will win the 2024 elections.

He said they will approach the elections with renewed energy and commitment and also lessons from the 2020 polls.

“So, when I said do or die, I meant we will work hard,” he told party supporters in the Western Region on Thursday October 14.

“I strongly believe that God will give us victory in the next elections,” he added.

Mr Mahama further encouraged members of the party to partake in the upcoming internal elections to elect executives ahead of the next general elections.

“This is a party that believes in rule of law and is law abiding, and so when the time comes and you feel qualified you can partake in in the exercise, ” the 2020 presidential candidate of the NDC added.

He is currently embarking on a thank you tour of the country to acknowledge the support Ghanaians gave to him last year.

Earlier in the week, he paid a visit to the Esatern Regional House of Chiefs to thank them.

Over there, he noted that times are hard for Ghanaians under the Akufo-Addo administration.

He said food prices and other commodities are increasing on a daily basis.

“Fuel costs are rising, every day the pump prices go up,” he said.

He added “This year many unions are unhappy with the negotiations that took place where a paltry 4 per cent was given to them” when those of Article 71 office holders have been given wider increment.

“Even though you do free SHS you have no jobs for them to do when they come out. Times are hard and people suffering, food prices are going up. every day the prices are increasing,” he stressed.

“These are things that are not going on well and I believe Nananom (Chiefs) will speak about it,” the Presidential Candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in last year’s elections said

Former President John Dramani Mahama has expressed optimism that his party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) will win the 2024 elections.

He said the party has picked lessons from the 2020 elections, lessons he indicated, will inform them on how to approach the next elections.

He told supporters of the NDC in the Western Region on Thursday October 14, as part of his thank you you tour that “So, when I said do or die, I meant we will work hard.”

“I strongly believe that God will give us victory in the next elections,” he added stressing “NDC will win the 2024 elections with revived energy and lesson learned from the 202 elections.”

Mr Mahama further encouraged members of the party to partake in the upcoming internal elections to elect executives ahead of the next general elections.

“This is a party that believes in rule of law and is law abiding, and so when the time comes and you feel qualified you can partake in in the exercise,” the 2020 presidential candidate of the NDC added.

He had indicated that times are hard for Ghanaians under the Akufo-Addo administration.

He said food prices and other commodities are increasing on a daily basis.

“Fuel costs are rising, every day the pump prices go up,” he said in a meeting with chiefs in the Eastern region as part of his Thank You tour.

He added “This year many unions are unhappy with the negotiations that took place where a paltry 4 per cent was given to them” when those of Article 71 officeholders have been given wider increment.

“Even though you do free SHS you have no jobs for them to do when they come out. Times are hard and people suffering, food prices are going up. every day the prices are increasing,” he stressed.

“These are things that are not going on well and I believe Nananom (Chiefs) will speak about it,” the Presidential Candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in last year’s elections said in an earlier meeting with the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs on Tuesday, October 12.

He also indicated that the 2020 manifesto document of the NDC contained the solutions to all the challenges that Ghanaians are saddled with at the moment.

The manifesto contained plans for job creation, for the economy and also infrastructure, he said.

There was a plan to create one million jobs for Ghanaians in the document, he said, while addressing a group of Ghanaians in the Eastern Region as part of his thank you tour..

“The high unemployment rate, business are suffering, the economy is collapsing. All the answers to what Ghana is going through today are in NDC’s 2020 manifesto.

“The big push for infrastructure, 10 billion dollars into infrastructure to construct our roads, our hospitals, our schools, they are all in our 2020 manifesto,” Mr Mahama said.

Mr Mahama further said that due to the good contents of the NDC’s manifesto, that of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) was relegated to the background by analysts.

“After the launch of our manifesto no one discussed the NPP’s manifesto, they all focused their attention on ours, the plan to create one million jobs was also in there.

”Source: 3news.com

• Sammy Gyamfi says the reason for procuring a new presidential jet is flawed

• He said Ghana does not need a private jet

• The current presidential jet is said not to have enough legroom

National Communication Officer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi, has questioned Dr. Gideon Boako’s justification for the need to procure a new presidential jet.

The spokesperson for Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia stated on JoyNews’ Newsfile, over the weekend that, the current presidential private jet seats were unadjustable and that there was hardly any legroom for passengers.

But reacting to this on Metro TV’s ‘One on One’, Sammy Gyamfi queried the logic behind Dr Boako’s justification.

He wondered how the presidential jet can be said not to have enough legroom to accommodate president Akufo-Addo when the same jet was recently used by Liberian President George Weah, who is relatively taller than Ghana’s president.null

“…I believe that Ghana needs a presidential jet for our president and we have one, and that jet is fit to purpose… the last ridiculous reason I heard as the justification of a new jet was the argument by Gideon Baako who said our president is ‘so tall’ that he is unable to stretch his legs in the Flacon 900 EX. So we are asking whether our president has become so tall that today he is taller than George Weah?”

The debate around presidential travels and the presidential jet has been championed by MP for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who has alleged that three luxurious charter travels by the president had cost the taxpayer in excess of 10 million cedis.

Eugene Arhin, Director of Communications at the Presidency announced recently that the government had plans of acquiring a new presidential jet because the current one was not fit for purpose.

He said Defence Minister, Dominic Nitiwul will give further details on the planned acquisition in due course.

https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FMetroTvNewsGH%2Fvideos%2F587219302706958%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=0

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), John Boadu, says the Party will capture at least 170 parliamentary seats in the 2024 Parliamentary Election.

He, however, condemned the ‘skirt and blouse’ voting that characterised Election 2020 and contributed to the Party’s abysmal performance in the parliamentary election.

The NPP won 137 of the 275 seats in Parliament.

Mr Boadu said the NPP’s chances remained brighter due to the performance of the government and thus challenged the regional, constituency and polling station executives of the Party to forge ahead in unity and work hard to publicise the achievements of the government.

This would make the NPP popular, enhance its fortunes in Election 2024 for it to break the eight year jinx against ruling parties since the nation returned to constitutional rule in 1992, he said.

He, therefore, tasked the leadership in the regions to unite to identify and tackle the diverse challenges that undermined the Party’s success, especially in the 2020 parliamentary election.

Mr. Boadu was when addressing the Bono Regional Annual Delegates’ Conference of the NPP, on Friday, in Sunyani.

He said the NPP was determined to win Election 2024 by a wider margin, and charged the Party supporters to avoid tendencies that could impede the progress being made by the Government and rather work harder to promote and project the government’s achievements.

Mr Boadu said the Party would re-invigorate its communication teams in the region to position them well to publicise the achievements of the government and also project the Party well to the electorate.

Bono Regional Chairman, Kwame Baffoe noted that Election 2020 became tough for the Party because of the unnecessary divisions and backbiting among supporters.

He cautioned supporters against using the social media to denigrate the Party.

He stated the leadership of the Party in the region would continue to strictly apply the Party’s constitution in all matters of concern for the Party to remain vibrant.

Mr, Baffoe, therefore, emphasised that Party supporters who breached the constitution would be sanctioned, accordingly.

Bono Regional Minister, Justina Owusu-Banahene, commended members of the region’s Municipal/District Assemblies for their overwhelming confirmation of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s nominees for the Municipal/District Chief Executives (M/DCEs) position.

She also expressed appreciation to the Council of Elders, Party Executives and all stakeholders for their support.

She said the NPP cherished democratic values and asked the supporters to tolerate one another’s views and bury their differences for the good of the NPP.

Ms Owusu-Banahene stressed the need for the Party to support the MMDCEs to facilitate the holistic and rapid development of their areas, saying that would enhance the popularity of the government, particularly, at the grassroots level.

This would also enhance the image of the NPP.

Member of Parliament (MP) for Sunyani East, Kwasi Ameyaw-Cheremeh, said the regional MPs caucus were of the view that the Party in the Region should take the blame for the poor performance of the Party in the 2020 parliamentary race.

He, however, expressed optimism that the NPP would break the eight year rule jinx in 2024.

But, he added, this could not be achieved until Party supporters eschewed internal wrangling and petty squabbles, which characterised the last elections in the region.

Mr Ameyaw-Cheremeh, also the Board Chair of the Bui Power Authority (BPA), Managers of the Bui Hydro-Electric Power Dam, stressed the readiness of the region’s MPs to support and work in harmony with the MDCEs and executives of polling stations, constituencies and the region to make the fortunes of the NPP brighter in the 2024 general election.

Dormaa East District Chief Executive, Emmanuel Kofi Agyemang on behalf of the MDCEs expressed appreciation to President Akufo-Addo and the Party leadership for the opportunity provided them to serve in the government.

He said the relationship between the party and the government should be strengthened to make the NPP more attractive and popular to woo more supporters to make history regarding the eight year mandate given to ruling parties by the electorate

Former President John Dramani Mahama will take his Thank You tour to the Eastern Region, the backyard of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Tuesday, 12 October 2021.

The 2020 flag bearer of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) will interact with the support base of the party during his tour.

Mr Mahama is expected to highlight the achievements of the NDC in the region.

He will be welcomed at the Koforidua-Galloway area in the regional capital.

Mr Hackman Kobore, the Eastern Regional Organiser of the party, made this disclosure on Accra-based Happy FM’s socio-political programme ‘Epa Hoa Daben’.

The former president, upon touching base in the region, will grant some media interviews.

Mr Kabore said the programme for welcoming the former president to the region will be in three folds: meeting with the traditional rulers, meeting with the zongo chiefs and imams, and meeting with the leadership of the local council of churches.

He said the visit to the region will afford the former president the opportunity to interact with the supporters of the party in the region.

He said this is the first phase of the former president’s tour to the region.

Mr Kabore explained that the second phase of the former president’s tour to the region will be in 2022, where he will be expected to interact with regional and constituency executives of the NDC.

He further commended the regional executives and former appointees in the region for their roles in organising the visit

President Akufo-Addo says evidence abounds to vindicate his promises.

The President, Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has taken a swipe at persons who doubted promises he made to Ghanaians when seeking a second tenure for his office.

According to him, such persons have been put to shame because he has largely fulfilled the promises.

“My critics are being shamed one after the other. They said we won’t be able to deliver the One District One Factory promise but now everywhere I visit, I see some of the factories working. When I said I was bringing the Free Senior High School policy, they rejected it outrightly, saying it wasn’t possible, but it has come to stay.”

He made the remark when he commissioned a shoe factory at Akropong as part of his tour of the Eastern Region Wednesday, October 6, 2021.

Prior to the 2016 polls, President Akufo-Addo, the then-presidential candidate for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) made a number of promises including introducing a free Senior High School policy, factories in every district, ambulances for every constituency, one million dollars for every constituency amongst others.

Officials of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) at the time punched holes into the promises, claiming they were not feasible.

President Akufo-Addo who is currently in his second term in office said evidence abounds to vindicate his promises.

Recently, the opposition NDC in the Ashanti Region said the president cannot pat himself on the shoulder for developments in the region because he has done too little for the residents to merit any acknowledgment.

Its Regional Secretary, Kwame Zu, who spoke on Citi FM’s Eyewitness News intimated years after the Akufo-Addo government took office, all it has been engaging in are sod-cutting ceremonies unlike the massive projects undertaken by the erstwhile Mahama administration.

“It is surprising to state with a shock that five years into the government of President Akufo-Addo, he is still cutting sods in the Ashanti Region. So I do not know which fresh breath President Akufo-Addo has gone to breathe into the Ashanti Region.”

Source: Citinewsroom