Fomer NDC Central Regional Chairman and now Social commentator, Bernard Allotey Jacobs, has advised the new KMA Chief Executive, Sam Pyne, to be beware of people who come to him singing his praises and pledging unflinching support for him.

According to him, some of those people have ulterior motives.

Making his submissions on Peace FM’s ‘Kokrokoo’ programme, Allotey Jacobs said; “He (Sam Pyne) should be beware of those who come to him to profess that ‘as for me, I’m with you’, ‘will follow you’ and so forth because as they tell you this is the same way they will go to another person to say something different about Sam Pyne. Let your human relations lead you. Your respect for authority, that is the Regional Minister, if you unite with him; you will succeed.”

He also offered a helpful message to Mr. Pyne as a guide for his leadership saying, “he should take good care of his party people. Speak the truth! . . . .You will always be confronted with some bad guys who will come as agents, so he should watch out!!”

Allotey Jacobs made these comments while complimenting Mr. Pyne for his new appointment.

Sam Pyne, in an election supervised by the Metropolitan office of the Electoral Commission (EC), won fifty-five votes out of the 58 votes representing 94.8 percent to be confirmed the KMA Boss.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/_1dkedA0xDA

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

• John Boadu says the onus lies on NPP to elect a flagbearer to represent them in election 2024

• He said President Akufo-Addo cannot dictate to the party on who to be the flagbearer

• President Akufo-Addo said he will support any individual who is endorsed by the party

General Secretary of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), John Boadu has averred that the leader of party, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, cannot force the party to accept anyone he wants to take over his stead in the next general elections.

He furthered that he doubts President Akufo-Addo will impose a flagbearer on the party.

Speaking on NEAT FM’s Ghana Montie programme, he pointed that the New Patriotic Party is governed by tradition.

John Boadu said, “President Nana Addo cannot impose a flagbearer on the party. Why would he do that, I don’t think he will do that.”null

“This is not a party that someone can impose a leader on us. Not at all, nobody can do that. We have a tradition,” he added.

Meanwhile, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has made it known that he does not have a favourite among the people who have shown interest in leading the NPP in 2024 elections.

He said he’s ready to support whoever the party decides to represent them in the next general elections.

President Akufo-Addo stressed that the decision of who becomes the presidential candidate to break the eight-year cycle solely depends on the party.

“I can’t have a favourite to break the eight. My duty is to hold the balance but the duty has to be that of the party and whoever the party elects, that person is who I will support…,” he said.

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Atta Mills Institute Koku Anyidoho, has opined that persons calling for the Inter-Party Advisory Committee to be given legal backing have not provided any compelling reasons for their call.null

In an opinion piece, Mr. Anyidoho said ”The voices that are advocating for legal status for IPAC: instead of giving as a raison d’etre, are giving us nothing but a raison d’etat!!!”

In a barrage of questions, he quizzed; ”As an Advisory Body, has anything stopped the IPAC from boldly sharing thoughts and helping the nation broaden its electoral landscape positively?

“Is our electoral history not replete with IPAC’s consensus-building platform, helping the nation introduce acceptable ways of giving more meaning to our democratic dispensation vis universal adult suffrage?”

He believes the Electoral Commission (EC) must disband IPAC if they cannot build consensus.

”If it is the case that the political parties cannot build consensus any longer, it would be better for the EC to disband IPAC’s Administrative Existence rather than allow an amorphous grouping to become more than an amoeba-like leech.null

“Political Parties must realise that the art of politicking and canvassing for votes, is, both an art and science.

“Politicking It is not a venture for cluelessness and empty propaganda because, the art of winning elections is steeped in, scientific gathering and analysis of data.

“Planning and strategizing are the surest ways of winning any election and not a dependence on the EC to rig elections in your favour.

“With the existing transparent voting and counting system in Ghana, political parties must invest in training agents who have the capacity to master the procedures and process governing the electoral chain.”

He continued: “Then again, if IPAC gets legal backing, what happens to the aspect of the Constitution that bars any individual/body from giving “instructions” to the EC in “doing its work”?null

“The voices that are claiming to love democracy so much that they want the EC to be at the beck and call of politicians; those politicians, have they opened up the space within their political parties for that kind of utopian democracy to fester unchecked?

“How many of the political parties really get the base of their parties involved in hardcore decision-making? At the congresses where they effect changes to the constitutions; do Parties really allow for deep and proper debates before amendments are made?

“Do they not just go and throw dust into the eyes of the unsuspecting masses and ratify amendments that have already been made by Accra-based oligarchs on the blind side of the masses?” He asked in an article he wrote to reject a call to give legal backing to the IPAC.

He added: “As the saying goes; people should learn to remove the huge logs out of their eyes before attempting unashamedly to remove the specks out of the eyes of others. Charity, they say, begins at home.

“Political Parties should first broaden the space for real and effective participatory democracy within their fold, before wanting to champion some death-trap course of forcing the EC to allow political parties to run elections in Ghana.

”Source: rainbowradioonline.com

Head of InterCity STC, Nana Akomea, has tasked veteran journalist, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, to desist from making judgment calls on the Ejura Committee report.

The duo were guests on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo programme last Friday where discussions into the report was on the table for discussion.

“If you have admitted here that you have yet to read the full report, why then are you making judgment calls on the report,” Akomea asked Pratt.

Pratt responded that his initial views on the issue were based on newspaper reports and that he had admitted so even before making his submissions.

Akomea however pointed to parts of the submissions especially the claim that the District Police Commander was being scapegoated by the Committee as a definitive judgment call that would have required a full understanding of the report to appreciate or disagree with.

Listen to their exchange below:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/UK40bz_aBew

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Victims of the shooting incident during the 2019 Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election say the government has still not acted on the recommendation to pay them compensation for the harm caused them.

Security agents deployed to the constituency on the day of the by-election went on the rampage even before the election started and fired gunshots indiscriminately at polling stations and the residence of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate.

Following the mayhem, violence and injury, the Emile Short Committee, among others, recommended that victims of the January 31, 2019 violence should be paid compensation for the harm they suffered at the hands of government security forces.

At a meeting with former President John Dramani Mahama, the victims of the shooting incident said none of them has received any payment from the government.

The spokesperson for the victims, Abdul-Razak Garba, stressed that the victims and their families are struggling as a result of the painful experience.

He recounted how some of the assaulted victims went through life-altering experiences with some scheduled for more surgeries while others have been incapacitated for life.

According to him, another victim got stroke-stricken while one person died, as a result of internal bleeding caused by gunshot wounds.

The victims and their families were in the office of the former president and 2020 NDC Presidential Candidate to thank him for his support to them.

Mr Garba extended the group’s appreciation to John Mahama for his compassion and for paying for the cost of all their treatment including major surgeries.

Mr Mahama, in his remarks, extended his sympathies to the victims and their families.

He also pledged to continue to support the members in any way that he can but stressed that it is the duty of the state to compensate the victims as recommended.

Mr. Mahama expressed shock at the level of impunity that, he said, continues to define the Akufo-Addo and Bawumia government, adding that impunity, when unchecked, leads to unrestrained violence and that is why the killings of innocent Ghanaians at Ejura and Techiman happened.

He encouraged the victims to hold their heads high and cautioned them to look out for persons who caused the harm turning round to mock them that their party is not supporting them enough.

He promised that, no matter how long it would take, the NDC would pursue every possible means to ensure that those who committed the crimes are punished and all compensations due the victims fully paid. According to him, “Ghana must not forget about what happened

Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, who led last month’s coup in Guinea, was sworn in as interim president on Friday promising to respect all the West African state’s international commitments.

Doumbouya, who led the overthrow of president Alpha Conde on September 5, was sworn in by Supreme Court head Mamadou Sylla for a transition period of unspecified length.

The new interim president spoke of his “commitment” that neither he nor any member of the junta would stand in any future elections that the military have promised to organise after a transition period.

His administration’s mission is to “refound the state” he said, by drafting a new constitution, fighting corruption, reforming the electoral system and then organising “free, credible and transparent” elections.

He once again said nothing at the time of his swearing in about how long he will remain the interim leader.

The new president also promised to “respect all the national and international commitments to which the country has subscribed.”

‘Consolidate democracy’

Wearing a beige dress uniform, red beret and dark glasses, the new national leader also vowed to “loyally preserve national sovereignty” and to “consolidate democratic achievements, guarantee the independence of the fatherland and the integrity of the national territory”.

The ceremony was held at the Mohammed-V palace in Conakry on the eve of a public holiday celebrating the 1958 declaration of independence from France.

Doumbouya will serve as transitional president until the country returns to civilian rule, according to a blueprint unveiled by the junta on Monday that does not mention a timeline.

The September 5 coup, the latest bout of turbulence in one of Africa’s most volatile countries, saw the overthrow of 83-year-old president Conde.

Conde became Guinea’s first democratically elected president in 2010 and was re-elected in 2015.

But last year he pushed through a controversial new constitution that allowed him to run for a third term in October 2020.

The move sparked mass demonstrations in which dozens of protesters were killed. Conde won re-election but the political opposition maintained the poll was a sham.

The “charter” unveiled on Monday vows that a new constitution will be drafted and “free, democratic and transparent” elections held, but does not spell out how long the transition will last.

The document says the transitional president will be “head of state and supreme chief of the armed forces… (and) determines the policies of the Nation,” with the power to name and fire an interim prime minister.

However, the president will be barred from being a candidate at the elections that will take place after the transition, it says.

The turbulence in the former French colony has sparked deep concern among Guinea’s neighbours.

The coup is the second to take place in the region, after Mali, in less than 13 months.

The region’s bloc, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), is demanding that elections be held within six months, as well as Conde’s release

General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, says the position of the longest serving Chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC), Dr Afari Gyan on the NDC’s proposal for a law to be enacted to back the role of the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) does not come as a surprise.

According to him, Dr Afari Gyan has been consistent with his position on the issue of empowering the operations of IPAC with a law as he has always disagreed with other political parties during his time in office when the same issue cropped up.

Reacting to Dr Afari Gyan’s position on Okay FM’s ‘Ade Akye Abia’ Morning Show, General Mosquito as he is popularly called, however, said there is already a divided opinion on what Dr Afari Gyan disagrees with.

“The one he said he disagrees with; we have a divided opinion about it. One side is saying that any form of legislation to IPAC will reduce the independence of the Electoral Commission (EC). The other side is also saying that it depends on the type of legislation,” he noted.

He reiterated that it is premature for anybody to conclude that the law that is being proposed by the NDC would affect the independence of the EC.https://fc894e2a723293442cbbb557cfef3a60.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

“What are the specifics in the legislation that will reduce the independence of the EC? Nobody has come out with the conditions that will reduce the independence of the Electoral Commission. So, if there is a law to say that only three parties should attend IPAC meeting, how does this affect the independence of the Electoral Commission? You might see the law first before you can conclude that it will affect the independence of the EC,” he argued.

He was of the view that the law can be carefully crafted to protect the independence of the Electoral Commission just as Ethiopia has done to back the activities of their similar body like IPAC in Ghana.

“If the EC has recognised that they need external input, and if we attach a law to back the way we will generate that external input, how does that affect the independence of the EC? This is because it is up to them to say that they need external input or not,” he wondered

.Source: www.ghanaweb.com

•Haruna Iddrisu has denied allegations of corruption levelled against him

•He says anyone with contrary evidence can take him to court

•The Minority Leader says his allegiance is to Ghanaians and not Kevin Taylor

Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, has thrown a challenge to anyone with evidence of corruption against him to institute criminal proceedings.

Haruna Iddrisu on Citi TV said that he is ready to prove his innocence in court and that, anyone with who has incriminating evidence against him should report him to the police and subject him to prosecution.

“Anybody with any evidence can walk to the police station and say this is the evidence of wrongdoing I have against Haruna Iddrisu,” he said.

Haruna’s challenge was targeted at US-based political commentator who has, for the past few days, been making some wild allegations against him and Minority Chief Whip Muntaka Mubarak.null

Kevin Taylor alleges that Haruna and Muntaka are colluding with the government to fleece Ghanaians of huge sums of money.

Haruna, according to Kevin Taylor has been the beneficiary of numerous contracts from the government as a reward for his perceived flexibility in Parliament. Quizzed about whether or not he will take legal action against Kevin Taylor, Haruna said he would refrain from doing such as a staunch defender of press freedom.

He believes that any action to that effect, is a form of unwarranted credibility being handed to Kevin Taylor.

“I will not elevate some these matters beyond what you said. I respect a liberalized independent media state of our country to hold individuals accountable. I’m not saying that I’m above the law and I’m saying that anybody with any evidence of criminal activity about any public person including me, know what to do. He who alleges must prove so the burden is not on me,” he said.

The member of Parliament for Tamale South said that he owed allegiance to Ghanaians and his constituents and will not exchange that for money.

“My allegiance is to the republic and to the people of Ghana to serve them conscientiously as I’m doing and to the people of Tamale South for the rare opportunity of representing them in Parliament. I simply will not exchange their interest for money,” he stated.

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Haruna Iddrisu, the leader of the Minority caucus in Parliament, has said that the National Democratic Congress will leave no stone unturned in protecting the ballot papers for the 2024 elections.

He said that a vigilant NDC will ensure transparency at the polls and not allow any form of illegality.

Speaking on Citi News, Haruna Iddrisu endorsed John Dramani Mahama the leader of the party in the 2024 elections.

Despite calling for a democratic process in the selection of the flagbearer for the party, Haruna Iddrisu contends that John Mahama represents the party’s surest candidate of wrestling power from the New Patriotic Party.

He charged all followers of the NDC to make it a point to protect the ballot boxes and win the elections for John Mahama.

“The NDC will call for greater transparency, especially at the collation of the results. Zero-tolerance for 2024 will be our declaration, and we will police the ballot. I always say that for persons who love President Mahama and want his return just as I want, go to your polling station and make sure he wins. Nothing more. If he wins at the 33,000 polling stations, he will be the next President of the Republic”, Haruna Iddrisu said.

“It is not about running to take photographs with him thinking that is how you are contributing to the success of the NDC, I don’t think going to take pictures with him means he has won. I think we should go back to our roots as NDC with operation win your ballot box”, he added.

His statement appears to be a backing of John Mahama’s earlier pronouncement that the 2024 elections will be a ‘do or die’ affair for the NDC.

The former President said the NDC won the 2020 parliamentary and presidential elections, but was robbed of victory.

“The 2020 elections were rigged for the NPP. We have however accepted the ruling of the Supreme Court for the sake of peace. However, come 2024, the NDC will be extra vigilant at the polling stations because that is where the elections are won. So at the polling station [in the next election], it will be ‘do or die’. I am not saying all ‘die be die’. I’m saying it will be ‘do or die’ because the right thing must be done,” John Mahama has

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Asawase in the Ashanti Region, Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak has descended heavily on pro National Democratic Congress (NDC) rabble rouser, Kelvin Taylor by describing him as a nation wrecker who is being used to destroy the main opposition political party.

According to him, some bigots in his political party are using Kelvin Taylor to churn out pure lies to cause disaffection between him and supporters of the NDC.××

The Minority Chief Whip described Kelvin Taylor as a ‘bigot and ignorant self-styled journalist’ who is misleading gullible people within and outside the main opposition party.

In a recent video, Kelvin Taylor accused the NDC Leaders in Parliament (Haruna Iddrisu and Muntaka Mubarak) of taking advantage of their equal numbers in parliament; to negotiate behind the scenes with the ruling government.

He further alleges that Muntaka has been getting contracts and bribes from the government to cover up issues in parliament.

Kelvin Taylor vowed to expose all the corrupt NDC MPs…. starting from the leadership; Muntaka Mubarak and Haruna Iddrisu.

In the video, Kelvin Taylor advised Muntaka Mubarak against using the Quran, and the name of Allah to cover ‘his corrupt deals’ with the NPP.
He added that, in Muntaka’s statement, he only addressed one allegation (travelling with Nana Addo to the US), but failed to address all other allegations against him; which according to Taylor means, Muntaka is running away from the other allegations.

According to Kelvin Taylor, Muntaka Mubarak must resign immediately, before he (Kelvin Taylor) exposes his “corrupt acts” with the NPP government.
Kelvin added that, he is ready to provide all proves to back his allegations against Muntaka and Haruna.

Kelvin Taylor, who is also the CEO of the Loud Silence Media, based in the United States further stated that, if Muntaka Mubarak and Haruna Iddrisu were not bowing to the NPP government, they would not have approved all the Nana Addo’s appointees; and that if they continue in office as leaders of the NDC caucus in parliament, he would expose them all very soon.

However, Muntaka vehemently refuted all the allegations and fumed at Kevin Taylor for ‘misleading’ the public.

“It’s just unfortunate that I have to respond to a bigot. Somebody who hates our country but pretends to love it. Someone whose stock is just to malign innocent people with lies. Someone that some gullible people tend to believe him.

“I swear by the God I worship that everything I’m going to say is the truth. I’m saying it not because I want to entertain someone like Kevin Taylor but because of the innocent 1001 gullible people across the globe who are finding it difficult to read between the thin lines of someone who is speaking the truth and someone who is lying. I’m not a fan of him. I don’t listen to him but unfortunately his last few episodes seem to consistently mention me and people drew my attention.

“Some well-meaning Ghanaians said don’t respond to him but I’m sorry I cannot continue to hold on when he continues these lies. I’ve had the great privilege of serving the people of Asawase over a decade,” the Asawase MP stated.

He therefore dared Kelvin Taylor to make public whatever evidence he claims to have after cursing him to suffer the same pain he has caused him and his people.

“Kelvin Taylor let me tell you. I challenge you to bring everything that you claim to have, I am very ready for you. Let me start by saying that I don’t work for you. I don’t work for you. I work for my constituency but you see the kind of allegations that you are leveling is shocking that you claim to be a journalist and you know the tenets of good journalism. The tenets of journalism is that when you have facts you claim to have, you give people that the so called concern the fact to authenticate or otherwise. You crosscheck and you don’t just go talking on top of your head because probably somebody might give you wrong information so you use it to run.

“You see, you are not decent. Decent people when they hear things they try to crosscheck. You are so naive about the things that we do. You see this lies that you’ve told about I’ll never forgive you. God will punish you and you will go through the pain you have put me and my people. You said we are agent. You are an agent of NPP who is trying to destroy the NDC. You claim you speak for NDC but it is only Nana Akufo-Addo you speak against.”

The Minority Chief Whip challenges Kelvin Taylor to step foot in Ghana and see how he will be bombarded with legal suits, saying that “If You claim you’re courageous then come to Ghana and make this your allegation and see whether we will sue you and to show how foolish you are. How old are you?

“You sit there because you’ve no manners, you are not cultured and talk anyhow to people like your father’s age mate.”

He described Kelvin Taylor an agent hired to destroy the party, asking the NDC to disassociate itself from him.

Touching on receiving contracts and favours from the ruling government’s appointees, he said that although he shares close ties with Napo, his constituency witnessed no benefits from his reign as Education Minister.

“Whoever told you that I met KK Sarpong and Napo … I can’t remember the last time I met him. We are brothers, grew up together, his father was like a father to me but I challenge you. You claim he has given me a contract, I challenge you to name any contract I have received from Napo.

“If you care to know all the classroom blocks that MPs fight for during GETFund formula for their constituency, not even one has been built during the tenure of NAPO. Because if I get it and I take to the district, they frustrate it. Check the contract I brought and see whether any of the contractors has any relations with me. Those classroom blocks, I brought companies but they were not done. I complained to Napo severally,” he said in a video shared on his Facebook timeline

The Minority Caucus in Parliament fully supports its Ranking Member on the Foreign Affairs Committee on the subject of presidential travels and the ‘fight’ against recent plans by the government to purchase a new jet.

Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu in his first public comments on the issue stressed that North Tongu Member of Parliament, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa’s views on the presidential jet saga reflects that of the National Democratic Congress in Parliament.

“I think he is the Ranking Member for the Committee on Foreign Affairs and therefore he reflects our position on issues affecting the pursuit of foreign policy and diplomacy,” he told Citi TV’s Bernard Avle on the Point of View programme which aired on September 29.

On the substantive issue of the jet, Haruna joined persons opposed to the idea citing harsh economic realities which made the move a case of misplaced priorities and expenditure.

“What is it that we hear because the president cannot bathe in the air, he should go and buy a presidential jet and therefore we should be interested in the comfort of the president when Ghanaians are reeling under economic hardships,” he stressed.

He blamed the government for the lack of transparency on the issue of how much the presidential travels have cost the taxpayer. He admits, however, that such trips are necessary citing the specific case of the United Nations General Assembly meeting.

“The caucus will meet as a matter of necessity… He (Ablakwa) is providing leadership as a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, he is monitoring every detail of the president. I don’t respond to individual positions on the matter, I’m to lead a collective and I will lead the collective,” Haruna noted.

Speaking to the media on Monday, September 27, at the Jubilee House, the Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin hinted: “Government is already in the process of acquiring a bigger jet for use.

“The Minister of Defence has made it clear that the government has decided to buy a bigger jet to save us from all these troubles. I wouldn’t want to go into details. I am sure when the Minister of Defence has the opportunity he will do that.”

Eugene Arhin was answering a question on whether the government intended buying a bigger aircraft to accommodate the President and his entourage on official foreign trips as the current presidential jet had proven inadequate for the purpose.

He explained that the move to get a bigger fit-for-purpose aircraft was part of a cost-saving measure on the travels of the President and other key state functionaries.

Eugene Arhin did not give the specifics of the aircraft deal but said the Defence Minister would shed light on the development at the appropriate time.

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

• Ghana has plans to get a new presidential carrier

• Koku Anyidoho agrees this is a good plan

• He shared an experience that could have been near-disastrous for the former President Mills

In 2009, the late former president, John Atta Mills, was on a chartered flight from Accra to Tamale that nearly turned disastrous since the crew did not know the route well.

This is according to Koku Anyidoho, who served as the Director of Communications under the former president, the crew, of a French-speaking origin, nearly dropped the president on an old and abandoned runway due to their unfamiliarity with the route.

In an interview on Okay FM on Wednesday, September 29, 2021, and monitored by GhanaWeb, he explained how the late former president preferred using chartered flights instead of the country’s presidential carrier, the Falcon.null

“President Mills preferred traveling commercial because with the Falcon, when traveling long haul, you’d have to stop and refuel, and all that comes with costs. A lot of these things don’t have to do with the individual and his individual approach to the whole thing.

“President didn’t find it too appropriate that when traveling to places like the US, Canada, we should use the Falcon because of the number of times you’d have to stop and refuel,” he said.

Koku Anyidoho was commenting on the ongoing conversation about the government’s intention to procure a new presidential aircraft.

While speaking about why he fully subscribes to that plan, Koku explained the intriguing circumstances that surrounded what he says was the first trip by President John Evans Atta Mills after he took office in 2009.

“President Mills’ first local trip when he became president was to Tamale and when we got to the Kotoka International Airport, they said there was the plane and then the president got in. And on that trip, we had Cletus Avorka, in terms of ministers; I was on it myself.null

“And then we said we were going to Tamale; they had gone to rent a plane from somewhere whereas the Airforce was there. They were some two young pilots from wherever and they could not even speak English, it was French they were speaking. The trip that was supposed to be 45 minutes, we were at a point just flying around in the sky and people started murmuring, asking what was happening.

“And then we started descending and at that point, we started smelling the aviation fuel that was burning. We started descending meanwhile we were not seeing any runway not knowing there is an abandoned runway from Nkrumah’s time and these boys were going to land the president there. We then had to start directing them on where to land and where not to land,” he said.

He added that it was that day that the Ghana Airforce decided that going forward, no trip of the president would be taken without their involvement, even if they were not the ones directly flying the Number One man.

“That was the day the Airforce took a decision that never again that would the Commander-In-Chief make any flight out of the country without their concern, even if it is commercial, they have to have a hand in it and take a decision,” he explained.

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Members of the Yendi Municipal Assembly in the Northern Region have rejected the president’s nominee Ahmed Yussuf Abubakar as the Municipal Chief Executive.

Twenty one assembly members voted YES representing 51% while 20 of them voted NO representing 48%.

The president’s nominee was supposed to secure 28 votes out of the 41 vote cast to guarantee his confirmation.

The nominee appears to be the first to be rejected in the region.

The Director of Election in the Northern region, Lucas Yiryil, after the voting indicated that the nominee Ahmed Yussuf Abubakar failed to get majority votes.

He however hinted that the nominees qualifies for a second opportunity.

“If you cross 50% you are qualified for a second round within 10days so the assembly will determine when the next voting will take place within this 10 days

The subject of Ghana’s founder (s) is unequivocal and a matter undisputed historical record and no amount of present-day scheming will succeed in revising history. This is the view of veteran journalist and Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr.

He holds that the frontline founder’s role of Ghana’s first president, Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah, and the then Convention Peoples Party (CPP) are well documented in history books.

In comments he made on Pan African TV’s September 21 programme ‘Celebrating Nkrumah’s Legacy,’ in which he pointed out what he said were gross revisionist overtures especially by members of the Danquah – Busia tradition.

On the subject of how Ghana got its name, he submitted: “Go back to history, J. B. Danquah’s proposal for naming Ghana, J. B.Danquah proposed that what we know as Ghana today, should be called Akanland. Akan land, go and check the history.

“So when we talk about Ghana, don’t bring JB Danquah in at all, don’t waste our ears, don’t waste our time, at all. Nkrumah was the founder of Ghana, whether they like it or not, Nkrumah will remain the founder of Ghana,” he stressed.

According to him, for present-day Ghana to become the nation-state that it is today, it took a number of separate territories to unite thanks to a referendum by Kwame Nkrumah and the CPP.

“These people (the Danquah – Busia) don’t even know their history.

Ghana, as we know it today, was put together piece by piece. In the colonial era, Ashanti was not part of modern-day, the Northern territories, Trans Volta Togoland were not part of Ghana,” he added.
Even with the CPP-led referendum, Pratt noted that JB Danquah expressed opposition especially to the inclusion of Western Togoland in the constitution of the new state of Ghana.

“What was JB Danquah’s position? These Danquah Busia elements supported Tolimo which was led by SG Antoh, which said that that part of the country should not become part of Ghana. How can they be founders of Ghana when they did not want German Togoland to become part of Ghana?” he quizzed.

He furthered that incidentally after the referendum had passed and a new nation was born, years on when Busia became Prime Minister in the second republic, he nominated SG Antoh as Ghana’s ambassador to Togo.

On the subject of Nkrumah’s birthday and a Founders Day being observed separately, Pratt insisted that 21st September will forever remain Founder’s Day for himself and others.

“We shall continue to celebrate 21st of September as our Founders Day, they can celebrate their 4th August but we the people of Ghana will continue to celebrate our 21st of September,” he added.

The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Samuel A. Jinapor, has said that the government is set to launch a National Alternative Livelihood Programme for illegal miners in the country.

Mr Jinapor said the programme, when launched, will provide a good option for miners to work and support themselves and their families.

He disclosed this during a meeting with the Western North Regional House of Chiefs on Wednesday, 22 September 2021 on the sidelines of his one-day tour of the region.

The Minister used the platform to ask for the support and collaboration of chiefs, as he said they are co-partners in the administration of Ghana’s lands and its resources.

“There must be a strong collaboration between the Ministry and the Regional House of Chiefs to make this possible,” he stated.

He further urged the chiefs, the security agencies and the District Chief Executives work together and ensure that the natural resources of the country are protected.

The Minister re-echoed the government’s position on mining, saying: “The President has not said we should stop mining. What he does not want done is irresponsible small-scale mining, which will destroy our water bodies and forest reserves.”

Mr Jinapor further disclosed that the government is also ready to start a reclamation programme, which will help reclaim and revegetate all mined-out areas within a space of two to three years.

He added that “protecting the lands, water bodies and forests of our country also means protecting our own interests and future, so, let’s work together to achieve this goal.”

Speaking on behalf of the House of Chiefs, the President of the Western Regional House of Chiefs, who also doubles as the President of the National House of Chiefs, Ogyeahohuo Yaw Gyebi, lauded the Minister for the job done so far and asked, among other things, that the mining companies in the region be furnished with very good security presence to protect and prevent future threats on the lives of the people living in the communities.

Some other chiefs also suggested that the government establish district offices in various mining areas, which will ensure the monitoring and evaluation of the mining companies in those areas.

This, they said, can go a long way to help develop the communities, as a percentage of what the companies earn can be channelled into the coffers of the community for future development

Former Central Regional Minister, Kwamena Duncan, has slammed government over the leakage of the list of the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) ahead of their announcement by the Minister for Local Government, Dan Botwe.

The delayed list was finally out and nominees announced to the public but before the Minister made it public, some media houses and supporters of the governing New Patriotic Party had got wind of the names on the list.

Following the release of the list after the Committee report was submitted to the President, there have been public agitations.

Some current Chief Executives of the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) who weren’t nominated again were the Chief Executives of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), Mohammed Nii Adjei Sowah; the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA), Felix Mensah Nii Anang-La; the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), Osei Assibey Antwi; the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly, Anthony Egyir Aikins, and the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly (TaMA), Iddrisu Musah Superior.

In their place, the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has nominated Elizabeth Kwaatso Tawiah Sackey for AMA, Yohane Armah Ashitey (TMA), Mr Samuel Pyne (KMA), Ernest Arthur (Cape Coast) and Sule Salifu (TaMA).

Some supporters are infuriated that their favourites were not nominated and others are also contesting the nomination of some MMDCEs.null

Speaking to host Nana Yaw Kesseh on Peace FM’s morning show ”Kokrokoo”, Kwamena Duncan opined that the outrage over the MMDCEs’ list is a result of the leak.

He believed there would have been less agitations if the list had not been made public before the official announcement.

‘” . . I was so sad that this report is meant and meant for the President only. So, how come this was leaked? What was it intended for?” he questioned, adding ” . . that report which was leaked, we should not have gotten to that point at all. It should not have happened.”

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

Source: peacefmonline.com

The suspects

Twelve persons believed to be supporters of the New Patriotic Party(NPP) in the Chereponi district of the North East region have been arrested for disturbances in the area over the nomination of Zuwweiratu Mada Nashuru as the District Chief Executive.

The aggrieved NPP supporters on September 19,2021 vandalized party properties , burnt the party office in Chereponi and demonstrated to register their displeasure over the nomination of Zuwweiratu Mada Nashuru.

They accused the nominated DCE of being an NDC member who campaigned against the NPP and only joined the NPP after 2016 elections.

According to the NPP supporters , they will resist any attempt to impose any stranger on them as their District Chief Executive.

The North East Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mr Robert Anabiik Angmain, who confirmed the incident to DGN Online said on September 20,2021, the North East Region Police Commander DCOP Moses Ali Kpenchi led a team of Policemen to houses identified to be houses belonging to the suspects who were involved in the disturbances in Chereponi on September 19,2021 and arrested them.

The arrested suspects are Kwabena Manteng,43,Iddrisu Abdul-Rahaman ,42,Sumaila Ibrahim ,16,Kasim Abdul-Aziz ,28,Kasim Latif ,65,Ibrahim Awuffor ,23, Osman Yussif ,36,Mohammed Abdul-Latif ,29,Fuseini Bawah ,30,Kwame Mahamud ,31 ,Bashiru Ayabli ,29 and Arimiyaw ,22.

He indicated that the suspects have been subsequently conveyed to the Regional Police Headquarters, Nalerigu for further action

Ghana’s debt level is unsustainable and the cause of the current hardship that ordinary citizens are suffering, former President Jon Mahama has said.

“Our debt has ballooned to unsustainable levels – topping 80% of GDP – exposing us to very high risk of debt default“, the 2020 flag bearer of the main opposition National Democratic Congress wrote on Facebook.

He said,“almost all of our tax revenue is used to service our debt and the effect has been the introduction of several new taxes“.

“This has led to rampant increments in the prices of goods and services“, Mr Mahama added.

In his view,“this is primarily responsible for the hardships Ghanaians are going through now“.

“This government must accept that it is their mismanagement of the economy, their thirst for consumption expenditure and the desire to spend beyond our means in order to win elections, that have plunged us into the current crisis, not necessarily COVID-19

John Mahama and Jean Mensa

Former President, John Dramani Mahama, has launched yet another blistering attack on the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), saying the EC boss is on a ‘warpath’ with the opposition NDC that he has been leading.××

Without any provocation, Mr. Mahama attacked the EC boss, Mrs. Jean Mensa, on Kumasi-based New Mercury FM during his ‘Thank You’ tour in the Ashanti Region early this week, saying the commission was refusing to accept the NDC’s post-2020 electoral reform proposals.

“Since this woman was appointed, it feels like she is on a warpath with the NDC. This EC Chairperson has said the NDC is the biggest threat to the country,” he claimed without mentioning where the EC boss made the purported statement against his party.

He then asked rhetorically “Do you think such a person can ensure neutrality between parties? It is obvious they (EC) have a certain prejudice against NDC. Whenever we suggest anything, they rubbish it.”

The former President then said that the NDC will not relent in its efforts to get the EC to accept the party’s reforms, vowing “We have sent the proposals and whatever we will do in terms of advocacy to ensure that they do the right thing, we will do it.”

NDC Proposal

The NDC has said it has put forward some proposals which will bring reforms to the electoral system.

Bizarrely, the same party has said it has stopped engaging the EC but want the same commission to accept its proposals.

The party has refused to cooperate with the commission and has decided to boycott the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) where such decisions are mostly taken.

The NDC’s beef is that the EC rigged the 2020 general election in favour of the NPP, a claim which was dismissed by the Supreme Court when Mr. Mahama went there to challenge the results as declared.

Initially, ex-President Mahama claimed he won the election and was denied victory and in the ensuing heat, he and his party’s leaders amassed their supporters to hit the streets to cause mayhem around Christmas last year.

Petition Hearing

However, by the time the case was being heard, the NDC’s stance that Mr. Mahama was denied victory had shifted to the argument that none of the 12 candidates that participated in the 2020 Presidential Election got the constitutionally mandatory 50 per cent plus one of the total valid votes.

The NDC also pushed that the Supreme Court should determine whether the Electoral Commission (EC) had to organise a run-off election between Mr. Mahama as petitioner and President Akufo-Addo who was declared winner by the EC on December 9, 2020 after the crucial December 7, 2020 general election.

He was subsequently bounced unanimously by the seven-member panel for failing to adduce evidence to back his claims that no candidate crossed the 50 per cent plus 1 vote needed for the EC to declare a winner.

Persistent Attacks

Since the Supreme Court sent him packing after his unsuccessful challenge, Mr. Mahama has not forgiven the EC boss who is credited for leading the organisation of a smooth election unmatched in the Fourth Republican dispensation.

One of his basis for attacks has been that the court refused to allow the EC boss to testify during the hearing when he himself could not establish any prima facie case against the commission per his own documents filed.

After the court’s verdict when the public was waiting for him to finally concede defeat, he rather held a news conference to denounce the court’s action and then used it as a platform to attack the judges and the EC boss.

Describing the commission as ‘pliant’ he sought to present the electoral management body as one which lacked independence.

NDC Proposal

Among the proposals being pushed by the NDC is a demand for the prior approval of Parliament for the appointment of EC members.

They want a repeal of the requirement for the consent of the Attorney General to be given before the prosecution of electoral offences as well as specially-designated courts for electoral disputes and offences before, during and after registration of voters and elections.

The NDC also wants the EC to be allowed by law to apply to the courts to remove names of deceased and other unqualified persons from the provisional register when informed by the relevant authorities.

In a strange move, the NDC wants GBC to comply with the Supreme Court decision for it to provide equal access to all political parties after it flouted the same court’s decision when the party was in power and enjoyed GBC monopoly for more than a decade.

It also wants IPAC to be backed by legislation through an amendment to the Electoral Commission Act, 1993, Act 451 as well as spelling out by law the security responsibilities of the EC (if any), the police and the military during registration of voters and during and after voting.

The NDC is demanding a legislation to bind the Chairperson of the EC, as the Returning Officer of the Presidential Election, to afford the agents of the participating political parties and candidates full participation in the collation of the presidential election results at the EC’s National Collation Centre.

Splitting EC

The NDC is also calling for a split of the EC into two separate bodies namely an Office for the Regulation of Political Parties (ORPP) and an Electoral Commission (EC) by amending the Political Parties Act, 2000, Act 574.

They also want the mandatory requirement for the publication of applicants for recruitment as temporary EC staff for registration of voters and for elections and for allowing the public to object to applicants who have questionable backgrounds or have overt partisan biases must be strictly complied with and the requirement for the list to be posted at the District EC offices.

The NDC wants the EC to comply with the requirement for each political party participating in an election to be provided with a copy of the final voters’ register and for the EC to make sure that recruitment for the various categories of election officials is made as non-partisan as possible.

They want the list of all polling stations to be used for an election with their names, code numbers and locations to be published in the Gazette and as supplements in the state newspapers not later than 30 days to the election, saying “this will require an amendment to the Public Elections Regulations, 2020, C.I. 127.”

The NDC said it wants the EC to print the replacement Statement of the Poll Form and Declaration of Results Form in a colour different from the original ones in order to distinguish them and where a replacement Declaration of Results Form is used, the original Statement of Declaration Form should be attached to it.

They also want the BVD printouts for each polling centre to be given to each political party agent or candidate’s agent and should be posted at the polling station as well as the abolishing of the Regional Collation Centre

Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr. Antwi Bosiako, widely known as Chairman Wontumi has descended heavily on Sammy Gyamfi.

According to Wontumi, the communication director of the NDC, Sammy Gyamfi has been possessed with the spirit of lies.

Reacting to claims by Sammy Gyamfi on the issue regarding the arrest of Rev. Owusu Bempah, Wontumi stressed on Accra based Kessben 92.9 FM that there is no sense in what Sammy Gyamfi is trumpeting around.

“There’s no sense in what Sammy Gyamfi is saying. We all know the story behind the arrest of Owusu Bempah. We know that Agradaa and Owusu Bempah were friends and they had problems. You know as friends when you are no more friends and the love goes away, hate may set in, that is exactly what happened between Agradaa and Owusu Bempah which eventually led to this arrest.”

”Owusu Bempah’s arrest has got nothing to do with Bawumia. Owusu Bempah has not said anything about Bawumia. He’s my personal friend and he has no problem with Bawumia, I can say that. What Sammy Gyamfi is going around saying is never true. He lies too much. I have never seen a lawyer who lies like him. Spirit of lies has taken over Sammy Gyamfi” Wontumi said on Breaking news with Ali Baba.

Sammy Gyamfi is reported to have said the ruling NPP masterminded the arrest of Owusu Bempah because Rev. Owusu Bempah had prophesied about the vice president never becoming a president.

Wontumi commended the Ghana police for doing their job independently but noted that they could have done better with the approach they arrested his friend. He bemoaned that at least some level of respect should have been given to the man of God by not arresting him at his church but rather could have waited to do that at his house.

Source: kessbenonline.com

General Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr. John Boadu, has hit back at Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, describing him as the very “epitome of failure”, following the latter’s earlier scathing attack on his (Boadu’s) party leadership credentials.null

The NPP stalwart accused Mr Ofosu Ampofo of failing to undertake simple calculation of electoral figures when he was Director of Elections of the party during the 2016 General Elections.

Who Are You To Insult Mahama?

The NDC Chair fired the first salvo when he labelled Mr Boadu as incompetent, and one who has no moral right to criticize former President John Mahama, because he (Boadu) failed to protect the NPP’s majority seats in Parliament during the 2020 elections.

“What I want to tell the NPP General Secretary John Boadu who’s suddenly had a penchant for wearing suits and addressing press conferences and insulting ex-President Mahama is that he was elected General Secretary when the NPP had 169 seats in Parliament. He has failed woefully to protect the 169 seats and it has today dropped to 137 seats.

“If we are talking about competency and who is able to manage, John Boadu should not come and compare himself to Mr Mahama,” he told a gathering in Kumasi during Mr Mahama’s ‘Thank You’ tour of the region.

He stressed, “We went to the polls together and we are all witnesses to the logistics that the NPP deployed. We know the huge sums of monies the NPP spent during the elections and we also know all the things they shared to win votes.

“If you are a General Secretary and you are given all these things and you lose most of the seats you had and the NPP is using force to declare themselves the Majority in Parliament. How dare John Boadu to insult Mahama? I think that he has performed so abysmally that if it were to be the NDC, he would not have been given the chance or platform to be addressing press conference in the name of the party.”

You Think You’re Better Than Me?

But in an sharp rebuttal during an interview with Kwabena Kwakye on Oman Fm’s Boiling Point, John Boadu described the NDC capo as a total failure who could not get simple arithmetic right and even put up a national collation centre together for his party when he was director of elections.

“You put up such an abysmal performance when you were director of elections for the your party, you further led your party to lose the 2020 general elections and yet you think you are better than me?” he rhetorically asked.null

Epitome of Failure!

To him, Ofosu Ampofo can only be lucky in a party like the NDC where such things are allowed to happen, adding that he (John Boadu) will continue to speak and work for his party to secure another victory for them in the break-the-8-agenda.

“Look, i’m proud of myself as General Secretary who polled a whooping 1.5 million votes to secure victory for my party’s candidate and further clinched another five hundred thousand (500,000) for my candidate Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo Addo to retain his seat as president of this country.

“If there is any body who is failing, then i think you must check again and look no further than your self since you are an epitome of failure,” he added.

“Confused” History Lovership

The NPP General Secretary has in recent times held series of press conferences attacking Mr Mahama and his utterances on the economy. His latest media encounter was held last week where he launched a savage attack on the economic performance of the Mahama administration.

“Former President Mahama and Seth Terkper are on public record as being the worse duo to have ever been in charge of the Ghanaian economy at the same time. This pair is a dangerous pair, yet in their public forum on 6th September 2021, they sought to create the impression that they had the best of times running this Ghanaian economy.”

“Unfortunately for them, the facts shows otherwise. Much as John Mahama seek his re-election on a campaign platform of going back to the IMF, he attempts to confuse history by painting a rosy picture. He said he is somebody who loves history but he confuses history by attempting to paint a rosy picture of his disastrous management of the Ghanaian economy between 2012 and 2016,” Mr Boadu said the press briefing

.Source: peacefmonline.com

• Kennedy Agyapong has indicated that he will retire from parliament in 2024

• He will however give thoughts to becoming the country’s president if there is widespread demand for him in that regard

• Kennedy Agyapong says he finds joy in creating jobs and employing people

Kennedy Agyapong, the Member of Parliament for Assin Central, has disclosed that he may consider running for president of the country if there is an overwhelming demand by Ghanaians.

Kennedy Agyapong is of the view that one needs not to assume the highest office on the land to make an impact.

The maverick lawmaker says he finds fulfilment in setting up companies and creating jobs but will give thoughts to gunning for presidency if calls are made in that regard.

Kennedy Agyapong told a US-based YouTuber that he is not focused on winning political power unlike some politicians.

“I have a personal belief that you don’t have to be a president to effect change in people’s life. I’m not a president but you can see the things I’m doing to help Ghanaians. That alone is enough but if a time comes that Ghanaians feel that you can lead and make a change, I will give myself some time and consider it. I don’t want to rush.

“Some people are consumed by power to the extent that they don’t even see realities but I just want to set up businesses and create employment. I have more joy in that than becoming a president but if there should be a change and people feel that this guy can do it, I may consider,” he said.

Kennedy Agyapong had earlier said that he will be exiting parliament in 2024 when his term as the lawmaker for Assin Central expires.

“I’m doing a lot for my people but a whopping 42 per cent of the electorates in the 2020 polls think I’m not doing well, so I’m leaving but would wait patiently to see if any MP can do what I did,” he told delegates at a gathering of the New Patriotic Party’s annual Delegates Conference in Assin-Fosu.

To buttress the seriousness of his decision, he added: “Even if I’m given 1,000 cows, I will not go back because I want the people to know that I am fighting for their wellbeing and not myself as an MP.”

A GNA report, noted that Agyapong however encouraged the party faithful who had gathered at Assin-Fosu to give full backing to the government in order to break the eight-year rule where an incumbent party loses power.

“I entreat you to stand firm and defend the government as measures are being put in place to improve the economy to bring relief to ordinary Ghanaians,” he stated.

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Youth Authority (NYA), Pius Enam Hadzide, has described as absurd the posture of former President John Dramani Mahama after he was being reproached by other leaders to retract and apologise for his ‘do or die’ comment.

According to the former Deputy Information Minister, he is finding it difficult to speak ill of former President John Mahama due to his status, but he is left with no choice except to say that his [Mahama’s] ‘do or die’ comment is not decent enough to come from a former President.

Speaking on Okay FM’s ‘Ade Akye Abia’ Morning Show, the NYA boss noted that then Presidential Candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo received baptism of fire from the public over his ‘all die be die’ comment and some lessons have been learned from it almost 10 years ago but the former President has taken the country back with his ‘do or die’ comment.

“Former President Mahama’s children are not even in the country, they are residing abroad attending great schools and having great fun but he said the poor people’s children should kill themselves for him to become President again,” he added.

He seized the moment to remind the youth in the country as a youth leader to stay away from a leader who chants and encourages electoral violence.

“If we have a past President who is telling us to kill ourselves for him to become President again, we should tell him to make his children lead the way, and if you see that his children are ready to lead the ‘do or die’ 2024 elections, then you can choose to support them,” he indicated.

“The most absurdity of former President Mahama’s action is when other leaders began to reproach him for his ‘do or die’ comment, and instead of him to be remorseful and retract and apologise for his unfortunate comment, he is adamant and insisting that he is right and this is a bad precedent. The arrogant and obstinate posture of former President Mahama about the ‘do or die’ comment will not help him and Ghanaians are watching him,” he chided.

Source: peacefmonline.com

Sammy Gyamfi, the National Communications Officer of the largest opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has hit back at critics who have spoken against ex-president John Mahama’s “Do or Die” comment.

This follows calls for former President John Dramani Mahama to apologize for making such a remark.

Sammy Gyamfi who was speaking in a one-on-one interview on UTV said there’s no need for the former President to apologize because “he said nothing wrong“.

“Mahama’s do or die is a call to vigilance . . . he’s done nothing wrong and we will not withdraw. We are now going to move the do or die campaign to another level, compose songs with it and even print cloth. Those who have a problem with this either don’t know the character of Mahama as a peaceful person or don’t understand the meaning of do or die . . . we don’t care . . . we are determined to work within the remit of the law,” he indicated.

Meanwhile, Sammy Gyamfi has urged party communicators not to talk about the “do or die” comment again and rather “concentrate on the bread and butter issues“.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/dHhWF1tqKHU

Source: Peacefmonline.com

Former President John Dramani Mahama has called members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to be vigilant at polling stations and collation centres in the next general election.

That, he said, was the only way to ensure victory for the NDC.

Tour ends

He made the call at a stakeholder meeting at Juaboso in the Western North Region at the end of his ‘thank you’ tour to that part of the country.

Former President Mahama has been on a thank you tour of the middle belt; namely, Bono East, Bono, Ahafo and Western North regions.

Mr Mahama commended residents of the region for their unflinching support for the NDC and said the party would win any election that was free and fair.

He asked the rank and file of the party at the Akontombra Constituency to remain united to win back that parliamentary seat in the next election.

“Let’s ensure the figures from the various polling stations are a true reflection of the results that will be declared. I have decided to be a polling agent in future elections,” he added.

No intimidation

For her part, the 2020 NDC Running Mate to the presidential candidate, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, urged supporters at the grassroots to ensure that the party won all parliamentary seats in the region.

She lauded the leadership of the party for recognising the role of women in society and accepting her as the running mate to Mr Mahama in the past election.

The General Secretary, Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia, called on the people to bring the NDC back to power to fight corruption.

Source: graphiconline.com

VICE President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has subtly taken a jab at former President John Dramani Mahama over his recent election 2024 “Do or Die” comment while on his Thank You tour in the Bono East Region.

According to the Vice President, ‘’Competition Should not be Do or Die Affair’’.

Dr Mahamudu Bawumia who was speaking at the maiden Ghana Construction Industry Excellence Awards 2021 in Accra on Friday, September 10, humorously encouraged the losers not to consider the awards a do-or-die affair in an apparent reference to Mr Mahama’s controversial comments.

After his usual laugther while addressing the forum said “You know when you go for these competitions or awards, it is not do or die,” he said in jest. “So, we wish you better luck in 2022.”

He added that “But seriously if you go to court to challenge an election result and you have no pink sheets, then your case will die,” he mentioned to abrupt derision in the auditorium.

Mr Mahama’s comments were made on Tuesday, September 7 at the start of the second phase of his Thank You tour in an interview on pro-NDC Akina Radio in Techiman in the Bono East Region.

He stated that 2024 elections will be won or lost at the polling station. “The polling station will be do or die affair. I haven’t said all die be die, it will be do or die at the polling station, in 2024 that is where we will win the election”.

The former President continued that “We will be doing everything to ensure that the election is free and fair. We don’t want to cheat the NPP and we also don’t want them to cheat us. We just want the will of the people to prevail”.

However, the former president’s statement caused uproar with a section of Ghanaians calling on him to retract and apologise.

Justifying the offensive a day after in another radio interview, John Mahama said his threatening comment of “do or die” was just an idiomatic expression.

Speaking on Sunyani-based Moonlite FM on Wednesday, he said he was taken out of context and would not retract his comment.

Mr. Mahama explained that “… They don’t understand do or die. Do or die is an English idiom. In Africa, we have many proverbs and we sometimes don’t say things in the straight format, we use proverbs. In English, we have idiomatic expressions”.

“Those who left school early don’t understand idiomatic expressions. Do or die means a critical assignment you have and so you must do the needful or perish”.

He added: “What I mean is that the NDC should not wait and go back to the Supreme Court, whatever has to be done at the polling stations and collation centres must be done. And so I don’t retract, the next election for NDC is going to be a do or die affair.

“I’m telling all our party executives that you must be at the polling station to make sure that the right thing is done. Don’t abdicate your responsibility at that level and expect that after somebody has stolen the election we’ll go to Supreme Court to see if they would overturn the election for us, they won’t do it,” he said.

Video Player

BY Daniel

• Felix Kwakye Ofosu says Akufo-Addo has done little to improve the living standards of Ghanaians

• He said, Akufo-Addo should be blamed for the retrogression of Ghana’s economy

• President Akufo-Addo had accused former President John Dramani Mahama of abysmal economic performance

Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has defended former President John Dramani Mahama’s description of the Akufo-Addo led administration of doing little to improve the living standards of Ghanaians after winning the 2016 general elections.

According to him, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo should rather be blamed for the retrogression of Ghana’s economy.

The President had earlier described the Mahama led administration as an unmitigated disaster, adding that the former President cannot lecture him [Akufo-Addo] on economic management because, during his tenure, his economic track record from 2013 to 2016 was abysmal.

Speaking on Vov radio during his tour in the Volta Region on Friday, September 10, Akufo-Addo said, “I wonder whether this statement was made tongue in cheek by the former president. When you look at the record that this political leader, who can accuse my government of mismanagement, there are a few facts that when you put on the table to compare his performance and mine, it would tell you whether what I am offering the people is economic mismanagement.”

He argued, “I wonder what words should we describe his [Mahama] stewardship of Ghana. It is an unmitigated disaster, that’s what I would call him.”

President Akufo-Addo further said, former President Mahama “is not on strong ground when he is talking about the economy. His track record, I am reluctant to use these strong words, but in normal parlance, I would say it is abysmal and, therefore, he has no lessons to give me at all in the management of the economy.”

Responding to this in an interview on Citi FM monitored by GhanaWeb, Kwakye Ofosu, who is also an aide to the former President said, Ghana witnessed economic growth coupled with manageable debt levels under President Mahama, adding, President Akufo-Addo has no moral right to boast of better economic management.

“Even when the President’s horrible management of the economy is exposing him, he will not listen. This is a man who doesn’t pay attention to details. The President is always talking about COVID-19 as an excuse to squander money given him. He has a huge debt to cover, and he doesn’t have money to pay his debts. He doesn’t have anything else to run this country.”

Felix Kwakye Ofosu further indicated that, President Akufo-Addo’s handling of the economy is rather the poorest in the country, at least in the last four decades.

“I don’t know where he gets the courage from to say that John Mahama cannot speak about the economy. This catastrophic management he has superintended cannot be the reason why President Mahama cannot speak about the economy. The economy Mr. Mahama left is much better than what we have now. This is the worst economic management we have had in the last 40 years, and it cannot be disputed”, he observed.

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Former President John Mahama, speaking on Akina Radio at Techiman, stated that the 2024 elections will be a “do or die” affair.

“We learn from the past so we [NDC] have learned our lessons from the 2020 election. The next elections will be won or lost at the polling station…If otherwise, it will be a do or die affair at the polling station. We won’t wait for any Supreme Court, no!” he said.

This comment has been strongly criticized with some political pundits asking the former President to apologize.

Reacting to this in an interview on Neat FM’s Ghana Montie programme, Abronye DC said: “if that is the case, the first person to die will be Farida Mahama because her father is power-drunk and so he will be happy to see everyone dead just for him to be President…

“…I want to tell them that we’re really prepared for election 2024; if they want fire they will have it and if they want peace there will be peace. If he wants fire, he will be the first person including his daughter, Farida; she will be a polling agent so when the fire starts, she can’t escape”

Listen to him in the video below:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/PUMdYi-O934

Source: peacefmonline.com

• John Mahama has taken his Thank You tour to the Ahafo regionnull

• He is confident the NDC will win the 2024 presidential elections

• The former president is disappointed projects from his time have been abandoned

John Dramani Mahama has assured his supporters of an incontestable victory in 2024.

The former president also called on his supporters to lay aside all their reservations from the previous elections of 2020 and forge ahead for the victory that is to come, reports myjoyonline.com.

“When two sheep knock their heads in a fight, each goes back, prepare and comes back with a bang. I want to assure you that, this is the stage the NDC is in now. In 2024, we are coming back with a well-prepared force for a victory that no one can argue about

“We are just like the sheep which has gone back and coming back with a victorious bang,” he is quoted to have said during a meeting with the Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs.

John Mahama is on his Thank You Tour in the region, where he has been trumpeting the message that his party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) did not lose the elections of 2020.

“We went into a contest in the year 2020. The result has been clear to each and every one of us. We went into an election we know we didn’t lose, what happened at the various collation centres and in court is now behind us,” he said.

John Dramani Mahama also explained that the National Executives of the NDC will embark on a process of rebuilding the party for the “battle” ahead, starting with outreach visits to each of the regions of the country.

“Under normal circumstances, I should have come with just two words; “Thank You” and return. However, we must take stalk of the various contributions you gave us for you to know we really appreciate it.null

“We all come out to vote looking forward to a better life. But look at the economic situation today, unemployment amongst the youth, etc. The NDC cannot fold its arms in despair, but will be willing at any time to help in building our nation,” he said.

The former president also shared his disappointment with how projects that were started under his administration, 5 years into this current one, led by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, have been left to rot.

“After 5 years, we still have abandoned road projects, school projects, hospitals amongst others. We must speak out on all these issues because it was not my money that was used to construct these projects but our collective taxes. The NDC will surely be back to take this country to a higher height,” he said.

In the 2020 elections, the NPP’s Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was pronounced winner with 51.59 percent (6,730,413 votes) of valid votes cast, as against John Dramani Mahama of the NDC’s 47.36 percent (6,214,889 votes).

The NPP has also since then been on an agenda code-named ‘Break the 8’, intended to ensure that it becomes the first party to win more than two successive elections in Ghana’s history.

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has described the period in office of his predecessor, John Dramani Mahama, as an unmitigated disaster, describing his economic track record whilst in office, from 2013 to 2016, as abysmal. 

President Akufo-Addo made this known on Friday, 10th September 2021, in response to question posed by the host, in which she referenced a statement made by former President John Mahama in which he accused the current Government of economic mismanagement  

Responding to the statement, the President stated that “I wonder whether this statement was made tongue in cheek by the former president. When you look at the record that this political leader, who can accuse my government of mismanagement, there are a few facts that when you put on the table to compare his performance and mine, it would tell you that if what I am offering people is economic mismanagement.”  

He continued, “I wonder what words should we describe his (Mahama) stewardship of Ghana. It is an unmitigated disaster, that’s what I would call him.” 

According to President Akufo-Addo, under the tenure of office of John Mahama, economic growth rate in 2016 stood at 3.4%, the lowest in two decades; with all other macroeconomic indicators pointing in the wrong direction.  

“Inflation, when he left office, was 15.4%; today, at the end of July, which are the last hard facts from the Statistical Service, it’s 9%. Interest rates are always a good determinant of how the economy is operating, 32% in December 2016, today, it is 20.6%. We are talking about treasury bill decline in interest rate, we are talking about the trade deficit that was $1.8 billion in 2016, to a trade surplus of $2.6 billion at the end of 2019,” the President said.  

He stressed that if these statistics, which, prior to COVID-19, led to Ghana being one of the fastest growing economies in the world with a GDP of 7%, “can be considered economic mismanagement”, he then wondered what would be the description of the economy managed by John Mahama, which took Ghana into the embrace of the IMF.  

Responding again to comments made by John Mahama, asking Government to organise an economic forum, President Akufo-Addo stated that “if the economic forum is going to be a repetition of the so-called Senchi Consensus, then I think I have to spare the people of Ghana this sort of development.”  

He continued, “The Senchi Consensus was an unmitigated disaster, out of it we went into the embrace of the IMF with all the difficulties that came from there and the disarray it pointed to in the economy of our country.” 

 The President, thus, urged former President Mahama to be wary of commenting on matters to do with economic management. 

“He is not on strong ground when he is talking about the economy. His track record, I am reluctant to use these strong words, but in normal parlance, I would say it abysmal and, therefore, he has no lessons to give me at all in the management of the economy,” President Akufo-Addo added.   

Former Finance Minister, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor has subtly taken a jab at former President John Dramani Mahama over his recent election 2024 “Do or Die” comment.
Dr. Duffuor in a Facebook post on Wednesday, September 8, 2021, at about 3pm challenged Mahama in his call to war comment saying “This is the time for peace and cooperation, not for violence and divisiveness”.

He explained that “Leadership is not about ego or even Election Day, but putting the health, prosperity, and safety of Ghanaians first every single day, all year round”.

He said, “Our children are hungry, our people are hurting, let’s not resort to conflict but come together for the betterment of all”.

He continued “When the country wins, its leader wins, and the success of the weakest among us should be the only priority for the strongest among us”.

Concluding, the former Finance Minister under President Atta Mills noted “This cannot be achieved through harsh words, violence, or politicking, but through peace, humility, and hard work. In these times of great uncertainty, it is important to remember that words matter and carry great weight! May we all put Ghana first, and remember that party colors will never trump the unity of red, yellow, and green”.

Mr Mahama in an interview on pro-NDC Akina Radio in Techiman in the Bono East region on Tuesday as part of his ‘thank you’ campaign to that region stated 2024 elections will be won or lost at the polling station. “The polling station will be do or die affair. I haven’t said all die be die, it will be do or die at the polling station, in 2024 that is where we will win the election”.

He said “We will be doing everything to ensure that the election is free and fair. We don’t want to cheat the NPP and we also don’t want them to cheat us. We just want the will of the people to prevail”.
However, the statement caused uproar with a section of Ghanaians calling on him to retract and apologise.
Justifying the offensive a day after in another radio interview, John Mahama said his threatening comment of “do or die” was just an idiomatic expression.

Speaking on Sunyani-based Moonlite FM on Wednesday, he said he was taken out of context and would not retract his comment.

Mr. Mahama explained that “… They don’t understand do or die. Do or die is an English idiom. In Africa, we have many proverbs and we sometimes don’t say things in the straight format, we use proverbs. In English, we have idiomatic expressions”.

“Those who left school early don’t understand idiomatic expressions. Do or die means a critical assignment you have and so you must do the needful or perish”.

He added: “What I mean is that the NDC should not wait and go back to the Supreme Court, whatever has to be done at the polling stations and collation centres must be done. And so I don’t retract, the next election for NDC is going to be a do or die affair.

“I’m telling all our party executives that you must be at the polling station to make sure that the right thing is done. Don’t abdicate your responsibility at that level and expect that after somebody has stolen the election we’ll go to Supreme Court to see if they would overturn the election for us, they won’t do it,” he said.

BY Daniel Bampoe

• NDC is looking forward to come back into power in 2024

• Ofosu-Ampofo said the NDC wants to save Ghanaians from economic hardship

• The opposition has also vowed protect Ghanaians from the growing insecurities in the country

National Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, has said the party is poised to remove the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) from office.

According to him, the 8-year cycle that the NPP wants to break will be broken by the NDC to save Ghanaians from economic hardship and insecurities.

Ofosu-Ampofo said the NDC will also save Ghanaians from the rising unemployment issue in the country.null

“As we speak, the NPP says they have something they call break the 8. I am saying that we the NDC would break the 8 for them. 2024, we are going to break the 8 years of unprecedented economic hardships that the NPP has brought on Ghanaians. We are going to break the high level of unemployment which is the reason why most of the youth are unemployed,” he said.

“We are going to break the insecurity in the country which is the reason why we don’t feel safe traveling on Ghana’s highways without a police escort. Due to insecurity, an international journalist was recently killed by highway robbers here in Ghana,” Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo added.

He said Ghanaians will heave a sigh of relief when the NDC comes back into power.

The NDC National Chairman made the statement at Techiman during John Dramani Mahama’s Thank You tour in the Bono East region.

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

• The NDC’s vigilance helped thwart a vote rigging plot in the Ashanti Region during the 2020 polls

• NDC’s Director of Elections said the plot involved a million ballot papers

• The NDC also wants the EC to carefully consider their electoral reform proposals

The National Democratic Congress’ Director of Elections, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, has spoken about how the party intercepted and caused the destruction of over a million extra ballot papers that were heading for the Ashanti Region in the 2020 elections.

He credited the discovery of the papers to the vigilance and knowledge of NDC agents whiles narrating the circumstances that led to the episode on August 31, 2021; the edition of GTV’s Breakfast Show programme.

He said despite the elections have ended, he still had video evidence of what he insisted was a calculated effort to influence the votes in the NPP’s stronghold.

“One of the printing houses, that is was where Ashanti Region ballots were printed. When the printing is done, they are now packaged and recorded and we all sign for it, then it is sent to the region.

“When it is sent to the region, they will also check and confirm that they have received “x” amount of ballot papers from this region, for this constituency etc. When that is done, then the remaining ballot papers are burnt and thrashed.

“Then they give you a certificate of disposal signed by all the political parties that we have finished printing and these are the ballots that have been disposed of…,” he explained.

According to him, the team had to return from Kumasi to Accra after a mistake was discovered with the PNC candidate’s photo, he said they needed to come purposefully to reprint papers for the affected constituency alone.

“We came back to the printing house and our guys saw a pack of ballot papers, covered, bound in brown envelopes. We checked and there were over one million extra ballots for Ashanti Region alone.

“We asked and the woman got confused and said they were for runoff. So we said how can you have a runoff for all the 12 candidates? So we called the Electoral Commission and… eventually, we had to insist and we burned them, and I have evidence of that,” he added.

The discussion on the programme centred largely on the NDC’s reform proposals to the EC following its internal review of the 2020 elections. Afriyie Ankrah tasked the commission to review the report dispassionately and engage without any prejudice.

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Director of Elections for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Elvis Afriyie Ankrah insists the 2020 elections were stolen for the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

He indicated that when the NPP realized they were losing, they had to bring in their thugs who were clothed in Military uniforms to shoot at innocent people in order for them to be able to rig the election.

The astute politician made this known when he spoke on Accra-based TV3’s Key Points; a political show that airs on Saturday mornings.

He said “For us, the elections were stolen. When [the NPP] realised they were losing, they deployed thugs wearing military uniforms, some wearing beards with earrings and they went and shot innocent people and stole the votes.

“Those are the facts and the President of this republic has not been able to say anything about it,” he said.

Meanwhile, the NPP through its General Secretary insist that the party won the 2020 elections legitimately and that claims of rigging the elections are mere propaganda by the confused opposition party which could not even collate their figures during the election.

Source: mynewsgh.com

• Syed Taalay Ahmed was killed in Ghana while working on a documentary

• He was killed by some unknown robbers while travelling on the Tamale-Buipe road

• John Dramani Mahama has condemned the killing of the journalist

Former President John Dramani Mahama, has condemned the recent killing of a London-based MTA International journalist, Syed Taaley Ahmed Sahib, on the Tamale-Buipe road by armed robbers.

The journalist who was in Ghana working on a documentary assessing Ghana’s peace and security met his untimely death when the vehicle he was travelling on, Toyota Hiace, was accosted by some unknown gunmen at about 7 pm on Monday, August 23, 2021, around Mpaha Junction.

The gun-wielding men emerged from a nearby bush and opened fire on the journalist and his colleague, Umaru Abdul Hakim, by deflating the tyres of the vehicle bringing it to a halt before firing at their vehicle.

The based MTA International crew were hit by bullets from the criminals and made away with the gadgets and unspecified amount of money.

Reacting to this in a statement signed by his Special Aide, Joyce Bawa Mogtari and sighted by KWESI TV 24, John Dramani Mahama stated that, “it is truly ironic that a journalist working on a documentary on peace and security should die from an incident of highway robbery, which has become symptomatic of the violent crime currently consuming our country.”

He added, “the now rampant criminal activity of armed robbers in the northern parts of the country is a cause for great concern, as they are fast becoming a daily occurrence. In recent times, these armed robbers have become so emboldened that they [are] not only terrorizing road users in the night but in the daytime as well.”

Mahama’s statement further said, during his recent thank you tour in the five regions in the north, he met with the chiefs and people where they “mentioned insecurity on the highways as one of the key” challenges they are facing.

He, then, called upon President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to urgently address the worrying development.

Meanwhile, some four persons are currently in police custody for their alleged involvement in some robbery and murder cases on the Kintampo-Buipe-Tamale highway.

The four – Saaju Bukari, Bertor Saabi, Ali Amadi and Isaad Seidu – were arrested following an intelligence-led operation conducted by the Special Anti-Robbery Task Force.

The operation also resulted in the killing of two robbers after they exchanged gunshots with the Police Intelligence and Operational Teams.

“Preliminary investigations suggest that these suspects were behind many robberies including the killing of an international journalist some days ago,” a statement issued by the police on Sunday, August 29 said.

Read below John Mahama’s full statement.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Z338PwdlmZuUZxSWXzvUHN_wm06K8EI6/preview

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

John Boadu, the General secretary of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has said former president John Mahama is struggling to recover from the 2020 election defeat.

Addressing a news conference in Accra on Thursday (26 August), Boadu said the Akufo-Addo-led government is focused on delivering on its promise to Ghanaians and will not be distracted by Mahama’s tantrums. 

“As we speak, he is embarking on a nationwide thank you tour to thank Ghanaians for rejecting his incompetence and insensitivity. Apparently, he was deceiving everybody. He hasn’t still accepted his faith. He is still in a campaign mood, stopping at nothing at firing salvos and peddling lies at the current President and the NPP government. We are really not worried about his distractions because our President is focused on delivering the public good,” Boadu said.

“Once again we insist that it is clear defeated candidate Mahama is yet to recover from the 2020 election loss. After deceiving a few of his supporters to attempt mayhem on the roads, he has the audacity to talk about averting civil war?“ he said.

Boadu added: “His inept petition was dismissed by the Supreme Court in a public hearing where he went to court with no evidence whatsoever. He denigrates the military with talk about arm twisting? Except John Mahama and his cohorts in the NDC, the entire world hailed the 2020 elections. A solid record of running the entire election in six months at the height of the worldwide Coronavirus pandemic.”

Below is the full statement:

PRESS CONFERENCE BY THE NPP, ADDRESSED BY THE GENERAL SECRETARY, JOHN BOADU

Ladies and gentlemen of the media, good afternoon and welcome to this press conference. The 2020 general elections, we all know, were held successfully almost a year ago. The verdict of the Ghanaian people, as declared by the independent Electoral Commission of Ghana and affirmed by the Supreme Court, was an emphatic. It was a big YES for the NPP Presidential Candidate Presidential Candidate, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to continue his good works. Many have thought that we have all moved on.

The President is focused on putting in place his government to help him deliver on his second term mandate, an exercise which is almost complete. The economy, just like the world economy, which was ravaged by the crippling impact of Covid, is now seeing a strong rebound to the envy of many economic watchers. Ghana is once again showing the way. However, it appears not everybody is happy with these positive developments. Some Ghanaians still think that the 2020 elections are not over.

They are unable to come to terms with their reality, that, election 2020 is over, and they have lost. Ghanaians rejected them like they did in 2016 because they have nothing good to offer this country. They just cannot think beyond partisan politics. They are still in the campaign mood as though we are building up to a general elections. Unfortunately, John Mahama, the former President, who ought to know better, is rather the one leading this backwardness.

As we speak, he is embarking on a nationwide thank you tour to thank Ghanaians for rejecting his incompetence and insensitivity. Apparently, he was deceiving everybody. He hasn’t still accepted his faith. He is still in a campaign mood, stopping at nothing at firing salvos and peddling lies at the current President and the NPP government. We are really not worried about his distractions because our President is focused on delivering the public good.

We are however minded to respond to his recent allegations, because we think that much as the Ghanaian people know him, we still need to remind them of his deceptive utterances. As observed, he has turned his so called ‘thank you’ tour into an election campaign. Yes, he has a right to campaign, and we don’t begrudge him.

But he should play by the rules of engagement. He has no right to deceive the people by twisting basic facts. During the 2020 election campaign, we recall him saying it is acceptable to lie to win elections. Having lost the election, he is still peddling half-truths and twisting facts. Some of his assertions are embarrassing and need rebuttals to set the record straight.

CREATION OF REGIONS
First, he accuses President Akufo-Addo of creating regions in name only without development. He is so wrong on both counts. Facts are that the people in the affected regions, Western, Brong Ahafo, Volta and Northern, did petition the then fresh Akufo-Addo administration after their failed attempt to get his cooperation on the subject. For some, their aspirations were decades old. The Akufo-Addo administration followed the constitutional processes of setting up an independent Commission of Inquiry. The Commission concluded that the demands had merit and therefore triggered the constitutional requirement of a referendum.

The constitutional bar for the referendum is very high. Fifty percent of eligible voters had to turn out with eighty percent of votes cast having to be in favour. To meet these high numbers, multiple parties, including NPP and NDC, worked together enthusiastically. Not once, however, did we hear a peep out of the former president Mahama. He did not lead his people in the Savanah Region. He did not lead the NDC. Now, he pops up to twist the fact of constitutional creation into the doing of an individual. Yes. That individual, President Akufo-Addo, was bold and responsive enough to lead the people to achieve their dream.

On developmental projects in the newly created regions, the Hon Minister for Local Government Decentralisation and Rural Development, has been more than emphatic. He tells us that Ninety six projects are currently ongoing with over 70% complete whilst a few have been handed over. 6 regional administration blocks, 24 blocks for decentralised departments, 66 staff bungalows. 30 motorbikes and 66 new vehicles have also been delivered. Furthermore, Agenda 111 will deliver regional and district hospitals as well.

For the information of failed candidate Mahama, the Akufo-Addo administration has pioneered a model where government and public service buildings are spread throughout the region. The advantage over the old cluster model is that every locality within a region will have a hub around which to deepen development.

ELECTION 2020
Once again we insist that it is clear defeated candidate Mahama is yet to recover from the 2020 election loss. After deceiving a few of his supporters to attempt mayhem on the roads, he has the audacity to talk about averting civil war? His inept petition was dismissed by the Supreme Court in a public hearing where he went to court with no evidence whatsoever. He denigrates the military with talk about arm twisting? Except John Mahama and his cohorts in the NDC, the entire world hailed the 2020 elections. A solid record of running the entire election in six months at the height of the worldwide Coronavirus pandemic.

Knowing they would lose to the sterling record of Nana Addo, the John Mahama NDC put every conceivable obstacle in the way of the Electoral Commission (EC). For over a year, they held sometimes violent demonstrations against the intentions and operations of the EC. They hailed Covid-19 as the panacea for not having elections at all, a posture that was bound to create constitutional crisis. They did not have a solution if elections did not happen. They could not care less. Indeed, John Mahama seeks to undermine our electoral and political stability anytime he comments on elections.

However, with the resolve of God and good service, the EC registered voters, exhibited the new register and conducted general elections from June to December 2020. In spite of Covid-19 that led to restrictions on international trade and travel, the EC managed to procure all its materials and deploy them to maximum effect. Remarkable. Even more significantly, the Government of Ghana, under the constitutional democrat Nana Addo, paid for the entire election. Another unprecedented feat in the history of elections under the 4th Republic.

International observers deemed the elections free and fair, local observers corroborated this fact, prominent local media houses independently called the election for the NPP and Nana Addo was duly declared the winner. Yet, aspirant Mahama would shamelessly have the world believe otherwise. But that is John Mahama for you. He never disappoints with his pettiness.

NDC AND ELECTORAL REFORMS
John Mahama and his NDC have no shame. After disrespecting and damning the EC and its leadership throughout the electioneering, they have the gut to call on the EC to undertake electoral reforms even after refusing to attend the opportune platform provided by the EC for all political parties to meet and undertake a review of the conduct of the 2020 elections. The NPP has said, and we going to repeat, that, we are not going to dignify their so-called proposals for electoral reforms by responding to them in the media. The media as well as the international community cannot be the right forum for such an exercise.

We are a disciplined political party and respect rules. We do not play to the gallery. We are a serious political party. And so, if the NDC is serious about their demands for electoral reforms, they should table it at the right forum, which is IPAC. But if, on the other hand, they think that the media can undertake the reforms they are calling for, then they should go ahead with their rantings in the media space. We are not going to debate in their own turf. They should be honourable enough and come back to the table for a civilised discussion and debate. The NPP has always believed in electoral reform.

The NPP is proud of its record in supporting the continued transformation of elections in Ghana towards more transparency and fairness. However, the NPP has always tried to act within the rules in pushing for changes. Let the NDC be advised to swallow their arrogance and get down from its high horse, accept the loss of the 2020 elections gracefully and participate within IPAC to input into the 2024 elections.

HOSPITAL PROJECTS
At the heart of his attempt to lead the NDC again as a flagbearer is John Mahama’s allegations about “his” abandoned projects. He has been particularly loud since the successful launching of Agenda 111 to change the health care delivery landscape of Ghana. So, even though the Hon Minister for Health has spoken to debunk John Mahama’s effusions, I wish to repeat with all the emphasis at my command that John Mahama did not leave a legacy worth abandoning. His best shot at housing is in court, facing questions over millions unaccounted for. His history of cocoa roads is replete with horror stories. He barely managed to deliver two interchanges, Circle and Kasoa. Both have serious value for money issues.

President Kufuor secured funds for nine hospitals under the Euroget de-Invest inspired project in 2008. The NDC did not complete even one of them in eight years. The NPP Government of Nana Addo had to come in and completed them. The Wa Regional Hospital and Ga East Municipal Hospital were commissioned for use in 2019. Nsawkaw, Twifo Praso and Tepa were available as at November 2020. The Afari Military hospital and Sewua Regional Hospital are due for handover in 2022. Salaga and Konongo are on course. These are not Mahama initiated projects. They were the brainchild of the Kufuor administration.

Mahama was behind a set of eight projects under NMSI. Most of the money for the project was invested in one out of the eight. That is the Shai Osudoku District hospital at Dodowa. The Akufo-Addo administration has had to restructure the contracts and get contractors back to site at Fomena, Kumawu, and Takoradi. Sekondi and Garu were not started at all. Now Garu has been separated into two districts, Garu and Tempane and they are to benefit from Agenda 111.

All the polyclinic projects under Vamed have been completed. 10 in central region, 5 in Greater Accra and others in Savanah, Northern and Volta Region are all complete. The University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) required another fifty million USD before completion for active use in October 2020.
Ladies and gentlemen, that is the NDC for you. Touting achievements they have not concluded.

CORRUPTION
Former President Mahama asserts without proof that the NPP has stolen Ghana’s money and that, he can ensure accountability through elections. Extremely rich, coming from a party credited by the Supreme Court of Ghana, with the ability to ‘create, loot and share’ public funds with impunity.

Is Mahama, of Government Official One infamy and the Ford vehicle from Kanazoe Contractors, talking about corruption? Is that the same Mahama whose government signed onto a half-baked contract of $1.2 billion for the Ghana Retail Payments Systems Infrastructure? Sibton Switch Systems Ltd have just lost an arbitration demand for $478 million from Ghana for revoking that agreement. The Akufo-Addo administration did a far more enhanced project for only $4.5 million. $1.2 billion to $4.5 million.

On the Sibton Switch issue, the Bank of Ghana, as we all know, has won an international arbitration of $478million against Sibton Switch Limited. The case at the London International Court of Arbitration (LCIA) also saw Sibton Switch being ordered to make a substantial payment to the Bank in respect of its legal fees and costs of the arbitration.

On the facts of this case, John Mahama’s good friend, Roland Agambire was at the centre of being granted unbudgeted contracts without even PPA approval and paid upfront before services. He used some of the money for homes in Dubai and for paying media houses for NDC adverts for 2012. His biggest money heist was this Sibton contract. The fallout from the exposé was that the contract, was awarded at a cost of GH¢4.6billion under John Mahama.

What is even more remarkable about what has happened is that again, a lot of people were quoting billions of dollars and it became an issue of public debate, but this system has now been built for less than $4 million dollars under the NPP government. Is it not more worrying that, all dubious deals under Mahama were carried by the RLG man? Mahama advised Agambire to go into hiding after the elections. The NPP government saved the country billions of dollars which has helped the government channel resources into projects like FREE SHS, planting for food and job, 1D1F, etc.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is the same Mahama who, asked on an international media platform whether he was corrupt, replied in which capacity? “…as a human being”? We all know that unlike President Akufo-Addo, candidate John Mahama cannot and has not been able to make any bold statement to tout his incorruptibility because of his personal involvement in a lot of the corruption scandals that plagued his administration.

John Mahama proved to be so corrupt that during his time as Vice President, his boss, Late President Mills had cause to set up a committee to investigate the role played by him (John Mahama) in the processes leading to the Acquisition of Five Aircrafts (5) including Embraer 190 Aircraft and hanger for the Ghana Armed Forces. The committee included Mr. William Aboah, Mr. George Amoah, and Brig. Gen. Allotey (Rtd) former Judge Advocate-General.

In any event, as a former President, Mahama does not have to wait to deal with corruption. He knows the institutions within government responsible for investigation and prosecution. He can report his so called evidence of corruption allegations about the NPP to any of the enforcement agencies that Ghana can boast off, including the Special Prosecutor that he, Mahama, has advised to be independent.

FIGHTING CORRUPTION
Ladies and gentlemen, please indulge me on the matter of corruption. Ghana has experienced regime change, often violent, on the back of allegations of corruption and mismanagement. Commissions of inquiry have banned people from public office and in the extreme, a regime tied people to the stake and shot them for corruption. Nonetheless, corruption remains a matter requiring action, meaning that better means must be canvassed beyond mere allegations.

Ladies and gentlemen, best practice championed by international agencies and multi-lateral institutions show that the fight is not an event but a process involving several facets and aspects of the state and society. The World Bank promotes a multi-pronged strategy involving Institutional Constraints, Political Accountability, Civil Society Participation, Competitive Private Sector and Public Sector Management.

Under Institutional Constraints, expectations are of an independent and effective judiciary, legislative oversight and independent prosecution and enforcement. The NPP is investing heavily in judicial reforms, especially digitisation of processes that will make justice delivery faster and more responsive as well as court infrastructure nationwide. The eighth Parliament of Ghana, has near equal representation of the two major parties and a Speaker from the opposition party. This should make for even more responsive oversight than before. President Nana Addo boldly fulfilled his promise of an independent anti-corruption Czar in the form of the Special Prosecutor. It is the expectation that the new occupant of the Office, will exercise the powers of the Office to the optimal level.

Political accountability includes political competition, credible political parties, transparency in party financing, disclosure of Parliamentary votes and asset declaration and conflict of interest rules.. The NPP administration is pushing forward legislation of public officers codes of conduct that has been neglected in Parliament for years.

The third leg of best practices is Civil Society Participation. There, we have freedom of speech, public hearings of draft laws and a role for media and NGOs in governance. Ghana has one of the most vibrant media environments. The NPP Kufuor Government freed the media from fear of attack when it repealed criminal libel laws on the statute books. Nana Addo has gone further. He has overseen the passage of freedom of information legislation. Again, Ghana’s freedom of information legislation lay in Parliament for over twenty years until the Akufo-Addo administration ensured its passage into law.

This further enables civil society, who are already involved in law making in Parliament through extensive stakeholder consultations. Indeed, civil society in Ghana, comments vigorously on most government initiatives without fear or favour, the most recent being GNPC and its investment intentions.

A Competitive Private Sector includes economic policy reform, regulatory simplicity, transparency in corporate governance and collective business associations. NPP-led reforms in this area includes the review and passage of the Companies Act and the Land Act, the disclosure of beneficiaries of companies and insolvency rules. These laws, amongst many others, are set to open up the private sector to more transparent and rewarding business.

Finally, the World Bank strategy looks at Public Sector Management. This area includes meritocratic civil service, budget management-especially procurement, and audit-, tax and customs, seSctoral service delivery in energy, health and education, and decentralisation. In all the areas, the NPP ticks the boxes. The NPP has led in cleaning up public procurement with specific laws and now, e-procurement platforms with standardised pricing. The government is moving on rationalising the taxation front with the Ghana card, whilst paperless customs procedures have improved revenue collection to the Government and service quality to port users.

Ladies and gentlemen, the NPP is investing heavily in health care delivery and education. Free SHS comes with infrastructure and more contact hours. Tertiary and TVET education are coming on stream. Covid-19 has been brilliantly managed to the admiration of the entire world, leading to less human losses and a faster economic rebound. Post Covid-19, Agenda 111 is set to strengthen health care infrastructure and thus delivery of health care services to every part of Ghana at costs supported by the NHIS. Swift and bold measures have stabilized energy supplies including getting a grip of the debt overhang in the sector left by John Mahama. Decentralization is moving forward with the arrival of six more regions. Public and government services are getting closer to the people.

So, on the whole, the political tactic of shouting corruption ought to be obsolete as all these factors and institutions work together to build resilient systems less dependent on human intervention. A call for a mere change of government by a personality who has no anti-corruption credentials, does not help the fight against corruption. NPP is adopting and adapting best practices to deliver system wide responsiveness and must be supported to do so.

OPPORTUNITIES
Ladies and gentlemen, the NPP is also championing an employment agenda. With the successful location of the African Continental Free Trade Secretariat in Ghana, the local manufacture of diverse automobile brands and the location of the growth industries of Google and Twitter to Ghana, modern opportunities for growth are expanding.

This is coupled with the rapid turnout of 1D1F factories nationwide, generating employment and further opportunity at several levels. Equally, we can make mention of the aggressive digitisation drive being experienced in the Ghanaian society. Digitisation simplifies access to services and reduces human contact. Moreover, it secures paperless transactions, thereby reducing the cost of doing business.

CONCLUSION
Ladies and gentlemen, in conclusion, from facet of our national life, the NPP has a much better record. We do not even compare ourselves with the NDC, because they do not have any credible record to compare with. The 4th Republic is more mature than mere slogans. The good voters of Ghana expect concrete actions from politicians. That is what the NPP is showing with consistency. The 2024 shall be fought and won on records, and not who can insult his opponent the most. No amount of political mudslinging and fact twisting can change the fact of the incompetence of John Mahama and his cohorts.

We are focused on building a Ghana of opportunities and prosperity for all, and Isha Allahu, we shall get there.

Thank you for your attention.

• Koku Anyidoho is worried about the current state of the main opposition NDC

• He avers that the party is losing its soul and needs to go back to its roots

• He is also concerned about vile nature of young people in the party

Former General Secretary of the main opposition National Democratic Congress, Samuel Koku Anyidoho, is worried about the current state of the party.

He believes that the party must reclaim its unique tradition and go back to its roots.

He is also worried that the party is in his view breeding vile young members who in his opinion are intolerant, expouse hatred and insult.null

“The NDC has Never been a myopic Entity. The NDC is a CONGRESS made up of solid minds from all sides of our Political Traditions.

“So, how come we are now breeding infants who are, INTOLERANT, HATE & INSULT? The NDC belongs to a unique Tradition; let’s go back to our roots,” he wrote on Twitter.

In recent times, Anyidoho has taken on his former boss and General Secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketia over what he says is his “alleged” expulsion from the party over anti-party conduct and indiscipline.

He officially wrote to the party to rescind the expulsion notice whipch he insists he saw through the media and threatened in his August 18 statement to sue if he did not get a response in 72 hours.

“Asiedu-Nketiah’s 72hr Ultimatum is up! He will now know that he cannot abuse the constitution of the NDC” he tweeted stating in a follow-up tweet that he did not know why a mosquito (Asiedu Nketia) will want to pick up up a fight with a bull (himself).

GhanaWeb has no report of Anyidoho having filed any legal processes in respect to his expulsion at the time of filing this report.

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Former President John Mahama has urged Ghanaians to vote out the New Patriotic Party government in 2024 so they could account for their stewardship under a new government.

‘‘The NPP have no intention of fighting corruption and so the only way they can be made to account to the people of Ghana is for them to leave office so that the new government will come and audit them and show where they have gone wrong. Otherwise, all the money they have stolen, they will just walk away with it.

“If you participate in politics or are a participant in public service, one of the first things you must be willing to do is to be accountable to the people. The only way they could be accountable is for them to leave office so that the people of Ghana can ask them questions and audit them to make sure they account for the period they were in office,’’ Mr. Mahama made the comment in Wa in the Upper East region where he is embarking on his ‘Thank you tour’

The comment comes on the back of an article by a leading member of the NPP Gabby Otchere Darko in which he labeled Mr Mahama as a disaster.

“I read John Mahama saying on his belated “thank you tour” that NPP wants to break the eight in order to protect itself from corruption. The simple response to that must be that the NPP wants to break the eight in order to protect Ghana and the gains being made for Ghanaians from the likes of “Mahama the Disaster”.

“The evidence is still fresh in our minds why John Mahama was a disaster and I shudder to think how he would have handled the COVID-19 crisis and its disastrous impact on the economy today. Our problems are, of course, many and varied. Our struggle is historic, deep, real and naked. So, it is easy to be convinced by an acerbic and sweet tongue that can hit hard and promise paradise. But, we must be guided by what such a tongue does with its mind, heart and hands when given the opportunity”.

Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM

Former President John Mahama has questioned the logic of the governing New Patriotic Party in claiming that he is the one fuelling perceptions that there is hardship in the country.

Speaking at a meeting with some local church leaders in Wa, Upper West Region, during his ‘Thank You Tour’ on Monday, 23 August 2021, Mr Mahama said: “Times are hard even though the New Patriotic Party still insists times are not hard and that I am the one giving Ghanaians the impression that times are hard”.

“This makes me wonder what kind of logic they have that Ghanaians cannot feel hardship unless I come and tell them”, he said.

Last week, the Director of Communication of the NPP, Mr Yaw Buaben Asamoa, told journalists at a press conference that Mr Mahama and the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) see President Nana Akufo-Addo’s Agenda 111 as a threat to its chances of winning the 2024 elections and, so, poisoning the air with claims that times are hard.https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-4549410436183225&output=html&h=250&slotname=4705176708&adk=1921530005&adf=2366005940&pi=t.ma~as.4705176708&w=300&lmt=1629790131&psa=0&format=300×250&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmobile.classfmonline.com%2Fnews%2Fpolitics%2FNPP-says-you-can-t-feel-hardship-unless-I-tell-them-Mahama-to-Ghanaians-26682&flash=0&wgl=1&dt=1629790131262&bpp=5&bdt=2583&idt=416&shv=r20210816&mjsv=m202108190101&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&prev_fmts=0x0%2C300x250&nras=1&correlator=6410574742851&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=479698817.1629790131&ga_sid=1629790131&ga_hid=1364383321&ga_fc=0&u_tz=0&u_his=1&u_java=0&u_h=892&u_w=412&u_ah=892&u_aw=412&u_cd=24&u_nplug=0&u_nmime=0&adx=56&ady=1547&biw=412&bih=797&scr_x=0&scr_y=40&eid=42530671%2C31060475%2C31062297&oid=3&pvsid=4385270310567005&pem=345&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=3&uci=a!3&btvi=1&fsb=1&xpc=ceAFocokRq&p=https%3A//mobile.classfmonline.com&dtd=438

“For open political purposes founded on the spirit of non-performance and incompetence, the NDC wants an initiative that is set to benefit millions of Ghanaians stopped just because it threatens their assumptions of the 2024 election”, the former Adentan MP said on Friday, 20 August 2021.

“The NDC sees Agenda 111 as a game-changer to defeat their archaic model of regime change every eight years. They are afraid we will break the eight. Agenda 111 complements major reforms in the health sector”, Mr Asamoa noted.

The NPP’s reaction came on the back of a comment by Mr Mahama that the Agenda 111 project is an afterthought with no transparency as far as funding is concerned.

The government, on Tuesday, 17 August 2021, launched the project, which aims to construct 111 hospitals across the country.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=1629790131&psa=0&format=300×250&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmobile.classfmonline.com%2Fnews%2Fpolitics%2FNPP-says-you-can-t-feel-hardship-unless-I-tell-them-Mahama-to-Ghanaians-26682&flash=0&wgl=1&dt=1629790131267&bpp=4&bdt=2589&idt=462&shv=r20210816&mjsv=m202108190101&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&prev_fmts=0x0%2C300x250%2C300x250&nras=1&correlator=6410574742851&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=479698817.1629790131&ga_sid=1629790131&ga_hid=1364383321&ga_fc=0&u_tz=0&u_his=1&u_java=0&u_h=892&u_w=412&u_ah=892&u_aw=412&u_cd=24&u_nplug=0&u_nmime=0&adx=56&ady=2542&biw=412&bih=797&scr_x=0&scr_y=40&eid=42530671%2C31060475%2C31062297&oid=3&pvsid=4385270310567005&pem=345&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=%7Co%7CEebr%7C&abl=NS&pfx=0&fu=0&bc=31&ifi=4&uci=a!4&btvi=2&fsb=1&xpc=JA7YM2mvA5&p=https%3A//mobile.classfmonline.com&dtd=491

Each of the 111 hospitals will cost $16.88 million and will be completed in 18 months.

Laying the brick for the project to begin on Tuesday, 17 August 2021, at Trede in the Atwima Kwanwoma District of the Ashanti Region, President Akufo-Addo said: “So far, sites have been identified for 88 of the 111 hospitals and after cutting the sod, work on the other 87 sites will also commence today.”

“The acquisition of the remaining 13 sites will be completed shortly for work to begin”, he noted.

But speaking on Bolgatanga-based URA Radio, as part of his thank-you tour on the same day, Mr Mahama said the government has increased the public debt but has no infrastructure to show for it.https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-4549410436183225&output=html&h=250&slotname=4705176708&adk=1921530005&adf=387235050&pi=t.ma~as.4705176708&w=300&lmt=1629790131&psa=0&format=300×250&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmobile.classfmonline.com%2Fnews%2Fpolitics%2FNPP-says-you-can-t-feel-hardship-unless-I-tell-them-Mahama-to-Ghanaians-26682&flash=0&wgl=1&dt=1629790131271&bpp=3&bdt=2593&idt=500&shv=r20210816&mjsv=m202108190101&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&prev_fmts=0x0%2C300x250%2C300x250%2C300x250&nras=1&correlator=6410574742851&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=479698817.1629790131&ga_sid=1629790131&ga_hid=1364383321&ga_fc=0&u_tz=0&u_his=1&u_java=0&u_h=892&u_w=412&u_ah=892&u_aw=412&u_cd=24&u_nplug=0&u_nmime=0&adx=56&ady=3420&biw=412&bih=797&scr_x=0&scr_y=40&eid=42530671%2C31060475%2C31062297&oid=3&pvsid=4385270310567005&pem=345&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=%7Co%7CEebr%7C&abl=NS&pfx=0&fu=0&bc=31&ifi=5&uci=a!5&btvi=3&fsb=1&xpc=c5jn958JaY&p=https%3A//mobile.classfmonline.com&dtd=521

He said the monies borrowed have gone into consumption and the government realising that Ghanaians are asking what the monies have been used for has decided to draw up the Agenda 111 plan.

He said, four years after he left office “you are witnesses to what has happened: from GHS120 billion of total public debt, today, we are almost hitting GHS400 billion public debt and what most Ghanaians ask is: ‘What have we done with that money?’ It looks like most of them have gone into consumption rather than into providing the country with the kind of infrastructure that we need”.

“It’s only as an afterthought that suddenly they realised we must be doing some infrastructure, so, Agenda 111 has been drawn. There’s no transparency [about] how the money is going to be procured and all that”.

“Is it going to lead into more borrowing when we already have a high level of debt hanging around the country’s neck? So, these are things that we could build consensus around if they were prepared to open up and involve everybody in doing so but it doesn’t look like they are prepared to do so,” he added.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=1629790131&psa=0&format=300×250&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmobile.classfmonline.com%2Fnews%2Fpolitics%2FNPP-says-you-can-t-feel-hardship-unless-I-tell-them-Mahama-to-Ghanaians-26682&flash=0&wgl=1&dt=1629790131274&bpp=3&bdt=2596&idt=536&shv=r20210816&mjsv=m202108190101&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&prev_fmts=0x0%2C300x250%2C300x250%2C300x250%2C300x250&nras=1&correlator=6410574742851&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=479698817.1629790131&ga_sid=1629790131&ga_hid=1364383321&ga_fc=0&u_tz=0&u_his=1&u_java=0&u_h=892&u_w=412&u_ah=892&u_aw=412&u_cd=24&u_nplug=0&u_nmime=0&adx=56&ady=4621&biw=412&bih=797&scr_x=0&scr_y=40&eid=42530671%2C31060475%2C31062297&oid=3&pvsid=4385270310567005&pem=345&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=%7Co%7CEebr%7C&abl=NS&pfx=0&fu=0&bc=31&ifi=6&uci=a!6&btvi=4&fsb=1&xpc=KQLQW7xRSN&p=https%3A//mobile.classfmonline.com&dtd=558

Directly responding to Mr Mahama, Mr Asamoa said: “We are not frightened of John Mahama. We know he cannot manage the economy, so, we can’t let him poison your minds because if you’re sitting your somewhere and they keep telling you: ‘Oh, it is bad, Ghana is hard, there is corruption, Ghana is hard’, then, sometimes, you think it’s true. So, we have to speak back.”

Mr Asamoa reiterated: “We’re not frightened by John Mahama. We know he cannot give you a good education, we know he cannot give you good health, he will collapse NHIA. We know he cannot manage the economy. Interest rates, inflation will go up, growth will drop and we’ll go back to the IMF”.

Former President John Dramani Mahama has reiterated his position that the poor management of the country under the leadership of Nana Akufo-Addo, has led to unprecedented levels of hardship in the country.

Mr. Mahama thus slammed the governing New Patriotic Party for suggesting that he’s the one fueling a perception of hardship in the country. The NPP’s Director of Communication, Yaw Buaben Asamoa, said at a news conference that the country is in a good state, and that President Akufo-Addo is working hard to increase productivity and improve livelihoods.

He thus suggested that the former president is poisoning the minds of Ghanaians that times are hard.

“We are not frightened of John Mahama, we know he cannot manage the economy, so we can’t let him poison your minds because if you’re sitting your somewhere and they keep telling you it is bad, Ghana is hard, there is corruption, Ghana is hard; then sometimes, you think it’s true. So we have to speak back.”

But speaking at a meeting with heads of local churches in Wa as part of his ‘Thank You Tour’ of the Upper West Region, on Monday, August 23, 2021, Mr. Mahama questioned the “logic” of the governing party. He thus charged the government to admit the difficulties Ghanaians are currently facing and find ways of alleviating those hardships.

“Times are hard even though, the New Patriotic Party, NPP still insists times are not hard and that I am the one giving Ghanaians the impression that times are hard. This makes me wonder what kind of logic they have that Ghanaians cannot feel hardship unless I come and tell them

Former President John Dramani Mahama has said the Akufo-Addo-led administration has refused to account for how about GHS19 billion of the COVID-19 relief fund was spent despite several calls on the government to do so.

According to Mr Mahama, the money the government said it spent to ease the suffering of Ghanaians due to the pandemic is “laughable.”

He said since the government has refused to audit the account, it will take another government to do so and make them account to the people of Ghana.

Speaking to the media in Tamale, as part of his ‘Thank You’ tour of the Northern Region, Mr Mahama said: “We suggested that the auditor-general should audit how COVID-19 funds were used because remember they took $200 million out of the stabilisation fund, then they got $1 billion from the IMF, $400 million from the World Bank and other monies used for COVID relief and when you have taken such public monies, you must account for it.”

“When you spend public money, you must be audited and, so, we asked for an audit of the COVID relief, unfortunately, the auditor-general was hounded out of office but the finance minister came to parliament and gave us an overall picture of much they spent and he said GHS19 billion was spent on COVID relief”, Mr Mahama noted.

Every Ghanaian, he said, “wants to know how that GHS19 billion was spent and it is obvious that this government is not interested in auditing that fund.”

According to the 2020 flag bearer of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), it will take a new government to come and audit and say: ‘You said you spent GHS19 billion, how was the GHS19 billion spent?’”

“They say they fed how many people, for how many days? When we saw the figure for which they said they spent money providing food, it was just laughable; that’s why I say there must be accountability after every period of time and the only person that can hold them accountable is if a new dispensation comes and says: ‘How did you spend this? Explain it to the people of Ghana’; otherwise, then the intention is to go beyond eight years and sweep all this misspending under the carpet and give an easy pass to people who have made money illegally from the coffers of the people of Ghana.”

Mr Mahama noted that the government has used COVID-19 as an excuse for a lot of things, including the “current hardships that we face

Former President and the 2020 Presidential Candidate of the opposition National Democratic Congress, (NDC), has taken a swipe at the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, on issues concerning the country’s economy.

Mr. Mahama believes the Vice President is engaging in propaganda with the economy.

Dr. Bawumia recently urged Ghanaians to be optimistic in the competent management of the economy by the government.

According to him, the economy has begun showing signs of recovery following the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He insisted that the exceptional economic prowess and intelligence of the managers of the economy led by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was key to wealth creation to reduce poverty, attract investments, empower businesses to expand, and create jobs.

The Vice President gave the assurance at the Central Regional Tertiary Students Confederacy (TESCON) conference held on Saturday at the University of Cape Coast.

Speaking on the theme: ‘Breaking the Eight’: the role of TESCON’, Dr. Bawumia praised the country’s discernment, good judgment, and management of exchange rate, and described it as “the best since 1992 and the performance in 2020 and 2021 simply superb.”

However, Mr. Mahama thinks otherwise. He described the claims as dishonest and laughable.

He thus urged the Vice President to check the reality of the lives of Ghanaians before talking about the economy.

“The point is, you can do so much propaganda with the economy, but the inflation will expose you. The same economist who said we should look at the real situation on the grounds and not the statistics is now telling us to look at the statistics and not the real issues on the ground.”

“The dishonesty is so glaring that sometimes it is laughable. You can do all the propaganda about the economy, but the reality of people’s lives will expose you.”

Mr. Mahama spoke on NTV Ghana on Thursday, August 19, 2021, as part of his ‘Thank you tour’

Former President John Mahama has called on President Nana Akufo-Addo to address the development needs of the newly-created North-East region.

The 2020 presidential candidate of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is in the region on the second day of his tour of the five regions up north to thank Ghanaians for their vote and support in last year’s polls.

Speaking at a gathering of party executives and supporters at Nalerigu, Mr Mahama said what makes a region is infrastructural projects and not just boundaries demarcating regions.

“You cannot just create regions in name”, he said, adding: “The regions must be worthy of being called regions”.

“And it is infrastructure that makes a region a region”, he said.

“If you go to Tamale, you will know that this is the Northern Region, if you go to Bolga you know that this is the Upper East Region”, he said.

“If you come to Nalerigu, it is a shadow of a region”, Mr Mahama observed, noting: “We don’t only need the regional boundaries to be re-drawn; we need regional infrastructure so that when you come you will say yes, this is the North-East Region”.

Observing that the NDC is a party that thinks about the people, the former president expressed regret about the Akufo-Addo government’s abandonment of NDC-initiated projects in the region.

“I went and greeted the Nayiri and before that the Gambagarana and Gambaga Imam and the common refrain is: ‘When is this government going to continue the projects that were left off by the NDC administration’”, he said.

Among projects that have been abandoned are a new site for the Gambaga College of Education, Community Day Senior High Schools, and the Nalerigu-Bunkpurugu-Nakpanduri road.

Mr Mahama also decried the increasing spate of armed robberies in the region.

He identified low morale and the lack of logistics for the police to fight crime as part of the reason for the insecurity in Ghana and called on the government to urgently address the situation.

“The government should avert its mind to the security situation in the northern part of the country. There can be no progress and prosperity without security

Former President John Dramani Mahama has disclosed that his attempt to get President Nana Akufo-Addo to organise a stakeholder dialogue where suggestions will be taken from him (John Mahama) and other stakeholders to salvage the economy, has proven futile because Akufo-Addo does not seem interested.

According to Mr Mahama, the economy is in a crisis but the president is not willing to seek advice nor take suggestions from others outside his government to get it back on track.

Speaking on Bolgatanga-based URA Radio, as part of his thank you tour on Tuesday, 17 August 2021, Mr Mahama debunked suggestions that the economy is in a crisis because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the 2020 flag bearer of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), COVID-19 just exacerbated the situation but already, the management of the economy was in a crisis long before the pandemic hit.https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-4549410436183225&output=html&h=250&slotname=4705176708&adk=1921530005&adf=2366005940&pi=t.ma~as.4705176708&w=300&lmt=1629230129&psa=0&format=300×250&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmobile.classfmonline.com%2Fnews%2Fpolitics%2FAkufo-Addo-rejected-my-advice-to-hold-Senchi-like-consultation-forum-to-salvage-economy-Mahama-26548&flash=0&wgl=1&dt=1629230128645&bpp=8&bdt=2183&idt=882&shv=r20210809&mjsv=m202108100101&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&prev_fmts=0x0%2C300x250&nras=1&correlator=4034881008718&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=2098291501.1629230129&ga_sid=1629230129&ga_hid=782728619&ga_fc=0&u_tz=0&u_his=1&u_java=0&u_h=892&u_w=412&u_ah=892&u_aw=412&u_cd=24&u_nplug=0&u_nmime=0&adx=56&ady=1491&biw=412&bih=797&scr_x=0&scr_y=365&eid=44747621%2C20211866%2C31062182%2C31060475%2C31062297%2C31062164&oid=3&pvsid=3999699229311434&pem=848&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=r20210812&fu=0&bc=31&ifi=3&uci=a!3&btvi=1&fsb=1&xpc=mDww6rIJDE&p=https%3A//mobile.classfmonline.com&dtd=910

Mr Mahama said: “It is obvious to see things are not the best: the economy is in a crisis and this is not the first time I’ve said the economy is in a crisis. I’ve made my suggestions to him [Akufo-Addo] and it doesn’t appear he’s interested in taking them.”

“On my Facebook, I posted that there was a time when we had a crisis with the economy and difficulties in terms of financing the budget and all kinds of things, so, we needed to come out with a home-grown fiscal policy.

“What did we do? We went to Senchi and we called all stakeholders and we had a consensus on the home-grown fiscal policy. That was the policy we eventually put into a programme at the IMF to begin to turn things around.

“So, I suggested that he [Akufo-Addo] holds a Senchi-like forum so that we can build a consensus around growing the economy but it doesn’t look like it is something they are interested in but the economy definitely is in a crisis, it’s obvious for everybody to see,” Mr Mahama stated.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=1629230129&psa=0&format=300×250&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmobile.classfmonline.com%2Fnews%2Fpolitics%2FAkufo-Addo-rejected-my-advice-to-hold-Senchi-like-consultation-forum-to-salvage-economy-Mahama-26548&flash=0&wgl=1&dt=1629230128653&bpp=6&bdt=2192&idt=942&shv=r20210809&mjsv=m202108100101&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&prev_fmts=0x0%2C300x250%2C300x250&nras=1&correlator=4034881008718&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=2098291501.1629230129&ga_sid=1629230129&ga_hid=782728619&ga_fc=0&u_tz=0&u_his=1&u_java=0&u_h=892&u_w=412&u_ah=892&u_aw=412&u_cd=24&u_nplug=0&u_nmime=0&adx=56&ady=2604&biw=412&bih=797&scr_x=0&scr_y=365&eid=44747621%2C20211866%2C31062182%2C31060475%2C31062297%2C31062164&oid=3&pvsid=3999699229311434&pem=848&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=r20210812&fu=0&bc=31&ifi=4&uci=a!4&btvi=2&fsb=1&xpc=qggTwI77yw&p=https%3A//mobile.classfmonline.com&dtd=969

He noted that “businesses are complaining, especially after the banking sector clean-up”, noting: “It’s wiped out Ghanaian capital”.

“That’s the point and up till now, the president had promised that they were going to pay everybody and there are many people who have not received their deposits that was wiped out by the banking sector clean-up”, Mr Mahama noted.

He said: “Aside from that, the public debt, almost twenty-something billion that has been placed on us, as part of the public debt, has affected the economy and also the freebies during the elections – free water, free light – the finance minister came and said they spent 19 billion on COVID relief; that’s huge, and, so, the indebtedness has to be paid, somehow. That’s how come they’ve introduced the new taxes and all that.”

Mr Mahama noted that “with the way the economy is going, something needs to give”, adding that he “won’t be surprised if this administration eventually goes into some sort of programme with the IMF.”https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-4549410436183225&output=html&h=250&slotname=4705176708&adk=1921530005&adf=387235050&pi=t.ma~as.4705176708&w=300&lmt=1629230129&psa=0&format=300×250&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmobile.classfmonline.com%2Fnews%2Fpolitics%2FAkufo-Addo-rejected-my-advice-to-hold-Senchi-like-consultation-forum-to-salvage-economy-Mahama-26548&flash=0&wgl=1&dt=1629230128661&bpp=5&bdt=2200&idt=978&shv=r20210809&mjsv=m202108100101&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&prev_fmts=0x0%2C300x250%2C300x250%2C300x250&nras=1&correlator=4034881008718&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=2098291501.1629230129&ga_sid=1629230129&ga_hid=782728619&ga_fc=0&u_tz=0&u_his=1&u_java=0&u_h=892&u_w=412&u_ah=892&u_aw=412&u_cd=24&u_nplug=0&u_nmime=0&adx=56&ady=3716&biw=412&bih=797&scr_x=0&scr_y=365&eid=44747621%2C20211866%2C31062182%2C31060475%2C31062297%2C31062164&oid=3&pvsid=3999699229311434&pem=848&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=r20210812&fu=0&bc=31&ifi=5&uci=a!5&btvi=3&fsb=1&xpc=1yPgTsKU4n&p=https%3A//mobile.classfmonline.com&dtd=1003

“It’s easy for everybody to see that the economy was in a crisis before COVID-19 hit”, he said.

“In 2019, it was obvious that the rate of borrowing was excessive and things were not going correctly. COVID just exacerbated it but already, the management of the economy was in a crisis long before COVID arrived”, he asserted.

“Even in our traditional homes, you borrow money for something productive, something tangible. You borrow money to build a house or reroof your house or buy a bicycle to be able to ride to the farm; mostly something that gives a return on investment. [With] school buildings, children are able to learn and get more educated people who will be a good human resource for the country”, he pointed out.

“If it’s healthcare, you’ll keep your citizens healthy and they will be able to work. If it’s roads, you’re able to facilitate the movement of passengers and goods across the length and breadth of the country. If it’s airports, you are able to facilitate local and international travel. There are so many things that you borrow to put in place so that it enhances the productivity of your country and enhances the growth of your country.”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=1629230129&psa=0&format=300×250&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmobile.classfmonline.com%2Fnews%2Fpolitics%2FAkufo-Addo-rejected-my-advice-to-hold-Senchi-like-consultation-forum-to-salvage-economy-Mahama-26548&flash=0&wgl=1&dt=1629230128666&bpp=5&bdt=2205&idt=1016&shv=r20210809&mjsv=m202108100101&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&prev_fmts=0x0%2C300x250%2C300x250%2C300x250%2C300x250&nras=1&correlator=4034881008718&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=2098291501.1629230129&ga_sid=1629230129&ga_hid=782728619&ga_fc=0&u_tz=0&u_his=1&u_java=0&u_h=892&u_w=412&u_ah=892&u_aw=412&u_cd=24&u_nplug=0&u_nmime=0&adx=56&ady=4946&biw=412&bih=797&scr_x=0&scr_y=365&eid=44747621%2C20211866%2C31062182%2C31060475%2C31062297%2C31062164&oid=3&pvsid=3999699229311434&pem=848&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=r20210812&fu=0&bc=31&ifi=6&uci=a!6&btvi=4&fsb=1&xpc=fpTDjZpTRG&p=https%3A//mobile.classfmonline.com&dtd=1045

Mr Mahama explained that when he was president, “you could look at our borrowing profile and you could see that it was going into two main things: that is – into infrastructure to provide more roads, hospitals, schools, expand our ports and so on and also into what we call taking off high-interest debts that we inherited”.

“And, so, if we borrowed at an interest rate that was lower, we used it to retire some of the high interest debt that had accumulated especially, the local debt because that mostly had a higher interest rate, so, that’s what a lot of the borrowing went into but we were criticised as over-borrowing but a lot of what we borrowed for was tangible for people to be able to see.

“Four years later, you are witnesses to what has happened: from GHS120 billion of total public debt, today, we are almost hitting GHS400 billion public debt and what most Ghanaians ask is: ‘What have we done with that money?’ It looks like most of them have gone into consumption rather than into providing the country with the kind of infrastructure that we need”.

“It’s only as an afterthought that suddenly they realised we must be doing some infrastructure, so, Agenda 111 has been drawn. There’s no transparency [about] how the money is going to be procured and all that”. “Is it going to lead into more borrowing when we already have a high level of debt hanging around the country’s neck? So, these are things that we could build consensus around if they were prepared to open up and involve everybody in doing so but it doesn’t look like they are prepared to do so.”

Source: Classfmonline.com

The 2024 elections may be three years away but political parties are already lacing their boots with campaign slogans already on the streets.

For the National Democratic Congress it is the return of former President John Dramani Mahama whiles the governing New Patriotic Party’s campaign is anchored on the belief of ‘Breaking the 8’.

It has become a common song in the mouth of members of NPP who believe strongly that for the first time under the fourth republic, a political party could run the country beyond two four-year terms.

Whiles the issue of its next flagbearer remains thorny with Vice President Mahamudu set to go head-to-head with Trade Minister, Alan Kwadwo Kyeremateng, there is confidence within the party that irrespective of who gets the nod to represent the party in 2024, power will be retained.

They however face a big test in John Dramani Mahama and the NDC who according to the Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin were convinced of ‘breaking the 8’ in 2016.

Bagbin says there was conviction that the party had done enough to win the trust of Ghanaians for another four years.

As it emerged, the party lost the election with over a million vote difference and Bagbin is eager to see if the NPP can become the first political party under the fourth republic to win three consecutive elections.

“Our colleagues, like us – yes we did it before, are saying today that as for the next election they will win it. Yes, they say they will break it.

“In 2016, my party the NDC said the same thing. As for that one for sure they were breaking it. We didn’t break it. They are saying now they will. We’re hearing them; we shall see whether they can do that,” he asserted.

The Speaker of Parliament made the comments when he met a delegation from Ethiopia’s Political Parties Joint Council (EPPJC) in Parliament on Wednesday, August 11, 2021.

Bagbin assured further that he will be neutral and firm in his dealings as Speaker of Parliament and not favor the NDC on whose ticket he became Speaker.

“I will do everything, when I am performing my functions as the Speaker, to be impartial. It is not when I am performing my functions as a member of my party. That is different. That one I cannot be impartial. I have to perform my party function,” he stressed. “But as a Speaker, I will do everything to be impartial on the floor of the House. I won’t satisfy the NDC and I will not satisfy the NPP. They will both be against me.

“I have to satisfy the good people of Ghana and advance the course of democracy. It is national interest that should prevail,” he stressed.

Former President John Dramani Mahama has said government’s attempt to build hospitals across the country under its Agenda 111 initiative is an afterthought.

According to him, the initiative is a face-saving move seeking to cure Nana Addo government’s failure to show evidence of infrastructure for the colossal amount of money it has borrowed since it assumed office in 2017.

Speaking on Ura Radio in Bolgatanga as part of his ‘Thank You Tour’, the former President said there is no transparency in how the construction of the hospitals will be funded.https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-5550114837255932&output=html&h=343&adk=4209388321&adf=2390999612&pi=t.aa~a.3059510150~i.5~rp.4&w=412&lmt=1629194791&num_ads=1&rafmt=1&armr=3&sem=mc&pwprc=5998160586&tp=site_kit&psa=0&ad_type=text_image&format=412×343&url=https%3A%2F%2Ffirstnewsroom.com%2F2021%2F08%2F17%2Fagenda-111-is-an-afterthought-there-is-no-transparency-in-funding-source-mahama%2F&flash=0&fwr=1&pra=3&rh=288&rw=345&rpe=1&resp_fmts=3&sfro=1&wgl=1&fa=27&dt=1629194791867&bpp=20&bdt=4913&idt=-M&shv=r20210809&mjsv=m202108100101&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&cookie=ID%3De2df10bbece516aa-22266934acc9009d%3AT%3D1629194789%3ART%3D1629194789%3AS%3DALNI_MZsmwOmmaK5ubmblYPMQsuCejkUgw&prev_fmts=0x0&nras=2&correlator=8190742761237&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=1316029256.1629194789&ga_sid=1629194789&ga_hid=1533902315&ga_fc=0&u_tz=0&u_his=1&u_java=0&u_h=892&u_w=412&u_ah=892&u_aw=412&u_cd=24&u_nplug=0&u_nmime=0&adx=0&ady=1377&biw=412&bih=797&scr_x=0&scr_y=572&eid=42530672%2C44747620%2C20211866%2C31062178%2C31060475%2C31062297&oid=3&pvsid=3368912518675492&pem=369&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&alvm=r20210812&fu=128&bc=31&ifi=2&uci=a!2&btvi=1&fsb=1&xpc=mjQl0qr4SE&p=https%3A//firstnewsroom.com&dtd=86

“They have borrowed so much and what is there to show for it. Now they say Agenda 111 which is just an afterthought. There is no transparency in how funding will be raised for it. Are we going to borrow more or where will the money come from? We don’t know,” he said.

Government has announced the construction of 101 District Hospitals across the country under its Agenda 111 at a cost of nearly $17 million each. Under the initiative, some new regional hospitals will be built with two additional specialized hospitals.

President Akufo Addo is set to cut sod for the commencement of the construction today August 17, 2021 in the Ashanti region.

Government also announced that funding has been secured with an initial amount of $100 million made available by the government of Ghana for the commencement of the construction.

Credit: Dreamz FM

• Suhuyini has accused Kennedy Agyapong of seeking to evade the Privileges Committee

• According to him, Kennedy Agyapong disrespected the committee

• Kennedy Agyapong has responded, denying claims that he is scared of the committee

Kennedy Agyapong, the Member of Parliament for Assin Central has hit back at his colleague lawmaker Alhassan Suhuyini who had accused him of attempting to evade the Privileges Committee of Parliament.

Kennedy Agyapong is facing charges of contempt of Parliament was scheduled to appear before the committee in August but he failed to make an appearance.

The MP for Tamale South initiated the process that led to the hauling of Kennedy Agyapong before the committee berated his colleague for not showing up.

He reasoned that his actions amount to disrespect of the committee and a sign that he was scared for the grilling he was going to face.

Suhuyini said, “I think it amounts to an act of cowardice, we have all known about this case for some time now, and looking at the bravery he shows, one would have thought that he will be eager to make himself available for the committee to serve him and for this matter to be dealt with and decided upon by the committee…so I find it quite disappointing that his bravery is only exhibited around that comfort zone around Madina.”

He further stressed, “I do not find any business that can be more important outside the jurisdiction of Parliament than this issue which is a very sensitive and important matter. I expect the committee to do a thorough job and present a clear report to the house. If you recall, the last time he appeared before such a committee, the recommendation wasn’t fully adopted and he got off the hook very easily. Many will be watching the committee to see how we proceed on this matter”.

Responding to him Net 2 TV’s ‘The Attitude’ on Friday, August 13, Kennedy Agyapong said that it is unwise for Suhuyini to make such assumptions.

Though the program he appeared was not design for such utterances, Kennedy Agyapong could not resist the urge to throw one at his colleague before returning to the main topic which was Honesty in the corporate world.

“Ghanaians should listen carefully before Suhuyini will come and make foolish comments. He says I’m running, who the hell is he for me to run from?” he quizzed.

On the topic of honesty, Kennedy Agyapong said “this canker stems from our culture. When someone commits an error, instead of punishing him to serve as a deterrent, you’ll have all kinds of persons apologizing for the person. We live in a country when there is a chief designated for such issues. I don’t blame them too much because what they see from their homes is what they pick because they think it’s normal until they get us to discuss this.”

“We are the cause of the employment in this country. Why are foreigners succeeding in this country? They are succeeding because the management staff are foreigners. Why can’t we do it ourselves? It’s because we are dishonest,” he said.

Kennedy Agyapong was referred to the committee by Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin after he was accused of contempt of Parliament over some remarks he made about Luv FM’s Erastus Asare Donkor.

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Former President John Dramani Mahama is set to begin a thank-you tour across the country next week.

The first leg of his tour shall focus on the northern belt of Ghana, where he is expected to meet NDC supporters and Ghanaians in general.

The tour according to his office will be limited to the regional capitals starting from Wa, in the Upper West region on Sunday, August 15.

Next Tuesday he will visit his home region, Savannah where he will address party supporters at Damongo and cross over to the Northern Regional Capital, Tamale on Wednesday.

On Thursday, August 19, the former President and his entourage will visit North East regional capital, Nalerigu, and wrap up next Friday at Bolgatanga, Upper East regional capital.

According to the schedule, John Mahama will be accompanied by former Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, and a few national executives of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

This comes barely five months after the controversial Supreme Court ruling on the 2021 Presidential election dispute.

Source: kasapafmonline.com

The main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has written and submitted their proposals on electoral reforms to the governing new Patriotic Party (NPP), NDC’s Deputy General Secretary, Peter Otokunor has said.

He told Dzifa Bampoh on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday, August 14 that this forms part of the party’s consultations on their proposals.

“We have written to the NPP themselves,” he said and further expressed hope that the various state institutions will “see the good in our proposals.”

Meanwhile, the NDC has accused the Electoral Commission (EC) of playing mischief in the response to their electoral reform proposals.

This comes after the EC directed the party to submit all their electoral proposals to the IPAC.

The EC said they do not deal with individual political parties, rather it is the IPAC that does that.

“We don’t deal with individual parties, and IPAC is designed to promote multi-party views, so IPAC is the right forum for such discussion.

“So we responded to their proposals and asked the party to bring it to IPAC,” the EC said.null

But Otokunor told TV3 in an interview that “I think that it smacks of palpable mischief. The NDC is not organizers of IPAC, it is the EC that has the capacity. Their letter is a clear dereliction of duty.”

The party has put forward another set of electoral reform proposals for the action of the Executive, Legislature and bodies other than the Electoral Commission of Ghana.

This comes after the party made initial six proposals for electoral reforms on May 20, 2021, during a press conference they dubbed: Assessing the so-called achievements and electoral reform proposal by the Electoral Commission of Ghana.

Those proposals came by way of an immediate reaction to the adoption by the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) and the Electoral Commission some electoral reforms which included closing polls at 3:00 pm, a continuous voter registration exercise, an all-year-round voter exhibition exercise through the use of technology (SMS shortcode), among others.

The NDC, which had not participated in the IPAC meeting at the time raised concerns about the proposals, rejecting some, especially the proposal to close polls at 3:00 pm.

In furtherance to that, the party in a stakeholder engagement made the following proposals and justified same;

Provide for prior parliamentary approval for the appointment of EC members: The NDC is of the view that the current mode of appointment of the Electoral Commission appears to be partisan and does not involve the representatives of the people of Ghana (Parliament). They contend this does not allow the commission to be as independent, neutral and credible as it ought to be.null

Thus, they want the appointment of the EC members to be like that of Justices of the Supreme Court which involves prior parliamentary approval. According to the NDC, the Constitutional Review Committee(CRC), of which the current EC Chairperson, Jean Mensa, was a member, recommended prior parliamentary approval for the appointment of EC members and that the Government White Paper on the CRC Report accepted the recommendation.

Repeal the requirement for the consent of the AG to be given before the prosecution of electoral offences: Section 42 of the Representation of the People Act, 1992, PNDCL 284, requires that the Attorney General gives consent in writing for the prosecution of electoral offences. The provision states as follows:

“A person shall not be prosecuted for an offence under this Act without the consent in writing of the Attorney-General, except that this section shall not prevent a person being

(a) charged with that offence, or

(b) arrested with or without warrant in respect of the offence, or

(c) remanded on bail or in custody in respect of the offence, without the consent of the Attorney-General.”

This, the NDC claims has often being used by the police as “an excuse for the non-prosecution of high-profile electoral offence cases” which they say “creates a culture of impunity and undermines fairness and credibility of Ghanaian elections”. Again, they say the AG as a political appointee finds it difficult to consent for the prosecution of offenders who are his colleague ministers or party members. This proposal, according to the NDC was first made by the EC’s own Electoral Reforms Committee in 2015.null

Special Courts to handle election-related offences: The NDC wants specially-designated courts that will be appointed exclusively for electoral disputes and offences before, during and after registration of voters and elections. In their view, this will reduce or at best, do away with the “undue delay in the adjudication of electoral disputes and offences in Ghana” and also encourage the courts to specialise in election matters. They believe the move will also prevent situations where an illegitimate President will be being in office for too long or an illegitimate MP representing the electorate due to protracted litigation.

EC should resort to Court to clean voters register: The NDC proposes that the EC be allowed by law to apply to the courts to remove names of deceased and other unqualified persons from the provisional register when informed by the relevant authorities. According to them, what currently exists allows only registered voters to object to the inclusion or exclusion of any voter in the provisional register. This proposal, they say, is the universal practice that they believe will allow for the register to be more effectively cleaned up.

State Broadcaster to provide equal access to all political parties: The NDC wants the state broadcaster, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), to be made to comply with the provision of Article 55 (11) of the Constitution of Ghana, 1992, as was held in the Supreme Court decision in New Patriotic Party v. Ghana Broadcasting Corporation [1993-94] 2 GLR 354. Article 55 (11) states that:

“The state shall provide fair opportunity to all political parties to present their programmes to the public by ensuring equal access to the state-owned media.”

They believe the proposal when implemented will ensure an even playing field and an equitable access to state-owned media which is funded by the taxpayer.”

IPAC should be backed by legislation: The opposition NDC wants the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) to have legal backing through an amendment to the Electoral Commission Act, 1993, Act 451. They want the amendment to spell out the composition of IPAC and its functions, a proposal said to have first been made by the EC’s own Electoral Reforms Committee in 2015, adopted by the IPAC and accepted by the EC.

The other proposals include;null

Spelling out by law the security responsibilities of the EC (if any), the police and the military during registration of voters and during and after voting.

Legislation should bind the Chairperson of the EC as the Returning Officer of the Presidential Election to afford the agents of the participating political parties and candidates full participation in the collation of the Presidential Election results at the EC’s National Collation Centre

The EC must by law be made: a mandatory party to all parliamentary election petitions just as is the case in Presidential Election petitions, a compellable witness to produce all public election and related material and documents relevant to presidential and parliamentary election disputes;

Split the EC into two separate bodies namely an Office for the Regulation of Political Parties (ORPP) and an Electoral Commission (EC) by amending the Political Parties Act, 2000, Act 574.

Source: 3news.com

Director of Operations for the FixingTheCountry movement and a member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Hopeson Adorye, has expressed his anger at some Ghanaian youths who chastised him for some comments he made on Ghana’s number one socio-political show ‘Epa Hoa Daben’.

Among the many issues Hopeson spoke about, he stated that the #FixTheCountry movement was only instituted to favour former President Mahama and not to express how Ghanaians feel.

He also added that the NPP government under President Akufo-Addo has fixed a lot of the problems that were inherited from the NDC government.

His comments were not well received by some listeners of the show. For example, one of the texters to the show expressed: “Let Hopeson know I am a member of the NPP. But my family and I will surely vote out the NPP. Fix the Country”.

Hopeson Adorye, on the other hand, was not pleased with these comments from the listeners. Descending on the texters, he said: “If you insult me, I will insult you. Don’t use poverty to make stupid utterances. Ghanaians are afraid of speaking the truth. Someone is by the road side selling apples but you will be there playing spa. Who should put money into your pocket? And then I come to sit on the show, and you come and speak nonsense to me. Do they know what we go through to ensure that the country develops?”

The NPP member advised Ghanaians to be content with the little the government has achieved and encourage them to do more.

“Appreciate the little things that the government is doing and encourage us to do more. That is what is important and don’t rubbish them”, he stated

.Source: happyghana.com

“I destroyed an innocent man” Allotey Jacobs confesses.

Social Commentator, Bernard Allotey Jacobs has expressed regret over some comments he made against former President John Agyekum Kufuor while he was speaking for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).

“It’s a fact and I want to meet him personally to apologize to him…in my political journey, I destroyed an innocent man and I apologize for it” Allotey Jacobs confessed in an interview on Kumasi-based Hello FM.

But what exactly did Allotey Jacobs say against the former President?

• Sammy Gyamfi is calling for the head of the Finance Minister

• He accused the minister of breaching the procurement process in securing the Sputnik V vaccines

• He has called on parliament to probe government’s COVID-19 expenses

The Communications officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi, has called for the resignation of the finance minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.

According to him, the health minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, should not be the only one being pressured to bow out of office following the controversies surrounding the procurement of the Russian Sputnik V vaccines from a middleman.

In a Facebook post sighted by GhanaWeb, Sammy Gyamfi pointed that the finance minister paid 160 billion old Ghana cedis to the middleman (Sheikh Al Maktoum) without parliamentary approval.

He said both the health and finance ministers need to resign.

“Why are we over-concentrating on the Health Minister in the discussion about the botched Sputnik Vaccine Supply deal when the chief culprit is none other than the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta, who without Parliamentary approval, paid a whopping 160 billion old Ghana cedis to the Dubai Sheikh,” Sammy Gyamfi wrote in his Facebook post.

“…The reckless conduct of Ken Ofori-Atta in paying millions of Ghana cedis for an unlawful Vaccine Supply contract makes it imperative that Parliament immediately conducts a bi-partisan probe into the entire government expenditure on COVID-19 and related matters. But even before that,#KenOforiAttaMustResign,” he added.

Sammy Gyamfi has therefore called on parliament to conduct a bi-partisan probe into government’s expenditure on COVID-19.



Background

Government of Ghana through the health ministry tasked a middleman in Dubai to help secure the Russian Sputnik V vaccines.null

Sheikh Al Maktoum presented 20,000 doses of the Sputnik V vaccine for the first batch instead of the initial 300,000 doses.

The contract was later terminated following several controversies.

In June this year, the health minister admitted that he independently approved the purchase of a $64.6 million contract out of frustration.

Meanwhile, there are calls for him to resign or President Akufo-Addo sacks him from office.

https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fsamuel.gyamfi.94064%2Fposts%2F1253078505144692&show_text=true&width=500

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

The former Minister of Works and Housing has declared that a big case is dangling in the air ready to hit the perpetrators of the Saglemi housing scandal very soon as the case has been sent to court for adjudication.

The state has sent four people to court for various charges including causing Financial Loss to the state in the handling of the Saglemi housing project. Speaking on Asempa FM program EKOSISEN in Accra , the former Works and Housing minister denied any wrongdoing in respect of the project .

“I have not as a minister signed or authorised any payment cheque and voucher for any contractor of the project and l do not know of such payment”. ‘So how come in March 2018 a whopping 5 million dollars were payed to some contractors of the project ‘, “that makes the matter sweet ,l have not given any authorisation for any payment since l assumed office in January 2017.

However, the chief director , one Zimlim director and some people at the ministry have unauthorisedly given approval without my knowledge and consent .

My signature is not on the cheques and payment voucher , so those who did that must be summoned to answer for their actions,” he intimated. The former Minister stated that when he took over he wanted to audit certain transactions so it would be outrageous to participate in any perceived fraudelent deals at the ministry. “This is the work of Joy FM but l tell you, the truth will come out soon,” he assured the host. He told the host that even though some payments were made during his tenure but they did that without his approval and knowledge.

“If you know how thieves operate you would not blame any victim of his negligent action for the theft. When you are deep asleep and a thief stealthily sneaks into your room carries away your valuables away, how can you be blamed for oversleeping” ? he asked the host. He denied the case of VICARIOUS RESPONSIBILITY or LIABILITY when people connive to perpetrate criminality. How can this be vicarious responsibility when the chief director and others come together to do criminal things behind me . You cannot hold me personally liable for negligence or complicity . Am happy the matter is in court and we shall evidentialise it for all to see who is really the criminal here” .

He told the host ; “do you know that in December 26th there about , the chief director authorised payment of Management Contract for the project and someone at the finance Ministry,( not the minister) paid that money to a company from Dubai without our knowledge ?, he asked the host. He argued that the host does not understand how criminals operate otherwise he would understand some of these things.

“That’s why a crime is committed but it takes such a long time to uncover it because criminals are very fast and sophisticated people” He told the host that once the Attorney General has sent the matter to court, all the details would be unveiled for Ghanaians to know the real truth

Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has said that although the debt levels have gone up, the economy has largely been better managed by the Akufo-Addo administration far more than what the National Democratic Congress (NDC) did.

He noted that despite the rising public debt, inflation and exchange rates have gone down due to prudent management of the economy.

The government has in recent years received flak from the NDC and their Minority lawmakers who accused the government of excessive borrowing.

For instance, speaking at a 2021 post-budget workshop for MPs in Ho in the Volta Region, Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu said the government cannot solely blame the COVID-19 for its poor management of the economy.

“The record is that President Akufo-Addo has increased our debt stock from GHS120 billion to GHS291 billion representing some 76% of debt to GDP.

“He chose conveniently to blame COVID-19 for the poor performance of the economy, and yet he is seeking to recover from COVID-19.”

But speaking at a TESCON conference in Cape Coast on Saturday August 7, the Vice President said “I want to let you think about one thing; you hear the NDC saying, the debt level has gone up. Sure, the debt level has gone up, but economic levels have not gone down. The debt level has increased yes, but why do we want to maintain prudent debt level?null

“When you teach economics, you have to ask your students that question; why is it that we want the debt levels maintained at prudent levels? The reason is that, if you do not manage your debt levels properly, it will affect your exchange rate, it will affect your interest rate, it will affect your inflation and it will affect your growth.

“You’re managing the economy in a way to look at its impact on these variables; exchange rate, interest rate, inflation and growth rate. That is the issue.

“When the NDC was in government, well way before, they took us to HIPC. They had mismanaged the debt levels such that we had very high inflation, very high exchange rate depreciation, very high interest rate and low growth. That was the legacy they left us.”

He added “By the time we were going towards 2016, the debt levels had increased such that inflation was going up, interest rate was going up, exchange rate depreciation was going up and growth also coming down, and they had to run to the IMF for a bailout. Wasn’t that the case? That was NDC economic management.

“Our debt levels have gone up, but what has happened to inflation? It has come down. What has happened to exchange rate depreciation? Depreciation has come down. What has happened to interest rate? It has come down. What has happened to growth? It is going up.

“That is a difference in economic management. There is one that is incompetent and there is one that is competent. If you choose the NDC, you go to the incompetent path, and if you choose the NPP, you have competent economic management.

”Source: 3news.com

A former Central Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress, Bernard Allotey Jacobs has confessed to engaging in blackmail when he trumpted corruption allegations against former president John Agyekum Kufuor years ago.

A newspaper at the time edited by Ambassador Victor Smith alleged that President Kufuor had collected a bribe of $5 million dollars from a Kuwaiti oil magnate.

Smith in 2009, barely a year after Kufuor left office, backtracked on his allegations when he appeared before Parliament’s Appointment Committee where he admitted that he had no proof of what he put in the public domain.

Years on, Allotey Jacobs has also admitted that trumpeting the allegations of Smith had nothing to do with facts but blackmail.

“We were only yearning to come to power so we were just blackmailing,” he said, adding that he has sought forgiveness from the Pope.null

“I went for confession in Rome and informed the Pope that this is what I have done so he should pardon me and seek long life for me, that is why I am here today,” he said when he appeared last week on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo Morning Show.

Aside Smith and Allotey Jacobs, Kokrokoo host, Kwami Sefa-Kayi, noted that current Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin was also among those who propagated the untrue allegation.

On the front of current politics, Allotey Jacobs – who has been expelled from the NDC – said his interest was to trumpet the good works of the current government because he wanted to see Ghana progress.

“What is bad about trumpeting the good people do? It is the striving person who deserves a push. I want this government to do well especially the president and his vice. I want Ghana to move forward, not always going one step forward two steps backwards,” said

.Source: www.ghanaweb.com

• Koku Anyidoho‘s spat with his former boss continues

• He claims the General Secretary must be charged for anti-party conduct

• The charge relates to Assin North primaries where an ‘ineligible’ candidate was cleared to run on the party’s ticket

Koku Anyidoho has alleged that a General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress, NDC, must be blamed for allowing a “stranger” to contest a parliamentary primary.

The former presidential spokesperson did not mention which General Secretary he was referring to – be it the national, regional or constituency level scribe.

“What is more anti-party conduct than a General Secretary unilaterally throwing away a petition in relation to dual citizenship & allowing a “stranger” to win primaries only for the Party to be on the brink of losing a Seat in Parliament?” his tweet of August 7, 2021 read.null

Anyidoho’s tweet post however be safely linked to issues in Assin North consituency where a Cape Coast High Court has ordered the Member of Parliament, James Gyakye Quayson, to desist from holding himself as a lawmaker.

In the court’s verdict on a petition against the MP, the presiding judge agreed that Quayson was not qualified to contest the election because at the time of filing his nomination, he held dual citizenship.

The embattled MP has since filed an appeal to the ruling and continues to attend to Parliamentary duties pending the hearing of his appeal.

Anyidoho’s reference to anti-party conduct is relative to a terminology that the NDC has used in the last few months to expel three popular members – himself, Allotey Jacobs and Stephen Atubiga.

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has reinforced government’s enduring commitment to cooperate will all stakeholders towards consolidating the prevailing peace and harmony within the ancient Kingdom of Dagbon.

According to the President, “all the assistance that my government provided to enable us to arrive at a settlement in Dagbon, which has brought peace and harmony to this ancient state, will continue to be forthcoming to make sure that we consolidate the peace and harmony that has taken place here”.

President Akufo-Addo made this known on Saturday, 7th August 2021, when he paid a courtesy call on the Chief of Savelugu, Yoo Naa, Abdulai Andani, as part of his 2-day working visit to the Northern Region.

In his remarks, the President told the Yoo Naa and his elders that his first port of call, at the start of his working visit to the Region, saw him pay a courtesy call on the Overlord of Dagbon, the Ya-Naa, Mahama Abukari II.

“I saw him yesterday, sitting in state, in a Dagbon which is now united and at peace, after which I went to see your brother, Mahamadu Abdulai, Mion Lana in Mion, and today I am here before you, the three people who are responsible for this historic achievement of peace and reconciliation, and unity in Dagbon”, he said

Touching on the importance of traditional authority in the broader governance framework, the President hinted on an imminent announcement, based on his belief that, “the work of central government, and the various institutions of central government; can be enriched by the presence of some traditional rulers.”

He continued, “I intend very soon to announce the participation of both yourself and your brother Mahamadu Abdulai in the work of my government”.

Reiterating government’s focus on Technical and Vocational Education, he told the Yoo-Naa that government places a great deal of importance on expanding access to TVET education, as it offers “the opportunities for self-employment to increase for our young people.”

To this end, the President pointed out that, “industrial development in the area, of which the rice processing factory is a part is going to gain even greater momentum here in Savelugu, and I want to put on record my appreciation and gratitude for the 2000 acres of land that you have dedicated to the Ministry of Trade as an Industrial Park to get industrial activity going here in Savelugu.”

On helping to end the COVID-19 pandemic, the President told the Yoo Naa that Government run into difficulties and supply of COVID-19 vaccines because of the global shortage of vaccines.

“But, I believe that the arrangements that have been made mean that those shortages are coming to an end, and very soon we will be able to respond to your appeal and ensure the vaccination of our people. I committed myself to see to the vaccination of 20 million Ghanaians, the entire adult population. And, despite the delays, with the information that is now in my hands, I believe that we will meet that objective by the end of November this year,” he added

President Nana Akufo-Addo has said “in spite of the unfortunate events that led to the departure of the first occupant [Mr Martin Amudu] the office of [special prosecutor], I do not regret making that appointment”.

President Akufo-Addo also said “on my part as the president of the republic, I ensured that the office was adequately resourced to enable it to carry out its mandate.”

Mr Akufo-Addo made the comment when he swore Mr Kissi Agyebeng into office as Mr Amidu’s successor.

The president said: “I am, however, consoled by the often-cited statement that there is no need of crying over spilt milk”.

“So, when the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mr Godfred Yeboah Dame, on April 16, 2021, nominated Mr Kissi Agyebeng through Section 13, clause 3 of Article 959 for consideration as the second occupant of the office, I accepted the nomination because his qualifications are clear that he is eminently qualified to occupy the office.”

The president also said from the educational and career backgrounds of the new special prosecutor, “it is clear that Mr Kissi Agyebeng is eminently qualified to occupy the office”.

“He has the capacity, experience, requisite values, and intellectual strength to succeed in this vital position”, Mr Akufo-Addo said of the 43-year-old law lecturer on Thursday, 5 August 2021.

“I urge the new special prosecutor to bear in mind at all times that the office carries an extraordinary responsibility to fight corruption independently and impartially”, the president noted.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=1628178636&psa=1&format=300×250&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmobile.classfmonline.com%2Fnews%2Fpolitics%2FI-don-t-regret-appointing-Amidu-as-SP-I-resourced-his-office-too-Akufo-Addo-26286&flash=0&wgl=1&dt=1628178635398&bpp=7&bdt=1075&idt=1027&shv=r20210802&mjsv=m202108040201&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&cookie=ID%3D195236bf25922f13-22e7403691c90015%3AT%3D1628178394%3ART%3D1628178394%3AS%3DALNI_MZzXm61dix1bJ57uhBJd6gR7crmEQ&prev_fmts=0x0%2C300x250%2C300x250&nras=1&correlator=672148974788&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=797846984.1628178393&ga_sid=1628178636&ga_hid=52173809&ga_fc=0&u_tz=0&u_his=1&u_java=0&u_h=892&u_w=412&u_ah=892&u_aw=412&u_cd=24&u_nplug=0&u_nmime=0&adx=56&ady=2299&biw=412&bih=797&scr_x=0&scr_y=0&eid=20211866%2C31062064%2C31060475&oid=3&pvsid=3152001088531822&pem=599&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=%7Co%7CEebr%7C&abl=NS&pfx=0&fu=0&bc=31&ifi=4&uci=a!4&btvi=2&fsb=1&xpc=H1FaInYCel&p=https%3A//mobile.classfmonline.com&dtd=1050

The president also reminded Mr Agyebeng of his mandate.

“The special prosecutor, as the Act says in its preamble, shall: ‘Have full authority and control over the investigation, initiation and conduct of proceedings of alleged or suspected corruption and corruption-related offences involving public officers and politically-exposed persons in the performance of their functions as well as persons in the private sector involved in the commission or alleged of suspected corruption and corruption-related offences’”.

The remit of the office, the president noted, “is broad and challenging”.

Mr Akufo-Addo also assured Mr Agyebeng of the independence of his office and the necessary assistance.

“I want to assure Mr Kissi Agyebeng, like I did his predecessor, that not only will the executive, including the attorney general, respect the independence of his office, but also will provide him with whatever assistance is required to enable him discharge his high duties effectively in the interest of the Ghanaian people”.

“Indeed, all institutions of state will work and cooperate with him in the same spirit which he articulated in his approval procedure in parliament”, the president added.

During his vetting, Mr Agyebeng told the committee that he intends to guard his independence jealously in carrying out his mandate in terms of investigating, preventing, prosecuting corruption cases and managing seized, frozen or confiscated properties.

In his view, the relevance of the OSP cannot be overemphasised and, thus, warned: “…The day we scrap this office is the day we say goodbye to our fight against corruption”.

“Its relevance is borne out by its attributes and its uniqueness”, he argued, adding: “It is unique, as compared to all the other law enforcement agencies in respect of its mandate because no other institution has been carefully designed and thought-out to fight corruption specifically as Act 959 has done and Hon Chair, in respect of this, the office of the special prosecutor is the gold standard under the UN convention against corruption and the AU convention on the prevention and combatting of corruption”.

“The international community, including Ghana ratified these conventions in the early 2,000s, I think 2002 if I’m not wrong, that every jurisdiction requires such a specialised agency, it should be made independent with a specialised trained staff to focus on the fight against corruption”, he observed.

According to him, the OSP is relevant because the Attorney General “is a member of cabinet, he’s part of the government. How independent would he be in terms of certain individuals if they were to fall foul of the law if, for instance, they are also members of cabinet or members of the government?”

“But in respect of the OSP, the person manning it, who is not part of the government machinery, who is independent; and Hon Chair, if given the nod, I’m going to guard my independence jealously,” he said. Mr Agyebeng also admitted to the committee that: “I am not naive to assume that I am coming to stop corruption”, adding: “There’s no way I can stop corruption”.

“God himself will not acclaim to that but I am going to make corruption very costly to engage in”, Mr Agyebeng told the committee.

Mr Agyebeng is the Chairman of the Electronic Communications Tribunal.

Mr Agyebeng was nominated as Ghana’s second Special Prosecutor following the resignation of Mr Martin Amidu. Mr Amidu resigned from the position on 15 November 2020 citing interference by President Nana Akufo-Addo in his job.

In a letter to the Presidency, Attorney General Godfred Dame said: “Kissi Agyebeng possesses the requisite expertise on corruption and corruption-related matters and is of high moral character and proven integrity and satisfies all the other requirements stipulated in section 13(1) and (2) of Act 959.”

Section 13(8) of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959) requires the President to appoint a person qualified for appointment as Special Prosecutor to that position, within six months of the Office of Special Prosecutor becoming vacant

•ET Mensah claims Sam George peddled lies in his comment on the Saglemi Housing suit

•He says the initial plan included electricity, sewage and things, contrary to Sammy Gyamfi‘s claims

•Sammy Gyamfi has referred him to his own documents

Sammy Gyamfi, the Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress, has issued a quick response to assertions by former Minister of Works and Housing, Enoch Teye Mensah (E.T. Mensah) that he (Sammy Gyamfi) peddled falsehood in his take on the charges levelled against Alhaji Collins Dauda by the state.

Mr Mensah who featured on Tuesday’s edition of the Good Morning Ghana said that claims by Sammy Gyamfi that the initial plan for the construction of the Saglemi Housing Project did not include certain elements.

“Everything is not true, it is packed with lies. You [host of the programme] should have alerted me, I would have come with the handover notes. The project started when the STX became a fiasco. It was Mills’ project, he was the one who signed and gave the approval,” he said.

But in a sharp rebuttal, Sammy Gyamfi said that his remarks on the issue are from documents that are in the public domain.null

Sammy Gyamfi insisted his assertions are nothing but the fact which can be validated with documents.

“The issues about the “Saglemi” Housing Project which are being disputed by Hon. E.T Mensah are well-documented matters of public record. Facts are sacrosanct, and same shall be laid bare to settle all the issues in contention” he posted on Facebook.

Sammy Gyamfi in a lengthy epistle defending Collins Dauda said that the hike in the valuation of the Saglemi Housing Project was because certain amenities such as electricity, drains, sewage systems etc were not catered for in the initial design.

“It is instructive to note, that the Minister of Works and Housing at the time, Hon. E.T Mensah informed Parliament during the debate on the approval of the loan facility, that the 5000 housing units will not be built at a go, but rather over a period of time, that is, in phases. This is captured in black and white in the Parliamentary Hansard of 23rd October, 2013.

“Subsequent to the grant of Parliamentary approval, the Ministry of Works and Housing under Hon. E.T Mensah prepared and executed a Works Agreement with the Contractor for the project, Construtora OAS Limited. It is in the Works Agreement that government decided to build the 5000 housing units in 4 phases. The consultant for the project was AESL. Note that Parliament had already approved the loan agreement, and therefore the Works Agreement which was an issue of implementation by the Ministry was not required to be approved by Parliament.

“Under the Works Agreement, Government was supposed to provide a serviced plot of land with roads, water, electricity, drains, sewage systems and other ancillary facilities for the smooth takeoff of the project, the cost of which had not been factored into the amount of $US200 million approved by Parliament for the project. Since government did have any funds to fall on to discharge these responsibilities, the decision was taken by the ministry to use part of the approved amount of the project ($US200 million) for all the necessary ancillary works to pave way for the construction of the housing units and to make the project site a commercially viable and habitable community. This is what informed the decision by the Ministry to do the project in Phases, as the Minister, Hon. E.T Mensah had already intimated to Parliament. Clearly, the 5,000 houses could not be built at a go,” he posted

.Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Mr Koku Anyidoho has said that he refuses to be provoked following his suspension from the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

The former Deputy General Secretary of the NDC said exhibiting a high sense of tolerance in the face of envy-led extreme provocation, is a sign of divine maturity and wisdom.

In a tweet, the Director of the Atta Mills Memorial Institute said “Exhibiting a high sense of tolerance in the face of envy-led extreme provocation, is a sign of divine maturity and wisdom.

“I chose to be divinely wise and matured so shall refuse to be provoked. Blessed day and blessings galore over the weekend. Ghana Flag of GhanaShall not die. Shalom.”

In pursuant to an earlier decision to suspend Mr Anyidoho, from the NDC, the Functional Executive Committee (FEC) has expelled him entirely.

By the decision taken on Tuesday, July 27, Mr Anyidoho is no longer to hold himself as a member of the NDC.

In a letter signed by General Secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketia to communicate the decision of FEC to him, the former Presidential Spokesperson was found guilty of the allegations of “misconduct” and “anti-party behaviour”.

In January, FEC decided to act on two separate petitions brought before it by Oti Region’s Communications Officer, Mobarak Abdul-Karim, and Bono Region’s Deputy Communications Officer, Eric

The petitions were referred to the Disciplinary Committee for further action for which Mr Anyidoho was suspended.

“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,” the letter dated Tuesday, July 27, 2021, said.

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

Koku Anyidoho is expected to return any party property in his custody and shall forfeit any monies, dues or subscription fees he might have made to the party.

Exhibiting a high sense of tolerance in the face of envy-led extreme provocation, is a sign of divine maturity and wisdom. I chose to be divinely wise and matured so SHALL REFUSE to be provoked. Blessed day and blessings galore over the weekend. Ghana ????????Shall not die. Shalom ????— Samuel Koku Anyidoho???????? (@KokuAnyidoho) July 30, 2021

Source: 3news.com

Bernard Allotey Jacobs has appealed to members and delegates of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) to elect Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as flagbearer.

Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and Trade Minister Alan Kyerematen are two names that have cropped up as candidates for the flagbearer position of the party.

However, the NPP leadership has cautioned members and supporters to halt their campaigns until the party opens nomination, citing reasons it will divert attention from the good works of the President of the Republic, Nana Akufo-Addo.

This notwithstanding, the former NDC Chairman for Central Region, Allotey Jacobs believes Dr. Bawumia will make the best President for Ghana after President Nana Addo’s tenure ends.null

He also rooted for the Energy Minister, Matthew Opoku Prempeh to be the 2024 Vice Presidential candidate for the NPP.

“I’m not a member of the NPP but, as an old fox in the political arena, I can see the prosperity of Ghana in the blood of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and Matthew Opoku Prempeh. So, that should be your project for 2024,” he said on Peace FM’s ‘Kokrokoo’ programme.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/dHi3gzofQWY

Source: peacefmonline.com

The National Youth Leader of the ruling Political Party, Henry Nana Boakye, known as Nana B has led the leadership of the Youth Wing of the party to declare their support for the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

The NPP Youth Organisers who numbered 15 who paid a courtesy call on Dr. Bawumia underscored how the timely and reliable supports and contributions of the Dr. Bawumia in the execution of the youth campaigns at the national and regional levels.

They further acknowledged the “significant and impactful support from the Vice President to the National and the 16 regional youth wings across the country during elections 2020.”

“The youth of the party is blessed with a Vice President who is very supportive, generous and passionate about their progress and wellbeing. The National Youth wing and all the Regional Youth wings, over the years, have received periodic support from the Vice President. The myriad of logistics and other contributions from the Vice President accounted significantly for the successful execution of the youth campaign during elections 2020,” Nana B said.

He further named the Vice President as someone who is worthy of commendations adding that “the youth of the NPP have no excuse not to support the Vice President to assist President Akufo-Addo to deliver on the mandate given them by Ghanaians.null

“The Vice President has gained the loyalty of the NPP youth with his compassion, competence and sterling performance, and for that matter, we will support and pray for him to sustain and even improve upon the better job he’s doing for the betterment of the NPP youth in particular and Ghana in general.”

The Youth Leaders have thus appealed the Vice President to come up with the implementation of more youth oriented policies and initiatives that would enhance the living conditions of the Ghanaian youth, even as they continue to make giant progress in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and its concomitant economic challenges.

“The first term of this government saw the implementation of enormous youth oriented policies and initiatives that had far reaching benefits for the youth, in terms of sustainable employment, quality, affordable and accessible education, and progressive entrepreneurial activities. We are of the strong conviction that more of such initiatives would be introduced in the next 3 and half years in order to make the youth more productive and successful” Nana B added

.Source: rainbownradioonline.com

• Kweku Baako says he was disappointed that Ken Ofori-Atta did not provide figures to Parliament

• He however agrees with his decision to defer the question to the National Security Ministry

• He is hopeful that the National Security Ministry will make the disclosure

Abdul Malik Kweku Baako Jnr, the Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide newspaper has opined that Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta did not commit any administrative error with his decision to defer a question on President Akufo-Addo’s trip to France, Belgium and South Africa to the National Security Ministry.

Baako disclosed on the Good Morning Ghana show on Metro TV that Ofori-Atta was only following due process.

According to him, budgets and expenditure for foreign trips by President Akufo-Addo are done by office of the Chief of Staff in partnership with the National Security Secretariat.

Baako said that the two institutions collaborate to plan the trip by the President hence his conviction that the Finance Minister made no mistake in referring Parliament to the National Security Ministry.

“The important thing is to look at the substance of the answer the minister gave. First of all, he has redirected the question to the National Security Minister. I hear Ken Ofori-Atta make a case that the president’s travels, especially the foreign ones are the responsibility of National Security and office of government machinery. Is that valid or not? Is there any document to that effect?

“My own checks are that when it comes to foreign travels, there is a unit known as Foreign Travels Unit that takes care of these things. National Security Ministry are all components of the government machinery. Monies are released in terms of budgetary line. When the President is travelling, the budget has already been given to the office of government machinery.

“They, in collaboration with National Security, will deal with the issues. The budget outline will come from the office of government machinery and the Ministry will be aware because of the collaborations between them so in terms of the framework, the Minister of Finance is not entirely wrong” he said.

Baako however said like most Ghanaians he was unhappy that Ken Ofori-Atta did not mention figures when he appeared before Parliament.null

He expressed disquiet that Ken Ofori-Atta could have spared Parliament the time he demanded to prepare the answer for the question if he had just communicated to the house that it is the National Security Ministry that is in charge of Presidential travels.

“A lot of people were expecting the Finance Minister to provide figures relative to the President’s trip to France, South Africa and Belgium. When the Finance Minister appeared before Parliament and did not give figures, it’s natural that a lot of people were disappointed and I don’t have a difficulty with that. If I may be honest with you I was also expecting figures.” Ken Ofori-Atta on Wednesday courted the anger of some minority MPs after he declined to speak to issue of the amount government spent on the president’s trip.

“Mr Speaker, the President’s domestic and international travels are matters to do with National Security. Therefore, the National Security Minister is best placed to furnish this Honorable House with the details needed,” he said.

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Ashanti Regional Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Sam Pyne has dissented to the calls on Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu to resign from office.

There are calls for the Health Minister to vacate his office or be sacked by President Nana Akufo-Addo following his responses to a Parliamentary Committee probe into the purchase of Sputnik V vaccine.

Answering questions before the Committee, the Minister said, “I was in a desperate and helpless situation with the management of the covid numbers. In February, we had 78 deaths; by March, we had 56 deaths, and these were the numbers that pushed me to act…if you were the Health Minister, I think you might have taken certain decisions that in hindsight you may not have done those things. The country was not in normal times…this was the environment I found myself in and out of desperation, frustration, and so many things.”

“I relied on the Executive Instrument 61 passed by Parliament and hid behind emergency clauses that have been invoked to do that and come to Parliament and inform the House that this is what I had done and, therefore, I need regularisation and need the approval to provide it.”

“I was seriously in a situation that could not make me think properly. I dealt with the Sheikh before the frantic efforts to get the vaccines from the right source. I made efforts, but I did not juxtapose the timing with the efforts that I made. I made that error and in hindsight, it won’t happen again,” he added.

Critics like seasoned journalist Kweku Baako, politicians; James Kwabena Bomfeh and Allotey Jacobs have all called for the Minister to resign or his dismissal to be effected by the President.null

But to Sam Pyne, it’s premature for the Minister’s head to roll.

He asked if the Minister’s action has caused any financial losses to the State for which he should resign.

Sam Pyne asked for the Committee’s final report regarding the issue before any punitive action is taken against Kwaku Agyeman-Manu.

“In condemning or in applauding, we should wait for the Committee to finish its work,” he asserted.

He said this during a panel discussion on Peace FM’s ”Kokrokoo”

.Source: peacefmonline.com

.The National Youth Organizer of the NDC, George Opare Addo, popularly known as Pablo has admonished NDC youth in the Diaspora to return home and help the party win power in 2024.

The maverick politician made the call during a Youth Forum organized by the NDC Youth Wing-USA over the weekend at the Residence Inn Marriott Hotel in Atlanta.

The Forum organized in conjunction with the Tertiary Education Students Network (TEIN) of the NDC, sought to create a platform for the Youth and students in the Diaspora to engage and deliberate on how they can contribute their quota to the party in subsequent elections.

According to Opare Addo, financing the party from the Diaspora is good and worthwhile but they must also be on the grounds to help motivate people to vote for the NDC. He commended them for their financial contributions to the party over the years.

“I know you contribute money towards the elections but the truth is, your presence is needed on the grounds. Even manning a polling station or supporting party agents with food, water drinks etc is motivating enough.”

He also noted that those working in the Diaspora can seek permission or take their annual leave for a month to enable them join in election related operations till December 7.

He added that, “We play politics of association. So in our local communities when they find out that Opare Addo is NDC and the community respects me, there are many people out there who would not like the NDC but just by virtue of Opare Addo being there as an NDC person, they’ll want to associate with your party and do your bidding. So your presence alone at the poling station may give us a number of votes.”

On his part, Youth Organizer of the NDC Youth Wing-USA, Emmanuel Issah Abudu, assured the Mr Opare Addo of their preparedness to support the party both financially and with their presence.

Mr Abudu also used the time to express gratitude to the National Youth Organizer for honoring the invitation even at such a short notice. He revealed that in the coming days, the NDC Youth Wing-USA will unveil plans and activities to mobilize all NDC students and young people in the US for the cause of the party.

The Forum attracted participants from all across the USA including students and other people sympathetic to the cause of the NDC.

Present at the event was also the Chairman of the NDC Atlanta Branch, Alhaji Abdulai Musah, Eastern Regional NDC Youth Organizer, Okai Mintah, NDC Atlanta Youth Organizer, Comrade Godfred Amponsah among others

Kennedy Ohene Agyapong

The referral of the Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, to the Privileges Committee of Parliament, has triggered counter petition to the same committee.

Barely 24 hours after the opposition NDC instigated the action against the tough-talking NPP MP, a ruling party MP has also ‘returned fire’ by reporting the NDC Communications Officer Sammy Gyamfi, who is not an MP, to be investigated by the same Privileges Committee.

It all started when the Speaker of Parliament, Alban of S.K. Bagbin, on Wednesday, directed the Privileges Committee to look into allegations of breach of parliamentary privileges against Mr. Agyapong.

It followed a submission by the NDC MP for Tamale North, Alhassan Suhuyini, that his colleague from the NPP had breached the privileges of parliamentarians for “continuously bringing the name of Parliament into disrepute through conducts that affront the dignity of the House.”

The NPP MP was said to have made statements which Multimedia Group have said it amounted to threats on the life of one of its reporters with Luv FM in Kumasi, Erastus Asare Donkor.

Following Alhassan Suhuyini’s report, the Speaker, Mr. Bagbin, then exercised his discretion under Order 27 of the Standing Orders of the House and referred Ken Agyapong to the Committee on Privileges which is chaired by the First Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei-Wusu.

In the ensuing heat, the Second Deputy Majority Whip, Habib Iddrisu, NPP MP for Tolon, has drawn the attention of the House to “contemptuous” comments made by Sammy Gyamfi.

The young MP said the NDC Communication Officer made unsavoury comments against the Rt. Hon. Speaker, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin and the leadership of the Minority group.

According to the applicant, Sammy Gyamfi stated in a Facebook post that Speaker Bagbin and the NDC MPs “defied the leadership of the party [NDC] and betrayed the collective good for their selfish interests” when they approved of the nomination of some Ministers of State.

During the vetting, the NDC MPs had served notice to oppose the then Ministers-designate for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Information, and Food and Agriculture, Hawa Koomson, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, and Dr. Owusu Afriyie-Akoto, but all of them got approval after voting by the House, thereby angering Sammy Gyamfi who attacked the Speaker and the NDC Minority leadership, saying they did not have integrity.

The applicant said Sammy Gyamfi, by words of scorn and opprobrium, singled out the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, and the Minority Chief Whip, Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka for the abuse.

The Second Deputy Majority Whip submitted that the comments by the NDC Communication Officer constituted an attack on the Speaker and leadership, and therefore contemptuous of the House.

He, accordingly, prayed the Speaker to refer the conduct of Sammy Gyamfi to the Committee of Privileges for investigation and report.

Second Deputy Speaker, Andrew Amoako Asiamah, who doubles as Independent MP for Fomena, who was presiding on Thursday evening when the application was made, then took the decision to defer the referral on the matter.

Already, the Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin has insisted that procedural process was not followed in the Assin Central MP’s case.

Pointing to an error in the procedural process, he prayed for the Speaker to request the applicant to ‘particulise’ the substance of the allegation of breach for a prima facie case to be established first before the referral, which request was turned down by the Speaker.

Mr. Afenyo-Markin said that the applicant, Alhassan Suhuyini, only made reference to a “supposed letter” from Joy FM to the police without procuring the substance of the breach of parliamentary privileges.

He then cautioned that the House “may be sacrificing procedure” to create a “new path” that might set precedence for the future, but the Speaker ignored him, intimating that he was compelled by the circumstances to direct that the matter be referred to the Committee on Privileges for investigation and report to the House.

“This is my first time hearing this matter. As it is now, I am compelled to refer it to the Privileges Committee. It is a matter the Privileges Committee will have to go into and then report to the House, and it is for the House to decide whether the Honourable Member is contemptuous of the House,” the Speaker stated.

He continued, “In the circumstances, I direct that this matter be referred to the Committee on Privileges for investigation and report to the House, I so direct.”

Before Mr. Babgin’s ruling, the NDC’s Deputy Minority Whip, Ahmed Ibrahim, had asked the Speaker to overrule the application for prima facie, saying, “I want to emphasise that it is the House that will take the decision

The National Organiser of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Sammi Awuku, has warned the various camps of presidential hopefuls in the party that their subtle and veiled campaign activities at funerals, risked dividing the party ahead of the 2024 polls and destroying the NPP’s chances of breaking the 8-year jinx.

“There is a growing trend that as Constituency Chairmen, we have to be very tough on”, Mr Awuku said on Saturday, 17 July 2021 at the launch of the NPP’s Constituency Officers’ welfare in Koforidua, capital of the Eastern Region.

“Whoever is a beneficiary or victim, we just have to put our foot on the ground”, he urged, explaining: “There is a growing sense and strategy of turning funerals into campaigning grounds for would-be presidential candidates”.

“As much as possible, the constituencies are expected to preserve the unity of the party”, Mr Awuku noted.

He said “When it turns out that because you are active constituency executives, you play the ostrich, stand aside but send our youth organisers to mobilise people to cheer Mr ‘A’ or Mr ‘B’, chairmen, they make your work difficult”.

Mr Awuku warned that: “If we are not careful with the internal primaries and party discipline, we may end up breaking ourselves before breaking the 8”.

“President Kufuor’s statement still resonates in our ears: It is better to be a messenger in a party in government than to be a General Secretary for a party in opposition”, he said at the Constituency Officers Welfare Fund launch.

The Fund, the brainchild of the constituency chairmen of the party across the country, is to pool resources for the welfare of the constituency executives.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=1626680222&psa=1&format=300×250&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmobile.classfmonline.com%2Fnews%2Fpolitics%2FFuneral-campaigns-for-presidential-hopefuls-ll-break-us-before-we-break-the-8-Sammi-Awuku-warns-NPP-25904&flash=0&wgl=1&dt=1626680221779&bpp=4&bdt=856&idt=735&shv=r20210712&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&cookie=ID%3Df477aef34bd93499-222d153670c900ca%3AT%3D1626680051%3ART%3D1626680051%3AS%3DALNI_MbLcf9ODef4yMmNsCbaf0Ot2KRGpg&prev_fmts=0x0%2C300x250%2C300x250&nras=1&correlator=4735880493693&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=1838932945.1626680051&ga_sid=1626680222&ga_hid=1064690765&ga_fc=0&u_tz=0&u_his=1&u_java=0&u_h=892&u_w=412&u_ah=892&u_aw=412&u_cd=24&u_nplug=0&u_nmime=0&adx=56&ady=2398&biw=412&bih=797&scr_x=0&scr_y=803&eid=42530672%2C31060974%2C31061746%2C31060474&oid=3&pvsid=3362256280852134&pem=416&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=%7Co%7CEebr%7C&abl=NS&pfx=0&fu=0&bc=31&ifi=4&uci=a!4&btvi=1&fsb=1&xpc=tc4bSlN4Z7&p=https%3A//mobile.classfmonline.com&dtd=768

It’s interim National Chairman, Dr Akyea Darkwa, who is the Asuogyaman Constituency Chairman, explained the rationale behind the fund: “Some of us, when we came into the seat, we identified that there were so many challenges that were bedevilling the base of the party and we saw that most people are expecting that the presidency or the government solves all our problems for us, which we know is impossible. So, we decided that there are some of the challenges that we can solve ourselves, so, why don’t we do it. So, we solicited ideas from the constituency chairmen for this welfare fund”.

Inaugurating the fund, the party’s national chairman, Mr Freddie Blay, said in pursuit of the “breaking the 8” agenda, the fund was timely.

“In many other countries in the world: South Africa, Germany, Morocco, the parties are able to organise themselves such that they get themselves involved in commercial activities to help assist each other when in problem. We don’t expect a party to be sustained from the central government’s coffers, no. Ideas can be developed such that the party will have resources from ourselves and from our networks”.

“We must put Ghana first, as a party, to build a sustainable future. That is why we should discuss the welfare because it is linked to the survival of members of the party. If the party remains unattractive because it is not in the position to help its members, if a party is unattractive because you, who are members of the governing party can’t take care of yourselves or can’t be assisted to take care of members of the party and others, it is difficult to sustain the party. It is important that we see ourselves as selfless; selflessly to build our party, selflessly for the welfare of the people

•Boakye Agyarko has suggested ways the NPP can develop its youth wing

•He believes the youth must be at the centre of party decisions

•He says the party should teach and mentor them

Former Energy Minister, Boakye Kyeremateng Agyarko has emphasized the need for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to tap into the knowledge and exuberance of its youth wing and make it a crucial part of the party.

Agyarko in an address at the UPSA chapter of the Tertiary Students Confederacy said that it has become imperative for the party to establish mentorship programs for its youth.

He said that with the youth making up the majority of the country’s demographics, it is important for the party to develop a careful program that allows it to groom and develop the youth to serve the country.null

He is of the conviction that such an approach will work the magic for the party and allow it to stay in power and serve the country.

“If you look at the demographics of Ghana. 68% of Ghanaians fall under the age of 40 so if you are a serious politician and want to organize a serious political party, you cannot but focus on young people.

“It is not about calling young people to meet once a while, organizing parties to make them feel good about themselves and calling upon them when you need them. That is not a political organization of young people. I see the political organization of young people to be embracing them, teaching them, mentoring them and giving them an active role in all things that concern politics,” he said.

Boakye Agyarko counselled the students that their decision to enter politics should only be inspired by a genuine willingness to serve the country and not enrich one’s self.

He disclosed that serving the country, though difficult, should be the motivation for all persons involved in politics.null

“All of us participate in politics to build a nation. A nation that can provide a greater comfort that we are looking for. A better future for ourselves and our succeeding generations. That is why we all participate in politics. I can imagine that some of our friends from the opposite side may have a different reason for getting into politics. The NDC think differently but not us.

“We participate in politics for the full purpose of building a good nation that we can live in. The primary assumption here is that the goodness we are looking for comes from good governance. Indeed, the Bible teaches us that when the righteous rule, the people rejoice but when the wicked rule, the people groan. It is not only Christians who believe this. Muslims also have their teachings.

“May the Lord bless and not give us the rule of NDC. We are going to achieve good governance by having a party such as ours in power. If we are going to be in power, we have to look at our dynamics,” he said.

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Bernard Allotey Jacobs has subtly called on Mrs. Lordina Mahama, wife of former President John Dramani Mahama to return her allowances just as First and Second Ladies, Rebecca Akufo-Addo and Samira Bawumia have done.

Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo has issued a Consolidated Bank Ghana Limited (CBG) cheque for GH¢899,097.84 as her refund of all allowances received since 2017.

Mrs. Samira Bawumia has also indicated she will refund an amount of ¢887,482 as allowances received from 2017 till 2021.

The First and Second Ladies made this decision after a public backlash.

As the two prominent women have returned their money, pressure mounts on Mr Mahama’s wife to follow suit but she has since not replied her critics.null

Discussing the matter on Peace FM’s ‘Kokrokoo’ programme, Allotey Jacobs praised the two women saying their behaviour has attracted lots of respect from Ghanaians.

When asked if he wants Mrs. Mahama to follow their footsteps, Allotey answered; ”If they have refunded theirs, where is yours?” – to wit, if they have refunded their money, then Mrs. Mahama should perhaps do same.

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

Source: peacefmonline.com

Tamale Central MP Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed has questioned the principle behind his colleague National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa’s comments that government must stop giving legislators car loans after the North Tongu MP has benefitted from the tradition twice already.

Mr Ablakwa recently urged his fellow lawmakers, to join forces to compel Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta to withdraw the $28-million loan facility he tabled before parliament for approval as car loans for the 275 legislators, which got approved on Thursday, 15 July 2021.

As MPs, Mr Ablakwa wrote on social media, “let us also boldly confront and discontinue the practice of government loans to purchase vehicles for MPs”.

He said: “If the executive branch of government does not have the resources to provide duty vehicles for MPs, as it does for MMDCEs, CEOs of state institutions/SOEs, ministers, judges, civil servants, security services, and so on and so forth, then MPs, who need car loans should be allowed to make their own private car loan arrangements with the banks just as most private-sector workers do”.https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-4549410436183225&output=html&h=250&slotname=4705176708&adk=1921530005&adf=2366005940&pi=t.ma~as.4705176708&w=300&lmt=1626426158&psa=0&format=300×250&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmobile.classfmonline.com%2Fnews%2Fpolitics%2FWho-is-Ablakwa-trying-to-deceive-Where-s-the-principle-in-anti-car-loan-stance-after-taking-it-twice-already-Murtala-25883&flash=0&wgl=1&dt=1626426158141&bpp=4&bdt=1629&idt=663&shv=r20210712&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&prev_fmts=0x0%2C300x250&nras=1&correlator=7197310527499&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=1617967569.1626426159&ga_sid=1626426159&ga_hid=19359461&ga_fc=0&u_tz=0&u_his=1&u_java=0&u_h=892&u_w=412&u_ah=892&u_aw=412&u_cd=24&u_nplug=0&u_nmime=0&adx=56&ady=1696&biw=412&bih=797&scr_x=0&scr_y=22&eid=31060956%2C31060974%2C31061746%2C31060474&oid=3&pvsid=3810471363054575&pem=506&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=3&uci=a!3&btvi=1&fsb=1&xpc=yR6Id1JSOt&p=https%3A//mobile.classfmonline.com&dtd=690

That will simply require, he noted, that the “government stop the monthly deductions from MPs’ salaries so we will be free to broker individual car loan deals based on our salary structure, constituency terrain and other personal preferences”.

“I honestly hope many colleague MPs will agree with me so we join forces and get Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta to withdraw his MPs’ car loan agreement from Parliament”, he noted.

He bemoaned that “MPs have been deliberately thrown under the bus and subjected to needless opprobrium one too many”.

Fortunately, he pointed out, Speaker Alban Bagbin “has been a longtime advocate for a uniform duty vehicle policy in the public sphere, which does not discriminate between Ministers, MMDCEs, CEOs, Judges and MPs”, adding: “I strongly believe we can count on his support as we pursue this mission”.

Mr Ablakwa said “deep reflection is needed on just how long the political class can keep stoking the anger levels of the masses beyond a boiling point?”

“We must not underestimate the people’s grave revulsion and its volcanic consequences on the stability and sustainability of our democracy”, he warned.

“Time to adopt a totally new and sincere paradigm”, the MP suggested.

Mr Murtala Mohammed is, however, not the least impressed with Mr Ablakwa’s comments.https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-4549410436183225&output=html&h=250&slotname=4705176708&adk=1921530005&adf=387235050&pi=t.ma~as.4705176708&w=300&lmt=1626426158&psa=0&format=300×250&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmobile.classfmonline.com%2Fnews%2Fpolitics%2FWho-is-Ablakwa-trying-to-deceive-Where-s-the-principle-in-anti-car-loan-stance-after-taking-it-twice-already-Murtala-25883&flash=0&wgl=1&dt=1626426158149&bpp=4&bdt=1637&idt=839&shv=r20210712&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&prev_fmts=0x0%2C300x250%2C300x250%2C300x250&nras=1&correlator=7197310527499&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=1617967569.1626426159&ga_sid=1626426159&ga_hid=19359461&ga_fc=0&u_tz=0&u_his=1&u_java=0&u_h=892&u_w=412&u_ah=892&u_aw=412&u_cd=24&u_nplug=0&u_nmime=0&adx=56&ady=3482&biw=412&bih=797&scr_x=0&scr_y=22&eid=31060956%2C31060974%2C31061746%2C31060474&oid=3&pvsid=3810471363054575&pem=506&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=5&uci=a!5&btvi=3&fsb=1&xpc=ISiMTRqloG&p=https%3A//mobile.classfmonline.com&dtd=858

He told Joy Prime on Thursday: “He [Ablakwa] has gotten two cars, and a new MP, who is coming, who doesn’t even have a motorbike, whose constituency is farther than his, whose constituency is broader than his, who also needs to discharge his responsibilities by being mobile … should not be given a car? Let us get serious in this country.”

“This is not a principle”, Mr Mohammed said, adding that if it were, “then he [Ablakwa] should return the other two cars.”

“Okudzeto is not just a colleague Member of Parliament”, he noted, pointing out that the two of them “have come a very long way” but insisted: “He has taken the loan two times”.

“I went to parliament with him [at] the same time when he took the car loan. In the Seventh Parliament, I wasn’t there but he took the loan”, Mr Mohammed said.

“So, where is the principle in this? Since when did he realise that taking the car was unconscionable? Who is he trying to deceive?” he wondered.

“This is not a principled position”, the opposition lawmaker emphasised, recounting: “I remember [being] in the Coffee Shop [when] he called me while he was standing with the contact person of one of the companies and he was asking me whether I will take my car from that company. So, where is the principle in this? Since when did he realise that taking the car is unconscionable?”

Source: classfmonline.com

The National Communications Officer of the largest opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) says first lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo does not deserve any applauds for refunding allowances she received from the state.null

Sammy Gyamfi maintained that the first lady’s move was compelled after a public disagreement of the monies allocated to be paid to her according to the recommendations of the Prof. Ntiamoa-Baidu Committee, as approved by Parliament.

He said on NEAT FM’s morning show ‘Ghana Montie’ that Madam Rebecca Akufo-Addo was embarrassed by the public outburst – hence, the need to refund the money.

“She shamefully refunded her allowances,” Sammy Gyamfi told host, Kwesi Aboagye.

Sammy Gyamfi also disclosed that former First Lady, Lordina Mahama got GHC8000 as quarterly allowance.

“The agreement was that all former first ladies who were facing some challenges were going to receive some allowance every three months. The Rawlings government did for Fathia (Nkrumah), Busia’s wife and other former first ladies.

“They also did it for sitting spouses that every three months, they’ll be given some allowances. The money was not huge. In fact, former first lady Lordina Mahama took GH¢8,000 every three months. The allowance was not the only thing the country did for them, they were given offices for their charity works and other activities. Government paid for the operation of their offices and gave them cars,” he added.null

1st Lady’s decision to refund

In a statement dated 12th July 2021, the 1st Lady described the “extremely negative opinions” from critics which are seeking to portray her as a “self-serving and self-centered woman” as “distasteful”.

In view of this, she “in consultation with the President of the Republic, has decided to refund all monies paid to her as allowances from the date of the President’s assumption of office, i.e., from January 2017 to date, amounting to GH¢899,097.84.”

“She is doing this as a purely personal decision, without prejudice to the rights of others, and not to undermine the propriety of the process undertaken by Parliament,” the statement added.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/nsu3WsbQfVs

Source: peacefmonline.com

Social commentator, Bernard Allotey Jacobs has lauded First Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo and Second Lady Samira Bawumia over the refund of their allowances.

Critics have condemned the payment of salaries to the President and Veep’s wives.

To some Ghanaians, there is no need for the First and Second Ladies to receive monthly salaries as recommended by the Professor Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu Committee.

Due to what she terms as “extremely negative opinions” from critics, the First Lady in consultation with President Akufo-Addo ”decided to refund all monies paid to her as allowances from the date of the President’s assumption of office, i.e., from January 2017 to date, amounting to GH¢899,097.84.”

The Second Lady has also indicated she will refund GH¢ 887,482 she’s received as allowances from January 2017 to March 2021.

Allotey Jacobs, speaking to host Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM’s ”Kokrokoo”, believed the First Lady’s refund is an act dignity saying ”she has dignified herself. People will respect her for it”.

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana