THE government says it has halted with immediate effect, the “rampant disposal of state lands in some prime areas in Accra” under the Accra Redevelopment Policy.
It has also referred the report of the National Security on the acquisition of such lands to the Attorney General’s office for advice on the future of the policy, which was instituted to facilitate the redevelopment of some government lands and houses in prime areas including Cantonments, Airport Residential Area, Kanda, Switchback and Ridge.
Explaining the government’s position to the Daily Graphic yesterday, a Deputy Minister of Information, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, said the intervention was necessitated by the abuse to which the policy was subjected, characterised by “reckless and indiscriminate disposal of state lands”.
Already, 15 beneficiaries who paid between GH¢15,000 and GH¢20,000 each for lands at the former International Students Hostel, have had their monies refunded to them, according to Mr Ablakwa.
He mentioned some of the persons who acquired the land during the Kufuor Administration and whose monies had been paid back to them as the Chief Justice, Mrs Georgina Wood; Mr Freddie Blay, a former First Deputy Speaker of Parliament; Mr K.T. Hammond, a former Deputy Energy Minister; Ms Irene Addo, MP for Tema West; Hajia Alima Mahama, a former Women and Children’s Affairs Minister, and Ms Oboshie Sai Cofie, a former Minister of Tourism.
Others are Dr Abu Sakara Forster, the 2008 CPP Vice Presidential candidate; Madam Esther Obeng Dapaah, the MP for Abirem; Mr K.K. Sarpong, a former Managing Director of Tema Oil Refinery; Mr Ben Owusu Mensah, a former Chief Executive of Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority; Mr Frank Mpare, a former Secretary to the Cabinet, and Prof. Ekua Kuenyehia, a law professor, and Ambassador Kobina Woode.
According to Mr Ablakwa, the presidential directive to the Attorney General will cover over 235 private and corporate entities that have acquired state lands at these prime areas.
He expressed the government’s disappointment at the increasing rate at which the 1999 Accra Redevelopment policy had been abused with impunity.
Last Thursday, the Committee for Joint Action (CJA), a pressure group, called on President Mills to set up an independent commission of enquiry to probe the allocation of state lands and government assets.
Providing a background to the issue, Mr Ablakwa said in 1999, the government came up with a policy called Accra Redevelopment Policy, under which government bungalows sited on large tracts of land were redesigned to ensure that more buildings occupied such lands.
Mr Ablakwa explained further that under the policy, the government was able to build more bungalows, while Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) also built some estates on some of those lands.
He said it was later realised that some state and public officials had abused the system and acquired lands at ridiculously low prices for their personal use without resorting to the proper procedure.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Friday, October 8, 2010
Election of DCEs will bring chaos — Ahwoi
A DECENTRALISATION expert, Mr Kwamena Ahwoi, stated that although about 80 per cent of stakeholders in the district assembly concept favour the election of district chief executives (DCEs), he was of the strong conviction that any move towards that would bring anarchy, inefficiency and marginalisation of women.
He explained that quite a number of districts in the country were made up of majority and minority ethnic groups and with such local elections, there was the likelihood that those from the majority ethnic groups would always be elected and this would make the minority ethnic group feel marginalised.
Mr Ahwoi, who was a Minister of Local Government and Rural Development during the Rawlings Regime, was speaking at a two-day review workshop on proposals for Constitution Amendments in Aburi in the Eastern Region.
It was organised by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) for the four political parties with representation in Parliament under its IEA Ghana Political Parties Programme.
Mr Ahwoi, who based his argument on various research he had conducted on the election of DCEs for a number of organisations including the Constitution Review Committee, said when the minority ethnic group felt marginalised and excluded in the local governance, they would begin to agitate to have a district of their own.
This he explained “will introduce anarchy into the local governance system” because the authorities would not be able to meet such demands, especially when such areas did not satisfy the criteria for becoming a district assembly.
He added that elections do not necessarily produce efficient and competent persons but always the most popular, and that the DCE’s position, unlike that of the member of parliament (MP) or the minister of state required a person with the competence to manage a limited liability company.
He added that district assemblies were set us a legal person that could sue and be sued and therefore needed a manager with minimum competence to manage it effectively and efficiently.
According to Mr Ahwoi, it had been noticed that district level election had not produced enough female assembly members and that any attempt to make the position of the DCE elective would be “ a big blow to affirmative action”.
He stated that in the 2006 district assembly elections, only three per cent of women were elected, and that it was the government that used its 30 per cent appointment mechanism to raise the number to 11 per cent and that the likelihood of it being repeated during the election of DCEs was real.
He said for instance, in the present situation where there were only 12 women DCEs out of the 170, “ my prediction is that we may not even get four women DCEs if we decide to elect them”.
Mr Ahwoi said it was not for nothing that President J. A. Kufuor, who campaigned on the message of electing DCEs, decided not to implement his campaign promise and even advised Ghanaians in his last address to parliament not to make the position of the DCEs elective.
In the consensus reached by the political parties prior to the meeting, they had recommended that the constitution procedure for appointing DCEs should be maintained, but the appointed members of the district assembly should not take part in the voting to approve the DCE.
It said the approval should be done by the elected members acting as the electoral college of the district with the mandate of the electorate to act on their behalf.
Madam Gloria Ofori-Buadu, an NPP representative and a gender activist was of the opinion that the DCEs must be elected so that they would appreciate the fact that they derived their powers from the local people and were also responsible to them.
He said the DCEs should not be made to think that because they were appointed by “some powers in Accra” their first allegiance was to those who appointed them and their foot soldiers.
He explained that quite a number of districts in the country were made up of majority and minority ethnic groups and with such local elections, there was the likelihood that those from the majority ethnic groups would always be elected and this would make the minority ethnic group feel marginalised.
Mr Ahwoi, who was a Minister of Local Government and Rural Development during the Rawlings Regime, was speaking at a two-day review workshop on proposals for Constitution Amendments in Aburi in the Eastern Region.
It was organised by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) for the four political parties with representation in Parliament under its IEA Ghana Political Parties Programme.
Mr Ahwoi, who based his argument on various research he had conducted on the election of DCEs for a number of organisations including the Constitution Review Committee, said when the minority ethnic group felt marginalised and excluded in the local governance, they would begin to agitate to have a district of their own.
This he explained “will introduce anarchy into the local governance system” because the authorities would not be able to meet such demands, especially when such areas did not satisfy the criteria for becoming a district assembly.
He added that elections do not necessarily produce efficient and competent persons but always the most popular, and that the DCE’s position, unlike that of the member of parliament (MP) or the minister of state required a person with the competence to manage a limited liability company.
He added that district assemblies were set us a legal person that could sue and be sued and therefore needed a manager with minimum competence to manage it effectively and efficiently.
According to Mr Ahwoi, it had been noticed that district level election had not produced enough female assembly members and that any attempt to make the position of the DCE elective would be “ a big blow to affirmative action”.
He stated that in the 2006 district assembly elections, only three per cent of women were elected, and that it was the government that used its 30 per cent appointment mechanism to raise the number to 11 per cent and that the likelihood of it being repeated during the election of DCEs was real.
He said for instance, in the present situation where there were only 12 women DCEs out of the 170, “ my prediction is that we may not even get four women DCEs if we decide to elect them”.
Mr Ahwoi said it was not for nothing that President J. A. Kufuor, who campaigned on the message of electing DCEs, decided not to implement his campaign promise and even advised Ghanaians in his last address to parliament not to make the position of the DCEs elective.
In the consensus reached by the political parties prior to the meeting, they had recommended that the constitution procedure for appointing DCEs should be maintained, but the appointed members of the district assembly should not take part in the voting to approve the DCE.
It said the approval should be done by the elected members acting as the electoral college of the district with the mandate of the electorate to act on their behalf.
Madam Gloria Ofori-Buadu, an NPP representative and a gender activist was of the opinion that the DCEs must be elected so that they would appreciate the fact that they derived their powers from the local people and were also responsible to them.
He said the DCEs should not be made to think that because they were appointed by “some powers in Accra” their first allegiance was to those who appointed them and their foot soldiers.
NPP assures of free, fair, transparent primaries
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has reiterated its commitment to organise a free, fair and transparent election on August 7, 2010, to elect a flagbearer to lead the party in the 2012 general elections.
According to the party, all the knotty issues that had been raised regarding the expanded electoral college elections had all been resolved and “so we are going into Saturday’s contest satisfied that we have made the grounds as fair and even as humanly possible” and thanked the aspirants for their vigilance and co-operation.
Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, the Chairman of the party, said this during a press conference on the forth-coming election in Accra yesterday. Present at the meeting were the Chairman of the Election Committee of the party, Mr C. K. Tedam and the General Secretary and S. O. Solomon, a member of the election committee.
He commended Mr Alan Kyerematen and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for contributing extra resources for the transportation of delegates from their homes to their polling centres.
He also debunked claims by Professor Kwabena Frempong-Boateng that the elections would not be free and fair because the executive of the party were manipulating the elections to favour a particular person and said there was no way that could happen.
He said although in recent weeks the work load involved and the difficulty in building and verifying information from the constituencies had created some misunderstanding and even suspicion, there was no way the national executive would influence the over 100,000 delegates in the 230 constituencies in the country or knead the process to the advantage of a particular candidate.
The National Chairman said per the tradition of the NPP, the August 7 Congress would be conducted by the Electoral Commission (EC) in all polling centres, and will collate and give the final tally of votes obtained by each candidate.
He said apart from Ablekuma North and Ablekuma South Constituencies where certain outstanding issues were yet to be resolved, the election would be conducted in all 230 constituencies, thus almost 113,000 delegates were expected to vote in the congress.
He explained that this delegate size was smaller than earlier figures put out and the reduction had resulted from the elimination of delegates who were unable to vote and also, from the merging of positions that overlap within the electoral college defined in Article 12(A)6 of the NPP Constitution, since each delegate can only vote once. Each constituency shall represent a unit polling area and polling centre.
Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey said the National Council of Elders, the National Council, past national officers and representatives of the external branches will all vote at the National Headquarters in Asylum Down, while all other delegates would vote in the constituency where their membership was registered.
He said voting at all polling centres will begin at 8.00a.m. and close at 3.00p.m. on the voting day, with counting following immediately, while the EC was expected to declare the results at the Efua Sutherland Children's Park in Accra and in the event of an outright win, the winning candidate would then be declared by the National Chairman of the Party.
He said the party had also completed security arrangements and was in continuing discussions with the security services to ensure that adequate protection was provided for the entire congress.
Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey said as its commitment to transparency, the congress would be opened to both the electronic and print media. However, any media person who wanted access to any voting premise shall be required to show proof that he or she had been assigned by a recognised media house to cover the exercise.
According to the party, all the knotty issues that had been raised regarding the expanded electoral college elections had all been resolved and “so we are going into Saturday’s contest satisfied that we have made the grounds as fair and even as humanly possible” and thanked the aspirants for their vigilance and co-operation.
Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, the Chairman of the party, said this during a press conference on the forth-coming election in Accra yesterday. Present at the meeting were the Chairman of the Election Committee of the party, Mr C. K. Tedam and the General Secretary and S. O. Solomon, a member of the election committee.
He commended Mr Alan Kyerematen and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for contributing extra resources for the transportation of delegates from their homes to their polling centres.
He also debunked claims by Professor Kwabena Frempong-Boateng that the elections would not be free and fair because the executive of the party were manipulating the elections to favour a particular person and said there was no way that could happen.
He said although in recent weeks the work load involved and the difficulty in building and verifying information from the constituencies had created some misunderstanding and even suspicion, there was no way the national executive would influence the over 100,000 delegates in the 230 constituencies in the country or knead the process to the advantage of a particular candidate.
The National Chairman said per the tradition of the NPP, the August 7 Congress would be conducted by the Electoral Commission (EC) in all polling centres, and will collate and give the final tally of votes obtained by each candidate.
He said apart from Ablekuma North and Ablekuma South Constituencies where certain outstanding issues were yet to be resolved, the election would be conducted in all 230 constituencies, thus almost 113,000 delegates were expected to vote in the congress.
He explained that this delegate size was smaller than earlier figures put out and the reduction had resulted from the elimination of delegates who were unable to vote and also, from the merging of positions that overlap within the electoral college defined in Article 12(A)6 of the NPP Constitution, since each delegate can only vote once. Each constituency shall represent a unit polling area and polling centre.
Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey said the National Council of Elders, the National Council, past national officers and representatives of the external branches will all vote at the National Headquarters in Asylum Down, while all other delegates would vote in the constituency where their membership was registered.
He said voting at all polling centres will begin at 8.00a.m. and close at 3.00p.m. on the voting day, with counting following immediately, while the EC was expected to declare the results at the Efua Sutherland Children's Park in Accra and in the event of an outright win, the winning candidate would then be declared by the National Chairman of the Party.
He said the party had also completed security arrangements and was in continuing discussions with the security services to ensure that adequate protection was provided for the entire congress.
Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey said as its commitment to transparency, the congress would be opened to both the electronic and print media. However, any media person who wanted access to any voting premise shall be required to show proof that he or she had been assigned by a recognised media house to cover the exercise.
EC ready for NPP congress
THE Electoral Commission (EC) says it has completed all arrangements to supervise the conduct of the election of flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Saturday.
According to an official of the EC, the commission in collaboration with the party’s Election Committee had dispatched all the necessary ballot papers to the 228 polling centres across the country.
Briefing the Daily Graphic about the role of the commission in the elections, Mr Yaw Owusu Parry, the Director of Public Affairs said, three EC officials would be positioned at each polling station to supervise the conduct of the election.
He explained that the three officials would comprise a presiding officer, who would check the names of the delegates, another official who would issue the ballot paper, while the third person would apply the indelible ink on the finger of the voter.
Unlike the previous congresses of the party, where 2000 delegates were confined to a particular location to elect the party’s flag bearer, the election on Saturday will involve 113,000 delegates following the amendment of the party’s constitution to expand its electoral college.
Five candidates; Mr John Kwame Koduah, a Kumasi based legal practitioner, Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, former Chief Executive of the Cardio Thoracic Centre, Mr Alan Kyerematen, a leading member of the party, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, the 2008 Presidential Candidate of the party and Mr Isaac Osei, Member of Parliament for Subin and a former Chief Executive of COCOBOD, are contesting for the position of the flag bearer of the NPP.
According to Mr Parry, the approach to the NPP election would be similar to that of the national election, because the EC would provide transparent ballot boxes, and paper screens as well as apply indelible ink on the finger of the voter.
He said after the polls, each polling station would announce the results and transmit the certified results to Accra for coalition, after which the EC would inform the NPP headquarters of the outcome.
Explaining the process further, Mr Fred Oware, First National Vice Chairman said a National Officer would then announce the results in the presence of all the aspirants or their accredited representatives at the NPP National Headquarters in Accra by 1800 hours," he added.
He said the voting pattern would be transparent at each point of the process through an identifiable glaring system which would make it impossible for any one to cheat and urged delegates, especially representatives of aspirants and the media, to avoid making wild allegations about imagined electoral fraud and suspicions because one could not get things done in their favour.
He condemned those who falsely believe the elections would be rigged and said people were making pronouncements that tended to erode confidence in the elaborate electoral system adopted by the party.
Mr Oware explained that the whole country was now classified as one constituency with 230 polling stations, adding that "even though each polling station declares its own results, the overall winner of the election cannot be known until the results from all the polling stations have been compiled.”
He said all regional officers were required to vote within the (constituency) polling station where the office was located, while all National Officers including National Council Members and Overseas Branch delegates would vote at a special polling station to be cited at the National Headquarters.
All other eligible delegates including sitting Members of Parliament, TESCON Representatives and Original Founding Members of the party would vote within their constituencies.
Mr
debunked speculations of vote rigging, stressing that: "All eligible delegates are known members of the community and we are using a voter register with photo affixed to their names for easy identification.”
According to an official of the EC, the commission in collaboration with the party’s Election Committee had dispatched all the necessary ballot papers to the 228 polling centres across the country.
Briefing the Daily Graphic about the role of the commission in the elections, Mr Yaw Owusu Parry, the Director of Public Affairs said, three EC officials would be positioned at each polling station to supervise the conduct of the election.
He explained that the three officials would comprise a presiding officer, who would check the names of the delegates, another official who would issue the ballot paper, while the third person would apply the indelible ink on the finger of the voter.
Unlike the previous congresses of the party, where 2000 delegates were confined to a particular location to elect the party’s flag bearer, the election on Saturday will involve 113,000 delegates following the amendment of the party’s constitution to expand its electoral college.
Five candidates; Mr John Kwame Koduah, a Kumasi based legal practitioner, Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, former Chief Executive of the Cardio Thoracic Centre, Mr Alan Kyerematen, a leading member of the party, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, the 2008 Presidential Candidate of the party and Mr Isaac Osei, Member of Parliament for Subin and a former Chief Executive of COCOBOD, are contesting for the position of the flag bearer of the NPP.
According to Mr Parry, the approach to the NPP election would be similar to that of the national election, because the EC would provide transparent ballot boxes, and paper screens as well as apply indelible ink on the finger of the voter.
He said after the polls, each polling station would announce the results and transmit the certified results to Accra for coalition, after which the EC would inform the NPP headquarters of the outcome.
Explaining the process further, Mr Fred Oware, First National Vice Chairman said a National Officer would then announce the results in the presence of all the aspirants or their accredited representatives at the NPP National Headquarters in Accra by 1800 hours," he added.
He said the voting pattern would be transparent at each point of the process through an identifiable glaring system which would make it impossible for any one to cheat and urged delegates, especially representatives of aspirants and the media, to avoid making wild allegations about imagined electoral fraud and suspicions because one could not get things done in their favour.
He condemned those who falsely believe the elections would be rigged and said people were making pronouncements that tended to erode confidence in the elaborate electoral system adopted by the party.
Mr Oware explained that the whole country was now classified as one constituency with 230 polling stations, adding that "even though each polling station declares its own results, the overall winner of the election cannot be known until the results from all the polling stations have been compiled.”
He said all regional officers were required to vote within the (constituency) polling station where the office was located, while all National Officers including National Council Members and Overseas Branch delegates would vote at a special polling station to be cited at the National Headquarters.
All other eligible delegates including sitting Members of Parliament, TESCON Representatives and Original Founding Members of the party would vote within their constituencies.
Mr
debunked speculations of vote rigging, stressing that: "All eligible delegates are known members of the community and we are using a voter register with photo affixed to their names for easy identification.”
Nana declared NPP presidentail aspirant
NANA Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo last Saturday shrugged off the challenge of four contestants in the historic expanded congress of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to emerge with a resounding victory as the party’s presidential candidate for Election 2012.
Polling 83,517 of the total 106,590 valid votes cast, representing 78.89 per cent, the highest number of votes ever earned by a presidential aspirant at congress, Nana Akufo-Addo plunged into action almost immediately as he told the party’s faithfuls, “I won’t let you down this time”.
Spontaneous wild jubilation by supporters of Nana Akufo-Addo and the party faithful across the country had saturated the atmosphere long before the Director of Elections of the Electoral Commission (EC), Mr Kofi Arhin, declared him as winner at 11:10p.m, approximately eight hours after the close of polls.
Mr John Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, who was expected to give Nana Akufo-Addo a good run for his money, wallowed disappointingly with 21,226 votes, representing 19.91 per cent.
The other three contestants managed to share only two per cent of the votes with Mr Isaac Osei obtaining 1,194 votes, representing 1.12 per cent, while Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng had 428 votes, representing 0.40 per cent, with Rev. John Kwame Kodua managing only 225 votes, representing 0.21 per cent.
There were 426 rejected ballots.
The victory of Nana Akufo-Addo was so overwhelming that long before the EC had officially declared the results, the four other aspirants conceded defeat and congratulated the newly elected flag bearer on his victory.
They further pledged their support to Nana Akufo-Addo to ensure victory in the 2012 election and restore the party to power.
In his victory speech, Nana Akufo-Addo, flanked by his wife and three of the aspirants, said he was humbled by the victory, particularly the margin of votes he received, and promised the rank and file of the party, he would lead them to victory this time.
He said the successful, free, fair and showpiece (’krabehwe’) manner in which the special national delegates election had been organised was a clear message to the entire country and the ruling National Democratic Congress that the NPP was ready, steady and united to regain power in 2012.
“Those at the Castle, down the 28th February Road, should by now be listening with rapt attention because the NPP has spoken with a strong voice," he remarked.
While daring the NPP’s political opponents even ahead of Election 2012, Nana Akufo-Addo did not lose sight of the task of building internal unity, pointing out that he, together with the leaders of the party, would employ the trust and confidence of the party’s members to build a well-lubricated, united campaign machinery to execute the agenda for Election 2012.
He said although the overwhelming majority of the party delegates had had their say by voting for him, the whole family must lead the way to victory in 2012, adding, “I pledge to work with all my heart and soul to achieve this.”
Nana Akufo-Addo expressed his desire to continue the party’s tradition of building a thriving democracy and strong market economy, which would deliver property to majority of Ghanaians under the rule of law, respect for human rights and the principles of democratic accountability.
He commended his campaign team led by Mr Boakye Agyarko and Mr Yaw Osafo Marfo, who helped him conduct a very comprehensive campaign, while expressing gratitude to the delegates for their massive endorsement.
All the four losing aspirants who contested last Saturday’s election conceded defeat and pledged their support for Nana Akufo-Addo to ensure victory for the party in Election 2012.
Mr Alan Kyerematen, Mr Isaac Osei and Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng mounted platform at the Efua Sutherland Children’s Park in Accra where the results were declared by the officials of the Electoral Commission, to congratulate Nana Akufo-Addo on his victory, which they described variously as overwhelming.
Although the fourth aspirant, Lawyer John Kwabena Kodua, was not present at the ceremony and therefore did not make any such open concession, party chairman Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey told the gathering that Mr Kodua had called him (Jake) on telephone to concede defeat.
Mr Kyerematen, who was expected to pose a challenge to Nana Akufo-Addo, said he willingly and whole-heartedly accepted the verdict of the delegates.
He pledged to support Nana Akufo-Addo in his bid to win the 2012 presidential election and urged all his supporters to also work tirelessly for the party’s flag bearer to ensure victory.
Mr Kyerematen said by last Saturday’s experiment, the NPP had empowered its grass roots to take commanding heights of the party.
For his part, Mr Osei described Nana Akufo-Addo’s victory as famous, emphatic and unprecedented in the history of the party.
“I will be available with whatever I have to support him to achieve the victory that is ours,” he promised.
Mr Osei said now that the contest was over, it was imperative for all members of the party to rally behind Nana Akufo-Addo to ensure victory in the 2012 elections.
In his concession speech, Prof. Frimpong-Boateng said, “I’m not ashamed to lose to Nana Akufo-Addo” and congratulated him on his exciting and resounding victory.
He promised to put his skills and resources at the disposal of Nana Akufo-Addo and the NPP in order to ensure victory in 2012.
The central theme that featured in all the speeches of other speakers at the ceremony was the need for unity within the party to ensure victory in 2012.
Former President Kufuor said the election was the keenest he had seen in his 40-year-old political experience, adding that the atmosphere and the emphatic victory of Nana Akufo-Addo were a clear indication that the NPP was ready for battle in 2012.
He said people all over the world were surprised that the NPP lost the 2008 elections and urged the rank and file of the party to eschew the bitterness of the past and forge ahead in unity.
Mr Kufuor said although the NDC accused the NPP of being corrupt, the Mills administration was infested with corruption and human rights abuses, while individual freedoms had been curtailed.
Alhaji Aliu Mahama, a former Vice-President, pleaded with members of the party to forgive each other and pledge their allegiance to the flag bearer to the win the 2012 elections.
Polling 83,517 of the total 106,590 valid votes cast, representing 78.89 per cent, the highest number of votes ever earned by a presidential aspirant at congress, Nana Akufo-Addo plunged into action almost immediately as he told the party’s faithfuls, “I won’t let you down this time”.
Spontaneous wild jubilation by supporters of Nana Akufo-Addo and the party faithful across the country had saturated the atmosphere long before the Director of Elections of the Electoral Commission (EC), Mr Kofi Arhin, declared him as winner at 11:10p.m, approximately eight hours after the close of polls.
Mr John Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, who was expected to give Nana Akufo-Addo a good run for his money, wallowed disappointingly with 21,226 votes, representing 19.91 per cent.
The other three contestants managed to share only two per cent of the votes with Mr Isaac Osei obtaining 1,194 votes, representing 1.12 per cent, while Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng had 428 votes, representing 0.40 per cent, with Rev. John Kwame Kodua managing only 225 votes, representing 0.21 per cent.
There were 426 rejected ballots.
The victory of Nana Akufo-Addo was so overwhelming that long before the EC had officially declared the results, the four other aspirants conceded defeat and congratulated the newly elected flag bearer on his victory.
They further pledged their support to Nana Akufo-Addo to ensure victory in the 2012 election and restore the party to power.
In his victory speech, Nana Akufo-Addo, flanked by his wife and three of the aspirants, said he was humbled by the victory, particularly the margin of votes he received, and promised the rank and file of the party, he would lead them to victory this time.
He said the successful, free, fair and showpiece (’krabehwe’) manner in which the special national delegates election had been organised was a clear message to the entire country and the ruling National Democratic Congress that the NPP was ready, steady and united to regain power in 2012.
“Those at the Castle, down the 28th February Road, should by now be listening with rapt attention because the NPP has spoken with a strong voice," he remarked.
While daring the NPP’s political opponents even ahead of Election 2012, Nana Akufo-Addo did not lose sight of the task of building internal unity, pointing out that he, together with the leaders of the party, would employ the trust and confidence of the party’s members to build a well-lubricated, united campaign machinery to execute the agenda for Election 2012.
He said although the overwhelming majority of the party delegates had had their say by voting for him, the whole family must lead the way to victory in 2012, adding, “I pledge to work with all my heart and soul to achieve this.”
Nana Akufo-Addo expressed his desire to continue the party’s tradition of building a thriving democracy and strong market economy, which would deliver property to majority of Ghanaians under the rule of law, respect for human rights and the principles of democratic accountability.
He commended his campaign team led by Mr Boakye Agyarko and Mr Yaw Osafo Marfo, who helped him conduct a very comprehensive campaign, while expressing gratitude to the delegates for their massive endorsement.
All the four losing aspirants who contested last Saturday’s election conceded defeat and pledged their support for Nana Akufo-Addo to ensure victory for the party in Election 2012.
Mr Alan Kyerematen, Mr Isaac Osei and Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng mounted platform at the Efua Sutherland Children’s Park in Accra where the results were declared by the officials of the Electoral Commission, to congratulate Nana Akufo-Addo on his victory, which they described variously as overwhelming.
Although the fourth aspirant, Lawyer John Kwabena Kodua, was not present at the ceremony and therefore did not make any such open concession, party chairman Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey told the gathering that Mr Kodua had called him (Jake) on telephone to concede defeat.
Mr Kyerematen, who was expected to pose a challenge to Nana Akufo-Addo, said he willingly and whole-heartedly accepted the verdict of the delegates.
He pledged to support Nana Akufo-Addo in his bid to win the 2012 presidential election and urged all his supporters to also work tirelessly for the party’s flag bearer to ensure victory.
Mr Kyerematen said by last Saturday’s experiment, the NPP had empowered its grass roots to take commanding heights of the party.
For his part, Mr Osei described Nana Akufo-Addo’s victory as famous, emphatic and unprecedented in the history of the party.
“I will be available with whatever I have to support him to achieve the victory that is ours,” he promised.
Mr Osei said now that the contest was over, it was imperative for all members of the party to rally behind Nana Akufo-Addo to ensure victory in the 2012 elections.
In his concession speech, Prof. Frimpong-Boateng said, “I’m not ashamed to lose to Nana Akufo-Addo” and congratulated him on his exciting and resounding victory.
He promised to put his skills and resources at the disposal of Nana Akufo-Addo and the NPP in order to ensure victory in 2012.
The central theme that featured in all the speeches of other speakers at the ceremony was the need for unity within the party to ensure victory in 2012.
Former President Kufuor said the election was the keenest he had seen in his 40-year-old political experience, adding that the atmosphere and the emphatic victory of Nana Akufo-Addo were a clear indication that the NPP was ready for battle in 2012.
He said people all over the world were surprised that the NPP lost the 2008 elections and urged the rank and file of the party to eschew the bitterness of the past and forge ahead in unity.
Mr Kufuor said although the NDC accused the NPP of being corrupt, the Mills administration was infested with corruption and human rights abuses, while individual freedoms had been curtailed.
Alhaji Aliu Mahama, a former Vice-President, pleaded with members of the party to forgive each other and pledge their allegiance to the flag bearer to the win the 2012 elections.
Akufo Addo, aspirants in strategic 1st meeting
the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flag bearer for Election 2012, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and three former presidential aspirants have started what they call strategic meetings towards capturing political power in 2012.
The breakfast meeting, which was held at Nana Akufo-Addo’s father’s residence close to the Nima Police Station, was attended by Mr Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, Mr Isaac Osei and Prof Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng. Rev John Kwame Kodua was represented by an aide.
In attendance were the campaign managers of all the five aspirants who contested the NPP presidential primary.
Briefing the media after the meeting yesterday, Nana Akufo-Addo said once the issue of who would lead the party had been settled, the next move was to strategically design the way forward in executing the 2012 campaign.
“We must come on board immediately to ensure that the NPP wins the votes of the great majority of the Ghanaian people in the 2012 Election.”
He said that “Our party calls all of us to duty and we have a huge responsibility on our hands to ensure that the party wins power in 2012. Saturday’s election is a victory for our party but as we all know the major task of winning power in 2012 is only just beginning,” Akufo-Addo stated.
He expressed satisfaction with the cordiality and brotherliness that permeated the meeting, especially “the solidarity and high sense of purpose” that was exhibited by all.
He said it was abundantly clear that it was the NPP that held the key to the development of the country and that “we as leaders of the NPP must stick together and come up with the blueprint for development that will meet the aspirations of our people”.
According to the newly elected NPP flag bearer, he was very happy with the meeting, which was the first of many to be held till the 2012 elections, and said he was operating an open-door policy and that “my house, office and person are open to all at all times for the execution of our common enterprise”.
Mr Kyerematen said the NPP tradition was founded on the values and principles of competition, adding that after the contest the next move was for all to collaborate and co-operate with the elected leader to provide Ghanaians with a better agenda.
He said all true NPP members believed in the supremacy of the party and that all such people always worked in tandem with the popularly elected leader to execute the programme of the party, which was to win power.
He said he and his supporters had already agreed on the broad framework to work to win power, adding, “Once the competition is over, we have moved into a new phase of collaboration which demanded that we all pool our resources to execute an efficient, effective and successful campaign.”
Mr Osei told the press that he was not discouraged by the turn of events, particularly how he fared in the elections, saying what was important was for all of them to marshal their experiences and resources to ensure that the NPP, led by Nana Akufo-Addo won the 2012 elections.
“I will certainly bring my contribution because I believe that the NPP is the party for our country and it will move it forward developmentally,” he added.
The National Chairman of the NPP, Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, for his part, said he was very proud and excited at the show of maturity, quality leadership and unity exhibited by the four leading members of the party who had just come out of a competition..
He said the main purpose of the meeting was to garner the strengths and strategies of all in prosecuting the 2012 agenda.
The breakfast meeting, which was held at Nana Akufo-Addo’s father’s residence close to the Nima Police Station, was attended by Mr Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, Mr Isaac Osei and Prof Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng. Rev John Kwame Kodua was represented by an aide.
In attendance were the campaign managers of all the five aspirants who contested the NPP presidential primary.
Briefing the media after the meeting yesterday, Nana Akufo-Addo said once the issue of who would lead the party had been settled, the next move was to strategically design the way forward in executing the 2012 campaign.
“We must come on board immediately to ensure that the NPP wins the votes of the great majority of the Ghanaian people in the 2012 Election.”
He said that “Our party calls all of us to duty and we have a huge responsibility on our hands to ensure that the party wins power in 2012. Saturday’s election is a victory for our party but as we all know the major task of winning power in 2012 is only just beginning,” Akufo-Addo stated.
He expressed satisfaction with the cordiality and brotherliness that permeated the meeting, especially “the solidarity and high sense of purpose” that was exhibited by all.
He said it was abundantly clear that it was the NPP that held the key to the development of the country and that “we as leaders of the NPP must stick together and come up with the blueprint for development that will meet the aspirations of our people”.
According to the newly elected NPP flag bearer, he was very happy with the meeting, which was the first of many to be held till the 2012 elections, and said he was operating an open-door policy and that “my house, office and person are open to all at all times for the execution of our common enterprise”.
Mr Kyerematen said the NPP tradition was founded on the values and principles of competition, adding that after the contest the next move was for all to collaborate and co-operate with the elected leader to provide Ghanaians with a better agenda.
He said all true NPP members believed in the supremacy of the party and that all such people always worked in tandem with the popularly elected leader to execute the programme of the party, which was to win power.
He said he and his supporters had already agreed on the broad framework to work to win power, adding, “Once the competition is over, we have moved into a new phase of collaboration which demanded that we all pool our resources to execute an efficient, effective and successful campaign.”
Mr Osei told the press that he was not discouraged by the turn of events, particularly how he fared in the elections, saying what was important was for all of them to marshal their experiences and resources to ensure that the NPP, led by Nana Akufo-Addo won the 2012 elections.
“I will certainly bring my contribution because I believe that the NPP is the party for our country and it will move it forward developmentally,” he added.
The National Chairman of the NPP, Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, for his part, said he was very proud and excited at the show of maturity, quality leadership and unity exhibited by the four leading members of the party who had just come out of a competition..
He said the main purpose of the meeting was to garner the strengths and strategies of all in prosecuting the 2012 agenda.
Politician must ascertain real needs of people •Ga Mantse tells Akufo Addo
The Ga Mantse, King Tackie Tawiah III, has urged politicians to ascertain the real needs of the people and include such findings in their manifestos.
This, he explained, would afford them the opportunity to have the proper insight into the real concerns of the voters and be in a proper position to address them.
Nii Tawiah made the call when the flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, led leading members of the party to pay a courtesy call on the Ga Traditional Council in Accra yesterday.
The NPP entourage included the Chairman, Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, Prof. Mike Oquaye, Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mr Anthony Abayifaa Karbo, the National Youth Organiser, Mr Yae Osafo Maafo, a former Minister of State, Nii Armah Ashittey, Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the party, Dr Nyaho Nyaho Tamakloe, a former Ambassador, and some Members of Parliament.
They were welcomed to the Ga Mantse Palace in North Kaneshie amidst firing of musketry, singing and dancing by both people from the palace and NPP supporters. This is the second visit by Nana Akufo Addo to the palace in three weeks.
The NPP team presented 10 maxi bags of maize, five bags of palm fruits, 10 25-litre containers of oil, 10 cartons of minerals, five crates of beer and five cartons of Schnapps to the Ga State for the celebration of the Homowo.
According to the Ga Mantse, it is always better for the politician to get people they want to lead, because in most cases politicians think that they know what the ordinary people want by standing afar.
He commended the NPP for organising an excellent grass-roots election involving over 100,000 party supporters throughout the country, which was hailed as historic, peaceful and transparent.
He said the NPP had set a good example which must be emulated by other political parties and added that the Ga State would consider using a similar system in the selection of some of its leaders. The Ga Mantse noted that politicians as leaders had always had great influence on a great number of their supporters and said it would be in the interest of society if they resorted to the use of decorous language.
He said when the politician did that, they set good examples for their following and thereby sanitise political discourse in the country.
The Ga Mantse reminded politicians that Ghana was practising multiparty democracy, which meant that people would have choices and decide which political party they would want to associate with.
He said this did not that mean people should perceive their political opponents as their sworn enemies, but they should perceive them as Ghanaians with different views and persuasions, hence the need to accommodate their views.
Nana Akufo Addo said his second visit was to inform the Ga State that he had been elected as the flag bearer of the NPP and also to thank the state and Ga Mantse and his elders for their prayers and advice when he called on them some three weeks ago.
He said as someone who grew up in Accra, he had always known Homowo to be a peaceful and enjoyable festival and expressed the hope that this year’s would be same.
He said he was of the view that King Tawiah’s reign would be one of the most successful periods in the Ga Kingdom.
This, he explained, would afford them the opportunity to have the proper insight into the real concerns of the voters and be in a proper position to address them.
Nii Tawiah made the call when the flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, led leading members of the party to pay a courtesy call on the Ga Traditional Council in Accra yesterday.
The NPP entourage included the Chairman, Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, Prof. Mike Oquaye, Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mr Anthony Abayifaa Karbo, the National Youth Organiser, Mr Yae Osafo Maafo, a former Minister of State, Nii Armah Ashittey, Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the party, Dr Nyaho Nyaho Tamakloe, a former Ambassador, and some Members of Parliament.
They were welcomed to the Ga Mantse Palace in North Kaneshie amidst firing of musketry, singing and dancing by both people from the palace and NPP supporters. This is the second visit by Nana Akufo Addo to the palace in three weeks.
The NPP team presented 10 maxi bags of maize, five bags of palm fruits, 10 25-litre containers of oil, 10 cartons of minerals, five crates of beer and five cartons of Schnapps to the Ga State for the celebration of the Homowo.
According to the Ga Mantse, it is always better for the politician to get people they want to lead, because in most cases politicians think that they know what the ordinary people want by standing afar.
He commended the NPP for organising an excellent grass-roots election involving over 100,000 party supporters throughout the country, which was hailed as historic, peaceful and transparent.
He said the NPP had set a good example which must be emulated by other political parties and added that the Ga State would consider using a similar system in the selection of some of its leaders. The Ga Mantse noted that politicians as leaders had always had great influence on a great number of their supporters and said it would be in the interest of society if they resorted to the use of decorous language.
He said when the politician did that, they set good examples for their following and thereby sanitise political discourse in the country.
The Ga Mantse reminded politicians that Ghana was practising multiparty democracy, which meant that people would have choices and decide which political party they would want to associate with.
He said this did not that mean people should perceive their political opponents as their sworn enemies, but they should perceive them as Ghanaians with different views and persuasions, hence the need to accommodate their views.
Nana Akufo Addo said his second visit was to inform the Ga State that he had been elected as the flag bearer of the NPP and also to thank the state and Ga Mantse and his elders for their prayers and advice when he called on them some three weeks ago.
He said as someone who grew up in Accra, he had always known Homowo to be a peaceful and enjoyable festival and expressed the hope that this year’s would be same.
He said he was of the view that King Tawiah’s reign would be one of the most successful periods in the Ga Kingdom.
Alan wishes aspirants well ahead of NPP congress
Mr Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, one of the front runners aspiring to lead the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2012 general election has expressed appreciation about the way his four other aspirants have conducted themselves and gone about their campaign to lead NPP in the 2012 general election.
“I wish them God’s speed and guidance,” he told a gathering of media practitioners during an encounter in Accra on Monday, as part of his final leg of campaign prior to the August 7, 2010, congress.
Answering questions from the media practitioners, Mr Kyerematen who was a Minister of Trade, Industry and Presidential Special Initiatives in the Kufuor Administration described his colleague aspirants as “great friends.”
Mr Kyerematen, who was the runner up in the NPP 2007 presidential primaries, is contesting the flagbeareship position of the party with Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, the 2008 NPP Presidential Candidate, Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, a world-class Heart Surgeon, Mr Isaac Osei, Member of Parliament (MP) for Subin and former CEO of COCOBOB and a diplomat, as well as Rev. John Kwame Koduah, a lawyer.
He called on the aspirants to make a personal commitment to abide by the outcome of the congress which he was expecting to be free, fair and transparent.
He said that once the delegates made their choice on August 7, all the aspirants should abide by it and rally behind the chosen candidate for victory in the 2012 general election.
On the endorsement by President J. E. A. Mills, he described it as an honour for the sitting president to describe him as a “political giant.”
He said that he believed President Mills’ comment was made in a good spirit and thought that was very kind of him.
On whether he or Nana Akufo Addo could unite the party after one of them was declared the candidate elect, Mr Kyerematen said the NPP believed in competition and that unity was not an event but a process and the candidate elect must have the requisite skills to unite the party for victory.
“When you talk of a unifier, you are talking about a characteristic of a person,” he told the gathering, saying he has the disposition to unite the party.
He described the Presidential Special Initiatives as an innovative move by the Kufuor Administration to diversify Ghana’s export sector which was predominately cocoa driven to other equally beneficial semi or final products.
He said the PSIs were a public-private sector initiative that was meant to increase export and also create employment for numerous Ghanaians to earn decent living.
According to Mr Kyerematen, the cassava starch project under the PSIs was technically certified as fit industrial raw material for export to Nestle.
Regarding claims that about 80 per cent of NPP Members of Parliament (MPs) had endorsed Nana Akufo Addo, he said although he was not able to validate such claims, he preferred the endorsement of polling station executives who were about 100,000 in number to 230 MPs.
Regarding the issue of resignation, Mr Kyerematen explained that it was true that he wrote a letter of resignation but the party hierarchy refused to accept his resignation and took steps to address the issues that made him write the letter.
“I wish them God’s speed and guidance,” he told a gathering of media practitioners during an encounter in Accra on Monday, as part of his final leg of campaign prior to the August 7, 2010, congress.
Answering questions from the media practitioners, Mr Kyerematen who was a Minister of Trade, Industry and Presidential Special Initiatives in the Kufuor Administration described his colleague aspirants as “great friends.”
Mr Kyerematen, who was the runner up in the NPP 2007 presidential primaries, is contesting the flagbeareship position of the party with Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, the 2008 NPP Presidential Candidate, Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, a world-class Heart Surgeon, Mr Isaac Osei, Member of Parliament (MP) for Subin and former CEO of COCOBOB and a diplomat, as well as Rev. John Kwame Koduah, a lawyer.
He called on the aspirants to make a personal commitment to abide by the outcome of the congress which he was expecting to be free, fair and transparent.
He said that once the delegates made their choice on August 7, all the aspirants should abide by it and rally behind the chosen candidate for victory in the 2012 general election.
On the endorsement by President J. E. A. Mills, he described it as an honour for the sitting president to describe him as a “political giant.”
He said that he believed President Mills’ comment was made in a good spirit and thought that was very kind of him.
On whether he or Nana Akufo Addo could unite the party after one of them was declared the candidate elect, Mr Kyerematen said the NPP believed in competition and that unity was not an event but a process and the candidate elect must have the requisite skills to unite the party for victory.
“When you talk of a unifier, you are talking about a characteristic of a person,” he told the gathering, saying he has the disposition to unite the party.
He described the Presidential Special Initiatives as an innovative move by the Kufuor Administration to diversify Ghana’s export sector which was predominately cocoa driven to other equally beneficial semi or final products.
He said the PSIs were a public-private sector initiative that was meant to increase export and also create employment for numerous Ghanaians to earn decent living.
According to Mr Kyerematen, the cassava starch project under the PSIs was technically certified as fit industrial raw material for export to Nestle.
Regarding claims that about 80 per cent of NPP Members of Parliament (MPs) had endorsed Nana Akufo Addo, he said although he was not able to validate such claims, he preferred the endorsement of polling station executives who were about 100,000 in number to 230 MPs.
Regarding the issue of resignation, Mr Kyerematen explained that it was true that he wrote a letter of resignation but the party hierarchy refused to accept his resignation and took steps to address the issues that made him write the letter.
Let’s sustain unity momentum •Nana tells losing aspirants
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the newly elected flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has paid a reciprocal courtesy call on the three losing aspirants, with a call on party members to sustain the unity and campaign towards winning the 2012 elections.
He said the interest, excitement and confidence that the aspirants’ visit to his residence last Tuesday generated required that the leaders of the party sustain the co-operation to give hope to the people.
Nana Akufo-Addo, in the company of his campaign team, visited Mr Alan Kyerematen at Dome, Mr Isaac Osie at Labone and Prof Kwadwo Frimpong Boateng on the Liberation Road.
At Mr Kyerematen’s residence, the host described the reciprocal visit as a good gesture and reiterated his call that competition was an integral part of the NPP tradition and that after the highest decision-making body of the party had decided, it was incumbent on all to obey and respect that decision.
He said it was incumbent on all members of the party to lend their full support to the flag bearer to ensure a landslide victory for the party in 2012.
He described the flag bearer as his great friend and added that any of their supporters who attempted to fight because of them would be the loser.
Mr Kyerematen said the greatest objective of all members of the party was to win power and that was what they should direct their strengths and minds at.
Mr Osei, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Subin, said after the courtesy call on flag bearer, he (Mr Osei) had met with his constituents and made it clear to the members of the NPP that the election of the flag bearer was over.
He said he had told them that the emphatic win by Nana Akufo-Addo was an indication that the party wanted him as the leader, for which reason all must join the campaign to achieve the ultimate aim of winning the 2012 general election.
He said he had agreed with his constituents on how to work assiduously to ensure that the party increased its votes in the Subin Constituency.
Prof Frimpong-Boateng, for his part, presented the flag bearer with an ostrich egg as a show of appreciation for the visit and also took Nana Akufo-Addo round his backyard garden where he has a jetropha oil refinery and showed his guest how he converted human excreta to cooking gas.
He said Dr Mensa Otabil, the President of the Central University College, had replicated the conversion of human excreta to gas on the Oyibi campus of the university.
Pro Frimpong-Boateng said because of his backyard plantain farm, he had not bought plantain for the past 10 years. Nana Akufo-Addo expressed surprise at what the heart surgeon was doing and commended him.
He said the interest, excitement and confidence that the aspirants’ visit to his residence last Tuesday generated required that the leaders of the party sustain the co-operation to give hope to the people.
Nana Akufo-Addo, in the company of his campaign team, visited Mr Alan Kyerematen at Dome, Mr Isaac Osie at Labone and Prof Kwadwo Frimpong Boateng on the Liberation Road.
At Mr Kyerematen’s residence, the host described the reciprocal visit as a good gesture and reiterated his call that competition was an integral part of the NPP tradition and that after the highest decision-making body of the party had decided, it was incumbent on all to obey and respect that decision.
He said it was incumbent on all members of the party to lend their full support to the flag bearer to ensure a landslide victory for the party in 2012.
He described the flag bearer as his great friend and added that any of their supporters who attempted to fight because of them would be the loser.
Mr Kyerematen said the greatest objective of all members of the party was to win power and that was what they should direct their strengths and minds at.
Mr Osei, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Subin, said after the courtesy call on flag bearer, he (Mr Osei) had met with his constituents and made it clear to the members of the NPP that the election of the flag bearer was over.
He said he had told them that the emphatic win by Nana Akufo-Addo was an indication that the party wanted him as the leader, for which reason all must join the campaign to achieve the ultimate aim of winning the 2012 general election.
He said he had agreed with his constituents on how to work assiduously to ensure that the party increased its votes in the Subin Constituency.
Prof Frimpong-Boateng, for his part, presented the flag bearer with an ostrich egg as a show of appreciation for the visit and also took Nana Akufo-Addo round his backyard garden where he has a jetropha oil refinery and showed his guest how he converted human excreta to cooking gas.
He said Dr Mensa Otabil, the President of the Central University College, had replicated the conversion of human excreta to gas on the Oyibi campus of the university.
Pro Frimpong-Boateng said because of his backyard plantain farm, he had not bought plantain for the past 10 years. Nana Akufo-Addo expressed surprise at what the heart surgeon was doing and commended him.
Govt refutes claims over inflation rate
GOVERNMENT has refuted claims by the external branches of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) that it is massaging inflationary figures and urged them to be abreast of inflationary figures.
It explained that the figures were released by the Ghana Statistical Services (GSS) after it had scientifically collected and collated information from the field and other sectors.
A Deputy Minister of Information, Mr James Agyenim-Boateng, who reacted to the allegations by the external branches, said it was not true that the figures were massaged by the government.
He explained that the government had no hand in the computation and announcement of such figures, adding that even other credible institutions such as the Centre for Policy Analysis (CEPA) and Institute of Statistical and Social Research (SEPA) had acknowledge the prudent measures by the government which had culminated in the unprecedented 9.46 per cent inflation rate.
Mr Agyenim-Boateng said the Mills administration inherited an inflation rate of 18.1 from the NPP administration and through prudent, reasonable and measured government spending, it had been able to chalk such an unprecedented economic success.
He further explained that when government managed the economy to the extent that inflation figures tend to nosedive, it meant that the commercial banks would continuously reduce their interest rates and allow domestic investors to borrow at lower rates, expand their businesses, create more jobs and pay more taxes into the national kitty for national development.
He said despite the overwhelming debt burden, unplanned and unbudgeted for projects bequeathed by the NPP to the NDC, the government had through prudent economic policies been able to pay GH¢445 million out of the GH¢800 million Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) debt.
Mr Agyenim-Boateng added that in 2009, the government serviced some of the debt left behind by the NPP amounting to GH¢2.98 billion, and said those criticising the government should imagine the effect on the economy, if all those amounts had been invested in other critical areas such as water, health and education.
He expressed surprise that in one breath, the opposition was doubting the figures and in another, alleging that the figures had come down because government was not spending.
Mr Agyenim-Boateng said in 2009, government’s expenditures was GH¢ 9.1 billion while in the first half of this year,it spent GH¢ 5.4 billion.
He stated that beside huge debts left behind, another area that government was battling with was the numerous unbudgeted for projects initiated by the NPP administration “ in order to gain cheap political points”.
Mr Agyenim-Boateng said because the then government did not have any dedicated fund for such projects, which include the Ofankor-Achimota road, they had stalled and that the Mills administration would have to fund them in addition to all other competing areas.
He said the Mills Administration had been able to increase the national reserve from 1.8 months during the NPP period to three months within just of 18 months in power.
It explained that the figures were released by the Ghana Statistical Services (GSS) after it had scientifically collected and collated information from the field and other sectors.
A Deputy Minister of Information, Mr James Agyenim-Boateng, who reacted to the allegations by the external branches, said it was not true that the figures were massaged by the government.
He explained that the government had no hand in the computation and announcement of such figures, adding that even other credible institutions such as the Centre for Policy Analysis (CEPA) and Institute of Statistical and Social Research (SEPA) had acknowledge the prudent measures by the government which had culminated in the unprecedented 9.46 per cent inflation rate.
Mr Agyenim-Boateng said the Mills administration inherited an inflation rate of 18.1 from the NPP administration and through prudent, reasonable and measured government spending, it had been able to chalk such an unprecedented economic success.
He further explained that when government managed the economy to the extent that inflation figures tend to nosedive, it meant that the commercial banks would continuously reduce their interest rates and allow domestic investors to borrow at lower rates, expand their businesses, create more jobs and pay more taxes into the national kitty for national development.
He said despite the overwhelming debt burden, unplanned and unbudgeted for projects bequeathed by the NPP to the NDC, the government had through prudent economic policies been able to pay GH¢445 million out of the GH¢800 million Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) debt.
Mr Agyenim-Boateng added that in 2009, the government serviced some of the debt left behind by the NPP amounting to GH¢2.98 billion, and said those criticising the government should imagine the effect on the economy, if all those amounts had been invested in other critical areas such as water, health and education.
He expressed surprise that in one breath, the opposition was doubting the figures and in another, alleging that the figures had come down because government was not spending.
Mr Agyenim-Boateng said in 2009, government’s expenditures was GH¢ 9.1 billion while in the first half of this year,it spent GH¢ 5.4 billion.
He stated that beside huge debts left behind, another area that government was battling with was the numerous unbudgeted for projects initiated by the NPP administration “ in order to gain cheap political points”.
Mr Agyenim-Boateng said because the then government did not have any dedicated fund for such projects, which include the Ofankor-Achimota road, they had stalled and that the Mills administration would have to fund them in addition to all other competing areas.
He said the Mills Administration had been able to increase the national reserve from 1.8 months during the NPP period to three months within just of 18 months in power.
GBA threatens strike
THE Ashanti Regional branch of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) has resolved to withdraw its services in reaction to a call by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on the Chief Justice to purge the bench of corrupt and politically biased judges.
In a press statement signed and issued in Kumasi by Mr J. Osei Kofi, the acting Ashanti Regional President of the GBA, the members said the tenor of the statement by the NDC amounted to “intimidation and threat to the Chief Justice and members of the Judiciary”.
As a result, it stated, the members of the branch had resolved at an emergency meeting yesterday held on the High Court premises in Kumasi to withdraw their services.
It did not state for how long but said members had taken that action “in solidarity with the Judiciary and in protest against the blatant attempt to intimidate the Chief Justice and other Judges”.
The members said they were withdrawing their services pending a definite decision on the matter by the National Bar Council as to the line of action to be taken to address “this veiled threat to the Judiciary and the Rule of Law in the Nation”.
In a related development, two other lawyers and a politician have criticised the leadership of the NDC for the call on the Chief Justice to purge the judiciary.
They were unanimous in their view that the call by the party was an affront to the independence of the Judiciary, a threat to the rule of law and the democratic process.
In separate reactions, the three, a lawyer and member of the Convention People’s Party, Mr Bright Akwetey, a former President of the GBA, Mr Sam Okudzeto and a leading member of the New Patriotic Party, Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, called on the NDC Chairman, Dr Kwabena Adjei, to withdraw the statements in order to give assurance to the business community and the rest of Ghanaians of the commitment of the government to the principles of justice and the independence of the Judiciary.
Mr Akwetey said “Calling on the CJ to purge the judiciary or the party would purge it itself amounted to ominous threat to democracy and the good of the country,” he said.
He expressed disappointment at the posture and pronouncement of the NDC Chairman targeted at the Judiciary, which was a creation of the 1992 Constitution.
He said the framers of the constitution had provided enough grounds in Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution for the removal of judges of the superior courts and that any other means apart from the constitutionally prescribed procedure should not be allowed.
Mr Akwetey said such a threat, coming after the country had witnessed the gruesome killing of some judges by some individuals simply because they had problems with them, should be of grave concern to all.
Article 146 of the Constitution states that: “A Justice of the Superior Court or a Chairman of the Regional Tribunal shall not be removed from office except for stated misbehaviour or incompetence or on the ground of inability to perform the functions of his office arising from infirmity of body or mind”.
For his part, Mr Okudzeto described the NDC’s statement as a serious insult to the bench that was most respected in Africa.
He said it was frightening for a chairman of the political party to make statements of that nature about the constitutional framework that Ghanaians had in this country.
Dr Tamakloe said if President J.E.A. Mills was indeed committed to the rule of law as a learned lawyer, he must call his party comrades who “are currently prosecuting an agenda of persecution, hate and vendetta against the Judiciary to order”.
Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, who served as Ghana’s Ambassador to Serbia and Montenegro during the Kufuor administration, said an intervention was quickly needed from the President if he truly believed in the tenets of democracy, adding that the ongoing politically-motivated trials would only do little in healing the sharp wounds of the people.
He alleged that so far the NDC had engaged in politically-motivated, Soviet-style show trial, hence its losses in the court.
“These cases are not driven by rational legal analysis but rather a determination to please party faithful and also justify wild and scurrilous allegations that the NDC made during the 2008 electioneering,” he said.
In a press statement signed and issued in Kumasi by Mr J. Osei Kofi, the acting Ashanti Regional President of the GBA, the members said the tenor of the statement by the NDC amounted to “intimidation and threat to the Chief Justice and members of the Judiciary”.
As a result, it stated, the members of the branch had resolved at an emergency meeting yesterday held on the High Court premises in Kumasi to withdraw their services.
It did not state for how long but said members had taken that action “in solidarity with the Judiciary and in protest against the blatant attempt to intimidate the Chief Justice and other Judges”.
The members said they were withdrawing their services pending a definite decision on the matter by the National Bar Council as to the line of action to be taken to address “this veiled threat to the Judiciary and the Rule of Law in the Nation”.
In a related development, two other lawyers and a politician have criticised the leadership of the NDC for the call on the Chief Justice to purge the judiciary.
They were unanimous in their view that the call by the party was an affront to the independence of the Judiciary, a threat to the rule of law and the democratic process.
In separate reactions, the three, a lawyer and member of the Convention People’s Party, Mr Bright Akwetey, a former President of the GBA, Mr Sam Okudzeto and a leading member of the New Patriotic Party, Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, called on the NDC Chairman, Dr Kwabena Adjei, to withdraw the statements in order to give assurance to the business community and the rest of Ghanaians of the commitment of the government to the principles of justice and the independence of the Judiciary.
Mr Akwetey said “Calling on the CJ to purge the judiciary or the party would purge it itself amounted to ominous threat to democracy and the good of the country,” he said.
He expressed disappointment at the posture and pronouncement of the NDC Chairman targeted at the Judiciary, which was a creation of the 1992 Constitution.
He said the framers of the constitution had provided enough grounds in Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution for the removal of judges of the superior courts and that any other means apart from the constitutionally prescribed procedure should not be allowed.
Mr Akwetey said such a threat, coming after the country had witnessed the gruesome killing of some judges by some individuals simply because they had problems with them, should be of grave concern to all.
Article 146 of the Constitution states that: “A Justice of the Superior Court or a Chairman of the Regional Tribunal shall not be removed from office except for stated misbehaviour or incompetence or on the ground of inability to perform the functions of his office arising from infirmity of body or mind”.
For his part, Mr Okudzeto described the NDC’s statement as a serious insult to the bench that was most respected in Africa.
He said it was frightening for a chairman of the political party to make statements of that nature about the constitutional framework that Ghanaians had in this country.
Dr Tamakloe said if President J.E.A. Mills was indeed committed to the rule of law as a learned lawyer, he must call his party comrades who “are currently prosecuting an agenda of persecution, hate and vendetta against the Judiciary to order”.
Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, who served as Ghana’s Ambassador to Serbia and Montenegro during the Kufuor administration, said an intervention was quickly needed from the President if he truly believed in the tenets of democracy, adding that the ongoing politically-motivated trials would only do little in healing the sharp wounds of the people.
He alleged that so far the NDC had engaged in politically-motivated, Soviet-style show trial, hence its losses in the court.
“These cases are not driven by rational legal analysis but rather a determination to please party faithful and also justify wild and scurrilous allegations that the NDC made during the 2008 electioneering,” he said.
Govt is determined to better the lot of women MADAM Anita Jemima De-Sosoo, the National Women Organiser of the National Democrati•Says Anita De-Sosoo
MADAM Anita Jemima De-Sosoo, the National Women Organiser of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has told an international conference in Angola that the Mills administration is determined to better the lot of the Ghanaian woman.
She said the government was of the firm belief that the sound economic, health and political condition of women, who were the guardians of the family, could accelerate the development of the entire country.
Presenting a paper on “Public Policy and its Impact on Families and the Promotion of Women," at the conference, Madam De-Sosoo said key among issues that had engaged the attention of the government were agricultural development, provision of portable water, job creation and health delivery.
The national organiser attended the conference which attracted women leaders from 10 other African countries, at the invitation of the Angolan Women Organisation during the observation of its yearly celebration.
As an expression of the commitment of the government to women empowerment, Madam De-Sosoo said: “Government of Ghana under Prof. John Evans Atta Mills has appointed more women to occupy district, regional, ministerial and top positions. Currently Ghana has 21.06 per cent of women in ministerial and top positions and ranked 35th in the world.”
She said concrete steps were also far advanced to involve at least 40 per cent of the nation’s women in decision making and 30 per cent in Parliament, to influence decision and contribute effectively in the decision making process at all levels of society.
Madam De-Sosoo said the government had taken the decision to involve women in top decisions because at all historical junctures Ghanaian women had contributed to national economic and political advancement of the country.
She said over the last 16 months, the government had rolled out a number of measures to improve existing basic, secondary and tertiary education.
These include, free school uniforms for deprived basic school children, the distribution of over 42 million pieces of free exercise books, a 50 per cent increase in Capitation Grant, free school feeding programme and free transportation of school children.
Madam De-Sosoo said currently the government was constructing 3,947 basic schools which were under trees in rural communities, 7.3 million Euros earmarked for upgrading technical and vocational facilities as well as one million dollars from the GETFund for the procurement of tools and equipment for technical and vocational institutes in the country.
She said the government was providing low interest loans to all tertiary students in both pubic and private universities, polytechnics, teacher and nursing training colleges.
Currently, she said there were five public universities in Ghana and that the government was building three new public ones to focus on the study of allied and health sciences, waste and renewable energy among others.
“Although the entire impact of these policies are yet to be realised, it had made basic education more accessible and free to young people and have reduced the economic and financial burden on families and increased enrolment in the basic school," she said.
She said the sound financial policies of government had led to a decrease in inflation and interest rates, a situation which had allowed Ghanaians, especially business women to access credit at less cost to expand their businesses.
She said the government was of the firm belief that the sound economic, health and political condition of women, who were the guardians of the family, could accelerate the development of the entire country.
Presenting a paper on “Public Policy and its Impact on Families and the Promotion of Women," at the conference, Madam De-Sosoo said key among issues that had engaged the attention of the government were agricultural development, provision of portable water, job creation and health delivery.
The national organiser attended the conference which attracted women leaders from 10 other African countries, at the invitation of the Angolan Women Organisation during the observation of its yearly celebration.
As an expression of the commitment of the government to women empowerment, Madam De-Sosoo said: “Government of Ghana under Prof. John Evans Atta Mills has appointed more women to occupy district, regional, ministerial and top positions. Currently Ghana has 21.06 per cent of women in ministerial and top positions and ranked 35th in the world.”
She said concrete steps were also far advanced to involve at least 40 per cent of the nation’s women in decision making and 30 per cent in Parliament, to influence decision and contribute effectively in the decision making process at all levels of society.
Madam De-Sosoo said the government had taken the decision to involve women in top decisions because at all historical junctures Ghanaian women had contributed to national economic and political advancement of the country.
She said over the last 16 months, the government had rolled out a number of measures to improve existing basic, secondary and tertiary education.
These include, free school uniforms for deprived basic school children, the distribution of over 42 million pieces of free exercise books, a 50 per cent increase in Capitation Grant, free school feeding programme and free transportation of school children.
Madam De-Sosoo said currently the government was constructing 3,947 basic schools which were under trees in rural communities, 7.3 million Euros earmarked for upgrading technical and vocational facilities as well as one million dollars from the GETFund for the procurement of tools and equipment for technical and vocational institutes in the country.
She said the government was providing low interest loans to all tertiary students in both pubic and private universities, polytechnics, teacher and nursing training colleges.
Currently, she said there were five public universities in Ghana and that the government was building three new public ones to focus on the study of allied and health sciences, waste and renewable energy among others.
“Although the entire impact of these policies are yet to be realised, it had made basic education more accessible and free to young people and have reduced the economic and financial burden on families and increased enrolment in the basic school," she said.
She said the sound financial policies of government had led to a decrease in inflation and interest rates, a situation which had allowed Ghanaians, especially business women to access credit at less cost to expand their businesses.
Increase number of women to assembly — Mrs Akumanyi
Mrs Augustina Akumanyi, a Deputy Chairman of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), has challenged stakeholders in the appointment of government appointees to district assemblies to increase the number of women to the assembly.
She said there was the need for deliberate measures to ensure that more women, at least 30 per cent, formed the membership of district assemblies in the country.
Mrs Akumanyi said this in an interview after a breakfast meeting for District Chief Executives and chiefs for the promotion of women’s participation in district assemblies elections in the Greater Accra Region, in Accra.
It was on the theme “Increasing appointment of women to District Assemblies; The time is now”. It was organised by ActionAid Ghana in collaboration with the NCCE.
Mrs Akumanyi said although statistics indicated that the number of women in the district assemblies had been appreciating since the inception of the decentralisation process, the rate was unacceptable.
She said the country abounded in talented, qualified and experienced female, who were ready to put their services at the disposal of the assemblies and should be encouraged.
According to Mrs Akumanyi, in most parts in the country, there were women, including teachers, nurses, retired female professionals who were desirous of assisting the assemblies but could not withstand the rigorous nature of elections.
She also called on the appointing authorities to always look beyond political considerations and select capable women to assist in the work of assemblies and also prepare them for future political considerations.
Madam Jeleelah Quaye, the only elected female assembly member in the Ga West District Assembly, who shared her experience with the gathering, said through the assistance of the District Chief Executive, she had been able to help many women in the 18 communities in her electoral area.
These, assistance, she explained included construction of boreholes, capacity building for other women, assisting women with employable skills and paid glowing tribute to ActionAid for helping her to realise her potential.
On some of her unpleasant experiences, she said there were times some of her colleagues and people in her electoral area would rain insults on her, call her all sort of names and even doubt her capability, all because she is a woman.
Madam Quaye, who is also the Assemblymember for Sarpeiman Electoral Area, also called on the appointing authorities to use the 30 per cent seat available to the government to increase the number of women in the assembly.
In a speech read on her behalf, the Minister of Women and Children Affairs, Mrs Juliana Azumah-Mensah, said in spite of the pivotal role Ghanaian women played in economic, political and social life of the country, the ratio of female to male membership in Parliament, district assemblies and other public and private sectors organisations did not reflect their population composition of 52 per cent.
She said one of the pillars that would ensure the successful implementation of government’s development agenda depended on good governance.
“Two of the areas that underpin good governance are women’s empowerment, gender equality and equity as well as the promotion and protection of children’s rights and development,” she added.
She said there was the need for deliberate measures to ensure that more women, at least 30 per cent, formed the membership of district assemblies in the country.
Mrs Akumanyi said this in an interview after a breakfast meeting for District Chief Executives and chiefs for the promotion of women’s participation in district assemblies elections in the Greater Accra Region, in Accra.
It was on the theme “Increasing appointment of women to District Assemblies; The time is now”. It was organised by ActionAid Ghana in collaboration with the NCCE.
Mrs Akumanyi said although statistics indicated that the number of women in the district assemblies had been appreciating since the inception of the decentralisation process, the rate was unacceptable.
She said the country abounded in talented, qualified and experienced female, who were ready to put their services at the disposal of the assemblies and should be encouraged.
According to Mrs Akumanyi, in most parts in the country, there were women, including teachers, nurses, retired female professionals who were desirous of assisting the assemblies but could not withstand the rigorous nature of elections.
She also called on the appointing authorities to always look beyond political considerations and select capable women to assist in the work of assemblies and also prepare them for future political considerations.
Madam Jeleelah Quaye, the only elected female assembly member in the Ga West District Assembly, who shared her experience with the gathering, said through the assistance of the District Chief Executive, she had been able to help many women in the 18 communities in her electoral area.
These, assistance, she explained included construction of boreholes, capacity building for other women, assisting women with employable skills and paid glowing tribute to ActionAid for helping her to realise her potential.
On some of her unpleasant experiences, she said there were times some of her colleagues and people in her electoral area would rain insults on her, call her all sort of names and even doubt her capability, all because she is a woman.
Madam Quaye, who is also the Assemblymember for Sarpeiman Electoral Area, also called on the appointing authorities to use the 30 per cent seat available to the government to increase the number of women in the assembly.
In a speech read on her behalf, the Minister of Women and Children Affairs, Mrs Juliana Azumah-Mensah, said in spite of the pivotal role Ghanaian women played in economic, political and social life of the country, the ratio of female to male membership in Parliament, district assemblies and other public and private sectors organisations did not reflect their population composition of 52 per cent.
She said one of the pillars that would ensure the successful implementation of government’s development agenda depended on good governance.
“Two of the areas that underpin good governance are women’s empowerment, gender equality and equity as well as the promotion and protection of children’s rights and development,” she added.
Congress proves NPP democratic credentials •Says two leading members
TWO leading members of New Patriotic Party (NPP) have stated that the peaceful, transparent and free manner in which the party organised the special delegates congress had re-emphasised the party’s democratic credentials.
They said the interest shown by the aspirants, delegates and the entire membership of the party during the elections had also proven the sceptics who were of the view that allowing the grassroots members of the party would result in chaos and affect the unity of the party wrong.
The Chairman of the Vetting Committee, Mr Samuel Odoi-Sykes, and a former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Peter Mac Manu, stated this in an interview with the Daily Graphic .
Mr Mac Manu said after the party’s loss in the 2008 election, a team was sent round the country to ascertain, from the members of the party, what might have caused the defeat.
He said it came out clear that the party members, who were the real owners of the NPP, wanted to have a greater say in who would lead them at anytime and that they abhor the situation where some few people gathered and impose their decision on the general.
“What great leaders like Mr Peter Ala Adjetey spearheaded and which was accepted overwhelmingly by the congress had started bearing fruits,” Mr Mac Manu.
He commended the delegates who voted throughout the 229 polling centres throughout the country for vindicating the party’s decision to expand the electoral college.
Mr Mac Manu under whose chairmanship the party undertook a wide range of review of its constitution, including the expanded delegates lists for voting, said this was the first move towards ensuring that the opportunity was given to all card-bearing members to have a say in who leads them.
He stated that NDC was a slow but poor government leading the country into despair, mis-managing national resources and fumbling with national development.
He also recommended to all Ghanaians to follow the exhibition of the NPP and rally behind them for being the pacesetters of democracy in the country.
Mr Odoi-Sykes, who was the party’s supervisor at the Odododiodoo polling centre, said the orderly, peaceful and co-operative manner in which the party members organised themselves in the election had boosted the party’s chances of winning the 2012 election.
“ I am particularly happy and grateful to the party members, because Odododiodoo is not noted for peaceful elections over the years and for our members to comport themselves in such a manner shows their growing sense of democracy,” he said.
He said even delegates who did not come with identity were allowed to vote, provided they had their name on the list, because the polling agents of the various candidates made reason prevail.
He urged the party members to remain united and rally behind the elected candidate and use the occasion as the beginning of a sustained campaign towards winning the 2012 election.
They said the interest shown by the aspirants, delegates and the entire membership of the party during the elections had also proven the sceptics who were of the view that allowing the grassroots members of the party would result in chaos and affect the unity of the party wrong.
The Chairman of the Vetting Committee, Mr Samuel Odoi-Sykes, and a former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Peter Mac Manu, stated this in an interview with the Daily Graphic .
Mr Mac Manu said after the party’s loss in the 2008 election, a team was sent round the country to ascertain, from the members of the party, what might have caused the defeat.
He said it came out clear that the party members, who were the real owners of the NPP, wanted to have a greater say in who would lead them at anytime and that they abhor the situation where some few people gathered and impose their decision on the general.
“What great leaders like Mr Peter Ala Adjetey spearheaded and which was accepted overwhelmingly by the congress had started bearing fruits,” Mr Mac Manu.
He commended the delegates who voted throughout the 229 polling centres throughout the country for vindicating the party’s decision to expand the electoral college.
Mr Mac Manu under whose chairmanship the party undertook a wide range of review of its constitution, including the expanded delegates lists for voting, said this was the first move towards ensuring that the opportunity was given to all card-bearing members to have a say in who leads them.
He stated that NDC was a slow but poor government leading the country into despair, mis-managing national resources and fumbling with national development.
He also recommended to all Ghanaians to follow the exhibition of the NPP and rally behind them for being the pacesetters of democracy in the country.
Mr Odoi-Sykes, who was the party’s supervisor at the Odododiodoo polling centre, said the orderly, peaceful and co-operative manner in which the party members organised themselves in the election had boosted the party’s chances of winning the 2012 election.
“ I am particularly happy and grateful to the party members, because Odododiodoo is not noted for peaceful elections over the years and for our members to comport themselves in such a manner shows their growing sense of democracy,” he said.
He said even delegates who did not come with identity were allowed to vote, provided they had their name on the list, because the polling agents of the various candidates made reason prevail.
He urged the party members to remain united and rally behind the elected candidate and use the occasion as the beginning of a sustained campaign towards winning the 2012 election.
NDC calls for purging of judiciary
THE National Democratic Congress (NDC) has taken a swipe at the country’s judiciary and called on the Chief Justice to take immediate steps to purge the bench of what it termed “corrupt and politically biased members”.
“In order to preserve the people’s faith in the independence and sanctity of the judiciary, we appeal to the Chief Justice, Her Lordship Georgina Wood, to endeavour to take concrete steps to correct the growing public perception that the judiciary has become increasingly politically biased,” the National Chairman of the NDC, Dr Kwabena Adjei stated.
Speaking at a press conference in Accra today, Dr Adjei warned of a growing public perception that the independence of the judiciary was being compromised in the wake of the decision of the High Court to discharge the former Chief Executive of the Ghana at 50, Dr Charles Wereko-Brobby, and the former Chief of Staff, Mr Kwadwo Mpiani, in the Ghana @ 50 case.
He also called on the party’s members not to stampede the Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Mrs Betty Mould-Iddrisu, in the discharge of her duties.
“The NDC welcomes the determination and commitment of the Attorney General to pursuing justice and wish to assure her of the fullest support of the NDC party since we are a party committed to the rule of law, fairness and justice,” he said.
Dr Adjei said as a party that was committed to the rule law for a better Ghana, the NDC could not help but to point out the growing perception and suspicion among various segments of the society that the judiciary was becoming politicised in dispensing justice, adding: “Leave Betty alone”.
The NDC Chairman said notwithstanding this, the NDC would like to give the judiciary the benefit of the doubt because it was convinced that there were still members of the bench who were committed to maintaining the integrity of the law.
He said the people’s doubt that some members of the bench were committed to maintaining the integrity of the judiciary was as a result of certain pertinent circumstances and events both before and after the coming into office of President J.E.A. Mills.
He said there were rumours and allegations that a leading New Patriotic Party (NPP) lawyer had on weekly basis been having meetings with “some leading members of the bench for the purpose of aiding the defendants in cases affecting leading members of the NPP”. He declined to give details.
Citing particular examples, Dr Adjei said during the 2008 elections, Mr Atta Akyea of the NPP filed a writ at a weekend in an attempt to restrain the Electoral Commission (EC) from holding the Tain elections and how the Chief Justice in the exercise of her discretion could have allowed the writ to be served and empanel a judge to hear and deal with the matter at the weekend and on a Christmas holiday.
He also gave instances of the hasty trial and sentencing of an NDC person for electoral fraud the same day and the recent serving of a Supreme Court writ purported to have been served on the Speaker of Parliament when the House was in session.
He described the serving of the writ as a serious breach of parliamentary privilege, the principle of separation of powers, and an infringement on the jurisdiction of Parliament.
Dr Adjei said some Ghanaians did not believe that these were mere coincidences but might be linked to a grand conspiracy.
On the most recent case, he described as false the “media propaganda rampage” by the Chairman of the NPP, Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, which aimed at creating the impression that the discharge of Dr Wereko-Brobby and Mr Mpiani acquitted the two of any wrongdoing.
He said the decision did not exonerate the two men “who were found to have caused huge financial loss to Ghana through their reckless actions” and reiterated the Minister of Justice’s assurances that the case would be followed to its logical conclusion.
Dr Adjei also criticised Justice Marfo-Sao for discharging the men “based on his contentious interpretation of the constitutional provisions that govern the functions of a commission of inquiry and the relationship between such a commission and a High Court”.
He pointed out that the AG started this prosecution in exactly the same manner as those who stood trial under previous commissions of inquiry established under the eight years of the NPP regime.
Mr Chris Ackummey, a member of the Legal Committee of the party, alleged that Mr Atta Akyea had been recorded calling one of the judges in some recent cases “one of us”.
He said with such politically biased judges, not even an “Attorney General from the moon can win a case before them”.
“In order to preserve the people’s faith in the independence and sanctity of the judiciary, we appeal to the Chief Justice, Her Lordship Georgina Wood, to endeavour to take concrete steps to correct the growing public perception that the judiciary has become increasingly politically biased,” the National Chairman of the NDC, Dr Kwabena Adjei stated.
Speaking at a press conference in Accra today, Dr Adjei warned of a growing public perception that the independence of the judiciary was being compromised in the wake of the decision of the High Court to discharge the former Chief Executive of the Ghana at 50, Dr Charles Wereko-Brobby, and the former Chief of Staff, Mr Kwadwo Mpiani, in the Ghana @ 50 case.
He also called on the party’s members not to stampede the Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Mrs Betty Mould-Iddrisu, in the discharge of her duties.
“The NDC welcomes the determination and commitment of the Attorney General to pursuing justice and wish to assure her of the fullest support of the NDC party since we are a party committed to the rule of law, fairness and justice,” he said.
Dr Adjei said as a party that was committed to the rule law for a better Ghana, the NDC could not help but to point out the growing perception and suspicion among various segments of the society that the judiciary was becoming politicised in dispensing justice, adding: “Leave Betty alone”.
The NDC Chairman said notwithstanding this, the NDC would like to give the judiciary the benefit of the doubt because it was convinced that there were still members of the bench who were committed to maintaining the integrity of the law.
He said the people’s doubt that some members of the bench were committed to maintaining the integrity of the judiciary was as a result of certain pertinent circumstances and events both before and after the coming into office of President J.E.A. Mills.
He said there were rumours and allegations that a leading New Patriotic Party (NPP) lawyer had on weekly basis been having meetings with “some leading members of the bench for the purpose of aiding the defendants in cases affecting leading members of the NPP”. He declined to give details.
Citing particular examples, Dr Adjei said during the 2008 elections, Mr Atta Akyea of the NPP filed a writ at a weekend in an attempt to restrain the Electoral Commission (EC) from holding the Tain elections and how the Chief Justice in the exercise of her discretion could have allowed the writ to be served and empanel a judge to hear and deal with the matter at the weekend and on a Christmas holiday.
He also gave instances of the hasty trial and sentencing of an NDC person for electoral fraud the same day and the recent serving of a Supreme Court writ purported to have been served on the Speaker of Parliament when the House was in session.
He described the serving of the writ as a serious breach of parliamentary privilege, the principle of separation of powers, and an infringement on the jurisdiction of Parliament.
Dr Adjei said some Ghanaians did not believe that these were mere coincidences but might be linked to a grand conspiracy.
On the most recent case, he described as false the “media propaganda rampage” by the Chairman of the NPP, Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, which aimed at creating the impression that the discharge of Dr Wereko-Brobby and Mr Mpiani acquitted the two of any wrongdoing.
He said the decision did not exonerate the two men “who were found to have caused huge financial loss to Ghana through their reckless actions” and reiterated the Minister of Justice’s assurances that the case would be followed to its logical conclusion.
Dr Adjei also criticised Justice Marfo-Sao for discharging the men “based on his contentious interpretation of the constitutional provisions that govern the functions of a commission of inquiry and the relationship between such a commission and a High Court”.
He pointed out that the AG started this prosecution in exactly the same manner as those who stood trial under previous commissions of inquiry established under the eight years of the NPP regime.
Mr Chris Ackummey, a member of the Legal Committee of the party, alleged that Mr Atta Akyea had been recorded calling one of the judges in some recent cases “one of us”.
He said with such politically biased judges, not even an “Attorney General from the moon can win a case before them”.
I offer best opportunity to lead NPP to victory — Alan
With barely four days to the expanded national delegates congress, Mr Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, one of the leading presidential aspirants of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has declared that “he offers the best opportunity to lead the party back to power in 2012”.
He said he was not only an attractive candidate to NPP members but also to Ghanaians at large, particularly those who fall into the category of floating voters, who constitute almost 30 per cent of the electorate in general.
Addressing a media encounter in Accra yesterday as part of his final leg of campaign prior to the August 7, 2010 congress, Mr Kyerematen, who was a Minister of Trade, Industry and Presidential Special Initiatives in the Kufuor Administration, said with such attributes and qualities, he would not only win the general elections, but would also have the capacity to build a united prosperous Ghana.
Mr Kyerematen noted that annexing power from the incumbent NDC government would not be an easy task and would only not be predicated on the failures or otherwise of the Mills led administration but would require a new type of leadership for the NPP based on dynamism, charisma, affability, humility, God-fearing, dedicated, inspiring and action oriented personality.
He said such a person must also be young because the age factor was now a new phenomenon in world politics which had been characterised by an emerging new generation of leaders like President Barack Obama of the US and David Cameron of the United Kingdom.
He said the most critical challenge confronting Ghana was producing a leader who had demonstrated over the years that he had experience, exposure and capacity to initiate and direct the implementation of programmes that would create jobs for the people of Ghana and improve their income levels.
Mr Kyerematen said the party would also need a leader like himself who would be able to build bridges between different interest groups in the party and mobilise the collective strength of all members towards the campaign effort in 2012, because the party had in the last three years held two presidential primaries which had imposed a great responsibility on whoever would lead the party.
Diverting his attention to national issues, he said Ghana’s future prosperity was captured in two sets on strategic long term vision which were the attainment of middle income status by 2015 and achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.
He said so far various governments both past and present have embarked on a number of programmes and interventions with varying degrees of success in terms of efficiency and effectiveness towards the attainment of these goals.
Mr Kyerematen said should he become the President of Ghana, he would re-focus the nation’s attention and effort in different direction and dimensions in order to achieve the timelines and targets imposed by Ghana’s vision as well as the Millennium Development Goals.
He said poverty and unemployment were the most critical developmental issues confronting Ghana, and to solve them he would create jobs for the masses and improve the living standards of majority of Ghanaians.
He proposed a broad policy framework anchored on three pillars namely, investing in the productive sector of the economy, investing in quality health and education as well as deepening democratic governance.
Mr Kyerematen said if he was elected President, he would direct public investments on infrastructure facilities that directly support private sector investments in the productive sectors of the economy.
He said for that to be realised , he promised to promote the establishment of a one billion dollar public investments syndicated infrastructure fund that would focus on the provision of roads, energy and water.
He said his administration would re-engineer the current tax regime to enhance private sector competitiveness by changing the tax structure to reduce the cost of production in industry, agriculture and other productive sectors by significantly reducing Value Added Tax on imports and rather seek to mobilise more tax revenue from corporate tax.
Mr Kyerematen said as President he would work with the Bank of Ghana to reduce the prime rate to below 10 per cent to send a strong signal to the banking sector to reduce the cost of borrowing.
On education and health, he proposed that he would provide a combination of policy instruments and incentives to support the private sector, working together with banks to invest in the education and health sector as a means to reduce the burden on government in financing these two sectors.
He said he would also consolidate the already existing arms of government, security agencies, governance institutions in the country.
Mr Kyerematen said he would also enhance the level of financial support to these institutions, improve their human resource capacity and introduce new and appropriate systems, processes and procedures to enhance their operations efficiency and effectiveness.
He said he was not only an attractive candidate to NPP members but also to Ghanaians at large, particularly those who fall into the category of floating voters, who constitute almost 30 per cent of the electorate in general.
Addressing a media encounter in Accra yesterday as part of his final leg of campaign prior to the August 7, 2010 congress, Mr Kyerematen, who was a Minister of Trade, Industry and Presidential Special Initiatives in the Kufuor Administration, said with such attributes and qualities, he would not only win the general elections, but would also have the capacity to build a united prosperous Ghana.
Mr Kyerematen noted that annexing power from the incumbent NDC government would not be an easy task and would only not be predicated on the failures or otherwise of the Mills led administration but would require a new type of leadership for the NPP based on dynamism, charisma, affability, humility, God-fearing, dedicated, inspiring and action oriented personality.
He said such a person must also be young because the age factor was now a new phenomenon in world politics which had been characterised by an emerging new generation of leaders like President Barack Obama of the US and David Cameron of the United Kingdom.
He said the most critical challenge confronting Ghana was producing a leader who had demonstrated over the years that he had experience, exposure and capacity to initiate and direct the implementation of programmes that would create jobs for the people of Ghana and improve their income levels.
Mr Kyerematen said the party would also need a leader like himself who would be able to build bridges between different interest groups in the party and mobilise the collective strength of all members towards the campaign effort in 2012, because the party had in the last three years held two presidential primaries which had imposed a great responsibility on whoever would lead the party.
Diverting his attention to national issues, he said Ghana’s future prosperity was captured in two sets on strategic long term vision which were the attainment of middle income status by 2015 and achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.
He said so far various governments both past and present have embarked on a number of programmes and interventions with varying degrees of success in terms of efficiency and effectiveness towards the attainment of these goals.
Mr Kyerematen said should he become the President of Ghana, he would re-focus the nation’s attention and effort in different direction and dimensions in order to achieve the timelines and targets imposed by Ghana’s vision as well as the Millennium Development Goals.
He said poverty and unemployment were the most critical developmental issues confronting Ghana, and to solve them he would create jobs for the masses and improve the living standards of majority of Ghanaians.
He proposed a broad policy framework anchored on three pillars namely, investing in the productive sector of the economy, investing in quality health and education as well as deepening democratic governance.
Mr Kyerematen said if he was elected President, he would direct public investments on infrastructure facilities that directly support private sector investments in the productive sectors of the economy.
He said for that to be realised , he promised to promote the establishment of a one billion dollar public investments syndicated infrastructure fund that would focus on the provision of roads, energy and water.
He said his administration would re-engineer the current tax regime to enhance private sector competitiveness by changing the tax structure to reduce the cost of production in industry, agriculture and other productive sectors by significantly reducing Value Added Tax on imports and rather seek to mobilise more tax revenue from corporate tax.
Mr Kyerematen said as President he would work with the Bank of Ghana to reduce the prime rate to below 10 per cent to send a strong signal to the banking sector to reduce the cost of borrowing.
On education and health, he proposed that he would provide a combination of policy instruments and incentives to support the private sector, working together with banks to invest in the education and health sector as a means to reduce the burden on government in financing these two sectors.
He said he would also consolidate the already existing arms of government, security agencies, governance institutions in the country.
Mr Kyerematen said he would also enhance the level of financial support to these institutions, improve their human resource capacity and introduce new and appropriate systems, processes and procedures to enhance their operations efficiency and effectiveness.
Mills-Mahama ticket has failed Ghanaians — Akufo Addo
The 2008 presidential aspirant of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, has said the Mills-Mahama ticket has woefully failed Ghanaians in the first 19 months of their administration.
“I can tell you for a fact that the President Mills and John Mahama partnership does not have any good policies and programmes for the development of the country, hence the retrogressing effects we are seeing today,” he noted.
Nana Akufo Addo, who was addressing polling station executives, election co-ordinators and party members in Okaikoi South Constituency as part of his Greater Accra Regional campaign tour to win the flagbearership position, expressed surprise that the ‘better Ghana’ promised by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has turned out not to be so.
He said the NDC described the Kufuor Administration as being insensitive to the plight of Ghanaians and promised to make things better if they were voted for, but after assuming office, the cost of living had become unbearable.
He said during the 2008 electioneering, the then candidate Prof. J.E.A. Mills promised Ghanaians that he would reduce the prices petroleum products, among other things, but during his 18 months in office, prices of water, electricity, petroleum products have all skyrocketed.
Nana Akufo Addo urged members of the party not to indulge in activities and utterances that would mar the unity of the party after the August 7 election to elect a flagbearer and attributed the inability of the party to win the 2008 elections to petty bickering among leading members of the party.
He said whoever wins the flagbeareship position would be able to recapture power for the NPP, provided he had a strong, united and battle ready party behind him and not a party with apathetic members.
Nana Akufo Addo asked the members of the party whether after the 2008 loss of the party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) decided sack NPP members from their work places and harass others based on which presidential aspirant they voted for at the party's congress at the University of Ghana, Legon in 2007.
He said fighting between district chief executives and aspiring presidential candidates, constituency executives and parliamentary candidates as well as between regional executives and some members were rife during the 2008 campaign.
He said others also decided to sit on the fence because they lost certain positions in the party and appealed to supporters of the various aspirants to perceive the August 7 elections as a family affair which should not lead to confusion in the party.
Nana Akufo Addo said due to such petty bickering and infighting, people who should have campaigned refused to do so while others claimed that "if you have elected your leaders follow them" and added that such people did not display the true characteristic of committed NPP members.
He reminded the party members that as a democratic organisation, it was necessary that the NPP held elections to fill vacancies and advised that such elections should not lead to disunity.
Nana Akufo Addo recounted how he lost to former President J.A. Kufuor at the Sunyani congress in 1998 but immediately pledged his support for Mr Kufuor and true to his words, he ensured that he and all those who supported his bid campaigned vigorously to secure victory in 2000.
He said every national elections were won basically at the polling station level and that for the party to execute a successful election, he would provide the polling stations, constituency and regional officers with the needed resources for them to be able to carry out a successful campaign.
At Dome-Kwabenya, the Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Prof Mike Oquaye said he and members of the constituency have declared their full support for Nana Akufo Addo and assured him that they would increase the difference of votes between the NPP and the NDC from 16,000 in 2008 votes to 20,000 in 2012.
Prof Oquaye who is also the MP for the constituency said the decision was taken at the constituency's victory rally in 2009.
This was corroborated by the Chairman of the constituency, Mr Osei Forjuor Moses.
“I can tell you for a fact that the President Mills and John Mahama partnership does not have any good policies and programmes for the development of the country, hence the retrogressing effects we are seeing today,” he noted.
Nana Akufo Addo, who was addressing polling station executives, election co-ordinators and party members in Okaikoi South Constituency as part of his Greater Accra Regional campaign tour to win the flagbearership position, expressed surprise that the ‘better Ghana’ promised by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has turned out not to be so.
He said the NDC described the Kufuor Administration as being insensitive to the plight of Ghanaians and promised to make things better if they were voted for, but after assuming office, the cost of living had become unbearable.
He said during the 2008 electioneering, the then candidate Prof. J.E.A. Mills promised Ghanaians that he would reduce the prices petroleum products, among other things, but during his 18 months in office, prices of water, electricity, petroleum products have all skyrocketed.
Nana Akufo Addo urged members of the party not to indulge in activities and utterances that would mar the unity of the party after the August 7 election to elect a flagbearer and attributed the inability of the party to win the 2008 elections to petty bickering among leading members of the party.
He said whoever wins the flagbeareship position would be able to recapture power for the NPP, provided he had a strong, united and battle ready party behind him and not a party with apathetic members.
Nana Akufo Addo asked the members of the party whether after the 2008 loss of the party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) decided sack NPP members from their work places and harass others based on which presidential aspirant they voted for at the party's congress at the University of Ghana, Legon in 2007.
He said fighting between district chief executives and aspiring presidential candidates, constituency executives and parliamentary candidates as well as between regional executives and some members were rife during the 2008 campaign.
He said others also decided to sit on the fence because they lost certain positions in the party and appealed to supporters of the various aspirants to perceive the August 7 elections as a family affair which should not lead to confusion in the party.
Nana Akufo Addo said due to such petty bickering and infighting, people who should have campaigned refused to do so while others claimed that "if you have elected your leaders follow them" and added that such people did not display the true characteristic of committed NPP members.
He reminded the party members that as a democratic organisation, it was necessary that the NPP held elections to fill vacancies and advised that such elections should not lead to disunity.
Nana Akufo Addo recounted how he lost to former President J.A. Kufuor at the Sunyani congress in 1998 but immediately pledged his support for Mr Kufuor and true to his words, he ensured that he and all those who supported his bid campaigned vigorously to secure victory in 2000.
He said every national elections were won basically at the polling station level and that for the party to execute a successful election, he would provide the polling stations, constituency and regional officers with the needed resources for them to be able to carry out a successful campaign.
At Dome-Kwabenya, the Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Prof Mike Oquaye said he and members of the constituency have declared their full support for Nana Akufo Addo and assured him that they would increase the difference of votes between the NPP and the NDC from 16,000 in 2008 votes to 20,000 in 2012.
Prof Oquaye who is also the MP for the constituency said the decision was taken at the constituency's victory rally in 2009.
This was corroborated by the Chairman of the constituency, Mr Osei Forjuor Moses.
Political elites must manage oil expectations — Attafuah
THE Executive Director of the Justice and Human Rights Institute, Prof. Kenneth Agyeman Attafuah has called on the country’s political elites to prudently manage the revenue and the socio-political expectations of the oil find to avoid undermining the peace and social harmony of the country.
He said unless expectations were properly managed, social and political order could be severely disrupted.
Prof. Attafuah made the call when he presented a paper on “Managing the political and social expectations of Ghana’s oil”. It was organised by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA).
He suggested that in order to effectively manage Ghana’s oil find expectations, the political elite must first recognise and accept the critical need to pull together the collective knowledge, wisdom and experience of all Ghanaians to fashion a sense of shared and sustainable prosperity propelled by oil.
He said, fortunately, both the NPP and NDC Governments have firmly assured Ghanaians that the nation was learning from international best practices, particularly, the positive experiences of Norway, Canada and other Euro-American countries which had effectively managed their oil finds into oil bonanzas.
“These hopes, expectations, fears and assurances are encapsulated in the Petroleum Revenue Management Bill 2010 – a draft law that provides a framework for “the efficient collection, allocation and management of petroleum revenue for the benefit of current and future generations of Ghanaians”, Prof. Attafuah.
He advised the political elite, including politicians, chiefs, opinion leaders and civil society groups, to temper public enthusiasm with realism and let the people know that the oil industry in developing countries was typically dominated by expatriates with specialised and technical skills, and that there was no reason to consider that the situation in Ghana would be any different.
“It is doubtful how many Ghanaian companies today are sufficiently positioned, financially and technically, to compete effectively against their multinational counterparts in the provision of the highly specialised oilfield, seismic, geophysical, drilling, packing (cementing wells) and logging services required in the oil sector,” he asked.
Prof. Attafuah called for an assessment on the current state of competence and levels of preparedness of Ghanaians vis-Ã -vis the external competition.
He said Ghanaians must bear in mind that the oil industry was characterised by the wholesale importation of specialised services and gave the example of oil exploration companies such as Schlumberger, Weatherford and Otis that did not engage locals for the provision of sundry technical services required in their operations.
He said such operations included catering, drilling, speed-boat and land security services and said with these services, the oil exploration companies relied on their “foreign friends”.
Prof. Attafuah said only a small number of jobs would be directly created to absorb the large army of expectant unemployed youths and pleaded with the authorities to communicate this potentially dismaying piece of reality to the expectant public.
He urged the ruling political elite to evince extraordinary leadership attributes in this enterprise, by displaying courage in toning down the wild, fuzzy, and unrealistic public expectations of the development manna, while at the same time transferring optimism and confidence in the future.
This, he said, required ingenious ways of expressing sincerity and conviction, in informing people not about “worst case scenarios” but about realistic profiles of an oil-propelled prosperity.
In this regard, he suggested that statutory national anti-corruption institutions such as the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), the Ghana Police Service and the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), must each undertake a comprehensive public education on the need for the populace to hold only realistic and legitimate expectations around the prospects embedded in the production of oil.
Prof. Attafuah said they must also undertake strenuous public education on integrity and anti-corruption.
He called for special legislation with severe legal sanctions against those who used state funds, particularly revenue from the oil and gas, to fund partisan and other selfish political activities.
“The goal must be to erase the risk of wasting public resources on partisan projects including vote-seeking behaviours. This, indeed, is a key best practice derived from the Norwegian experience in managing social and political expectations around their oil production and revenue utilisation,” Prof. Attafuah said.
He said unless expectations were properly managed, social and political order could be severely disrupted.
Prof. Attafuah made the call when he presented a paper on “Managing the political and social expectations of Ghana’s oil”. It was organised by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA).
He suggested that in order to effectively manage Ghana’s oil find expectations, the political elite must first recognise and accept the critical need to pull together the collective knowledge, wisdom and experience of all Ghanaians to fashion a sense of shared and sustainable prosperity propelled by oil.
He said, fortunately, both the NPP and NDC Governments have firmly assured Ghanaians that the nation was learning from international best practices, particularly, the positive experiences of Norway, Canada and other Euro-American countries which had effectively managed their oil finds into oil bonanzas.
“These hopes, expectations, fears and assurances are encapsulated in the Petroleum Revenue Management Bill 2010 – a draft law that provides a framework for “the efficient collection, allocation and management of petroleum revenue for the benefit of current and future generations of Ghanaians”, Prof. Attafuah.
He advised the political elite, including politicians, chiefs, opinion leaders and civil society groups, to temper public enthusiasm with realism and let the people know that the oil industry in developing countries was typically dominated by expatriates with specialised and technical skills, and that there was no reason to consider that the situation in Ghana would be any different.
“It is doubtful how many Ghanaian companies today are sufficiently positioned, financially and technically, to compete effectively against their multinational counterparts in the provision of the highly specialised oilfield, seismic, geophysical, drilling, packing (cementing wells) and logging services required in the oil sector,” he asked.
Prof. Attafuah called for an assessment on the current state of competence and levels of preparedness of Ghanaians vis-Ã -vis the external competition.
He said Ghanaians must bear in mind that the oil industry was characterised by the wholesale importation of specialised services and gave the example of oil exploration companies such as Schlumberger, Weatherford and Otis that did not engage locals for the provision of sundry technical services required in their operations.
He said such operations included catering, drilling, speed-boat and land security services and said with these services, the oil exploration companies relied on their “foreign friends”.
Prof. Attafuah said only a small number of jobs would be directly created to absorb the large army of expectant unemployed youths and pleaded with the authorities to communicate this potentially dismaying piece of reality to the expectant public.
He urged the ruling political elite to evince extraordinary leadership attributes in this enterprise, by displaying courage in toning down the wild, fuzzy, and unrealistic public expectations of the development manna, while at the same time transferring optimism and confidence in the future.
This, he said, required ingenious ways of expressing sincerity and conviction, in informing people not about “worst case scenarios” but about realistic profiles of an oil-propelled prosperity.
In this regard, he suggested that statutory national anti-corruption institutions such as the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), the Ghana Police Service and the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), must each undertake a comprehensive public education on the need for the populace to hold only realistic and legitimate expectations around the prospects embedded in the production of oil.
Prof. Attafuah said they must also undertake strenuous public education on integrity and anti-corruption.
He called for special legislation with severe legal sanctions against those who used state funds, particularly revenue from the oil and gas, to fund partisan and other selfish political activities.
“The goal must be to erase the risk of wasting public resources on partisan projects including vote-seeking behaviours. This, indeed, is a key best practice derived from the Norwegian experience in managing social and political expectations around their oil production and revenue utilisation,” Prof. Attafuah said.
Ade Coker bemoans lack of communication in NDC
The Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Ade Coker, has blamed the recent misunderstanding between some appointees of the government and NDC foot soldiers on the lack of communication.
Although he condemned some of the actions of the foot soldiers, he said if the government appointees had made a conscious effort to constantly interact with the party supporters, such a situation would have been saved.
Mr Coker said this in an interview with the Daily Graphic after a recent meeting of the regional chairmen of the party to find solutions to some issues cropping up within the party.
According to him, if the government appointees had taken trouble to meet constantly with the party supporters and Ghanaians in general to explain the government’s achievements, programmes, policies and challenges, the people would have understood the situation.
With such interactions, he said, the people would appreciate what the government was doing to address the many problems it encountered when it took over from the NPP administration.
Mr Coker mentioned the constant reduction in inflationary rates, resulting in the decrease in interest rates which would allow businesses to borrow at lower rates to expand.
He said government appointees must also bear in mind that it was the same foot soldiers who supported the NDC during trying times and that “if you don’t have time for them now, they will also not have time for us during the elections”.
He urged government appointees not to lose sight of the fact that they were in those positions because the NDC was able to win power in 2008, for which reason they should make time to meet with party supporters to explain issues to them.
Mr Coker said the NDC government would never renege on its promises made to the people of Ghana.
He appealed to NDC supporters to refrain from the habit of seizing cars and public places of convenience, locking up offices and other practices which were unlawful and tended to bring the name of the party into disrepute.
Although he condemned some of the actions of the foot soldiers, he said if the government appointees had made a conscious effort to constantly interact with the party supporters, such a situation would have been saved.
Mr Coker said this in an interview with the Daily Graphic after a recent meeting of the regional chairmen of the party to find solutions to some issues cropping up within the party.
According to him, if the government appointees had taken trouble to meet constantly with the party supporters and Ghanaians in general to explain the government’s achievements, programmes, policies and challenges, the people would have understood the situation.
With such interactions, he said, the people would appreciate what the government was doing to address the many problems it encountered when it took over from the NPP administration.
Mr Coker mentioned the constant reduction in inflationary rates, resulting in the decrease in interest rates which would allow businesses to borrow at lower rates to expand.
He said government appointees must also bear in mind that it was the same foot soldiers who supported the NDC during trying times and that “if you don’t have time for them now, they will also not have time for us during the elections”.
He urged government appointees not to lose sight of the fact that they were in those positions because the NDC was able to win power in 2008, for which reason they should make time to meet with party supporters to explain issues to them.
Mr Coker said the NDC government would never renege on its promises made to the people of Ghana.
He appealed to NDC supporters to refrain from the habit of seizing cars and public places of convenience, locking up offices and other practices which were unlawful and tended to bring the name of the party into disrepute.
Ga Mantse urges politicians to tolerate opposing views
The Ga Mantse, King Tackie Tawiah III, has urged politicians and leaders to be tolerant of the views of their opponents.
This, he said, would engender the peace and stability needed to accelerate the pace of development that all Ghanaians were yearning for.
King Tawiah gave the advise when the 2008 Presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, paid a courtesy call on him at his palace in North Kaneshie in Accra yesterday.
The Ga Mantse sat in state with his elders, chiefs and queens as they received Nana Akufo Addo’s entourage which included Mr Yaw Osafo Maafo, former Minister of Finance in the Kufuor Administration, Nana Akomea, Member of Parliament (MP) for Okaikoi South, Ms Ayorkor Botwey, MP for Weija, Frema Akosua Osei Opare, MP for Ayawaso West Wuogon, Shiekh I.C. Quaye, MP for Ayawaso East.
The Ga Mantse said Ghanaians had no other country to turn to in the event of conflict, stressing the need for all to respect each other irrespective of their views, beliefs and political persuasions.
He said it was incumbent on politicians and leaders in society to make the promotion of the welfare of their people their paramount objective.
The Ga Mantse expressed worry at the behaviour of some politicians whose stock in trade was to resort to divide and rule tactics as well as insulting behaviour.
He noted that the real essence of democratic practice was gradually being abused in the country, with some people always looking for ways to attack others.
He added that others had also made it their habit to misinterpret what their opponents say.
All these, he said were always perpetrated to paint their opponents as bad people and present them negatively to society.
The Ga Mantse stated that the Ga Traditional Council was operating an open door policy, where all groups, political parties, institutions and organisations were welcome to the council.
He urged Nana Akufo Addo not to forget the Ghanaian, especially the Ga State if the NPP delegates selected him as their flag bearer and eventually Ghanaians also decided to make him the President.
Nana Akufo Addo expressed surprise at the vandalisation of the palace in May this year by some unidentified persons.
He thanked the Ga Mantse and his elders for the warm reception, and said he decided to pay him a courtesy call before embarking on his Greater Accra campaign but due to time constraints the visit had delayed.
He presented two cartons of schnapps and an undisclosed amount of money to the Ga Traditional Council.
This, he said, would engender the peace and stability needed to accelerate the pace of development that all Ghanaians were yearning for.
King Tawiah gave the advise when the 2008 Presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, paid a courtesy call on him at his palace in North Kaneshie in Accra yesterday.
The Ga Mantse sat in state with his elders, chiefs and queens as they received Nana Akufo Addo’s entourage which included Mr Yaw Osafo Maafo, former Minister of Finance in the Kufuor Administration, Nana Akomea, Member of Parliament (MP) for Okaikoi South, Ms Ayorkor Botwey, MP for Weija, Frema Akosua Osei Opare, MP for Ayawaso West Wuogon, Shiekh I.C. Quaye, MP for Ayawaso East.
The Ga Mantse said Ghanaians had no other country to turn to in the event of conflict, stressing the need for all to respect each other irrespective of their views, beliefs and political persuasions.
He said it was incumbent on politicians and leaders in society to make the promotion of the welfare of their people their paramount objective.
The Ga Mantse expressed worry at the behaviour of some politicians whose stock in trade was to resort to divide and rule tactics as well as insulting behaviour.
He noted that the real essence of democratic practice was gradually being abused in the country, with some people always looking for ways to attack others.
He added that others had also made it their habit to misinterpret what their opponents say.
All these, he said were always perpetrated to paint their opponents as bad people and present them negatively to society.
The Ga Mantse stated that the Ga Traditional Council was operating an open door policy, where all groups, political parties, institutions and organisations were welcome to the council.
He urged Nana Akufo Addo not to forget the Ghanaian, especially the Ga State if the NPP delegates selected him as their flag bearer and eventually Ghanaians also decided to make him the President.
Nana Akufo Addo expressed surprise at the vandalisation of the palace in May this year by some unidentified persons.
He thanked the Ga Mantse and his elders for the warm reception, and said he decided to pay him a courtesy call before embarking on his Greater Accra campaign but due to time constraints the visit had delayed.
He presented two cartons of schnapps and an undisclosed amount of money to the Ga Traditional Council.
Conduct public probe into allocation of state lands •Urges CJA
Committee for Joint Action (CJA), a pressure group, has called on President J.E.A. Mills to set up an independent commission of enquiry to conduct a public probe into the allocation of state lands and government assets.
It accused the Kufuor Administration of disposing of state property, especially lands in prime areas in Accra, at paltry prices and without recourse to proper procedure.
Mr Kwasi Adu, a leading member of the CJA, who made the call at a press conference in Accra yesterday, said the Chief Justice, Mrs Georgina Wood, “who should know the law, threw away any sense of integrity and decency and went for the land-grab”.
He mentioned some of the persons who acquired the land during the Kufuor Administration as Mrs Georgina Wood, Chief Justice; Mr K.T. Hammond, former Deputy Energy Minister; Ms Irene Addo, MP for Tema West; Hajia Alima Mahama, former Women and Children’s Affairs Minister; Ms Oboshie Sai Cofie, former Minister f Tourism; and Dr Abu Sakara Forster, 2008 CPP Vice Presidential candidate.
He accused the CJ of having no regard for the Code of Ethics of Judges and expressed surprise that the same person who would be appointing judges to sit on cases regarding the land-grab was involved in such deals.
Supporting their statements with documents from the Lands Commission covering how over 180 plots of state land were disposed of without recourse to laid-down procedure, Mr Adu said some of the buyers paid as little as GH¢15,000 for the land in Airport Residential Area.
He explained that the laws of the country stated that lands acquired by the government were supposed to be used only in the public interest or for the purpose for which they were acquired.
He added that the 1992 Constitution also made it clear that if the government was unable to use the lands acquired, it should let the owner of the property have the first option of acquiring it.
Mr Adu explained that in 1998, the then government introduced an urban renewal programme, part of which was to re-develop government residential properties to ensure optimal use of land and the realisation of the full latent values in the land, as well as providing new modern housing stock for the government.
He said the NDC government identified public lands in Cantonments, Airport Residential Area, Kanda, Switchback and Ridge for the re-development and in 2000, the Cabinet approved the Accra Redevelopment Scheme to be carried out under a public-private sector partnership.
This, he said, was a means of funding and executing the projects and the government then introduced a publicly publicised system based on bidding rules and guidelines for the selection of individual applicants and prospective developers.
Mr Adu said under the NDC government’s Redevelopment Policy Phase 1, which was executed before 2000, “the proceeds from the sale of 67 plots of land, sold mostly to companies and few individuals, enabled that government to build 83 replacement bungalows and 169 residential units”.
He noted, however, that the NPP in 2005 executed their own in-filling scheme, such as the open-to-the-public-approval Redevelopment Plan when the Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, together with the Chairman and Executive Secretary of the Lands Commission, allocated 19.54 acres of land to 90 persons.
“Under the NPP scheme, the allocations were so arbitrary and haphazard that even the persons who were allocated the plots did not complete the application for leases for Government Plots (Form 5) as stipulated in LI 230,” he alleged.
He said under the implementation of the Phase two of the programme in 2004, the NPP Administration decided not to pay attention to procedure; as a result, this was suspended several times until 2008, “when the NPP decided to ransack the properties without recourse to proceedings”.
Mr Adu said the NPP sold most of the government lands to NPP members on protocol basis, while others were offered through bidding that was not publicised.
It accused the Kufuor Administration of disposing of state property, especially lands in prime areas in Accra, at paltry prices and without recourse to proper procedure.
Mr Kwasi Adu, a leading member of the CJA, who made the call at a press conference in Accra yesterday, said the Chief Justice, Mrs Georgina Wood, “who should know the law, threw away any sense of integrity and decency and went for the land-grab”.
He mentioned some of the persons who acquired the land during the Kufuor Administration as Mrs Georgina Wood, Chief Justice; Mr K.T. Hammond, former Deputy Energy Minister; Ms Irene Addo, MP for Tema West; Hajia Alima Mahama, former Women and Children’s Affairs Minister; Ms Oboshie Sai Cofie, former Minister f Tourism; and Dr Abu Sakara Forster, 2008 CPP Vice Presidential candidate.
He accused the CJ of having no regard for the Code of Ethics of Judges and expressed surprise that the same person who would be appointing judges to sit on cases regarding the land-grab was involved in such deals.
Supporting their statements with documents from the Lands Commission covering how over 180 plots of state land were disposed of without recourse to laid-down procedure, Mr Adu said some of the buyers paid as little as GH¢15,000 for the land in Airport Residential Area.
He explained that the laws of the country stated that lands acquired by the government were supposed to be used only in the public interest or for the purpose for which they were acquired.
He added that the 1992 Constitution also made it clear that if the government was unable to use the lands acquired, it should let the owner of the property have the first option of acquiring it.
Mr Adu explained that in 1998, the then government introduced an urban renewal programme, part of which was to re-develop government residential properties to ensure optimal use of land and the realisation of the full latent values in the land, as well as providing new modern housing stock for the government.
He said the NDC government identified public lands in Cantonments, Airport Residential Area, Kanda, Switchback and Ridge for the re-development and in 2000, the Cabinet approved the Accra Redevelopment Scheme to be carried out under a public-private sector partnership.
This, he said, was a means of funding and executing the projects and the government then introduced a publicly publicised system based on bidding rules and guidelines for the selection of individual applicants and prospective developers.
Mr Adu said under the NDC government’s Redevelopment Policy Phase 1, which was executed before 2000, “the proceeds from the sale of 67 plots of land, sold mostly to companies and few individuals, enabled that government to build 83 replacement bungalows and 169 residential units”.
He noted, however, that the NPP in 2005 executed their own in-filling scheme, such as the open-to-the-public-approval Redevelopment Plan when the Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, together with the Chairman and Executive Secretary of the Lands Commission, allocated 19.54 acres of land to 90 persons.
“Under the NPP scheme, the allocations were so arbitrary and haphazard that even the persons who were allocated the plots did not complete the application for leases for Government Plots (Form 5) as stipulated in LI 230,” he alleged.
He said under the implementation of the Phase two of the programme in 2004, the NPP Administration decided not to pay attention to procedure; as a result, this was suspended several times until 2008, “when the NPP decided to ransack the properties without recourse to proceedings”.
Mr Adu said the NPP sold most of the government lands to NPP members on protocol basis, while others were offered through bidding that was not publicised.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Assembly Elections December 28... MMDCEs to hold the fort
THE Electoral Commission (EC) has fixed December 28, 2010 as the substantive date for the district level elections.
However, to address the vacuum that will be created between the end of this month when the term of the current assemblies end and December 28, 2010, when the new assemblies will be elected, the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Joseph Yieleh Chireh, says the district chief executives and their chief directors will hold the fort.
He said should there be any emergency, the President would use his powers as the Chief Executive to address them.
Initially the EC set October 23, 2010 as the date for the election of new assembly members, but had to postpone it because the Legislative Instrument (LI) amending the new law had not been passed.
But the EC Chairman, Dr Kwadwo Afari Gyan, expressed optimism that Parliament had already acted on part of the legislation and would approve the remaining legislation for a smooth take-off of the election.
Briefing the media at the launch of an awareness programme for the 2010 district level elections in Accra today, Dr Afari-Gyan said the LI 1967 replaced LI 1589.
He said the changes had become necessary because since the district assembly concept was introduced in 1988, there had been an increase in national population, development of new settlements and increment in the number of administrative districts from 110 to 170.
He explained that the EC, in collaboration with stakeholders, carried out re-demarcation and alignment of electoral areas to create new electoral areas, breaking up of existing large electoral areas and merging contiguous ones.
As a result of the re-demarcation and alignment, the number of electoral areas will go up from 5,000 currently to about 6,000 and the number of unit committees will reduce by 9,000 from 15,000 to 6,000.
Also membership of the unit committees will reduce by 195,000 from 225,000 to 30,000.
The new law will also allow candidates to mount their own platforms, ensure that other organisations, apart from political parties, can make resources available to the EC for the purpose of mounting platforms for the common use of all the affected candidates.
Dr. Afari Gyan said the changes were expected to make the elections more manageable and their delivery efficient, especially in the printing of ballot papers which had always been problematic.
He explained that instead of 15,000 different slates of candidates, there would now be 6,000 slates for candidates.
He said the EC had completed the limited voter-registration while other in-house preparations towards the district level elections were in progress.
AS
However, to address the vacuum that will be created between the end of this month when the term of the current assemblies end and December 28, 2010, when the new assemblies will be elected, the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Joseph Yieleh Chireh, says the district chief executives and their chief directors will hold the fort.
He said should there be any emergency, the President would use his powers as the Chief Executive to address them.
Initially the EC set October 23, 2010 as the date for the election of new assembly members, but had to postpone it because the Legislative Instrument (LI) amending the new law had not been passed.
But the EC Chairman, Dr Kwadwo Afari Gyan, expressed optimism that Parliament had already acted on part of the legislation and would approve the remaining legislation for a smooth take-off of the election.
Briefing the media at the launch of an awareness programme for the 2010 district level elections in Accra today, Dr Afari-Gyan said the LI 1967 replaced LI 1589.
He said the changes had become necessary because since the district assembly concept was introduced in 1988, there had been an increase in national population, development of new settlements and increment in the number of administrative districts from 110 to 170.
He explained that the EC, in collaboration with stakeholders, carried out re-demarcation and alignment of electoral areas to create new electoral areas, breaking up of existing large electoral areas and merging contiguous ones.
As a result of the re-demarcation and alignment, the number of electoral areas will go up from 5,000 currently to about 6,000 and the number of unit committees will reduce by 9,000 from 15,000 to 6,000.
Also membership of the unit committees will reduce by 195,000 from 225,000 to 30,000.
The new law will also allow candidates to mount their own platforms, ensure that other organisations, apart from political parties, can make resources available to the EC for the purpose of mounting platforms for the common use of all the affected candidates.
Dr. Afari Gyan said the changes were expected to make the elections more manageable and their delivery efficient, especially in the printing of ballot papers which had always been problematic.
He explained that instead of 15,000 different slates of candidates, there would now be 6,000 slates for candidates.
He said the EC had completed the limited voter-registration while other in-house preparations towards the district level elections were in progress.
AS
Monday, October 4, 2010
‘PNC, CPP unity talks progressing steadily’
HE second highest decision bodies of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) and the People’s National Convention (PNC) have given the green light to the leaders of both parties to ensure that the ongoing unity talks resulted in a single united Nkrumaist political party.
According to the bodies, when all rough edges were strengthened, and modalities for the unity were clearly defined, then the national congresses which were the highest decision making bodies of both parties would give their final nod for a united party.
The National Chairman of the CPP, Mr Ladi Nylander and the General Secretary of the PNC, confirmed this to the Daily Graphic in separate interviews.
According to Mr Nylander, at a CPP family meeting, a decision was taken for talks to begin with the PNC for a final merger and this was upheld by the Central Committee of the CPP.
He said as part of moves to ensure that a proper unity was achieved, the CPP had set up a seven-member committee which was working on the unity and would finalise its work in two months time.
He said the committee would submit its report to the Central Committee which would finalise it and present it to the congress for a conclusive decision.
Mr Nylander urged members of the CPP to remain calm as the leaders worked towards a workable and lasting unity talks.
He noted that although there had been similar talks for unity which had landed on the rocks, it would be in the best interest of all Nkrumaists to face the 2012 election with a united front.
He said unity with other Nkrumaist political parties was high on the agenda of the CPP more than anything, especially from the lessons learnt from previous elections.
The national chairman said there was every indication that the parties stood the better chance of making inroads in the next election if they came together.
For his part, Mr Mornah noted that both the National Executive Committee and the Standing Committee of the PNC had agreed to a united Nkrumaist front.
He said aside that, some leading members of the two parties had also been interacting regarding the unification and gave the assurance that this time round, the unity would be achieved.
Some members of the two parties across the country have called on the leading members of the parties to expedite action on the unity talks.
The members believed that with a united front, the two parties stood a better chance of winning an election than contesting individually.
One of such calls came from the Brong Ahafo Regional Executives of the United Nkrumaist Front made up of the CPP and the PNC had sounded a note of caution to the entire National Executives both of the PNC and CPP not to do anything to undermine the efforts of uniting the Nkrumaist family.
They, therefore, appealed to both the National Executives of the CPP and the PNC and the Presidential candidates who stood for the 2008 general election for both CPP and PNC to unite so that they would contribute their quota to the unity move.
The regional executives of the United Nkrumaist Front also urged the national executives of the two parties and the respective presidential candidates for the 2008 general election not to place their personal interest above that of the party.
In a press release issued in Sunyani and signed jointly by Mr Emmanuel Oduro and Nana Kyeremeh, Regional Organiser and Regional Chairman of the CPP and PNC respectively, they congratulated their colleagues in the Northern part of the country on their decision to unite and also urged other Regional Executives of the CPP and PNC to also issue statement of support to the agenda of unity.
According to the bodies, when all rough edges were strengthened, and modalities for the unity were clearly defined, then the national congresses which were the highest decision making bodies of both parties would give their final nod for a united party.
The National Chairman of the CPP, Mr Ladi Nylander and the General Secretary of the PNC, confirmed this to the Daily Graphic in separate interviews.
According to Mr Nylander, at a CPP family meeting, a decision was taken for talks to begin with the PNC for a final merger and this was upheld by the Central Committee of the CPP.
He said as part of moves to ensure that a proper unity was achieved, the CPP had set up a seven-member committee which was working on the unity and would finalise its work in two months time.
He said the committee would submit its report to the Central Committee which would finalise it and present it to the congress for a conclusive decision.
Mr Nylander urged members of the CPP to remain calm as the leaders worked towards a workable and lasting unity talks.
He noted that although there had been similar talks for unity which had landed on the rocks, it would be in the best interest of all Nkrumaists to face the 2012 election with a united front.
He said unity with other Nkrumaist political parties was high on the agenda of the CPP more than anything, especially from the lessons learnt from previous elections.
The national chairman said there was every indication that the parties stood the better chance of making inroads in the next election if they came together.
For his part, Mr Mornah noted that both the National Executive Committee and the Standing Committee of the PNC had agreed to a united Nkrumaist front.
He said aside that, some leading members of the two parties had also been interacting regarding the unification and gave the assurance that this time round, the unity would be achieved.
Some members of the two parties across the country have called on the leading members of the parties to expedite action on the unity talks.
The members believed that with a united front, the two parties stood a better chance of winning an election than contesting individually.
One of such calls came from the Brong Ahafo Regional Executives of the United Nkrumaist Front made up of the CPP and the PNC had sounded a note of caution to the entire National Executives both of the PNC and CPP not to do anything to undermine the efforts of uniting the Nkrumaist family.
They, therefore, appealed to both the National Executives of the CPP and the PNC and the Presidential candidates who stood for the 2008 general election for both CPP and PNC to unite so that they would contribute their quota to the unity move.
The regional executives of the United Nkrumaist Front also urged the national executives of the two parties and the respective presidential candidates for the 2008 general election not to place their personal interest above that of the party.
In a press release issued in Sunyani and signed jointly by Mr Emmanuel Oduro and Nana Kyeremeh, Regional Organiser and Regional Chairman of the CPP and PNC respectively, they congratulated their colleagues in the Northern part of the country on their decision to unite and also urged other Regional Executives of the CPP and PNC to also issue statement of support to the agenda of unity.
PNC to play responsiblerole in opposition — Ramadan
The National Chairman of the People’s National Convention (PNC), Alhaji Ahmed Ramadan, has said the party will continue to play its role as a responsible opposition party to strengthen democratic governance in the country and hold the government accountable to the people of Ghana.
He said the ultimate aim of the PNC in opposition was not to bring the government down but to work assiduously to always let the government be on its toes and bring out the best in it for the benefit of the ordinary Ghanaian.
The PNC Chairman, who was commenting on the recent nomination of one of its members to a ministerial position by the government in an interview in Accra, adding that “the PNC would not renege on its responsibility to ensure that the government fulfilled its promise to Ghanaians.
Recently, President J.E.A. Mills nominated Mr Alhassan Azong, PNC Member of Parliament (MP) for Builsa South, for the position of Minister of State at the Presidency. During the presidential run-off, Mr Azong joined forces with the NDC party in his constituency and it to win the election.
On the nomination of Mr Azong and possible nomination of more of its members, the PNC Chairman said the party was not vexed at the move.
He explained that during the presidential run-off, the PNC decided to remain neutral and not to support any of the two parties, NDC and NPP.
He added, however, that some of its members on their own volition joined one of the two parties and some of those who joined forces with the NDC were promised some positions.
Alhaji Ramadan said that in this instance what the party had been doing was to advise such members who received such appointments but not to stop them.
Concerning the reorganisation of the party after the election, he explained that the PNC would at the end of this month hold a national standing committee meeting to finalise the party’s reorganisation strategy.
Giving details of the reorganisation, he said in the first instance the party had printed “very attractive and must-own features” which would be used to replace the old ones.
He said the new membership identity cards which have columns for payment of dues were intended to guarantee and strengthen the input of members in the affairs of the party.
Alhaji Ramadan said apart from the reorganisation, some of the national executive members of the party, in collaboration with regional and constituency executives, would hold regional meetings with the constituency executives and other members to thank them for their hard work and support for the party during the electioneering.
He said the ultimate aim of the PNC in opposition was not to bring the government down but to work assiduously to always let the government be on its toes and bring out the best in it for the benefit of the ordinary Ghanaian.
The PNC Chairman, who was commenting on the recent nomination of one of its members to a ministerial position by the government in an interview in Accra, adding that “the PNC would not renege on its responsibility to ensure that the government fulfilled its promise to Ghanaians.
Recently, President J.E.A. Mills nominated Mr Alhassan Azong, PNC Member of Parliament (MP) for Builsa South, for the position of Minister of State at the Presidency. During the presidential run-off, Mr Azong joined forces with the NDC party in his constituency and it to win the election.
On the nomination of Mr Azong and possible nomination of more of its members, the PNC Chairman said the party was not vexed at the move.
He explained that during the presidential run-off, the PNC decided to remain neutral and not to support any of the two parties, NDC and NPP.
He added, however, that some of its members on their own volition joined one of the two parties and some of those who joined forces with the NDC were promised some positions.
Alhaji Ramadan said that in this instance what the party had been doing was to advise such members who received such appointments but not to stop them.
Concerning the reorganisation of the party after the election, he explained that the PNC would at the end of this month hold a national standing committee meeting to finalise the party’s reorganisation strategy.
Giving details of the reorganisation, he said in the first instance the party had printed “very attractive and must-own features” which would be used to replace the old ones.
He said the new membership identity cards which have columns for payment of dues were intended to guarantee and strengthen the input of members in the affairs of the party.
Alhaji Ramadan said apart from the reorganisation, some of the national executive members of the party, in collaboration with regional and constituency executives, would hold regional meetings with the constituency executives and other members to thank them for their hard work and support for the party during the electioneering.
Ghana risk becoming a failed state
GHANA risks becoming a failed state, if it does not evolve strategies to deal with the increasing threat of vigilante groups formed by political parties to threaten and beat up opponents, the Commissioner for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHAR), Mr Justice Emile Francis Short, has cautioned.
He noted that the greatest threat to the country’s democracy was the dangerous phenomenon that reared its ugly head in recent by-elections in Akwatia, Chereponi and lately in Atiwa, where with even more than 1,200 security personnel, violence erupted resulting in injuries to several people.
Mr Short, who served as a judge with the International Tribunal for Rwanda in Arusha, made the call yesterday in a paper titled: “Is Our Democracy Under A Threat?” to mark this year’s “Democracy Day” in Accra. It was organised by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA).
He noted that more alarming was the report from Atiwa that vigilante groups mounted roadblocks and were checking the identity of people entering the constituency and described it as a dangerous development akin to the situation that transpired in Rwanda in 1994.
According to Mr Short, during the Rwanda genocide Hutu militants, called the Interhamwe, mounted roadblocks at various locations, checking the identity cards of all passers-by with a view to eliminating all Tutsis.
He described as disturbing the fact that till date none of the perpetrators of the violence or the persons who mounted the roadblocks at Atiwa had been arrested and prosecuted and asked if the rule of law no longer applied to political events.
Mr Short said since the inception of the Fourth Republic, Ghana had made great strides to the admiration of the international community, but issues such as bad human rights record, widespread corruption and the perception that members of political parties in power must be the only persons to benefit from state resources to the detriment of other citizens were part of the threat to democracy.
He also advised rampaging youth who were seizing offices and attempting to assault public officers that whatever their grievances, they should use the established channels of communication to seek redress and not take the law into their own hands.
The Chairman of the National Media Commission (NMC), Mr Kabral Blay-Amihere, who spoke on the topic: “Is the Media Undermining Ghana’s Democracy?”, mentioned some of the concerns about the media in the country as sensationalism, plain lies, vulgar language, plagiarism, unprofessionalism, irresponsibility and a myriad of unethical and unprofessional practices.
He called for a thorough examination of the relationship between political ownership of media houses and ethical misconduct, because this issue was tied to a bigger problem of ownership and media performance.
He explained that there were several newspapers that were being sponsored or supported by politicians or others with political interests and specific political agenda, adding that such media houses were prepared to publish and be dammed, fully aware of the protection of media freedom under the constitution.
Mr Blay-Amihere said such media practitioners cared less about the limitations imposed by civil libel laws and some laws on the statutes such as the law of sedition.
He said another dangerous phenomenon was the role of “serial callers”, whose stock in trade was hate speech and insults and wondered who had been sponsoring such serial callers and determining the talking points, line of arguments and language that some social commentators use during radio discussions.
Mr Blay-Amihere said most of the heat and tension generated on the airwaves did not come from journalists but from serial callers and party spokespersons who regarded their appearances at FM stations as extension of their political propaganda and campaigning for future elections.
He also called for a critical look at the training of journalists, especially with mushrooming of several unaccredited journalism schools in Ghana, which has not helped the situation.
He noted that the greatest threat to the country’s democracy was the dangerous phenomenon that reared its ugly head in recent by-elections in Akwatia, Chereponi and lately in Atiwa, where with even more than 1,200 security personnel, violence erupted resulting in injuries to several people.
Mr Short, who served as a judge with the International Tribunal for Rwanda in Arusha, made the call yesterday in a paper titled: “Is Our Democracy Under A Threat?” to mark this year’s “Democracy Day” in Accra. It was organised by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA).
He noted that more alarming was the report from Atiwa that vigilante groups mounted roadblocks and were checking the identity of people entering the constituency and described it as a dangerous development akin to the situation that transpired in Rwanda in 1994.
According to Mr Short, during the Rwanda genocide Hutu militants, called the Interhamwe, mounted roadblocks at various locations, checking the identity cards of all passers-by with a view to eliminating all Tutsis.
He described as disturbing the fact that till date none of the perpetrators of the violence or the persons who mounted the roadblocks at Atiwa had been arrested and prosecuted and asked if the rule of law no longer applied to political events.
Mr Short said since the inception of the Fourth Republic, Ghana had made great strides to the admiration of the international community, but issues such as bad human rights record, widespread corruption and the perception that members of political parties in power must be the only persons to benefit from state resources to the detriment of other citizens were part of the threat to democracy.
He also advised rampaging youth who were seizing offices and attempting to assault public officers that whatever their grievances, they should use the established channels of communication to seek redress and not take the law into their own hands.
The Chairman of the National Media Commission (NMC), Mr Kabral Blay-Amihere, who spoke on the topic: “Is the Media Undermining Ghana’s Democracy?”, mentioned some of the concerns about the media in the country as sensationalism, plain lies, vulgar language, plagiarism, unprofessionalism, irresponsibility and a myriad of unethical and unprofessional practices.
He called for a thorough examination of the relationship between political ownership of media houses and ethical misconduct, because this issue was tied to a bigger problem of ownership and media performance.
He explained that there were several newspapers that were being sponsored or supported by politicians or others with political interests and specific political agenda, adding that such media houses were prepared to publish and be dammed, fully aware of the protection of media freedom under the constitution.
Mr Blay-Amihere said such media practitioners cared less about the limitations imposed by civil libel laws and some laws on the statutes such as the law of sedition.
He said another dangerous phenomenon was the role of “serial callers”, whose stock in trade was hate speech and insults and wondered who had been sponsoring such serial callers and determining the talking points, line of arguments and language that some social commentators use during radio discussions.
Mr Blay-Amihere said most of the heat and tension generated on the airwaves did not come from journalists but from serial callers and party spokespersons who regarded their appearances at FM stations as extension of their political propaganda and campaigning for future elections.
He also called for a critical look at the training of journalists, especially with mushrooming of several unaccredited journalism schools in Ghana, which has not helped the situation.
Parties must set up internal adjudicating tribunals*Argues Prof Oquaye at IEA Forum
PROF. Mike Oquaye, the Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, has asked political parties to establish internal adjudicating tribunals to ensure that the rules and regulations of the parties and the national constitution were obeyed.
He said the tribunals, which should be at the regional and national levels, should ensure that rules, regulations and the procedures for the conduct of party affairs were codified and well laid out.
Prof Oquaye who is also the Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya made the call in a paper titled “Internal Democracy- An Essential Ingredient for a Viable and Stable Multiparty Democracy” at a round-table conference in Accra on Wednesday. It was organised by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), a public policy institute, to mark Democracy Day.
He noted that although political parties had rules, regulations and procedures for sanctioning members who engaged in activities that tend to make the party unattractive and unacceptable to the majority of the electorates.
He said in most cases when members flouted the party’s rules concerning administrative and financial management, elections and other party activities, they should be removed from office and charged in criminal courts where necessary.
Prof. Oquaye said in such instances where the political parties had, for internal reasons, opted to quietly settle differences which arose from such conduct, it happened that culprits rather go trumpeting that they were being witch-hunted, a situation which created unnecessary discord in political parties.
He said the practice, where some people sought to shield those who engaged in fraudulent electoral activities or broke the rules during internal elections, should not be encouraged because it flouted the doctrine of internal party democracy. After all, observance of the law was the first tenet of democratic governance.
He bemoaned the insignificant number of women who had been members of parliament, as apart from 1965 when Ghana had 18.2 per cent of MPs being women, the percentage over the years had hovered around 3.3 and 10.8.
To address the situation, Prof. Oquaye urged political parties to establish a quota for women in all executives positions. For instance, the First Vice persons at all levels should be female, once a male is elected chairperson.
He said internal party democracy was the way to give women their rightful place in shaping the manifestos of political parties and subsequently national policies in general.
He suggested that parties must be required to reserve a number of seats for women and if a party did not have the required number of women on its ballot, it should not take part in the elections.
Prof. Oquaye mentioned the Namibian example where the system had worked to the extent that women now control 43 per cent of the parliamentary seats.
Another method he proposed was the creation of additional 30 seats in Parliament to be competed for exclusively by women on proportional representation basis. With this, the seats would be allotted to the regions on the basis of population strength and the political parties would select candidates to contest accordingly.
He said the tribunals, which should be at the regional and national levels, should ensure that rules, regulations and the procedures for the conduct of party affairs were codified and well laid out.
Prof Oquaye who is also the Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya made the call in a paper titled “Internal Democracy- An Essential Ingredient for a Viable and Stable Multiparty Democracy” at a round-table conference in Accra on Wednesday. It was organised by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), a public policy institute, to mark Democracy Day.
He noted that although political parties had rules, regulations and procedures for sanctioning members who engaged in activities that tend to make the party unattractive and unacceptable to the majority of the electorates.
He said in most cases when members flouted the party’s rules concerning administrative and financial management, elections and other party activities, they should be removed from office and charged in criminal courts where necessary.
Prof. Oquaye said in such instances where the political parties had, for internal reasons, opted to quietly settle differences which arose from such conduct, it happened that culprits rather go trumpeting that they were being witch-hunted, a situation which created unnecessary discord in political parties.
He said the practice, where some people sought to shield those who engaged in fraudulent electoral activities or broke the rules during internal elections, should not be encouraged because it flouted the doctrine of internal party democracy. After all, observance of the law was the first tenet of democratic governance.
He bemoaned the insignificant number of women who had been members of parliament, as apart from 1965 when Ghana had 18.2 per cent of MPs being women, the percentage over the years had hovered around 3.3 and 10.8.
To address the situation, Prof. Oquaye urged political parties to establish a quota for women in all executives positions. For instance, the First Vice persons at all levels should be female, once a male is elected chairperson.
He said internal party democracy was the way to give women their rightful place in shaping the manifestos of political parties and subsequently national policies in general.
He suggested that parties must be required to reserve a number of seats for women and if a party did not have the required number of women on its ballot, it should not take part in the elections.
Prof. Oquaye mentioned the Namibian example where the system had worked to the extent that women now control 43 per cent of the parliamentary seats.
Another method he proposed was the creation of additional 30 seats in Parliament to be competed for exclusively by women on proportional representation basis. With this, the seats would be allotted to the regions on the basis of population strength and the political parties would select candidates to contest accordingly.
Vest power of establishing new district in EC — Ahwoi
A Decentralisation Expert, Mr Kwamina Ahwoi has supported the call for vesting the power of establishing a new district in the Electoral Commission (EC) with authorisation from the Parliament.
He said leaving the decision in the hands of a President had in some cases resulted in the creation of a district that did not meet the qualification criteria, thereby resulting in the establishment of districts that were fraught with financial and developmental challenges.
Mr Ahwoi who is the longest serving Minister of Local Government and Rural Development was briefing a seven-member delegation from the Malawian Centre for Multiparty Democracy (CMD) who are in the country to learn at first hand Ghana’s electoral success story, especially at the local level.
The delegation was in the country at the invitation of the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), a public policy institute.
According to Mr Ahwoi, most of the 60 new districts that were created recently did not meet the basic qualification which included economic viability and population size, adding that “technically most of these district must be collapsed but it would be politically suicidal for any government to attempt to do that”.
He explained that because the new districts did not meet economic viability criteria, they were not able to meet the basic requirement of building their offices and had to fall on the Central Government for such support.
He added that if power was vested in the EC, because it had the expertise to undertake such demarcation it would take into considerations all the necessary demands of the law, while Parliament which represented Ghanaians would also make greater input.
In 2003 and 2007, 60 additional districts were created, of the three new metropolises that were created, Cape Coast and Tema did not meet the minimum population criterion of 250,000.
The 36 new municipalities that were created, none met Act 462’s criterion which is “ that the geographical area consist of a single compact settlement” and of the 31 districts that were created, very few met Act 462’s requirement of “economic viability”.
Mr Ahwoi added that apart from not meeting internal standards, the proliferation of district always posed a danger to local government and decentralisation as they tended to strengthen the Central Government’s stronghold over the districts.
He also told the Malawian delegation that Ghana’s current local government system was an amalgamation of its past experiences, ethnic groups, chieftaincy system, socio-political needs and parts of the systems of other countries around the world.
He mentioned that the 30 per cent members of the assembly that were appointed were meant to cater for other groups, especially chiefs, specialists and women who would normally either not participate in elections or would participate but not win elections.
Mr Ahwoi advised the Malawian to carve out a local government system that would suit them and advance their development.
The Leader of the delegation, Dr Chris Daza who is the General Secretary of the Malawian Congress Party (MCP), said Malawi had not been able to organise a local level elections for a long time and that it was to develop a new and effective local government system that was why they had come to Ghana.
He said leaving the decision in the hands of a President had in some cases resulted in the creation of a district that did not meet the qualification criteria, thereby resulting in the establishment of districts that were fraught with financial and developmental challenges.
Mr Ahwoi who is the longest serving Minister of Local Government and Rural Development was briefing a seven-member delegation from the Malawian Centre for Multiparty Democracy (CMD) who are in the country to learn at first hand Ghana’s electoral success story, especially at the local level.
The delegation was in the country at the invitation of the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), a public policy institute.
According to Mr Ahwoi, most of the 60 new districts that were created recently did not meet the basic qualification which included economic viability and population size, adding that “technically most of these district must be collapsed but it would be politically suicidal for any government to attempt to do that”.
He explained that because the new districts did not meet economic viability criteria, they were not able to meet the basic requirement of building their offices and had to fall on the Central Government for such support.
He added that if power was vested in the EC, because it had the expertise to undertake such demarcation it would take into considerations all the necessary demands of the law, while Parliament which represented Ghanaians would also make greater input.
In 2003 and 2007, 60 additional districts were created, of the three new metropolises that were created, Cape Coast and Tema did not meet the minimum population criterion of 250,000.
The 36 new municipalities that were created, none met Act 462’s criterion which is “ that the geographical area consist of a single compact settlement” and of the 31 districts that were created, very few met Act 462’s requirement of “economic viability”.
Mr Ahwoi added that apart from not meeting internal standards, the proliferation of district always posed a danger to local government and decentralisation as they tended to strengthen the Central Government’s stronghold over the districts.
He also told the Malawian delegation that Ghana’s current local government system was an amalgamation of its past experiences, ethnic groups, chieftaincy system, socio-political needs and parts of the systems of other countries around the world.
He mentioned that the 30 per cent members of the assembly that were appointed were meant to cater for other groups, especially chiefs, specialists and women who would normally either not participate in elections or would participate but not win elections.
Mr Ahwoi advised the Malawian to carve out a local government system that would suit them and advance their development.
The Leader of the delegation, Dr Chris Daza who is the General Secretary of the Malawian Congress Party (MCP), said Malawi had not been able to organise a local level elections for a long time and that it was to develop a new and effective local government system that was why they had come to Ghana.
Mahama criticises fellow politicians
THE 2008 Presidential Candidate of the People’s National Convention (PNC), Dr Edward Mahama, has said that most politicians are not objective enough to set the agenda for national discourse.
Consequently, he has advised that the media should ensure that it brought issues that were of major concern to the people to the fore for discussion and ensure that the concerns of the ordinary people held sway.
Dr Mahama was addressing the media just before a validation conference on constitutional review in Accra. The conference was for PNC to corroborate issues for constitutional review raised under the IEA-Ghana Political Parties Platform (GPPP).
He said most politicians in the country were highly jaundiced to the extent that they would not be able to raise issues of national concern such as constitutional review, devoid of partisan interest.
He also urged the media to ensure that they provided adequate awareness and opportunity for ordinary Ghanaians to make their views, concerns and aspirations known to the constitutional review committee.
With this, he said, the reviewed constitution would stand the test of time.
Dr Mahama paid glowing tribute to the IEA for its contribution to strengthening the democratic process and described it as a typical example of US President Barrack Obama’s strong institutions that Ghana needed.
He noted that over the years, the IEA had demonstrated beyond doubt that its core commitment was to build stronger political parties led by leaders who would not perceived themselves as enemies but Ghanaians with different views on how the country would be developed for the benefit of all.
In his opening remarks, the Finance Manager of IEA, Mr Asante Ayeh, explained that the call to review the nation’s constitution was a recommendation of the IEA-Ghana Political Parties Platform (GPPP) which was suggested under the Democracy Consolidation Strategy Paper (DCSP).
He explained that the DCSP, as a study, identified the gaps in the democratic practice since the coming into force of the 1992 constitution and proposed practical recommendations for reform.
He said the study examined the functions of the executive, legislature, judiciary, media, civil society organisations and the constitution and pointed to the fact that though the constitution had worked very well, a number of provisions continued to hinder maturation of the democracy.
Mr Ayeh said some of the 27 provisions considered in earlier meetings include the provision that the Constitution Review Commission should make provisions in the constitution to cover the situation where the position of Vice-President becomes vacant and whether there should be a ceiling on the number of Ministers to be appointed from Parliament.
He added that it was in the light of these and several other deficiencies identified that the study called for the establishment of the Constitutional Review Commission to oversee the review of the current Constitution.
Mr Ayeh said it was important to remember that the IEA-GPP had come this far, receiving recognition even at the level of the presidency because of the unity of purpose, consensus building and bi-partisan approach to discussing issues of national interest by political party leaders.
Consequently, he has advised that the media should ensure that it brought issues that were of major concern to the people to the fore for discussion and ensure that the concerns of the ordinary people held sway.
Dr Mahama was addressing the media just before a validation conference on constitutional review in Accra. The conference was for PNC to corroborate issues for constitutional review raised under the IEA-Ghana Political Parties Platform (GPPP).
He said most politicians in the country were highly jaundiced to the extent that they would not be able to raise issues of national concern such as constitutional review, devoid of partisan interest.
He also urged the media to ensure that they provided adequate awareness and opportunity for ordinary Ghanaians to make their views, concerns and aspirations known to the constitutional review committee.
With this, he said, the reviewed constitution would stand the test of time.
Dr Mahama paid glowing tribute to the IEA for its contribution to strengthening the democratic process and described it as a typical example of US President Barrack Obama’s strong institutions that Ghana needed.
He noted that over the years, the IEA had demonstrated beyond doubt that its core commitment was to build stronger political parties led by leaders who would not perceived themselves as enemies but Ghanaians with different views on how the country would be developed for the benefit of all.
In his opening remarks, the Finance Manager of IEA, Mr Asante Ayeh, explained that the call to review the nation’s constitution was a recommendation of the IEA-Ghana Political Parties Platform (GPPP) which was suggested under the Democracy Consolidation Strategy Paper (DCSP).
He explained that the DCSP, as a study, identified the gaps in the democratic practice since the coming into force of the 1992 constitution and proposed practical recommendations for reform.
He said the study examined the functions of the executive, legislature, judiciary, media, civil society organisations and the constitution and pointed to the fact that though the constitution had worked very well, a number of provisions continued to hinder maturation of the democracy.
Mr Ayeh said some of the 27 provisions considered in earlier meetings include the provision that the Constitution Review Commission should make provisions in the constitution to cover the situation where the position of Vice-President becomes vacant and whether there should be a ceiling on the number of Ministers to be appointed from Parliament.
He added that it was in the light of these and several other deficiencies identified that the study called for the establishment of the Constitutional Review Commission to oversee the review of the current Constitution.
Mr Ayeh said it was important to remember that the IEA-GPP had come this far, receiving recognition even at the level of the presidency because of the unity of purpose, consensus building and bi-partisan approach to discussing issues of national interest by political party leaders.
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