Saturday, November 17, 2012
Akufo-Addo interacts with Rawlings
For years, the two political heavyweights who belong to different political persuasions have never met to jaw-jaw on national issues.
With smiles and a warm handshake, former President Rawlings defined his role as a statesman when he welcomed Nana Akufo-Addo to his residence.
The meeting, which was least expected and never thought of, centred on how best to secure a peaceful and united atmosphere during and after the December general election.
It was also to ensure that corruption was minimised to generate enough resources to better the lives of the impoverished people of Ghana.
Many reporters covering Nana Akufo-Addo did not believe it when they were told by the Nana Akufo-Addo Communications Team that the NPP flag bearer was to going visit former President Rawlings until the bus conveying them passed what is referred to as the ‘Boom Junction’ and entered the Ridge residence of the former President in Accra.
Surprised at the great number of reporters and the historic nature of the meeting, former President Rawlings remarked, “I wish I had a camera to take a shot of this. I mean this is a real bonanza. We have never seen this before in this country.”
Former President Rawlings, who is also the founder of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), wholeheartedly welcomed Nana Akufo-Addo and his entourage with laughter.
The Akufo-Addo entourage included the NPP National Chairman, Mr Jake Otanka Obetsebi-Lamptey, and the Special Aide to the flag bearer, Mr Abu Jinapor.
Both leaders exchanged pleasantries, to the amazement of the reporters present.
Setting the tone for the cordial discussions in a crowded but cosy room, Nana Akufo-Addo said the time had come “when actors in the political scene found a way to talk with each other rather than at each other, which has been the case in our country for a long time”.
He said the visit was to ensure that they found a way to secure peaceful elections and also give his reassurance and commitment to non-violent elections.
Former President Rawlings described the meeting as a “privilege and honour” and expressed the hope that it would send positive signals to supporters of both the NPP and the NDC.
He said what the supporters of both parties would expect was a very “vigilant, free and fair elections devoid of provocations, especially in areas that the two parties consider as their strongholds”.
Former President Rawlings, who played a leading role in the NDC’s campaign to capture power in the 2008 elections, assured Nana Akufo-Addo, “I may not be active on the campaign trail so you can rest assured that you will probably not be hearing the [Papa] ‘tia tia’ comments.”
In a very surprising remark, he indicated that he personally expected either President Mahama or Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings of the National Democratic Party (NDP) to win the 2012 elections.
“Can NDC supporters enjoy the same degree of security and freedom under your government as the NPP had enjoyed under the Mills-Mahama government should Akufo-Addo win the elections?” he asked.
According to former President Rawlings, a great number of NDC members and supporters were nervous in case their party lost the elections because of the experience they had when they lost power in 2000.
“That is part of the nervousness that is creating the stress and tension in our camp about going into opposition,” he stated, adding that it was important that the NPP assure Ghanaians that if it won the elections, there would be freedom and justice.
He reminded the NPP that even the international community had realised that the 2012 elections could be “a make or break for the achievements of our country” and called for collaboration to ensure that Ghana did not slide into destruction like other countries.
“Let us use this opportunity, irrespective of whoever wins these elections, to make the most and give this country the necessary lead she needs. Let’s prove a point that it could be done,” he pleaded.
Likening elections to football matches, former President Rawlings said just as Ghanaians supported their individual football clubs at the local level but united to support the Black Stars, the national team, they should replicate that in the creation of government to engender unity and also be able to tap the best brains to solve the problems of the people, especially in the area of health and education.
He pleaded with all the presidential candidates to ensure that whoever won the elections focused on the fight against corruption which was eating into the fabric of society and prevented the country from making the necessary developmental leaps.
Nana Akufo-Addo described the former President’s concerns as welcome, saying they also reflected the concerns of the ordinary Ghanaian.
He said the meeting was a new page in the political history of Ghana and noted that it was the responsibility of leaders to address the developmental challenges of the people and transform their lives for the better, especially better health care, quality, affordable and accessible education and more dignified living.
For his part, an elated Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey commended President Rawlings for his great legacy for the country, especially setting in motion the Fourth Republic, managing the transition from military to civilian government and also leaving a legacy of integrity in government.
He added that if Ghanaians would follow the legacy and demand integrity and accountability, Ghana would be able to develop, a comment which made President Rawlings remark, “That is what led to the formation of the NDP.”
Nana Akufo-Addo Pledges To Make Corruption Unattractive
The flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has promised to introduce stiffer punishment that will make corruption unattractive and very expensive at all levels of the society when he is voted into power.
Consequently, he said, his administration would, among other measures, amend the relevant sections of the Criminal Code and Offences Act “to make corruption a felony rather than a misdemeanour”, to make the theft of state funds more expensive for the criminal.
Addressing a section of faculty members and students of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi Wednesday, he trumpeted his personal incorruptible nature, and said: “I bring to the table and to the Office of President of this great country an unblemished track record of personal integrity and fortitude.”
He challenged the record of the NDC in fighting the canker within its almost four years.
Nana Akufo-Addo is in Kumasi as part of his nationwide campaign tour to garner votes for the December 7 general election. The address was dubbed: “Why Ghana Cannot Afford Corruption”.
Other moves he intended to undertake as part of his determination to fight corruption, if voted into office, would include the institutionalisation of what he called an “Anas Principle”.
The flag bearer explained that the “Anas Principle” was where a special squad made up of the best and young talents, well trained and disciplined would be engaged by existing anti-corruption agencies to keep the fight against the menace constant at every corner of the country.
He pledged to support and provide anti-corruption institutions such as Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ, Economic and Organised Crime Organisation (EOCO), the Financial Intelligence Centre and the Ghana Police Service, with greater financial resources to recruit, train, engage and retain more of the technical personnel to be able to investigate and educate against the menace.
Regarding the controversial ‘Woyome-Judgement Debt Saga’, Nana Akufo-Addo said the NDC communication team had tried with difficulty to seek non existing equalisation of the “criminal behaviour” by claiming that all governments paid judgement debts.
He explained that in the first four years of the NPP administration, when he was the Minister of Justice and Mr Yaw Osafo Maafo was the Finance Minister, less that GH¢4 million was paid as judgement debt, while the NDC, in its first term, had paid a whopping GH¢642 million, close to the GH¢678 million that his administration, if voted into office, would spend in improving facilities and teaching and learning at the various secondary schools in the country.
Nana Akufo-Addo said although President John Mahama had promised a sole commissioner to thoroughly examine the judgement debt and negotiate settlement, Ghanaians were just expecting that the government retrieved monies which had been paid to some people without any justification.
The NPP flag bearer stated that it was easy to appreciate why Ghanaians were having doubts about President John Dramani Mahama’s commitment to fighting corruption, it was because of his involvement in at least, the two most controversial international transactions he led.
He said the two transactions were the abortive $10 million STX Housing deal from Korea and the Embraer 190 Jet and the accompanying $17 million hangar from Brazil.
Unlike the National Democratic Congress (NDC), which stated in its 2008 Manifesto that it would enact into law the Freedom of Information Bill to facilitate access to official information but had failed to do that, Nana Akufo-Addo said his government would pass the bill as well as improve the archival management, including record keeping and information retrieval systems in the public sector to facilitate transparency and accountability in public affairs.
He sounded a warning to his party members saying, “If your idea is to make corrupt money in government, then there will be no room for you in my government. If you think of public office as a short cut to making money, then find some other venture to engage your time and energies because there will be no place under an Akufo-Addo government for self enrichment in politics”.
Nana Akufo-Addo declared that the time had come for us a nation to end the business of going into politics because now we need to change the culture of seeking wealth through politics and seeing politics as a field for financial gains.
“This approach to politics has debased what should be the essence of public office — the spirit of service for the common good. I as your President will lead by example and will not allow corrupt, greedy and self-serving politicians in my government”, and challenged Ghanaians to hold him to this sacred promise.
Akufo-Addo steps up tempo in campaigning
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has stepped up the tempo of his electioneering for the December 7 polls, visiting a number of areas in six constituencies in the Ashanti Region in a day.
Not even the sparse location of the various locations, the pitch of darkness and the long period of time allocated for each visit could hinder his determination to ensure that each venue was given equal and ample attention as far as visiting traditional chiefs, interacting with the people on the streets and mini-rallies were concerned.
Reporters in his campaign team and their colleagues from the Ashanti Region who followed the campaign which ended at 1.30 a.m. in the Effiduase Asokore Constituency could at some point not come out of their vehicles because they were tired, with a lot of them dosing off in their vehicles while the campaign was in session.
The constituencies he visited were Amansie West, Bekwai, Bosome Freho, Asante Akyem North, Asante Akyem Central and Effiduase Asokore. In each of these constituencies, the parliamentary candidates met the campaign team at the boundaries of the constituency, stood side by side Nana Akufo-Addo in his open-top vehicle and responded to cheers before addressing the people at the different places.
Although he passed through two other constituencies (Antwima Nwabeagya and Kwadaso), he only stood on top of his car and waved at the people, some of whom had blocked the road, insisting he addressed them.
On the average, Nana Akufo-Addo visited four areas in each of the constituencies and introduced the party’s parliamentary candidates. He reiterated his commitment to implement the party’s flagship policy of free senor high school, revamp the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), fight corruption and transform the economy to create well-paying jobs and wealth for the people of Ghana.
In all the places that he had the opportunity to address the people, Nana Akufo-Addo commended the people who turned up in their numbers at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium last Sunday when the party held a non-denominational church service dubbed ‘Jericho Must Fall.’
One striking thing was that the campaign team got to most of the places very late but the people came out in their numbers, with a large number of them wearing NPP paraphernalia.
Introducing the party’s parliamentary candidates, Nana Akufo-Addo made it clear that he did know of any independent parliamentary candidate and that they should vote for him and only the candidates that the party’s Electoral College had elected.
Red vuvuzelas, shaped in the form of a trumpet, which were blown to symbolically bring down the walls of Jericho at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium were everywhere. The vuvuzelas were a nuisance at times because those who blew them made the noise bury the sounds that were coming out of the public address systems.
At Agogo, Nana Akufo-Addo in addition to his three-pronged message of free senior high school, revamping the NHIS and rebuilding the economy to create more jobs through industrialisation assured the people that the menace of the Fulani herdsmen would be dealt with in an effective manner to bring relief and comfort to the people.
Most of the places visited were dotted with sites of galamsey operations and Nana Akufo-Addo used the occasion to debunk what he claimed as malicious propaganda by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) that an NPP government would abolish galamsey operations.
He reminded the people that as a government that would be seeking ways of offering employment to its teeming youth who were idling about, they would be the last to abolish galamsey.
He explained that just as former President J A Kufuor initiated programmes to modernise the operations of the galamsey operations for efficiency and also to save the environment, the next NPP government would follow the footsteps of their predecessor and ensure that they gained greater benefit from their work while the environment was also not destroyed.
Nana Akufo-Addo said the University of Mines and Technology would be tasked to lead the way in this direction by coming out with techniques, tools and machines that would be suitable for galamsey operations.
Story: Donald Ato Dapatem
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Ghanaians are living under hard times - NPP
13/01/12
THE opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has stated that contrary to claims by President Mills that his administration has brought relief to the people, Ghanaians are living under hard times which are compounded by unprecedented hikes in the prices of goods and services.
It claimed that from school fees, the cost of balls of kenkey, rent, transport fares, utility fares to fuel prices, everything had gone up between 50 to 150 per cent, bringing untold hardship to the ordinary people of Ghana who were promised an action year under the Better Ghana Agenda.
The Spokesperson for the NPP Communications Team, Nana Akomeah, stated this at a press conference to react to answers given by President Mills to questions posed to him by some senior journalists and editors at the third annual media encounter since he assumed office in 2009.
President Mills answered questions on the performance of his administration last year, which he had declared an ‘action year’, the Woyome judgement debt saga, funding for the Electoral Commission, among others.
Nana Akomeah, who is also the Member of Parliament for Okaikoi South, used price increases on general goods and services in one of the communities in his constituency, Bubiashie, to indicate that prices had generally gone up drastically since the inception of the Mills administration.
He said contrary to the Action Year mantra for the 2011, the year turned out to be a “wahala” one and said former President Rawlings had described 2011 under President Mills as “stagnant”.
He explained that as per the benchmark set by Mr Koku Anyidoho for the ‘Action Year ‘ in 2011, none was met and mentioned standards for measuring the ‘Action Year’ to include the construction of the Volta and Brong Ahafo universities, the Eastern Corridor roads, the Cape Coast Kotokoraba Market and the Cape Coast Sports Stadium.
Nana Akomeah said apart from the fact that none of the projects had either been started or was under construction, the much talked about and unprecedented STX housing, which the President had cut the sod for it to commence, was also in limbo.
He indicated that unfortunately, after several pieces of advice from the NPP to the government to tread cautiously in offering a sovereign guarantee to the STX partners, as well as raising the hopes of Ghanaians and particularly personnel of the security agencies, the project could not see the light of day.
Nana Akomeah said although the Mills administration had received over $6 billion in loans for various projects and programmes, there was nothing to show for it, noting that the two most visible projects going on in the country were the Mallam-Tetteh Quarshie Highway and the Bui Dam which started during the Kufuor regime.
He expressed surprise that the President would claim ignorance over the payment of GH¢58 million to Mr Alfred Woyome because correspondence among all the governmental agencies involved in the payment indicated that copies of the letters had been sent to the Office of the President.
He noted that the dimension that the Woyome issue had taken was worrying because while the President had no problem with the payment but was asking EOCO to look for the way the liability had occurred, the Attorney-General, who is the legal advisor to the President, was challenging Mr Woyome’s claim of having signed a contract with the government to warrant the payment of that amount.
THE opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has stated that contrary to claims by President Mills that his administration has brought relief to the people, Ghanaians are living under hard times which are compounded by unprecedented hikes in the prices of goods and services.
It claimed that from school fees, the cost of balls of kenkey, rent, transport fares, utility fares to fuel prices, everything had gone up between 50 to 150 per cent, bringing untold hardship to the ordinary people of Ghana who were promised an action year under the Better Ghana Agenda.
The Spokesperson for the NPP Communications Team, Nana Akomeah, stated this at a press conference to react to answers given by President Mills to questions posed to him by some senior journalists and editors at the third annual media encounter since he assumed office in 2009.
President Mills answered questions on the performance of his administration last year, which he had declared an ‘action year’, the Woyome judgement debt saga, funding for the Electoral Commission, among others.
Nana Akomeah, who is also the Member of Parliament for Okaikoi South, used price increases on general goods and services in one of the communities in his constituency, Bubiashie, to indicate that prices had generally gone up drastically since the inception of the Mills administration.
He said contrary to the Action Year mantra for the 2011, the year turned out to be a “wahala” one and said former President Rawlings had described 2011 under President Mills as “stagnant”.
He explained that as per the benchmark set by Mr Koku Anyidoho for the ‘Action Year ‘ in 2011, none was met and mentioned standards for measuring the ‘Action Year’ to include the construction of the Volta and Brong Ahafo universities, the Eastern Corridor roads, the Cape Coast Kotokoraba Market and the Cape Coast Sports Stadium.
Nana Akomeah said apart from the fact that none of the projects had either been started or was under construction, the much talked about and unprecedented STX housing, which the President had cut the sod for it to commence, was also in limbo.
He indicated that unfortunately, after several pieces of advice from the NPP to the government to tread cautiously in offering a sovereign guarantee to the STX partners, as well as raising the hopes of Ghanaians and particularly personnel of the security agencies, the project could not see the light of day.
Nana Akomeah said although the Mills administration had received over $6 billion in loans for various projects and programmes, there was nothing to show for it, noting that the two most visible projects going on in the country were the Mallam-Tetteh Quarshie Highway and the Bui Dam which started during the Kufuor regime.
He expressed surprise that the President would claim ignorance over the payment of GH¢58 million to Mr Alfred Woyome because correspondence among all the governmental agencies involved in the payment indicated that copies of the letters had been sent to the Office of the President.
He noted that the dimension that the Woyome issue had taken was worrying because while the President had no problem with the payment but was asking EOCO to look for the way the liability had occurred, the Attorney-General, who is the legal advisor to the President, was challenging Mr Woyome’s claim of having signed a contract with the government to warrant the payment of that amount.
‘PPP will give NDC, NPP good run for money’ - Nduom
13/01/12
THE Founder and Leader of the newly formed political party, Progressive People’s Party, Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, has assured the two main political parties, the National Democratic Congress and the New Patriotic Party, that the PPP would give them a good run for their money in the 2012 elections.
Likening the two main parties to Goliath and the PPP to David, he said contrary to speculations from critics that the PPP would be irrelevant like other political parties such as the National Reform Party, the Democratic Reformed Party, the PPP would form the next government.
He was addressing the 17-member regional executive and the 20-executive members from each of the 27 constituencies in the Greater Accra on Wednesday.
The newest political party to enter the political scene, PPP, inaugurated the Greater Accra Regional interim executive of the party and immediately launched ‘Operation No Zero Vote at Any Polling Station.’
Dr Nduom explained that as part of the operation, any constituency that would be able to organise and register 1,000 members who would acquire membership cards would be supported to organise the constituency.
The campaign, according to Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, is to ensure that the party is stronger on the ground and does not suffer the fate of some parties that got zero vote at some polling stations in the 2008 elections.
In 2000, the National Reform Party and the United Ghana Movement had zero votes at some polling stations. In 2008 a similar fate befell the Democratic Freedom Party and the CPP, whose presidential candidate was Dr Nduom.
He added that the registered members must have contributed GH¢1 each for the party forms and membership card. He also gave an assurance that within the shortest possible time, each constituency would receive two party sign boards, a computer and a fully furnished office.
He admonished the members of the party to bear in mind that the beginning would not be easy, and that they should prepare for the challenges ahead and resolve to be steadfast.
Before the swearing-in of the executives at the filled to capacity Kama Conference Centre, PPP officials announced that because it was criminal to belong to two political parties, especially as an executive, all those who were members and held executive positions in the Convention People’s Party (CPP) must resigned before the swearing-in ceremony.
The official indicated that the PPP had designed and printed copies of resignation letters to assist those who wanted to resign to do so quickly. It was also announced that anyone who believed that he or she was coerced or forced to join the PPP could walk away.
Dr Nduom added, “some people claim that what we are doing is a waste of time, resources and energy. It will be useless in the long run. But let me assure them that we have come to stay. We are not doing this to later join the NDC or the NPP or any party.”
“I don’t want to be anybody’s minister. I have been an assembly member, ordinary minister and later a cabinet minister as well as a Member of Parliament. Where should I go next? President. Why should I work only to become a minister?” He asked the cheering interim executive who filled the Kama Conference hall to capacity.
Dr Nduom, who was the CPP Member of Parliament for Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abirim, told the members that the PPP did not believe in any ideology but stood for the development of the country through quality and accessible education, health care, proper social welfare system, provision of employment and protection of the vulnerable.
He said one of the cornerstones of the PPP’s policies was all inclusiveness that would ensure that all Ghanaians would be involved in the management of the country and execution of all contracts irrespective of religious, ethnic, political affiliations.
THE Founder and Leader of the newly formed political party, Progressive People’s Party, Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, has assured the two main political parties, the National Democratic Congress and the New Patriotic Party, that the PPP would give them a good run for their money in the 2012 elections.
Likening the two main parties to Goliath and the PPP to David, he said contrary to speculations from critics that the PPP would be irrelevant like other political parties such as the National Reform Party, the Democratic Reformed Party, the PPP would form the next government.
He was addressing the 17-member regional executive and the 20-executive members from each of the 27 constituencies in the Greater Accra on Wednesday.
The newest political party to enter the political scene, PPP, inaugurated the Greater Accra Regional interim executive of the party and immediately launched ‘Operation No Zero Vote at Any Polling Station.’
Dr Nduom explained that as part of the operation, any constituency that would be able to organise and register 1,000 members who would acquire membership cards would be supported to organise the constituency.
The campaign, according to Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, is to ensure that the party is stronger on the ground and does not suffer the fate of some parties that got zero vote at some polling stations in the 2008 elections.
In 2000, the National Reform Party and the United Ghana Movement had zero votes at some polling stations. In 2008 a similar fate befell the Democratic Freedom Party and the CPP, whose presidential candidate was Dr Nduom.
He added that the registered members must have contributed GH¢1 each for the party forms and membership card. He also gave an assurance that within the shortest possible time, each constituency would receive two party sign boards, a computer and a fully furnished office.
He admonished the members of the party to bear in mind that the beginning would not be easy, and that they should prepare for the challenges ahead and resolve to be steadfast.
Before the swearing-in of the executives at the filled to capacity Kama Conference Centre, PPP officials announced that because it was criminal to belong to two political parties, especially as an executive, all those who were members and held executive positions in the Convention People’s Party (CPP) must resigned before the swearing-in ceremony.
The official indicated that the PPP had designed and printed copies of resignation letters to assist those who wanted to resign to do so quickly. It was also announced that anyone who believed that he or she was coerced or forced to join the PPP could walk away.
Dr Nduom added, “some people claim that what we are doing is a waste of time, resources and energy. It will be useless in the long run. But let me assure them that we have come to stay. We are not doing this to later join the NDC or the NPP or any party.”
“I don’t want to be anybody’s minister. I have been an assembly member, ordinary minister and later a cabinet minister as well as a Member of Parliament. Where should I go next? President. Why should I work only to become a minister?” He asked the cheering interim executive who filled the Kama Conference hall to capacity.
Dr Nduom, who was the CPP Member of Parliament for Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abirim, told the members that the PPP did not believe in any ideology but stood for the development of the country through quality and accessible education, health care, proper social welfare system, provision of employment and protection of the vulnerable.
He said one of the cornerstones of the PPP’s policies was all inclusiveness that would ensure that all Ghanaians would be involved in the management of the country and execution of all contracts irrespective of religious, ethnic, political affiliations.
Biometric: Exercise begins March 24
IT is now certain that the compilation of biometric voters’ register by the Electoral Commission (EC) will be conducted from March 24 to May 12, 2012.
The nation-wide registration exercise which will last seven weeks will take place at over 6,000 centres involving over 45,000 officials.
As part of the technical preparation for the exercise, EC will, between January 17 and February 15, 2012, take delivery of 7,000 biometric registration kits and back-up materials which will be delivered in five batches.
A highly placed source within the EC told the Daily Graphic in Accra that the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and the Ghana Revenue Authority had given the EC a six-month tax exception for the importation of all necessary equipment.
Currently, officials of STL, the company that won the bid as the vendor for the biometric registration, is training its core technicians who will also train registration supervisors from the EC and others who will carry out the registration and subsequent usage of the system.
The source said to ensure that the officials trained would have hands-on experience, they were undergoing the training with 150 of the biometric kits, excluding the expected 7,000.
According to it, the officials, some of them from Holland, together with their Ghanaian counterparts, would undertake the trainer-of-trainers course and also supervise the cascading trainer-of-trainers process which would see to it that officials of the EC, from the top to those at the last point, were properly trained.
It noted that STL officials would brief the commissioners of the EC and the directors at the EC Headquarters on the processes and procedures.
It indicated that the training, which would be concluded at the end of this month, would include usage, dismantling and arranging the registration kit, as well as the study of all components and troubleshooting.
It said to make assurance doubly sure, the EC had put in place measures to prevent the loss of data or any information at any point in time.
The measures include the building of a Disaster Recovery Centre to ensure that should the information at the data processing centre, the district offices, as well as the data capturing centres, get destroyed, the EC can rely on the one stored in the Disaster Recovery Centre located outside the EC.
The source explained that any information captured at the registration centre would be sent electronically to the district centres, where it would be transmitted through satellite built at each district centre to the national data centre and automatically sent to the Disaster Recovery Centre.
It said at every point, from the data capture centre to the Disaster Recovery Centre, the EC would have at least five back-ups in the form of hard drives that would forestall the loss of data at any point in time.
The source said registration included the details, including the photographs and fingerprints, of applicants at the registration centre.
The nation-wide registration exercise which will last seven weeks will take place at over 6,000 centres involving over 45,000 officials.
As part of the technical preparation for the exercise, EC will, between January 17 and February 15, 2012, take delivery of 7,000 biometric registration kits and back-up materials which will be delivered in five batches.
A highly placed source within the EC told the Daily Graphic in Accra that the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and the Ghana Revenue Authority had given the EC a six-month tax exception for the importation of all necessary equipment.
Currently, officials of STL, the company that won the bid as the vendor for the biometric registration, is training its core technicians who will also train registration supervisors from the EC and others who will carry out the registration and subsequent usage of the system.
The source said to ensure that the officials trained would have hands-on experience, they were undergoing the training with 150 of the biometric kits, excluding the expected 7,000.
According to it, the officials, some of them from Holland, together with their Ghanaian counterparts, would undertake the trainer-of-trainers course and also supervise the cascading trainer-of-trainers process which would see to it that officials of the EC, from the top to those at the last point, were properly trained.
It noted that STL officials would brief the commissioners of the EC and the directors at the EC Headquarters on the processes and procedures.
It indicated that the training, which would be concluded at the end of this month, would include usage, dismantling and arranging the registration kit, as well as the study of all components and troubleshooting.
It said to make assurance doubly sure, the EC had put in place measures to prevent the loss of data or any information at any point in time.
The measures include the building of a Disaster Recovery Centre to ensure that should the information at the data processing centre, the district offices, as well as the data capturing centres, get destroyed, the EC can rely on the one stored in the Disaster Recovery Centre located outside the EC.
The source explained that any information captured at the registration centre would be sent electronically to the district centres, where it would be transmitted through satellite built at each district centre to the national data centre and automatically sent to the Disaster Recovery Centre.
It said at every point, from the data capture centre to the Disaster Recovery Centre, the EC would have at least five back-ups in the form of hard drives that would forestall the loss of data at any point in time.
The source said registration included the details, including the photographs and fingerprints, of applicants at the registration centre.
GT Accra CPP Chairman resigns
11/01/12
THE INCREASING spate of resignations that has hit the front of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) has reached the Greater Accra Region, as the regional chairman of the party, Nana Buadi, quits the party.
However, while all those resigning were joining the 2008 Presidential Candidate of the CPP, Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom’s Progressive People’s Party (PPP), Nana Buadi has not decided his next line of action yet.
When the Daily Graphic sought to know about the reason behind his resignation, Nana Buadi indicated thus, “I am tired of doing politics. I have done a lot within this short time and not many people can do what I have even done, if they are given four years. I will make my next line of action known very soon”.
Nana Buadi had informed the other regional executive members about his move at a meeting he convened last Monday and did same with the General Secretary of the party, Mr Ivor Greenstreet.
In the past two weeks, especially after the resignation of Dr Nduom from the CPP and consequently forming the PPP, some CPP members across the country, including regional executives, have resigned and joined the PPP.
THE INCREASING spate of resignations that has hit the front of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) has reached the Greater Accra Region, as the regional chairman of the party, Nana Buadi, quits the party.
However, while all those resigning were joining the 2008 Presidential Candidate of the CPP, Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom’s Progressive People’s Party (PPP), Nana Buadi has not decided his next line of action yet.
When the Daily Graphic sought to know about the reason behind his resignation, Nana Buadi indicated thus, “I am tired of doing politics. I have done a lot within this short time and not many people can do what I have even done, if they are given four years. I will make my next line of action known very soon”.
Nana Buadi had informed the other regional executive members about his move at a meeting he convened last Monday and did same with the General Secretary of the party, Mr Ivor Greenstreet.
In the past two weeks, especially after the resignation of Dr Nduom from the CPP and consequently forming the PPP, some CPP members across the country, including regional executives, have resigned and joined the PPP.
I have gone through the mill-Hajia Ayamba
I have gone through the mill - Hajia Ayamba
Story: Donald Ato Dapatem
“I HAVE gone through the political mill over a spate of 30 years and have also exhibited my commitment and dedication to support the people of all shades of life, especially those in deprivation.
At the same time, l have served the great National Democratic Congress with honour and loyalty”.
These were part of the remarks by Hajia Laadi Ayii Ayamba, a Deputy National Propaganda Secretary of the NDC, when she interacted with the Daily Graphic about why she believes she was the best person presently carved out to win the Pusiga constituency for the party.
Hajia Ayamba, who described herself as a grassroots member predating the formation of the NDC because she was part of the June Four Movement as well as the 31st December Movement in Pusiga, said she wanted a bigger platform to serve the NDC and also support the less fortunate in society whom she had also assisted over the years.
The two times National Deputy Propaganda Secretary of the NDC, Deputy Constituency Organiser, Constituency Women Organiser, Deputy Upper East Regional Women Organiser in 1994, Regional Women Organiser, also became the Deputy National Women Organiser in 2000.
A teacher by profession, Hajia Ayimba noted that although she had assisted a lot of people in the area through her personal and with support from other governmental agencies through her lobbying, she believed that she must take a lead role to represent the people of Pusiga at the national platform.
“Mine is to lobby, appeal and provide the needed assistance to the people in my area, especially the farmers, women groups to improve their lot, through the provision of financial and technical support, especially securing fertilisers and ready markets for the produce and provide the needed help to brilliant but needy student to realise their dreams.
This will be done alongside securing the best support for those who could not continue with the education to learn economically viable trade,” she noted.
Apart from the personal assistance offered to individuals, especially women and youth, she catalogued the support to include how he lobbied for the constituency to benefit from the construction of basic schools structures at Kogodem, Daware and Yarga.
As the Chairman of the Board of the Gbewa Training College, she had made sure that the school was enjoying seven ongoing construction projects targeted at easing the infrastructural burden, improve enrolment as well as improve teaching and learning.
“Through my constant appeal, the Education Ministry has offered the school two huge projects for the construction of a dining Hall cum kitchen and a two storey building girls’ dormitory, all these were aside the huge GETFund projects on the campus,” Hajia Ayamba added.
She also talked of the how she impressed upon the authorities through constant appeals to get potable drinking water extended to three communities and a well to the people of Widana.
According to the two-time Deputy National Propaganda Secretary of the NDC, many women had shied away from politics for various reasons. Some included the age-old perception that is the woman must play the back and the front role, lack of resources to undertake the increasing financial demands in campaigning and the fear of mudslinging, name calling and character assassination.
She reiterated calls that had been made by women’s groups that there was the need for constant and intensive education for women even at an early stage to be interested in politics and also ensure that the society in general moved away from stereotyping women as people who could only help from the background.
Story: Donald Ato Dapatem
“I HAVE gone through the political mill over a spate of 30 years and have also exhibited my commitment and dedication to support the people of all shades of life, especially those in deprivation.
At the same time, l have served the great National Democratic Congress with honour and loyalty”.
These were part of the remarks by Hajia Laadi Ayii Ayamba, a Deputy National Propaganda Secretary of the NDC, when she interacted with the Daily Graphic about why she believes she was the best person presently carved out to win the Pusiga constituency for the party.
Hajia Ayamba, who described herself as a grassroots member predating the formation of the NDC because she was part of the June Four Movement as well as the 31st December Movement in Pusiga, said she wanted a bigger platform to serve the NDC and also support the less fortunate in society whom she had also assisted over the years.
The two times National Deputy Propaganda Secretary of the NDC, Deputy Constituency Organiser, Constituency Women Organiser, Deputy Upper East Regional Women Organiser in 1994, Regional Women Organiser, also became the Deputy National Women Organiser in 2000.
A teacher by profession, Hajia Ayimba noted that although she had assisted a lot of people in the area through her personal and with support from other governmental agencies through her lobbying, she believed that she must take a lead role to represent the people of Pusiga at the national platform.
“Mine is to lobby, appeal and provide the needed assistance to the people in my area, especially the farmers, women groups to improve their lot, through the provision of financial and technical support, especially securing fertilisers and ready markets for the produce and provide the needed help to brilliant but needy student to realise their dreams.
This will be done alongside securing the best support for those who could not continue with the education to learn economically viable trade,” she noted.
Apart from the personal assistance offered to individuals, especially women and youth, she catalogued the support to include how he lobbied for the constituency to benefit from the construction of basic schools structures at Kogodem, Daware and Yarga.
As the Chairman of the Board of the Gbewa Training College, she had made sure that the school was enjoying seven ongoing construction projects targeted at easing the infrastructural burden, improve enrolment as well as improve teaching and learning.
“Through my constant appeal, the Education Ministry has offered the school two huge projects for the construction of a dining Hall cum kitchen and a two storey building girls’ dormitory, all these were aside the huge GETFund projects on the campus,” Hajia Ayamba added.
She also talked of the how she impressed upon the authorities through constant appeals to get potable drinking water extended to three communities and a well to the people of Widana.
According to the two-time Deputy National Propaganda Secretary of the NDC, many women had shied away from politics for various reasons. Some included the age-old perception that is the woman must play the back and the front role, lack of resources to undertake the increasing financial demands in campaigning and the fear of mudslinging, name calling and character assassination.
She reiterated calls that had been made by women’s groups that there was the need for constant and intensive education for women even at an early stage to be interested in politics and also ensure that the society in general moved away from stereotyping women as people who could only help from the background.
Ursula Owusu kick-starts campaign for 2012
09/01/12
THE New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary aspirant for Ablekuma South, Ms Ursula Owusu, has urged polling station executives and members of the party in general to monitor with eagle eyes the 2012 general election from its beginning till the results were declared.
She explained that the admonition formed part of the legitimate steps instituted by the party to prevent electoral malpractices because a review of the 2008 parliamentary results indicated that the NPP lost the seat mainly because the National Democratic Congress (NDC) had a free hand to perpetuated electoral fraud, including changes and increases to official figures declared at the polling stations.
Ms Owusu, who was addressing members of the party at the constituency just before the inauguration of the Polling Station Executives for Bishop John Daly, Home Care one and Two, on Saturday, said the NPP had seen through the tricks of the NDC and gave the assurance that the party would place an eagle eye on the process from the polling station to the collation centres till the proper results were declared.
“Come December 7, 2012, we will not relax, sleep nor blink an eye. We will ensure that every qualified voter voted once and that ballot is counted once and recorded as such at the polling station. We will follow the results from the polling station to the collation centre to ensure that what was counted and declared at the polling station was exactly what was collated and declared,” she added.
Ms Owusu accused Mrs Betty Mould-Iddrisu, Minister of Education and Mr Alex Mould of the National Petroleum Authority for short changing Ghanaians.
Elaborating her accusation against the two, she said Mrs Mould-Iddrisu was the one who did not put up any defence in court. Ms Owusu said when Mr Alfred Agbesi Woyome made claims that the state owed him the Minister for Justice and Attorney General went ahead to pay Mr Woyome more than what the court had agreed to be paid.
On the part of Mr Mould, she explained that even when a court of competent jurisdiction had asked the National Petroleum Authority to stop certain components of the petroleum price build up because they were illegal, he had refused to heed the court directive and to make matters worse, had gone ahead to increase fuel prices.
She accused the Mills administration of bringing untold hardship on the people of Ghana by increasing fuel prices during what she described as “a dry Christmas festivities”.
Ms Owusu stated that there was every indication that the Mills Administration had failed Ghanaians and must be booted out for Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo to be sworn in as the next president to continue the good policies of former President Kuffuor.
She said the difference between the NDC and the NPP was that former was good in making promises they could not honour and assured the gathering that just as the Kuffuor Administration implemented the National Health Insurance Scheme, Nana Akufo Addo would make SHS free for parents to have some relief.
A Spokesperson for Nana Akufo Addo, Mr Abu Jinapo, indicated that the NPP Communication team had made the Woyome-Judgement Debt saga, a major campaign issue for the 2012 elections campaign message because to them, the payment amounted to a perpetuation of fraud on the people of Ghana.
He said the Communication Team was worried about the illegitimate payment of such a huge amount while the ordinary Ghana continue to wallow in abject poverty and deprivation and wondered why President JEA Mills, who was touted as the epitome of probity, accountability and transparency would allow such “day light robbery” under his watch.
He described as ironical the claim by the NDC that former President Kuffuor supervised corruption during his tenure of office. This was because “three years after Kuffuor had left office, not even a single messenger in the Kuffuor Administration has been convicted of corruption”.
Mr Jinapo said the NPP was committed to free, fair, transparent and peaceful elections but added that if the party realised that the security agencies would stand aloof in the face of intimidation and electoral fraud, “we will defend the ballot with our life”.
Inaugurating the polling station executives, a former Chief Executive of Accra and a leading member of the party, Mr Stanley Adjiri Blankson urged the members not to pride themselves in the positions they have but to move from house to house to encourage people to register when the voters register was opened.
He also appealed to them to also educate the electorate about the policies and programmes of the next NPP and why they should reject the Mills Administration but cautioned the members not to use insulting language even in the face of provocation.
THE New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary aspirant for Ablekuma South, Ms Ursula Owusu, has urged polling station executives and members of the party in general to monitor with eagle eyes the 2012 general election from its beginning till the results were declared.
She explained that the admonition formed part of the legitimate steps instituted by the party to prevent electoral malpractices because a review of the 2008 parliamentary results indicated that the NPP lost the seat mainly because the National Democratic Congress (NDC) had a free hand to perpetuated electoral fraud, including changes and increases to official figures declared at the polling stations.
Ms Owusu, who was addressing members of the party at the constituency just before the inauguration of the Polling Station Executives for Bishop John Daly, Home Care one and Two, on Saturday, said the NPP had seen through the tricks of the NDC and gave the assurance that the party would place an eagle eye on the process from the polling station to the collation centres till the proper results were declared.
“Come December 7, 2012, we will not relax, sleep nor blink an eye. We will ensure that every qualified voter voted once and that ballot is counted once and recorded as such at the polling station. We will follow the results from the polling station to the collation centre to ensure that what was counted and declared at the polling station was exactly what was collated and declared,” she added.
Ms Owusu accused Mrs Betty Mould-Iddrisu, Minister of Education and Mr Alex Mould of the National Petroleum Authority for short changing Ghanaians.
Elaborating her accusation against the two, she said Mrs Mould-Iddrisu was the one who did not put up any defence in court. Ms Owusu said when Mr Alfred Agbesi Woyome made claims that the state owed him the Minister for Justice and Attorney General went ahead to pay Mr Woyome more than what the court had agreed to be paid.
On the part of Mr Mould, she explained that even when a court of competent jurisdiction had asked the National Petroleum Authority to stop certain components of the petroleum price build up because they were illegal, he had refused to heed the court directive and to make matters worse, had gone ahead to increase fuel prices.
She accused the Mills administration of bringing untold hardship on the people of Ghana by increasing fuel prices during what she described as “a dry Christmas festivities”.
Ms Owusu stated that there was every indication that the Mills Administration had failed Ghanaians and must be booted out for Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo to be sworn in as the next president to continue the good policies of former President Kuffuor.
She said the difference between the NDC and the NPP was that former was good in making promises they could not honour and assured the gathering that just as the Kuffuor Administration implemented the National Health Insurance Scheme, Nana Akufo Addo would make SHS free for parents to have some relief.
A Spokesperson for Nana Akufo Addo, Mr Abu Jinapo, indicated that the NPP Communication team had made the Woyome-Judgement Debt saga, a major campaign issue for the 2012 elections campaign message because to them, the payment amounted to a perpetuation of fraud on the people of Ghana.
He said the Communication Team was worried about the illegitimate payment of such a huge amount while the ordinary Ghana continue to wallow in abject poverty and deprivation and wondered why President JEA Mills, who was touted as the epitome of probity, accountability and transparency would allow such “day light robbery” under his watch.
He described as ironical the claim by the NDC that former President Kuffuor supervised corruption during his tenure of office. This was because “three years after Kuffuor had left office, not even a single messenger in the Kuffuor Administration has been convicted of corruption”.
Mr Jinapo said the NPP was committed to free, fair, transparent and peaceful elections but added that if the party realised that the security agencies would stand aloof in the face of intimidation and electoral fraud, “we will defend the ballot with our life”.
Inaugurating the polling station executives, a former Chief Executive of Accra and a leading member of the party, Mr Stanley Adjiri Blankson urged the members not to pride themselves in the positions they have but to move from house to house to encourage people to register when the voters register was opened.
He also appealed to them to also educate the electorate about the policies and programmes of the next NPP and why they should reject the Mills Administration but cautioned the members not to use insulting language even in the face of provocation.
CPP now strong - Samia
09/01/12
THE Chairman of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Ms Samia Yaba Nkrumah, has said the recent happenings in the party have made the CPP stronger.
Likening the situation to a furnace, she said the exit of some key members of the party had brought the party out of the era of confusion, parallel structures and membership that confused Ghanaians.
Samia, who did not want to be drawn to the resignation of Dr Nduom and the subsequent formation of a new political party and its likely implication on the fortunes of the CPP, said the remaining party members had put that issue behind them and were focused to concentrate on building CPP structures, embark on a membership drive while at the same time encouraging credible and competent Ghanaians who would be on the party’s ticket as parliamentary candidates.
“The recent development was a furnace and those who came out are stronger and working for the reformed CPP which is unambiguous with its message and aware of its role in Ghanaians politics, especially to offer politics of integrity, transparency and a CPP that will unite Ghanaians under one project of self reliance, determination and self sufficiency.
She said the remaining members of the party were focused, resolute and standing firm and battle ready to execute the new agenda of the party which included providing Ghanaians with a decisive political party that had a clear message of self determination and reliance and the ability to solve its problems internally.
Samia, spoke to the Daily Graphic about the way forward for the party after the resignation of Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, a former Member of Parliament (MP) and the 2008 presidential candidate of the CPP to form the Progressive People’s Party (PPP).
“After the power struggle, the CPP has entered the election year with a new identity which is different from the year before. It is only logical to expect a new and better outcome from the 2012 elections. Something better will happen to CPP. The furnace has separated the pure gold from the dust,” she added.
She stated that the CPP’s doors remained widely opened to all Ghanaians who wanted to join and support its quest to seek the political kingdom to be able to execute the policies and programmes that would bring relief to the Ghanaian.
That reformed CPP is a political force that is convinced of actively participating in political discourse and elections to recapture power not for the short term parochial interest of some individual members but to better the living condition of the Ghanaian.
On the way forward, Samia noted that the party had opened nominations for presidential aspirants and gave the assurance that the concentration was for the party’s highest decision making body, the congress, to elect a true CPP presidential candidate who has the backing and support of the majority of the party members and supporters and who would also respect and work in tandem with the party at all levels.
The CPP Chairman said with the current dispensation, it would be extremely difficult for any president to execute its agenda without members of parliament, preferably majority, the CPP was encouraging and would select credible and competent parliamentary candidates, both men and women, and that with this, the party will focus its strength on areas it had an advantage.
This is to build a critical mass of committed and respected parliamentary aspirants who would be able to increase the current CPP seat from a single digit in Parliament to at least a double digit and this would be executed in a manner to avoid previous instances.
“In the past we rushed to field candidates; most of whom were either not committed to the cause of the party or were not people who believed in the ideology of the party. They were not properly screened and that was why in some polling stations we had zero votes. And all these have been the results of our poor performance at both presidential and parliamentary elections”, she said.
Ms Samia commended the rank and file of the party for their determination to remain resolute even after numerous temptations by some individuals to lure them into other groups and political organisation and urged them to always take cue from the leadership who had remained steadfast.
She said it was incumbent on all genuine believers of the ideology of the political party that gave birth to modern Ghana “to bear in mind the onerous responsibility on their shoulders to protect and flourish the legacy and the dream of great CPP.”
THE Chairman of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Ms Samia Yaba Nkrumah, has said the recent happenings in the party have made the CPP stronger.
Likening the situation to a furnace, she said the exit of some key members of the party had brought the party out of the era of confusion, parallel structures and membership that confused Ghanaians.
Samia, who did not want to be drawn to the resignation of Dr Nduom and the subsequent formation of a new political party and its likely implication on the fortunes of the CPP, said the remaining party members had put that issue behind them and were focused to concentrate on building CPP structures, embark on a membership drive while at the same time encouraging credible and competent Ghanaians who would be on the party’s ticket as parliamentary candidates.
“The recent development was a furnace and those who came out are stronger and working for the reformed CPP which is unambiguous with its message and aware of its role in Ghanaians politics, especially to offer politics of integrity, transparency and a CPP that will unite Ghanaians under one project of self reliance, determination and self sufficiency.
She said the remaining members of the party were focused, resolute and standing firm and battle ready to execute the new agenda of the party which included providing Ghanaians with a decisive political party that had a clear message of self determination and reliance and the ability to solve its problems internally.
Samia, spoke to the Daily Graphic about the way forward for the party after the resignation of Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, a former Member of Parliament (MP) and the 2008 presidential candidate of the CPP to form the Progressive People’s Party (PPP).
“After the power struggle, the CPP has entered the election year with a new identity which is different from the year before. It is only logical to expect a new and better outcome from the 2012 elections. Something better will happen to CPP. The furnace has separated the pure gold from the dust,” she added.
She stated that the CPP’s doors remained widely opened to all Ghanaians who wanted to join and support its quest to seek the political kingdom to be able to execute the policies and programmes that would bring relief to the Ghanaian.
That reformed CPP is a political force that is convinced of actively participating in political discourse and elections to recapture power not for the short term parochial interest of some individual members but to better the living condition of the Ghanaian.
On the way forward, Samia noted that the party had opened nominations for presidential aspirants and gave the assurance that the concentration was for the party’s highest decision making body, the congress, to elect a true CPP presidential candidate who has the backing and support of the majority of the party members and supporters and who would also respect and work in tandem with the party at all levels.
The CPP Chairman said with the current dispensation, it would be extremely difficult for any president to execute its agenda without members of parliament, preferably majority, the CPP was encouraging and would select credible and competent parliamentary candidates, both men and women, and that with this, the party will focus its strength on areas it had an advantage.
This is to build a critical mass of committed and respected parliamentary aspirants who would be able to increase the current CPP seat from a single digit in Parliament to at least a double digit and this would be executed in a manner to avoid previous instances.
“In the past we rushed to field candidates; most of whom were either not committed to the cause of the party or were not people who believed in the ideology of the party. They were not properly screened and that was why in some polling stations we had zero votes. And all these have been the results of our poor performance at both presidential and parliamentary elections”, she said.
Ms Samia commended the rank and file of the party for their determination to remain resolute even after numerous temptations by some individuals to lure them into other groups and political organisation and urged them to always take cue from the leadership who had remained steadfast.
She said it was incumbent on all genuine believers of the ideology of the political party that gave birth to modern Ghana “to bear in mind the onerous responsibility on their shoulders to protect and flourish the legacy and the dream of great CPP.”
CPP interdics 3
THE Central Committee of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) has interdicted four national executive members of the party for misconduct.
Their alleged offences include attempts to lure some CPP members to join Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom’s newly formed Progressive People’s Party (PPP).
They are the CPP’s National Youth Organiser, Mr Mutala Mohammed; the National Women’s Organiser, Mrs Mary Ankomah Boakye Boateng; the Ashanti Regional Chairman, Dr Ben Kwofie, and the Northern Regional Youth Organiser, Kwame Murtala.
The CPP interdicted the four executive members at its Central Committee meeting on Thursday evening.
A statement signed by the Director of Communications of the CPP, Nii Armah Akomfrah, said the decision to refer the four to the Prof Edmund Delle Disciplinary Committee had its basis in the CPP Constitution, particularly Article 112 (2), which states, “An office holder referred to the Disciplinary Committee may be interdicted pending the outcome of the disciplinary proceedings.”
But in a sharp rebuttal, two of the interdicted officials, Mr Mohammed and Mrs Boateng, discounted the allegations and urged the Samia Nkrumah-led executive to sit up and face the realities of the day.
According to Mr Mohammed, the leadership of the party was keen on muzzling him from speaking his mind regarding issues that affected the fortunes of the CPP.
“The party is in disarray and could go comatose if steps are not taken to arrest the dwindling fortunes of the CPP,” he stated.
Explaining her point to the Daily Graphic, Mrs Boateng denied recruiting CPP members to join the PPP but insisted that after a tour of some parts of the Western Region, she realised that there was a ground swell of support for Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom who had resigned from the CPP to found his own party.
She added that she had told the media that from all indications, many CPP members were contemplating leaving to join Dr Nduom and the PPP and, therefore, “the claims by Samia and the General Secretary, Mr Ivor Greenstreet, that Dr Nduom’s resignation will not have any effect on the CPP amounted to naivety”.
She maintained that the leadership of the party should “not trivialise the issues but must plead with Dr Nduom to rescind his decision.
The Women’s Organiser described her interdiction and subsequent referral to the disciplinary committee as a normal organisational procedure but accused Samia and Mr Greenstreet of not working with the party’s constitution.
Other members of the disciplinary committee are Major Sedziafa (retd), Ms Araba Bentsi-Enchill, Mrs Elizabeth Akpalu and Mr Yaw Osafo.
Their alleged offences include attempts to lure some CPP members to join Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom’s newly formed Progressive People’s Party (PPP).
They are the CPP’s National Youth Organiser, Mr Mutala Mohammed; the National Women’s Organiser, Mrs Mary Ankomah Boakye Boateng; the Ashanti Regional Chairman, Dr Ben Kwofie, and the Northern Regional Youth Organiser, Kwame Murtala.
The CPP interdicted the four executive members at its Central Committee meeting on Thursday evening.
A statement signed by the Director of Communications of the CPP, Nii Armah Akomfrah, said the decision to refer the four to the Prof Edmund Delle Disciplinary Committee had its basis in the CPP Constitution, particularly Article 112 (2), which states, “An office holder referred to the Disciplinary Committee may be interdicted pending the outcome of the disciplinary proceedings.”
But in a sharp rebuttal, two of the interdicted officials, Mr Mohammed and Mrs Boateng, discounted the allegations and urged the Samia Nkrumah-led executive to sit up and face the realities of the day.
According to Mr Mohammed, the leadership of the party was keen on muzzling him from speaking his mind regarding issues that affected the fortunes of the CPP.
“The party is in disarray and could go comatose if steps are not taken to arrest the dwindling fortunes of the CPP,” he stated.
Explaining her point to the Daily Graphic, Mrs Boateng denied recruiting CPP members to join the PPP but insisted that after a tour of some parts of the Western Region, she realised that there was a ground swell of support for Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom who had resigned from the CPP to found his own party.
She added that she had told the media that from all indications, many CPP members were contemplating leaving to join Dr Nduom and the PPP and, therefore, “the claims by Samia and the General Secretary, Mr Ivor Greenstreet, that Dr Nduom’s resignation will not have any effect on the CPP amounted to naivety”.
She maintained that the leadership of the party should “not trivialise the issues but must plead with Dr Nduom to rescind his decision.
The Women’s Organiser described her interdiction and subsequent referral to the disciplinary committee as a normal organisational procedure but accused Samia and Mr Greenstreet of not working with the party’s constitution.
Other members of the disciplinary committee are Major Sedziafa (retd), Ms Araba Bentsi-Enchill, Mrs Elizabeth Akpalu and Mr Yaw Osafo.
Gt Accra NDC vets aspirants today
04/01/12
THE Greater Accra Regional branch of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) will today begin the vetting of the 71 aspirants vying for the 18 slots to become the party’s aspiring parliamentary candidates.
This affords the party the opportunity to go through the documentations of the applicants and also delve deep into some areas of the lives of the aspirants to ensure that in both areas they satisfy the NDC qualification criteria and the 1992 constitution.
Although the regional vetting forms part of the party’s constitutional demands, it is the national executive that has the final authority to give the green light or disqualify any aspirants.
In the Greater Accra, all the 18 sitting Members of Parliament (MPs) are seeking the mandate of the party’s delegates to re-represent the NDC during the December 7, 2012 parliamentary elections. However, none of them is going unopposed, with the Adenta MP, Mr Kojo Adu Asare, having as many as six challengers.
The incumbent MP for Odododiodoo, Nii Tackie Kommey, is being challenged by two persons including a Presidential Staffer, Nii Lantey Vanderpuji, at Ablekuma Central. Mr Chaie Tettey Theophilus will battle it out with three other members of the party including Alhaji Alidu Haruna for the Ablekuma Central ticket of the party.
Three other persons are challenging Mr Fritz Baffour who is the MP for Ablekuma South, while at the Korle Klottey, the incumbent MP who is also the Greater Accra Minister, Nii Armah Ashietey, is being contested by three others, including Mr Wakefield Ackuaku.
At Ayawaso East, Dr Mustapha Ahmed, the sitting MP who doubles as a Deputy Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing will contest the slot with Alhaji Haruna Ibrahim Rasid and Alhaji Gedel M. Ahmed.
One of the longest serving MPs in the Fourth Republic, Mr Enoch Teye Mensah, the MP for Ningo Prampram and the Minister of Employment and Social Welfare has only one person challenging him, while at Shai Osudoku, the sitting MP Mr David Tetteh Assumeng has five others to contend with.
At Sege, four persons are challenging the re-election of the incumbent MP, Mr Alfred Wallace G. Abayateye.
The Deputy Minister of Youth and Sport and the sitting MP for Ledzokuku, Nii Nortey Duah, has two challengers while another Deputy Minister of Roads and Highways, Dr Nii Oakley Quaye -Kumah, who is also the MP for Krowor has four other contenders to deal with.
The MP for Dade Kotopon, Nii Amasah Namoale, who doubles as the Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture, has four challengers including his constiutuency secretary Ms Rita Sowah. Member of Parliament for Obom-Domeabra, Daoud Anum Yemo, faces four other hopefuls.
The MP for Abokobi-Madina, Alhaji Amadu Bukari Sorogho, after vetting will face three other aspirants at the primaries that will select one of them to represent the party at the constituency. At Ada three other party members will be challenging the re-election of Mr Alex Tetteh-Enyo.
At the Trobu/Amasaman, Mr Ernest Attuquaye Armah has five other contestants to deal with, while at Shai Osudoku, five others will be contesting the sitting MP, Mr David Tetteh Assumeng.
In a related development, Zainabu Issah reports that Mr Gedel, lecturer at the Accra Polytechnic one of the aspirants for Ayawaso East has stated that his vision was to open educational opportunities for the NDC youth activist and beyond in the constituency as well as unite the support base of the party in future elections at the constituency through transparent and accountable leadership.
Mr Gedel who is also the NDC polling station Branch Secretary of Kubatubira branch of the East Ayawaso Constituency said he was proud of making the step to improve upon the conditions of the people in the community.
“I want to be able to set a standard in the community and also provide opportunities for the youth in the community,” he said.
He however called for peace and unity among party members and urged them to vote for the victory of the part in the upcoming elections.
He also appealed to the aspirants to desist from any action that could disturb the peace and unity of the party.
THE Greater Accra Regional branch of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) will today begin the vetting of the 71 aspirants vying for the 18 slots to become the party’s aspiring parliamentary candidates.
This affords the party the opportunity to go through the documentations of the applicants and also delve deep into some areas of the lives of the aspirants to ensure that in both areas they satisfy the NDC qualification criteria and the 1992 constitution.
Although the regional vetting forms part of the party’s constitutional demands, it is the national executive that has the final authority to give the green light or disqualify any aspirants.
In the Greater Accra, all the 18 sitting Members of Parliament (MPs) are seeking the mandate of the party’s delegates to re-represent the NDC during the December 7, 2012 parliamentary elections. However, none of them is going unopposed, with the Adenta MP, Mr Kojo Adu Asare, having as many as six challengers.
The incumbent MP for Odododiodoo, Nii Tackie Kommey, is being challenged by two persons including a Presidential Staffer, Nii Lantey Vanderpuji, at Ablekuma Central. Mr Chaie Tettey Theophilus will battle it out with three other members of the party including Alhaji Alidu Haruna for the Ablekuma Central ticket of the party.
Three other persons are challenging Mr Fritz Baffour who is the MP for Ablekuma South, while at the Korle Klottey, the incumbent MP who is also the Greater Accra Minister, Nii Armah Ashietey, is being contested by three others, including Mr Wakefield Ackuaku.
At Ayawaso East, Dr Mustapha Ahmed, the sitting MP who doubles as a Deputy Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing will contest the slot with Alhaji Haruna Ibrahim Rasid and Alhaji Gedel M. Ahmed.
One of the longest serving MPs in the Fourth Republic, Mr Enoch Teye Mensah, the MP for Ningo Prampram and the Minister of Employment and Social Welfare has only one person challenging him, while at Shai Osudoku, the sitting MP Mr David Tetteh Assumeng has five others to contend with.
At Sege, four persons are challenging the re-election of the incumbent MP, Mr Alfred Wallace G. Abayateye.
The Deputy Minister of Youth and Sport and the sitting MP for Ledzokuku, Nii Nortey Duah, has two challengers while another Deputy Minister of Roads and Highways, Dr Nii Oakley Quaye -Kumah, who is also the MP for Krowor has four other contenders to deal with.
The MP for Dade Kotopon, Nii Amasah Namoale, who doubles as the Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture, has four challengers including his constiutuency secretary Ms Rita Sowah. Member of Parliament for Obom-Domeabra, Daoud Anum Yemo, faces four other hopefuls.
The MP for Abokobi-Madina, Alhaji Amadu Bukari Sorogho, after vetting will face three other aspirants at the primaries that will select one of them to represent the party at the constituency. At Ada three other party members will be challenging the re-election of Mr Alex Tetteh-Enyo.
At the Trobu/Amasaman, Mr Ernest Attuquaye Armah has five other contestants to deal with, while at Shai Osudoku, five others will be contesting the sitting MP, Mr David Tetteh Assumeng.
In a related development, Zainabu Issah reports that Mr Gedel, lecturer at the Accra Polytechnic one of the aspirants for Ayawaso East has stated that his vision was to open educational opportunities for the NDC youth activist and beyond in the constituency as well as unite the support base of the party in future elections at the constituency through transparent and accountable leadership.
Mr Gedel who is also the NDC polling station Branch Secretary of Kubatubira branch of the East Ayawaso Constituency said he was proud of making the step to improve upon the conditions of the people in the community.
“I want to be able to set a standard in the community and also provide opportunities for the youth in the community,” he said.
He however called for peace and unity among party members and urged them to vote for the victory of the part in the upcoming elections.
He also appealed to the aspirants to desist from any action that could disturb the peace and unity of the party.
Tobigan files an appeal
SOME the leading members of the People’s National Convention, have filed an appeal at the Appeals Court against a High Court ruling that acquitted and discharged the party’s executive members for contempt of court.
The appellants, Dr Sontim Tobiga, Ahmed Jatoh and Abu Seidu Baba Gana were also appealing against a GHc 5000 cost awarded against them (appellants) by the High Court Presided over by Justice Charles Quist on July 14, 2011.
The respondents are Dr Edward Mahama, 2008 PNC Presidential candidate and leader; Alhaji Ahmed Ramadan, National Chairman, Bernard Mornah, General Secretary; Attik Mohammed, Policy Analyst, Alhaji Baba Mohamed, Col George Luriba Yorbor and Abraham Kaba.
In their statement of case, the appellants appealed to the Appeals Court for “an order to reverse the lower court’s ruling acquitting and discharging all the respondents for contempt of court for the reason that all the respondents are the bona fide and legitimate executive of the PNC and therefore the District Magistrate order dated January 6, 2011 did not apply to them”.
It stated that the high court acted in excess or without jurisdiction when it held that the first, second and third respondents “were properly elected as the leader and the party’s presidential candidate for the 2008 general election, the National Chairman and the General Secretary of the party respectively at the National Delegates congress of the party on November 30, 2008 and therefore, had the capacity and authority to act as leaders, Chairman and General Secretary of the party when the issues as to whether or not the first, second and third were properly elected at the said national delegates congress was not an issue before the court.”
The statement of case added that the high court breached rules of natural justice when it concluded that the first, second and third respondents were properly elected according to law at the party’s national congress in Bolgatanga on November 30, 2007 as leader and the party’s presidential candidate for 2008 election, the national chairman and the general Secretary of the party respectively without giving the appellant the opportunity to comment.
“It was wrong for the court to have concluded that the first, second and third respondents were properly elected according to law at the party’s national delegates congress held at Bolgatanga as leader and the party’s presidential candidate for 2008 election, the National Chairman and the General Secretary of the party respectively without making any findings of fact and without giving reasons for its conclusions”, it noted.
According to the statement of case, the acquittal and discharge of all the respondents alleged to have committed contempt by the court was a misapprehension of the affidavit evidence before the court including the fact that not all the alleged contemnors had yet appeared before the court to answer the contempt charges.
It added that the award of the cost of GHc 5,000 against the applicants including the first applicant was clearly excessive in view of the fact that the only first and third respondents filed defence to the motion.
The appellants, Dr Sontim Tobiga, Ahmed Jatoh and Abu Seidu Baba Gana were also appealing against a GHc 5000 cost awarded against them (appellants) by the High Court Presided over by Justice Charles Quist on July 14, 2011.
The respondents are Dr Edward Mahama, 2008 PNC Presidential candidate and leader; Alhaji Ahmed Ramadan, National Chairman, Bernard Mornah, General Secretary; Attik Mohammed, Policy Analyst, Alhaji Baba Mohamed, Col George Luriba Yorbor and Abraham Kaba.
In their statement of case, the appellants appealed to the Appeals Court for “an order to reverse the lower court’s ruling acquitting and discharging all the respondents for contempt of court for the reason that all the respondents are the bona fide and legitimate executive of the PNC and therefore the District Magistrate order dated January 6, 2011 did not apply to them”.
It stated that the high court acted in excess or without jurisdiction when it held that the first, second and third respondents “were properly elected as the leader and the party’s presidential candidate for the 2008 general election, the National Chairman and the General Secretary of the party respectively at the National Delegates congress of the party on November 30, 2008 and therefore, had the capacity and authority to act as leaders, Chairman and General Secretary of the party when the issues as to whether or not the first, second and third were properly elected at the said national delegates congress was not an issue before the court.”
The statement of case added that the high court breached rules of natural justice when it concluded that the first, second and third respondents were properly elected according to law at the party’s national congress in Bolgatanga on November 30, 2007 as leader and the party’s presidential candidate for 2008 election, the national chairman and the general Secretary of the party respectively without giving the appellant the opportunity to comment.
“It was wrong for the court to have concluded that the first, second and third respondents were properly elected according to law at the party’s national delegates congress held at Bolgatanga as leader and the party’s presidential candidate for 2008 election, the National Chairman and the General Secretary of the party respectively without making any findings of fact and without giving reasons for its conclusions”, it noted.
According to the statement of case, the acquittal and discharge of all the respondents alleged to have committed contempt by the court was a misapprehension of the affidavit evidence before the court including the fact that not all the alleged contemnors had yet appeared before the court to answer the contempt charges.
It added that the award of the cost of GHc 5,000 against the applicants including the first applicant was clearly excessive in view of the fact that the only first and third respondents filed defence to the motion.
Biometric: 6.5 million register
Sixteen days into the 40-day biometric voters registration exercise, the Electoral Commission (EC) has registered 6.5 million voters.
According to a source at the EC, the number of applicants registered so far was 35 per cent ahead of target, since the EC had only expected to register about 4.8 million voters during the period.
Unfortunately, it said, the number of cases of multiple registration had also shot up from 600 to 2,000 and was expected to increase since the matching processing was ongoing.
All the multiple registration would be sent to the Adjudication Committee of the EC for onward prosecution by the police. The names of those who had been found to have engaged in multiple registration would be deleted from the register and for the next five years they would not be allowed to register as voters.
According to the source, the Ashanti Region topped the provisional statistics for phase one (first 10 days) with 861,236, followed by Greater Accra with 835,318; Eastern, 422,050; Western, 415,377; Brong Ahafo, 375,608.
The rest are Volta, 328,015; Central, 325,282; Northern, 311,751; Upper East, 133,776, and Upper West, 112,674.
The source said the specific number of registered voters region by region would be known later, since the data were still being compiled and double-checked.
After the first 10 days, the EC had registered 4.1 million people and recorded 600 cases of multiple registration using the de-duplication process.
It indicated that Ghana’s biometric registration could be described as successful so far, not only because of the registration rate but also because the EC was able to undertake the de-duplication process simultaneously with the registration, a situation which is unprecedented in Africa, making Ghana a pioneer.
The source also commended Ghanaians for their commitment to register in their numbers, their openness to embrace new technology and also protect the integrity of the register with vigilance.
According to a source at the EC, the number of applicants registered so far was 35 per cent ahead of target, since the EC had only expected to register about 4.8 million voters during the period.
Unfortunately, it said, the number of cases of multiple registration had also shot up from 600 to 2,000 and was expected to increase since the matching processing was ongoing.
All the multiple registration would be sent to the Adjudication Committee of the EC for onward prosecution by the police. The names of those who had been found to have engaged in multiple registration would be deleted from the register and for the next five years they would not be allowed to register as voters.
According to the source, the Ashanti Region topped the provisional statistics for phase one (first 10 days) with 861,236, followed by Greater Accra with 835,318; Eastern, 422,050; Western, 415,377; Brong Ahafo, 375,608.
The rest are Volta, 328,015; Central, 325,282; Northern, 311,751; Upper East, 133,776, and Upper West, 112,674.
The source said the specific number of registered voters region by region would be known later, since the data were still being compiled and double-checked.
After the first 10 days, the EC had registered 4.1 million people and recorded 600 cases of multiple registration using the de-duplication process.
It indicated that Ghana’s biometric registration could be described as successful so far, not only because of the registration rate but also because the EC was able to undertake the de-duplication process simultaneously with the registration, a situation which is unprecedented in Africa, making Ghana a pioneer.
The source also commended Ghanaians for their commitment to register in their numbers, their openness to embrace new technology and also protect the integrity of the register with vigilance.
Friday, February 3, 2012
PNC Congress in danger ...But executive unfazed
THE National delegates congress of the People’s National Convention (PNC) scheduled for Sunyani on Saturday, February 4, 2012 is under threat.
The leaders of the party in Ashanti, Greater Accra, Upper West ,Western and the Central regions have filed interlocutory injunction restraining the party from holding the congress.
The suit was filed in an Accra High Court by the five regional chairmen, Mr Thomas Akumyong, Ashanti; Mr Iddrisu Nuhu Saed, Upper West Deputy Chairman; Mr Yakubu Tahiru, Western Region; Alhajia Mohammed Abbas, Central Region and Mr Ebenezer Halm-Quartey, Greater Accra.
The defendants are Dr Edward Mahama, Leader of the party; Alhaji Ahmed Ramadan, National Chairman; Mr Bernard Mornah, General Secretary and the Peoples National Convention.
In their affidavit in support of their claim, the plaintiff said the capacity of the three named defendants as executives of the Party was a subject of a suit Number BMISC 141/2012 which was currently pending at the High Court of Accra.
It added that there had not been any national executive meeting of the PNC to deliberate or discuss any issue regarding the said national congress, let alone approve same.
It claimed that the three named defendants were currently acting as the organisers of the impending national delegates’ congress, a role which was reserved for the national executive committee and also the conduct of three defendants amounted to a gross violation of the PNC constitution and a blatant disregard for rule of law and proper democratic practices as enshrined in the 1992 constitution of Ghana.
However, the General Secretary of the PNC, Mr Bernard Mornah had rubbished the claims by the chairmen, and said once a court of competent jurisdiction had cleared the way for the party to hold its congress nothing could stop it or hinder the progress of activities.
Mr Mornah said that the NEC would meet today to discuss other issues prior to the congress but indicated that arrangements had been completed on issues such as security and accreditation for delegates and guests including representatives of political parties and members of the diplomatic corps.
“All is set for an exciting congress that would ussher the PNC into an intense political campaign to win the 2012 elections and bring relief to the ordinary Ghanaian. There is no turning back, nothing can stop us now,” he said.
Dr Edward Nasigre Mahama will set a record as the only person to have contested the flag-bearer position of a party five times.
But Dr Mahama, a gynaecologist in private practice, faces stiff competition from Mr Hassan Ayariga.
Sixteen members of the party are also contesting for seven executive positions in the party.
According to the 40-year-old Mr Ayariga, the PNC needed fresh leadership with the zeal to succeed, particularly on the presidential slot, to halt the free fall of the party’s fortune from 7.8 per cent of votes in 1996 elections to less that one per cent in 2008.
He said not only had Dr Mahama failed in his position as leader of the PNC to put the party on a pedestal to ensure that it won political power to continue with Dr Limann’s unfinished business of making Ghana a better place.
But Dr Mahama insisted that he was not just the best person to lead the PNC but also the one to salvage Ghana from what he called visionless leaders who had failed to tap the rich human and natural resources of the country to provide the basic needs of the people.
According to Mr Mornah, the first part of the congress would be used for party activities, particularly the amendment of the PNC’s constitution, the general secretary’s report, among others, before the Electoral Commission (EC) would take over precedings to organise the election of a flag bearer and national executive members.
Those vying for the position of National Chairman are Alhaji Ahmed Ramadan, the incumbent National Chairman; Dr Edward Gyader, the Upper West Regional Chairman for 1992, 1996 and 2000; Mr Thomas Akumyoung, the Ashanti Regional Chairman; Dr Somtim Tobiga, a former National Treasurer, and Mr David Nibi.
For the position of First National Chairman, Hajia Hajara Ali will be elected unopposed because she was the only aspirant at the close of nominations.
The sitting General Secretary, Mr Mornah, will be challenged by the Communications Director of the party, Mr Henry Haruna Asante, and the party’s Policy Analyst, Mr Atik Mohammed.
Those seeking the mandate of the congress to be the party’s National Organiser are Abubakar Ebla Kwashie, Mr Omar Ahmed Bekure and Mr Emmanuel Wilson.
Mr David Apasera, the Treasurer, who is seeking re-election, is being challenged by Mr Batsa Peter Teye, while Ms Elizabeth Amedekanyu and Janet Nabila are vying for the position of National Women’s Organiser.
Mr Abass Nuhu and Mr Colson Akanbasian will vie for the position of National Youth Organiser.
The party was billed to hold its congress in the latter part of last year but it was rescheduled as a result of a series of legal issues which were contested in courts against the locus of the current leadership to hold themselves as an executive and organise a congress.
However, on January 23, 2012, a major hurdle on its path was cleared when the Accra High Court dismissed a motion for interlocutory injunction seeking an order to restrain the PNC from organising its delegates congress.
According to the court, the applicants failed to provide independent evidence to substantiate allegations of fraud levelled against the defendants.
The leaders of the party in Ashanti, Greater Accra, Upper West ,Western and the Central regions have filed interlocutory injunction restraining the party from holding the congress.
The suit was filed in an Accra High Court by the five regional chairmen, Mr Thomas Akumyong, Ashanti; Mr Iddrisu Nuhu Saed, Upper West Deputy Chairman; Mr Yakubu Tahiru, Western Region; Alhajia Mohammed Abbas, Central Region and Mr Ebenezer Halm-Quartey, Greater Accra.
The defendants are Dr Edward Mahama, Leader of the party; Alhaji Ahmed Ramadan, National Chairman; Mr Bernard Mornah, General Secretary and the Peoples National Convention.
In their affidavit in support of their claim, the plaintiff said the capacity of the three named defendants as executives of the Party was a subject of a suit Number BMISC 141/2012 which was currently pending at the High Court of Accra.
It added that there had not been any national executive meeting of the PNC to deliberate or discuss any issue regarding the said national congress, let alone approve same.
It claimed that the three named defendants were currently acting as the organisers of the impending national delegates’ congress, a role which was reserved for the national executive committee and also the conduct of three defendants amounted to a gross violation of the PNC constitution and a blatant disregard for rule of law and proper democratic practices as enshrined in the 1992 constitution of Ghana.
However, the General Secretary of the PNC, Mr Bernard Mornah had rubbished the claims by the chairmen, and said once a court of competent jurisdiction had cleared the way for the party to hold its congress nothing could stop it or hinder the progress of activities.
Mr Mornah said that the NEC would meet today to discuss other issues prior to the congress but indicated that arrangements had been completed on issues such as security and accreditation for delegates and guests including representatives of political parties and members of the diplomatic corps.
“All is set for an exciting congress that would ussher the PNC into an intense political campaign to win the 2012 elections and bring relief to the ordinary Ghanaian. There is no turning back, nothing can stop us now,” he said.
Dr Edward Nasigre Mahama will set a record as the only person to have contested the flag-bearer position of a party five times.
But Dr Mahama, a gynaecologist in private practice, faces stiff competition from Mr Hassan Ayariga.
Sixteen members of the party are also contesting for seven executive positions in the party.
According to the 40-year-old Mr Ayariga, the PNC needed fresh leadership with the zeal to succeed, particularly on the presidential slot, to halt the free fall of the party’s fortune from 7.8 per cent of votes in 1996 elections to less that one per cent in 2008.
He said not only had Dr Mahama failed in his position as leader of the PNC to put the party on a pedestal to ensure that it won political power to continue with Dr Limann’s unfinished business of making Ghana a better place.
But Dr Mahama insisted that he was not just the best person to lead the PNC but also the one to salvage Ghana from what he called visionless leaders who had failed to tap the rich human and natural resources of the country to provide the basic needs of the people.
According to Mr Mornah, the first part of the congress would be used for party activities, particularly the amendment of the PNC’s constitution, the general secretary’s report, among others, before the Electoral Commission (EC) would take over precedings to organise the election of a flag bearer and national executive members.
Those vying for the position of National Chairman are Alhaji Ahmed Ramadan, the incumbent National Chairman; Dr Edward Gyader, the Upper West Regional Chairman for 1992, 1996 and 2000; Mr Thomas Akumyoung, the Ashanti Regional Chairman; Dr Somtim Tobiga, a former National Treasurer, and Mr David Nibi.
For the position of First National Chairman, Hajia Hajara Ali will be elected unopposed because she was the only aspirant at the close of nominations.
The sitting General Secretary, Mr Mornah, will be challenged by the Communications Director of the party, Mr Henry Haruna Asante, and the party’s Policy Analyst, Mr Atik Mohammed.
Those seeking the mandate of the congress to be the party’s National Organiser are Abubakar Ebla Kwashie, Mr Omar Ahmed Bekure and Mr Emmanuel Wilson.
Mr David Apasera, the Treasurer, who is seeking re-election, is being challenged by Mr Batsa Peter Teye, while Ms Elizabeth Amedekanyu and Janet Nabila are vying for the position of National Women’s Organiser.
Mr Abass Nuhu and Mr Colson Akanbasian will vie for the position of National Youth Organiser.
The party was billed to hold its congress in the latter part of last year but it was rescheduled as a result of a series of legal issues which were contested in courts against the locus of the current leadership to hold themselves as an executive and organise a congress.
However, on January 23, 2012, a major hurdle on its path was cleared when the Accra High Court dismissed a motion for interlocutory injunction seeking an order to restrain the PNC from organising its delegates congress.
According to the court, the applicants failed to provide independent evidence to substantiate allegations of fraud levelled against the defendants.
PPP Receives Interim Certificate
Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom's Progressive People's Party (PPP) has become the latest political party in the country.
This follows the receipt of its provisional certificate to organise itself into a fully-fledged political party.
With the interim certificate, the party will be able to organise itself and undertake other activities to meet the requirement of the Political Parties Law before receiving the final certificate as a political party.
Briefing the Daily Graphic at the party’s office after receiving the certificate, the National Secretary of the PPP, Mr Kofi Siaw-Asamoah, said with the provisional certificate, the PPP would be able to continue with its massive membership mobilisation drive.
A copy of the provisional certificate which was shown to this reporter was signed by a Deputy Chairman of the EC, Mr Kwadwo Safo-Kantanka.
It reads, “This is to certify that the Electoral Commission has presented the PPP with a provisional certificate of registration as a political party on this day, Thursday, 2nd February, 2012 in partial fulfilment of the Political Parties Act...."
Mr Siaw-Asamoah expressed excitement about the event and said members of the party were gingered to roll up their sleeves and embark on massive membership drive towards realising the vision of winning the 2012 elections as the third force on the Ghanaian political scene.
“We welcome the decision by the Electoral Commission to grant us the provisional certificate despite the difficult processes involved in party registration. We want to congratulate the Electoral Commission on the professionalism with which they have conducted their activities all these years,” he added.
He said as part of the national mobilisation of members, the party would open nominations for parliamentary aspirants from February 6, 2011 to February 29, 2012 .
Aspirants are to pay GHc100 for the nomination fee. Male aspirants above the age of 35 will pay a filing fee of GHc1000, while males below 35 years and females would pay GHc 500.
Mr Siaw-Asamoah asked the party executives in the various regions to ensure that they encourage more females to pick up nominations to attain the party’s 30 per cent quota for women, adding that this should be done possibly through “positive discrimination for women”.
He said the PPP considered the provisional certificate as an opportunity to organise properly and to demonstrate to Ghanaians that it was capable of fighting to move Ghana away from mediocrity, the culture of indiscipline, “the constant failure of leadership, the mismanagement of our natural resources and the gargantuan crimes perpetuated against the state”.
“We are ready to offer progressive and pragmatic leadership that focuses on education, job creation, industrialisation, housing and preventive diseases that will lead Ghana to prosperity in peace,” Mr Siaw-Asamoah added.
This follows the receipt of its provisional certificate to organise itself into a fully-fledged political party.
With the interim certificate, the party will be able to organise itself and undertake other activities to meet the requirement of the Political Parties Law before receiving the final certificate as a political party.
Briefing the Daily Graphic at the party’s office after receiving the certificate, the National Secretary of the PPP, Mr Kofi Siaw-Asamoah, said with the provisional certificate, the PPP would be able to continue with its massive membership mobilisation drive.
A copy of the provisional certificate which was shown to this reporter was signed by a Deputy Chairman of the EC, Mr Kwadwo Safo-Kantanka.
It reads, “This is to certify that the Electoral Commission has presented the PPP with a provisional certificate of registration as a political party on this day, Thursday, 2nd February, 2012 in partial fulfilment of the Political Parties Act...."
Mr Siaw-Asamoah expressed excitement about the event and said members of the party were gingered to roll up their sleeves and embark on massive membership drive towards realising the vision of winning the 2012 elections as the third force on the Ghanaian political scene.
“We welcome the decision by the Electoral Commission to grant us the provisional certificate despite the difficult processes involved in party registration. We want to congratulate the Electoral Commission on the professionalism with which they have conducted their activities all these years,” he added.
He said as part of the national mobilisation of members, the party would open nominations for parliamentary aspirants from February 6, 2011 to February 29, 2012 .
Aspirants are to pay GHc100 for the nomination fee. Male aspirants above the age of 35 will pay a filing fee of GHc1000, while males below 35 years and females would pay GHc 500.
Mr Siaw-Asamoah asked the party executives in the various regions to ensure that they encourage more females to pick up nominations to attain the party’s 30 per cent quota for women, adding that this should be done possibly through “positive discrimination for women”.
He said the PPP considered the provisional certificate as an opportunity to organise properly and to demonstrate to Ghanaians that it was capable of fighting to move Ghana away from mediocrity, the culture of indiscipline, “the constant failure of leadership, the mismanagement of our natural resources and the gargantuan crimes perpetuated against the state”.
“We are ready to offer progressive and pragmatic leadership that focuses on education, job creation, industrialisation, housing and preventive diseases that will lead Ghana to prosperity in peace,” Mr Siaw-Asamoah added.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Creation of more district, LI For the House of Feb 7
The Legislative Instrument (LI) for the creation of additional districts and municipalities will be laid before Parliament by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development on Tuesday, February 7, 2012.
The LI, which will mature 21 days after its presentation, will also provide the platform for the Electoral Commission (EC) to create more constituencies in the run-up to the December general election.
Already, President John Evans Atta Mills has signed the Executive Instrument for the creation 42 new districts, which has also been gazetted by the Attorney-General’s Office and the Ministry of Justice.
The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, told the Daily Graphic in Accra yesterday that the ministries of Local Government and Rural Development and Justice had also trashed out all issues with the Parliamentary Select committees on Subsidiary Legislation and Constitution and Local Government with regard to the LI.
He said by the LI, the government was also seeking to amend sections of Act 462, particularly Section (1) 4 (A) to ensure that the act legalised the existing reality created by the previous administration.
He explained that during President Kufuor’s administration, some municipalities were created with the view to accelerating development, even though their creation did not comply with the stipulated requirement that a municipality must be a single compact settlement.
Mr Ofosu-Ampofo mentioned that some of the municipalities, such as Nzema East and Ga West, did not conform to the ‘single compact settlement’ requirement but were created to engender accelerated development.
He said the amendment, which would be placed before Parliament under a certificate of emergency, was seeking to take out the single compact settlement requirement to be able to create new municipalities which would also be consistent with existing law.
In a separate interview, the Chairman of the EC, Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, said the commission would create new constituencies after the creation of new districts.
That, he said, was because the formula for creating additional constituencies included the number of existing districts, quotations for each region and other variables, adding that “the ideal thing is that the districts are created first before the creation of constituencies”.
On the question of the number of constituencies to be created, Dr Afari-Gyan said, “No one can tell you how many additional constituencies will be created until the districts are created.”
The Supreme Court is expected to give its judgement on February 15, 2012 in a case brought before it by two residents of Nungua, near Accra, that the EC and the Attorney-General should review the 230 constituencies.
They want the EC to alter the constituencies following the publication of the enumeration figures after the 2010 Population Census and in accordance with the egalitarian principle of fair representation embodied in the 1992 Constitution, especially Article 47(3) and (4) of the 1992 Constitution.
The LI, which will mature 21 days after its presentation, will also provide the platform for the Electoral Commission (EC) to create more constituencies in the run-up to the December general election.
Already, President John Evans Atta Mills has signed the Executive Instrument for the creation 42 new districts, which has also been gazetted by the Attorney-General’s Office and the Ministry of Justice.
The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, told the Daily Graphic in Accra yesterday that the ministries of Local Government and Rural Development and Justice had also trashed out all issues with the Parliamentary Select committees on Subsidiary Legislation and Constitution and Local Government with regard to the LI.
He said by the LI, the government was also seeking to amend sections of Act 462, particularly Section (1) 4 (A) to ensure that the act legalised the existing reality created by the previous administration.
He explained that during President Kufuor’s administration, some municipalities were created with the view to accelerating development, even though their creation did not comply with the stipulated requirement that a municipality must be a single compact settlement.
Mr Ofosu-Ampofo mentioned that some of the municipalities, such as Nzema East and Ga West, did not conform to the ‘single compact settlement’ requirement but were created to engender accelerated development.
He said the amendment, which would be placed before Parliament under a certificate of emergency, was seeking to take out the single compact settlement requirement to be able to create new municipalities which would also be consistent with existing law.
In a separate interview, the Chairman of the EC, Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, said the commission would create new constituencies after the creation of new districts.
That, he said, was because the formula for creating additional constituencies included the number of existing districts, quotations for each region and other variables, adding that “the ideal thing is that the districts are created first before the creation of constituencies”.
On the question of the number of constituencies to be created, Dr Afari-Gyan said, “No one can tell you how many additional constituencies will be created until the districts are created.”
The Supreme Court is expected to give its judgement on February 15, 2012 in a case brought before it by two residents of Nungua, near Accra, that the EC and the Attorney-General should review the 230 constituencies.
They want the EC to alter the constituencies following the publication of the enumeration figures after the 2010 Population Census and in accordance with the egalitarian principle of fair representation embodied in the 1992 Constitution, especially Article 47(3) and (4) of the 1992 Constitution.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
PNC Elect Presidential Candidate And Others Saturday
After several legal tussles and hurdles, the way has now been cleared for the People’s National Convention (PNC) to hold its national delegates congress on Saturday, February 4, 2012. at Sunyani.
1,400 PNC delegates will elect the party’s flag bearer for the 2012 elections at the Sunyani Polytechnic campus, the venue of the congress,.
The position of flag bearer is being contested by the four-time presidential candidate of the party, Dr Edward Nasrigri Mahama, and a 40-year-old businessman, Mr Hassan Ayariga.
The congress will also elect six persons for the positions of National Chairman, National Organiser, General Secretary, Women’s Organiser, National Youth Organiser to steer the affairs of the party for the next four years.
The congress will also discuss and adopt or reject the recommendations of the party’s constitutional review committee that had been reviewing the party’s constitution.
It is expected that the current constitutional arrangement where the presidential candidate remains the leader of the party even during non-election period will be changed.
If the constitution of the party is amended, the National Chairman will be the leader of the party after every presidential election.
Other amendments will include ensuring that the party engages in major political activity through the organisation of polling station elections each year after general election.
The amendment will ensure that the following year after election, constituency executives would be elected after which regional and national executive election will be conducted in subsequent years.
The party was billed to hold its congress in the latter part of last year, but was rescheduled due to series of legal issues which were contested in court against the locus of the current leadership to hold themselves as an executive and to organise congress.
However, on January 23, 2012, a major hurdle on its path was cleared when the Accra High Court dismissed a motion for interlocutory injunction seeking an order to restrain the PNC from organising its delegates congress.
According to the court, the applicants failed to provide independent evidence to substantiate allegations of fraud levelled against the defendants.
Already, the party has concluded the selection of delegates at the constituency and regional levels. that constitute the 1400 delegates for the congress.
Briefing the Daily Graphic, the General Secretary of the PNC, Mr Bernard Mornah, said the National Executive Committee of the party had fixed March 30, 2012 as the final date for all parliamentary primaries.
He said all parliamentary aspirants were to pick up nomination forms at a cost of GH¢200.00 each, payable to the regional party accounts.
All male aspirants are to pay a filing fee of GH¢1, 000 also through the regional party bank accounts while female aspirants are to pay no filing fees.
This is to motivate more women to participate in the crucial arm of the Legislature in the governance of our dear nation.
For the avoidance of doubt, NEC also stressed that the primaries should be conducted along the electoral area executives and that the delegates’ list must be submitted to all aspirants at least two weeks before the primaries he explained.
Mr Mornah said the NEC had also tasked the Regional Executive of the Upper East Region to lead a three-member team to resolve the issues in the Bolgatanga Constituency and report same to the National Office by end of February, 2012.
“NEC expressed profound gratitude to the mass of the party for their continued support for the party and urged them to remain steadfast as the party finalises its preparations for election 2012”, he said.
1,400 PNC delegates will elect the party’s flag bearer for the 2012 elections at the Sunyani Polytechnic campus, the venue of the congress,.
The position of flag bearer is being contested by the four-time presidential candidate of the party, Dr Edward Nasrigri Mahama, and a 40-year-old businessman, Mr Hassan Ayariga.
The congress will also elect six persons for the positions of National Chairman, National Organiser, General Secretary, Women’s Organiser, National Youth Organiser to steer the affairs of the party for the next four years.
The congress will also discuss and adopt or reject the recommendations of the party’s constitutional review committee that had been reviewing the party’s constitution.
It is expected that the current constitutional arrangement where the presidential candidate remains the leader of the party even during non-election period will be changed.
If the constitution of the party is amended, the National Chairman will be the leader of the party after every presidential election.
Other amendments will include ensuring that the party engages in major political activity through the organisation of polling station elections each year after general election.
The amendment will ensure that the following year after election, constituency executives would be elected after which regional and national executive election will be conducted in subsequent years.
The party was billed to hold its congress in the latter part of last year, but was rescheduled due to series of legal issues which were contested in court against the locus of the current leadership to hold themselves as an executive and to organise congress.
However, on January 23, 2012, a major hurdle on its path was cleared when the Accra High Court dismissed a motion for interlocutory injunction seeking an order to restrain the PNC from organising its delegates congress.
According to the court, the applicants failed to provide independent evidence to substantiate allegations of fraud levelled against the defendants.
Already, the party has concluded the selection of delegates at the constituency and regional levels. that constitute the 1400 delegates for the congress.
Briefing the Daily Graphic, the General Secretary of the PNC, Mr Bernard Mornah, said the National Executive Committee of the party had fixed March 30, 2012 as the final date for all parliamentary primaries.
He said all parliamentary aspirants were to pick up nomination forms at a cost of GH¢200.00 each, payable to the regional party accounts.
All male aspirants are to pay a filing fee of GH¢1, 000 also through the regional party bank accounts while female aspirants are to pay no filing fees.
This is to motivate more women to participate in the crucial arm of the Legislature in the governance of our dear nation.
For the avoidance of doubt, NEC also stressed that the primaries should be conducted along the electoral area executives and that the delegates’ list must be submitted to all aspirants at least two weeks before the primaries he explained.
Mr Mornah said the NEC had also tasked the Regional Executive of the Upper East Region to lead a three-member team to resolve the issues in the Bolgatanga Constituency and report same to the National Office by end of February, 2012.
“NEC expressed profound gratitude to the mass of the party for their continued support for the party and urged them to remain steadfast as the party finalises its preparations for election 2012”, he said.
PNC Elect Presidential Candidate And Others Saturday
After several legal tussles and hurdles, the way has now been cleared for the People’s National Convention (PNC) to hold its national delegates congress on Saturday, February 4, 2012. at Sunyani.
1,400 PNC delegates will elect the party’s flag bearer for the 2012 elections at the Sunyani Polytechnic campus, the venue of the congress,.
The position of flag bearer is being contested by the four-time presidential candidate of the party, Dr Edward Nasrigri Mahama, and a 40-year-old businessman, Mr Hassan Ayariga.
The congress will also elect six persons for the positions of National Chairman, National Organiser, General Secretary, Women’s Organiser, National Youth Organiser to steer the affairs of the party for the next four years.
The congress will also discuss and adopt or reject the recommendations of the party’s constitutional review committee that had been reviewing the party’s constitution.
It is expected that the current constitutional arrangement where the presidential candidate remains the leader of the party even during non-election period will be changed.
If the constitution of the party is amended, the National Chairman will be the leader of the party after every presidential election.
Other amendments will include ensuring that the party engages in major political activity through the organisation of polling station elections each year after general election.
The amendment will ensure that the following year after election, constituency executives would be elected after which regional and national executive election will be conducted in subsequent years.
The party was billed to hold its congress in the latter part of last year, but was rescheduled due to series of legal issues which were contested in court against the locus of the current leadership to hold themselves as an executive and to organise congress.
However, on January 23, 2012, a major hurdle on its path was cleared when the Accra High Court dismissed a motion for interlocutory injunction seeking an order to restrain the PNC from organising its delegates congress.
According to the court, the applicants failed to provide independent evidence to substantiate allegations of fraud levelled against the defendants.
Already, the party has concluded the selection of delegates at the constituency and regional levels. that constitute the 1400 delegates for the congress.
Briefing the Daily Graphic, the General Secretary of the PNC, Mr Bernard Mornah, said the National Executive Committee of the party had fixed March 30, 2012 as the final date for all parliamentary primaries.
He said all parliamentary aspirants were to pick up nomination forms at a cost of GH¢200.00 each, payable to the regional party accounts.
All male aspirants are to pay a filing fee of GH¢1, 000 also through the regional party bank accounts while female aspirants are to pay no filing fees.
This is to motivate more women to participate in the crucial arm of the Legislature in the governance of our dear nation.
For the avoidance of doubt, NEC also stressed that the primaries should be conducted along the electoral area executives and that the delegates’ list must be submitted to all aspirants at least two weeks before the primaries he explained.
Mr Mornah said the NEC had also tasked the Regional Executive of the Upper East Region to lead a three-member team to resolve the issues in the Bolgatanga Constituency and report same to the National Office by end of February, 2012.
“NEC expressed profound gratitude to the mass of the party for their continued support for the party and urged them to remain steadfast as the party finalises its preparations for election 2012”, he said.
1,400 PNC delegates will elect the party’s flag bearer for the 2012 elections at the Sunyani Polytechnic campus, the venue of the congress,.
The position of flag bearer is being contested by the four-time presidential candidate of the party, Dr Edward Nasrigri Mahama, and a 40-year-old businessman, Mr Hassan Ayariga.
The congress will also elect six persons for the positions of National Chairman, National Organiser, General Secretary, Women’s Organiser, National Youth Organiser to steer the affairs of the party for the next four years.
The congress will also discuss and adopt or reject the recommendations of the party’s constitutional review committee that had been reviewing the party’s constitution.
It is expected that the current constitutional arrangement where the presidential candidate remains the leader of the party even during non-election period will be changed.
If the constitution of the party is amended, the National Chairman will be the leader of the party after every presidential election.
Other amendments will include ensuring that the party engages in major political activity through the organisation of polling station elections each year after general election.
The amendment will ensure that the following year after election, constituency executives would be elected after which regional and national executive election will be conducted in subsequent years.
The party was billed to hold its congress in the latter part of last year, but was rescheduled due to series of legal issues which were contested in court against the locus of the current leadership to hold themselves as an executive and to organise congress.
However, on January 23, 2012, a major hurdle on its path was cleared when the Accra High Court dismissed a motion for interlocutory injunction seeking an order to restrain the PNC from organising its delegates congress.
According to the court, the applicants failed to provide independent evidence to substantiate allegations of fraud levelled against the defendants.
Already, the party has concluded the selection of delegates at the constituency and regional levels. that constitute the 1400 delegates for the congress.
Briefing the Daily Graphic, the General Secretary of the PNC, Mr Bernard Mornah, said the National Executive Committee of the party had fixed March 30, 2012 as the final date for all parliamentary primaries.
He said all parliamentary aspirants were to pick up nomination forms at a cost of GH¢200.00 each, payable to the regional party accounts.
All male aspirants are to pay a filing fee of GH¢1, 000 also through the regional party bank accounts while female aspirants are to pay no filing fees.
This is to motivate more women to participate in the crucial arm of the Legislature in the governance of our dear nation.
For the avoidance of doubt, NEC also stressed that the primaries should be conducted along the electoral area executives and that the delegates’ list must be submitted to all aspirants at least two weeks before the primaries he explained.
Mr Mornah said the NEC had also tasked the Regional Executive of the Upper East Region to lead a three-member team to resolve the issues in the Bolgatanga Constituency and report same to the National Office by end of February, 2012.
“NEC expressed profound gratitude to the mass of the party for their continued support for the party and urged them to remain steadfast as the party finalises its preparations for election 2012”, he said.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Gt Accra NDC vets aspirants today
THE Greater Accra Regional branch of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) will today begin the vetting of the 71 aspirants vying for the 18 slots to become the party’s aspiring parliamentary candidates.
This affords the party the opportunity to go through the documentations of the applicants and also delve deep into some areas of the lives of the aspirants to ensure that in both areas they satisfy the NDC qualification criteria and the 1992 constitution.
Although the regional vetting forms part of the party’s constitutional demands, it is the national executive that has the final authority to give the green light or disqualify any aspirants.
In the Greater Accra, all the 18 sitting Members of Parliament (MPs) are seeking the mandate of the party’s delegates to re-represent the NDC during the December 7, 2012 parliamentary elections. However, none of them is going unopposed, with the Adenta MP, Mr Kojo Adu Asare, having as many as six challengers.
The incumbent MP for Odododiodoo, Nii Tackie Kommey, is being challenged by two persons including a Presidential Staffer, Nii Lantey Vanderpuji, at Ablekuma Central. Mr Chaie Tettey Theophilus will battle it out with three other members of the party including Alhaji Alidu Haruna for the Ablekuma Central ticket of the party.
Three other persons are challenging Mr Fritz Baffour who is the MP for Ablekuma South, while at the Korle Klottey, the incumbent MP who is also the Greater Accra Minister, Nii Armah Ashietey, is being contested by three others, including Mr Wakefield Ackuaku.
At Ayawaso East, Dr Mustapha Ahmed, the sitting MP who doubles as a Deputy Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing will contest the slot with Alhaji Haruna Ibrahim Rasid and Alhaji Gedel M. Ahmed.
One of the longest serving MPs in the Fourth Republic, Mr Enoch Teye Mensah, the MP for Ningo Prampram and the Minister of Employment and Social Welfare has only one person challenging him, while at Shai Osudoku, the sitting MP Mr David Tetteh Assumeng has five others to contend with.
At Sege, four persons are challenging the re-election of the incumbent MP, Mr Alfred Wallace G. Abayateye.
The Deputy Minister of Youth and Sport and the sitting MP for Ledzokuku, Nii Nortey Duah, has two challengers while another Deputy Minister of Roads and Highways, Dr Nii Oakley Quaye -Kumah, who is also the MP for Krowor has four other contenders to deal with.
The MP for Dade Kotopon, Nii Amasah Namoale, who doubles as the Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture, has four challengers including his constiutuency secretary Ms Rita Sowah. Member of Parliament for Obom-Domeabra, Daoud Anum Yemo, faces four other hopefuls.
The MP for Abokobi-Madina, Alhaji Amadu Bukari Sorogho, after vetting will face three other aspirants at the primaries that will select one of them to represent the party at the constituency. At Ada three other party members will be challenging the re-election of Mr Alex Tetteh-Enyo.
At the Trobu/Amasaman, Mr Ernest Attuquaye Armah has five other contestants to deal with, while at Shai Osudoku, five others will be contesting the sitting MP, Mr David Tetteh Assumeng.
In a related development, Zainabu Issah reports that Mr Gedel, lecturer at the Accra Polytechnic one of the aspirants for Ayawaso East has stated that his vision was to open educational opportunities for the NDC youth activist and beyond in the constituency as well as unite the support base of the party in future elections at the constituency through transparent and accountable leadership.
Mr Gedel who is also the NDC polling station Branch Secretary of Kubatubira branch of the East Ayawaso Constituency said he was proud of making the step to improve upon the conditions of the people in the community.
“I want to be able to set a standard in the community and also provide opportunities for the youth in the community,” he said.
He however called for peace and unity among party members and urged them to vote for the victory of the part in the upcoming elections.
He also appealed to the aspirants to desist from any action that could disturb the peace and unity of the party.
This affords the party the opportunity to go through the documentations of the applicants and also delve deep into some areas of the lives of the aspirants to ensure that in both areas they satisfy the NDC qualification criteria and the 1992 constitution.
Although the regional vetting forms part of the party’s constitutional demands, it is the national executive that has the final authority to give the green light or disqualify any aspirants.
In the Greater Accra, all the 18 sitting Members of Parliament (MPs) are seeking the mandate of the party’s delegates to re-represent the NDC during the December 7, 2012 parliamentary elections. However, none of them is going unopposed, with the Adenta MP, Mr Kojo Adu Asare, having as many as six challengers.
The incumbent MP for Odododiodoo, Nii Tackie Kommey, is being challenged by two persons including a Presidential Staffer, Nii Lantey Vanderpuji, at Ablekuma Central. Mr Chaie Tettey Theophilus will battle it out with three other members of the party including Alhaji Alidu Haruna for the Ablekuma Central ticket of the party.
Three other persons are challenging Mr Fritz Baffour who is the MP for Ablekuma South, while at the Korle Klottey, the incumbent MP who is also the Greater Accra Minister, Nii Armah Ashietey, is being contested by three others, including Mr Wakefield Ackuaku.
At Ayawaso East, Dr Mustapha Ahmed, the sitting MP who doubles as a Deputy Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing will contest the slot with Alhaji Haruna Ibrahim Rasid and Alhaji Gedel M. Ahmed.
One of the longest serving MPs in the Fourth Republic, Mr Enoch Teye Mensah, the MP for Ningo Prampram and the Minister of Employment and Social Welfare has only one person challenging him, while at Shai Osudoku, the sitting MP Mr David Tetteh Assumeng has five others to contend with.
At Sege, four persons are challenging the re-election of the incumbent MP, Mr Alfred Wallace G. Abayateye.
The Deputy Minister of Youth and Sport and the sitting MP for Ledzokuku, Nii Nortey Duah, has two challengers while another Deputy Minister of Roads and Highways, Dr Nii Oakley Quaye -Kumah, who is also the MP for Krowor has four other contenders to deal with.
The MP for Dade Kotopon, Nii Amasah Namoale, who doubles as the Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture, has four challengers including his constiutuency secretary Ms Rita Sowah. Member of Parliament for Obom-Domeabra, Daoud Anum Yemo, faces four other hopefuls.
The MP for Abokobi-Madina, Alhaji Amadu Bukari Sorogho, after vetting will face three other aspirants at the primaries that will select one of them to represent the party at the constituency. At Ada three other party members will be challenging the re-election of Mr Alex Tetteh-Enyo.
At the Trobu/Amasaman, Mr Ernest Attuquaye Armah has five other contestants to deal with, while at Shai Osudoku, five others will be contesting the sitting MP, Mr David Tetteh Assumeng.
In a related development, Zainabu Issah reports that Mr Gedel, lecturer at the Accra Polytechnic one of the aspirants for Ayawaso East has stated that his vision was to open educational opportunities for the NDC youth activist and beyond in the constituency as well as unite the support base of the party in future elections at the constituency through transparent and accountable leadership.
Mr Gedel who is also the NDC polling station Branch Secretary of Kubatubira branch of the East Ayawaso Constituency said he was proud of making the step to improve upon the conditions of the people in the community.
“I want to be able to set a standard in the community and also provide opportunities for the youth in the community,” he said.
He however called for peace and unity among party members and urged them to vote for the victory of the part in the upcoming elections.
He also appealed to the aspirants to desist from any action that could disturb the peace and unity of the party.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)