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.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
‘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.
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