The National Democratic Congress (NDC) will engage members of the minority caucus on January 31, 2023, according to Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, the minority leader in parliament, to discuss the group’s unresolved issues.
There has been a division among members of the group following a reshuffle of its leadership by the national executives of the National Democratic Congress NDC.
Speaking to journalists after a meeting with leadership of the NDC, the Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson assured of a collaboration with the former leaders of the caucus to deliver on their mandate in Parliament.
“We have just come out of a very successful meeting with the leadership of the party. We are going to deliver on our mandate. ”
“And as has been agreed with the leadership of the party, there will be series of activities that will be undertaken beginning from today. We will have our maiden meeting with our leadership and the party leadership on Tuesday,” he added.
The NDC earlier this week replaced Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu with Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson.
Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, MP for Ellembelle also replaced Ketu North MP, James Klutse Avedzi as the Deputy Minority Leader while Kwame Governs Agbodza replaced Asawase MP, Muntaka Mubarak as the Minority Chief Whip.
Several NDC MPs including MP for Bolgatanga East, Dominic Ayine, and Tamale Central MP, Murtala Muhammed later described the leadership changes as undemocratic and deeply worrying, after they claimed they were not consulted prior to the change.
Some 44 MPs signed a petition to reject the decision of the party. The 44 members believe the decision by the party is unfair and unpopular.
However, some 77 MPs have also reportedly signed a different petition to endorse the decision of the party.
The National Organiser of theNational Democratic Congress (NDC), Joseph Yamin, has said that the national executive of the party does not need the consent of the party’s parliamentary caucus before making any decision.
According to him, the executives of the party have been given the power by the constitution of the NDC to make appointments including that of the party’s leadership in Parliament.
“I don’t fault anybody who has issues with the change in leadership but the point is that the national executives of the party have been given some power to make appointments including that of the leadership of Parliament.
“What we did was a reshuffle and there is no timeframe for it. These current executives have been in office for at least seven years. Haruna Iddrisu was the minority leader from 2017 to yesterday. Mutaka has been chief whip from when the NDC was in power.
“I don’t see anything wrong when the party takes a decision and says that at this moment, we should let some new faces take over. It was the party’s decision and the party did not take the decision without consulting those who were removed. We don’t need to consult the caucus. Let us not forget that those who were removed were also appointed by the party,” he said in Twi.
Yamin also posited that the party’s parliamentary caucus is not bigger than the party for its executives to seek their permission before taking decisions.
“Is the caucus bigger than the party’s national executive, is that what they want to tell us?” he added in an interview on Ark FM monitored by GhanaWeb, on Wednesday, January 26, 2023.
The change in the leadership of the minority caucus of Parliament has led to some confusion in the NDC with some members of the party, including some Members of Parliament saying that the party’s parliamentarians should have been consulted before the move.
The NDC leadership has appointed the former Deputy Minister of Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, as the minority leader in the 8th Parliament of Ghana’s Fourth Republic who replaced the MP for Tamale South, Haruna Iddrisu.
According to the NDC, Kofi Armah Buah, MP for Ellembele, will take over as the Deputy Minority leader.
While Kwame Governs Agbodza, MP for Adaklu, he will replace Asawase MP Muntaka Mohammed as the Chief Whip.
Ahmed Ibrahim, MP for Banda, has been maintained as the First Deputy Minority Whip, while Comfort Doyo Cudjoe-Ghansah, MP for Ada, is the Second Deputy Minority Whip.
This was contained in a letter to the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, from the National Democratic Congress dated January 23, 2023.
Some members of the Minority caucus will in the coming days petition the council of National Democratic Congress ( NDC) to suspend the change in Minority leadership in Parliament.
According to Member of Parliament for Zebilla East Constituency, Cletus Apul Avoka, the leadership of the party failed to engage the caucus before taking the decision.
In a press briefing on Thursday, 26, at the behest of the NDC parliamentarians, he said the petition is to help maintain cohesion in the party and to also ensure that the party remains in unity.
“The basis for our prayer is that, the party suspends the reshuffling as indicated by the General Secretary until such a time that a holistic meeting of stakeholders with consultations before a decision is taken.”
“It is on this backdrop that the national executives of the party a few weeks ago decided that all appointees in the party and parliament should remain in office till after we have concluded the parliamentary and presidential primaries. We are therefore surprised that the reshuffling is reaching the caucus in parliament. We think that this is premature,” he added.
On Tuesday, January, 24, the NDC executives announced the change in leadership in a letter to the Speaker of Parliament.
Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, and Minority Chief Whip, Muntaka Mubarak, were relieved their positions.
MP for Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam, Cassiel Ato Forson, is now Minority Leader and MP for Adaklu Constituency, Kwame Governs Agbodza replaces Mr Muntaka.
The First Deputy Whip is Mr Ahmed Ibrahim while Comfort Doyo Ghansah retains her position as the Second Deputy Whip.
A hit-and-run driver has crushed a man to death in Koforidua, the Eastern regional capital.
The body of the deceased was found in a pool of blood with bruises and severe head injury on Thursday dawn at Abriwa-Nkwanta Oyoko Road near S.D.A Training College School Park.
Officers from NADMO Municipal Secretariat led by the Municipal Director Mr Herbert Danso together with personnel from the Municipal Police Command went to the scene to take inventories and conveyed the body to the Koforidua Regional Hospital.
NADMO officials, however, claim the man was mentally unstable.
Samuel Nartey George, a member of parliament for Ningo Prampram, has expressed dissatisfaction with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) over what he claims were insufficient consultations prior to the decision to change the leadership of its caucus in parliament.
According to Sam George, the leadership of his party failed to conduct far-reaching consultations which would have ensured adequate deliberations to save the party from the confusion that has risen from the decision.
“The problem I see MPs having, Randy, is not about the change. The problem of the caucus is not about the change; the problem of the caucus is not about the capacity of the people who are being changed; the problem of the caucus is the lack of engagement. The fact that as members of parliament we heard about a change in leadership on the radio and many of us had eggs in our faces because we said it is fake until Adabraka came out to say that yes we wrote that letter,” he stated on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana on Thursday, January 26, 2023.
Sam George noted that whereas the National Chairman of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, and the General Secretary, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, have argued that wide consultations were done prior to the announcement, it cannot be said to have been sufficient in this case.
“I believe that their consultations may have been done at their level but I believe that it was not far-reaching enough. I believe that a little more consultation, in this case, engagements could have happened. They consulted based on what they said publicly with members of the council of elders and stakeholders in the party. After those consultations, they proceeded to write a letter to the speaker and that is where I think the crux of the matter is,” he stated.
A former Deputy Minister of Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has been appointed as the Minority Leader, as replacement for Haruna Iddrisu.
Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah has also been named as the new Deputy Minority Chief Whip.
Kwame Agbodza takes over as Chief Whip.
Ahmed Ibrahim, MP for Banda, has been maintained as the First Deputy Minority Chief Whip, while Comfort Doyo Cudjoe-Ghansah, MP for Ada, is the Second Deputy Minority Chief Whip.
This was contained in a letter to the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, from the National Democratic Congress dated January 23, 2023.
Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has announced a public hearing on the audit of the Covid-19 expenditure effective February 07, 2023.
Addressing a Press Conference on Wednesday the new minority leader reiterated “At that point, we’ll pay due diligence to the duties given to us as the people of Ghana.”
The decision comes after engagement with the Finance and the Health Committees of parliament, he disclosed.
Subsequently, the new leadership of the minority caucus has also planned to embark on a roadshow to “galvanize the people of Ghana and educate them” on the impact of the current economic crisis.
The two programmes will ostensibly form his initial action after his elevation as minority leader of Ghana’s largest opposition in parliament.
He’s yet to set out how he plans to bring together a party riven into factions after the upset in the leadership of the minority caucus following the reshuffle.
But the new minority leader has urged for calm among the rank and file of the NDC saying the new leadership has a good handle on the affairs of parliament and will do a great job in the larger interest of the party and the nation.
“…I’ll appeal to the rank and file of our great NDC party to keep calm, members of parliament are in good hands, we’ll work with them with due diligence. Obviously, we’re not new in this House. I have been in this House for 14 years. I know the capabilities of all our colleagues, some I met, some came to meet me. I have worked closely with most of our colleagues and I can assure you that together we shall succeed,” he told Journalists in parliament.
The new minority leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has urged for calm among the rank and file of the opposition NDC following the changes in the leadership of the minority side of parliament.
According to him, the new leadership has a good handle on the affairs of parliament and will do a great job serving the larger interests of the party and the nation.
“…I’ll appeal to the rank and file of our great NDC party to keep calm, members of parliament are in good hands, we’ll work with them with due diligence. Obviously, we’re not new in this House. I have been in this House for 14 years. I know the capabilities of all our colleagues, some I met, some came to meet me. I have worked closely with most of our colleagues and I can assure you that together we shall succeed,” he told Journalists in parliament.
He thus pledged to represent the collective goals of his party with “unwavering dedication and high integrity.”
Tension is growing in the House on the back of the changes in minority leadership.
At least 44 MPs believe the party’s decision is unfair and unpopular and have signed a petition to reject it.
Another group of 77 MPs also reportedly signed a different petition to endorse the party’s decision.
Meanwhile, a meeting has been scheduled between the leadership and party executives at the party headquarters to settle the disagreement and the seeming cracks in the NDC following the reshuffle.
The new Minority Leader in Parliament Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has issued a stern warning to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo over his large government size.
Dr. Forson said the National Democratic Congress’ MPs won’t allow President Akufo-Addo to further increase his government size which they believe is already bloated.
He gave the warning in his first public address on Thursday after his appointment as Minority Leader.
“I wish to, first of all, send a message to the New Patriotic Party (NPP), that the people of Ghana are calling on them to downsize their government to reflect the mood of the country before you ask people to forego their coupons or interests, asking the ordinary Ghanaian to sacrifice his payout.
“If the President [Nana Ado Dankwa Akufo-Addo] intends to reshuffle his government, let it be known that we in the NDC will not accept an attempt to increase the size of government. And if the current size of his ministers is increased by one person, that person will not receive our cooperation”.
There have been several calls for the government to cut down on its appointees in the wake of the current economic crisis.
Dr. Forson further warned that any additions of appointees by the government will face stiff opposition from the National Democratic Congress.
He opined that any intended government reshuffle should reflect the economic situation of the country.
He advised the rank and file of the party to keep calm.
“We want the rank and file of the party to keep calm, Members of Parliament are in good terms,” he said.
The Ajumako-Enya-Essiam MP further assured to represent the collective interest of the party.
“As a leader, it will be my duty to represent our collective goals with unwavering dedication and high integrity,” he added.
The NDC earlier this week reshuffled its leadership in Parliament replacing Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu with Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson.
Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, MP for Ellembelle also replaced Ketu North MP, James Klutse Avedzi as the Deputy Minority Leader while Kwame Governs Agbodza replaced Asawase MP, Muntaka Mubarak as the Minority Chief Whip.
Several NDC MPs including MP for Bolgatanga East, Dominic Ayine and Tamale Central MP, Murtala Muhammed later described the leadership changes as undemocratic and deeply worrying, after they claimed they were not consulted prior to the change.
Some 44 MPs signed a petition to reject the decision of the party. The 44 members believe the decision by the party is unfair and unpopular.
However, some 77 MPs have also reportedly signed a different petition to endorse the decision of the party.
The Sene East District Police command is investigating circumstances that led to the drowning of eight school children on the Volta Lake.
The eight were among 20 school children, who were crossing the lake with a canoe from Atigagome to the Wayokope District Assembly Primary school, fishing communities in the area around 0700 hours.
Speaking in a telephone interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Joy Afagbedzi, the Sene East District Police Commander, said all the deceased had since been buried.
They were Emmanuel Badu, nine years, Matilda Okain, seven years, Peace Okain, six years, Richard Abiase, nine years, David Mensah, eight years and Abeiku Ebo, 11 years, Kwame Ansah, six years, and Emmanuella Ebo, eight years.
DSP Afagbedzi said the command had since deployed personnel to conduct investigations at the two fishing communities, saying “when my men arrived at the community, the bodies had almost decomposed, and they had to support the families to bury them”.
The new Minority Leader of Parliament, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has outlined three specific areas that he hopes to focus on in the immediate terms.
Addressing a brief press conference in parliament on Thursday, January 26, 2023, the Member of Parliament for Ajumako Enyan Esiam stated that among the things he intends to do as leader, is to unite the caucus.
He then outlined his three roadmaps, starting with a stern warning to the New Patriotic Party (NPP), as well as the President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
“I will focus the next month to tackle three things. First, I wish to, first of all, send a message to the NPP that the people of Ghana are calling on them to downsize their government to reflect the mood of the country. You are asking people to forgo their coupons or interests, you are asking the ordinary Ghanaian to sacrifice their payout, and so therefore if His Excellency the president intends to reshuffle his government, let it be known that we in the NDC will not accept an attempt to increase the size of government,” he said.
Cassiel Ato Forson also sent a caution to the president to ensure that he does not increase his government size, adding that should that happen, such new additions will be resisted by the Minority.
“And if the current size of his ministers increases by one, that one person may not receive our cooperation. And in the end, we also wish to assure the people of Ghana that, as part of our engagement with the Finance Committee and the Health Committee, we have agreed to do public hearing on the audit of the COVID-19 expenditure beginning on the 7th of February, 2023. At that point, we will pay due diligence to the duties given to us by the people,” he added.
The Minority Leader concluded by indicating that they will embark on a roadshow across the country to educate Ghanaians on the impact of the current economic challenges.
“And then finally, we will also embark on a roadshow where we will galvanize the people of Ghana and educate them on what this economic crisis is going to take us through,” he said.
Cassiel Ato Forson takes over from Haruna Iddrisu as the Minority Leader, while Kwame Governs Agbodza is the new Minority Chief Whip.
Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah will be the new Deputy Minority Leader, while the two deputy Minority Chief Whips, Ahmed Ibrahim and Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe-Ghansah, have been retained.
Pharmacist and Research Fellow at CDD Ghana, Dr. Kwame Asiedu Sarpong, has backed calls for further investigation into the Covid-19 expenditure infractions.
In the Auditor General’s report concerning Covid-19 expenditures from March 2020 to June 2022, it was revealed that millions of Ghana cedis had been lost through profligate and reckless spending.
Some of the infractions that were uncovered include; paying a total of US$607,419.02 out of US$4,049,460.12 for the purchase of 26 ambulances that were never delivered, paying unapproved GH ₵151,500 by the Information Ministry to its own staff as Covid insurance, and paying for $80 million worth of vaccines by the government that was never delivered, amongst others.
However, some government communicators have argued that with Ghana ranking very high with regards to the country’s Covid-19 management, such probes into Covid-19 expenditure are unnecessary.
Reacting to this, Dr. Kwame Asiedu Sarpong said the argument is flawed and rather makes a mockery of the country.
According to him, Ghana was merely compared to the worst performing countries in relation to Covid-19 management, and, therefore, there was nothing to celebrate.
“Anytime I hear a comparison ‘oh an African country is the best among Africans’, you’ve got to look at the testing rate in Africa. The testing rate in Africa was the lowest; in fact it wasn’t even comparable to South East Asia. It was that bad.
“So if you are the best among the worst and you read the Brookings Institute’s report to justify that I find that ludicrous. What happened to comparing us to what was happening in the rest of the world? Because this was a global pandemic, it wasn’t an African pandemic.
“We’re not talking about Ebola, are we? We are talking about a global pandemic where people were testing at scale. Why does Africa always want to be treated as paupers? When we are told we are beggars so the one who begs least becomes the shining star,” he said.
The newly-appointed Minority Leader Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has said he has the ability to carry out the new task assigned him by the leadership of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
He says he is not new in Parliament.
“I am not new in this house,” he said at his maiden press conference as the new Minority Leader which was also attended by the newly-appointed Minority Chief Whip Kwame Agbodza.
He added “I have known most of my colleagues for a while. I can assure you that we will succeed.”
In an earlier press statement, Dr Ato Forson assured his side of the House of working with high dedication and integrity.
He said he would represent the collective goals of the Minority.
The Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam lawmaker commended Mr Iddrisu for “his admirable stewardship when he was granted the opportunity by our party’s leadership.”
“As leader,” he added, “it will be my duty to represent our collective goals with unwavering dedication and high integrity.”
He further indicated that “I am honoured and humbled to have been chosen to lead our illustrious and gallant caucus in Parliament. I thank the leadership of our party who have placed their trust and confidence in me.
“I am also deeply grateful to colleagues, the rank and file of our party and the Ghanaian people for their profound support and solidarity.”
The Minority in Parliament will be holding an emergency meeting in the House today Thursday, January 26 over the removal of its leadership by the executives of their party the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
This comes after the decision to change the leadership created division among the minority caucus.
National Chairman of the NDC Johnson Asiedu Nketia and the General Secretary Fifi Kwetey will be attending the meeting, TV3’s Parliamentary Correspondent Komla Klutse reported on Wednesday, January 25.
So far, forty-eight of the opposition lawmakers have signed a petition to the party executives to reverse their decision.
According to them, the decision is unpopular for which they wanted it reversed.
Some of the NDC MPs including Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed expressed shock at the decision by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to change the party’s leadership in Parliament.
The decision was made known on Tuesday, January 24 with the Member of Parliament for Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam Constituency, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, replacing Tamale South legislator Haruna Iddrisu as Minority Leader. Ellembelle’s Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah also replaces James Klutse Avedzi as Deputy Minority Leader.
Speaking on TV3‘s News 360 on Tuesday, January 24 after news on the decision broke, the Tamale Central MP said there was no consultation whatsoever with the caucus before the release.
“Every single Member of Parliament is surprised,” he said, “And I can tell you that even those who have been proposed to take leadership, some of them are surprised that such a proposal is made without even consulting them.”
He condemned the mode of communication, saying as an MP he got wind of the decision on social media like many other NDC MPs.
“That is not how things are done,” he fumed.
“The NDC is a democratic party. We have touted ourselves as the pacesetters of this democracy. The NDC gave birth to the 1992 Constitution for which reason we have all collectively agreed to chart the path of democracy.”
He, therefore, indicated that NDC should be the last to disregard democratic tenets and by making such a decision without consulting the group – or caucus – it affects, to him, smacks of disrespect.
The former Nanton MP said his experience of having been in the Sixth Parliament and even the Eighth Parliament tells him that there is active consultation between the party’s leadership and the caucus prior to such decisions.
“How do you choose leaders for a group without consulting that group?” he wondered.
“Who told you that the group will be comfortable with the people you have chosen? Now if the group were not comfortable with the people you have chosen, then that will be the beginning of a failure of that particular leadership.”
Also, Member of Parliament for Agotime Ziope, Charles Agbeve demanded explanations into the decision.
Mr Agbeve said the NDC lawmakers were surprised following the announcement of the changes because consultations were not done on this matter.
He told TV3’s Komla Kluste in an interview that “I am flabbergastered, the news hit me because it is one of the last news I am expecting at this time, and so I am surprised.
“It took me a long time to really appreciate the news because normally, the national executives will engage the leadership of Parliament and if leadership thinks the engagements, they can’t get to a consultation, they meet the whole caucus and so, I can count countless engagements between the caucus and the national executives on all issues.
“There are issues when they come up, leadership thinks let us take some advice from the national executives and then they give the direction. So one would have thought that if there is going to be a shake-up like this, there would have been some engagements and that engagement would have watered down the shock and surprise.
“You will know there is going to be some changes here and there and then people will make inputs and suggestions but this was not done and I will like to know what went into this thinking, I will want some explanations, that will give all of us reasons to support it. ”
Meanwhile, the National Chairman of the NDC Johnson Asiedu Nketia said the decision was taken based on the current trend of debate on national issues.
“The debates and the other discussions will focus on the economy so you need to put your best man in the economy forward, that is what we have done,” he told Accra-based Joy FM.
“We also looked at energy. These petroleum and electricity challenges and so we needed to settle on Kofi-Armah Buah, our former Energy Minister to be the Deputy Minority Leader and then the other area is infrastructure, Kwame Agbodza being our man in infrastructure should play a key role. So that generally is what informed the changes.”
Heavy security had to be deployed at the Ashanti regional NDC office to forestall the destruction of properties.
Angry Asawase constituents marched to the office to express their disappointment over the replacement of their Member of Parliament, Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, with MP for Adaklu Kwame Agbodza as the minority chief whip in parliament.
The aggrieved NDC supporters burnt car tyres at the regional party office.
In one voice, they called the bluff of the national party executives over the parliamentary leadership changes.
Their demand is just one. The party should reverse the changes made else they risk losing their votes.
“”They want to destroy our party. Without Muntaka in the parliamentary leadership, no vote”, Usman Ismail fumed.
The regional chairman of NDC, Augustus Andrews Nana Akwasi had to intervene to calm down nerves.
He assured them of forwarding their grievances to the appropriate quarters.
“The party has structures. Let’s not do anything that will put the name of the party into disrepute. Let’s rather remain united and reclaim power in 2024”.
The police were also swift with their intervention in preventing the destruction of properties.
Meanwhile, at an earlier press conference by some Asawase constituency executives of NDC, they tasked leadership of the party to reverse its decision.
“We are yet to come to terms with the news as to whether or not such decision was taken by the functional executive committee of which both Haruna Iddrisu and Muntaka Mubarak are members. Whether or not the council of elders of the party were consulted. Whether or not the minority MPs were consulted. We are compelled to come to the conclusion that, the action is undemocratic as it lacks proper and broader consultation.
We are by this statement requesting the party to withdraw these changes with immediate effect and to the needful”, Asawase constituency NDC secretary, Mugis Mahdi stated.
The Concerned Second Hand Dealer Association wants government to stay all plans to ban the importation of used appliance into the country as it risk affecting their livelihood, particularly under current economic situation.
Talks about Ghana at risk of being turned into a dumping ground for electronic waste have been rife over the period with the Energy Commission pushing the agenda to ban the importation of such products in the interest of the country.
“Now that there is economic hardship all over the world, why would one say they are taking away jobs that feed millions of people in this country forgetting our contribution to Ghana’s GDP”, says President of the Association, Asare Daniel.
Speaking at a press conference, Mr. Asare insisted that the goods imported are standard and go through various checks at the ports before being allowed into the country.
“If the sitting government is seeking assistance from the IMF which will prevent them from employing workers, where would they find jobs for us and the graduates in our homes due to government’s inability to get jobs for them? We are very much convinced of hearing something good from the Energy Commission and the government.”
Meanwhile, the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) sides with the dealers.
President of GUTA, Dr. Joseph Obeng appealed for stakeholder engagement on the issue to bring a resolution to the concerns raised.
“Our total engagements with Energy Commission are inconclusive. So we will not accept any ban on used clothes. The fact that the clothes are second-hand does not make them unwholesome. We call on government to as a matter of urgency hold a meeting with the Commission and also on parliament not to consider any ban because it employs a lot of people”, he said.
Stan Dogbe, the Director of Communications during the John Mahama presidency has taken Ben Ephson to the cleaners over his allegation that the decision by the National Democratic Congress to oust Haruna Iddrisu and Muntaka Mubarak as Minority Leader and Chief Whip was the brainwork of the former president and Asiedu Nketiah.
In his reaction to the move by NDC, the Managing Editor of the Daily Dispatch Newspaper said that John Mahama and Asiedu Nketiah orchestrated the move because it works in their favour.
Speaking in an interview on Starr FM on Tuesday, January 24, 2023, the pollster indicated that the reasons provided by the party do not justify their actions.
“I think that it is the working of former President John Mahama and Aseidu Nketiah and I am going to wonder how the minority caucus is going to be. I suspect politically Mr. Aseidu Nketiah and John Mahama’s handiwork. Are they saying that before 2020 these economic issues were not there?
“No, I don’t think so, you see when you give this reason. You are creating the impression that before 2020 and even before these changes, Haruna and the leadership have not acquainted themselves well enough in dealing with these issues. Or is it an issue of trying to have total control over minority or minority issues in parliament?” Mr. Ephson quizzed.
He continued: “When you say there are going to be economic issues in 2024, can’t Ato Forson advise Haruna on the way forward? Or they think that Haruna cannot be nodding at everything they say because economic issues have been in the forefront in the run up issues in 2020 elections.”
In response, Stan Dogbe observed that Ben Ephson has consistently shown bias against John Dramani Mahama.
According to him, Ben Ephson’s predictions are fuelled by factors other than objectivity and actual analysis of the situation on the ground.
“This Ben Ephson man is at it again. Obviously, he has always been a shameless character so he cares less about himself when he chooses to go where his stomach leads him.
“Your sustained negatively against John Mahama will lead you no where ooo, it will not. With your credibility finally eroded as people see through your tabletop so-called research, your new found job is to be attacking and granting interviews to denigrate John Mahama.
“Me, I wish you well in your new job. Once it puts food on your table, why not. What are we in this world for. Just remember that you cannot destroy what the Lord has planned out.
We will wait for your next negative campaign against John Mahama,” he posted on Facebook.
In a Facebook post, the Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam MP said, “I am honoured and humbled to have been chosen to lead our illustrious and gallant caucus in Parliament. I thank the leadership of our party who have placed their trust and confidence in me. I am also deeply grateful to colleagues, the rank and file of our party and the Ghanaian people for their profound support and solidarity”.
He said he has had some discussions with the outgoing Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, and thus commended him for his admirable stewardship.
“I have held fruitful and positive conversations with my senior brother Hon. Haruna Iddrisu. I commend him for his admirable stewardship when he was granted the opportunity by our party’s leadership,” Dr. Forson stated.
He also assured to represent the collective interest of the party.
“As a leader, it will be my duty to represent our collective goals with unwavering dedication and high integrity,” he added.
The NDC earlier this week reshuffled its leadership in Parliament replacing Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu with Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson.
Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, MP for Ellembelle also replaced Ketu North MP, James Klutse Avedzi as the Deputy Minority Leader while Kwame Governs Agbodza replaced Asawase MP, Muntaka Mubarak as the Minority Chief Whip.
Several NDC MPs including MP for Bolgatanga East, Dominic Ayine and Tamale Central MP, Murtala Muhammed later described the leadership changes as undemocratic and deeply worrying, after they claimed they were not consulted prior to the change.
Some 44 MPs signed a petition to reject the decision of the party. The 44 members believe the decision by the party is unfair and unpopular.
However, some 77 MPs have also reportedly signed a different petition to endorse the decision of the party.
The Minority MPs are supposed to meet today over the issue.
The Member of Parliament for Ajumako Enyan Esiam, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has expressed appreciation to the leadership of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for his appointment as the leader of the party’s caucus in parliament.
In a statement issued via his social media pages, the newly-appointed Minority Leader also expressed gratitude to his colleagues as well as members of the party for their support following his appointment.
“My dear friends, I am honoured and humbled to have been chosen to lead our illustrious and gallant caucus in Parliament.
“I thank the leadership of our party who have placed their trust and confidence in me.
“I am also deeply grateful to colleagues, the rank and file of our party and the Ghanaian people for their profound support and solidarity,” he wrote.
The new Minority Leader disclosed that he has already had a discussion with his predecessor, Haruna Iddrisu, following his appointment.
While asking for the support of the party, Ato Forson assured that his leadership will be directed towards representing the collective goals of the NDC and the caucus.
“I have held fruitful and positive conversations with my senior brother Hon. Haruna Iddrisu. I commend him for his admirable stewardship when he was granted the opportunity by our party’s leadership.
“As leader, it will be my duty to represent our collective goals with unwavering dedication and high integrity. I have no doubt that with your support we shall succeed.
“May God bless our efforts,” the new Minority Leader added.
A former Deputy Minister of Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has been appointed as the new Minority Leader, as a replacement for Haruna Iddrisu.
Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah has also been named as the new Deputy Minority Chief Whip.
Kwame Agbodza takes over as Chief Whip.
Ahmed Ibrahim, MP for Banda, has been retained as the First Deputy Minority Chief Whip, just as Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe-Ghansah, MP for Ada, is still the Second Deputy Minority Chief Whip.
This was contained in a letter to the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, from the National Democratic Congress and dated January 23, 2023.
The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has expressed dissatisfaction with answers regarding the GH¢2.6 million scandal involving the Secretary of the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral, Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng.
Mr. Ablakwa in his exposé alleged that JNS Talent Centre Ltd owned by Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng was paid some GH¢2.6 million to help build the National Cathedral, under the pseudonym name Kwabena Adu Gyamfi.
According to him, documents in his possession reveal that Kwabena Adu Gyamfi is the same as Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng who still serves on the National Cathedral Board as an Executive Council Member/Director.
However, the Secretariat in a statement explained that the GH₵2.6 million was a refund to JNS talent and not an amount illegally paid to the company.
The lawmaker petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng.
But in a response to the allegations, Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng in a statement said Mr. Ablakwa’s claims are a “twisted narration of events”, threatening to take the MP on.
“I wish to assure the general public that the statements made by Mr Ablakwa are a twisted narration of events to pursue a malicious political agenda. There has never been any criminal intent nor any crime committed in my dealings with the Government of Ghana or the National Cathedral.
“I look forward to the (CHRAJ) enquiry during which I will present my side of the matter to the Commission. I will subsequently also address the matters fully in public without first seeking to prejudice the public mind as he has done. Additionally, when all is done, I will seek redress against Mr Ablakwa for his deliberate defamatory statements against me,” the founder of Power Chapel Worldwide noted.
Speaking on Face to Face on Citi TV with Umaru Sanda Amadu, the legislator called the bluff of the Secretary of the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral, charging him to bring bear his facts and stop the empty threats.
“No he’s the same person, I have tracked his travels, he’s the same person. I have videos of Kwabena Adu Gyamfi.”
“That dubious GH¢2.6 million payment, we will get to the bottom of it. Last Sunday he said when you are going up, demons will disturb you. I don’t know which up he’s talking about, whether it’s a mysterious ladder, fraudulent ladder, or corruption ladder, I don’t know which one he’s talking about because it’s a simple matter,” the MP said on Face to Face on Citi TV.
He doubted if due diligence was done before the state issued a diplomatic passport to Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng.
The lawmaker said the Foreign Affairs Minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey will be summoned by Parliament to answer questions in that regard.
“What due diligence was done before granting him a diplomatic passport? How is it that you appoint somebody, give him an appointment letter as Rev.Kusi Boateng? And then when you are issuing him a diplomatic passport to enhance his work, it’s in another name, are you complicit? The Foreign Affairs Minister [Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey] will be summoned to Parliament to answer questions,” Mr. Ablakwa said.
Today, January 26, 2023, the Minority caucus in Parliament is expected to meet to discuss the leadership changes announced by the National Democratic Congress national executives (NDC).
This comes following the stand-off between the NDC MPs following the changes in their leadership.
Some 44 MPs signed a petition to reject the decision of the party. The 44 members believe the decision by the party is unfair and unpopular.
However, some 77 MPs have also reportedly signed a different petition to endorse the decision of the party.
According to reports, the 77 MPs believe that Dr. Ato Forson and Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah are politically astute and have the quality to lead the party in Parliament.
The NDC in a letter to the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, on Tuesday, January 24, stated that it had decided to replace Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu with Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson.
Other changes include Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, MP for Ellembelle who has been brought in to replace Ketu North MP, James Klutse Avedzi as the Deputy Minority Leader while Kwame Governs Agbodza has also replaced Asawase MP, Muntaka Mubarak as the Minority Chief Whip.
Several NDC MPs including MP for Bolgatanga East, Dominic Ayine and Tamale Central MP, Murtala Muhammed have described the leadership changes as undemocratic and deeply worrying, since no consultations were held with the Minority caucus.
Speaking to Citi News, the Member of Parliament for Anlo, Richard Kwami Sefe said the caucus will have a meeting at 10am today to address the concerns.
“The meeting is being called at the behest of the outgoing leadership. I believe those who have now been appointed will be part of the discussion. If we meet today, we will be able to discuss the issues thoroughly without emotions and insinuations.”
“Probably we will vote on it to see how we will go over this issue. Because if care is not taken, those who are coming may not have peace, and those who are there too if the party says no, then it’s going to cause us a lot of divisions,” the Member of Parliament for Anlo stated.
Provisional results for candidates who took the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) for both school and private in 2022 have been made public by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).
A press statement dated January 25, 2023, said that candidates can access their results at the council’s website www.waecgh.org.
The statement added that the subject results of 416 school candidates and 3 private candidates have been cancelled for the offence of either sending foreign materials into the examination hall or colluding with candidates.
In addition, the examination body has also cancelled the entire results of 73 school candidates and 2 private candidates for the offence of examination malpractice.
“Cancellation of the subjects results of 416 school candidates and 3 private candidates for the offence of either bringing foreign materials into the examination hall or colluding with other candidates.
“…cancellation of the entire results of 73 school candidates and 2 private candidates for the offence of sending mobile phones into examination halls,” part of the statement read.
Public Affairs Manager of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), has encouraged formal sector workers to ensure that employers pay their full contributions to the Trust.
Charles Akwesi Garshong revealed that in cases where some workers receive allowances that are separate from their salaries, some employers contribute based on the employee’s actual salary.
“So it is up to you to ensure that your employer is paying contributions on your full earnings, because the higher the income on which contributions are paid, the better your pension”, he indicated on Wednesday.
Speaking on Prime Morning, he said the practice might look appealing to the worker but affect their pension payments in the long run.
Public Affairs Manager, Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), Charles Akwesi Garshong
“Because the employer is also looking at it that if I add it to your salaries, the responsibility I have by topping up the contribution you make will increase…”
“For employer-employee relationship this is what happens, workers pay a portion and employers will have to top up so if they declare that salary, they feel like oh why don’t I reduce it so that you have huge allowances, you feel you’re okay but at the end of the day he’s only avoiding his responsibilities”, Mr Garshong said.
Mr. Garshong advised individuals in the informal sector to also contribute to SSNIT because of its benefits.
He noted that self-employed persons who do not have fixed salaries can decide willingly on how much they can contribute and discuss with SSNIT, provided it meets the minimum amount.
Some supporters of the Member of Parliament for Asawase, Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka have massed up at his constituency office over his removal as Minority Chief Whip in Parliament.
The outraged party supporters are protesting to demand the party’s reversal of changes it has made to its parliamentary leadership.
Citi News’ Ashanti Regional Correspondent, Fati Aminu Ibrahim reports that the members are unhappy with the announcement and want a reconsideration.
Mubarak Muntaka’s spokesperson, Abdul Majeed Musah who spoke on Citi Prime News said the reshuffling could spell doom for the party if the decision is not rescinded.
“Our position is very simple– that the party should reverse this decision. The entire decision is a sham and miscalculated one. People have led the party and have achieved a lot of success. It takes a wide and broad deliberation to replace any if need be.”
“So why is it that all of a sudden they have been removed? If care is not taken, it would create a lot more problems. So we want the Council of Elders to come in”.
Several NDC MPs including MP for Bolgatanga East, Dominic Ayine and Tamale Central MP, Murtala Muhammed have described the leadership changes as undemocratic and deeply worrying since no consultations were held with the Minority caucus.
The former Majority Leader, Cletus Avoka has also called on the party to immediately reverse the decision, describing it as unpopular and unfortunate.
Some NDC party supporters in Tamale South have also given the party a 24-hour ultimatum to rescind the decision or face their wrath.
Meanwhile, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has justified the shake-up in its leadership in Parliament despite criticisms from its own members.
The party said the decision is apt and works best for collective other than individual interests.
Many have described the news as surprising because they claim the party failed to broadly consult for a consensus to be reached accusing the leadership of taking a unilateral decision.
But General Secretary of the NDC, Fiifi Kwetey while speaking on Eyewitness News discredited such assertions insisting that those who mattered were contacted for the necessary inputs.
But Fifi Kwetey said the decision has been taken and will not be reversed.
Cletus Apul Avoka, the representative for Zebilla East, has expressed worries over the timing of the NDC’s leadership change in parliament.
According to him, the party should have galvanized the party for the fight against the NPP to win the 2024 elections instead of making heroes out of nonentities.
His remarks come after the party decided to replace Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu with Cassiel Ato Forson, MP for Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam.
The party also replaced Deputy Minority Leader James Klutse Avedzi with Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, MP for Ellembelle.
Speaking on Citi TV the lawmaker said, “this is not the time to make nobody a somebody, this is not the time to make nobody a somebody, this is the time to galvanise all of us to fight the NPP so that we can win elections not to make heroes out of nonentities, this is not the time,” Citi newsroom quoted.
Aside from Cletus Avoka, the Member of Parliament for Tamale Central also raised concerns about the party’s failure to involve the caucus in the leadership reshuffle.
According to Murtala Mohamed, the leadership reshuffle has caught everyone off guard, including those who are taking on new responsibilities.
The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission’s hike in utility rates has prompted the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI) to petition Parliament’s Select Committee on Mines and Energy (PURC).
According to the Chamber, the decision follows several appeals to the PURC to review the tariffs for large scale businesses since the current economic crises is already biting hard on their operations.
This has forced most of them to look elsewhere for cheaper tariffs, while some others have fold-up.
Speaking to Joy Business after an engagement with the PURC which ended inconclusively, President of the GNCCI, Clement Osei Amoako, said it will continue to push for a downward review of utility tariffs for its members.
“There is a way out to get it [downward review of utility tariffs] done. They would have to look at it”.
“If it has to go back to Parliament for them to look at it, we will lobby the Parliament Select Committee and all those that matters to make sure we will not keep the current price. This will ensure ordinary Ghanaians and businesses survive”.
But in a sharp response, Chief Executive of the PURC, Dr. Ishmael Ackah said nothing can be done about it for now since the tariffs have already been gazetted to take effect come February 2023.
“This adjustment, the decision has been made and it has been gazetted as a law. For now, nothing can be done on the part of PURC”.
He however added that “there would be other quarterly adjustment. So, what we are doing is establishing the protocols for engagements”.
Within a period of less than six months, electricity and water tariffs have shot up significantly on two occasions.
Electricity bill first went up by 26.6% in September 2022 and 29.9% in February 2023, totaling 56.5%.
There is simmering friction in the private health insurance sector following the establishment and subsequent operations of the Ghana Association of Bankers (GAB) Health Insurance Scheme.
Some players in the sector have expressed their disquiet over what they say is the unfair trade activities by GAB which could potentially affect the structure and future of Private Health Insurance (PHI) in Ghana.
According to some of the affected schemes, GAB as a prerequisite to obtaining a license had agreed even if verbally, not to go after banks already doing business with existing schemes, something they say GAB has flouted.
A member of the Private Health Insurance Oversight Committee of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) and a spokesperson of the Private Health Insurance Association, Ronald Oppong Adom, in an interview says while the Association is open to business participation from all quarters, schemes that purport to operate in the name of unions could spell doom for the industry.
Even more worrying, he averred, is the potential for these unionized schemes to coerce members of the union to stop doing business with existing companies so they can join the union’s schemes.
While he does not contest the legality of GAB, Mr Adom believes the regulators, the National Health Insurance Authority, must ensure that the health insurance sector is not controlled by other sectors.
“I think the concerns that PHIs have raised is the level of coercion that some banks that used to be members or that are members of existing PHI companies have been coerced to join the GAB health insurance company.
“In a free market economy, the factors of demand and supply must be allowed to play without any strings attached but per the concerns which the members have shared, some of their clients have been pursued,” he stated.
He added: “What will happen if all the thriving associations put together a health scheme and coerce all their members to join their scheme? Let’s say the Telcos tomorrow put together a Health Insurance Company and say all telcos must belong to the health insurance company and go ahead to say that now they are distributing their health insurance company through their channels….When that happens the Private Health Insurance space will be controlled by another sector. For any sector to thrive, that sector should not be controlled by another sector. If that sector is controlled by another sector it becomes an issue.”
Metropolitan Position
CEO of Metropolitan Health Insurance, Emmanuel Oteng, who has lost a number of banks to GAB, suspects foul play with the bankers association scheme.
According to him, most of his clients who are bankers have been deliberately targeted by GAB.
“They started and picked some few banks that had no insurance. It was a good thing initially because we have been pushing some of these banks that are uninsured to get on board so we thought when GAB entered the market it was an opportunity to grow the industry. But I think the attempt was deliberately to focus on the banks that already had insurance companies. We have flagged this as a risk because even though the regulator told them not to coerce clients to join them we knew it was going to happen,” he stated.
According to him, the banks constitute the largest chunk of his clientele for which reason the activities of GAB should be looked at again.
GAB no response
Attempts to get GAB to respond to the concerns raised by some of the industry players proved futile.
But the NHIA is convinced nothing untoward has happened.
Hudu Issah, the Director in charge of Private Health Insurance at the NHIA said by law the NHIA cannot stop GAB from operating.
What it can do is ensure they operate fairly within the space they have decided to do business.
He also challenged the aggrieved companies to provide evidence of wrongdoing by the GAB so the NHIA can address it.
“A few of them have reported that GAB is forcing some banks to leave them and join GAB. Petition the regulator, and add evidence. Until anyone is ready to bring a petition and attach evidence, the regulator cannot move,” he stated.
He added, “I don’t think they have anything to worry about. Insurance thrives on numbers but not all the time.
“There are some numbers which will imply you made an adverse selection which will erode your gains. Banks are high-risk clients so if they are running from you, why worry?”
Former Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress, Koku Anyidoho, has said that he weeps for his ‘beloved party’.
The erstwhile NDC appointee expressed this concern in reaction to the uproar in some quarters of the party, following the change in its parliamentary leadership.
Touching on the change which was announced on Tuesday, the former NDC deputy scribe alleged that it was influenced by a hideous agenda of the party’s newly elected Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah.
In a series of tweets after the change was made public, he expressed his misgivings and lamented the future of the party under Asiedu Nketiah.
“Extreme anger brewed in Asiedu-Nketiah’s NDC pot. Lots of fire under the umbrella. I weep for my beloved NDC”, he noted in one of his tweets.
“Oyiwa. The deadly seeds that have been sowed over the years that I continue to talk about, are germinating under the Leadership of Mosquito – the master brain behind lots of the bad seeds.
As for me; my vindication lies in the womb of time. ‘A ye pinsoooooooo’ “, another related tweet said.
The comments by Koku Anyidoho add to the pockets of reservations by other notable party sympathizers since the change was announced on Tuesday.
One of such prominent critics has been the Member of Parliament for the Tamale Central Constituency, Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed.
According to the aggrieved legislator, the timing of the decision by the party’s hierarchy is ‘wrong’.
Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosiisen on Tuesday, the audibly displeased lawmaker explained that as far as he and other colleague NDC MPs are concerned, the current crop of parliamentary leadership have been diligent in their duties.
He, therefore, questioned the rationale for the change and criticised the party’s leadership for failing to consult the entire Minority Caucus before effecting the change.
“The timing is completely wrong. What is the basis of changing our parliamentary leadership?”, Murtala Mohammed decried.
“They are only taking away the most experienced leaders and bringing the less experienced ones. Nobody told them we are dissatisfied with the leadership.
“Who told them we are unhappy with their performance?”, the disgruntled lawmaker quizzed.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, has defended the party’s decision to change its parliamentary leadership.
On Tuesday morning, the NDC issued a statement announcing key changes to its parliamentary leadership.
According to the party, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has taken over from Haruna Iddrisu as the new Minority Leader.
Ellembelle MP, Kofi Armah Boah will replace James Klutse Avedzi as Deputy Minority Leader.
In a statement signed by NDC General Secretary, Fifi Kwetey, Kwame Agbodza becomes the Chief Whip for the opposition side and will be deputised by Banda MP, Ahmed Ibrahim and Ada legislator, Comfort Doyo Ghansah respectively.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with JoyNews’ Blessed Sogah after the change, Asiedu Nketiah however explained that the move is part of the party’s ‘reorganisation’ for the 2024 general election.
According to him, there have been a series of changes across all levels of the party towards the 2024 polls.
From branch elections, constituency elections, regional elections and national elections, Asiedu Nketiah said, it is now time to introduce new faces to the party’s frontline in Parliament, hence the change.
In his view, the timing is right.
“We started at the branch level. We’ve since done elections in about 40,000 branches and then from there, we proceeded to the constituency level.
“We’re done largely with all the constituencies and then we’ve done regional elections and we just completed the national elections.
“So the next in line is to take a look at our leadership in Parliament and that is what we’ve just done so in terms of timing, it is line with the way we are prosecuting the national reorganisation”, he clarified.
In his defense, he added that going into the 2024 polls, issues about the economy will become very topical and therefore the need for someone who has mastery in that regard.
This is he said is the basis for selecting Dr Cassiel Ato Forson to be the party’s new minority leader.
He added that issues surrounding energy will become critical ahead of the next elections, and therefore the party’s decision to choose Dr Kofi Armah Buah as the Deputy Minority Leader.
Touching on the Deputy Minority Leader role, he further clarified that the changing of James Klutse Avedzi’s was due to the MP’s decision to exit Parliament.
The Board of Ghana Ministers of State Excellence Honours has shortlisted three Ministers of State who will be vying for Ghana’s Minister of the Year award for 2021 and 2022.
They are Hon. John Alan Kyerematen, Former Minister for Trade and Industry, Hon. Dr. Owusu Akoto Afriyie, Former Minister of Food and Agriculture and Hon. Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Minister for Energy.
The three will be vying for the coveted and enviable crown as Ghana’s Best Minister of the years 2021 and 2022.
This is the 3rd edition of award which is put together by Ghana’s biggest event organising company, Big Events Ghana.
The event in its third edition will be held in February at the Movenpick Hotel in Accra.
The event which will award and celebrate only five of the over hundred and twenty ministers of state is seen as very competitive and honourable.
The Ghana Ministers of State Excellence Honours celebrate the most competent, most hard-working and most influential minister of state in the Republic of Ghana who has excelled in their mandate as Ghana’s best minister of state.
The event will be aired live on three of Ghana’s top television networks, UTV, TV3 and Adom TV.
The Member of Parliament (MP) of North Tongu has called out some state institutions for their silence over the issue of Rev Victor Kusi Boateng, the founder and leader of Power Chapel International, illegally having multiple statutory documents under different names.
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said that the state agencies that Rev Kusi Boateng scammed to illegally acquire multiple documents including the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Registrar Generals Department, Passport Office and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), must explain to Ghanaians how the blunders happened.
In a Citi TV interview monitored by GhanaWeb, the MP posited that these agencies should be conducting internal investigations to find out how they issued the same person with multiple documents under different names.
“All these institutions should be issuing statements by now (and) carrying out investigations. How is it that they are (so quiet)? Is it that they are complicit?
“How did they take advantage of them so easily. GRA, Registrar General Department, Passport Office, DVLA. How did this happen?” he queried.
The MP in his latest corruption exposé on the National Cathedral made some allegations against Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng, who is the secretary to the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral of Ghana.
In an earlier revelation about the National Cathedral, Okudzeto Ablakwa said that a whopping GH¢2.6 million was dished out to a company named JNS Talent Centre Limited.
In his latest exposé, Ablakwa said that further investigations into the alleged payment led to the discovery of one Kwabena Adu Gyamfi as a director of JNS Talent Centre.
Having confirmed the identities of two out of three directors of the centre, Ablakwa dug deeper in a bid to discover the identity of the third director, Kwabena Adu Gyamfi.
According to his findings, citing a number of statutory documents including passports, Tax Identification Numbers and driver’s licenses, Kwabena Adu Gyamfi was the same as Reverend Kusi Boateng, who has allegedly been operating under the pseudonym Kwabena Adu Gyamfi.
New Patriotic Party (NPP) hopeful Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen has advised the government against adding specific bondholders in the Domestic Debt Exchange Program (DDEP).
According to him, vulnerable groups may lose their “appetite and desire” to save if the government goes ahead to include individual bondholders adding that this would be a dangerous thing that could happen in the country.
“When they invest money in bonds, it’s basically savings because instead of them putting the money under their mattresses, they are putting their money in secured instruments.
“If we touch the investments from these vulnerable groups, we are also making them lose the appetize and the desire for saving and that is the most dangerous thing that could happen to a country,” myjoyonline quoted the aspiring flagbearer.
He added that having a debate about including individual bondholders scheme is creating a platform for very serious negative discourse.
“In my view, having a debate about including individual bondholders and those involved in this collective scheme is creating a platform for very serious negative discourse which could potentially create both domestic and international problems for us,” he said.
Meanwhile, convener of the Individual Bondholders forum, Senyo Hosi, In a statement on January 24, 2023, commended the government for reaching an agreement with the government.
The government of Ghana and the Ghana Association of Banks announced that an agreement had been reached to make some amendments to the terms of the domestic debt exchange programme.
The amendment includes an agreement to pay a 5% coupon rate for each of the twelve new bonds, resulting in an effective coupon rate of 9%.
It also added “the removal or amendment of all clauses in the Exchange Memorandum that empower the Republic to at its sole discretion, vary the terms of the exchange.”
The individual bondholders stated that “with the banks onboarding the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme, the government is set to reach its 80% target.”
“The development reaffirms the need for government to exclude individual Bondholders, including individuals and Collective Investment Schemes (CIS), who account for less than 11% of the eligible bonds. Unlike the banks and other institutions who are set to benefit from various regulatory incentives, Individual Bondholders have no fallback nor incentives and will be condemned to shackled penury,” parts of the statement read.
A GH50,000 bail with two sureties have been granted to the three defendants who are on trial for their roles in the unrest at the NDC Youth and Women’s Congress.
Lawyers of the accused assured the court that their clients will not absent themselves from court nor interfere with investigations.
Though the prosecution did not oppose the bail, the judge noted that the sureties should be residents within the jurisdiction of the court and be civil servants who earn not less than GH¢ 2,000.
The court also directed that the accused must report themselves to the police twice a week specifically on Mondays and Fridays.
Meanwhile, the National Youth Organiser of the NDC, George Opare-Addo has described as unfair the resolve by the police to prosecute the matter.
Background
The police declared 16 people wanted for violent disturbances at the National Democratic Congress Youth and Women’s Congress held at Cape Coast on December 10, 2022.
“While proceedings were ongoing at the Congress two rival groups violently clashed throwing stones, blocks, sticks, clubs, chairs among others, causing injury to three persons and destruction to property,” the police said in a statement.
“The intervention of the Police brought the situation under control for the processes to continue to the end without any further incident.”
After an initial review of Police-specific video footage of the event, 16 suspects were identified as some of the people involved in the violence and were declared wanted.
Mr Ignatius Baffour-Awuah, the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Tuesday launched a Post-COVID Skills Development and Productivity Enhancement Programme (PSDPEP).
The PSDPEP is a five-year project, which seeks to build health-related skills in higher education, restore livelihoods, strengthen public communication, and create jobs among the youth and women.
It is also aimed at promoting technical and entrepreneurship for job creation.
The project is being funded from a grant facility of US $31.34 million, comprising $28.5million from the African Development Bank (AfDB), and 2.8 million from Government of Ghana.
The Minister said the project was in line with critical government development policy frameworks, such as the Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda, Government Coordinated Program of Economic and Social Development as well as the Country Strategy Paper (2019-2013).
This reflects the development aspirations of the Government of Ghana as required by the 1992 constitution.
The PSDPEP beneficiaries are: the Ghana News Agency, Social Investment Fund, Microfinance and Small Loans Centre, the Biotechnology Centre, the School of Nursing and Midwifery, and the Microbiology Centre.
The rest are the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the National Vocational Training Institute.
The project will be implemented in seven regions in Ghana – Greater Accra, Ashanti, Eastern, Bono, Northern, Central, and Upper West.
Mr Baffour-Awuah stressed the need for beneficiaries to own the project by mainstreaming it into their programmes.
That, he said, was necessary for its successful implementation.
Mr Kofi Frimpong, the Executive Director of the Social Investment Fund and Project Coordinator, indicated that the pandemic disrupted livelihoods at the individual, household and entrepreneurial levels due to lockdowns.
The project, he said, would, therefore, help to alleviate the plight of those affected.
Mr. Emmanuel Fordjour, Desk Head of AFDB at the Ministry of Finance, said the Bank was committed to assisting Ghana to recover from the hardships the people suffered as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Steering and technical committees were inaugurated before the programme launched to supervise its successful implementation.
A member of parliament representing Afigya Kwabre North, Collins Adomako-Mensah, has indicated that some minority members had been attempting to remove Haruna Iddrisu as minority leader for a long time.
According to him, he is not surprised by the removal of Haruna Iddrisu because members of the minority caucus have been disrespecting him for a long time.
The New Patriotic Party MP, who made these remarks in a Good Morning Ghana interview monitored by GhanaWeb on Wednesday, January 25, 2022, added that the National Democratic Congress’s (NDC’s) national leaders have not been happy with Haruna Iddrisu because of some of the things that transpired in Parliament under his leadership.
“This is a coup; I mean, you don’t miss words; this is a complete coup. And anybody who has been following the NDC’s politics in parliament will not be surprised.
“The disrespect toward Haruna didn’t start today; it has been there in Parliament, everybody knows this. And the plan to get him out has been staged for a very long time, it has just got to the climax.
“And let me read Sammy Gyamfi’s tweet or Facebook post when the ministers were approved by parliament: “Comrades the betrayal we have suffered in the hands of the Speaker of Parliament … the leadership of our parliamentary group, particularly Haruna Iddrisu and Hon Mubarak Muntaka, and dozens of our MPs, is what strengthens me to work hard for the great NDC party,” he said.
The NDC leadership has appointed the former Deputy Minister of Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, as the minority leader in the 8th Parliament of Ghana’s Fourth Republic.
According to the NDC, Kofi Armah Buah, MP for Ellembele, will take over as the Deputy Minority Leader.
While Kwame Governs Agbodza, MP for Abaklu, will replace Asawase MP Muntaka Mohammed as the Chief Whip.
Ahmed Ibrahim, MP for Banda, has been maintained as the First Deputy Minority Whip, while Comfort Doyo Cudjoe-Ghansah, MP for Ada, is the Second Deputy Minority Whip.
This was contained in a letter to the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, from the National Democratic Congress, dated January 23, 2023.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) National Executives have been asked by Cletus Avoka, the outgoing Zebilla Member of Parliament, to revert the Minority Caucus in Parliament’s leadership back to the previous arrangement.
Avoka speaks on changes
Avoka, a one-time Majority Leader and veteran lawmaker, has affirmed in an interview on Joy FM (January 24) that Members of Parliament (MPs) were not consulted before the changes were made.
The most significant move, according to a January 23 letter from the NDC to Speaker Alban Bagbin, is the replacement of Haruna Iddrisu (Tamale South MP) with Cassiel Ato Forson (Ajumako Enyan Essiam MP) as Minority Leader.
“It was not anticipated; it was not expected, and it is untimely as at now. Without prejudice, the gentlemen who are now in the helm of affairs… are very decent Members of Parliament.
“Without prejudice to that…I don’t know what informed the National Executives of the NDC to do this. Without an iota of consultation with some of us who are seniors in Parliament and in the party.”
He described the move as “most ill-timed, it is unstrategic, and it didn’t need to come at this time at all,” adding “I think that the National Executives should eat humble pie and withdraw the change.”
He lamented the ultimate impact of the changes, even on the upcoming primaries in May this year, stressing that “we are going to jeopardise them (removed leaders) in the quest to wrestle power from the NPP in 2024.”
Other changes and retentions
Other changes included Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, MP for Ellembele, who is the new deputy Minority Chief Whip.
While Kwame Governs Agbodza, MP for Adaklu, will replace Asawase MP Muntaka Mohammed as the Chief Whip.
Ahmed Ibrahim, MP for Banda, has been maintained as the first deputy minority chief whip, while Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe-Ghansah, MP for Ada, is also retained as the second deputy minority chief whip.
The students have pleaded with the Ashanti Regional Security Council (REGSEC), and the Ghana Education Service (GES) to allow them back to school.
The school was shut down temporarily by REGSEC after students went on rampage on Sunday destroying school properties including six vehicles.
The students caused a power outage and broke into the storerooms of the school and scattered food items.
The students have since been sent home with authorities finding solutions to the problem
Speaking to OTEC News Jacob Agyenim Boateng, on January 24, 2023, some female students of the school said they were worried the situation may affect their future.
While condemning the acts of their male colleagues, the students have appealed to authorities in the region to help re-open the facility for them to continue their education.
“Like any unqualified apology, the first step is to acknowledge that you were wrong. Then all you have to do is look in that person’s face and say we are truly sorry for what happened and we hope our teachers and the public will forgive us”.
“We would like to render an unqualified apology to all especially our tutors for the inconveniences caused by the excesses of the protest that resulted in the destruction of school properties and the consequential closure of the school”.
“We are grateful to all relevant stakeholders for the steps taken already to restore calm in the school, but we are still pleading with them to save our educational career,” they added.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) General Secretary, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, has stated that the party sought advice from former president John Dramani Mahama before opting to alter the leadership of the party in parliament.
Describing it as an apt decision that would inure to the long-term benefits of the NDC party, Fifi Kwetey said that contrary to claims that some key persons were not consulted over the decision, they actually did.
According to a report by myjoyonline.com, the NDC General Secretary explained that John Mahama was informed and he is aware of why there was the need to make those changes.
“This decision was taken after wide consultation. If you look at the apex leadership of the party, that consultation was done. In terms of parliamentary, the group that is widely consulted, that consultation has been done.”
“What needed to be done about this reshuffling was done and the people duly consulted. All the key leaders have been consulted. The former President, Mahama was consulted and his views were duly reflected. The new and old leaders were informed and consulted,” he said.
In a release signed by Fifi Fiavi Kwetey on Tuesday, January 24, 2023, it stated the new changes that had been made to the leadership of the Minority in parliament.
Replacing Haruna Iddrisu, who has been Minority Leader since 2017, the NDC named Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, while Mohmammed-Mubarak Muntaka, who was the Minority Chief Whip, has been replaced by Kwame Governs Agbodza.
Emmanual Armah Kofi Buah will now be the new Deputy Minority Leader, replacing James Klutse Avedzi.
In a widely circulated video, two young women who are allegedly University of Development Studies (UDS) students can be seen arguing over a chair.
In this fast-circulating footage, the tertiary students are seen struggling for the occupancy of a desk in the classroom while lectures were ongoing.
One of the ladies clad in a black and white striped blouse and a pair of blue jeans is captured frantically trying to eject her seated colleague who resisted her force.
Apparently, the one standing is said to have brought the chair to the lecture hall but left moments later only to return to it being occupied by her coursemate.
Rather than reaching an amicable understanding, she resorted to aggression to settle their differences.
The video has elicited a number of reactions from netizens who are perplexed by how the two adults were behaving like primary school pupils.
Pictures and a profile of Mrs. Belinda Afriyie Nimako, the wife of the embattled First Atlantic Bank CFO, Mr. Ernest Kwasi Nimako, have surfaced.
Many people were outraged by the gentleman’s decision to date a National Service Personnel when he clearly had an adorable woman at home.
“How do you cheat on such a prestigious woman?” “What do men really want?” This is one of the many questions people have been asking.
Her professional profile as posted by the US Embassy Ghana reads:
Belinda Afriyie Nimako is a medical doctor with nine years experience spanning clinical work, project management, research, undergraduate training and leadership, in the public sector. She is a product of Wesley Girls’ High School and The University of Ghana Medical School.
After graduating top of her Master of Public Health class, she chose to work in Ghana’s rural districts, using her knowledge and skills where they were needed most.
Now, as the Acting Director of Health Services for South Dayi, Belinda leads a 124-person team to design and implement policies and projects and provide clinical care for about 53,000 predominantly rural inhabitants.
She has been involved in developing an undergraduate program in public health for the University of Health and Allied Sciences in Ghana. Belinda also compiled a supplement on severe malaria for the World Health Organization. She currently serves on the Board of Ghana’s Food and Drug Authority.
Belinda believes the fellowship will enhance her capacity to contribute effectively to sustainable public health in Ghana and beyond.
On her return, Belinda Nimako hopes to use the competencies gained to provide effective leadership to improve the health of the people in her district and the larger community.
She also intends to build a network of peers with diverse backgrounds to mentor other young people to value excellence and to be social-minded.
Belinda Afriyie Nimako is also a 2015 Mandela Washington Fellow Ghana.
Dr. Dominic Ayine, a former deputy attorney general and member of parliament for Bolgatanga East for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has criticized party officials at the national level for the changes made to their parliamentary leadership.
He maintains that the National Democratic Congress leadership failed to consult its members of Parliament prior to the changes.
The legislator takes strong exceptions to the development describing it as one that is not only deeply worrying but also undemocratic.
“I am deeply worried that the party at Adabraka can just send a letter to the Speaker and say that these are the new leaders of the party, and we have to take it hook, line and sinker. It is totally unacceptable, it is totally undemocratic and does not conform to the principles regarding the running of the affairs of our party system”, he told Umaru Sanda Amadu on Eyewitness News.
The NDC in a letter to the Speaker of Parliament dated, Monday, January 23, 2023, announced a major reshuffling of its leadership in Parliament.
It named MP for Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson as its new Minority Leader taking over from Tamale South MP, Haruna Iddrisu.
Ellembelle legislator, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah also replaces James Klutse Avedzi as Deputy Minority Leader while Asasawe MP, Muntaka Mubarak has been removed as Minority Chief Whip for Governs Kwame Agbodza to come to the scene.
The announcement has met mixed reactions amidst claims of lack of consultation which the party has refuted.
In Tamale South, for instance, party members massed up at the constituency party office demanding a reversal of the decision.
“This is where the problem is as far as the issue is concerned – absolute lack of consultation. It’s deeply worrying. We are a democratic party, democracy is our middle name, so we should conform to democratic principles in the decisions that we make as a party. It is true that there was no consultation, and there was no caucus meeting where we were told that a new leadership is being proposed for parliament. I find it deeply worrying”, Dr. Ayine stressed.
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the representative for North Tongu, has described how he discovered the alleged dual identity of Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng, secretary to the board of trustees of the National Cathedral.
According to him, he was intrigued when he saw Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng being the same as Kwabena Adu Gyamfi after securing a copy of the National Cathedral Secretariat’s Incorporation documents.
He explained that he started digging into the double identity of Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng when he sighted in the incorporation documents that he was one of the contractors for the project, with registration name Kwabena Adu Gyamfi.
Kwabena Adu Gyamfi, as alleged by Mr. Ablakwa during his investigative piece unearthed that JNS Talent, which was paid GH₵2.6 million belongs to the appointed Secretary of the National Cathedral Board of Trustees, Victor Kusi Boateng.
JNS Talent Centre Ltd which allegedly runs a crèche in Dawhenya was paid some GH¢2.6 million to help build the cathedral.
Speaking on Face to Face on Citi TV with Umaru Sanda Amadu, the vociferous legislator explained, “I obtained a copy of the National Cathedral Secretariat Incorporations documents, I realised that JNS Talent Centre Ltd paid GH¢2.6 million as contractor mobilisation. We know of only one contractor, but I realised that JNS Talent was one of the contractors. You go through the entire documentation and there’s no contract, no agreements, no supporting documents at all for this payment, you get suspicious.”
“I discovered that JNS has three directors, Yohannes Eshun, Sheila Eshun and one Kwabena Adu Gyamfi. What services are they rendering under the National Cathedral project? I discovered that it was a skill and talent development, what are they doing here on this project? They are not contractors, engineers, or architects, very strange. I went deeper and realised that the only thing they have done is to set up a crèche at Dawhyena with few innocent souls,” he narrated.
He noted that he called the wife of Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng, Sheila Eshun who admitted the company received the money but the husband who had travelled has more details on the payment.
“The document I intercepted, there was a number, so I called his wife, and she told me his husband who has the facts has travelled and will return back in two weeks, but the call never came. I sent my team to the church to verify if I was being told the truth. And there he was preaching, they had service with Johannes Eshun. The claim that he was out of the country was a lie,” he stated.
According to him, there was no footprint of Kwabena Adu Gyamfi who was cited as the third director.
The North Tongu legislator further said that the Secretary of the National Cathedral Board of Trustees’ expired driver’s license also bears the name Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng which was used to incorporate him into the Secretariat Board of Trustees.
“The third director was elusive, there was no digital footprint, no evidence, so I was like who is this guy [Kwabena Adu Gyamfi], he was so elusive. I said let me dig deeper as to how he was able to register his company and all that. What idea did this guy use? Lo and behold, I saw Rev. Kusi Boateng’s passport picture that was used for registration, and the name is Kwabena Adu Gyamfi. And I said what’s going on here? I thought it was a second conflict of interest, for money being paid to a junior pastor for no work done.”
The North Tongu MP doesn’t seem to be stopping his critiques of the National Cathedral’s building anytime soon.
He continues to maintain that, the project is needless and that the desire by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to continue with its building ought to be immediately reconsidered.
The legislator simply puts it, the “Cathedral revolution is long past”.
Mr. Ablakwa is not very much convinced by assertions that, building a Cathedral will spare the country of civil war.
He believes, it will rather be more appropriate to have a culture of honesty and Christian values which do not require a structure for such a purpose.
“Ivory Coast put up a very flamboyant Cathedral. Sadly, it did not stop them from suffering a civil war and conflicts. We are New Testament Christians. Let’s go back to pure and true Christian theology.”
“That doctrine is that, the Holy Ghost has been left with us, he resides in us, and our body is the temple of the Lord. So we should rather put emphasis on personal values and integrity. We are not in the Old Testament where it was about buildings. If you look at the international arena now, we are very late. The era of Cathedrals which shows that you have arrived as a country – the Cathedral revolution is long past”, the MP said.
According to Mr. Ablakwa his campaign to expose the infractions in the ongoing construction is not to run down the Christian community but rather, for the greater good of the nation.
“Let’s be clear, this is not an agenda against the Church. I am not seeking to bring down a religion that I will be nobody without. I have said time without number that where will I be without Christianity? I believe in the saving power, salvation, and grace of Jesus Christ. I am not a pagan or anti-Christ”, he emphasized in an interview with Umaru Sanda Amadu on Face to Face on Citi TV.
He further makes the point, no attempts must be made to continue committing public funds and the little state resources to the project in these crucial times.
Despite criticism from its own members, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has defended the restructuring of its leadership in Parliament.
The party said the decision is apt and works best for collective other than individual interests.
Following the removal of Haruna Iddrisu as Minority Leader, many have described the news as surprising because they claim the party failed to broadly consult for a consensus to be reached accusing the leadership of taking a unilateral decision.
But General Secretary of the NDC, Fiifi Kwetey while speaking on Eyewitness News discredited such assertions insisting that those who mattered were contacted for the necessary inputs.
“This decision was taken after wide consultation. If you look at the apex leadership of the party, that consultation was done. In terms of parliamentary, the group that is widely consulted, that consultation has been done.”
“What needed to be done about this reshuffling was done and the people duly consulted. All the key leaders have been consulted. The former President, Mahama was consulted and his views duly reflected. The new and old leaders were informed and consulted”, he emphasized.
Several NDC MPs including MP for Bolgatanga East, Dominic Ayine and Tamale Central MP, Murtala Muhammed have described the leadership changes as undemocratic and deeply worrying since no consultations were held with the Minority caucus.
The former Majority Leader, Cletus Avoka has also called on the party to immediately reverse the decision, describing it as unpopular and unfortunate.
Some NDC party supporters in Tamale South have also given the party a 24-hour ultimatum to rescind the decision or face their wrath.
But Fifi Kwetey in response said the decision has been taken and will not be reversed.
He said the party will proceed with the leadership changes when Parliament resumes in February.
“The leadership of the party at the highest level has taken a decision and that is just what it is. You cannot set up a precedent where decisions by the leadership of the party are now going to be an issue of the caucus. The leadership of the party in Parliament is appointed by the leadership of the party. It is not something that is done by the caucus of the party”.
He added that the party only had to inform Haruna Iddrisu of the decision and not consult him on his removal.
Justifying the decision, the NDC chief scribe said the regional balance of swing regions and the economic issues ahead of the 2024 election, were highly factored in the decision.
“It is an integral part of the process of preparing ourselves for the next general elections. A process of reorganization has been ongoing. We are looking at having the process continue ahead of the parliamentary and presidential primaries. We believe that as part of the process, the next election is going to revolve around matters of the economy.”
“It’s going to be an economic battle and as part of the process, with consultation with leadership at the highest level, we thought that involves how best to even change the parliamentary leadership and have a leader whose domain and forte has to do with the economy to be able to lead that whole process. So this is a very important consideration.”
The NDC in a letter to the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, dated Monday, January 23, stated that it had decided to replace Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu with Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson.
Other changes include Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, MP for Ellembelle who has been brought in to replace Ketu North MP, James Klutse Avedzi as the Deputy Minority Leader while Kwame Governs Agbodza has also replaced Asawase MP, Muntaka Mubarak as the Minority Chief Whip.
Ahmed Ibrahim and Comfort Doyoe-Ghansah have, however, maintained their positions as First and Second deputy Whips respectively.
The National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, has said that the party’s 2024 election campaign message would focus heavily on the economy, which is why it has decided to reorganize its parliamentary leadership.
According to him, the know-how of the new leadership will best to propagate the message of the party.
The NDC in a letter to the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin dated, Monday, January 23, 2023, stated that it had decided to replace Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu with Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson.
Other changes include Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, MP for Ellembelle who has been brought in to replace Ketu North MP, James Klutse Avedzi as the Deputy Minority Leader while Kwame Governs Agbodza has also replaced Asawase MP, Muntaka Mubarak as the Minority Chief Whip.
Ahmed Ibrahim and Comfort Doyoe-Ghansah were, however, maintained in their positions as First and Second deputy Whips respectively.
Speaking to Citi News, Mr. Asiedu Nketiah said the party has put its best foot forward in a bid to win the 2024 election.
“The 2024 election is going to be fought around the economy, so the debate is basically going to be about the economy. So if you are a serious party fighting to win an election. You must put your best foot forward to win the debate”.
“You can’t just tell people that the economy is in shambles when you have not been able to put your experts there to be able to communicate to Ghanaians how you will do things better. So this is the point where we need our finance and economic people around, and that is why we put them there,” Mr. Asiedu Nketiah explained.
Some supporters of the party in the Tamale South constituency on Tuesday after hearing the news besieged the party’s constituency office in protest of the changes in the party’s leadership in Parliament.
Former Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Inusah Fuseini, has also described as surprising the leadership changes by the National Democratic Congress in Parliament.
Mr Fuseini believes the unexpected changes are part of a grand strategy by the party ahead of the 2024 general elections.
The Member of Parliament for Juaboso, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh says President Akufo-Addo is likely to shield culprits implicated in the damning COVID report from the Auditor General.
The Auditor General’s special report on Ghana’s COVID-19 expenditures has recorded some violations in the use of Covid funds.
Among them, is the payment of over 10 million cedis in insurance premiums to cover 10,000 frontline health workers and allied health professionals without a binding contract detailing among others who the beneficiaries are.
The report, which spans between March 2020 and June 2022, scrutinizes how monies received from the various institutions including the World Bank, AFDB, the European Union and the Contingency fund summing up to GHC21.8billion were utilized.
Commenting on whether heads will roll following the infractions in an interview with Starr News, Mr. Akandoh said the President will do nothing to culprits involved in this incriminating act against the country.
“As if those people are not living in Ghana with Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as the President of the republic of Ghana, the clearing agent himself in the seat. What are you talking about, he will not do it. Is the Health Minister still not at post? What didn’t we reveal at the committee, is he not still at post?
“Is the Finance Minister still not at post? When members in his own party are saying that the man must be fired. In any serious jurisdiction and any serious or responsible President, the minister responsible for health wouldn’t have stayed for more than a second after the revelation but he is still at post. So, for me I think that it is one of the consequences of voting for the wrong person to steer the affairs,” he reiterated.
Nonetheless, the Juaboso lawmaker said: “.. we are set out to do what we can. And don’t forget that we have limitations as members of Parliament. So, I wouldn’t want to raise anybody’s expectations when it comes to firing at all. Because the evidence is clear that the man himself has been refusing to clear people even when evidence is enormous or when everybody thinks that he will do the needful”, he stated.
he Senior Political Science Lecturer at the University of Ghana (UG) Dr. Kwame Asah Asante says the shakeup in the leadership for the Minority caucus in Parliament was necessitated by disturbing issues in the house.
The opposition NDC has made changes to its leadership in Parliament with the appointment of Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson as the new Minority Leader.
The former Ranking Member of the Finance Committee of Parliament and Member of Parliament for Ajumako Enyan Essiam replaces Hon. Haruna Iddrisu.
Dr. Ato Forson is to be assisted by MP for Ellembele, Kofi Armah Buah who has been appointed as the Deputy Minority Leader.
Commenting on the changes made by the party on Starr News with Naa Dedei Tettey, the Political Science Lecturer said “political parties undertake such exercises in order to win power and form the next government. So, any rule that they will make in order to wrestle power from whoever is holding political power they will do it. So, for me, it doesn’t come to me as a surprise at all.
Mr. Asante also believes there might be some happenings within the opposition party that caused this immediate change of leadership with the Minority.
“It’s gradually appearing to me that there is something that is going on in Parliament that the leadership of the party is not happy of, for which reason they want to make this change and the time that they are meeting is more significant. More often than not, you tend to see such changes when Parliament is about to start a sitting. But now that they are in recess and this thing comes in then you realize that there is something that is pushing them into doing that”, the lecturer reiterated.
The NDC party has also appointed Adaklu MP, Governs Kwame Agbodza as the new Minority Chief Whip. He replaced Asawase MP, Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak.
Both Ahmed Ibrahim and Comfort Doyoe Ghansah maintained their position as deputy Minority Whips.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) in a statement signed by the General Secretary, Fifi Kwetey, on January 24, 2023, announced changes to the leadership of the minority in parliament.
The former Deputy Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, has been appointed as the Minority Leader in the 8th Parliament of Ghana’s Fourth Republic.
Kofi Armah Buah is also the Deputy Minority Chief Whip. Kwame Agbodza takes over as Chief Whip.
Ahmed Ibrahim, MP for Banda, has been maintained as the First Deputy Minority Chief Whip, while Comfort Doyo Cudjoe-Ghansah, MP for Ada, is the Second Deputy Minority Chief Whip.
Some social media users are sharing mixed feelings concerning the new development of the NDC fraternity.
From around mid-Tuesday when the letter which was intended for Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin made it way into the media space, the NDC and some of its leading figures have been trending on social media.
The reactions have been diverse as some believe that the move is masterstroke from Asiedu Nketiah and his cohort whiles others say that the party has committed political suicide.
Haruna Iddrisu’s spell as leader of the National Democratic Congress caucus in Parliament came to an end on Tuesday, January 24, 2022 when the Asiedu Nketiah-led national executives announced that it had rang changes in the leadership of the minority caucus.
From January 2017, Haruna Iddrisu has served as the face of the NDC in Parliament but a palace coup as it could be described has seen him and two others being replaced in the minority leadership.
Even within the NDC, the decision which was signed by General Secretary Fifi Kwetey has shocked many as they had no idea what the executives were planning.
As confirmed by Murtala Muhammed, the members of the Minority caucus had no prior discussion with the party’s leadership about the decision to oust Haruna Iddrisu, Muntaka Mubarak and James Klutse Avedzi and replace them with Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, Kwame Agbodza and Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah respectively.
The decision has spurred heated discussions and GhanaWeb highlights the confirmed and reported reasons behind the move by Asiedu Nketiah and his cohorts.
Party Restructuring
According to the National Chairman of the party Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, the move is part of a process of restructuring that has been going on for the past year.
“We started more than a year ago, we started at the branch level. We have since done elections in about 40,000 branches and then from there we proceeded to the constituency level. We are done largely with all the constituencies, we have done regional elections and we just completed our national election and the next is to look at our leadership in Parliament. That is what we have just done,” he said.
Election 2024
Asiedu Nketiah also explained that the alterations are necessary to keep the party in the driving seat for the 2024 elections.
“We know for instance that going into election 2024, the economy is going to be the major battle ground and so many of the debates will focus on the economy. So you better put your best man in economy forward that is what we have done.
“We also looked at energy. You know the petroleum and electricity challenges, so we needed to settle on Kofi Armah Buah, our former minister to be the Deputy Minority Leader.
“The other area is infrastructure, Kwame Agbodza being our man in infrastructure should play a key role that generally is what informed the changes,” he added.
Regional Balance
Asiedu Nketiah also said that the party wanted to ensure that there is regional representations in its leadership in Parliament .
He stressed that, “the Change has nothing to do with the performance of the leaders at all. What it has a lot to do about is that the environment is changing, so if you are a football coach and the team you are facing and the game style they are adopting is not in keeping with the players you have put out there, you will do yourself a lot of good.”
Reported Reasons
Whereas Asiedu Nketiah has made mention of the above reasons, GhanaWeb has also discovered some factors that might have influenced the decision to oust Haruna Iddrisu and his cohorts from the leadership.
Party elements, backbenchers unhappy with Haruna and Muntaka in hung parliament
Within the minority caucus and the party, there is a feeling that the impact of the hung parliament is not being felt and that is largely due to the decisions and indecisions of Haruna Iddrisu and Muntaka Mubarak.
GhanaWeb sources indicate that Haruna Iddrisu and Muntaka Mohammed were the main targets of this move and that the others were just collateral damages.
An NDC source told GhanaWeb that majority of the backbenchers in Parliament have not been satisfied with the how the ousted leadership have handled issues in Parliament.
There is a feeling within the backbenchers that Haruna Iddrisu and Muntaka Mubarak have in certain situations like the vetting and passing of the ministers particularly Ken Ofori-Atta as Finance Minister, appeared to have adopted a stance contrary to the viewpoints of the backbenchers and the leadership of the party have been made aware of the growing disaffection.
Muntaka’s position had become untenable
According to reports, from the moment Muntaka sparred with Alban Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament and followed up with that explosive interview on Joy News, his position became untenable.
Reports say that the party’s hierarchy was furious with the conduct of Muntaka Mubarak and coupled with his struggles back in his Asawase constituency, the party thought it wise to relieve him of his role to make him focus on his dealing with those issues.
Asiedu Nketiah settling scores with Haruna Iddrisu
This narrative is being pushed largely by Paul Adom-Otchere and Titus Glover. According to them, Asiedu Nketiah is using his office to victimize Haruna Iddrisu who did not back in the national chairmanship elections.
It will be recalled that Haruna Iddrisu issued a rejoinder to a statement by Ahmed Ibrahim, the Deputy Minority Chief Whip that the caucus had settled on Asiedu Nketiah as their choice for the chairmanship position.
There is also a feeling within the NDC that Haruna Iddrisu was becoming too powerful and had to clipped before he became a threat to the interest of the those in decision-making positions.
The National Democratic Congress’s General Secretary, Fifi Kwetey, has said that the party’s leadership will not change the adjustments it has made to the minority in parliament’s leadership.
Speaking in an interview with Citi News on Tuesday, January 24, 2023, Fifi Kwetey said that the decision was made after consulting with party members and national executives so the party will not reverse the decision.
He added that the party will proceed with the leadership changes when parliament resumes in February.
“The leadership of the party at the highest level has taken a decision and that is just what it is. You cannot set up a precedent where decisions by the leadership of the party are now going to be an issue of the caucus. The leadership of the party in parliament is appointed by the leadership of the party. It is not something that is done by the caucus of the party,” he said.
The NDC in a statement signed by the General Secretary, Fifi Kwetey announced that it has made changes to the leadership of the minority in parliament.
The former Deputy Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, has been appointed as the Minority Leader in the 8th Parliament of Ghana’s Fourth Republic.
Kofi Armah Buah is also the Deputy Minority Chief Whip. Kwame Agbodza takes over as Chief Whip.
Ahmed Ibrahim, MP for Banda, has been maintained as the First Deputy Minority Chief Whip, while Comfort Doyo Cudjoe-Ghansah, MP for Ada, is the Second Deputy Minority Chief Whip. Meanwhile, The Tamale South Constituency Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Abdul Rauf, has said that he and his constituents will not accept the decision of the national executive of the party to replace Haruna Iddrisu as the minority leader.
According to him, if the party fails to rescind its decision, he will lead the party’s faithful in his constituency to vote against it in the 2024 general elections.
Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has earned congratulations from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Central Region leadership for his selection as the leader of the minority caucus in parliament.
In a press statement dated January 24, 2023, the leadership said that Ato Forson’s elevation offers ample testament to his hard work and dedication to parliament and Ghana.
“The leadership of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Central Region wishes on behalf of the entire membership of the party in the region, to extend a very hearty congratulations to the new Minority Leader in Parliament, Hon Dr Cassiel Ato Forson on his elevation.
“Dr Ato Forson’s elevation offers ample testament to his hard work and dedication to the cause of the NDC in Parliament and in Ghana in general over the years,” part of the statement read.
The NDC in a statement signed by the General Secretary, Fifi Kwetey announced that it has made changes to the leadership of the minority in parliament.
The former Deputy Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, has been appointed as the Minority Leader in the 8th Parliament of Ghana’s Fourth Republic.
Kofi Armah Buah is also the Deputy Minority Chief Whip. Kwame Agbodza takes over as Chief Whip.
Ahmed Ibrahim, MP for Banda, has been maintained as the First Deputy Minority Chief Whip, while Comfort Doyo Cudjoe-Ghansah, MP for Ada, is the Second Deputy Minority Chief Whip. Meanwhile, The Tamale South Constituency Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Abdul Rauf, has said that he and his constituents will not accept the decision of the national executive of the party to replace Haruna Iddrisu as the minority leader.
According to him, if the party fails to rescind its decision, he will lead the party’s faithful in his constituency to vote against it in the 2024 general elections.
A 48-year-old businessman has been remanded into police prison following an alleged GH4,037,107.32 gold scam, according to an Accra Circuit Court.
George Essandoh has denied the charge and he will be brought back to the court on Wednesday, February 1, 2023.
Meanwhile, his accomplices: George Sarpong, Jerry Mohammed, Courage Ambush and Apostle Emmanuel Marwort are currently on the run.
Efforts are underway to apprehend them.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Evans Kesse told the Court presided over by Mr Kwabena Koduah Obiri Yeboah that Mr Rowland Noble Amedze and Mr Henry E. Paul, the directors of Infosight Global Resources Incorporation, experts in high tech, solid minerals and gemstone businesses, among others, were the complainants.
He said in 2021, Mr Paul met an account user on Facebook who had introduced himself as Apostle Marwort and during their engagement, he told the complainant he was a businessman who worked for Gold Park Mines, dealers of Gold in Ghana.
The prosecution said Marwort also introduced Sarpong, yet to be arrested, as the Chief Executive Officer of Gold Park Mines and Essandoh as the Company’s agent.
The Court heard that Essandoh in his engagement with the complainant demanded and collected USD 696,125 equivalent to GHC4,037,107.32 under the pretext of facilitating the exportation of 250 kg of gold to Thailand.
DSP Kesse said Essandoh after collecting the money failed to deliver the gold to the complainant.
He said the complainant made several efforts to recover his money or get the gold but all failed.
DSP Kesse said a formal complaint was lodged to the Police, which led to the arrest of Essandoh.
There is increasing pressure on the National Executive Council (NEC) of the National Democratic Congress to change its decision of reconstructing the NDC caucus in Parliament.
Some two MPs on the ticket of the NDC have spoken publicly against the decision by NEC and are demanding the immediate reinstatement of Haruna Iddrisu and Muntaka Mubarak as Minority Leader and Minority Chief Whip respectively.
The Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Ibrahim Murtala Muhammad was the first MP to issue an angry reaction to the decision by NEC.
Speaking on Asempa FM, Murtala Muhammaed expressed the hope that the decision will be reversed and that Haruna Iddrisu and Muntaka Mubarak will have their roles handed back to them.
According to him the caucus is happy with the performance of the Haruna Iddrisu and Muntaka and would want them reinstated.
“The timing is completely wrong. What is the basis for changing our parliamentary leadership?
“They are only taking away the most experienced leaders and bringing the less experienced ones. Nobody told them we are dissatisfied with the leadership. Who told them we are unhappy with their performance,” he said.
Cletus Avoka, the Member of Parliament for Zebilla East Constituency questioned the timing of the decision and rationale behind it.
“Our focus should be a collective effort against the NPP for the next two years. Now you are going to have low morale in Parliament. The new leadership will now have to learn to ride leadership both in Parliament and the outside world and that will require time. That will retard the progress of the NDC in its bid to regain power from the NPP in 2024.
“This is unstrategic and didn’t have to come out at this time. We need the effort of everybody to fight for the 2024 elections. The timing was not the best. I will recommend that the NEC will withdraw the letter and reinstate them and also want the new leadership to step down in the interest of the caucus.”
The Tamale South Constituency Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Abdul Rauf has also rejected the decision of the NEC, demanding the immediate reinstatement of the Haruna Iddrisu.
“We would not accept this decision. Asiedu Nketiah is responsible for this. Asiedu Nketiah, I want to remind you today, when you became the general secretary, you did not have a pesewa to give to anybody but we gave the chairmanship to you.
“Now you are a big man, you want to punish people. What nonsense. If you are national chairman and so what. Asiedu Nketiah, I want to tell you, I am the constituency chairman, I don’t care about you or Fifi Kwetey,” he said.
Meanwhile Joy New is reporting that the National Executive Council of party will meet the minority caucus in the coming days to iron out issues arising out of the move.
