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Tag: Asiedu Nketia

  • I have always insisted Akufo-Addo is empty – Asiedu Nketiah

    Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has said he has always had the notion that President Akufo-Addo is empty ever since he, Asiedu Nketia, was a member of parliament.

    According to him, due to Akufo-Addo’s arrogance, he failed to learn from former President John Dramani Mahama’s address which had solutions and proposals.

    In a Facebook post, he indicated that President Akufo-Addo’s address on Ghana’s economy on October 30 was “nothing beyond the smoke”.

    “I have always insisted that President Akufo-Addo is empty. I formed this opinion many years ago as an NDC Parliamentarian. He was representing the NPP in Parliament. Listen critically to him, and you will know he is full of smoke. Nothing beyond the smoke.

    “President Mahama set the right tone in his brilliant address with solutions and proposals at the UPSA for Akufo-Addo to learn from. But arrogance and lack of capacity deprived him of the opportunity to drink from his predecessor’s fountain of wisdom,” he said.

    He urged Ghanaians to join the NDC to vote against the NPP in 2024.

    “But there’s hope! We have elections 2024 to win to rescue Ghana from this incompetent and clueless NPP government that is determined to use foul means, including violence, to steal the outcome of the elections,” he stated on Facebook.

  • Ofosu Ampofo’s courage was tested at Ayawaso West by-election – Asiedu Nketiah

    The General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, says the National Chairman of the party, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo’s courage as a leader was tested during the violent Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election.

    According to him, Mr Ofosu Ampofo’s announcement of the NDC’s withdrawal from that crucial by-election was an outright wrong move.

    The Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election held in 2019 was marred by violence after National Security Operatives brutalized voters resulting in some having their legs broken and being admitted to the hospital.

    Mr Ofosu Ampofo has said he arrived at the decision for the NDC to pull out based on the advice given by the party’s security experts, adding that both ex-President John Mahama and Asiedu Nketia were consulted before the decision was made public.

    But Asiedu Nketiah in an interview on Kasapa 102.5FM/Agoo TV denied consenting to that decision.

    “I was attending a conference in the Dominican Republic as the Vice President of Socialist International when Chairman Ofosu Ampofo called me saying that some vigilantes had fired gunshots all over the place and so he thinks the NDC should withdraw from the election. I told him don’t, it is a bad decision, and that he’ll set a bad precedent in the NDC. I told him with violence or not, the NDC will win so the party shouldn’t withdraw.”

    He added: “Right after I was done with him, I received a call from ex-President Mahama telling me he’s picked up information that Ofosu Ampofo intends to announce the party’s withdrawal, it’s a bad move, tell him he shouldn’t do it. I told him I’d spoken to him (Ofosu Ampofo) not to do so. Shortly after, I saw news flashing of Ofosu Ampofo flanked by the party’s security capos announcing the NDC’s withdrawal from the election. One of the reasons he cited was that the NDC Parliamentary candidate is unable to step out of his room. So if the candidate is not able to come out, should the party withdraw from an election,” Asiedu Nketia asked.

    Asked by the host, Bonohene Baffuor Awuah whether he sees Ofosu Ampofo as a weak leader, Asiedu Nketia responded: “his (Ofosu Ampofo) courage was tested at the battlefield and we all saw the results.”

    “During the election in Jaman North and Banda, I was there at the forefront confronting security officers. The good thing about this is that when you are a leader and there’s any frightening situation where soldiers or police officers are intimidating people and the leader steps up and confronts the situation, your followers become empowered and also stand their ground. It is easy for foot soldiers to be attacked when the leadership abandons them,” Asiedu Nketia added.

     

  • General Mosquito, Ofosu Ampofo eyeing 2028 NDC flagbearership – Ephson

    Pollster, Ben Ephson says the opposition National Democratic Congress’ Chairman Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo and current General Secretary Asiedu Nketia are both lacing their boots to lead the NDC as flagbearer in the 2028 election.

    According to him, he has picked intelligence that the NDC will want an Akan to lead the party in 2028 hence Aseidu Nketia’s move to contest Ofosu-Ampofo for the chairmanship.

    “If you are chairman at least you will put in place structures towards 2028 because post-2024, you will be in charge having conducted primaries for potential delegates. And as chairman who have worked within the party at the highest levels, National Executive positions, they will know the way about people they have nurtured along the line to control triggers, which will ensure that people who will support them are in positions to be able to help them,” he explained on Morning Starr with Francis Abban Friday.

     He continued: “If it has not happened doesn’t mean that it cannot happen. When I heard the Intel I kept it in my pocket and for Asiedu to step up means a lot. Because normally you will see Asiedu will want to stay where he is and help the candidate most likely John Mahama or if Duffuor wins.”

    Meanwhile, the General Secretary for the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia has officially declared his candidature for the chairmanship position of the NDC.

    “Yes I have the intention of picking up a form to contest the chairmanship position when nominations are opened,” the NDC scribe told Accra Fm Thursday, 13th October 2022.

    According to him, he best fits the position as he’s gained vast experience as a politician to occupy the chairmanship position of the largest opposition NDC.

    “I participated in the struggle against the military dictatorship in this country, after which I came to Parliament. I was there for 12 years and chaired several committees.”

    “I tasted executive positions by being the Deputy Minister in charge of Agriculture. I have served as Board Chairman, among others.”

    “I am confident that with my experience I will be a good leader and example to my party,” he added

  • Reject Ofosu-Ampofo, he lacks the courage to face NPP in 2024 – Asiedu Nketiah

    The General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, has charged delegates of the party to vote against the incumbent National Chairman, Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, in the upcoming national delegates conference.

    Asiedu Nketia, who has officially announced his bid to contest Ofosu-Ampofo for the chairmanship slop, argued that the current executive lacks the courage and the skills to face the governing New Patriotic Party in the 2024 elections.

    This, he believes if not changed, could threaten the party’s chances in the upcoming general elections.

    The General Secretary cited the 2019 Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election as an example where Chairman Ofosu-Ampofo, without any proper consultation, announced the party’s decision to pull out from the election after the shooting incident.

    He added that Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo also asked the party’s polling agents and observers to also leave the various polling stations, a situation that portrayed an act of cowardice.

    “Ofosu-Ampofo called me and I warned him against that decision but he didn’t listen. I was out of the country at the time but the information and facts I had received on the ground showed that we were winning the election, so I was against the decision. He also called John Mahama and the president also asked him not to do that but he also didn’t listen.

    “So, you see, as a leader you need to fight in times of crisis and he (Ofosu-Ampofo) doesn’t have the courage to do so. As for me, everyone knows that when you threaten me, I will threaten you back so I have no fear and I am not timid and that is the kind of leadership you need to face the NPP in the upcoming 2024 elections,” he said.

    Speaking with the host of Kumasi-based Oyerepa TV, Kwesi Parker-Wilson, on Friday, October 14, 2022, and monitored by GhanaWeb, Asiedu Nketiah further stated that the decision did not only cost them the seat, but it also became the basis for the NPP to abuse members of the party during the 2020 elections.

    “You remember the security guys said it’s a dress rehearsal so in 2020 they abused our men and even killed about 8 persons during the general elections. But if we had persisted and stayed through the end of the by-election, NPP wouldn’t have had the courage to do what they did in 2020, including manipulating the outcome of the elections,” he added.

    Asiedu Nketiah however said that none of these things have soiled the cordial working relationship he has with his National Chairman.

    “I still have a very cordial relationship with Ofosu-Ampofo in spite of my decision to contest him. We still go about with our normal duties and my decision to contest the chairmanship position won’t bring about division,” he said.

    The NDC goes to the polls in November 2022 to elect new national executives.

  • ‘I will be a good leader’ – Asiedu Nketia announces bid to contest NDC’s chairmanship position

    The General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has declared his intention to contest the chairmanship position of the party.

    Johnson Asiedu Nketia declared his intention in an interview with Accra-based Class FM on Thursday, October 13.

    According to him, he has served in several positions to garner the experience needed to lead the party as its chairman.

    ‘I will be a good leader’ - Asiedu Nketia announces bid to contest NDC’s chairmanship position 
    Asiedu Nketia

    According to him, he has held various positions in his life, the party and the country in general.

    This, Mr Asiedu Nketia said has prepared him well.

    ‘I will be a good leader’ - Asiedu Nketia announces bid to contest NDC’s chairmanship position 

    “I participated in the struggle against the military dictatorship in this country, after which I came to Parliament. I was there for 12 years and chaired several committees.”

    ‘I will be a good leader’ - Asiedu Nketia announces bid to contest NDC’s chairmanship position 

    “I tasted executive positions by being the Deputy Minister in charge of Agriculture. I have served as Board Chairman, among others.”

    “I am confident that with my experience I will be a good leader and example to my party,” he added

    Mr Asiedu Nketia will be in the race with the current chairman of the party, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo.

    The NDC will hold its national congress on December 17, to elect national executives.

    Source: Myjoyonline

     

     

  • Compiling a new voter register using the Ghana card is good, but Ghanaians must all have one – Asiedu Nketia

    The General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Asiedu Nketia has stated that using the Ghana Card as a sole document to register voters is not a bad idea.

    According to him, this will only be possible if all Ghanaians have received  their Ghana Cards from the National Identification Authority

    His comments come at the back of a warning in Parliament by the Minority against the Electoral Commissions to compile a new voter register using only the Ghana card.

    But Asiedu Nketia has cautioned the National Identification Authority and the Electoral Commission on that decision.

    “If you ask me that we should use the Ghana card exclusively for voter registration, I’ll say yes; It’s wonderful and I urged all Ghanaians to be given their Ghana card before that decision is implemented” he stated .

    It will be recalled that Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu stated that such a move by the EC will threaten the stability of the country as the rights of legal age Ghanaians to vote and exercise their franchise will be infringed upon.

    “Our understanding as we pick it up is that the Electoral Commission of Ghana is desperately planning to discard the 2020 voter register and replace it with a new voter register ,which has caused the taxpayer and the people of Ghana to build with $80million thereabout “ he said.

    Ahead of the 2020 general elections ,the EC had Justified its call for a new voters register by claiming that the 2016 register contained names of non citizens hence the reason for a new voters register.

     

    Source: The Independent Ghana

  • Yesterday was a perfect night’ – Dede Ayew reacts to Ghana win over South Africa

    Black Stars captain, Andre Dede Ayew, has commended his teammates for their performance against the Bafana Bafana of South Africa in the FIFA World Cup qualifier.

    Andre Dede Ayew scored from the spot-kick to give Ghana a 1-0 win over the South Africans at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium on Sunday, November 14, 2021.

    The Black Stars qualified ahead of South Africa on goal difference as both countries finished the qualifiers with 13 points each.

    “Yesterday was a perfect night ! We are one step closer to our aim. As always the team was on fire and boys fought till the end. Support was unbelievable, thank you Ghana,” Andre Dede Ayew tweeted.

    Ghana has qualified to the playoff stage in the World Cup qualification alongside Egypt, Morocco, DR Congo, Mali, and Senegal.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Police secured wrong order to ban NDC protest Asiedu Nketia

    The General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has dismissed a court order by the Accra Regional Police Command restraining the NDC from further protests against the election 2020 results in Accra.

    According to Mr Asiedu Nketia, popularly known as General Mosquito, the order secured by the Police is wrong and does not change anything as far their protests are concerned.

    “The court has ruled that you cannot stop people from demonstrating with an ex parte order,” Mr Asiedu Nketia said on GHONE TV Thursday in an interview with Serwah Amihere.

    He added, “as we sit here nothing has been served to us [NDC] so the order does not exist…they [Police] are on a wild goose chase…we are not aware of any order, our leadership has not been served with any court notice.”

    The police in a statement on Wednesday said it had secured a restraining order against the NDC, from embarking on further protests and demonstrations in Accra.

    The statement added that “in a matter between the Republic (Ghana Police Service) and National Democratic Congress and Kobina Ade Coker, the high Court, under Justice Elfreda they Dankyi (Mrs.), has prohibited all NDC intended protests from Sunday 20th December, 2020 —10th January, 2021.

    “The prohibition order follows an Affidavit filed by the Police upon receipt of notification from the Greater Accra Regional Chairman of NDC, Kobina Ade Coker, on intended daily protests within the above-mentioned dates in Accra and all constituencies across the region.”

    “The request by the NDC cannot obviously be met by the police in view of ongoing post-election and multifaceted security operations for the festive season and beyond. The Regional Police Command is hereby drawing the attention of the general public especially sympathisers, followers and supporters of the NDC, to the restriction order and compliance.”

    Source: Starr FM

  • Concede, call Mahama and congratulate him – Asiedu Nketia tells Akufo-Addo

    The General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress(NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has urged President Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo to concede defeat in the ongoing presidential election.

    His comment comes on the back of the NDC projecting a win for its flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama.

    Addressing the press on Tuesday, Asiedu Nketia charged President Akufo-Addo to place a congratulatory call to John Mahama for what he describes as a projected win.

    “He [President Nana Addo] should call His Excellency John Mahama and congratulate him,” he said at the third in the series of press conferences held by the opposition party after Monday’s polls.

    Mr Nketia also accused the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) of conniving with the Electoral Commission to turn the tables round in its favour to take over Parliament.

    He has therefore urged persons who have voted for NDC parliamentary candidates to ensure that ballots are protected to safeguard the seats they have already acquired in Parliament.

    “I believe that the NPP is in a very uncomfortable situation because whatever they do, it is clear that NDC controls Parliament now so that is why they want the Electoral Commission to try and find ways to try to collate results that have been declared for our parliamentary candidate. That is why I am calling on the electorate to rise and protect their votes.”

    Ghana’s voting ended on Monday in 38,622 polling stations within the 16 regions across Ghana.

    They cast their ballots in the general election to elect a president and 275 members of the parliament.

    The voting process was generally peaceful except for two persons sustaining gunshot wounds after a shooting incident in one of the polling stations in Kasoa.

    The tampering of presidential ballot papers in some polling stations in two constituencies was also witnessed, but the EC reacted swiftly.

    The EC has assured the public it will declare the results within 24 hours after the end of voting.

    Click here to follow our Ghana Election Page for all the figures and results from the constituencies.

    You can also click here to follow our livestream of Election Desk for all the press conferences, updates and interviews on the elections.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Prosecute Carlos Ahenkorah Asiedu Nketia

    General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia has called for the prosecution of the immediate past Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Carlos Kingsley Ahenkorah for breaching the COVID-19 safety protocols.

    Mr Ahenkorah on Friday, 3 July 2020 resigned from his post after violating the COVID-19 protocols and exposing a section of his constituents to the virus.

    This follows his admission of breach of the COVID-19 protocols, when, as a person certified to be positive for the virus, he visited a registration centre in his constituency before the period of self-isolation was complete.

    In accepting his resignation, President Nana Akufo-Addo recognised that Mr Ahenkorah had acted honourably in the circumstances by resigning from his office and wished him well.

    Reacting to the development, Mr Nketia said the resignation of the Tema West MP from his ministerial position is not enough.

    The NDC General Secretary said: “There have been positive cases identified at the presidency and nothing is happening. There have been positive cases identified in the house of parliament but parliament is still sitting.

    “Even when one case was in a factory they closed down; you go to hospitals when one case was found they closed the ward down. Now the house of parliament where all laws are made they identified more than 13 cases in parliament but parliament is still sitting because they have to pass laws to make Nana Akufo-Addo continue as a President.

    “Your minsters are being tested positive, some of them are going round registration centres spreading COVID-19, they are not being prosecuted.

    “So, we are calling for the prosecution of Carlos Ahenkorah, resignation is not part of our laws or the COVID protocol if they have taken that administrative step, we agree but we are waiting to see that they are prosecuted the same way that the ordinary man on the street has been prosecuted.”

     

    Source: Class FM

  • Mosquitos secret relationship with Sir John a big lesson to young politicians Sefa Kayi

    Renowned Broadcast Journalist, Kwami Sefa Kayi has urged upcoming politicians especially the youth to take a cue from the secret relationship between the later former General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie widely known as Sir John and Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia.

    He observed that though both appeared to belong to different political parties, they remained the best of friends behind the scenes unknown to many followers who see politics as a do or die affair.

    According to him, the revelations by Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia about how they supported each other in turbulent times is just amazing urging the youth to take useful lessons from the two and stop nurturing toxic relationships just because of politics.

    Speaking on his show on Thursday monitored by MyNewsGh.com, he admonished persons who aspire to make an impact in politics to see the game as a battle of ideas and not a wing to create enemies.

    “Mosquito and Sir John were the best of friends though they belonged to different political parties as he has just told us in his tribute on air. Though both disagreed on issues on radio openly, they were quite close and I would urge the youth to take useful lessons from them. They should not use politics as a means of creating enemies”, he admonished.

    The General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Thursday revealed that the late Sir John was his bosom

    Speaking to Accra-based Okay FM, the NDC guru narrated how Sir John came to live with him while he mourned the loss of his mother and made preparations for her funeral.

    “…I was deeply touched when he (Sir John) came to stay with me for 3 days after the death of my mother… he could have stayed in a hotel when everyone else had left but he came to live in my house. We ate the same food and did a lot of things together. The Pentecostal pastor who presided over the funeral, as well as sympathisers who were present, were amazed by his gesture. That General Secretaries of the two rival parties would get along so well…,” Asiedu Nketia noted.

    Source: My News GH

  • Why should I participate in EC’s ‘old and new testament meeting’ and risk arrest? Asiedu Nketia

    General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Asiedu Nketia says there is no way he and his party will flout COVID-19 directives laid down by President Akufo-Addo.

    Thus Johnson Asiedu Nketia asserts that he will not place himself in a position where he will be arrested for attending an ‘illegal’ meeting.

    The NDC refused to attend a recent IPAC meeting organized by the Electoral Commission because it was against the directive by the president for all public gatherings to be suspended over the outbreak of the coronavirus.

    The opposition party also kicked against the EC’s plan to hold the meetings in two separate groups to ensure that social distancing protocol can be fully observed.

    Speaking in an interview on Neat FM’s Me Man Nti programme, he wondered why President Akufo-Addo said there should be no political activity, yet the EC went ahead to flout that order.

    “Isn’t the President surprised when he sets rules and it is being disobeyed? Didn’t he say we should cease all political activities and concentrate on fighting COVID-19? Should we disregard that directive and be arrested by the police, whose fault will it be? The meeting was against the executive instrument… is the EC part of essential services? If it was part, the President would have said so…the president’s directives on COVID-19 made the meeting illegal. How therefore can you take proper decisions at a meeting that is illegal? We couldn’t have been part of an illegal meeting,” he indicated.

    Old and New Testament

    Asiedu Nketia also mocked the EC’s plan to hold the IPAC meeting in two different sessions; describing it as the “old and new testament”.

    “We’ve never heard of a meeting where the issues are discussed in two groups; old and new testament meeting…” he derided.

     

    Source: Peace FM

     

     

  • Bawumia has nothing good to contribute to coronavirus fight – General Mosquito

    The General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, popularly known as General Mosquito has taken a swipe at the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.

    The NDC scribe said the Vice President has demonstrated that he has nothing good to offer in Ghana’s fight against the novel COVID-19.

    General Mosquito said recent comments by Dr. Bawumia shows that he is not adhering to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo‘s directive of taking politics out of the fight.

    He explained that since the outbreak of the COVID-19 in the country, every instruction given by the President has been flouted by NPP government officials.

    “I think that Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has nothing to contribute to the COVID-19 debate and fight and he wants people to stop concentrating on the virus and talk about probably the one-village-one-dam, one-district-one-factory and one-constituency-one-million dollars because since the outbreak of the virus, I have not heard anything from him except that he launched an app (the COVID-19 Tracker App) which they said can track people with the virus . . .

    ” . . Every attempt made by these people is aimed at shifting our focus from the fight against the virus and in the end discuss something different, but if the President is satisfied that there is no emergency anymore, then he should lift the restriction and do his politics,” he stated.

    According to the NDC Chief Scribe, whereas President Akufo-Addo has called for nationalistic approach to resolve the COVID-19 scourge, his very own appointees at every given opportunity do not say anything about the pandemic.

    He cited the action by the National Identification Authority (NIA) the first day President Akufo-Addo banned public gathering to continue registering people in the Eastern Region, and the EC’s decision to hold a meeting on the elections with its regional officers in Accra as examples.

    Source: pulse.com.gh

  • Bawumia has nothing good to contribute to coronavirus fight – Asiedu Nketia

    General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia is assertive in his conclusion that the directives given by President Akufo-Addo to fight the deadly new coronavirus are not binding on the members of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).

    He explained that since the outbreak of the COVID-19 in the country, every instruction given by the President has been flouted by NPP government officials.

    Commenting on Dr. Bawumia’s recent attack on the NDC Presidential Candidate, John Mahama, General Mosquito as popularly called maintained that the Vice President simply wants to introduce irrelevant issues other than the COVID-19.

    “I think that Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has nothing to contribute to the COVID-19 debate and fight and he wants people to stop concentrating on the virus and talk about probably the one-village-one-dam, one-district-one-factory and one-constituency-one-million dollars because since the outbreak of the virus, I have not heard anything from him except that he launched an app (the COVID-19 Tracker App) which they said can track people with the virus . . .”

    ” . . . Every attempt made by these people is aimed at shifting our focus from the fight against the virus and in the end discuss something different, but if the President is satisfied that there is no emergency anymore, then he should lift the restriction and do his politics,” he stated.

    According to the NDC Chief Scribe, whereas President Akufo-Addo has called for nationalistic approach to resolve the COVID-19 scourge, his very own appointees at every given opportunity do not say anything about the pandemic.

    He cited the action by the National Identification Authority (NIA) the first day President Akufo-Addo banned public gathering to continue registering people in the Eastern Region, and the EC’s decision to hold a meeting on the elections with its regional officers in Accra as examples.

    “The conduct exhibited by his members since the directives were issued make me feel safe to draw this conclusion that the laws of the President are made for the opposition and not members of his government,” he asserted.

    Source: Peace FM

     

  • Are you a surgeon? – Asiedu Nketia asks Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah

    Asiedu Nketia, General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has questioned the locus of Information Minister, Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah, who is urging the public not to discredit the work of medical experts leading the fight against coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

    The NDC accused the government of massaging figures of the number of people infected with COVID-19.

    Asiedu Nketia is convinced the figures being put out by the Ghana Health Service are not the true reflection on the ground.

    But Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah has quashed media reports that the government is massaging figures of the number of people infected with COVID-19.

    He said these experts, including professors; virologists, epidemiologists, laboratory technicians, clinicians, among others, deserve encouragement and support instead of condemnation.

    However, Asiedu Nketia said the Ghana Health Service and Information Minister are “hiding” the truth from Ghanaians due to the government’s “poor” measures to fight the spread of the virus adding that Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah leading the communication of a specialised medical team is problematic.

    “Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah telling us not to discredit medical experts; Are you [Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah] a surgeon?” he asked.

     

    Source: pulse.com.gh

  • President Akufo-Addo not interested in saving Ghanaian lives Asiedu Nketia alleges

    General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia has insisted that the priority of the Akufo-Addo-led government in this COVID19 crisis is not to fight and defeat the pandemic but rather to win elections in order to retain power.

    According to Asiedu Nketia, in this critical time, President Akufo-Addo and his government are “majoring in the minors and minoring in the majors” as all their plans and actions are evidence to this effect.

    Citing a case in point to justify his argument, the NDC General Secretary argued that the recent comment by Lawyer Sam Okudzeto, a member of the Council of State vindicates his claim that winning elections is the major priority of the Akufo-Addo-led government.

    Sam Okudzeto in a recent interview advised the Electoral Commission to commence its planned voter registration exercise in areas in the country outside the partial lockdown directive since the coronavirus pandemic in Ghana is not that severe.

    Commenting on the statement on Accra-based Okay FM on Wednesday, April 15, 2020 however, Johnson Asiedu Nketia emphasized that the comment from the former President of the Ghana Bar Association is clear evidence of a sinister plan by President Akufo-Addo to take advantage of the pandemic and win elections.

    “The evidence to what I have been saying is what he [Sam Okudzeto] is saying. You are people that the nation has elected to advise the president on how the issues of this pandemic can be solved.  Whether nurses are dying, he seems not to care as a council of state member to suggest ways to fight the pandemic. However, the council of state members opens his mouth and it is about elections and how they can retain power,” Asiedu Nketia expressed.

    He continued, “So if somebody does not agree with me on what I have been saying, is this not the evidence? The prime of the objective of the government is how they can retain power and not about the lives of people. With this mindset, all that they are doing are things to take advantage and win elections and retain power and that is where they are wrong.”

    Source: ABCNewsgh.com

  • Coronavirus: Government manipulating public opinion with figures – Asiedu Nketia

    The General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Asiedu Nketia is accusing the government of engaging in public opinion manipulation with figures of the coronavirus

    According to the politician popularly called General Mosquito, the government has over the period not painted the right picture of the issues to the good people of Ghana.

    To him, the periodic updates from the Ghana Health Service are not the real numbers.

    General Mosquito was speaking on Accra-based Asempa FM monitored by MyNewsGh.com when he made this known

    He noted that the President in his fifth update mentioned that the country had tested over fifteen thousand people through contact tracing and their results will determine the future plans for the country; a piece of information which should have been communicated long ago.

    He called on the government to be forthright with information because that will also help people comply with the protocols set aside for the partial lockdown.

    “Figures of daily infection rate is very critical in the fight because it will help in compliance of the lockdown regulations.”

     

    Source: mynewsgh.com

  • Asiedu Nketia questions governments plan to feed over 400,000 Ghanaians

    General Secretary for the NDC, Asiedu Nketia has raised concerns over government’s plan to provide food for over 400, 000 Ghanaians during the COVID-19 fight.

    President Akufo-Addo during his late-night address disclosed that the government has begun the distribution of free meals to over 400,000 Ghanaians in locked-down areas amidst the COVID-19 outbreak in Ghana.

    In his address, Nana Akufo-Addo admitted the hardship the situation has brought on the majority of Ghanaians adding that there was however the need for the provision of “food packages and hot meals” to enable poor households to minimise their vulnerability.

    “We are in difficult times, and that is why I directed the Minister for Finance to send to Parliament the Coronavirus Alleviation Programme (CAP), whose objective is to protect households and livelihoods, support micro, small, and medium-sized businesses, minimize job losses, and source additional funding for promotion of industries to shore up and expand industrial output for domestic consumption and exports.”

    He added that, “through this Programme, the Ministries of Gender, Children and Social Protection and Local Government and Rural Development, and the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), working with MMDCEs and the faith-based organizations, have begun to provide food for up to four hundred thousand (400,000) individuals and homes in the affected areas of the restrictions. This begun in Accra and will begin in Kumasi the next day. It will come in the form of dry food packages and hot meals and will be delivered to vulnerable communities in Accra, Tema, Kumasi and Kasoa.”

    Reacting to the announcement, Johnson Asiedu Nketia said there are issues with how the government is going to identify the needy in our society because for the fact that most people do not go to work, they may also need the intervention.

    According to him, most often these interventions turn out to be what he describes as ‘in the name of the poor but for the benefit of the rich’.

    He stated that there is no mechanism to verify if truly the food will get to the 400, 000 people, without this system of verification, the government can say they have provided for 400,000 Ghanaians and no one can verify it but we all just have to accept.

    Asiedu Nketia also spoke about how the food will be disbursed and accompanying accountability, he argued that party members should not be allowed to head this programme to score political points.

    But rather the local assemblies should be used for this purpose because it’s state intervention.

    Source: primenewsghana.com

  • Akufo-Addo stealing our COVID-19 ideas to win favour from Ghanaians Asiedu Nketia

    General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia has accused the governing New Patriotic Party of stealing their ideas to win points and support from Ghanaians.

    According to the outspoken General Secretary, the Akufo-Addo-led administration is implementing some of their recommendations without recognizing that it came from the NDC.

    President Akufo-Addo during his fifth address to the nation announced relief packages by the government as it strives to limit the impact of the virus on social and economic life. Among such interventions is the absorption of water bills for all Ghanaians for the next three months, roll out of a soft loan scheme up to a total of GHC600m which will have a one-year moratorium and two year repayment period for micro, small and medium-scale businesses, a tax holiday for frontline health workers for the next three months and an additional allowance of 50 percent of their basic salary per month for April, May, and June among many others.

    The announcement by the President caused wild jubilation among Ghanaians because most of their burdens have been taken away with some commending President Akufo-Addo for rolling out such interventions during this pandemic period.

    But the NDC insists the reliefs announced by the government were borne out of the recommendations they gave on how to deal with the pandemic and its impact on the economy.

    According to Asiedu Nketia, the NDC raised concerns over the lack of preparedness on the part of the government when the disease started spreading to other countries.

    However, the NDC does not want to take credit for that since the focus is to fight the virus, asserting the collaboration between them and the government has not been the best.

    Speaking in an interview on Rainbow Radio, Asiedu Nketia further accused government of manipulating information to create an image or argument that favours their political interests.

    “The government is only focusing on information management so it will create a public image they are comfortable with. Their focus is not about managing the health crisis. The government values the information aspect of the fight. For them, however bad the information is, they want to manage the information to create a better public image.”

    ”This is defeating the lockdown. When you complain, they will say it is not true. If we give Ghanaians the right information, they will not violate the lockdown directive,” he added.

    He insisted government is not being truthful with the infection rate as well as total persons infected.

    President Akufo-Addo yesterday, April 5 disclosed that Ghana is entering the critical phase of the COVID-19 fight as the Ghana Health Service awaits the results of about 15,000 people and these results are expected to determine the fate of the country in the fight against the virus.

    But reacting to it, Asiedu Nketia said the information given by President Akufo-Addo is questionable.

    “How do we track the progress of their information? The core objective of the government is to manipulate the release of the information to control public opinion for them use it for politics. That is the summary of what is happening,” he said.

     

    Source: ABCNewsgh.com

  • Coronavirus: Ban on public gathering a plot to rig 2020 elections – Asiedu Nketia claims

    While some Ghanaians have lauded the president’s directive on public gatherings due to the recent increase in the number of coronavirus cases in the country, the opposition party, National Democratic Congress thinks otherwise.

    According to Mr. Johnson Asiedu Nketia, General Secretary of the NDC, the real intention of the ban on public gatherings by the president is to rig the 2020 elections.

    “This whole announcement of emergency ban, emergency here, stopping this gathering, stopping that gathering, in my view, on the surface, it will appear to the world that the president is acting to deal with the COVID-19 and so on.

    But the real intention is not to deal with COVID-19 at all. The real intention is to find space to put the pieces of the rigging equipments together. So that by the time anybody could say jack, the election has been compromised,” he said in an interview monitored by GhanaWeb.

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Sunday announced some bold directives as part of measures to stop the spread of coronavirus in the country.

    The President placed a ban on church-related activities, mosques prayers, and all other public gatherings exceeding 25 persons. That was during his second address to the nation on the Coronavirus update.

    He also directed airlines to stop bringing in travellers from countries that have recorded over 200 cases of coronavirus effective Tuesday, March 17, 2020.

    Social media users are divided over the comments made by the NDC Secretary. According to some, politicizing such a deadly issue is below the belt and uncalled for.

    “This man paaaa…..you still don’t have a clue on what has engulfed the world.? You’re thinking about the way to your stomach. When issues if life and death are being dealt with, you’re thinking about the election as if you have not enjoyed enough. Let’s be serious, Johnson Nketia,” one Dela Clinton wrote on Facebook.

    Another user with the name Alppha Khristlyk also wrote “I do support the part that the registration must halt, but with the issue of election rigging being the rationale behind this emergency pronouncement? Oh, come on Mr Secretary, that cheap politics and propaganda.”

    “How on earth can you politicize the issue on ground. Are you thinking at all? Or you think it’s all about you and NDC. Do you listen to yourself? Are you aware most hit countries have initiated self-quarantine measures by asking citizens to stay at home, companies have also instructed staff to work from home.? Please for once think about the well being of people that vote you guys into power,” Adebayor Kunah questioned.

    Deputy Comptroller of Immigration (DCGI) in-charge of Command Post and Operations, Laud Kwesi Affrifah at a press briefing yesterday revealed that his outfit together with the Kotoka International Airport authorities refused about 200 foreign nationals entry into the country as part of measures to curb a spread of COVID-19 in Ghana.

    “Over 200 people have been turned back. Only those with resident permits are being allowed in,” he said.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • NDC sues EC, AG over voter registration

    The National Democratic Congress(NDC) has sued the Electoral Commission (EC) and the Attorney General (AG) at the Supreme Court praying the court for a declaration that upon a true and proper interpretation of the provisions of the Constitution, specifically article 51 read conjointly with article 42 of the Constitution, the power of the 2nd Defendant to compile and review the voters register must be exercised subject to respect for and the protection of the right to vote.

    A declaration that, upon a true and proper interpretation of the provisions of the Constitution, particularly article 42, upon the registration of and issuance of a voter identification card to a person, that person has an accrued right to vote which cannot be divested in an arbitrary and capricious manner.

    A declaration that upon a true and proper interpretation of the provisions of the Constitution, particularly Article 42 of the Constitution, all existing voter identification cards duly issued by the 2nd Defendant to registered voters are valid for purposes of identifying such persons in the exercise of their right to vote.

    A declaration that upon a true and proper interpretation of the Constitution, specifically Article 42, the 2nd Defendants purported amendment of Regulation 1 sub-regulation 3 of the Public Elections (Registration of Voters) Regulations, 2016 (C.I 91) through the Public Elections (Registration of Voters) (Amendment) Regulations, 2020 to exclude existing voter identification cards as proof of identification to enable a person apply for registration as a voter is unconstitutional, null and void and of no effect whatsoever.

    They also want the Defendant to include all existing voter identification cards duly issued by the 2nd Defendant as one of the documents serving as proof of identification for registration as a voter for the purposes of public elections; Any other order or orders as this Honorable Court would deem fit in the circumstances.

     

    Source: kingdomfmonline.com

  • We don’t know any James Kofi Annan, we have our structures – Asiedu Nketia

    The General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has dismissed rumours that the party is settling on an independent candidate in the Effutu Constituency.

    Reacting to agitations by a section of the members of the party in Effutu against news flying around that the NDC had settled on James Kofi Annan, an independent candidate in the wake of the resignation of Victor Yankson, the party’s legitimate candidate, Asiedu Nketia has said the party has no intention of making anyone their candidate apart from a true active member of the NDC.

    “The NDC has structures. We don’t know any independent candidate who wants to switch camp. We have men in our party in Effutu who can be candidates. Ignore rumours making the rounds that we have replaced our candidate with a foreigner” the party’s scribe assured the delegation that called on him at the party’s headquarters.

    In a resignation letter written to the party’s General Secretary recently, Victor Yankson who hitherto, was the elected parliamentary candidate for the party in Effutu citing uncooperative attitudes by the leadership of the party in the constituency.

    Many had reasons to believe that Lawyer Yankson was stepping down to make way for James Kofi Annan following series of demonstrations by a section of the party’s members in the constituency who said the beleaguered and former candidate was an obstacle to the party winning the Effutu seat.

    It would be recalled that a recent interview conducted by Peacefmonline with James Kofi Annan revealed that the now independent candidate said he had resigned from the ruling New Patriotic Party. This was in anticipation of his elevation to Effutu’s NDC parliamentary candidate.

    This new turn of events throws James Kofi Annan’s plans out of gear as the party, through the General Secretary, has disowned him. The party is in the process of electing a new candidate to replace Victor Yankson, the General Secretary intimated.

    Source: peacefmonline.com

  • NDC doesn’t know James Kofi Annan – Asiedu Nketia

    The General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has dismissed rumours that the party is settling on an independent candidate in the Effutu Constituency.

    Reacting to agitations by a section of party members in Effutu against reports that the NDC had settled on James Kofi Annan, an independent candidate in the wake of the resignation of Victor Yankson, the party’s legitimate candidate, Asiedu Nketia has said the party has no intention of making anyone their candidate apart from a true active member of the NDC.

    “The NDC has structures. We don’t know any independent candidate who wants to switch camp. We have men in our party in Effutu who can be candidates. Ignore rumours making the rounds that we have replaced our candidate with a foreigner,” the party’s scribe assured the delegation that called on him at the party’s headquarters.

    In a resignation letter written to the party’s General Secretary recently, Victor Yankson who hitherto, was the elected parliamentary candidate for the party in Effutu citing uncooperative attitudes by the leadership of the party in the constituency.

    Many had reasons to believe that Lawyer Yankson was stepping down to make way for James Kofi Annan following series of demonstrations by a section of the party’s members in the constituency who said the beleaguered and former candidate was an obstacle to the party winning the Effutu seat.

    It would be recalled that a recent interview conducted by Peacefmonline with James Kofi Annan revealed that the now independent candidate said he had resigned from the ruling New Patriotic Party.

    This was in anticipation of his elevation to Effutu’s NDC parliamentary candidate.

    This new turn of events throws James Kofi Annan’s plans out of gear as the party, through the General Secretary, has disowned him.

    The party is in the process of electing a new candidate to replace Victor Yankson, the General Secretary intimated.

     

    Source: peacefmonline.com