Former General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana,Reverend Kwabena Opuni-Frimpong, has expressed concerns about the persistent issue of electoral violence in Ghana.
In a recent interview with Citi News, Reverend Opuni-Frimpong criticized the government’s ongoing failure to effectively address violence during elections.
He highlighted that electoral violence has been a recurring problem, with the latest elections resulting in eight fatalities and several injuries.
He urged the current administration to implement the recommendations proposed after the violent incidents of the 2020 elections, stressing the need for decisive action to prevent future occurrences and ensure the integrity of the electoral process.
“Sometimes you ask yourself, why are our leaders not worried about these electoral violence and electoral deaths? Our hands are so bloody and we must be worried as a country.
It is not only in the 2020 [general elections], almost all the elections, there is a record of death.
“But again, the recent one is the eight that we recorded in 2020.
For me, going into the 2024 election, if the government and the Ghana Police Service can give Ghanaians evidence that at least even if we have not come to completion [of investigations], the process is [ongoing and] we know those people we are prosecuting, they will add to the peace process.
We must find those people who killed the eight people and prosecute them, and if need be, even find compensation for those they have left behind.”
He further urged political parties to take any utterances that have the potential to incite violence seriously and address them promptly.
“The parties themselves, they have mature men and women in those parties who must, you know, behind the scenes, close door meetings, heal the wounds among themselves, and who must talk to their own people.
“We must have people inNPP who will just talk to people that this is not the NPP we want. We need people in NDC who are behind the scenes, even if they must come public and condemn their own.
“It is very worrying that when their people come out, you can’t get a single person in the NPP going public that, yes, you are part of us, but this comment is unacceptable. You don’t get somebody from NDC [either].”
Former President, John Dramani Mahama, has refuted President Akufo-Addo‘s claim of not congratulating him after the 2020 general elections.
John Dramani Mahama alleges that President Nana Addo DankwaAkufo-Addo has remained silent on the fatalities and injuries suffered by conscientious Ghanaians during the aforementioned elections.
In his perspective, the President ought to reflect on his actions with a sense of remorse, as he believes Akufo-Addo has failed to express sympathy towards grieving families and individuals coping with various forms of deformities resulting from the aftermath of the 2020 elections.
“On a rather sad note, it is unconscionable that three years after these tragic events, our President, Nana Akufo-Addo, has not uttered even a word of sympathy to the bereaved families. The perpetrators of these murders continue to walk as free men and still hold on to positions of authority and power,” he said in a tweet on X.
Meanwhile, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, in a speech after he was declared the winner of the 2020 elections, condemned various isolated incidents of post-electoral violence.
He said, “We condemn in no uncertain terms the isolated incidence of post-electoral violence in Odododiodo and Techiman that led to a few regrettable deaths. May their souls rest in peace”.
Former US President Donald Trump has entered a plea of not guilty in a Washington DC court, where he faces charges of conspiring to overturn his defeat in the 2020 election.
In a brief arraignment, he spoke softly to confirm his not-guilty plea, his name and age, and that he was not under the influence of any substances.
Speaking to reporters later, he characterized the case as a “persecution of a political opponent”.
This appearance marks the third time in four months that the former president has appeared as a criminal defendant.
On Thursday afternoon, Mr. Trump arrived at the courthouse through a rear entrance in the heart of the nation’s capital, situated just steps away from the location of the US Capitol riot, a pivotal event in the prosecution’s case.
Approximately 1,000 defendants charged in connection with the January 6, 2021 storming of Congress have also appeared in the same courthouse building.
The former president seemed to exchange glances across the court with Jack Smith, the special counsel leading the investigation.
Mr Trump was seen twiddling his thumbs as he sat waiting for the hearing to begin, and he shook his head as the clerk read out the case number.
His not-guilty plea covered the four charges in this latest indictment:
conspiracy to defraud the US
conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding
obstruction of an official proceeding
conspiracy against the rights of citizens
The judge issued a directive to the former president, advising him against discussing the specifics of the case.
She cautioned that non-compliance might lead to consequences such as an arrest warrant, withdrawal of release conditions, and potential charges of contempt of court.
During the hearing, prosecutors emphasized the advantages of expediting the trial process.
Image caption,Mr Trump spoke to reporters at Reagan airport standing near his aide Walt Nauta (left), his co-defendant in a separate case
But Trump defence attorney John Lauro said they would need more time to prepare. He said the prosecution’s timeline was “somewhat absurd” given that the investigation itself had taken three years.
The allegations laid out on Tuesday in an indictment, or charge sheet, include a count of “conspiracy to impair, obstruct, and defeat the federal government function through dishonesty, fraud and deceit”.
Mr Trump lost the 2020 election to his Democratic challenger, Joe Biden, but he refused to concede and mounted weeks of challenges across several US states.
He is currently the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican White House nomination and may face a rematch with Mr Biden.
Speaking to reporters before flying home to New Jersey in his private plane, Mr Trump said his arraignment was a “very sad day for America”.
He told reporters he was sad to see “the filth and the decay and all of the broken buildings and walls and the graffiti” in Washington DC.
Outside court, one of his lawyers previewed a possible defence strategy.
Alina Habba argued that the former president had been given bad guidance by his team in the aftermath of the election.
“I think that everybody was made aware that he lost the election, but that doesn’t mean that that was the only advice he was given,” said Ms Habba.
She added: “He may not agree with Mike Pence. He may not agree with one of his lawyers.
“But that doesn’t mean there weren’t other people advising him exactly the opposite. And the president has a right, as every one of us do, to listen to several opinions and make a decision.”
The indictment lists six unnamed co-conspirators who allegedly helped Mr Trump plot to quash his election loss.
During Thursday’s court hearing, three police officers who testified before Congress about their experiences during the US Capitol riot were in attendance. Alongside them were several off-duty judges.
Outside the courtroom, a gathering of supporters bearing Trump campaign flags congregated, while counter-protesters against Trump also made their presence known.
The next scheduled hearing on August 28th is anticipated to be procedural in nature. However, it’s possible that the judge may decide on a trial date.
This marks the Republican’s involvement in two other legal cases: one involving mishandling classified files and the other related to falsifying business records to conceal a payment to a porn star.
Mr. Trump is now facing a total of five upcoming trials. Three of these trials will take place in New York, focusing on the hush-money payment and civil matters related to business practices and accusations of defamation by a woman who alleged rape. The fourth trial will occur in Florida and revolves around allegations of mishandling classified documents.
The Senior Staff Association of the Electoral Commission (EC) has bemoaned failure of the Commission to pay service providers who assisted during the 2020 elections.
According to them, the failure of the EC to pay the service providers has negatively impacted their lives.
The association also talked about delayed payments of administrative releases, outstanding bills for logistics, and the drastic reduction of resources for operational activities.
In a letter to the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission on February 2, the Association said it was compelled to hold a meeting on January 26 after receiving “numerous distress calls and messages” from members, especially regional directors, deputy regional directors, and district electoral officers, on the issues raised.
The letter, signed by over 20 executive members from across the country, categorizes their concerns into six categories:
1. Delay in the payment of Administrative Releases for the last two quarters of 2022.
2. Unprecedented delay in the payment for logistics and other services (canopies, tables, chairs, generators and boat) hired for the 2020 Voter Registration exercise.
3. Delay in the payment of allowances for Commissioners for Oaths engaged for the 2020 Voter Transfer Exercise.
4. Drastic reduction in the allocation of resources for operational activities of the Commission since the 2018 Referendum to date.
5. Constant Pre-financing of operational and administrative activities of the Commission
6. Outstanding payments for some temporary Officials engaged for DLE 2019 and 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections.
The letter was copied to the Chief of Staff at the Office of the President, Speaker of Parliament, Minister of National Security, General Secretary P.S.W.0 of TUC, and Chairman, Divisional Union of PSWU, EC.
Expatiating on the administrative lapses, the Association said due to the inability of EC to make payments for utility bills like water and electricity, some offices of the Commission have been disconnected.
Aside from officials being pestered by vendors, some District Electoral Officers have been sued by vendors in attempts to retrieve their monies.
It feared if care is not taken, District Electoral Officers would not be able to engage the services of vendors for subsequent exercise.
It, therefore, warned that if the Commission fails to settle all outstanding administrative releases in full by the 15th of February, 2023, it will employ legitimate and permissible tools to get their demand met.
Find excerpts of their letter below:
A. DELAY IN PAYMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE RELEASES FOR TWO QUARTERS FOR THE YEAR 2022 (SIX MONTHS)
i. Delay in the administrative releases for fuel, accountable imprest and inability to service and maintain official vehicles.
ii. Payment of unrealistic rates of fuel for official vehicles
iii. Current economic conditions make it impossible for Regional Directors, Deputy Regional Directors and District Electoral Officers to Pre-finance fuel for official vehicles and undertake routine servicing and maintenance
iv. Inability to make payments for utilities (water and electricity) for the Offices
v. Disconnection of some offices of the Commission due to non-payment of utility bills
B. DELAY IN THE PAYMENT OF OUTSTANDING BILLS
i. Non-payments for logistics (canopies, tables, chairs, boats, generators, etc.) used for the 2020 voter registration exercise, undertaken during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic
ii. Logistics needed for the exercise were hired, based on quotas, rates and operational, instructions from the Commission, amidst ‘strong warnings’ of sanctions for the failure to adhere
iii. Payment of only 20% of the total amount submitted for logistics, almost three (3) years after the exercise, which ended successfully for officers to receive commendations from the Commission for a good job done —the registers used for the 2020 elections are in debt
iv. District Electoral Officers are pestered on daily bases with incessant calls from vendors to redeem their debts
v. Some Vendors have sued some District Electoral Officers in the law courts and CHRA. I in attempts to retrieve their monies because Commission is unable to fulfill financial obligations
vi. District Electoral Officers are being verbally abused and even threatened on daily bases for non-payment of bills, making them live in fear
vii. District Electoral Officers have lost all the respect, dignity, goodwill and some favour that earlier existed in their districts because the Commission has been unable to honour its part of the agreement.
viii. District Electoral Officers are now having issues with their families and friends from whom they borrowed to offset some of the bills due to frustration.
ix. District Electoral Officers believe that the Commission thinks the vendors were not truly engaged, hence the commission’s refusal to pay them.
C. DELAY IN PAYMENT OF COMMISSIONERS FOR OATHS ENGAGED FOR THE 2020 TRANSFER OF VOTERS
i. District Electoral Officers were instructed through their Regional Directors to engage the services of Commissioners for Oaths during transfer of voters in the year 2020, and have not been paid allowances after the whole exercise
ii. The Commissioners for Oaths keep harassing District Electoral Officers because they
haven’t received their allowance yet.
D. DRASTIC REDUCTION IN THE RESOURCES ALLOCATED FOR OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES BY THE COMMISSION
ii. Fuel for recruitment of officials, organisation of grassroots, training of officials, collection, distribution and retrieval of electoral materials from the regional offices to the district offices to the field has been reduced drastically since 2018
iii. Daily subsistence allowances (D5A) for staff has also seen a reduction per the number of days stipulated for various electoral activities.
iv. Resources for hiring of training venue for Training of Trainers (TOT) and grassroots training has been reduced drastically, making the organisation of the training programmes extremely difficult.
E. After the payment of officials for the 2019 District Level Elections (DLE) and the 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections, some officials did not receive their allowances due to errors in their bank account details. The leadership of the SSA has made several appeals to Management to see to it that these officials are paid their allowances. However, it appears that the situation has not seen any change.
We wish to make a final appeal to Management to address this issue timely so that we can continue to enjoy the support, loyalty and cooperation of our temporary officials during future exercises.
In view of the above, the National Council, the second highest decision-making body of the SSA and the mouthpiece for Senior Staff Members at the various regions has resolved to the following:
1. Commissions’ Inability to settle all outstanding administrative releases in full by the 15th of February 2023 will cause the following:
a. Hanging of red flags at all offices of the Commission from 16th February 2023 to show our protest.
b. Officers would be unable to perform administrative and operational functions that require any financial commitments.
c. The National Council of the Association may employ other legitimate and permissible tools under the Labour Laws of Ghana to press on home our demands after hanging of the red flags.
2. All arrears owned to vendors should be paid by Wednesday 1st March 2023, to enable District Electoral Officers have the peace of mind to live and work in their districts. In the event that the commission fails to make payments,
a. All calls from vendors will be directed to the Commission.
b. Vendors will be directed to the Head Office to claim their monies
c. District Electoral Officers would be unable to engage the services of vendors for subsequent exercise
3. Resources for operational and administrative activities should be restored to their previous levels; rates and levels should be determined and communicated to officers before the commencement of upcoming activities.
4. Officers of the Commission would NOT pre-finance any activities under any circumstance.
5. Management should liaise with the Government as a matter of urgency to implement the recommendations made on conditions of service of the staff of the Electoral Commission by the Twenty (20)- member fact finding Parliamentary Adhoc Committee set up by Parliament on Friday,28th January 2011.
6. Management should also endeavour to address all these pertinent issues in a timely manner for industrial peace and harmony to prevail, considering the fact that this year is an Election year.
Morocco’s long-ruling Islamists have suffered a crushing defeat in parliamentary elections to liberal parties seen as close to the palace, according to provisional results announced early Thursday.
The Justice and Development Party (PJD), which headed the ruling coalition for a decade, saw its support collapse from 125 seats in the outgoing assembly to just 12, Interior Minister Abdelouafi Laftit said during a press briefing following Wednesday’s polls.
It was far behind its main liberal rivals, the National Rally of Independents (RNI) and the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), with 97 and 82, respectively, and the center-right Istiqlal Party with 78 seats in the 395-seat assembly.
The RNI, which was a junior member of the governing coalition, is headed by billionaire businessman Aziz Akhannouch, described as close to the palace.
And the main opposition PAM was founded by the current royal adviser, Fouad Ali El Himma, in 2008.
The Istiqlal (Independence) party, the oldest in Morocco, made a remarkable comeback, adding 32 seats.
The magnitude of the Islamists’ defeat was unexpected as, despite the absence of opinion polls that are banned near election time, the media and analysts had believed the PJD would still take first place.
Swept to power in the wake of the 2011 uprisings around the Middle East and North Africa, the PJD had hoped to secure a third term leading a ruling coalition.
King Mohammed VI will name a prime minister from the party that won the poll to govern the nation of 36 million for the next five years, succeeding Saad-Eddine El Othmani.
The final results should be known on Thursday.
Turnout was 50.35 percent, according to the interior minister, higher than the 43 percent at the previous legislative polls in 2016, but lower than the 53 percent during the 2015 local elections.
But changes to the voting system meant that it was the first time Morocco’s 18 million voters cast ballots in both parliamentary and local elections on the same day, in an effort to boost turnout.
Accusations of vote-buying
In 2011, the North African kingdom adopted a new constitution devolving many of the monarch’s powers to the parliament and the government.
However, regardless of who holds elected office, major decisions continue to come from initiatives of King Mohammed VI.
On Wednesday evening, the Islamists alleged “serious irregularities,” including “obscene cash handouts” near polling stations and “confusion” on some electoral rolls, with some voters finding they were not listed.
However, the interior minister said voting took place “under normal circumstances” apart from some isolated incidents.
The short, largely lackluster election campaign, with no big gatherings due to the coronavirus, had already been marred by accusations of vote-buying.
The PJD and the RNI also exchanged heated barbs in the final days ahead of the vote.
The former prime minister and PJD leader Abdelilah Benkirane attacked the RNI boss, billionaire businessman, and Agriculture Minister Akhannouch, in a fiery Facebook video on Sunday.
“The head of government must be a political personality with integrity who is above suspicion,” he said.
Akhannouch retorted in an interview on Monday that the attacks were “an admission of failure” by his opponents.
Following the previous elections in 2016, the RNI leader secured critical ministerial jobs for his party, including the economy and finance, and industry portfolios.
For the first time since the first elections were held in Morocco in 1960, parties’ shares of seats will be calculated based on registered voters, rather than those who actually cast their ballots, in an amendment seen as favoring smaller parties.
Whatever the result, political parties are expected to adopt a charter for a “new model of development” with a “new generation of reforms and projects” in the coming years, the king announced recently.
All parties are expected to sign up, regardless of who wins the election.
The plan’s major aims include reducing the country’s wealth gap and doubling per-capita economic output by 2035.
The European Public Policy Institute (EPPI), a research organization that focuses on political and social developments in Africa, Asia and the Americas, says the Ghanaian electorate was influenced by policy considerations during December 7, 2020, elections.
The EPPI drew this conclusion after a survey conducted in January 2021.
In a report by Asaase Radio sighted by GhanaWeb, the research which has just been released was based on a nationally representative sample of 1,258 eligible responses from all 16 regions, with a margin of error of plus or minus three per cent (+/- 3%).
“The answers by respondents to the survey showed that the policies of the political party or government, the political party on its own as an entity, and the personality of particular presidential candidates were the three factors which influenced whom they decided eventually to vote for,†Asaase Radio reported.
“The survey also looked at whom the probable candidates of the two main political parties, the NPP and the NDC, are likely to be in 2024 and which of them stand a better chance of winning the election.â€
Ghana has an illiterate population of 85 per cent.
Thus, the implications of the research are important because they speak to the means by which the electorate gets public education on policies/issues, and what those media/platforms are churning out.
The European Public Policy Institute (EPPI) is an independent, not-for-proï¬t organisation dedicated to fostering global integration through analysis and debate.
It supports and challenges decision-makers at all levels to make informed decisions based on sound research and analysis, and provides a platform for engaging partners, stakeholders and citizens in the debate about the future of the developing world.
Tsatsu Tsikata insists that the Presidential Election 2020 did not produce any winner because none of the candidates that contested the elections crossed the 50% threshold as stipulated in the constitution.
According to Tsikata, speaking on the KSM Show last Friday, the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, knowing that none of the candidates won the election, went ahead to declare the NPP candidate winner, something that is very problematic and a bad precedence for the country.
Tsikata stated: “Fundamentally, what I think is most problematic about the judgement is that, we have a situation in this country now where if you base yourself on the Declaration that was made by the Chairperson […] there was not a constitutionally valid Declaration because no candidate got 50%.
“Mr Nana Akufo-Addo got 49.625% based on the numbers that she herself had announced. Now what the court then said was that, the next day, there [were] some corrections issued by the EC but those corrections were not by the Chairperson [Returning Officer]; they were unsigned press releases. Even more important, the numbers in those corrections were different from the numbers on which the court was basing itself as the results of the election.â€
But the only person who could have responded to those inconsistencies, that is the Chairperson of the EC, who refused to mount the witness box.
John Dramani Mahama filed a Petition to challenge the Declaration of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as President-elect in the December 7, 2020, Presidential election.
He was praying to the court to order a rerun of the election because the NPP flagbearer did not cross the 50% threshold as stipulated by the constitution, but the Supreme Court dismissed the case stating that it lacked merit.
Dennis Miracles Aboagye a member of the Communication team of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) says the fact that there were mistakes in Mahama’s election petition, is God speaking to them.
“…it is the same mistakes that the Electoral Commission made and they corrected themselves that they (NDC) are using against them in court. The God of Akufo-Addo has simply taught them (NDC) a lesson that they can also make mistakes,” he said on Peace FM’s The Platform programme.
Meanwhile, Miracle believes the “NDC is preparing the minds of their members; so that when they lose the case in court, they will blame it on the fact that most of the judges were appointed by Akufo-Addo”
Counsels for the petitioner will pray the court today starting from about 9:30am to allow a live broadcast contrary to the convention that court matters are not broadcast live or recorded.
According to Mahama, the live telecast will be in the interest of fairness as a similar broadcast was done during the 2012 election petition by Nana Akufo-Addo, now president.
In a Motion on Notice sighted by GhanaWeb, Mahama prayed: “that counsel for and on behalf of the petitioner shall move this Honourable Court for an order directing live transmission of the whole of the proceedings in this petition upon the grounds contained in the accompanying affidavit…or other orders as the Honourable Court may deem fitâ€.
The whole nation is expected to get excited when the Supreme Court grants this request on Thursday, January 14, when the court holds the first hearing of the case.
It is widely expected that the counsels for the first and second respondents, namely the Electoral Commission and Nana Akufo-Addo respectively, will not oppose this motion since it is a matter of huge national interest.
Per Rule 69C (4) of C.I. 99, “provision is made for the proceedings of the court to be transmitted live if the court so determinesâ€, and 4(a)(b) and (c) provides for the dismissal of a petition where the petitioner fails to file the processes regarding the petition, “within the time specified by law or to hear and determine the petition where the respondents fail to file their answers or fail to file their processes regarding their answer within the specified timeâ€.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court will hear a motion by counsel for former President John Dramani Mahama, praying leave of the court to amend the election petition on grounds of typographical errors which mixed up first and second respondents in several paragraphs.
The mistake, as stated in the motion was in relief (f) of the election petition.
Relief (f) is seeking “an order of mandatory injunction directing the first respondent to proceed to conduct a second election with petitioner and first respondent as the candidates as required under Articles 63(4) and (5) of the 1992 Constitutionâ€.
The rerun should instead be between the first petitioner and the second respondent, who is Nana Akufo-Addo.
Renowned lawyer Tony Lithur will be the lead counsel for John Dramani Mahama in the latest election petition filed by the former president.
The head of Lithur Brew and Company was also the same lawyer in the landmark election petition of 2013 when then-President John Dramani Mahama was cited as one of the respondents.
In the petition filed at the Supreme Court on Wednesday, December 30, Mr Mahama wants the results of the elections to be declared null and void and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo the declared winner by the Electoral Commission restrained from holding himself out as the president-elect.
The EC is the First Respondent while Mr Akufo-Addo is the Second Respondent.
In 2013, Mr Lithur was in the William Atuguba-led Court as the lead counsel for Mr Mahama, then the First Respondent.
Another renowned lawyer Tsatsu Tsikata represented the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in that suit.
Already, there are reports Philip Addison, who represented the three petitioners in 2013 as their lead counsel, could be the lawyer for Second Respondent Nana Akufo-Addo.
The 2020 parliamentary elections results have been gazetted by the Electoral Commission (EC).
The exercise is in accordance with the law which requires the EC to gazette the presidential and parliamentary results of every election.
The declaration of the 2020 presidential election, which was earlier gazetted on December 10, 2020 is a constitutional instrument (CI 135) signed by Mrs Mensa.
It reads: “In exercise of the power conferred on the Electoral Commission under Article 63 (9) of the 1992 Constitution, this instrument is hereby made.
“Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Presidential Candidate, having, in the Presidential Election held on the 7th of December, 2020, pursuant to Article 63 (3) of the Constitution, obtained more than fifty per cent of the total number of valid votes cast, is hereby declared the President-Elect of the Republic of Ghana.â€
The gazetting of both the presidential and parliamentary results paves the way for any of the aggrieved candidates in the 2020 presidential election to file a presidential election petition at the Supreme Court to challenge the declaration by the EC.
Read the full document of the gazette of the parliamentary election here
The Electoral Commission (EC) has, in accordance with the law, gazetted the presidential and parliamentary results of the 2020 general elections.
Extra O. Gazette No. 195 EC Parliamentary Results 2020
Constitutional instrument (CI 135) signed by Chair of the Electoral Commission (EC) Jean Mensa said “In exercise of the power conferred on the Electoral Commission under Article 63 (9) of the 1992 Constitution, this instrument is hereby made.
“Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Presidential Candidate, having, in the Presidential Election held on the 7th of December, 2020, pursuant to Article 63 (3) of the Constitution, obtained more than fifty percent of the total number of valid votes cast, is hereby declared the President-Elect of the Republic of Ghana.â€
Meanwhile, the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) have rejected the results of the polls because in their view, the figures were tampered with by the Commission in favour of the incumbent President.
Greater Accra Assembly Members has called on opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to call its sympathizers to order and seek redress of outcome of the just ended 2020 December elections in court.
In a statement delivered by Mr Alfred Adjei, General Secretary of the Greater Accra Assembly Members (GAAM), said chapter five of the 1992 Constitution allows any individual to seek redress in court if suspected their rights has been violated.
According to him, there is a precedent of resolving electoral related disputes in a competent court of jurisdiction.
“We therefore encourage the NDC leadership to chart a course already blazed by the NPP in 2012 by going to court with their body of evidence to challenge the election results as law abiding citizens.”
According to the group, leaders of the NDC are inciting their followers against the Electoral Commission (EC) and the media.
“We must state with emphasis that the behavior of leadership of NDC is inciting their fellowers against the EC and subsequently a accusing the Ghanaian media for conniving with the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) to rig the 2020 presidential and parliamentary polls..”
The group said it was worried about the persistent protests amid burning of vehicle tyres in the streets across the country without approval from the Police, and described the incidents as creating fear and panic.
He called on the police to arrest and prosecute groups and individuals whose actions threaten the peace and security of the country.
Flagbearer of the NDC John Dramani Mahama after the declaration of the 2020 presidential results rejected the results on grounds that it was a flawed elections, describing it as “fictionalized”.
The NDC, argued that public protest to press home their demands is constitutional.
Lawyer Nelson Kporha, Counsel for the applicants in the Hohoe Parliamentary election injunction case, says although the Electoral Commission (EC) has gazetted the Hohoe Parliamentary results it would not have any consequence on the restraining order from the Ho High Court.
He said restraining the EC from gazetting Hohoe MP-elect, John-Peter Amewu, was just one of the reliefs, disclosing that they were aware of the gazette before going to Court.
Mr Kporha, who is one of the Counsel’s for applicants, secured an interim injunction restraining the EC from gazetting John-Peter Amewu, New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament-elect for Hohoe.
Meanwhile, Ghana News Agency’s (GNA) checks revealed that the Hohoe Constituency election was gazetted by the EC on Tuesday.
Mr Kporha said the EC’s gazette was just “a presumption of elections,” which is a periodical publication that has been authorised to publish publicly or legal notices, usually established by statutes or official action, could be legally nullified, therefore it would not have any consequences on the order they sought from the court.
He said “we are not bothered by the gazette,” we have other reliefs or orders that could make our case still hold.
Mr Kporha said to restrain the respondents, especially the MP-elect from presenting himself as such between January 7 to January 2025, still is legal before the law.
He said another is the availing himself to be sworn-in as Member of Parliament for Hohoe Constituency or holding himself as such.
A Ho High Court on Wednesday granted an interim injunction restraining the EC from gazetting John-Peter Amewu, New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament-elect for Hohoe.
The Court presided over by Justice Mr George Buadi granted an ex parte application filed by Professor Margaret Kweku, National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate for the Hohoe Constituency, Mr Simon Allan Opoku-Mintah, Mr John Kwame Obimpeh, Mr Godfred Koku Kofie and Mr Felix Quarshie.
The respondents in the case are the EC, Mr Wisdom Kofi Akpakli Hohoe Municipal EC officer, Mr Amewu and the Attorney-General.
The Court held that the EC be restrained from seeking to gazette the MP-elect with the order lasting for 10 days from Wednesday.
The Court also ordered the MP-elect from presenting himself to be sworn-in as the MP for Hohoe Constituency or holding himself as such.
The United Front Party (UFP) has given the Electoral Commission (EC) a two-day ultimatum to redeclare the true results of the 2020 polls else face the wrath of the feud parties.
The political party said the flip-flopping of the EC and the frequent changing of figures on the EC website is a clear indication of the flawed nature of the 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections.
The leader of the party, Nana Agyenim Boateng said Madam Jean Mensah’s conduct has eroded gains made by the EC in the past decade and called on the citizenry to rise against her inactions to safeguard Ghana’s democracy.
He also wants the EC to involve disgruntled parties to remedy the mishap before it leads to civil uprising as witness in other countries in Africa. Adding, “if chaos or something bad happen in this country Jean Mensah would have herself to blame”.
Speaking at a press conference held at Kumasi on Tuesday, 22 December 2020; Mr. Agyenim argued that the conduct of the commissioner has subverted the will of many Ghanaians.
He, therefore, called on well-meaning Ghanaians and respectable Civil Society Organizations to revolt and speak against the irresponsible act of the Electoral Commission.
He told Maxwell Attah, a freelance journalist in a sideline interview that: “Nana Akuffo Addo was selected as president by Jean Mensa and some media, while John Mahama is the true president elected by majority of Ghanaians in the December 7 elections.”
He noted that the just-ended presidential poll was rigged by NPP IT unit and endorsed by Madam Jean Mensa, as media houses who claimed their figures tallied with the EC have all been proved to be false, couple with constant massaging of figures by EC on daily basis.
Against this backdrop, he implores the media to interrogate the matter and mount pressure on the EC to declare another results that truly reflect the 2020 presidential polls.
A professor of law and accounting, Stephen Asare, popularly known Kwaku Azar has raised mathematical questions over the publication if the Techiman South presidential results which was declared by the Electoral Commission.
The outspoken lawyer is wondering why the total votes the candidates got were far more than the total valid votes cast announced by the EC on the face of its pink sheet.
The lawyer although commending the EC wondered why they could make such an error.
“I struggle to understand some of the numbers though. Take, for instance, Techiman South where Nana got 46,379 votes and Mahama got 52,034.
When I add those votes, I get 98,413 votes. However, the form also says total valid ballots is 97,227.
I am struggling to understand how the sum of the valid votes acquired by the two candidates (98,413) exceed total valid ballots (97,227).
In fact, when I add the votes obtained by all candidates I get 99,436, which of course exceeds the total valid ballots of 97,227.
However, the total votes obtained by all the candidates is equal to the total votes cast.â€
Read his full post below
The EC has posted all the Presidential Pink Sheets online. This is transparency at its best. I think it is unprecedented.
Kudos.
I struggle to understand some of the numbers though. Take, for instance, Techiman South where Nana got 46,379 votes and Mahama got 52,034.
When I add those votes, I get 98,413 votes. However, the form also says total valid ballots is 97,227.
I am struggling to understand how the sum of the valid votes acquired by the two candidates (98,413) exceed total valid ballots (97,227).
In fact, when I add the votes obtained by all candidates I get 99,436, which of course exceeds the total valid ballots of 97,227.
However, the total votes obtained by all the candidates is equal to the total votes cast.
Well, you and I were not there!
All said and done, Guan must vote by January 7, 2021.
The Minority in Parliament will today, Tuesday, December 22, 2020 march to the headquarters of the Electoral Commission.
The Minority insists that the results declared by the EC for the elections were flawed.
According to them, they are seeking for justice from the EC.
The march they say is also to express their displeasure in the Techiman South parliamentary election which was declared in favour of Martin Adjei Mensah Korsah of the NPP.
Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission (EC) has announced it will break for the Christmas holidays on December 23, 2020.
A circular signed by the Deputy Chairman, Corporate Services, Dr. Bossman Asare said following the successful conduct of the polls, it will break for the holidays tomorrow (Wednesday).
Founder of the Faith African Faith Tabernacle Church, Pastor Kwabena Mensah, has asked former President John Dramani Mahama to concede defeat in the interest of peace.
The man of God said although the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has raised concerns over the results, they have to let go.
He claims Ghanaians will reward Mr. Mahama with massive votes in 2024 should they forget about the 2020 results and accept defeat.
Pastor Kwabena Mensah speaking on Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm said it is painful to lose an election but in the interest of peace and unity, John Mahama must accept defeat and move on.
Pastor Kwabena Mensah said the NDC as a party has not collapsed and for them to be elected in 2024, they should just forget about it.
He advised the leadership of the NDC to speak to their followers to stop the demonstrations.
Togbe Adzimah V, Chief of Gbi Abansi in Hohoe, has commended John-Peter Amewu, Minister of Energy and newly elected Member of Parliament (MP) for Hohoe Constituency on his victory.
He noted that the election of Mr Amewu came as a result of his perseverance, hard work and determination.
Togbe Adzimah in a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said “I wish to convey to you my special congratulatory message for emerging victorious as the Parliamentary candidate-elect for Hohoe Constituency in the just ended parliamentary elections held across the country on December 7, 2020.
“Your perseverance, hard work and determination won you this victory. You never gave up after two unsuccessful attempts in 2004 and 2008.”
He said the people of Hohoe Constituency had seen the capabilities demonstrated during Mr Amewu’s days as Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) and becoming a cabinet Minister.
Togbe Adzimah said the positions occupied by the MP-elect brought “unparallel development projects” to the Constituency.
He noted that the development projects had reposed the confidence of electorate in Mr Amewu by voting for him to represent them in Parliament, to champion and transform their lives through infrastructural and human-centred development as stated in his “One Family, One Opportunity” campaign message.
The traditional ruler also wished the Energy Minister well in his endeavour and quest, as he leads the constituents for the next four years.
The United States Ambassador to Ghana, Stephanie S. Sullivan has urged National Democratic Congress candidate, John Dramani Mahama to address his concerns with the just-ended 2020 election in court.
She said this in a meeting with John Mahama and his running mate, Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang on Thursday, December 17.
This comes after the former President John Mahama and his party expressed their unwillingness to accept the results of the 2020 elections as declared by the Electoral Commission, December 9.
She further urged all other political parties “to pursue legal channels for any electoral disputes and to preserve the peace in Ghanaâ€.
Supporters of the NDC have since the rejection of the 2020 election results by their party leaders been protesting across the country demanding that the EC declares Mahama as president-elect.
On Thursday, 26 protestors were arrested in front of the EC headquarters in Accra for unlawful gathering.
They burnt car tyres and pelted stones at the EC office until they were dispersed up by the police.
The Interior Minister, Ambrose Dery has said the December 7, 2020 elections has been the most violence-free election in Ghana.
Ambrose Dery in an interview said, “I can assure you that the security personnel has been really good and we can all attest to it that this election has been the most violence-free. But we also urge security agencies to live up to their expectations and standards.”
According to him, the police have commenced a probe into the violent incidents in places such as Techiman and Savelugu.
“The EC official was grabbed and the operatives there had to step in [at some polling stations]. They fired warning shots. Our investigations will find out who really did that,” he stated.
During the elections, at least six persons lost their lives due to the violence.
Mr. Dery insisted that, “The security operatives, did what they did within the standard operating procedures, and it would be recalled that even in any case there is injury or death, unfortunately, there are investigations.”
There were 61 recorded cases of electoral and post-electoral violence across the country.
Twenty-one of the incidents were true cases of electoral violence, six of which involved gunshots, according to the police.
The National Democratic Congress parliamentary candidate for Sene West has retained his seat as the Member of Parliament for the constituency.
This comes after the Electoral Commission counted the ballot papers from the Tato Battor Polling Station B which were prior to this locked up at the Techiman police station following a court injunction.
The Sene West constituency results were not declared after the elections because the ballot box for Tato Battor Polling Station B was snatched by one Christian Nukpeta when the election results were being counted.
Although Christian Nukpeta was arrested immediately, the parties involved noticed that the seal of the ballot box belonging to the NPP had been removed, leaving that of the Electoral Commission and NDC.
As a result, Lawyers for the NPP’s Sene West parliamentary candidate, Joseph Markay Kuma, immediately sought an injunction from the court to stop the EC from counting the ballot papers in the box.
The ballot box was then locked up at the Techiman Police Headquarters.
However, counsel for Joseph Markay Kuma withdrew their motion of injunction on the declaration of the results as filed in their petition.
On Thursday, December 17, 2020 the court threw out the case brought by the New Patriotic Party against the Electoral Commission and the National Democratic Congress on the Sene West Parliamentary Elections.
The court ruled that the said case lacks merit, the reason it was dismissed.
The NPP has also been fined an amount of GH¢20,000 for wasting the time of the court.
After the court ruling, the ballot papers in the box were counted and the NDC emerged winners.
For the Tato battor polling station B NPP polled 148 votes while the NDC polled 275.
This, when added to the previous results by other polling stations where the NDC polled 12441 and NPP polled 12952 votes, will produce higher figures; the NPP will now have a total of 13100 votes, while the NDC polls 13116 votes.
The Ghana Police has arrested some persons said to be sympathizers of the National Democratic Congress for picketing at the headquarters of the Electoral Commission.
The protesters in the early hours of Thursday morning clashed with the police over the declaration of results of the 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections.
Hundreds clad in red attire and NDC party colours, amassed at the headquarters of the EC with placards to register their protest. The police then intervened in the situation and things turned rather ugly.
The protestors began littering the streets, burning car tyres, a situation which led to somewhat a public distraction.
Tensions were relatively calm at the time the GhanaWeb team arrived at the scene but later escalated as the protesters mounted a road block on the Kanda highway.
The Police and military keeping security briskly moved in towards them and fired rubber bullets to disperse the crowd who kept chanting the words “No Mahama, No Peaceâ€.
This then followed up with a chase between the police and protestors which resulted in some arrests.
Meanwhile, flagbearer of the NDC, John Dramani Mahama has accused Chairperson of the EC, Jean Mensa of presiding over what he describes as a flawed election.
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was declared the winner of the election by the returning officer of the presidential election on Wednesday December 9, 2020.
Ghanaians went to the polls on Monday December 7, 2020 to elect a president and 275 Members of Parliament for the eighth time since 1992.
Former General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana and former Chairman of the Asante Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Rev. Dr. Opuni-Frimpong has asked party supporters not to be brainwashed by their leaders to foment trouble over what they claim to be rigged results in the just-ended 2020 elections.
Speaking on Okay FM’s ‘Ade Akye Abia’ programme, he advised that those youth perpetrating violence because their leader failed to win the elections and they are being incited to hit the streets should think twice about it before they join forces to demonstrate.
“The leaders organizing those protests should ensure we have responsible demonstrations,” he advised.
In a related event, thousands of NDC supporters clad in red and black demonstrated at the premises of the Electoral Commission in Accra.
In videos gone viral on social media, the police were seen using waters cannons to disperse the crowd which seemed resistant.
The main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has denied reports that it has filed a case against the Electoral Commission (EC) on the Techiman South Parliamentary election and has withdrawn same.
According to the party, it has not filed any case in the High Court.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by the NDC on Thursday, 17 December 2020 and signed by the Bono East Regional NDC Secretary, Mohammed Shamsudeen Ali.
The Bono East NDC indicated that publication by some print media creating the impression that it has “withdrawn a suit brought against the EC from the High court for lack of evidence†is false.
The party stated unequivocally that, it “has not filed any suit in court against the EC on the Techiman South Parliamentary Elections let alone withdrawing same†and urged the “general public to dismiss the said malicious publication with all the contempt it deserves.â€
The party further pointed out the facts that: “A citizen of Ghana who is a member of the NDC decided to go to court to compel the EC to do what is expected of them as the law establishes, this happened at the early stage of the confusion before the NDC legal team even came into the region for their facts finding mission.â€
Also, the NDC “legal team led by Lawyer Victor Kwadjoga Adawudu filed a petition to the EC for re-collation and submission of the results declaration sheet as it claims it has declared the results, after their facts finding mission in the Bono East region concerning the Techiman South and the Sene West Parliamentary Elections†and the citizen “who filed the said suit in the High court decided to withdraw his suit to pave way for the NDC petition filed by the legal team to be considered by the EC as the first legitimate means.â€
It continued that: “Any attempt by the pro-NPP media house or their surrogates to twist the facts for their political expediency will not see the light of the day.â€
The party also called on “those media houses to desist from publishing such malicious and fabricated stories just to please their paymasters.â€
It added that it is poised to “use all legitimate means to make sure that, the Techiman South Parliamentary Seat is declared†for its Candidate Mr Christopher Baasongti Bayere, “because he won the Seat convincingly based on the evidence available†to them on the face of all the pink sheets in their possession.
The NDC, therefore, urged its “members, supporters and sympathisers to remain calm and resolute.â€
The Accra Circuit Court 4 has remanded one Collins Kwaku, also known as Kola, into police custody for a week after he allegedly fired his gun at the Ablekuma Central Collation Centre in the just-ended elections.
Collins Kwaku is a National Security operative at the operations unit of the office of the President, according to his counsel, Faisal Cisse.
A journalist, Pius Asiedu Kwanin, was among the persons wounded as a result of the shooting.
He pleaded not guilty to six charges levelled against him at the court.
The charges include causing unlawful harm and the use of an unlawful weapon.
He was denied bail by the court and is expected to reappear on December 24, 2020.
Meanwhile, the General Secretary of the Ghana Journalists Association, Kofi Yeboah who was at the court to solidarise with the affected journalist called for justice to be served.
“We are hoping that the judge will pronounce a judgment by next week. We are going to follow the case closely and ensure that we get justice for our brother and the two other victims who suffered injuries.â€
The victim, who is also a level 300 student at the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) underwent successful surgery at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital on Friday, December 11.
One of the wounded persons from the shooting incident has died.
As far as violence during the polls was concerned, five lives were lost during the 2020 general elections, according to the National Election Security Taskforce (NESTF).
There were 61 recorded cases of electoral and post-electoral violence across the country.
Twenty-one of the incidents were true cases of electoral violence, six of which involved gunshots.
Supporters of the National Democratic Congress have hit the street of Tamale in the Northern Region to protest against the declaration of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as president-elect in the just ended polls.
The demonstration which is currently ongoing in the city central recorded huge turnout as partakers chanted war songs.
The National Vice-Chair of the opposition National Democratic Congress Chief Sofo Azoka was pictured holding hands with some supporters as they went around town.
Others were seen with placards on motorcycles while others burnt car tyres at some parts of the city.
Security Personnel were also spotted in their vehicles to ensure a chaos-free protest.
Meanwhile, this is not the first demonstration held by members of the opposition since results of the December 7 elections were announced by the electoral body.
The first of many was after Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu told supporters the NDC does not accept the results of the presidential elections as announced by the Chair of the Electoral Commission (EC) Jean Mensa
At a press conference, Haruna Iddrisu expressed reservations about the way and manner in which the polls were conducted hence, the rejection.
“We reject the presidential elections as announced by the chair of the Electoral Commission. And we also want to serve notice that the blatant effort even to deny us of a parliamentary majority will be fiercely resisted,†the Tamale South lawmaker said.
In Bolgatanga and Tamale, for instance, hundreds of supporters were seen on the streets burning car tyres in disapproval of the election results.
Also, Ashiaman supporters and NDC Women wing also hit the street yesterday to express their displeasure as well as protest against the EC.
The NDC, however, maintained that they intend to continuously hold a peace protest until their votes counts.
On January 7, 2021, Hajia Zuwera Ibrahim, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP)-elect for the Salaga South Constituency in the Savanna Region, and the rest of her colleagues would be sworn into Parliament.
Hajia Zu, as she is affectionately called by her colleagues, would have made history as the first female MP in the Salaga area since the Fourth Republic and of course, the entire new Savanna Region.
That is not all; she will also be the lone ranger: the only female MP in the whole of the Northern and Savanna regions.
Hajia Zuwera, a product of Tamale Senior High School (Tamasco), beat her senior, also an alumnus and Savannah Regional Minister, Mr Salifu Braimah, to snatch the seat from the latter whose attempt to retain it for the second time fizzled out on December 7, 2020.
She garnered 20, 525 votes in her first attempt to beat the incumbent, Mr Braimah, who received 19,806 votes out of a total valid votes of 41,582.
Appreciation
The new MP-elect expressed appreciation to the chiefs, opinion and religious leaders and all the Salaga South constituents for believing in her message of hope and transformation.
She also thanked former President John Mahama and the leadership of the NDC for giving her the opportunity to contest on the ticket of the party.
“I thank them for accepting me. I cannot tell my story without paying glowing tribute to my late father, Professor M. Z. Ibrahimah, a former Rector of the Tamale Technical University and the Kuntundawura, a sub-chief of the Kpembe Traditional Area,†Hajia Zuwera added.
According to her, the good works of her father also largely influenced her election because he left his footprints in the sands of time.
Profile
Hajia Zuwera was born to Mrs Adisah Nassamu Ibrahimah and Prof. M.Z. Ibrahimah, both deceased. The 50-year-old communication specialist had her basic education in Winneba in the Central Region and secondary education at Tamasco. She proceeded to the University of Cape Coast, University of Ghana, University of London in the UK and Trent University, Canada.
The MP-elect is also a development specialist and social democrat by ideology. She is happily married with two biological children and many adopted kids.
She expressed her passion in human development and said her main focus would be in creating opportunities for the youth, women and the vulnerable.
“I hope to raise awareness of a clean and self-sustaining environment, infrastructure and human capital development.
“It is my fervent belief that the environment shapes our circumstances in life and infrastructure becomes the conveyor belt to life-changing experiences,†she said.
Presidential Candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the just-ended elections John Dramani Mahama will be in the Techiman South Constituency in the Bono East Region on Wednesday, December 16 to visit families of victims of post-electoral clashes there.
Two persons Abdallah Ayaric and Tajudeen Alhassan died while four got injured after the military fired warning shots at the Constituency Collation Centre in the early hours of Tuesday, December 8.
Addressing journalists to announce his rejection of the declaration of results by the Electoral Commission (EC), Mr Mahama said there was a third death later at a hospital.
The NDC believe they won the Techiman South Constituency but the Returning Officer had declared the results in favour of the Parliamentary Candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah, who is also the Deputy Minister of Regional Reorganisation and Development.
Results from that Constituency were not added to the total national tally before the final declaration by Jean Adukwei Mensa.
Aside visiting the bereaved families to commiserate with them, the former president will also visit the injured on admission in the hospital.
The Christian Council of Ghana has urged the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to consider legal action instead of street protests in its opposition to the declared election results.
“We entreat them to desist from the street protests and agitations and rather resort to the court to seek redress for their concerns in accordance with the law,†the council said in a statement.
It also urged the NDC to “avoid statements that have the tendency to inflame passion and cause mayhem in the country.â€
The party has been engaged in some protests nationwide in protest of some declared election results.
The opposition has engaged in a series of demonstrations in Accra, Zabzugu, Techiman South, Tamale and Kumasi in protest of the outcome of the elections.
Most recently, hundreds of NDC supporters in the Ashanti Region marched to the regional EC office to protest the outcome of the 2020 elections.
Aside from grievances at the constituency level, the NDC has also rejected the outcome of the presidential election which saw Nana Akufo-Addo declared President.
The council further called on the Electoral Commission (EC) to as a matter of urgency come out with “a clear statement on the state of constituencies that have challenges with results declared in the December 7, 2020 elections.â€
Following reports that five persons in incidents of election violence, the Christian Council expressed concern that “the government has been quiet about the unfortunate killings that took place in certain constituencies during the elections and admonish government to ensure the investigation of the killings and bring culprits to book.â€
Five persons believed to be members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) are assisting the Accra Regional Police Command over an alleged rioting.
They are Benedicta Coffie, 20, Kweku Osai, 23, Mohammed Fona, 21, Bismark Teye, 30 and Lukman Zakaria, 38.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Effia Tenge, Head of Public Affairs Unit of the Command, told the Ghana News Agency in Accra.
She said on Sunday, December 13, 2020, at about 1700 hours, a group of people were found rioting and burning car tyres at the Christian Village Junction, Achimota.
She said police were alerted and proceeded to the scene where they managed to put out the fire as well as arrested some members of the group.
DSP Tenge said whilst their cautioned statements were being taken, other members of the Party, on hearing their arrest started massing up at the station.
The Formed Police Unit Team came in and assisted in transferring the suspects to the Regional Command, where they are on detention.
Senior Political Science Lecturer at the University of Ghana, Dr. Kwame Asah-Asante has asserted that the voting out of experienced members from parliament will in no way affect parliamentary proceedings.
According to him, replacing these experienced parliamentarians with new faces will affect parliamentary proceedings in a way, but it does not mean the work of parliament will come to a standstill.
Dr. Asah-Asante noted that because parliament is a socialization ground, the new entrants will gradually learn the ropes of parliamentary proceedings through training, mentoring and retraining from the few experienced parliamentarians remaining in the house.
Speaking in an interview with Samuel Eshun on the Happy Morning Show aired on e.TVGhana and Happy 98.9 FM, the Political Analyst said, “It is true the number of experienced MPs have been reduced in the 8th parliament and that will affect the work of parliament but will not halt it. No one was born in parliamentâ€.
To him, with parliament being a socialization avenue which has seen some new entrants graduate from MPs to Vice Presidents and Presidents, then, “the new faces can learn, graduate and also help parliament grow. New entrants will in now way collapse parliamentâ€, he reiterated.
On his authority, if only experienced parliamentarians could run the affairs of the state, then the retired and deceased parliamentarians should be made to return to parliament.
A total number of 111 members of the seventh parliament will not return to the legislative house for the eight parliament in January 2021.
The New Patriotic Party and the National Democratic Congress will both have some of their MPs not returning to parliament because some lost at the parliamentary elections last Monday, others lost at their primaries with others voluntarily retiring.
This means seventy-eight (78) members of the NPP and and thirty-three (33) NDC MPs will not return to the eighth (8) parliament.
The Electoral Commission (EC) has urged the leadership of various political parties to use the laid down procedures established by law to seek a redress of disagreements with the 2020 election results.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has held different protests in some parts of the country to express their displeasure over the conduct and outcome of the 2020 polls.
The EC in a statement entreated the parties to resort to the law for redress.
“The Electoral Commission is aware of contests to some parliamentary seats by both the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress in a number of constituencies. We entreat the political parties to use the laid down processes established by law to seek redress to their concerns.â€
Sene West parliamentary results
The Commission also said it is concluding processes to declare the outcome of the parliamentary results of the Sene West Constituency.
Sene West in the Bono East Region is the only constituency whose results are yet to be declared by the Commission due to a dispute at the constituency level.Â
So far, results for 274 seats out of the 275 parliamentary seats have been officially declared, with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) winning 137 parliamentary seats, putting it ahead of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) which has won 136 seats.
There is also an independent candidate who won a parliamentary seat in the Fomena constituency of the Ashanti Region.
The EC indicated that it will in the coming days, bring finality to the issue of who won the Sene West constituency seat.
“The Sene West parliamentary election is yet to be finalized and the outcome declared. The Commission assures the General Public that it is working to finalize the issues regarding the Sene West Constituency to enable the transparent, fair, credible, and peaceful conclusion of the process. We expect to bring finality to this issue within the shortest possible timeâ€, the statement noted.
The founder and Apostle General of Royalhouse Chapel International, Most Rev. Sam Korankye Ankrah, has called for peace in the aftermath of the December 7 elections.
According to him, whatever the outcome of the general election, peace must prevail especially between the two major political parties, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
He said the leaders of the major parties must find a common ground and settle their misunderstanding regarding the declaration of results.
“I know that usually the one who is in opposition calls the winner to congratulate him, but I am praying for the Lord to touch the heart of President Nana Akufo-Addo to call former president Mahama and say come and let us talk. I pray that this will happen this week,†he said.
Rev. Sam Korankye Ankrah also called for a unity government where members of the opposition would have a place in government.
“I want to encourage the President to consider giving some executive positions in his government to qualified officers of the NDC. We want to break the winner takes all spirit,†he said.
He said it is the winner takes all spirit that brings about the agitations and contention in the elections.
“We want to see a unity government happen so that we can run this nation as one unit and develop the nation and serve God together,†he added.
He also called for peace to prevail in constituencies where the parliamentary results were in contention.
Rev. Sam Korankye Ankrah was speaking to his congregation at the thanksgiving service held on Sunday, December 13, 2020, where two members of his church emerged winners at the parliamentary elections.
Madam Rita Odoley Sowah won the parliamentary seat for the La Dadekopoton Constituency in Greater Accra on the ticket of the NDC and Mr. Teddy Nana Yaw Addi, won for the Ayensuano constituency in the Eastern Region on the ticket of the NDC.
Rev Sam Korankye Ankrah thanked God for their victory and charged them to serve faith.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service has officially arrested a radio presenter with Accra-based Power FM, Oheneba Boamah for allegedly threatening and insulting President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
The arrest took place on Monday, December 14, 2020, when the presenter honoured an invitation by the CID over the same issue.
Oheneba Boamah, 36 is assisting the police in investigations.
He has been cautioned on the offences of offensive conduct conducive to breaches of the peace and publication of false news contrary to sections 207 and 208 (1) respectively of the criminal and other offences Act, Act 29/60.
Oheneba Boamah is said to have recorded a live video on his Facebook page in which he was heard insulting and issuing series of threats to the President of the Republic of Ghana.
The Police in a letter to the management of Power FM asked for the release of Mr. Bennie to report to “Superintendent/1U at the CID Headquarters, 4th floor, Room 13 on Monday. 14/12/2020 at 1000hours†to assist with investigations.
Immediate Past Chairman of the National Peace Council, Most Rev. Emmanuel Asante says the National Democratic Congress (NDC) cannot be allowed to compromise the peace Ghana currently enjoys.
According to him, the NDC must appreciate the importance of the 42 days set aside for election petition to seek redress in Court and not on the streets of Ghana.
“Former President Mahama and the NDC are saying they will not accept the results of the election, there is nothing wrong with that.
“They have every right to express their views, but they do not have the right to compromise the peace of this country in expressing their views.
“If they feel strongly that they have been given a raw deal, they should rather take the legal path to seek redress,†he said.
He went on to state that the actions of the NDC put a strain on the peace pact the presidential candidate of the NDC, former President Mahama and President-elect, Akufo-Addo signed prior to the 2020 general elections,
He urged the NDC to go to Court to settle their claims and assertions.
“I am waiting to see that they take that step rather than hitting the streets, burning tyres and inciting people to match to different places to demand what they consider to be their right,†he said,
The Electoral Commission (EC) says it is concluding processes to declare the outcome of the parliamentary results of the Sene West Constituency.
Sene West in the Bono East Region is the only constituency whose results are yet to be declared by the Commission due to a dispute at the constituency level.
So far, results for 274 seats out of the 275 parliamentary seats have been officially declared with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) winning 137 parliamentary seats putting it ahead of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) which has won 136 seats.
There is also an independent candidate who won a parliamentary seat in the Fomena constituency of the Ashanti Region.
But the EC in a statement issued on Monday, December 14, 2020, indicated that it will in the coming days, bring finality to the issue of who won the Sene West constituency seat.
“The Sene West parliamentary election is yet to be finalized and the outcome declared. The Commission assures the General Public that it is working to finalize the issues regarding the Sene West Constituency to enable the transparent, fair credible, and peaceful conclusion of the process. We expect to bring finality to this issue within the shortest possible timeâ€, the statement noted.
Both the NDC and NPP have claimed that they have won majority seats in Parliament.
The NDC insists that it has won 140 parliamentary seats after the closing of polls on December 7, 2020, the NPP has disputed the claim.
According to the EC, it is aware of contests to some parliamentary seats by both NPP and the NDC in a number of constituencies.
But the Commission says it “entreats the political parties to use the laid down processes established by law to seek redress to their concernsâ€.
A number of civil society organizations and religious groups have urged both parties and their supporters to exercise restraint over the post-election agitations.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Ashaiman in the Greater Accra Region, Ernest Henry Norgbey, has indicated that members of the National Democratic Congress will embark on several demonstrations until the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission corrects the abnormalities in the 2020 elections results.
According to Ernest Henry Norgbey, the party wants back their Sene East and Techiman East seats which they [NDC] alleged was given in favour of the New Patriotic Party.
They have called on the Electoral Commission to do the needful as they want their votes to be counted.
“We just organised ourselves to do a peaceful demonstration to show Ghanaians that the people of Ashiaman will not sleep for the incompetence of Jean Mensa to steal the verdict for Nana Akufo-Addo. That is what we are witnessing today, that we want our votes to be counted.†He said.
“We want our seats; Sene East, Techiman South, and the other seats that were stolen from us back before we get the peace that we want in Ghana. We have all been preaching peace, so why is it that after an election, results are announced for there to be chaos. It means that something untoward happened,†he fumed in an interview with Citi News.
Some members of the National Democratic Congress have embarked on demonstrations across country after the electoral commission declared Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as the winner of the December polls.
Their protest begun after Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu told supporters the NDC does not accept the results of the presidential elections as announced by the Chair of the Electoral Commission (EC) Jean Mensa
At a press conference Haruna Iddrisu expressed reservations about the way and manner in which the polls were conducted hence, the rejection.
“We reject the presidential elections as announced by the chair of the Electoral Commission. And we also want to serve notice that the blatant effort even to deny us of a parliamentary majority will be fiercely resisted,†the Tamale South lawmaker said.
Some supporters in Bolgatanga, Tamale were seen on the streets burning car tyres in disapproval of the election results.
Some Ashiaman supporters and NDC Women wing also hit the street yesterday to protest against the EC. They are stated that they intend to continuously hold a peace protest until their votes counts.
The two officers of the Electoral Commission who tampered with the Presidential ballot papers in Awutu Senya West and Bawku Central have been arrested and are currently in Police custody.
The officers are; Mary Adatsi of DAJHS, Twimine B110104A, Awutu Senya West, and Ahmed Shafawu of the Alhaji Salam Grinding Mill polling station, Bawku Central.
In the case of the Bawku Central, only one of such ballots was used.
However, in the case of Awutu Senya West, none of the ballots were used.
This was disclosed by the election management body in a statement.
Meanwhile, the EC has assured the public that the said offenders will be prosecuted and dealt with by law.
The electoral officers were caught cutting some candidates off the presidential papers before handing them over to voters to cast their votes.
Dean of the Business School of the University of Cape Coast Professor John Gatsi has called for a legal action against the Electoral Commission (EC) to compel the elections management body to explain disparity claims with regard to the results of the recently held general elections.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has rejected the results as announced by the EC and the party’s Presidential Candidate, John Dramani Mahama believes the results were manipulated in favour of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
But in an opinion piece on the elections, Professor Gasti said just as the rejection of the election results put demands on the Electoral Commission, security agencies, and government, it is important for the party and candidates who rejected the results to appreciate the responsibility to voters.
He added that if the Electoral Commission does not act timely, legal action should be sought.
“Refusal to go to court as the final game plan will create huge reputation challenges. At the court, the electoral commission will be cross-examined with relevant questions and the public will know everything and judge for themselves. A political party has the future in mind in all of its strategic games.
“We should accept and unite to resolve the electoral problems now. Hypocrisy does not promote peace, it only silences people and plant pain and bitterness in their hearts and daily meditation to emerge at a later date and perhaps in another form. We do not have angels in political parties, the Electoral Commission and government. We should accept that mistakes can occur and sometimes they may be intentional. That is why we must work together.â€
Read below his full post…
Rejection of 2020 Presidential Results. Congratulations and Observers Report: My Comment as a voter- Prof. John Gatsi
In a democracy rejecting election results based on concrete facts and documented evidence is a strong weapon to protect democracy, preserve the votes of voters and legitimize continuous participation in elections. If the picture is painted as though once unacceptable results are declared nothing can be done to secure the votes of the electorates, we create mistrust in democratic pillars of an election, vote accountability and transparency.
The weight of damage to democratic institutional quality, trust and legitimacy of a government cannot be measured. It takes a maximum of 4 hours to correct alleged errors to ensure peace. It seems some people still think peace means the absence of war. In terms of elections the absence of demonstrations, calls for the right thing to be done, inability to express emotional pain of proven theft of votes means peace. Accepting results one believes with an evidential value of the fraud, misreporting, disregard for the rules of engagement only piles up anger that may explode later. The time-tested remedial process in elections may confirm the candidate who was earlier declared winner or the candidate who rejected the results may become the winner. What is important is that at the end of the remedial process transparency is given a chance and independence and voter satisfaction is achieved. Just as consumption of a service or a product gives utility, voters maximize their utility or satisfaction with a transparent process.
Foreign observers report and congratulations
The European Union (EU) Observers reported that voters freely participated in voting at the polling stations but collation was not transparent or collation does not meet the minimum standard required to declare elections results. The votes cast by voters generated votes( data) through counting as required at the polling stations. Per the EU observers, the votes generated at the polling stations meet the standard required and that the polling accounts or the vote data generated at the polling stations can be relied upon for the purposes of the declaration. The observers are clearly saying there is a credibility problem with the vote data generated at the point of collation and transmission.
If declared results are rejected based on these observations, the best response does the collation again especially at the constituencies and regions where the alleged errors occurred.
Millions of congratulations to the candidate in whose favour the declaration was made is not insulation for the wrong basis for the declaration. Congratulations irrespective of where it comes from does not serve as immunity from a rejection of the results if the basis of the rejection is blessed with facts and evidence.
The Presidency is rotational among political parties and individuals guided by the votes of people. Counting the votes of people with sanctified commitment is the highest service to the nation and citizens. Counting and collating votes in a predetermined manner to favour a particular candidate is wicked and demonstrates enmity to the state and citizens.
Since rejecting election outcomes is an important element of protecting our democracy if it is based on facts and evidence, we should be open and willing to listen to and obtain the basis for the rejection rather than calling for peace when correcting the errors is the surest path to sustainable peace.
Just as the rejection of the election results put demands of the electoral Commission, security agencies and government, it is important for the party and candidates who rejected the results to appreciate the responsibility to voters. The responsibilities include- explaining and making available to voters and key stakeholders the facts and the evidence. If the electoral Commission does not act timely, this should trigger legal action.
Refusal to go to court as the final game plan will create huge reputation challenges. At the court, the electoral commission will be cross-examined with relevant questions and the public will know everything and judge for themselves. A political party has the future in mind in all of its strategic games.
We should accept and unite to resolve the electoral problems now. Hypocrisy does not promote peace, it only silences people and plant pain and bitterness in their hearts and daily meditation to emerge at a later date and perhaps in another form. We do not have angels in political parties, the Electoral Commission and government. We should accept that mistakes can occur and sometimes they may be intentional. That is why we must work together.
Flagbearer of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama on Sunday, 14 December 2020 visited the Ringway Assemblies of God Church for fellowship.
This happens to be his first church service following his defeat in the December 7 polls.
Mr. Mahama was accompanied to Church by his Vice-Presidential Candidate Prof Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang and their families.
Mr. Mahama who is currently challenging the election results quoted a Scripture from the Bible on Facebook which read; “Provers 16:20 He that handles a matter wisely shall find good: and whoever trusts in the LORD, happy is he.â€
Meanwhile, it is unclear what the NDC and Mr. Mahama intend to do about the election results but many Ghanaians and Civil Society Organisations have entreated them to proceed to court and settle any kind of dispute legally.
The opposition party believes the EC rigged the 2020 polls for the sitting President and his government.
European Union observers in the just ended Presidential and Parliamentary elections in Ghana have said results were not publicly displayed in 17 polling stations they observed.
The observers however noted, “voting was conducted in a generally peaceful atmosphere and voting procedures were mostly followed, including the biometric verification of votersâ€.
“Furthermore, presiding officers appeared to have difficulties completing the result forms. The polling station result forms were not publicly displayed in 17 polling stations although party agents received signed copy of the result form in all cases,†the EU observers said in their 12-page report on the election.
The report also praised civil society organisations in the country.
“Ghanaian civil society has a strong presence and a leading role in electoral observation. Domestic observation is organised, credible and well perceived by stakeholders. The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO), a network of 43 organisations advocating for democratic institutional development and human rights, leads the national observation activities.
“CODEO, with support from the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD Ghana), amongst others, deployed around 4,000 observers on election day. CODEO issued reports on registration, campaigning and incidents, and set up a parallel vote tabulation (PVT) exercise. The Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG) deployed some 700 observersâ€.
It also raised concerns over the collation process in the polls.
“Collation of results at the constituency level was observed in 35 constituency collation centres with many of them being visited repeatedly. Collation process was less well organised and less transparent often due to a lack of detailed procedures, inadequate facilities and overcrowding which at times led to agents and observers not having a clear view of the procedures and the filling in of result forms.
“Instances of unrest and tension were observed in Asawase, Sunyani West and Techiman South constituencies. The results were collated in the presence of party agents and observers and key transparency measures were adhered toâ€.
Bishop Charles Agyinasare has condemned the use of firearm by some security personnel against unarmed civilians, which resulted in some deaths during the recently-held presidential and parliamentary elections in Ghana.
“Nobody needs to die because of an electionâ€, the Presiding Bishop of Perez Chapel International told the congregation at the Perez Dome on Sunday, 13 December 2020.
“We, therefore, condemn the use of firearms on unarmed civiliansâ€, he noted, adding: “We ask that proper investigations be conducted in the deaths of people who wanted to defend their voteâ€.
He noted: “Democracy is not war†and, so, urged Christians to “continue to pray for peace to prevailâ€.
Bishop Agyinasare congratulated President Nana Akufo-Addo for winning the presidential poll and urged the candidate of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), former President John Mahama, who is contesting the results, to do so “peacefullyâ€.
“In 2012, when a similar thing happened, it was not easy in this country. A number of people have already lost their livesâ€, Bishop Agyinasare noted.
Police at Jomoro in the Western Region has invited executives of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to a meeting after a clash between their sympathisers left two persons injured.
Public Relations Officer of the Western Region, DSP Olivia Adiku explained that the clash occurred as members of the two parties celebrated their victories.
“The NPP were excited about a presidential win and the NDC were jubilating following the victory of their elected MP, Dorcas Affo-Toffey,†she told JoyNews.
However, Police in Jomoro say two sympathizers of the NPP and NDC who sustained injuries during the clash have been treated and discharged.
She further urged the public to disregard a video circulating online showing a man whose limbs had been severed following the incident as not a true reflection of the incident.
DSP Adiku said calm has been restored to the area and executives of the two parties have been invited by the Regional Commander to settle their differences.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service has invited a journalist with Accra-based Power FM, Oheneba Boamah Bennie for allegedly insulting and threatening President Nana Akufo-Addo.
He is said to have recorded a live video on his Facebook page in which he was heard insulting and issuing series of threats to the President of the Republic of Ghana.
The Police in a letter to the management of Power FM asked for the release of Mr. Bennie to report to “Superintendent/1U at the CID Headquarters, 4th floor, Room 13 on Monday. 14/12/2020 at 1000hours†to assist with investigations.
European Union observers in the just ended Presidential and Parliamentary elections in Ghana have said results were not publicly displayed in 17 polling stations they observed.
The observers however noted, “voting was conducted in a generally peaceful atmosphere and voting procedures were mostly followed, including the biometric verification of votersâ€.
“Furthermore, presiding officers appeared to have difficulties completing the result forms. The polling station result forms were not publicly displayed in 17 polling stations although party agents received signed copy of the result form in all cases,†the EU observers said in their 12-page report on the election.
The report also praised civil society organisations in the country.
“Ghanaian civil society has a strong presence and a leading role in electoral observation. Domestic observation is organised, credible, and well perceived by stakeholders. The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO), a network of 43 organisations advocating for democratic institutional development and human rights, leads the national observation activities.
“CODEO, with support from the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD Ghana), amongst others, deployed around 4,000 observers on election day. CODEO issued reports on registration, campaigning, and incidents, and set up a parallel vote tabulation (PVT) exercise. The Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG) deployed some 700 observersâ€.
It also raised concerns over the collation process in the polls.
“Collation of results at the constituency level was observed in 35 constituency collation centres with many of them being visited repeatedly. Collation process was less well organised and less transparent often due to a lack of detailed procedures, inadequate facilities, and overcrowding which at times led to agents and observers not having a clear view of the procedures and the filling in of result forms.”
“Instances of unrest and tension were observed in Asawase, Sunyani West, and Techiman South constituencies. The results were collated in the presence of party agents and observers and key transparency measures were adhered toâ€.
The Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG) and the Civic Forum Initiative (CFI) have asked political parties that disagree with the results of the just-ended elections, as announced by the Chair of the Electoral Commission (EC) Jean Mensa to go to court to resolve the issues.
IDEG and CFI said this is the best approach to resolving any election-related dispute.
The comments come after the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has said he will not accept the results of the elections because in his view, the results were manipulated in favour of Akufo-Addo by the Chair of the Electoral Commission (EC) Jean Mensa.
Addressing the nation on Thursday December 11, the presidential candidate of the NDC said “The facts and figures on the pink sheets available to us indicate that numerous steps have been taken to manipulate the elections in favour of the incumbent.
“This calls into question the credibility of one of our most important institutional pillars of democracy, the Electoral Commission. It is now obvious to many objective minds that the Commission and its chairperson have been used to manipulate results from the various constituencies and in that process seek to subvert the sovereign will of the Ghana people.â€
He added “Since the inception of the Fourth Republic, final election results have always been declared within a 72hour period to allow for thorough and diligence collation.
“Surprisingly, this Electoral Commission chairperson announced quite suspiciously for reasons known to her a hurried 24hour deadline which as we all know could not and would not be met.
“The Chairperson of the EC in less than 24 hours after her declaration has admitted that she made unacceptable errors which go to the heart of the entire electoral process and cast deep doubt on the credibility of the announced outcome.â€
But a joint statement issued by IDEG and CFI on Friday December 11 said “wish to commend Ghanaians for the high turnout and the orderly manner in which the electorate exercised their franchise on December 7. We further wish to commend the Electoral Commission and the political parties for their role in delivering relatively peaceful election. We however observed with growing concern that both the presidential and parliamentary elections results have stoked partisan controversy with both sides claiming victory.
“The disputed results have raised questions about the credibility of the outcome of the elections which can only be resolved in a court of law. Accordingly, we urge the aggrieved parties to resort to the court system to deal with the disputed aspects of the results instead of resorting to violence. The public has the right to know the truth about any discrepancies relating to the results because this election was the best opportunity for the electorate to exercise their sovereign right.
“The courts have the mandate and the tools to investigate, review and resolve any election related disputes based on the evidence provided in a transparent manner. Moreover, the supreme court is not only an avenue for peaceful resolution of election conflicts, but also clarifying electoral rules and regulations in order to improve electoral standards and advance critical reforms in the electoral system as demonstrated by the supreme court of Ghana in 2013.
“In the meantime, we appeal to the leaders and supporters of the two parties, to conduct themselves peacefully, mindful of the commitments their presidential candidates made by signing the Presidential Election Peace Pact on Thursday 4th December 2020 at the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel, Accra. In this pact, the leaders pledged: That we hereby commit ourselves and our supporters to peaceful elections in the December 2020 general elections; That we undertake to accept the results of the said elections; That we undertake to restrain our supporters from resorting to violence in the aftermath of the said elections; and That we are committed to the Judicial resolution of all election disputes.”
“Furthermore, we appeal to the National Chief Imam, the National Peace Council and the National House of Chiefs to engage and ensure that the Electoral Commission acts expeditiously on all complaints and encourage the parties to go to court as they have committed in the peace pact agreement.”
“Finally, we appeal to all Ghanaians including our vibrant youth to honor the memory of the founding father of the Fourth Republic, former President Jerry John Rawlings, by maintaining the peace, stability and security of the nation. Going forward, we entreat that collectively as a nation, we renounce violence as an option for resolving electoral disputes.â€
The Northern Regional Crime Officer Supt, Bernard Baba Ananga has disclosed to GhanaWeb that, some people believed to be sympathizers of the NDC who was found burning tires on the streets of Tamale last night, engaged the police in a gun battle when the police went to clear them off from the streets.
Speaking to GhanaWeb, Supt. Bernard narrated that, the incident happened after the former president John Dramani Mahama finished addressing the media around 9:40, some people took to the streets of Tamale and started burning tires at intersections.
He added that, when the incident came to their notice and realizing it could escalate, they immediately mobilized to support the already limited number of police duty to patrol in the night to manage the situation after the election.
“More police were sent to the streets as the protesters also increased in numbers, and so, we had to go and clear the street but some of them resisted”
“Some of them fired at us from unknown locations,” Supt Bernard said, citing “Changli” and “Tishegu” as some of the communities the firing was coming from, adding that, with the assistance of the military, they were able to overpower them.
Supt Bernard noticed that, the guns that were been used by the protesters sounded like that of machine guns, AK47, pistols and snippers.
He proceeded that, “when we tried to clear the burning tires off on the streets some hidden snippers fired at us again, which we also fired back.”
Supt. Bernard noted that, as the military increased their numbers, they were able to manage the whole township from Tamale to Savelugu. “the situation was brought under control, and calm and peace was restored.â€
He also said no arrest has been made but the police have intensified preparation and surveillance to ensure such a thing doesn’t repeat.
He, therefore, call on the general public to always feel free to volunteer information, adding that, it is the only way the police can track down those miscreants.
The presidential candidate of the Ghana Union Movement (GUM) Reverend Christian Kwabena Andrews, also known as Osofo Kyiri Abosom, has advised former President John Dramani Maham to go to court to challenge the results of the presidential election if he feels it has been rigged.
The reverend minister said there is no other solution for the candidate to explore aside from going to court.
He said the agitations and disagreements from the two major parties will amount to nothing.
The best solution he stressed is for the NDC to use the court to contest the results.
Former President John Dramani Mahama has clearly stated that the government used the Electoral Commission (EC) to manipulate results in favour of the incumbent President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
For this reason, Mr Mahama said the party will not accept anything short of the true reflection of the votes of the people.
He said there is no doubt that Ghanaians in all regions voted for change in both the parliamentary and presidential elections.
“I stand before you tonight unwilling to accept the fictionalised result of a flawed election.â€
He added: “There is no doubt that every Ghanaian in this country voted for change. We did so both In the presidential and parliamentary elections.
“I am a staunch believer in the experiment of democracy, a system of governance that allows the ultimate decision-making power to rest in the hands of you the good people of Ghana. We the people who with an eye towards the future we will like for our dear country elect representatives to forward and realize that vision. Government serves at the choice and direction of the people of this great nation.â€
Former Member of Parliament (MP) of Awutu Senya West constituency in the Central Region Hannah Tetteh has congratulated her sister Mrs. Gizella Tetteh-Agbotui for defeating the incumbent MP for the area George Andah in the just-ended general elections.
Gizella polled 32,708 while George Andah who defeated Hannah Tetteh in the 2016 elections, polled 29,832 in the December 7, elections.
In a Facebook post, Ms. Tetteh who is currently the Special Representative of the Secretary-General to the African Union and Head of the United Nations Office to the African Union said “Congratulations to my sister Mrs. Gizella Tetteh-Agbotui on being declared the winner of the Parliamentary polls and the next MP for Awutu Senya West!â€
Meanwhile, George Andah has asked Gizella to work tirelessly to progress the constituency.
In a statement after the polls, George Andah said “I also extend congratulations to ASWC MP-elect, Mrs. Gizella Tetteh-Agbotui and her team.
“I wish her every success and trust she will work tirelessly to continue on the progress for the better of our shared and beloved people of ASWC.
“I am of the firm belief that God knows best and He has a reason for everything that He does. I will take some time to step back for now, review our actions and inactions to gain deeper insights in order to consolidate our success journey going forward.â€
