TIG Post

Tag: Election 2020

  • The money is not there – CSOs cry over lack of funds to monitor Dec polls

    Civil Society Organisations (CSOS) are worried that they may not be able to monitor the upcoming elections on December 7 due to lack of funds.

    Director of Programs at Institute of Democratic Governance (IDEG), Kwesi Jonah, said the coronavirus pandemic can be blamed for the lack of funds and financial difficulties that the CSOs are facing.

    CSOs rely on donor funds to be able to play their democratic roles of monitoring the elections to ensure the process is free, fair, transparent, and peaceful.

    But the IDEG boss says the coronavirus is blame for the lack of dwindling donor support.

    He made the comment at a forum on Thursday, October 15, 2020, organised by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs on Civil Society Organisations and Democratic Elections in Ghana.

    “We are still going to set up situation rooms in all 16 regions, but we are going to set it up very late. Ideally, we set up the situation rooms about three months to the election to follow up on the campaign. This time around, I think we are going to set it up late,” he said.

    He added: “If you ask me the reason, it is very simple; the [money] is not there.”

    He, however, said CSOs like his will do their best despite the challenges.

    At the forum, the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, stressed the need for CSOs to step up advocacy to eliminate fear and calm tensions in the country ahead of the general election in December.

    He warned of the tendency of elections to destabilise the country, hence the need for better voter education.

    “Your advocacy must also go to eliminate violence and diminish the fear and panic that is about saturating the system,” Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • 7 facts about the widow of Mfantseman MP now NPP Parliamentary candidate

    The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has officially confirmed that Mrs Ophelia Hayford widow of the former Member of Parliament (MP) for Mfantsiman Constituency is their parliamentary candidate for the 2020 polls.

    Until October 11, 2020, she was still a serving police officer and therefore had to resign to pave way for her political ambition.

    MyNewsGh.com has been digging deep and brings to its readers 7 facts about the candidate which it may not know.

    She was Chief Inspector with the Ghana Police Service

    Ophelia Hayford worked with Interpol Unit at the CID Headquarters

    She joined the Ghana Police Service in 1993 as a recruit

    She is 47-years-old

    Until her retirement, she has served the service for 27 years

    She is a Christian

    Resigned officially on October 11, 2020

    Meanwhile, a group calling itself the Concerned youth and citizens of the Mfantseman constituency have kicked against the proposed nomination of the widow of the murdered Member of Parliament (MP), Mr Ekow Quansah Hayford as the new Parliamentary candidate to lead the Party in the 2020 polls.

    According to a GNA report, the group is opting for another candidate arguing “We recommend Mr James Korsah Brown to the NEC to be the replacement of our deceased MP as he is known to be active and has immensely contributed his quota towards the development of Mfantseman Constituency.”

    Source: My News GH

  • NPPs communication poor, it could cost them their electoral fortunes – ILAPI Veep

    Vice President of policy think tank, Evans Badu Boampong has described the communication of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has extremely poor.

    He said the party has failed in communicating their so-achievements to ordinary Ghanaians and that could cause them their electoral fortunes.

    He was speaking to Kwabena Agyapong on Eboboba on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm.

    He said although the Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah is doing his best, the communication of the ruling party is poor.

    The policy analyst told the host the party has not made major promises as compared to 2016 because they have not been able to roll out the previous ones.

    He said the party is consolidating their gains and protecting what they have achieved so far.

    He noted no serious party will. make ambitious promise young into a second term when they have been unable to finish implementing their old promises.

    Evans Badu Boampong indicated this not a new phenomenon because it was bound to happen.

    He has challenged the NPP to improve communication through a multi-faceted approach to allow specialized persons to speak on their achievements.

    The majority of Ghanaians he added have not understood what they have achieved and such a situation could spell doom for them.

    Source: rainbowradioonline.com

  • Parliament to meet on limping Fomena MP Haruna Iddrisu

    Haruna Idrissu, the Minority Leader in Parliament, says leadership of the house will meet in the coming days to determine the status of Member of Parliament for Fomena, Andrew Amoako Asiamah.

    This is after the New Patriotic Party wrote to Parliament to notify it of the withdrawal of the membership of Andrew Amoako Asiamah who has decided to contest the December 7 elections as an independent candidate amid protest by leadership of the ruling party.

    Mr Iddrisu says Parliament is threading cautiously on the matter due to its complex nature.

    He stated in a Joy FM interview that the case is being studied with reference to certain articles in the constitution.

    “It is a matter that we are studying carefully with constitutional law advisers. He did not walk in as an independent candidate.

    “We will need to find out if being sacked by the party (NPP) makes him an independent candidate,” the Minority Leader told Joy FM.

    According to him, due to the complex nature of the issue, “the case is being studied with reference to Article 112 and the provisions of Article 94 to determine his status as an independent candidate or not.”

    He said that as things stand, Andrew Amoako is walking on one leg as his position in the house is a matter of discussion among the leadership.

    He described Andrew Amoako as a “limping” MP and questioned, “whether he should be recognised as a Member of Parliament on the ticket of the party (NPP).”

    “He is walking on a limping leg, for now, he is a limping candidate,” he said.

    “When we are conclusive with our findings, we will make known to the public on what they think. That is whether he should be vacating his seat or continue to be an MP,” Mr Iddrisu added.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Election 2020: NDC plans to fabricate audios, videos Kojo Oppong Nkrumah reveals

    Information Minister Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah has said that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) going into the 2020 general election will fabricate and of spread fake news amongst the general public.

    Speaking on hard facts with Akosua Manu, the Minister said “Ghanaians should be aware that in the next six weeks to come the opposition NDC is going to Fabricate tapes, audios, and videos just like they did in 2018. We are just pleading with Ghanaians to be vigilant; we should focus on the good works of government and vote for Nana Addo. Just like they did with the alleged money laundering in the UK.”

    On the issue of employment, he said the Nana Akufo-Addo-led government “has employed over 95,000 people in the health sector. The interest rates on loans have been reduced and this is helping a lot of traders so by all standards this is a working government.”

    Mr Oppong-Nkrumah is asking Ghanaians to ignore these reports and rather channel their focus to the works of the incumbent party.

    On Monday, Oppong Nkrumah disclosed that no government official has been arrested with 26 million pounds in the UK.

    Additionally it is also untrue that UK authorities have intercepted a haul of cash from Ghana to the UK.

    “No government official has been arrested in the UK. It is a total fabrication and we are clear in our minds that it is a fabrication by the NDC and it is part of their strategy for these last eight weeks where they will be churning out a lot of fabrication, lies and fake audio tapes. We are clear in our minds that it is the NDC for one or two reasons. The first person to articulate it publicly is the Honorable Inusah Fusieni, an NDC Member of Parliament.

    “They are the ones who are championing it and articulating it on their online media platforms including Radio Gold online. And now you can also find that there is a fake audio tape that purport to be an international news broadcast on it which is being circulated since last night,” he said.

    He said the strategy is similar to the one deployed by the NDC weeks before the 2008 general elections and has been part of their propaganda architecture especially in election years.

    Source: Happy 98.9FM

  • NABCo recruits will be absorbed into public sector as permanent workers – NDC

    The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has said it intends to absorb the current temp workers under the Nation Builder’s Corps into the public sector if voted into power in December.

    This move will make the thousands of NABCo recruits permanent workers and their salaries will be more than the current 700 Ghana cedis, NDC Communications Officer, Sammy Gyamfi, said at a press conference on Wednesday, October 14, 2020.

    “We will change the remuneration of NABCo beneficiaries from their current pittance allowances to decent wages that offer these young ones a decent living.

    “NABCo recruits can rest assured that under President John Dramani Mahama, they will have permanent jobs and be paid in time,” Sammy Gyamfi said.

    The NDC press conference was held to clarify the opposition party’s 2020 manifesto promise to create one million sustainable jobs if elected into government in the upcoming elections.

    Nation Builders Corps (NaBCO) was launched by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on May 1, 2018.

    It is the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP)’s strategy at addressing graduate unemployment in the country.

    Central to its objectives is to engage the talents of unemployed graduates and equip them with skills through a process of value addition and training.

    The scheme is expected to employ 100,000 graduates by the end of 2020 under seven modules; namely, Educate Ghana, Heal Ghana, Feed Ghana, Revenue Ghana, Digitize Ghana, Civic Ghana, and Enterprise

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • NDC has been lying to us in the Zongos – Juaben Imam

    The Imam of Asante Juaben Zongo, Alhaji Saliu Zakaria, has slammed the opposition National Democratic Congress for deceiving the people of Zongos over the years.

    Speaking at a durbar of Chiefs and people of Juaben on Tuesday, October 13, Alhaji Zakaria said the NDC’s deception of the people of Zongos has been consistent that he is surprised some people in the Zongos even vote for the NDC.

    “The NDC has been lying to us in the Zongos over the years,” Alhaji Zakaria said.

    “The way the NDC has been deceiving us in the Zongos, I am really surprised that some of our people in the Zongos are still following them.”

    The Imam commended Vice President Bawumia and the NPP government for their commitment to the welfare of the people of Zongos.

    He stressed that Vice President Bawumia and the NPP have showed a difference, adding that their good works will ensure another victory in this year’s elections.

    “Dr. Bawumia, the people of Zongo are proud of you for what you and your government are doing for us and the country.”

    “The good works of this government is evident in Juaben Zongo, especially our streets.”

    “The other time, NPP was victorious. In shaa Allah, this year too NPP will be victorious.”

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Retain NPP for more development – Ursula to Bono Region

    Communications Minister, Mrs. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has urged electorates in the Bono Region to vote massively for President Akufo-Addo and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the upcoming elections for continuous development of the region and the country as a whole.

    Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful was speaking on Monday, October 12, 2020, to supporters and sympathizers of the NPP in the Jaman North constituency (Bono Region) where she is on a three-day tour.

    The Member of Parliament for Ablekuma West Constituency in the Greater Accra Region also assured that the NPP administration would complete roads in the Bono region to enhance economic activities and health delivery.

    This, she said can only be done if the ruling NPP is retained for another four-year term.

    According to her, comparing the eight years of National Democratic Congress (NDC) in power to the almost four years of the NPP, there was so much at stake for the future of Ghana adding that voting for NDC would mean moving backward.

    She said the One-District-One-Factory(1D1F), free SHS, NABco, Youth-in-Afforestation program, and Planting for Food and Jobs are some major developmental projects and social intervention initiatives under President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

    She urged the people of and Jaman North constituency; Bono Region to intensify their campaign to enable the party win more votes

    Source: Peace FM

  • Weve initiated 1,011 SHS projects since 2017- NAPO

    As part of efforts to improve the education sector in the country, the Ministry of Education has revealed it has embarked on 1,011 infrastructural project initiatives in Senior High Schools (SHS) across the country since 2017.

    According to the Education Minister, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, 492 of the projects had been completed, with the rest at various stages of completion.

    He adds that some of these projects which were initiated by the government were by Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund).

    The minister said 135 were initiated by the World Bank-funded Secondary Education Infrastructure Project (SEIP), out of which 107 had been completed, while the remaining 33 were by the Kuwaiti Fund, of which three had been completed. Daily guide reported

    He listed the completed projects to include three-, six-, eight-, 12- and 18-unit classroom blocks, amounting to the creation of 84,600 new seats arising out of 222 new classroom blocks.

    “Other projects include washroom facilities, rehabilitation works and structures such as assembly halls and laboratories,” NAPO said.

    NAPO also announced that beginning 2020/21 academic year, no student would be required to pay utility bills.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • We cant compromise on education, vote NPP – Yofi Grant

    The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), Yofi Grant, has asked the Ghanaian electorate to vote for the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the upcoming elections.

    He asked Ghanaians to vote for the NPP to enable it to continue the policies it has introduced in all sectors of the economy, including education.

    In the area of education, he said, the government has restored teacher training allowances, book and research allowances and Arabic volunteer allowances.

    Ghanaians go to the polls on December 7, this year, to elect a president and lawmakers.

    “Making sure resources are available to motivate and incentivize those in education. We cannot compromise on education and NPP government is making sure of that.

    “Our people are our most important resource,” he tweeted.

    Source: 3 News

  • John Mahama set for Central Regional campaign tour

    The presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr John Dramani Mahama, will begin a five-day campaign tour of the Central Region on Wednesday.

    He will visit the family of the deceased Member of Parliament for Mfantsiman in Mankesim, address chiefs and people in many constituencies across the region as well as meet with religious leaders, canoe owners, fishermen and fishmongers.

    Mr Mahama will also interact with hawkers, market women, commercial drivers, identifiable groups, small scale miners, farmers, hairdressers and dressmakers, among others.

    He will focus on job creation, his plan to roll out Free Primary Healthcare up to the level of district hospitals as well as plans to provide opportunities and employable skills for the youth through state-sponsored National Apprenticeship Programme and Free Technical and Vocational Education and Training (T-VET).

    Mr Mahama will wrap up his tour of the Central Region on Sunday.

    Source: James Agyenim-Boateng, NDC Campaign Spokesperson

  • John Boadu confirms selection of slained Mfantseman MP’s widow as NPP’s replacement

    The General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr John Boadu has confirmed the selection of Ophelia Hayford, the widow of the late Member of Parliament for Mfantseman as a replacement nominee in the 2020 Parliamentary election in the area.

    “Yes, it is to a large extent true. I have been to the constituency several times and the whole constituency leadership and party members, the Regional [Executive] setup and the National [Executive] setup deem it fit that his wife [Ophelia] is the back bone of the husband,” Mr Boadu said in a radio interview monitored by Graphic Online Tuesday night [October 13, 2020].

    “She knows the constituency very well and considering the large support that the husband had and the kind of difficulties that the constituency is going through, a lot more of the constituents think that we should let the wife continue,” Mr Boadu added in the radio interview which was with Accra based Joy FM.

    He added that “there was massive consensus,” and that there was “no descent at all” at all levels of the consideration of the widow as the replacement at the constituency, regional and national levels.

    Mr Boadu said the party will formally announce the decision later.

    Graphic Online understands that Ophelia Hayford, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) has since reportedly submitted her resignation letter to the Police Administration.

    When Mr Boadu was asked about that in the Joy FM interview, he said yes, that has been done.

    Mr Ekow Kwansah Hayford, hitherto, the NPP’s Parliamentary nominee for Election 2020 at Mfantseman in the Central Regional and incumbent MP for the area was killed last Friday by suspected armed robbers.

    He had filed his nomination with the Electoral Commission on Thursday, October 8, 2020 seeking re-election in the December 7 election when the unfortunate incident occurred.

    In line with Section 4 of the Public Elections Regulations 2020, C.I. 127, which states that: “Where at the close of nominations, but before the election, one of the candidates dies, a further period of 10 days shall be allowed for nominations,” the NPP then initiated the move for a replacement.

    Source: Graphic.com.gh

  • Aggrieved Wulensi NPP members smoke peace pipe

    The aggrieved members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) of the Wulensi Constituency, who threatened to quit the party, have rescinded their decision.

    Consequently, they have pledged their unflinching support for the party to enable it to chalk a landslide victory in the constituency in election 2004.

    The unity deal was brokered by a parliamentary hopeful of the party, Alhaji Abdulai Haruna, following series of crunch meetings to calm the nerves of his supporters who rejected an outcome of the Parliamentary primaries organised this year to elect parliamentary candidates for the party.

    Alhaji Haruna, lost by two votes to the incumbent MP, Thomas Donko Ogajah. Before the unity talks, there were lots of agitations and accusations of impersonations of delegates, ghost names, among others during the voting process.

    The agitations led to serious scuffles and angry supporters went berserk burning the party’s constituency office and the pickup after staging a massive demonstration.

    The supporters vowed not to support the incumbent MP and a number of them threatened to vote against the party in the upcoming elections.

    However, on Saturday, October 10, 2020, Alhaji Haruna convened a reconciliation meeting at his residence in Wulensi where he called for unity and forgiveness in the party.

    He pledged to throw his weight behind the incumbent MP by campaigning for him and the party to retain the seat. “I am committing myself and my supporters today to fully participate in the campaigns for the party and the candidate to win massively. I pledged to commit resources and my strength to ensure victory in the December elections so that Nana Addo wins and the incumbent retains the seat”, he stated.

    “The party is supreme and I called on my supporters to bury the hatched and join the campaign with the love they have for me,” he said.

    Resourcing Party for Victory

    He showed commitment to the peace process by donating 15 motorbikes to support the campaign.

    He further added GH?10,000 cash for the renovation of the office and gave 100 plastic chairs for use in the party office that was burnt.

    Other party kingpins   On his party, the incumbent MP, Thomas Donko Ogajah, expressed gratitude to the defeated aspirant for the kind gesture demonstrated.

    “I am seriously overwhelmed by the commitment shown by Alhaji Haruna, I want to thank him and his supporters for the love shown and we commit to fully work together,” he said.   For her part, the National Welfare Secretary of Zongo Youth Patriots, Madam Radia Adama Saani, daughter of the former MP of the constituency, said president Akufo-Addo has a good vision for the youth of Ghana hence they (the youths) must support him win the elections.

    The First National Vice Chairperson of NPP, Madam Talata Asobayire, who witnessed the unity and peace talks, commended Alhaji Haruna and the party’s supporters and encouraged them to show commitment, indicating that the party has good plans for the constituency.

    “I want to extend the gratitude of his Excellency the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to the good people of Wulensi and to tell you that he (President) has good plans for you.

    “Alhaji Haruna has shown that he is a true leader and we have taken note of him, I, therefore, encourage you to support the party and ensure we win both presidential and parliamentary in the constituency.”

    The Northern Regional Minister, Salifu Saeed, assured the people of his unflinching support to rally behind Alhaji Haruna to restore confidence in the people through the influential prowess he has gained in the constituency over the years.

    The party launched its campaign immediately after the unity talks. Speaking to journalists, some of the supporters of Alhaji Haruna said, “We are so happy today for what has happened. We were the supporters of Alhaji Haruna who vowed to vote against the party, but today, Alhaji Haruna has shown to us all that he is a good leader and we are happy to support him”

    They added that “We are fully behind Alhaji Haruna, so if today he is calling on us to unite, we will listen to him because the party is bigger than all of us. So today we want to assure everyone that, come On December 7th, NPP is winning both presidential and parliamentary in the constituency.”

    The aggrieved members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) of the Wulensi Constituency have smoke peace pipe after hours in crunch meeting

    Source: Ernest Addo, Contributor

  • Akufo-Addo’s free SHS is a game-changer for females – Bawumia

    Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has said the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government’s flagship Free Senior High School (FSHS) has significantly increased female enrolment for secondary education in the country.

    In a media interview on on Monday, October 12, Dr. Bawumia explained that, the introduction of the Free SHS policy had ended a disturbing trend, which saw the education of many females from poor families being truncated in favour of sponsoring a male child due to lack of funding.

    The introduction of the Free SHS, Dr Bawumia indicated, had solved many social problems including; the improvement in female enrollment at the secondary school level.

    “Prior to the introduction of Free SHS, there was this situation of families who couldn’t afford to pay fees of all their children and normally sacrificing the females in order to mobilise money and concentrate on the male child.

    “This situation left the girls behind and many of them ended up as house girls. It was all because parents could not afford to pay all children and the family would decide to sponsor the male and drop the female,” the Vice President observed.

    The Vice President said the policy was well- thought out by the compassionate Akufo-Addo, who brought it to give all children free access to secondary education to alleviate the suffering of parents.

    “President Akufo-Addo is a compassionate leader and the Free SHS policy was meant to build an educated population by giving all children from every part of the country, regardless of the social and economic status of their parents, free access to secondary education,” he emphasised.

    The policy, he said, had resolved many problems such as lifting financial burden off parents and improved enrollment of female enrollment.

    “Now people find it difficult to get young girls to be their house girls.” Dr Bawumia stated.

    Source: GNA

  • Vote for NPP to continue its Education Strategy – Buaben Asamoa

    Yaw Buaben Asamoa, Communication Director, New Patriotic Party (NPP), has urged Ghanaians to retain the NPP in power to transform the educational sector as outlined in the Education Strategic Plan.

    He said the plan, which spanned 2018 to 2030, sought to reform the sector and make teaching and learning more relevant to meet the human resource and development needs of the country.

    Mr Buaben Asamoa, made the call at a press briefing in Accra organised by the Party to highlight some of the interventions of the government in the educational sector.

    He said in three and half years, the government had restored Teacher Trainee allowance, developed National Teachers Standards for Pre-service Teachers and developed a National Teacher Education Curriculum Framework to guide Teacher Education Institutions in the development of relevant world-class curricula.

    Mr Buaben Asamoa stated that the government had introduced a Quality Assurance, Accreditation and Assessment Tool for all 46 Colleges of Education to promote the training of high-quality teachers and worked with five teacher education universities to develop a three-semester top-up programme for in-service teachers to upgrade and acquire Bachelor of Education.

    The government, he noted, had developed and deployed Colleges of Education Information Management System (CEMIS) to ensure information and data sharing between Colleges and the National Council for Tertiary Education as well as introduced the National Service Scheme for graduates of Colleges of education.

    He said the conditions of service of teachers had been improved and that 35,515 staff that were at positions including Basic School Head, Headteachers, Assistant Headteachers, Chaplain/Imam, Form Master/Mistress were receiving responsibility allowance.

    Mr Buaben Asamoa recalled that available data from the Ghana Education Service between 2013 and 2016 indicated that, on the average, 100,000 children, every year, passed the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) but could not take up their places in Senior High School due financial constraints.

    “This represented about 35 per cent of the total number of children who had been placed. Of those who took up their places, 22 per cent dropped out, again due to financial reasons. Free SHS has therefore come as a major boost to parents, students and the nation,” he said.

    Mr Buaben Asamoa, who is also the Member of Parliament for Adentan, said the Senior High School population stood at about 1.2 million students, up from 800,000 at the start of the 2016/17 academic year.

    Although the government introduced the double-track system, he said over the last three years, more than 1,000 structures, including dormitories, classroom blocks and laboratories were under construction to end it.

    “Any promise by National Democratic Congress (NDC) leadership to abolish Double Track in seven months is unrealistic and desperate. It is obvious that the NDC does not understand the Double Track system, and have no real commitment to Free SHS,” he said.

    Mr Buaben Asamoa said government had developed Technical and Vocational Skills (TVET) to help tackle challenges presented by the 4th industrial revolution, which requires tailor-made solutions that are adaptable globally.

    He said the five-year Strategic Plan for TVET Transformation would among other things see the overall Upgrading and Modernization of the Vocational Education System in the country.

    He said the plan would address the skills gap in the country by the revamping vocational training infrastructure across the country, resulting in the creation of world-class training facilities linked to current job market demands.

    Source: GNA

  • My good deeds equally qualify me to Parliament Amewu

    John-Peter Amewu, Minister for Energy and New Patriotic Party (NPP) Parliamentary Candidate (PC) for the Hohoe Constituency, has said his contributions to help the constituents had qualified him ahead of any candidate to become the next Member of Parliament (MP) in the Constituency.

    He said it was inappropriate for Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia to describe him as only qualified to go to heaven but not Parliament despite his good deeds for the constituents.

    “That is an insult to the integrity of the people of Hohoe, Asiedu Nketia indirectly was insulting the people of the Constituency and for me, which I take seriously. He needs to come back and apologise to the people.”

    Mr Amewu, who was speaking to the Ghana News Agency, said “if the good works that I am doing can take me to heaven then my good deeds can equally take me to Parliament?

    “The people of Hohoe are discerning, so, if I can go to heaven because of the good things, let me use that opportunity also to do good to the people of the Constituency for them to benefit.”

    He said that was why for all the 28 years, the people that went to Parliament in the Constituency were not able to deliver anything positively.

    “people in this Constituency, have been made to think that the seat is for the NDC and so whether the candidate is good or not, they should allow the person to go to Parliament. That is how they tuned the mindset of the people.”

    The PC said for a very long time, electorates do not look out for candidates but took into consideration that the seat was theirs adding that “this seat is not for anybody, it belongs to the Constituency.”

    He asked the constituents to elect a credible candidate from the parties to represent them and added that it would be a keen contest and that the NDC should be informed that voters have become decerning.

    Mr Amewu said the people have benefited a lot from government projects over the period and it was there for everybody to see including free education and a whole lot in the constituency, which was enhancing the lives of citizens.

    He said the constituents believe that if they elect me as their Member of Parliament, I would be able to do more for them.

    He said the youth was hopeful that if he represented them in parliament, a lot of opportunities be available to them.

    “So, they know it is now time to cede the seat to the New Patriotic Party”, he said and cautioned them not to vote skirt and blouse., go along with the party while we explain issues to them.”

    Madam Rejoice Afi Agyagbo, NPP Volta Regional Women Organiser, said the election shall be free and fair and urged the youth not to engage in electoral violence.

    “I have been a constituency executive; I can hopefully say Amewu will get to parliament because the dynamics have changed.

    Source: GNA

  • Filing of nomination: Presidential aspirants commend Electoral Commission

    Presidential aspirants who filed their nomination to contest for the December Elections have commended the Electoral Commission (EC) for putting in place the process to ensure free, fair and transparent general elections.

    They said the Commission had been open and receptive to their concerns despite the fact that they had come up against challenges in the filling of their nomination forms.

    Madam Akua Donkor, Aspirant of Ghana Freedom Party (GFP) praised the Election Management Body, for restoring the right logo of the Commission, which was in line with all state institutions.

    “This is the right logo for the Commission. It is the same being used by institutions of all state institutions and I did not understood why it was changed. The Police, Military, Ministries, Judiciary, Embassies among others are using the same logo why must the past EC administration change it,” she quizzed.

    The General Secretary of the National Democratic Party (NDP), Alhaji Mohammed Frimpong, indicated that petty administrative lapses in the electoral process should not be over-dramatised.

    Speaking after the submission of the presidential nomination forms of the flagbearer, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, the General Secretary said the EC should be allowed to work.

    “For the first time, the Commission took the trouble to give us the checklist and it falls within our understanding that disagreements within our institutions should not be overdramatized as if Armageddon is going to fall on us,” she said.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Oti region still NDC stronghold in spite of split from Volta Ephson

    Pollster Ben Epshon has revealed that the Oti region will be a stronghold of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in spite of the split from the Volta region.

    Mr Ephson said on the Elections 360 programme with co-host Stephen Anti on TV3 that the split of the region by the Akufo-Addo administration will have no effect on the voting pattern in that part of the country.

    “Oti region will still be an NDC stronghold,” he said on the programme on Monday, October 12.

    Mr Epshon further explained that anytime any of the two leading parties, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the NDC lost less than 70 per cent of votes in their strongholds they go ahead to lose the elections.

    “You will have to win a certain percentage. For example, any time the NPP has won less than 70 percent in Ashanti and less than 60 percent in Eastern region, they lose the elections because that is your stronghold.

    “In Volta region, a new book I am working on shows that the NDC lost over a hundred thousand votes in Volta region alone compared to 2012.

    “So if you strong hold you are losing votes and you are losing votes in the other places. And that is the cause of apathy.”

    Source: 3 News

  • Attack on Mireku Dukers home adds to growing list of attacks on politicians

    Attacks on the political class or persons close to them seem to be gaining notoriety as a common feature in the lead up to the upcoming December 7 polls.

    In the last couple of weeks, four incidents of attacks on members of the political class have been reported, one of which has been fatal.

    The close proximity of these attacks has caused some to wonder if there is a deliberate scheme by some unknown persons to target the political class.

    On Saturday, October 3, 2020, the office of the pro New Patriotic Party (NPP) political think tank, Danquah Institute, located at Labone in Accra, was broken into by unknown persons.

    The burglars allegedly stole some valuable items including laptops and GH¢12,000.

    Then on Wednesday, October 7, 2020, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) campaign team was attacked by armed robbers at Ejuratia in the Afigya Kwabre District of the Ashanti Region.

    The robbers took away two mobile phones and an unspecified amount of money.

    The driver of the campaign vehicle Sawadogo Mahmood disclosed that two out of the five occupants of the saloon car were severely beaten by the robbers.

    Then on Friday, October 9, 2020, the attacks turned fatal as the Member of Parliament for Mfantseman in the Central Region was shot dead by suspected armed robbers.

    Six gunmen according to an eye witness attacked the MP and his campaign team while they were returning from campaign around 1.00 am, Friday.

    The eye witness explained that in the process of de (the) robbery the late Ekow Quansah identifies (identified) himself as a lawmaker and after accusing the MP and the political class for the many problems the country is facing shot him to death.

    The incident reignited calls by the legislature for dedicated security protection for them, a call that has been shot (down) by security analysts as selfish.

    Finally, in the string of attacks on the political class or persons close them, two family members of Tarkwa-Nsuaem Member of Parliament, George Mireku Duker, suffered severe cutlass wounds on Saturday, October 10, 2020, after they were attacked by some assailants.

    It is unclear what triggered the attack but it has been linked to a protracted chieftaincy dispute at Dompem, the hometown of the MP.

    One of the victims is said to be in critical condition while the other is responding to treatment.

    Political analysts have dismissed suggestions that the attacks are part of an elaborate plot to target the political class.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • NPP initiates moves to replace slain MP Ekow Kwansah Hayford in 10 days

    The New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Mfantseman constituency in the Central Region, has initiated moves to find a replacement for Mr Ekow Kwansah Hayford, the party’s Parliamentary nominee for Election 2020 who was killed last Friday by suspected armed robbers.

    This is in line with Section 4 of the Public Elections Regulations 2020, C.I. 127, which states that: “Where at the close of nominations, but before the election, one of the candidates dies, a further period of 10 days shall be allowed for nominations.”

    The NPP in the Mfantseman constituency is yet to settle on a candidate to represent the late Ekow Kwansah Hayford but is hoping to find one this week to meet the 10 days deadline specified in law.

    Ekow Kwansah Hayford who was the Member of Parliament for the area and was seeking re-election filed his nomination forms on Thursday, October 8, 2020 only to be killed the next day.

    The EC closed the filing of nominations on Friday, October 9, 2020 same day as the MP was killed at dawn.

    As part of the processes for re-election, Mr Hayford battled it out with a new entrant Mr James Korsah-Brown in June 2020 where the NPP delegates endorsed him.

    Replacement

    In an interview with Graphic Online’s Central Regional correspondent, Shirley Asiedu Addo, the first Vice Chairman of the Mfantseman constituency, Mr Yaw Berchie-Nuako said the constituency executive would meet by mid week to decide on a nominee and propose same to the national executive for approval.

    He said they were hoping that whoever they select will be a winnable candidate to step in the shoes of the late Mr Hayford.

    “The constituency executive here are on the grounds and so we know who can win the seat for us,” he stated.

    Mr Berchie-Nuako stated that there was no way the national executive could impose any person on the constituency.

    Is it going to be Ekow Kwansah’s widow?

    Asked if the party was considering bringing the widow of the late MP, Mr Berchie-Nuako did not give a definite answer except to say that the nature of the death was a great blow to the family.

    Korsah-Brown

    Asked if the executives would consider Mr James Korsah-Brown the only candidate who had contested the late MP in the primary in June 2020, he said “like I said we don’t have any name yet. The executives would decide and let you know,” he stated.

    NPP will retain seat

    The NDC held the seat for 8 years before the NPP’s Ekow Kwansah Hayford snatched it from them in 2016.

    “Our late MP was a good man who did a lot of work. His four-year work as MP is far more than the NDC’s work in 8 years,” he stated.

    He said any candidate chosen would ride on the excellent works of the late MP.

    “We are not going to rely on sympathy votes. The works of Kwansah Hayford speak everywhere and we are optimistic that the NPP will retain the seat,” he added.

    He urged NPP members to remain calm and support the family in prayers.

    “I was with him when the incident happened and I have still not recovered from it. It has hit us hard but we are praying and know it will make us even stronger,” he added.

    #GhanaVotes2020

    Source: Graphic.com.gh

  • Ill win Kpone Katamanso by 10,000 votes margin Hopeson Adorye

    The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Parliamentary Candidate for the Kpone Katamanso Constituency, Hopeson Adorye, has said he will win the seat by a 10,000 vote margin.

    He told TV3 in an interview with that the constituency has not seen any major development for the past 28 years that the seat has been occupied by the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

    To that end, he said the electorate will change their voting pattern in favour of the governing New Patriotic Party.

    “The people of Kpone Katamanso are going to vote for me,” he said, adding that “I am going to win by 10,000 margin”.

    This is because “the NDC has not helped Kpone Katamanso”.

    Meanwhile, the NDC candidate of the area has said the people of the constituency will not vote for the NPP.

    He expressed optimism that the party will win the constituency again.

    “No true NDC members will vote skirt and blouse,” he said.

    Source: 3 News

  • Meet the 17 persons contesting for presidency in the 2020 election

    The Electoral Commission of Ghana has announced that seventeen persons have put themselves up to contest for the Presidency in the 2020 election.

    Out of the seventeen persons, three of the aspirants are independent candidates whiles fourteen are persons belonging to the political parties.

    Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission (EC) has set up two vetting teams to scrutinize the nomination forms of all the presidential aspirants in the 2020 election.

    They are the Technical and IT teams, which would be scrutinizing the forms to ensure that the aspirants meet the qualifications as set out in the law such as being over 40 years old and having satisfied all tax obligations and among others.

    The IT team for instance will check and verify whether candidates and supporters are indeed registered voters.

    The teams are to operate within the confines of the law and not to exercise discretion.

    If cleared by the Commission, these aspirants will find themselves on the ballot paper to contest for the Presidency on December 7, 2020.

    See the list of the 17 persons contesting for presidency in the 2020 election below:

    Source: My News GH

  • President Akufo-Addo promotes four DCOPs and 23 ACPs

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has promoted four Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCOPs) to the rank of Commissioners of Police (COPs) and 23 Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACPs) to the rank of Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCOPs).

    A release signed by Superintendent (Mrs) Sheilla Kessie Abayie-Buckman, Director, Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Friday, said the promotions were upon the recommendation of the Police Council.

    The four newly promoted Commissioners are; Mr Vincent Redeemer Dedjoe-Director-General/ Police Professional & Standards; Mr Godfred Owusu Boateng- Bono Regional Police Commander; Mr Kwaku Boadu Peprah- Director-General/ Operations and Mr Frederick Adu-Anim- Director-General/Information Communications Technology.

    The 23 newly promoted Deputy Commissioners are; Mr Joseph Obeng- Deputy Director, Service workshops/ National Headquarters; Mr Peter Baba Atinak- Deputy Eastern Regional Police Commander; Rev. Father George Arthur- Director, Religious Affairs/National Headquarters; Mr Emmanuel Afriyie Sakyi- Deputy Accra Regional Police Commander; Mr Nelson Opoku- Deputy Director, Audit/National Headquarters; Mr Vance Baba Gariba- Director, ICT/National Headquarters; Mr Isaac Emmanuel Quist- Administrator/CID Headquarters; Mr Kwasi Akomeah-Apraku- Deputy Volta Regional Police Commander; Mr Alexander Kwame Amenyo- Deputy Upper East Regional Police Commander; Mr Dennis Abade Akob-Dem- Deputy Central Regional Police Commander; Mr Haruna Saeed- Director, Payroll/National Headquarters.

    Others are; Mr Moses Ali Kpachin- Deputy North East Regional Commander; Mr Sebastian Atsu Wemegah- Deputy Oti Regional Police Commander; Mr Charles Botwe- Officer Commanding Regional Police Training School/ Kumasi; Mr Michael Nketia Frimpong- Finance Officer, National Police Training School/Accra; Mr Ernest Akrasi Kirk Mensah- Deputy Western-North Regional Commander; Mr Francis Nyametso- Director, Serious Crime Registry/ CID Headquarters; Mr Ebenezer Larbi- Deputy Savannah Regional Police Commander; Mr Charles Kwabla Normesinu- Director, Inspectorate Unit/ National Headquarters; Mr Samuel Alfred Winful- Tepa Divisional Police Commander- Ashanti; Mr Francis Agrippa Oppong- Offinso Divisional Police Commander- Ashanti; Mr Ebenezer Ampofo- Berekum Divisional Police Commander- Bono/Region and Mr Martin Kwaku Ayiih- Commanding Officer Central MTTD/Accra.

    “Mr James Oppong-Boanuh, the Inspector-General of Police extends heartiest congratulations to the promoted officers and wishes them the best of luck in their new ranks,” the statement said.

    Source: GNA

  • Im pained Bawumia reacts to the murder of Ekow Quansah

    Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has reacted to the gruesome murder of the late Ekow Quansah Hayford who was the Member of Parliament for Mfantseman Constituency.

    Expressing shock at the happening, he also noted that he was equally pained.

    Taking to his social media page; Facebook, to comment on the untimely death of the MP, Dr Bawumia said “I am pained and stunned by news of the untimely death of Hon. Ekow Quansah Hayford, Member of Parliament for Mfantseman constituency.”

    He intimated that the “perpetrators of this heinous crime are brought to book.”

    Bawumia, further, extended his condolences to the family and constituents of the late Ekow Quansah.

    Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), James Oppong Boanuh has dispatched specialised investigators from the homicide and anti-armed robbery units of the CID headquarters to the Central Region to support the Crime Scene Team to solve the alleged robbery incident and murder of Ekow Quansah Hayford.

    The former Member of Parliament for Mfantseman, Ekow Hayford was shot dead by armed robbers on Friday dawn while returning from a campaign tour on the Nkusukum Mankessim-Abeadze Duadze road in the Central Region.

    His body has since been deposited at the Saltpond Mortuary.

    Read Bawumia’s post below.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • NDC halts campaigning in Mfanstiman over murder of NPP MP

    The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) suspended campaign activities in the Mfantsiman Constituency after the gruesome murder of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for the area, Ekow Kwansah Hayford.

    Mr. Hayford is reported to have been killed Friday dawn when some armed robbers attacked his convoy on the Abeadze Dominase-Mankessim road in his constituency.

    The NDC said in a statement that the decision to suspend campaign activities in the area is to show honour to the late Hayford.

    “We write to communicate the decision of the NDC PC for Mfantseman Odziifo James Essoun to suspend his campaigns in the Constituency until Monday in honour of the death of the sitting NPP MP/PC”, a statement from the NDC read.

    “[We] strongly call on the Police to do everything in their power to apprehend the perpetrators of this heinous crime and let the law deal ruthlessly with them”, the statement further continued.

    “In expressing our utmost condolences to the good people of Mfantseman, we call on the NPP government of H. E. Nana Akufo Addo to arrest the poor security situation across the country”, it added.

    Source: 3 News

  • The unemployed people of Ningo Prampram will punish Akufo-Addo Sam George

    Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram, Samuel Nartey George has said the Akufo-Addo led government’s decision to collapse some banks in the country and abandon the Saglemi Affordable Housing Project will be some of the reasons the current administration will lose the December 7 polls.

    He said the people of Ningo Prampram who have been affected by these actions will punish President Akufo-Addo by bringing back John Dramani Mahama.

    Thousands of people who are currently unemployed, including those who worked in the collapsed banks, and the abandoned Saglemi Affordable Housing Project, according to the legislator, are ready to vote against Akufo-Addo.

    Addressing party supporters after filing his nomination at the Electoral Commission (EC) district office on October 8, Sam George assured the people of Ningo-Prampram of jobs as their manifesto has made provision for petty traders and the legalization of “Okada”.

    “We believe John Mahama will deliver jobs for the people of Ningo and Prampram and we are not just saying this because Mahama has said it, he has done it before. Our years of President Mahama, we saw the infrastructure that was built in our constituency. Go and check the Saglemi Affordable Housing Project, thousands of our young men and women were employed under this project. The Akufo-Addo government has come and collapsed that project. Today, our young men and women are unemployed in Ningo-Prampram. The unemployed youth in Ningo Prampram will punish Akufo-Addo and bring back John Dramani Mahama,” he proclaimed.

    “…President Akudo-Addo should begin his handing over notes because president Mahama is coming and he is coming back to redeem this country. He is coming to take over this country from shackles of oppression under Akufo-Addo. The rescue mission is on and on December 7 we will deliver that rescue mission,” he advised.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Start preparing your handing over notes – Sam George to Akufo-Addo

    Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram, Samuel Nartey George has tasked President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to start preparing his handing over notes ahead of the December 7 polls.

    According to the MP, Akufo-Addo has failed Ghanaians, for which reason why they are yearning for the return of former President John Dramani Mahama.

    Addressing party supporters after filing his nomination at the EC district office on October 8, Sam George assured John Mahama of 50,000 votes from the Ningo-Prampram constituency in December polls.

    “…President Akudo-Addo should begin his handing over notes because president Mahama is coming and he is coming back to redeem this country. He is coming to take over this country from shackles of oppression under Akufo-Addo. The rescue mission is on and on December 7 we will deliver that rescue mission,” he advised.

    Sam George says with the increased unemployment rate and the abandoning of the Saglemi Affordable Housing Project, he is convinced the people of Ningo Prampram will vote against the ruling government.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Okyere Baafi confident of NPP victory as he files new nomination for New Juaben South

    New Patriotic Party Parliamentary candidate for the New Juaben South Constituency, Michael Okyere Baafi, says President Akufo-Addo’s records in less than four years supercedes that of all his predecessors.

    He is convinced that the Pesident’s record will earn him a second term to do more for Ghanaians.

    According to Michael Okyere Baafi, Akufo-Addo is a man of honour and integrity who delivers on his promise.

    Speaking to the media after filling his nomination, at the New Juaben South Electoral Commission Office, Mr Okyere Baafi, who is also the CEO of Free Zones Authority, said the dignity of Akufo-Addo is unparalleled.

    He indicated that politics and governance must be an avenue to alleviate the plight of the people.

    He believes the NPP’s policies benefit the vast majority of the people hence the need to extend the party’s mandate.

    He indicated that Koforidua is going to see a different era of politics before during and after this year’s election.

    “As a politician, when you say you will construct roads, you must honour it, when you promise scholarship you must do it, when you say you will construct a hospital at Zongo you must do it so the people can benefit,” he said.

    He said job creation remains key the agenda of the governing party.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Free Primary Health Care will be the largest social intervention under the fourth republic Omane Boamah

    NDC Spokesperson on Health, Edward Omane Boamah, has revealed that the National Democratic Congress (NDC)’s Free Primary Health Care will be one of the largest social interventions under the fourth republic.

    The Free Primary Health Care seeks to provide quality health care for all Ghanaians at no cost.

    Patients, according to the NDC will visit District hospitals, Polyclinics, Health Centres and Community Health Planning Services (CHPS) compounds virtually at no price, when this policy is implemented.

    Speaking at a press conference, Edward Omane Boamah said “under the Free Primary Health Care Plan, no Ghanaian will pay for health care in District hospitals, Polyclinics, Health Centres and Community Health Planning Services (CHPS) compounds. Notably, you will not need a National Health Insurance (NHIS) card to benefit from Free Primary Health Care.”

    He added that the initiative will reduce avoidable deaths among Ghanaians.

    “Free Primary Health Care is very important and critical because health is integral to national development. With Free Primary Health care, we shall significantly reduce avoidable deaths due to hypertension, strokes, diabetes, kidney disease and many others… This significant reduction in the death burden will help improve the quality of lives for those suffering such diseases.”

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Election 2020: Nana Konadu presents nomination forms

    Flagbearer of the National Democratic Party (NDP), Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, on Thursday, October 8, 2020, submitted her nomination forms for the 2020 election at the Electoral Commission headquarters in Accra.

    She was accompanied by some other officials of her party.

    General Secretary of the NDP, Alhaji Mohammed Frimpong, indicated that petty administrative lapses in the electoral process should not be over-dramatised.

    Speaking after the submission of the presidential nomination forms of the flagbearer, Alhaji Frimpong said the EC should be allowed to work.

    “For the first time, the Commission took the trouble to give us the checklist and it falls within our belief that disagreements within our institutions should not be overdramatized as if Armageddon is going to fall on us.”

    Source: citinewsroom

  • Ghanaians will choose competent, incorruptible Akufo-Addo – Yofi Grant

    The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), Mr Yofi Grant, has said the performance of the Akufo-Addo administration especially in the area of the fulfilment of its promises, will win more votes for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the December 7 elections.

    He noted that the NPP made several promises to the Ghanaian people in the 2016 elections. Most of them, he said, have been delivered whereas the others are being delivered.

    In a tweet, Mr Grant expressed optimism that the voters will choose President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo over the other aspirants because of his incorruptibility and competence.

    “From all walks of life and from all corners of Ghana, more people are asking for 4 more for Nana Akufo Addo and NPP because of promises made and delivered.

    “Competent, incorruptible and compassionate leadership,” he said.

    Ghanaians go to the polls on December 7 to elect a president and Members of Parliament.

    Source: 3 News

  • Vote for Nana Akufo-Addo to continue with the development – Bawumia

    Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has asked Ghanaians to retain the government in power to continue with the many developments and social intervention programmes.

    He said the December 7 election would be a choice between the era of untold hardships under the National Democratic Congress (NDC) or the few years of social interventions programmes by the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

    He said under the NDC, Ghanaians encountered five years of power outages, youth unemployment, non-functioning ambulance service, arbitrary increase in utility and the absence of Teaching and Learning Materials (TLMs).

    Dr Bawumia, who said this when he addressed a Durbar at Atobiase in the Wassa-East District to begin his two-day working visit to the Western Region, appealed to Ghanaians to give President Akufo-Addo the chance to change the fortunes of the country.

    According to him, the NPP Government pursued a vigorous agenda to bring relief to the people of Ghana such as the free SHS policy, 1D1F, restoration of teacher trainee and nurses trainee allowances, planting for food and jobs, cocoa interventions and producer price increases, among others.

    Dr Bawumia said the government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic had gained global recognition and commendation with the free provision of water and electricity, COVID-19 alleviation fund to business owners, tax rebates and free meals to the populace during the lockdowns and students.

    Nana Opiah Mensah, Acting Chief of Wassa Atobiase, in his address, commended the government for the unprecedented infrastructural development in the area.

    He advocated the construction of a senior high school for the town since it was far from the district capital, Daboase.

    He called for the provision of a mobile telecommunication network to solve the area and making it difficult to make calls and use internet services.

    Nana Mensah also reminded him for the construction of a bridge over the Pra River to connect the residents to the neighbouring towns which makes it difficult for the children to cross during school days, as promised by President Akufo-Addo some time ago.

    Mr Joseph Boahen, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of COCOBOD, noted that the free SHS policy had benefitted the majority of Ghanaians without which many children would have dropped out of school and called on the people to vote for the continuation of the policy.

    Touching on cocoa production, he announced that the cocoa pruning and hand pollination initiative introduced by the government has tremendously changed cocoa production in the country, bringing big relief to farmers.

    He urged the people not to take the National Democratic Congress’ ( NDC) propaganda of free fertilizer seriously and said it was not achieved when they were in government.

    The CEO of Cocobod touched on the compensation package given to cocoa farmers whose farms were affected by the swollen shoot disease and said that was a huge investment of the NPP Government towards cocoa production.

    He hinted that fifty-thousand youths would be engaged to embark on the cocoa tree cutting exercise to rid the farms of the dreaded swollen shoot disease for a replant.

    Mr Boahen added that the cocoa pension scheme was vigorously pursued to give a befitting retirement package to cocoa farmers in the country.

    Mr Wilson Arthur, Wassa-East District Chief Executive touted achievements in the education and skills training sector and said scholarships were given to students to further their education to higher levels and livelihood empowerment programmes.

    He mentioned that the District had benefitted from two of the One-District, One-Factory (1D1F) initiative programmes to create employment to the teeming youth.

    He said the administration had seen a lot of infrastructural developments in the three years.

    Among the projects are the provision of potable water, construction of access roads, provision of the skills development centre and improvement in mobile telecommunications network among others.

    Source: GNA

  • Election 2020: Let the will of Ghanaians prevail – Opoku Agyemang to EC

    Vice Presidential Candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, has stressed the need for optimum transparency in the processes involving the upcoming December election.

    She is convinced that the integrity of the election can only be protected through transparent and fair electoral processes.

    The Running Mate who made the observation when she called on Osabarima Kofi Boateng, Chief of Akwatia in the Eastern region, Tuesday, as part of her campaign tour of the area, urged all stakeholders to contribute in ensuring a peaceful election.

    “We all need the electoral process and the election to be organized in a very transparent manner to ensure that the will of the people is upheld,” she said.

    Among other things that could affect the integrity of the election, she expressed worry about the growing culture of vote-buying and urged the electorate to guard against the practice.

    “When they offer you money for your vote, ask them how much money they can give you to buy infrastructure for your community,” he urged the electorate.

    Touching on NDC”s development plans for Akwatia, Prof Opoku-Agyemang noted that the next NDC administration would continue its road network, water supply, education and market infrastructure projects for the benefit of the area.

    She thanked the chiefs and people of the area for the continued support for the NDC and assured them of more meaningful progress under the next John Mahama administration.

    Osabarima Kofi Boateng, for his part, called for tolerance and urged Ghanaians to desist from actions that would jeopardize the unity and peace of the country.

    “Let your utterances be filled with love and do away with pride and arrogance,” he admonished politicians.

    Source: Kasapa FM

  • Weve shown more commitment in fighting corruption Mustapha Hamid

    A Deputy Campaign Manager for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mustapha Abdul Hamid says the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has shown more commitment in the fight against corruption.

    Speaking on Face to Face on Citi TV, Dr. Mustapha Hamid said the NPP government has channelled more resources into empowering anti-graft institutions to effectively execute their duties.

    “The kinds of budgetary allocations that our government has made to these anti-corruption institutions are in three or four-folds what other governments have done. First of all, most of these anti-corruption institutions have complained about a lack of resources and supplying them with tools to work is a huge step in empowering them to do their work,” he added.

    But this claim by Dr. Hamid has been contested.

    Some Civil Society Organisations in the country took on the President for directing the Auditor-General, Daniel Domelevo to proceed on an extended for over 150 days.

    The flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Mahama, on August 20, 2020, also challenged the track record of President Akufo-Addo in the fight against corruption.

    According to Mr. Mahama, President Akufo-Addo has failed woefully in the fight against corruption.

    Responding to such criticisms, Dr. Hamid said, “I am not sure that if people are due for their leave period, and they are asked to proceed on leave, it is a dint on the fight against corruption. This has nothing to do with pushing back on corruption.”

    Source: citinewsroom

  • Mahama wont file nomination forms to be president

    Former President John Dramani Mahama will not submit his filing forms in person.

    According to a Facebook, the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) said he has reviewed his nomination forms and signed the relevant portions for filing.

    But “General Secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketia will Wednesday [October 7], file the nomination papers at the electoral commission on my behalf,” he stated.

    The former president was expected to submit his forms at the head office of the Electoral Commission in Accra after President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo submitted his on Tuesday, October 6, 2020.

    Source: 3 News

  • Political parties to get copies of new voters register by Nov 11 – EC

    The Electoral Commission (EC) has explained that copies of the final new voters register should be ready by November 11, 2020.

    The EC is hoping that copies of the register would be made available to all political parties and candidates by that time.

    The Director of Elections at the EC, Dr Serebour Quaicoe said this in a radio interview with Accra based Joy FM monitored by Graphic Online on Tuesday evening [October 6, 2020].

    Last week, the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) for instance raised concerns that the final register was not ready, yet aspirants have been asked to file their nomination forms this week – October 5 to October 9, 2020.

    What happens if someone assumed to be a registered voter endorses an aspirant’s nomination forms and it turns out that the said person does not have his name in the final gazetted register, the General Secretary of the NDC, Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia for instance questioned in a radio interview.

    The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) has also urged the EC to ensure that the final register is given out to all parties ahead of time.

    Reacting in the radio interview, Dr Serebour Quaicoe said the EC plans to give the register out to the parties one month to the elections.

    “We could have even given them out earlier but because we should finish with the transfers and special voters compilation before we can give the register out,” he said.

    Source: Graphic.com.gh

  • Election 2020: Over 200 registered voters in Nzema Akropong threaten court injunction

    Two hundred and ninety registered voters of Nzema Akropong Electoral Area in the Ellembelle District of the Western Region have threatened to place court injunction on the coming presidential and parliamentary elections as they did not find their names during the voters register exbition.

    The aggrieved voters on Thursday, September 1, 2020 during the one-day voter registration exercise conducted by the Electoral Commission of Ghana, stormed the District office of Ellembelle EC and petitioned the EC boss to put their names in the register.

    Speaking exclusively to GhanaWeb Western Regional Correspondent after they had petitioned, the District Director of Electoral Commission of Ellembelle, Madam Pearl Klutse, said the EC boss admitted that the deletion was a mistake and assured them that their names would come before the December 7 polls.

    But these angry voters said if the EC fails to include their names they would put court injunction on the general Elections.

    “I will take a legal action against the EC because I am a Ghanaian and I have to get my identity so if our names did not come I will take a legal action”, one irate voter told GhanaWeb.

    One angry voter who gave his name as Abubakr Osuman said, “we came here to petition to see if we can register again since our names were not find in the voter register but the EC says we should wait and we too we have given the EC some time and if the time is due and we come again and we did not see our names and pictures, we will take a new step and that step we will not do it as we have done today, we will do a massive demonstration.

    “Our names didn’t come at all, persons of 290, our names did not come. EC boss told us that we should be patients because they are working on it and they said they will make sure our names come before the voting day”, he added.

    Asking whether the Ellembelle District Electoral Commissioner gave them a specific time their names would come, he stated “she didn’t tell us the specific time our names will come into the register and we also gave her a short period of time that if we didn’t see our names we will come here again”.

    An angry woman has this to say, “we have not yet see our names, the EC is saying that we should go and come later but we want to see whether our names are in or not, that is our main concern and if don’t see then it means our work will be in vein”.

    They together chanted, “no names no vote, we will not allow EC to let voting happens at all at Akropong”.

    They continued, “and if they didn’t include our names and bring their machines there, what will happen, will happen”.

    At the end of one-day registration exercise, 338 persons were registered in the Ellembelle District but later the EC detected duplication of voter ID numbers of 190 registered voters.

    Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana had announced Wednesday, October 7, 2020, as the date for exhibition exercise for those who participated in the one-day nationwide voter registration exercise.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Youre selling your future if you take money from politicians for votes Kwesi Pratt to Ghanaians

    As the general election is nearing, Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, has cautioned Ghanaians to desist from the act of selling their votes to presidential and parliamentary candidates.

    According to him, those who engage in such acts are selling their future in exchange for money.

    Speaking on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo show, he said: “Some people would ask to be given something to campaign or cast their ballot for a particular candidate. If you do this, remember you’re selling your future.”

    “How many days can selling your future for GHC 50 or 1 million buy for you?” he quizzed.

    Mr Pratt therefore advised Ghanaians to listen to their (candidates) messages carefully and vote based on that judgement.

    On December 7, 2020, Ghanaians will go to the polls to elect a President and Members of Parliament who will lead the country for the next 4 years.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Ive delivered, give me four more years – Akufo-Addo

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said his administration has fulfilled the promises made to Ghanaians ahead of the 2016 elections for which he was voted for to be president.

    He has therefore, appealed to voters to vote for him and his party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) again in the 2020 general elections for another four-year term.

    In a tweet, Mr Akufo-Addo said “We have fulfilled our promises and delivered on the mandate you gave us. Give us 4 more years to do more for you.

    “Vote Nana Akufo-Addo and the NPP to transform Ghana for all. #4MoreForNana #4MoreToDoMoreForYou.”

    In his bid to get re-elected as President of Ghana, he will be filing his presidential nomination forms today, Tuesday, October 6, 2020.

    This will be the fourth time he will carry out this exercise, having done same in 2008, 2012 and 2016.

    Two-time independent presidential candidate Jacob Osei Yeboah is expected to be the first person to file before the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP) candidate.

    Source: 3 News

  • Forgive me – Nii Noi Nortey returns to NPP

    The 2016 New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate hopeful for Klottey Korle constituency, Valentino Nii Noi Nortey has rendered an unqualified apology to the party, saying, his attitude might have contributed to their defeat in that electioneering season.

    It would be recalled that Nii Noi won the 2016 parliamentary primaries but was subsequently disqualified to make way for the Pink Sheet Man (Lawyer Philip Addison) to context. Following the processes that led to his disqualification, Nii Noi left the party to go independent in the same constituency.

    This gave the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, Dr. Zenator Rawlings, extra advantage to win the seat because it was already occupied by an NDC Member of Parliament, Nii Armah Ashietey.

    During the fund-raising and outdooring of 2020 NPP parliamentary candidate for Klottey Korle constituency, Mr. Nortey, who through the intervention of party executives has, rescind, his decision to quit the party rendered his apology, asking for pardon if their defeat in the election year was as a result of his moves and pledged to rally behind their elected candidate for 2020, Lawyer Prince Appiah Debrah to restore the seat, back to the NPP since 2004.

    He is now the campaign director for Team Prince 2020 and has promised to do all it takes to secure victory for the Klottey Korle elephant family.

    The candidate, Prince Appiah Debrah in his acceptance speech notes, a lot is in store for the constituents once he is voted to power and it will only take a new direction to get them what they deserve.

    He hints the NPP has over 55% of total registered voters of the constituency and it will demand only hard work to add more to that in ensuring victory to do more for the people.

    Source: rainbowradioonline.com

  • Mahama would derail our foundation if given the chance – Bawumia

    Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has said the Akufo-Addo-led government has laid a solid foundation during its first term in office for prosperous socio-economic development in its second term.

    Therefore, Ghanaians should not make a mistake of voting John Mahama, NDC’s flagbearer, to ruin the fortunes of the country’s anticipated progress.

    Vice President Bawumia made the remarks at a mini-rally at Abelemkpe in the Ayawaso West Wuogon, to wrap up his Greater Accra Region working tour.

    Dr Bawumia said the Mahama-led government was a total failure and could not be trusted to continue the good policies initiated by the ruling NPP government under President Akufo-Addo.

    He cited flagship programmes and policies initiated by the NPP government including the Free Senior High School, Planting for Food and Jobs, One-District, One-Warehouse, One-Constituency, One-Ambulance, One-Village, One-Dam and One-District, One-Factory.

    He further explained that the ruling government had also restored the teacher/nursing trainee allowance cancelled by the previous administration, paid two billion Ghana cedis arrears of the NHIS left over by the NDC government and fulfilled 80 per cent of its 2016 electioneering campaign promises.

    Madam Lydia Seyram Alhassan, the NPP Parliamentary Candidate for Ayawaso West Wuogon, said the ruling government had asphalted the deplorable roads in the Constituency, started constructing an Astro Turf and a health facility in the area.

    She described Dr Bawumia as an intelligent and hardworking Vice President, saying he has distinguished himself as a powerhouse of knowledge in the field of economics and management of the economy as the head of the Government’s Economic Management Team.

    “The Vice President is very intelligent and hardworking that is why am pleading with you to vote for me and President Akufo-Addo to continue our good works.

    “Never in the history of Ghana has a Vice President been so visible and notable in government business,” she added.

    Source: GNA

  • Election 2020: NPP, APC others to file nominations on October 6

    As the race for the presidency begins to heat up with almost two months to the general election, leaders and flagbearers of political parties are mandated to file and present their nominations forms to the Electoral Commission.

    The filing of nominations forms part of an electoral process that qualifies candidates seeking to contest in the general elections.

    The electoral body, the Electoral Commission in September this year, set a five-day period for Presidential, Parliamentary, and Independent candidates to file their nominations forms from October 5-9, 2020

    The Commission declared an amount of GH¢100,000 set aside as filing fee for Presidential candidates and GH¢10,000 for that of Parliamentary candidates to be paid through a bankers draft.

    Meanwhile, the Acting Head of Public Affairs at the Electoral Commission, Sylvia Annoh has disclosed that the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) will file its nomination on Tuesday October 6, 2020, at 11:00am.

    Hassan Ayariga, flagbearer of the All People Congress (APC) will file the nomimation of his party at 3:00pm while Independent Candidate, Jacob Osei Yeboah of JOY will file his at 9:00am on the same day, Tuesday October 6.

    According to the EC, the Ghana Freedom Party led by Akua Donkor will also file its nomination tomorrow, October 6, 2020, at 10:00am.

    This year’s nominations, however, will be different from that of the previous years, according to the Electoral Commission.

    The Commission in line with the COVID-19 pandemic and its safety protocols has introduced a website portal for the filing of nominations for the general elections.

    “The forms will be accessed on the commission’s website; www.ec.gov.ghana/politicalparties and they will be available to all political parties from 6:00pm today [Monday, September 14, 2020],” the Chairperson of the EC, Jean Mensa earlier said.

    She explained that to ensure the security and integrity of the nomination process, each political party will be provided with a unique password to enable them access the password-protected nomination forms.

    “This will be made available via their political party name folder on the portal and the password will be provided to the General Secretaries of the political parties,” Jean Mensa said.

    The Commission added that Independent candidates will also be issued with unique passwords.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Ama Sey is not going independent – Senior Minister

    Mr. Yaw Osafo Maafo, the Senior Minister has confirmed that Mrs. Mercy Adu Gyamfi, popularly called Ama Sey, Member of Parliament for Akwatia constituency is not going to contest in the 2020 elections as an independent candidate.

    He said the MP who lost with four votes at the NPP parliamentary primaries, had made it clear that she was not going to contest the 2020 elections as an independent candidate.

    The Senior Minister stressed that the loyalty of every NPP member is to the party and its symbol, not to individuals.

    Speaking at a durbar of the chiefs and people of Akwatia, the Senior Minister said losing at the primaries was part of the democratic ideals in the party, and every party member was expected to abide fully by the tenets of the party.

    Mr. Osafo Marfo said the delegates of the party had spoken by electing Mr. Ernest Kumi as the candidate for the upcoming elections and has appealed for supports for him to win.

    Ama Sey caused a stir in 2016 when he contested against Mr Baba Jamal, the then incumbent MP, and a Deputy Minister in the then NDC administration to become one of six MPs in the Eastern Region.

    She was, however, defeated by Mr. Ernest Kumi with four votes at the NPP primaries held in June of this year.

    Source: GNA

  • Akwatia MP won’t go independent despite missing NPP rally – Akufo-Addo

    The Member of Parliament for Akwatia, Mercy Adu Gyamfi (a.k.a Ama Sey) was conspicuously missing at NPP’s mammoth rally held to host President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, flagbearer of the party in the upcoming 2020 general elections.

    Her absence seems to loudly confirm the rumours that Ama Sey may be lacing her boots to contest as independent candidate in the December parliamentary election.

    Ama Sey, who lost her parliamentary candidature to Ernest Kumi in a controversial manner, has since appeared bitter towards leadership of the Party due to the loss.

    According to reports, Ama Sey has been nursing the idea of contesting as an Independent candidate in the 2020 parliamentary elections considering her popularity in the Akwatia constituency.

    A number of groups in the constituency have rooted to push and support her to go independent even though some regional party executives have spoken hard that they would not allow her to go solo.

    At the rally in Akwatia on Sunday, October 4, 2020, which marked the last day of President Akufo-Addo’s campaign tour to the Eastern Region, the President emphasised that he was not sure Ama Sey would go independent.

    Meanwhile, at the moment, the aggrieved Ama Sey has not come out herself to declare her intentions of going independent. Moreover, she did not appear at the rally to indicate her declination.

    According to President Akufo-Addo, the NPP does not serve human beings but the party as a whole.

    “This independent thing they are talking about. I have heard it. But I don’t believe that Ama Sey will go independent. I don’t believe it. And she is a staunch NPP and NPP is on her heart.

    “It pains me that she is not here but I know well that she will not do that.

    “If the 4more4Nana becomes a reality, she will be part of my new arrangements and she (Ama Sey) knows she has been factored,” Nana Addo said to the people of Akwatia.

    According to Osafo Marfo, the Senior Minister, Ama Sey herself has confirmed to him that she would not go independent.

    He expressed that the NPP greatly recognizes her sterling effort in 2016 for heavily defeating then NDC candidate, Baba Jamal, to capture the Akwatia seat for the party.

    Source: McAnthony Dagyenga, Contributor

  • Stop leaking official documents to politicians – Civil servants cautioned

    The Head of the Local Government Service (LGS), Dr. Nana Ato Arthur has condemned the leakage of official documents by some public and civil servants to politicians.

    Dr. Arthur indicated that the practice which is currently on the increase is “illegal” and the act needs to be frowned upon.

    He added that measures were being put in place to ensure that such leaked documents could easily be traced and the culprits duly sanctioned to deter others from indulging in the act.

    According to a report by Daily Graphic, he gave this caution at a staff durbar with LGS staff and heads of departments in the Bosomtwe District at Kuntunase in the Ashanti Region on Friday, October 2, 2020.

    He also used the opportunity to reiterate the need for Assembly staff to report to work on time adding that persons who habitually report to work late risk facing sanctions.

    He called on all heads of departments to assist in ensuring that staff complied with the reporting and closing hours or face being reprimanded.

    According to Dr. Arthur, the biometric clocking machines which was made available at the various assemblies across the country to record reporting and departure times of staff will once again be put to use in 2021.

    Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of the procured machines was placed on hold to reduce the possible spread of the virus.

    But, Dr Arthur has hinted that the assemblies will soon employ its use as some staff are not being punctual to work, this he says affects productivity.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Bawumia is intelligent and hardworking – Lydia Seyram Alhassan

    The Vice President of the Republic, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is intelligent and hardworking according to the Member of Parliament for Ayawaso West Wuguon, Lydia Seyram Alhassan.

    According to her,the Vice President has distinguished himself as a powerhouse of knowledge in the field of economics and management of the economy. She further stressed that,his prognostic ideas and policy alternatives is the reason why the Ghanaian economy is on the right track.

    Addressing residents of Abelemkpe she said, “Without a doubt, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia is a cistern of sound policies and programmes idyllic to develop Ghana.”

    “The Vice President is very intelligent and hardworking that is why am pleading with you to vote for me and President Akufo-Addo to continue our good works.”

    “Never in the history of Ghana, has a Vice President been so visible and notable in government business.”

    Lydia Seyram Alhassan stated that, Ghanaians should be proud to have had one of its own as a vice president, whose dedication to his work is unprecedented.

    Source: kingdomfmonline.com

  • October 7: EC to exhibit voter register for one-day registration

    The Electoral Commission (EC) has announced October 7, 2020, as the date for the exhibition of the voter register for Ghanaian citizens who took part in the recent one-day voter’s registration exercise.

    The one-day exercise will take place from 7 am to 6 pm, the EC said in a public announcement.

    The Commission also urged all persons who took part in the exercise to go to the District Offices where they registered to check their names and ensure that all their details are properly captured.

    It will be recalled that the voter register was re-opened on October 1 to enable those who have attained the age of 18 and citizens who were not able to register to do so.

    However, during the exercise, a number of Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) kits at some centres issued applicants with identification (ID) numbers that had already been issued.

    In a statement, the EC explained that the error had been corrected.

    It said the affected applicants would be contacted and issued with new ID cards with unique numbers.

    “It is important to note that, the biometric and biographic details of the affected applicants are intact,” the statement added.

    Source: Graphic.com.gh

  • Bono, Bono East, Ahafo will be agro-processing capital of Ghana – Mahama

    The Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has announced that the Bono, Bono East and Ahafo regions will be the designated centres for agro-processing in the country.

    In an earlier tour of the Bono and Bono East Regions where cashew, pepper and tomato are grown in commercial quantities, Mr Mahama promised that processing factories would be established in the regions, if he wins the December 2020 elections. This, he explained, will help add value and address the perennial problem of post-harvest losses and low crop prices to farmers.

    Addressing a durbar of chiefs, farmers, drivers, artisans and other groups in Techimantia in the Ahafo region on Friday, the NDC leader expressed confidence that the establishment of the processing factories will create more jobs, value and help the farmers earn more money for themselves and their families.

    Mr. Mahama expressed his disappointment with the cancellation of the free fertilizer programme introduced by his administration for cocoa farmers, noting that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo chose instead to sell cocoa fertilizers marked “not for sale” to the farmers.

    He promised the farmers that he will restore the free fertilizer programme.

    At the gathering, the former President introduced the NDC Parliamentary Candidate for the area, Hannah Bissue, who was also a former Deputy Minister of Agriculture under his administration.

    He said it was important to have more capable women in Parliament and therefore entreated the people to vote for her to be their Member of Parliament.

    Source: Starr FM

  • Dormaa Chief supports Mahamas call for national debate

    The Paramount Chief of Dormaa Traditional Council, Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyemang-Badu II, has supported the call for the leaders of the two major parties to hold a national debate, as Ghana prepares for the December 7 general elections.

    The presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Mr John Dramani Mahama challenged President Akufo-Addo to an infrastructure debate on Thursday, 20 August 2020.

    Mr Mahama told the chiefs and people of Kwamekrom in the Biakoye constituency during his Oti Region tour that “he is ready to settle the infrastructure debate once and for all”, adding that “President Akufo-Addo is at liberty to select the moderators and the institution that he wants to organise the debate, and he will show up any day, at any time and anywhere.”

    Even though there has not been an official response from the incumbent President, the NPP says it is not in their campaign plans to debate the former President.

    The Dormaa Paramount Chief, however, supports the call for a national debate.

    Addressing a gathering when the former president paid a courtesy call on him at his palace in Dormaa Ahenkro on Thursday, 2 October 2020, Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyemang-Badu II said: “I strongly support this debate between the two presidential candidates to enable Ghanaians to know the party with the better track record and decide who to vote for”.

    Oseadeeyo Agyemang-Badu II expressed the hope that the two parties would come to an amicable solution to participate in the national debate.

    In the area of infrastructure development, the Dormaa Paramount Chief extolled the achievements of Mr Mahama during his tenure.

    According to Oseadeeyo Agyemang-Badu II, he is always ready to praise any government that is working to develop his area and urged other leaders who would get the opportunity to govern the country to work hard to beat the record that has been set by Mr Mahama, for Ghana to develop.

    Source: Class FM

  • 2020 elections: What Otumfuo told Akufo-Addo and Mahama when they called on him

    The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II is undoubtedly one of the most respected figures in the country which makes his statements profound and impactful.

    It is for this reason that in every election year, politicians, particularly presidential candidates of the two leading parties call on him before they commence their campaign in the Ashanti Region where he rules as king.

    This year, both Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party and John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress have visited the king in separate meetings.

    On August 26, 2020, when John Mahama paid a courtesy call on Otumfuo, the Asantehene asked the former president to do an introspection on why he lost the 2016 elections.

    Otumfuo advised Mahama to explain to Ghanaians the mistakes of his government and how he intends to correct those mistakes if re-elected.

    “You have been a President before and you want to return as President. I have spoken to you a lot and I have said that if you want to come back, let Ghanaians know what went wrong yesterday. Also let Ghanaians know that the mistakes won’t be repeated”.

    When you lost the election, I said that Ghanaians voted against you out of disappointment and anger, Otumfuo added.

    “And when you were re-elected as flagbearer and you informed me, I asked you whether you have looked at your mistakes in the past and how you can convince Ghanaians how you will correct those mistakes”, the Asantehene said.

    President Akufo-Addo is the latest of the two flagbearers to visit the Otumfuo at his Manhyia Palace.

    Addressing Akufo-Addo and his entourage on Monday September 28, 2020, Otumfuo said that the achievements of the president in the last four years will speak for him.

    Otumfuo assured Akufo-Addo that Asanteman will remember what he has done for them.

    “Your good works in office will speak for you going forward into the election. We, in Asanteman, remember, we do not forget. Asanteman will, therefore, remember your good works on the election day. All I can offer you is prayers and blessings.”

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com