The campaign which began on Monday will take him to the Dormaa West, Dormaa Central, Dormaa East, Sunyani West and Sunyani East constituencies.
On his first day, Mr. Mahama visited and interacted with branch and constituency executives as well as chiefs and party supporters in Wenchi, Tain, Banda, Jaman North and South, Berekum West and Berekum East.
Mr. Mahama is campaigning for votes to lead the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to victory in the 2024 elections. Addressing the delegates, the former President thanked them for their support.
He asked them to convert the support into massive votes for him during the May 13, 2023, presidential primaries.
The primaries will take place in constituencies across the country to elect both the NDC presidential candidate and parliamentary candidates for the 2024 general elections.
Mr. Mahama assured the party, especially the branch executives, that he will continue to support and finance the party’s activities and prepare the grounds for a successful 2024 campaign.
He also tasked the constituency and regional executives to make a commitment to run an effective campaign that drills down to the branches, and also “make available to the branches, campaign materials and logistics for the work.”
Former president,John Dramani Mahama has stated that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) will not compromise in its effort to gain power during the general elections of 2024.
On his campaign visit for the party’s flagbearership contest, he informed party supporters in the Tain and Banda constituency in theBono East Region that the NDC will prioritize the polling places in its effort to ensure its mandate after the vote.
Mahama, who is seeking a fourth straight shot at the presidency, use two controversial phrases in Ghana’s political phraseology to drive home the seriousness the NDC will deploy in 2024.
“I have no doubt that NDC will win the 2024 elections. So, the vote will be a do or die affair and we will be matching them boot to boot at the polling station.
“When the time comes, we will take names of polling station agents and I plead that we need educated persons who can do at least arithmetic, so, that you can decipher what we really got and to ensure the biometric details match the number of papers in a ballots box.
“It is not about who is older in the party. We need a knowledgeable person who can be trained to undertake the task. You can bring your wards who are educated to be trained for the purpose,” he stressed.
Mahama, who will come up against four other competitors said the NDC planned to have its own collated results by midnight of December 7.
“With that, when voting ends at 5 pm, we will be able to declare our victory by midnight. We would have our results. We won’t sleep on the evening of 7th December till we have assured ourselves of victory,” he added to massive applause.
John Dramani Mahama, a former president, has urged Ghanaians to remove the New Patriotic Party (NPP) from power in the general elections of 2024 because of what he calls economic mismanagement and broken promises.
He claims that after pleading with Ghanaians to give him an opportunity to govern, president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has fallen short of expectations.
On a tour of the Bono Region, John Mahama spoke to delegates in Kintampo North and said that Ghanaians could no longer afford a try-and-error leadership style and needed a leader with the necessary experience, track record, and competence.
“Someone begged us to try him and see. We believed him and gave him a chance, but look where we are now.
“He has ruined the economy. Ghanaians are struggling, and the hardship we are facing is unprecedented. We have not seen anything like this in our political history since Kwame Nkrumah’s time,” John Mahama is quoted to have said during his tour. Mahama; former Finance Minister Dr Kwabena Duffuor; former Kumasi Mayor Kojo Bonsu; and businessman Ernest Kwabena Kobeah are expected to compete in the NDC flagbearership election scheduled for May 13, 2023.
John Mahama is currently touring regions accompanied by some national, regional and constituency executives as he campaigns for the party’s flagbearership bid.
He launched his campaign on Thursday, March 2, at the University of Health and Allied Sciences in Ho, on the theme: Building the Ghana that We Want Together.”
Political analyst Michael Ebo Amoah has said that the New Patrotic Party (NPP) must elect Vice president, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as its flagbearer for the 2024 general elections.
According to him, Dr Bawumia is the right candidate since he possesses much experience and strategies in making Ghana a better place.
Mr. Ebo Amoah was speaking on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm about whether the description of Dr. Bawumia as E-Bawumia when he delivered his state of the nation address was an endorsement.
”From where I sit, it would be politically suicidal for the NPP to change Bawumia and bring another person. Just as former President John Dramani Mahama is the most marketed candidate for the NDC, Bawumia is the most marketed candidate for the NPP.
He indicated that the factors would go against the NPP if Dr. Bawumia is not elected as the presidentialcandidate.
“However, in the end, it is up to the delegates to make the final decision. From where I am, the delegates will vote for him. This is not based on any scientific research, but the delegates will choose Dr. Bawumia as the presidential candidate.”
John Dramani Mahama is set to commence a tour of the Bono East Region today, Friday, March 10, 2023.
To directly campaign and engage with National Democratic Congress branch and constituency executives, the former president Mahama would visit all eleven of the area’s electoral districts within two days (NDC).
Confirming his decision to contest the NDC presidential primaries at the University of Health and Allied Sciences(UHAS), Ho, Mr. Mahama noted among others that he is coming before the party’s delegates “in all humility, and in response to calls from my party and the generality of the people of Ghana, to offer myself, to serve this country and its people that I love so dearly.”
According to Mahama, in the quest to lead the NDC to the 2024 polls, he is in no doubt about the enormity of the task ahead, “owing to the level of damage done to our country by this government.”
From the Bono East Region, the John Mahama Campaign will continue to the Bono and Ahafo’s regions.
Mr. Mahama is being accompanied on the tour by the Convener of the John Mahama Campaign, Professor Joshua Alabi, former Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, Campaign Spokesperson, Joyce Mogtari, former NDC appointees, former MPs, former Ambassadors, Regional, Constituency and Branch Executives of the party.
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu, has criticizedPresident Akufo-Addofor not addressing the murder of a soldier in Ashaiman during his State of the Nation Address (SONA).
Tuesday saw a military raid on Ashaiman locals after a soldier was killed.
In a debate on President Akufo-Addo’s State of the Nation Address, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said the President should have commiserated with the families of the deceased officer and the innocent people brutalized by the military.
“As Commander in Chief of the GAF, he should have first of all commiserated with the family and the GAF over the loss of the solider. But the President did not say a word. He didn’t think that he should condemn the brutality and assure that there will be a committee to probe the killing and the high-handedness meted out to the residents, and he is the Commander in Chief of the GAF?”
President Akufo-Addo is under increasing pressure to address the military abuses in Ashaiman.
Many anticipate that the President will make a public statement on the subject as Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces.
Amnesty International, a non-governmental and human rights advocacy group claims that during his state of the nation address, the President had a chance to address the issue but failed to do so.
Former President John Dramani Mahama has advised the military to refrain from meting out extra-judicial justice to them adding that there are many people who live and work in Ashaiman who are innocent of this heinous crime.
He further advised the military to exercise restraint and allow due process to work.
For him, the government must step in to address the situation between Ashaiman residents and GAF while pushing for compensation for all persons affected.
Internet users have been warned by the Cyber Security Authority (CSA) not to click on two malicious URLs that circulate and pretend to give access to a financial donation from John Dramani Mahama, a former president of Ghana.
The CSA stated that the links were mostly being disseminated using social media platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, and Telegram in a public alert released today (March 9, 2023).
The webpages displayed after the links are clicked come with the message: “Former President JOHN MAHAMA on Feb 1st 2023. Offer a New Grants of 2,000 GHS to individual to support all Citizens and Empower the Youths. My idea for the introduction of this is to make every individual happy and empower our Youth for business and career goals. Get Your Own 2,000 By Filling The Form Below. The JOHN MAHAMA 2,000 GHS New Grant Support for All Ghanians. Applicants are to fill the form below and click on Apply”.
A form titled “Mahama’s Grant Application Form” is also displayed on the web pages for interested persons to submit Personally Identifiable Information (PII).
Warning
The Authority also warned that harvested Personally Identifiable Information (PII) from applicants of the websites may be used for phishing attacks and other online fraudulent activities.
“The public is hereby informed to disregard the offer as the former President is not associated with these websites,” the alert reads.
Other recommendation
The CSA also warned internet users to be cautious of links that were unsolicited and pay attention to the domain names for any website that claims to be associated with a high-profile personality.
“Contact the CSA if you need help to confirm the authenticity of links,” the alert adds.
“Pay attention to the content on sites you visit. Fake or malicious sites are likely to have several spelling and grammatical errors. • Avoid clicking on links in suspicious or unexpected messages and emails, especially those that ask you to enter personal information or login credentials.
“Keep all your software especially antivirus up to date. This will help prevent attackers from exploiting known vulnerabilities in your software or operating system”.
The CSA has a 24-hour Cybersecurity/Cybercrime Incident Reporting Points of Contact (POC) for reporting cybercrimes and for seeking guidance or assistance on online activities. Call or Text-292, WhatsApp-050 160 3111, Email – report@csa.gov.gh.
Former president, John Dramani Mahama, has sent his condolences to the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) and the family of the military officer, Sherif Imoro Trooper, who was killed in Ashaiman.
“I am deeply saddened by the death of one of our soldiers, at such a young age, in Ashaiman. Lordina and I extend our deepest condolences to his bereaved and grieving family, and the officers and men of the Ghana Armed Forces,” the former President said in a Facebook post said.
Military personnel stormed Ashaiman on Tuesday dawn March 7, 2023, with helicopters and armoured vehicles, to torture civilians following the murder of a military officer, Trooper Sherrif Imoro, who was allegedly stabbed in the town on Saturday, March 4, 2023.
The reasons for his murder are currently not known.
The former President advised the military to refrain from meting out extra-judicial justice to them adding that there are many people who live and work in Ashaiman who are innocent of this heinous crime.
He further advised the military to exercise restraint and allow due process to work.
“As your former Commander in Chief, I do appreciate how such unexpected deaths affect the Force. However, I encourage you to exercise restraint and allow due process to investigate, apprehend, prosecute and punish the perpetrator(s) of the dastardly act. There are obviously many people who live and work in Ashaiman who are innocent of this heinous crime. The military must, therefore, refrain from meting out extra-judicial justice to them,” Mr. Mahama admonished.
He called on the government to step in to address the situation between Ashaiman residents and GAF and thus called for compensation for all persons affected.
“I also sympathise with the victims of the torture in Ashaiman as a result of this unfolding death of a serving soldier.
I pray we find peace and harmony in our dear country, as the government and state institutions immediately step in to address this potentially inflammatory development between Ashaiman and the Ghana Armed Forces; including providing commensurate compensation for all persons affected,” the former President suggested.
The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) in a statement justified the brutalities adding that the raid was not to avenge the death of the soldier but to fish out perpetrators of heinous crimes.
GAF announced that its high command sanctioned the swoop.
The Ghana Armed Forces in the statement announced that following the operation at Ashaiman-Taifa and Tulaku, the military personnel picked up about 184 suspects aged between 21 and 47 years old and have since handed them over to the Military Police.
GAF said the suspects will later be handed over to the police for screening and further action.
The MP for the area said 150 persons have so far been released by the military.
Former president John Dramani Mahama has showered praise and gratitude on his spouse, Lordina Dramani Mahama on the occasion of her 60th birthday.
In a Facebook post sighted by GhanaWeb, Mr Mahama expressed appreciation to his wife for her support over the period of their union describing the former first lady as his rock.
“Lordina, my partner on this life’s journey. Thanks for the good times and the not too good times. You’ve stayed by my side through thick and thin. We have braved the stormy seas together. You’ve been my rock.
“It’s your great day today and I celebrate you. Age is just a number. Enjoy your birthday and live many more years in good health.
“Lordina my wife, my love and my friend! Wishing you a happy 60th birthday,” the former President wrote.
Profile of Mrs Lordina Dramani Mahama
Lordina Mahama was a former Second Lady of Ghana from 2009 to 2012 and then became First Lady of Ghana from 2012 to 2017. She is the wife of the former president of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, the fourth president of the Fourth Republic of Ghana.
She was born and raised in Nkoranza, Brong-Ahafo Region.
Lordina is married to John Dramani Mahama and together they have five children: Shafik, Shahid, Sharaf, Jesse, and Farida.
She speaks English, Hausa, Dagbani, and Twi fluently.
Education
She attended the Anglican elementary school and then proceeded to the Ghana Secondary School in Tamale, where she met her husband John Dramani Mahama.
She has a degree in Hospitality Management and a Masters in Governance and Leadership from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration.
She also acquired a Master of Laws (LLM) in Business Law/International Business Law from the De Montfort University in the United Kingdom in 2019.
Career and roles played
She served as Second Lady till July 2012, when she became First Lady of Ghana.
As First Lady she worked as an HIV/AIDS advocate, breast and cervical cancer advocate, and an advocate for orphans and alleged witches. She worked with the Ghana AIDS Commission and other agencies to bring integrated HIV and AIDS, Sexual Reproductive health, Breast, and Cervical cancer services to Ghana.
Lordina set up Technical and Vocational Training (TVET) to empower women as well as represent Ghana at forums to discuss issues relating to women and children.
She was the vice president for the West Africa Region of OAFLA in June 2015 and was elected President of the Organisation of African First Ladies Against HIV and AIDS (OAFLA).
Due to Lordina Mahama’s outstanding work, she was honored at the 50th International Women Luncheon of the Rainbow Push Coalition which took place in Chicago (USA).
She ensured, during her tenure that girls were immunized by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance against HPV to prevent cervical cancer and other diseases.
She represented Ghana at the 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th Stop Cervical, Breast, and Prostate Cancer Conference.
Lordina adopted 6 orphanages and one witch camp as focus facilities for her donations while still contributing to other orphanages.
She also led initiatives to provide food, housekeeping items, clothes, and other basic necessities to orphanages and witch camps in Ghana.
The orphanages and witch camps were made up of two in the Greater Accra Region; the Osu Children’s Home in Osu and the Christ Faith Forster home in Frafraha.
Two in the Brong Ahafo Region; FrankMay Children’s Home and Bethesda Children’s Home both in Techiman
Two in the Northern Region; the Tamale Children’s Home and Anfaani Children’s Home both in Tamale
The Gambaga Witch Camp is located in the North-East Region where she began a training project to provide vocational training and other entrepreneurial skills to serve women and girls within the camp. She also set up a hostel facility for students in and around Gambaga who would want to train at the center.
She visited the Gambaga Witch Camp in 2014 and she also visited Nyohini Children’s Home and the Anfaani Orphanage in Tamale, where she interacted with the children and made donations.
In December 2016, with Nana Oye Lithur, the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection inaugurated an accommodation complex for toddlers financed by her foundation at the Osu Children’s Home.
She also made several donations of start-up kits to artisans who had completed and graduated from vocational training centers to facilitate their business and help them establish their own enterprises and businesses, these included donations in support with the Chinese Embassy in Ghana through their Ambassador Sun Baohong.
She has a foundation, the Lordina Foundation which has touched the lives of many and makes donations during festivities. The motto of the Foundation is “The more we share, the more we have”.
Honours and recognition
Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, by the President and Trustees of the Fordham University.
An award for the campaign for cervical cancer, Maputo, Mozambique.
Award for cervical cancer advocacy, Windhoek, Namibia.
Inducted into the Global Women Leaders Hall of Fame.
Global Inspiration Leadership Award at the Africa-Middle East-Asia summit in Dubai.
Enstooled as Sompahemaa of the Nkoranza Traditional Area, with a stool title (Nana Akosua Fremaa Ampomah Sika I).
Enstooled as Development Queen in Bodom in the Brong Ahafo region of Ghana.
Enstooled as Development Queen in Anloga in Kumasi, Ashanti region of Ghana.
Former President John Dramani Mahama has fervently pleaded with Ghanaians to elect the NDC to power in the 2024 presidential elections in order to reinstate him as their leader.
Mahama declared that he will run for president of Ghana again because he is the person the nation needs to lead it at this time while speaking on Thursday at the beginning of his campaign to be the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
He continued by saying that he is the steady hand Ghana needs to emerge from its current economic difficulties and that, along with the populace, he will create the Ghana that every Ghanaian desires.
“For the 2024 election which I consider to be the most important and defining poll of our time, I have not taken this step lightly. It has been a product of months of prayer, broad consultation and sober reflection. I have searched my soul and paid close attention to your voices and to your daily struggles, and to our present national predicament.
“At this stage, Ghana demands experience, not experiments… Ghana does not need a try-me-too leader. Ghana demands togetherness and not divisiveness. Now is the time for bravery of heart and clarity of purpose.
“I’m ready and able to be the kind of president that Ghanaians are looking for. I’m not the kind of leader that derives pleasure or smiles at my country’s failings, even the failings of my political opponents. As far as I’m concerned, there is no vindication to be derived from the suffering of the Ghanaian people.
“I’m offering myself for public office at this time because I appreciate the enormity of the task ahead owing to the level of damage this government has done to our country. And I also know that such a mountainous task requires a steady, unifying, and experienced hand to build the “Ghana we want together”.
“And as I said, this is no time for experimentation. Ghana at this point does not need a try-me-too leader,” Mahama reiterated.
Joshua Alabi, a former candidate for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer position, has praised John Dramani Mahama as a knowledgeable and innovative nation-builder.
On Thursday, March 2, he made this declaration while addressing at John Mahama’s campaign launch in Ho for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential primaries ahead of the 2024 general elections.
Joshua Alabi claims to have known Mahama for the past 50 years and has long appreciated him for his kindness, knowledge, wisdom, modesty, and honesty.
He revealed that Mahama was loved by many and he equally showed love to as many as he should show love to.
“No wonder this wise man, calm, modest, and firm gentleman rose up to serve this country in different capacities.”
“From Member of Parliament to Deputy Minister to Cabinet Minister, Vice President, and President, his performance as President gave him the accolade of a nation-builder.”
“Former President Mahama is a proven nation-builder whose creativity is not based on rhetoric as others’ but on a sense of urgency and commitment.
“He is a competent builder with a strong sense of urgency and direction.” “He knows how to recreate a workable Ghana that brings value to the people,” Alabi added.
Former President John Mahama has vowed to scrap ex-gratia if given the nod in the upcoming 2024 elections.
Speaking at the launch of his campaign, Mr Mahama explained that this will be part of measures to ensure financial prudence during his administration.
“The payment of ex-gratia to members of the Executive under article 71 will be scrapped. And the necessary Constitutional steps to abolish that payment will start in earnest in 2025,” he said.
Ex-gratia payments are regarded as part of the end-of-service benefits for a certain class of public servants — and it is paid every four years.
The category of workers who benefit from ex-gratia payment is Article 71 office holders made up of the President, the Vice President, the Speaker of Parliament, the Chief Justice and other Justices of the Supreme Court of the country.
The rest are Parliamentarians, Ministers of State, political appointees and public servants with salaries charged to the Consolidated Fund, but enjoying special Constitutional privileges.
There have been conflicting arguments about the essence of the payment of ex-gratia to Article 71 Office holders, with some commentators and Governance experts describing the practice as an “unfair arrangement.”
The debate resurrected when it emerged that Togbe Afede, the Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State, returned an amount of GHS350,000 paid to him as ex-gratia for serving as a Member of the Council of State.
Togbe Afede described the amount as “outrageous” saying it was “inappropriate for a short, effectively part-time work.”
Mr Mahama has also assured Ghanaians that ex-gratia will become a thing of the past.
“We will also begin the process of persuading the other arms of government other than the executive to accept the removal of these ex-gratia payments,” he mentioned.
A former president, John Dramani Mahama, has for the umpteenth time blamed the Akufo-Addo-led administration for the country’s economic woes.
Mr Mahama indicated that despite the hard work of his administration, Ghanaians decided to vote for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2016 general elections due to the “lofty” promises by the then opposition party in hope that their problems will be resolved.
However, they have been disappointed by theAkufo-Addo government, he said.
Speaking during his campaign launch to contest in the presidential primary of theNational Democratic Congress(NDC) ahead of the 2024 general elections, in Ho on Thursday, March 2, Mr Mahama said “This government has been clueless and in many ways callous the unthinkable has happened and our country today is broken on all fronts, Ghana is bankrupt.
“We are saddled with debts we simply can’t pay, we have suffered the global humiliation of defaulting on our debts and being downgraded by all credit rating agencies to the lowest level ever seen in our history”
He added “Our economy is in the worst ever shape with suffering and pain on an unprecedented level.”
He further said he does not take his decision to contest in the flagbearer elections of the NDC lightly.
In his view, the 2020 general election is the most important and defining poll in the Fourth Republic hence his decision to contest.
Speaking at his campaign launch in Ho on Thursday, March 2, he said “For the 2024 elections which I consider to be the most important and defining poll of our time, I have not taken this step lightly, it has been the product of months of prayer, broad consultations and sober reflections.
“I have searched my sole and paid close attention to your voices, to your daily struggles and to your present national predicament.”
He added “At this stage, Ghana demands experience not experiment, Ghana demands togetherness and not divisiveness, now is the time for the bravery of heart and clarity of purpose.”
In an effort to represent theNational Democratic Congress (NDC) as the party’s nominee in the general elections of 2024, the former president John Dramani Mahama will launch his campaign today, March 2, 2023.
‘Building the Ghana we want together’ will be the theme for launching his campaign which will take place in the Cedi Auditorium at the University of Health and Allied Sciences in Ho, in the Volta Region.
Aside from the former president, Dr. Kwabena Duffour, a former Finance Minister, Kojo Bonsu, a former Mayor of Kumasi, and Ernest Kobeah, a 43-year-old businessman based in the United Kingdom, are all running for the job.
The party is anticipated to conduct its presidential primaries on May 13, 2023.
After losing the previous two elections in 2016 and 2020, John Mahama intends to run for president again in the 2024 polls.
The former President, however, is confident that he has what it takes to assist the nation out of its current economic crisis.
Mahama’s former campaign manager, Joshua Alabi, and some Regional Chairmen of the National Democratic Congress picked up presidential nomination forms on his behalf.
Observers are backing calls for Mr. Mahama to go unopposed in the NDC’s upcoming presidential election.
Although the rules of the NDC permit an open contest for all qualified members of the party, allowing Mahama to go unopposed they believe will save the party both resources and time.
A political scientist and lecturer at the University of Ghana, Dr. Abdul Jalilu Ateku, says he does not foresee any significant threat to the victory of Mahama in the NDC’s primaries.
Dr. Ateku anticipated that the former President will win by a landslide victory in the internal polls.
He said none of the presidential hopefuls who have declared their intentions to contest on the ticket of the opposition NDC comes out stronger than Mr. Mahama.
But the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has said it is not perturbed about the decision of John Dramani Mahama to run for president.
Director of Communications for the NPP, Richard Ahiagbah said the party is not worried about a man who has no track record to show when he was president.
“We have beaten him twice, so you just conclude for yourself if we are afraid of him. It is all mathematical, and we have defeated him twice. He is even afraid to plainly declare whether he is going to contest or not. We are ready for him.”
The Gonjaland has a new Chief. The Paramount Chief for Tuluwe Traditional Area of the Gonja Kingdom, Tuluwe-wura Soale Mbema Borenyi I has been nominated as the new Overlord of Gonja by the Kingmakers of the Yagbon Skin led by Sonyowura Bakari Kanyiti I.
Both the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Savannah Region have congratulated the newly selected Yagbonwura Yiram Amobanefe Borenyi (I) through statements copied to Bole-based Nkilgi FM.
The NDC said they received the heartening news of the selection of the new Yagbonwura elect, Yiram Amobanefe Borenyi I, in recognition of his status as the new Overlord of the entire Gonja traditional area.
A statement by the NDC Communication Officer for the Savannah Region RA Jalil said; “on behalf of the NDC, the entire Savanna Region membership and on my behalf, I write to therefore express warm felicitations to you on your attainment of the apex of the Gonja kingship hierarchy.
He added that “We are especially gratified that your ascension has further proven the resilience of the Gonja Kingdom’s time-tested succession plan, dating back centuries of no interruption”.
The NDC said; “As stakeholders of the land we want to assure Yiram Nbema Amobanefe Borenyi I of our fullest support, including the respect and non-interference of the Gonja tradition chieftaincy processes, as we have always done to his predecessors”.
RA Jail said; “The NDC has undoubtedly been proud of its achievements across the breadth and length of the Gonja kingdom, ranging from construction of Schools, hospitals, roads, electrification, human resource development, factories etc. for the uplifting of quality life in Gonjaland and Ghana as a whole. Yiram is therefore rest assured of the continuation of this stands for his Kingdom’s fair share of the national cake when H.E John Dramani Mahama, a son of the soil and also the presumptive flag bearer of the NDC, becomes the President of the Republic of Ghana on 7th January 2025”.
The NPP on the other hand in a statement signed by the Savannah Regional Secretary Mr Mohammed Issah said; “on behalf of the Regional Chairman, Alhaji Sulemana Iddrisu, the Savannah Regional NPP would like to by this notice officially congratulate the New King and overlord of the Gonja Kingdom-Elect, Jira Tulwewura Soale Mbemah Amonebafi Borenyi I, on his appointment to the greatest throne of the Jakpa Kingdom”.
The statement added that; “at the behest of the acting King and Head of the Kingdom, Jira Sonyowura Adamu Kanyiti Bakari, together with the Kingmakers announced a new Yagbonwura in Damango as tradition and custom of the land demands”.
The NPP said; “The entire NPP in the Savannah Region and the Nation congratulates you on this well-deserved appointment. It is the belief of all, that your dedication, selflessness and compassionate leadership alongside the spirit of Ndewura Jakpa, shall lead you in the execution of your duties as the new overlord”.
The statement from the NPP added that; “The Gonja Kingdom has been the centre of attraction and attention since the death of her Overlord and King a few weeks ago. As documented and practised by the Gonja people historically, succession and transition to the Yagbon skin are admired from far for its unique success and beauty”.
The NPP also said; “As we congratulate the new King, we also take this opportunity to congratulate Jira, Sonyowura, the Kingmakers, the Jakpa palace, the gallant Youth led by Gonjaland Youth Association and the people of Gonjaland, for successfully carrying out such a sacred duty for our generation and posterity”.
Former Director of Communications for the oppositionNational Democratic Congress, has questioned the popularity of the party’s 2020 presidential candidate, former PresidentJohn Dramani Mahama; as being touted by his supporters.
According to some supporters of Mr Mahama, the former president based on his popularity with the Ghanaian electorate should have been allowed to run unopposed in the NDC’s upcoming primaries.
But speaking on Top FM’s Final Point talk show hosted by Kwabena Owusu Agyemang (Governor), Solomon Nkansah who is part of the Dr Kwabena Duffour campaign team dared the former president to leave the NDC and contest as an independent candidate if he is that popular.
“It is the NDC that is popular than any individual within the party. No individual who is a member of the party is more popular.
“Jerry Rawlings who is the founder of the party led the campaign of late President Mills but the NDC still lost. If he was that popular, he could have led the party to power,” he said.
“He should go independent. If he is popular than the party, he should go independent and let’s see,” Solomon Nkansah added.
The NDC on Friday, February 23, 2023, closed nominations for its flagbearership contest slated for May 13, 2023.
Former President John Mahama, Dr Kwabena Duffour and two others picked nomination forms to contest in the race.
Whereas Mr Mahama is deemed by some members of the NDC as the party’s presumptive flagbearer based on his popularity, Solomon Nkansah believes the former president’s brand is suffering from diminishing returns.
He posits that Dr Duffour remains the ideal candidate to win the NDC power going into the 2024 presidential election.
Member of Parliament for Tamale North, Alhassan Suhuyini, has disclosed that the entire Minority Caucus in Parliament is solidly behind the presidential candidature of John Dramani Mahama.
He told Oyerepa TV on February 22, that all 137 National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs were in attendance at a meeting held earlier this week to pledge their support for the former president.
Asked whether all NDC MPs were in support of Mahama’s bid to lead the NDC into the 2024 elections, he responded: “Absolutely, all Members of Parliament on the ticket of the NDC were all present…
“… and on behalf of all of us, our new leader Hon. Ato Forson made a resounding declaration of total support for his candidature and it was followed by a resounding applause followed by a standing ovation.”
According to him, “the brother of a possible contender was introduced at the meeting because he is also a Member of Parliament and he declared his support,” he added without naming the said MP.
Mahama declares bid, picks nomination forms
Mahama’s formal intention to run for a third consecutive shot at the presidency was reported when a number of NDC MPs confirmed after a meeting that he was going to contest.
On February 22, forms were picked on his behalf by Prof. Alabi and regional chairmen amid fanfare. Mahama is expected to address the media in due course to formally announce his bid.
Mahama’s political roots date as far back to the days of Ghana’s independence when his father served in the Nkrumah government.
John Mahama, a political thoroughbred
He is reputed to be one of the most thoroughbred politicians of the Fourth Republic having served from the local level (Assembly) through to becoming a Member of Parliament for Bole Bamboi on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress.
Mahama held deputy minister and ministerial portfolios under the Rawlings government before rising to become vice president under John Mills and president when he took over from Mills then won his first full term in 2012.
He is widely expected to contest for the presidency come 2024 as he seeks a final term in office on the back of two straight defeats to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in 2016 and 2020.
The New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) deputy director of communications, Ernest Owusu Bempah, claims that the NPP is unconcerned by former President John Dramani Mahama’s plan to run for president.
He was hopeful that Ghanaians “will not choose a dead goat over a limping elephant,” in the upcoming general elections.
Mr. Bempah said the 2024 elections will be based on track record which Ghanaians can easily attest to the hardships and mess they went through under Mr. Mahama’s tenure and reject him on that score.
He said persons, especially young people with financial difficulties couldn’t go to school during Mahama’s administration but president Akufo-Addo’s government has made free SHS a reality and has so far catered for some five million students.
Reacting to Mahama’s decision to run for president in the 2024 elections, Mr Owusu Bempah told journalists that “we all know our political history, what has Mahama got to offer the people of Ghana? As Vice President, as a caretaker president and the sitting president, for six years, he ran the economy like a casino economy. His key legacy was dumsor which was a nightmare for every Ghanaian. Hundreds of thousands of jobs were lost.”
He said the Mahama administration was so bad at managing the economy that the “economy was on its knees when there was no global crisis”.
“We handed over an economy that had discovered oil in commercial quantity, GDP was about 14 percent when we were leaving power but when Mahama took over before 2012, GDP dropped to 3.5 percent, that tells how he ran the economy down. This is the economy that NDC left, with abysmal performance in all sectors,” Mr. Bempah further lamented the damage done by Mahama’s administration.
Mr. Bempah also intimated that the mess caused by John Mahama was so widespread that the suffering it brought was cross-sectoral.
“The ordinary barber, the hairdresser, the trotro driver suffered. We were not in a pandemic, yet this was the growth, it was terrible under NDC. In 2013 depreciation of the Cedi was 14.5 percent, in 2014 it was 31.3 percent depreciation. We are talking about the dead goat. Most of the Ghanaian industry collapsed under NDC regime, from PNDC to Mahama NDC, so I am daring them to come and tell us that it is not right.
“In the banking sector, the interest rate was about 35 to 40 percent under Mahama, high cost of borrowing, there was no crisis, and corruption was the order of the day. Mahama institutionalized corruption in this country, they made corruption part of our body politics, to the extent that the leader himself was part, such as Kanazoe fiasco, Airbus scandal, Isofotone. A company cited by Bloomberg and New York Times as one of the most corrupt companies in the world was awarded the $280 million contract to build the circle interchange.”
He therefore advised Ghanaians to be wise because “Mahama is coming for just four years” and “what will he do in four years that he couldn’t have done in his six years as president?”
A 43-year-old businessman based in the United Kingdom, Ernest Kobeah, has picked his nomination form to contest in the flagbearership race of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
He picked the form briefly after the former president, John Dramani Mahama picked up his forms at the party’s headquarters to contest the flagbearship race.
“I am here to pick nomination forms and you know the NDC, will always bring a surprise. So, I am the new one to bring all the surprises in the NDC. I also want Ghanaians to know that the NDC, we support democracy and we will build a new Ghana for anyone to live in,” he said when he picked his form.
The National Democratic Congress opened its nominations for the election of its Presidential candidate and Parliamentary Candidates for the 2024 General Elections.
So far, two flagbearer hopefuls have picked their nominations; John Mahama and Ernest Kobeah.
Kwabena Duffuor, former Finance Minister and Kojo Bonsu are expected to pick up their forms on Wednesday, February 22, 2023.
Former President, John Dramani Mahama has officially announced his plans to run for President in the 2024 general election.
Mr. Mahama made the formal announcement when he met with the Minority caucus at his Cantonment office on Tuesday.
All NDC MPs in Parliament have unanimously endorsed John Dramani as flagbearer.
Present at the meeting were former Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, former NDC Campaign Manager for the 2020 general elections, Professor Joshua Alabi and former Information Minister, Kofi Totobi Quakyi.
It is expected that the former President will make a public declaration in the coming days.
On Monday, leadership of four unions – Motor Riders Union, True Drivers Union, Concerned Drivers Union and Abossey OkaiSpare-part Dealers Association – petitioned John Dramani Mahama, urging him to contest for the Presidency.
If elected President, John Dramani Mahama will, in the opinion of the unions, be the finest person to address the nation’s current economic problems.
Presenting the petition to the office of the former President, the Public Relations Officer of the Motor Riders Association, Setsofia Quashie said Ghanaians are desirous of a change in administration that will result in the transformation of the economy.
NDC Greater Accra Chairmen endorse Mahama; promise to pay his GH¢500K filing fee
Constituency Chairmen of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Greater Accra Region had earlier declared their support and endorsement for former President John Dramani Mahama, should he decide to contest the party’s presidential primaries.
The Greater Accra Chairmen Caucus during a courtesy call on Mr. Mahama asked him to lead the party to the 2024 election.
According to the 33 chairmen, it is only President John Mahama who can lead and win the elections for the NDC in 2024.
The caucus, led by Dome Kwabenya Chairman, Isaac Lamptey, also promised that they will raise and pay the filing fee of GH¢500,000 for Mr. Mahama to contest the NDC primaries.
NDC youth in the Volta Region also want John Dramani Mahama to run unopposed for the flagbearership race of the party ahead of the polls.
The group believes that there “is no need for flagbearer elections, but instead the party should directly endorse the former president as flagbearer of the party for the 2024 presidential elections.”
The leadership of four unions comprising the Motor Riders Union, True Drivers Union, Concerned Drivers Union and Abossey Okai Spare-part Dealers Association have petitioned former President John Dramani Mahama, urging him to contest for the Presidency in the 2024 general elections.
The unions believe John Dramani Mahama will be the best leader to address the country’s current economic challenges if elected President.
Presenting the petition to the office of the former President, the Public Relations Officer of the Motor Riders Association, Setsofia Quashie said Ghanaians are yearning for a change in government that will lead to the transformation of the economy.
“Since you left, everything has been in shambles, we can’t even buy fuel to work to make ends meet. Things have been so tough that we can’t wait to see you come to rescue us. We are by this petition asking you to endlessly consider the points raised and do the needful by heeding to the call of all Ghanaians who are yearning for a change.”
Receiving the petition on behalf of John Mahama, former Chief of staff, Julius Debrah said the former president will consider the request.
Former President John Dramani Mahama has acknowledged that his administration erred in its decision to purchase tractors forfarmerswhile he was in power.
Mr Mahama says that given another chance, he will rather buy the tractors, and put them in a pool for someone with the expertise to manage and provide the tractor services to farmers.
“I realised some of the things that we did, we made mistakes, we imported tractors and agricultural equipment, and we gave it to farmers. The farmer does not need the tractor, he does not need the agricultural equipment, he needs the services of a tractor,” the former President said in Munich.
The former President added “so somebody who knows how tomaintain that tractor must have a service centre, where he provides the services to the farmer. But we gave the tractors to the farmers, and in a year or two the tractor had broken down because he [farmer] doesn’t know that every six months you must change the engine oil, you must change the filters, you must grease the tractor, he [farmer] doesn’t know that. So we will approach it differently.
Former President Mahamais in Munich, Germany, attending the 59th Munich Security Conference 2023. The conference provides a platform for high-level debates “on key foreign and security policy challenges.”
Mr Mahama is the Chairperson of the Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa. The Tana Forum in collaboration with Bundesverband der Deutschen Industrie e.V. (BDI) on Saturday, hosted a side event, an MSC Regional Breakfast on “Africa’s Place in a multipolar world: Moving from strategy to action.”
The session was opened by President Mahama as Chair of the Tana Forum and addressed by the Chairman of the Munich Security Conference, Ambassador Christoph Heusgen, and Wolfgang Niedermark of BDI, the Federation of German Industries.
South Africa’s Minister for Defence, Thandi Modise, delivered the keynote remarks.
The former National Science and Mathematics Quiz (NSMQ) contestant Ninwie Leonard Lanyeli, who is seeking medical treatment for bipolar disorder, celebrated his birthday on February 7, 2023.
According to a post by Rafik Mahama, an aide to the Ibrahim Mahama, who is sponsoring the treatment and later education of Leonard, the celebration was put together by a team the camp of Ibrahim, brother of former president John Dramani Mahama.
He posted on Facebook that the party took place at the East Legon residence of Leonard adding that his trip abroad for medical attention will be in a few days.
“Whilst awaiting his documentation to finalise in a few days time for him to be flown out for intense medical treatment and care, on behalf of Mr Ibrahim Mahama, we joined Leonard to celebrate his birthday yesterday at his current residence at East Legon.”
“We were joined by the staff and management of the facility to celebrate this great day. Happy birthday Leonard (Leo). May God grant you all your heart desires and elevate you to the Zenith of your profession. Amen,” the post read.
Ibrahim Mahama to sponsor Leonard’s education, medicals
Ibrahim Mahama offered to pay for the treatment of Leonard whose dreams of pursuing medicine was cut short after he suffered from bipolar disorder.
The decision was announced weeks ago by Rafik.
“On behalf of Mr. Ibrahim Mahama, I contacted Nurudeeni and the family of Leonard led by Eugene. I contacted them last Saturday and earlier today (February 6).
“Leonard’ll receive the best of medical treatment. After the treatment, he’ll complete the remaining two years of the six years programme at KNUST and subsequent post graduate studies either in Ghana or abroad. He’ll be given the best of all the support he needs,” Rafik shared in a Facebook post.
The story of Ningwei Leonard Lanyeli
Ningwie Leonard Lanyeli attended and completed the Ganaa Memorial Junior High School, emerging as the best-performing student with an aggregate of 8.
In senior high school – St Francis Xavier Junior High Seminary, Leonard pursued General Science as a course and earned the name; ‘Dr. Ningwie Leonard Lanyeli’ from his open ambition to become a medical doctor.
With this ambition, he pushed to score 6 As in his WASSCE exams and B2, B3, and B2 in biology, English and social studies respectively, in 2007.
Not only did his final results show his academic prospects, but his participation in the National Science and Maths Quiz in 2007.
After senior high school, his dreams to move to the University of Cape Coast to read medicine were crashed when his parents told him about the difficulty in paying what was the school’s high fees at the time.
Consequently, he joined the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and technology which had relatively more affordable fees to study as a doctor of optometry.
“I gained admission to read medicine at the University of Cape Coast at the cost of GHC4,100 a year and my father was a teacher who couldn’t afford to pay the fees, so I opted to read Optometry (Dr.) at KNUST,” he said in an interview with Joynews’ Mahmud Mohammed-Nurudeen.
There also, he performed incredibly and his feats were recognized by all, in fact, he says, he was the best in his class – at least for the first four years of his course in medicine.
And then his woes began.
His 60-year-old mother, Ninwie Gladys told Joynews that Leonard developed a mental disorder after 4 years in school, after a friend at the university took Leo to his hometown.
His family would only get to know later that the condition of their son was Bipolar Disorder 2 after he took a break from his university studies to seek medical attention at the Pantang Psychiatric Hospital in 2013.
“There is a certificate hanged in that empty room that shows that I still hold the record as the winner of spelling in Pantang Hospital when I took part in a quiz contest during my stay to get medical health. I tell people I am sensible and can teach a crowd,” Leonard said in a Joynews interview.
Leonard later returned to the university in 2014 after a successful rehabilitation and was performing well but his stay there was brief.
His mother Gladys says Leonard’s condition worsened when his father died.
Today, many of his colleagues who are now engineers and doctors talk about how brilliant Leonard was and what his potential could have been if his dreams were fully realized.
“It is disheartening seeing a young man who is very brilliant and could be very resourceful to Ghana in such a condition,” his colleague Dr. Patrick Seidu told Joynews.
Sixtus Bayaa, a former biology tutor at St. Francis Xavier Junior Seminary described him as intelligent and could have been one of the best Scientists or Medical Doctors in Ghana if he didn’t suffer the medical condition.
Leonard today:
Today, Leonard is 33 years old. His dreams of being a doctor may have been cut short because of his health condition but he still hopes to return to school given another chance, albeit with different dreams – this time, he wants to go into community health nursing or teacher training.
“If I get another opportunity, I would like to go back to school again but, I just want a simple course – community health nursing or teachers training college so that I can help my colleagues. I really know how to help,” he said.
He wants, “peace” and hopes things get better.
“I respect my mother and that is a responsibility, I respect humanity and that is also a responsibility. What I expect from my family is care,” Leo continued while speaking to Joynews.
A former president of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, has characterized members of the Akufo-Addo-led government as complicit in the corruption in the nation.
According to him, a letter from the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Dame, to the Auditor-General, Johnson Akuamoah-Asiedu, after a recently released report on COVID-19 expenditure in the country, is an attempt to gag the latter.
“The Attorney General’s letter to the Auditor General is clearly meant to silence him and create a conducive atmosphere for corruption to thrive,” he wrote.
John Dramani Mahama further stated that this action by Godfred Dame is an indication that the Nana Akufo-Addo government is a collaborator in corruption.
“President @NAkufoAddo’s administration is not only indifferent in the fight against corruption – they are collaborators!” he added.
Background:
After the Auditor-General released a damning Special Audit Report on its findings on the government’s expenditure of COVID-19 expenditures in the country since the deadly pandemic was recorded in Ghana, the Attorney General wrote a letter to the A-G.
In the letter, Godfred Dame asked Johnson Akuamoah-Asiedu to stop the publication of the report on the Special Audit of COVID-19 expenditures.
He further stated in the letter, based on Article 187(5) of the constitution, that the Auditor-General is rather mandated to submit his report to parliament, and in that report, draw attention to any irregularities in the accounts audited which is often concurrently published with the submission.
The Attorney General added that it was only after satisfying the constitutional requirement of submitting the Auditor-General’s report to parliament that the report might be considered final and relevant action might be taken thereon.
The ministry lists the oil-related initiatives that the Nana-Addo administration has taken on in the announcement.
Under the Akufo-Addo administration, “Ghana has seen an exceptional oil well drilling success rate from all exploration wells drilled from 2017 to present,” the Ministry claims.
It added that “out of seven exploration wells drilled during the period, six of them were successful resulting in 7 discoveries.”
According to him, greed and ineptitude against national interest have engulfed the current government which has resulted in the lack of development in the oil and gas sector.
In a tweet posted on February 6, 2023, John Mahama said described the development as ‘wasted years’ despite his [NDC] administration handing over two new oil fields [TEN and Sankofa] to the Akufo-Addo government in 2017.
“Wasted years! We bequeathed to the Akufo-Addo government two new oil fields, TEN and Sankofa. Greed and ineptitude as against national interest mean a sad reality of no additional production activity in our upstream oil sector in the last 7 years,” John Mahama wrote.
“On the back of the available evidence, the Ministry wishes to state unequivocally, that the former President’s assertion cannot be supported by the available facts and therefore must be treated with the utmost contempt it deserves,” the Energy Ministry added.
He claimed that the regional economy required rescue since it was in trouble.
Inaction is not an option in the face of calamity, according to John Dramani Mahama, hence the NDC is ready to assist in the salvage effort. Time is running out, so it’s imperative that you take action right away.
Read the full story originally published on February 7, 2022 by 3news.
Mr. Mahama noted in a statement on Monday, February 7 that there is no dispute that the Ghanaian economy is in deep crisis, a crisis he said is marked by huge budget deficits, an unsustainable public debt, rising inflation, a rapidly depreciating currency, ever-rising cost of living and a loss of confidence by both domestic and international investor communities.
The effects of these he said, have been severe hardships and suffering for the people of Ghana, especially those within vulnerable groups. As a result of the horrendous low point we have now reached, it is very clear that urgent intervention is required to avert a total collapse of the economy.
Therefore, “We in the NDC stand prepared to aid in the salvage effort because inaction is not an option in the face of disaster. The clock is ticking very fast and the time to act is now”
Below is his full statement…
There is no dispute that the Ghanaian economy is in deep crisis, a crisis marked by huge budget deficits, an unsustainable public debt, rising inflation, a rapidly depreciating currency, ever-rising cost of living, and a loss of confidence by both domestic and international investor communities.
The effects of these have been severe hardships and suffering for the people of Ghana, especially those within vulnerable groups. As a result of the horrendous low point we have now reached, it is very clear that urgent intervention is required to avert a total collapse of the economy.
Yet, President Nana Akufo-Addo and his Head of the Economic Management Team, rather appallingly, remain nonchalant in the face of this serious crisis and have limited their response to the imposition of very harsh and regressive tax measures, one of which is the E-Levy, which has been roundly rejected by the people of Ghana.
Like one drowning and yet clutching at a mere straw to stay afloat, this government has banked all its hopes on the E-Levy, which, given the gravity and depth of the problems that have beset our economy, is neither adequate nor viable as a sustainable response to the crisis. In the face of this serious crisis, government has also resorted to unhelpful political posturing over suggestions on how to stem the downward spiral, ensure discipline and help the economy to recover.
It is painfully obvious that beyond the ill-conceived E- Levy, the Akufo-Addo administration has no viable or credible plan of action to get us out of the current economic doldrums into which they have plunged us; meanwhile, there can be collective buy-ins from the Ghanaian people, development partners and the investor community that are being ignored.
How come we do not have a much needed Post-COVID-19 Economic Recovery Plan that would lay down a firm blueprint for fiscal consolidation in the face of a worsening economic situation?
As I have indicated previously, the government must as a matter of urgency, borrow a leaf from our sound approach toward the challenges we faced in 2015. We immediately convened the Senchi Economic Forum at which we tapped the brains and expertise of a wide variety of knowledgeable people and stakeholders and built a consensus on our economic plan going forward.
The knowledge shared at Senchi crystallized into our Homegrown Fiscal Consolidation Programme, which we eventually presented to the IMF for support. The IMF agreed entirely with our homegrown strategy whose implementation restored stability to the economy and laid the strong foundations that this government, just as the World Bank in 2016 forecasted, profited from between 2017 and 2020.
But for the profligacy and also the reckless election related expenditure in 2020, which undermined all the progress that had been made, our economy would not have taken the catastrophic nose-dive it has taken and left us all reeling under hardship. The Akufo-Addo administration in 2020/21 received and misapplied the largest windfall or bailout in Ghana’s history: a $1 billion concessional facility from the IMF, another $1 billion in SDR allocation, $430 million from the World Bank, $250 million from the Stabilization Fund, Gh¢10 billion from the Central Bank. This amounted to a total of about Gh¢33 billion.
It is a pity that today, the NPP’s entire economic plan hinges on the passage of an E-levy expected to raise a little over Gh¢6 billion. How did we arrive here?
The government must swallow what is left of its pride and create a platform for urgent and constructive dialogue among stakeholders with the view to fashioning out a robust set of policy responses to the economic challenges before we get to the point of no return.
We in the NDC stand prepared to aid in the salvage effort because inaction is not an option in the face of disaster. The clock is ticking very fast and the time to act is now.
He contends that for Ghanaians to breathe a sigh of relief amid the economic crisis, the government must stop the inflation from skyrocketing.
According to a tweet seen by GhanaWeb, “Everyday medications, salt, gari, and cooking oil are only a few of the things whose costs are always rising. If you wait a few hours to purchase a product, you’ll probably discover that the price has dramatically increased.”
Read the full story originally published on November 6, 2022 by www.ghanaweb.com.
Former President John Dramani Mahama has expressed worry over the high inflation rate that has witnessed the price of basic food items increase each passing day.
Mr Mahama has once again called on the Akufo-Addo government to work around the clock and find a lasting solution to the economic crisis. In his public lecture ‘Building The Ghana We Want’ delivered on October 27, the 2020 flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress outlined some measures that can help save the situation.
In a tweet dated November 5, Mr Mahama lamented the current price of salt and gari which has now become expensive to the ordinary Ghanaian under the NPP administration.
“Prices of items including everyday medication, salt, gari and cooking oil, are constantly on the rise. If you do not buy an item at a particular point in time, you are likely to find that the price has significantly increased a few hours later,” read Mahama’s tweet sighted by GhanaWeb.
Meanwhile, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has asked to have faith in his government to turn around the woes of the state.
On Sunday, October 30, the president referenced how the New Patriotic Party managed to properly handle the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana at a time when developed nations were struggling to contain it and assured that they will restore the economy.
“When I said, at the height of the COVID pandemic, that we knew what to do to bring the economy back to life, but not how to bring people back to life, it was not said in jest.”
“We had done it before, and we were on course to doing it again. Ghana’s economy grew by a remarkable 5.4% in 2021, signifying a strong recovery from the 0.5% growth recorded the previous year due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Akufo-Addo.
Two astute politicians in the country, Former Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Koku Anyidoho and Assin Central MP, Kennedy Agyapong, have dared former President John Dramani Mahama to tell Ghanaians what he will do different if he is given the nod as President of the republic in the upcoming 2024 elections.
Former president John Dramani Mahama has been referred to severally as the presumptive presidential flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) going into the 2024 general elections.
This is ahead of May 13, 2023 presidential primaries that are expected to formally elect the NDC’s flagbearer for 2024.
Mahama, who was president between 2012 and 2017, is being challenged by two opponents to show what he will do differently if given the nod after losing two successive reelection bids in 2016 and 2020 to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, Member of Parliament for Assin Central had harsh words for Mahama in a recent interview, describing his desire as borne of greed and that he is not an option given his previous record in office.
Agyapong who is an NPP flagbearer hopeful said on Metro TV’s Good Evening Ghana programme earlier this week: “If you compare the two governments, Akufo-Addo and Mahama, Mahama is not an alternative to Ghana because the man has been fortunate to succeed Atta Mills for two years.
“He has been fortunate to go one term which is four years, six years and we saw what happened in this country, so, what is he going to tell Ghanaians again. What is Mahama going to tell Ghanaians?” he asked.
On his part, Koku Anyidoho, a former deputy General Secretary of the NDC also asked Mahama to justify why he deserves to be returned in 2024.
The avowed Mahama critic tweeted his challenge on February 2, 2023.
“If John Mahama wants to be President again for only four years, let him tell us what he will do differently,” he tweeted.
According to George Domfeh, Ghana’s debt to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio, not Ken Ofori-Atta, is to blame for the country’s economic position, contrary to statements made by others.
According to him, the charges made by former president John Dramani Mahama that the finance minister is to blame for the economic problems citing his reckless borrowing should be ignored since they are unsupported by facts, he claimed in an interview with Neat FM.
“I’m talking about what former president John Dramani Mahama said, that because of Ken Ofori-Atta’s reckless borrowing, that is why we’re in economic crisis. I don’t agree with him.
“It is very difficult to believe such an assertion because there’s no data and nothing to support it. Our problem is the debt-to-GDP ratio. Debt to GDP was 182 some years ago,” he said.
He continued that during Mahama’s administration, the country had to turn to the IMF for a bailout because of debt to GDP, and when asked about it, the former president wouldn’t attribute that to careless borrowing.
“Kufuor left it at 32 in 2008 and when Mahama was also in government it was 71 and finally 72.6 in 2015 which took us to the IMF for a bailout. “I’m sure when you ask him about it, he will never say it is because of reckless borrowing that’s why we went to the IMF at the time.
“Indeed, when this government came to power we were still in IMF, and since 2016 the debt to GDP ratio was always high. It was in 2017 that things started to change. So, if you say it is because of reckless borrowing that is why we’re in an economic crisis then you’re not being fair to the finance minister,” he added.
Former President John Dramani Mahama speaking at the Chatham House in London on Friday, January 27, on the theme “Africa’s Strategic Priorities and Global Role,” blamed government reckless borrowing for the current economic crisis.
“We had been raising the red flag since 2019 about the government’s reckless borrowing. Going onto the Eurobond market every year for 3 billion dollars and not investing it in the productive sectors of the economy and using most of it for consumption and that is what has ended us where we are,” he said.
Founder and leader of the Ghana Freedom Party, Akua Donkor, has disclosed that she has entered a covenant with God to deal with former president John Dramani Mahama.
According to Akua Donkor, she enthusiastically supported the former president during the 2012 general elections, but afterwards, the latter colluded with the then-electoral commissioner, Madam Charlotte Osei to crush her goal of becoming president of the country in the 2016 elections.
Speaking in an interview with Rainbow Radio, Akua Donkor stated that until after her death, the former president who is also aspiring to be the NDC’s flagbearer for the 2024 elections will never hold office as president in the country again due to the terms and nature of her covenant with God.
”I went into a covenant with God never to peddle falsehood, so whatever I am saying here today represents nothing but the truth. I prayed and asked God to deal with him (Mahama) for taking me through such pain.
“I supported his campaign in 2012 and helped him win power, but in 2016, he instructed the EC to disqualify me. I then prayed and asked God to deal with him. That prayer worked, and that was why he lost. He will not win the 2024 polls. As long as I am alive, Mahama will never be elected President.”
Ghana’s former president John Dramani Mahama is concerned about some of his former colleagues’ continued tenure in office.
Mahama is questioning why octuagenarians and nonagenarians continue to run for and stay in political office despite the obvious challenges of capacity and health in some cases.
But who are Africa’s octuagenarian presidents?
There are a number of African leaders who are above 80 years and in active service.
Cameroon President, Paul Biya (89 years)
Namibian President, Hage Gottfried Geingob (81 years)
President of Zimbabwe, Emmerson Mnangagwa (80 years)
Nigeria president, Muhamadu Buhari (80 years this year)
What Mahama said:
Speaking at a lecture on the topic ‘Africa’s strategic priorities and global role’ at Chatham House in the United Kingdom, on January 27, 2023; the former president said it was time to reverse that narrative.
“When you have a leader who is old, he has no business continuing to be a leader, it doesn’t matter where the person is coming from, whether Africa or wherever.
Mr Mahama added that: “When you have leaders who have problems in terms of thoughts, they have no business continuing being in leadership, especially when you have a continent with a population as youthful as Africa.
“60% of the African population is young. So why would 80-year-olds and 90-year-olds still want to lead? I was going to say they should be home taking care of their grandchildren, but I recently became a grandfather myself,” he said to laughter.
He further appealed to the Finance Minister to sit with the bondholders and discuss the issue and reach a consensus.
“I am not opposed to debt restructuring. Debt restructuring is a condition precedent to getting an IMF programme and Ghana needs to do a debt restructuring to be able to go into a programme,” Mr Mahama stated.
“What had been the contention is the lack of dialogue and consultation with the bondholders on the domestic side. I know currently, negotiations are taking place with the bondholders on the external side, not the same treatment with the domestic bondholders.”
Mr Mahama said he had been an advocate for dialogue; saying “before this whole crisis started, I advised the Government, I said to hold a national dialogue on the economy; give what the state of the economy is and let everybody buy into it and understand and then after that seek a broad consensus behind your economic programme.”
He noted that his suggestion was never taken by the Government.
He said the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) kept raising red flags since 2019 about Government’s borrowing programme of raising three billion dollars in the euro bond market every year and not investing in the productive sectors of the economy.
He said the Government must be prepared to make more sacrifices just as it was asking the people to do the same.
According to him, the government ought to have a national dialogue for everyone to understand the state of the economy.
Speaking at the Chatham House in London on Friday, January 27, on the theme “Africa’s Strategic Priorities and Global Role,” the former President said that he was ignored when he advocated for the government to engage in broad consensus before introducing the program.
“I am not opposed to debt restructuring. What has been the contention is the lack of dialogue and consultation with the debt holders on the domestic side. I know that negotiations are taking place with the bondholders on the external side but not the same treatment on the domestic side.
He blamed government recklessness and borrowing for the current economic crisis.
“We had been raising the red flag since 2019 about the government’s reckless borrowing. Going onto the Eurobond market every year for 3 billion dollars and not investing it in the productive sectors of the economy and using most of it for consumption and that is what has ended us where we are,” he said.
Charles Nii Teiko Tagoe, an executive assistant and head of social media at the Office of the President, has alleged that the replacement of the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale South, Haruna Iddrisu, as Minority Leader, was orchestrated by ex-President John Dramani Mahama.
In a tweet shared on Friday, January 24, 2023, Teiko Tagoe also alleged that the removal of Haruna Iddrisu had the support of the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah.
“John Dramani Mahama’s second coup d’etat in NDC leadership in Parliament, with the ultimate support of Chairman Asiedu Nketiah. Interesting times ahead,” parts of the tweet read.
The NDC appointed the former deputy Minister of Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, as the minority leader in the 8th Parliament.
Other changes included, Kofi Armah Buah, MP for Ellembele, who is the new deputy Minority Chief Whip.
While Kwame Governs Agbodza, MP for Adaklu, will replace Asawase MP Muntaka Mohammed as the Chief Whip.
Ahmed Ibrahim, MP for Banda, has been maintained as the First deputy Minority Chief Whip, while Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe-Ghansah, MP for Ada, is also retained as second deputy Minority Chief Whip.
The new changes were contained in a letter to the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, from the National Democratic Congress. The letter was signed by NDC General Secretary Fifi Fiavi Kwetey.
A former minister of education, says it might have been a mistake for him to run against former president John Evan Atta Mills in the 2006 National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer campaign.
According to him, he took the decision to contest after the late president, who was his good friend, convinced him he had his support.
He added that he, however, later discovered that the late Professor Mills had also said the same to a number of people, which was then used against him.
“It may have been a mistake. I did that partly because my own very good friend, Prof. Mills, had been telling me, for about five years, Ekwow you are the only one I support, and unfortunately, he also said that to a number of people who then used that against me with him.
“And so even though the jury is out until the day of my departure from earth, I think that decision may have been an error just because I didn’t need to put myself in a conflicting situation with a very good friend. But fortunately, President Mills did not find that offensive at all…” Asaase radio quoted Ekwow Spio-Garbrah.
In December 2006, the late Prof. John Evans Atta Mills polled 1362 votes, representing 81.4% of the total votes cast, to win the National Democratic Congress flagbearership slot for the 2008 election. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah polled 146 votes representing 8.7%, Mahama Iddrisu had 137 votes representing 8.2% and Eddie Annan had 28 votes representing 1.7%.
When asked if he would contest in the upcoming NDC flagbearship race, Ekwow Spio-Garbrah said the NDC has not really invited any contestants to show their faces, even though some people believe he (Ekwow Spio-Garbrah) will be a good president.
“Some people believe I can be a good president…The jury is out. I think now there are a lot of wonderful people already putting themselves up, but the party [NDC] has not really invited any contestants to show their faces.”
“We’ve seen some pictures of others who are likely to contest, so we will watch out for them…my view is that whereas in the past I have listened to the advice of a small group of people to put myself forward, I would rather ask for more rigorous analysis to see because there is no point in running [for flagbearer] if you know you are not going to win. And if there is a better person who can do the job better than you, why not?”
The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has set May 13, 2023, as a date to elect their flagbearer.
This was announced by the NDC General Secretary Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, at a press conference at the NDC headquarters in Accra on Wednesday, January 18, 2023.
So far, former President John Dramani Mahama, Kojo Bonsu, and Dr. Kwabena Duffuor are tipped to contest the elections.
Nigerian musician, Mr Eazi, has gifted former President John Dramani Mahama’s grand child with expensive designer gifts.
In a video shared on the former president’s daughter-in-law’s Instagram page, Asma Mahama expressed gratitude to the ‘Patek’ artiste for coming to see them and presenting them with pricey gifts.
Asma, the former president’s first daughter-in-law, also released a video of Mr Eazi cradling the baby in his arms and lulling her to sleep.
On January 16, 2023, John Dramani Mahama and his wife Lordina melted the hearts of Ghanaians with a video that captured them playing the role of grandparents.
John Mahama shared a video as he cuddled his granddaughter Alyazia Frema Mahama, the child of Mahama’s first son Shafik and his wife, Asma.
Shafik Mahama got married in 2020 to his longtime girlfriend, Asma, from Algeria.
In the video, Mahama was captured with Alyazia Frema Mahama, who was comfortably clutched to Mahama’s chest and later laid on his lap while she fed from a bottle.
His wife, Lordina Mahama, also joined to feed her grandchild.
Member of Parliament (MP) and Former Deputy Education Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa says those seeking to contest Former President John Mahama in the upcoming National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential primaries should rather rally behind him because “2024 elections is for Mahama” and nobody else.
“For me, I will appeal to all those lacing their boots that, this is not going to be the last primaries in Ghana so they can look at that. This 2024 election is for President John Mahama.” The lawmaker said.
According to him, there has been a lot of destruction in the country caused by the current administration led by Akufo-Addo which needs to be redeemed, hence, there is no time to waste in trying to find a leader.
To him, such a contest will only waste their time and may switch the focus of the party.
“Looking at the contest we are yet to face and how they (NPP) have destroyed the country; Ghanaians are saying we should go back for NDC, people even say if you meet John Mahama tell him we are sorry”, Ablakwa said this on TV XYZ in an interview.
Ablakwa also revealed that he honestly, agrees with the NDC’s General Secretary that, “we should be able to sanction some of these aspirants who waste our time”.
“Everybody is calling for John Mahama, so you just have to come on board. Let’s unite. This is not the time as the only hope for the country when they turn to you then you are engaged in needless internal squabbles”, he stressed.
Founder and Leader of the Prophetic Hill Chapel, Prophet Nigel Gaisie,has stated that his prophecy about John Dramani Mahama’s re-election was spiritually tampered.
Nigel Gaisie claims that it is not uncommon for evil spirits to hijack prophecies in the spiritual realm but his prophecy was instructed by God so it shall come to pass.
“Prophecies can be hijacked. We can prophesy and it can be hijacked by spiritual powers or evil men, but that does not mean that the prophecy won’t come to pass. With time it will surely come to pass. So, as we’re living let’s pray for life all the prophecies will come to pass. The last election it was clear, where I am sitting as a prophet of God it went well for the NDC members. Anybody who doesn’t wants to be biased will tell you the truth. Even the NPP members know that I’m a prophet and what I said came to pass.
“So, the prophecy was hijacked. And it is still in the womb of time waiting to manifest and if God permits 2024 it will manifest. “I have a mandate from God to make sure that the prophecy comes to pass. “I was in Israel praying and God said I should come and tell Ghanaians this, it will amaze you that the former president I don’t even call him, and we don’t talk,” he said in an interview with Onua TV.
Prophet Nigel Gaisie during the 31-night watch service released a number of prophecies that he claims are bound to happen in 2023.
Gaisie outlined prophecies that relate to a nation he claimed was called ‘The Republic of Yempɛ Nokware’ – a nation that bears similarities with Ghana.
He issued a disclaimer at the beginning of his prophecy session that his words were of the spiritual and not the physical world.
“I want to say this is a disclaimer, I am in the spirit and I am in the church behind the pulpit. I am not talking in my human sense; I am talking as a spiritual person.
“The intention is not to cause fear and panic, prophecies are utterances led by the spirit of God through vision, trans and dreams and our five senses,” he added.
He mentioned three scriptures that backed his position on prophecies being divine and continued: “On the strength of these scriptures, I repeat again, I am not prophesying to the nation and people of Ghana.
“If you are in Ghana, you can respectfully log off or switch off your TV, I am prophesying to the Republic of Yempɛ Nokware.”
Away from all the headache associated with politics, former president John Dramani Mahama has been spotted spending some peaceful time with his family, specifically babysitting his newly born granddaughter.
It can be recalled that Shafik Mahama, the first son of formerPresident John Dramani Mahama, welcomed his first child with his Algerian wife, Asma, sometime in December 2022, after two years of marriage.
However, it appears that the couple is currently in Ghana, as John Mahama and his wife, Lordina, were captured in their residence, taking turns to babysit.
Sharing the priceless moment on social media, netizens were stunned to see a video of President Mahama rocking a baby in an experienced manner.
Mr. Mahama was seen playing, trying to feed and putting his crying granddaughter to sleep.
In another instance, he handed over the baby to his wife, Lordina Mahama, who also continued with the babysitting duties.
However, John Mahama has congratulated his son and daughter-in-law on the birth of their new baby, named Alyazia Frema Mahama.
“Congratulations, Shafik and Asma. Welcome granddaughter Alyazia Frema Mahama,” he wrote as the caption to the ‘babysitting’ video shared on Facebook.
A presidential aide,Charles Nii Tagoe, has chastised former President John Dramani Mahama for his remarks about the Agenda 111 Hospital project.
John Mahama in an earlier post on his social media handles claimed that the project which was in its fourth year has witnessed no success and turning out to be another form of sloganeering from the government.
“The ‘Agenda 111’ hospitals promise is in its 4th year, yet not a single hiospital has been completed to support quality health care delivery. This is contrary to the lofty promise made in 2020. The NPP must learn to take Ghanaians serious. Enough of the Slogans!” he tweeted on Saturday evening.
In a sharp rebuttal on social media, Charles Nii Tagoe alleged that John Mahama has always had issues with mathematics.
According to him, that explains why he will claim a project which was launched in August 2020 is in its fourth year.
“President Akufo-Addo first announcement on the “ Agenda 111 Hospital “ was in May 2020 during his 8th COVID address to the nation and the sod-cutting was done in August 2021. John Dramani Mahama ankasa no, ɔwɔ Maths problem fri titi,” Teiko Tagoe posted on his social media handles.
“John Dramani Mahama ankasa no, ɔwɔ Maths problem fri titi,” translated in Twi means “That John Dramani Mahama, he has a maths problem from way back.”
Agenda 111 project
The project was first mentioned by President Akufo-Addo in his eighth address on the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.
Subsequently , government secured US$100 million start-up fund through the Ghana Investment Infrastructure Fund (GIIF) for the commencement of works on ‘Agenda 111’ district, specialised and regional hospitals across the country.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo performed the ground-breaking ceremony on Tuesday, August 17, 2021, at Trede in the Atwima Kwanwoma District of the Ashanti Region.
The Project Implementation Committee chaired by Chief of Staff, Madam Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, had secured sites and land titles for 88 out of the 101 district hospitals and each unit would cost US$17 million, covering 15 acres.
Each hospital is expected to be completed within 12 months, starting from the point of commencement.
The Agenda 111 project includes 101 district hospitals, six regional hospitals in the newly created regions, two specialised hospitals in the middle and northern belts, as well as a regional hospital in the Western Region and renovation of the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital.
The objective of the Project, Mr Oppong Nkrumah explained, was to significantly deepen delivery of quality healthcare at the district level, boost access to healthcare services for all citizens towards ensuring the attainment of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal Three.
Each unit would have facilities such as Outpatient services, including consultation for medical and surgical cases, Ophthalmology, Dental and Physiotherapy and Imaging services.
According to government, on completion, the health facilities will be “the biggest investment in healthcare infrastructure in the country since independence.”
2020 presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has come under intense backlash over his recent comment on one of government’s flagship programme, Agenda 111.
In a post sighted by GhanaWeb on micro-blogging platform, Twitter, Mahama mentioned that although the Agenda 111 programme is in its fourth year, the Akufo-Addo-led administration has nothing to show for it.
“The ‘Agenda 111’ hospitals promise is in its 4th year, yet not a single hospital has been completed to support quality health care delivery. This is contrary to the lofty promise made in 2020. The NPP must learn to take Ghanaians seriously. Enough of the slogans, ” John Dramani Mahama wrote on his Twitter page.
Reacting to this, some netizens have described Mahama’s comment on the Agenda 111 project as false.
According to the users of the bird app, the former president’s statement that Agenda 111 is in its fourth year is inaccurate because the initiative was announced in April 2020 during President Akufo-Addo’s 8th COVID address to the nation.
They subsequently noted that the sod-cutting ceremony for the programme was held in August 2021.
Others, on the other hand, accused Mr Mahama of lacking new messages for Ghanaians.
There he goes again engaging in propaganda sophistry. How did the ‘Agenda 111’ hospitals promise get to its 4th year? Prez Akufo-Addo first announced it in May 2020 during his 8th COVID address to the nation. Sod-cutting was done in August 2021. 1/3 pic.twitter.com/dfvfffdezR— ????????????-???????????????????? ???????????????????????????? (@dtadomako) January 14, 2023
President Akufo-Addo first announcement on the “ Agenda 111 Hospital “ was in May 2020 during his 8th COVID address to the nation and the sod-cutting was done in August 2021. John Dramani Mahama ankasa no, ɔwɔ Maths problem fri titi. https://t.co/jyDGi54qbhpic.twitter.com/7CklY0FqgK— Charles N.T. Tagoe (@royaltcafe2012) January 14, 2023
Dear JM
This is one of the agenda 111 hospital constructiona ongoing at the Eastern Regional Hospital in Koforidua. Phase1 of this new hospital project involves the construction of a two hundred and eighty-five (285) bed facility, out of the total capacity of 600 beds. pic.twitter.com/O7Ue4CuAgq
You don’t have a message and you’re not capable to lead or become the next president of Ghana. What actually did you leave behind that you want return and and pick it up?? Another 4years for you?? Ohk Ghanafo) Mahama wants to come again but wei de3 tweaaaaa— Gob3Hemaa???? (@Demostwanted_) January 15, 2023
Mr. Former President; You shall remain former since you have decided to decend into the gutters! Well Agenda 111 on records had it sodcutting done last year and one thing for sure is that; At Gomoa Central; the project is steadily progressing and the local people are happy! Ayeko— David Essandoh (@SamToys_NPP) January 14, 2023
As a biomedical engineer, hospitals take time to build properly. This is normal. I should expect a few to be completed between this year and next year— MKSN (@MichaelsagoeN) January 15, 2023
A national organiser aspirant of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the just-ended national delegate congress, Henry Osei Akoto, has disagreed with a stalwart of the party on John Dramani Mahama’s achievements in the Volta Region.
In an earlier interview monitored by GhanaWeb, Dr. Obed Asamoah said that President Mahama didn’t do anything for the region, which is considered the powerhouse of the NDC.
This, he added, was responsible for the low numbers that the NDC received in the 2020 election, as compared to earlier feats by the founder of the NDC, Jerry John Rawlings, and President John Evans Atta Mills.
Dr. Obed Asamoah also blamed the former president for the NDC’s inability to retain the Hohoe seat, which, for the first time, was won by the New Patriotic Party’s John Peter Amewu.
But the 2020 parliamentary candidate for the Oforikrom Constituency, Henry Osei Akoto, has disagreed with the former Attorney General.
In a post shared on social media rebutting the claims of the law luminary and politician, Henry Osei Akoto stated that John Mahama undertook hundreds of projects in the party’s nationally acclaimed “world bank.”
“Respectfully, in response to my senior comrade, Dr. Obed Asamoah, about Mahama not doing anything for Volta, I beg to differ.
“John Dramani Mahama as president did over 30 projects under health, over 129 under education, about 60 projects in the transport sector, 16 projects in the ICT sector, and many other countless projects in different sectors.
“Any doubting Thomas can provide evidence to the contrary!” he wrote.
He further provided a list of the projects cutting across the transport, health, education, ICT, and many other sectors of the economy.
Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has responded to former president John Dramani Mahama’s recent accusation of corruption on the part of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
The said allegation was contained in a Facebook post Mahama authored in the wake of Akufo-Addo’s statement at an event in Koforidua that Akonta Mining Limited was not engaged in galamsey (illegal small-scale mining) anywhere in the country at the time he was speaking.
The comoany is owned by Ashanti Regional chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Chairman Wontumi, real name Bernard Antwi Boasiako.
“It is unacceptable that President Nana Akufo-Addo has consistently put pressure on state anti-corruption institutions by announcing clearance of appointees and companies that are under investigation for wrongdoing,” Mahama said.
Mahama added that the actions and words of Akufo-Addo were inimical to the fight against corruption in Ghana.
In his response to Mahama, Jinapor stressed that Akufo-Addo’s six-year record in fighting corruption was better that the eight years of the Mills / Mahama administration (2013 – 2017).
“Permit me to assert, without a shred of equivocation that the record of President Akufo-Addo’s Government in the past six years of fighting corruption far surpasses the NDC’s eight-year record.”
He defended his view by stressing thus: “Needless to point out that President Akufo-Addo’s extraordinary funding of anti-corruption institutions, the establishment of the Office of the Special Prosecutor, which as I speak, is investigating this matter…
“… the passage of the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989), rapid investigations of allegations of corruption, and many more are testament to his remarkable record in the fight against corruption.”
The minister also reiterated that the Akonta Mining probe was still ongoing with the Police Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) seized with the matter.
Deputy Information Minister, Fatimatu Abubakar has described as false some comments made by former President John Dramani Mahama against President Akufo-Addo.
This was after Mr Mahama on his Facebook page asked President Nana Akufo-Addo to end his penchant for clearing his appointees and close associates alleged to be involved in illegal activities.
He said the behaviour of the President is untoward and thus advised him to desist from same.
According to him, President Akufo-Addo has assumed a dishonourable badge as “the clearing agent.”
This comment comes on the back of President Nana Akufo-Addo saying Akonta Mining is currently not involved in any form of illegal mining.
Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen on Tuesday, she maintained that the former President’s assertion is false.
“The reason I’m saying it is false is that the truth is brief, so a video that is less than a minute, he [Mr Mahama] will bring thesis as a reply. I understand him that for every statement, there is the potential to gain some political points,” she said.
The Deputy Information Minister stated that Mr Mahama statement is missing a critical point.
According to her, the response from Mr Mahama “should have stated that Akufo-Addo, you are a clearing agent because go to community A, B, C Akonta mining is engaged in illegal mining activities as you speak.”
She further stated that “if the former President does not have contrary information which points to the fact that as at the time the President was speaking there was an ongoing illegal activity – the former President is wrong for that and I say that the statement is vague and irrelevant.”
“President Akufo-Addo’s statement does not in any way contradict all the facts by the Ministry of Lands and Resources and the Forestry Commission,” she added.
To become the president of Ghana is the zenith of politics in this country, but getting there is not much of a walk in the park.
Even for those who have ever won the presidency before, the ability to stay for the two constitutionally-permitted terms (a total of 8 years) gives them an even better upper hand over their peers.
That has been the case for the sitting president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and only two of his predecessors: Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings and John Agyekum Kufuor.
All the other remaining presidents in the Fourth Republic of Ghana have only completed one term of four years, except for John Dramani Mahama, who is seeking another mandate to complete a four-year term, and to boast of a few other months in addition to his reign – this was after he took over the presidency upon the death of John Evans Atta Mills.
But Ghana could have had even more presidents.
The only problem with the possibility is that all of those candidates were never able to convince the Ghanaian electorates enough to give them their votes.
GhanaWeb takes a look back at the personalities who fall within this bracket, as well as the political parties they represented during their attempts to become president of Ghana.
The following list is in no particular order.
Dr. Edward Mahama:
Dr. Edward Mahama was at the People’s National Convention (PNC) in 2016.
George Aggudey:
George Aggudey was the 2004 presidential candidate of the Convention People’s Party (CPP).
Thomas Ward-Brew
Thomas Ward-Brew was the presidential candidate of the Democratic People’s Party (DPP) in the 2008 elections.
Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom:
Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom is a three-time failed presidential candidate who stood on the tickets of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) and his own party, the Progressive People’s Party (CPP).
Hassan Ayariga:
Hassan Ayariga was a one-time presidential candidate of the People’s National Convention in 2012, and then again on the ticket of his party, the All People’s Congress (APC) in 2020.
He is an accountant, entrepreneur and a politician.
Michael Abu Sakara Foster:
Michael Abu Sakara Foster was the presidential candidate of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) in the 2012 general polls.
He is an agronomist and politician.
Akwasi Addai Odike:
Akwasi Addai Odike is a Ghanaian businessman and politician.
He was the presidential candidate of the United Front Party (UFP) in the 2012 general elections.
Jacob Osei Yeboah:
Known famously as JOY, Jacob Osei Yeboah contested as an independent candidate in the 2012 and 2016 elections.
He is also the first independent candidate to stand for president in the fourth republic.
Henry Herbert Lartey:
Henry Herbert Lartey was the candidate of the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP) in the 2012 general elections.
He replaced his father, Daniel Augustus Lartey, as the leader of party.
Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings:
Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings was the First Lady of Ghana from June 4, 1979, to September 1979, and from December 31, 1981, to January 7, 2001.
Both times were under the presidency of Jerry John Rawlings, her husband.
In 2016, she became the first woman to run as president in Ghana, on the back of her break away political party, the National Democratic Party (NDP).
Ivor Greenstreet:
Born on May 31, 1966, Ivor Kobina Greenstreet was the presidential candidate for the Convention People’s Party (CPP) in the 2020 general elections.
He is the first physically-challenged person to run for president of Ghana.
Asiedu Walker:
Asiedu Walker was an independent presidential candidate in the 2020 elections.
Christian Kwabena Andrews:
Popularly known as Osofo Kyiri Abosom, Christian Kwabena Andrews stood on the ticket of his party, the Ghana Union Movement, as presidential candidate in 2020.
Brigitte Dzogbenuku:
Brigitte Dzogbenuku was one of the few female faces that appeared on ballot sheets for a presidential poll in Ghana. She was a former beauty queen, who won Miss Ghana 1990.
During the 2020 general elections, she was the presidential candidate for the Progressive People’s Party (PPP).
Akua Donkor:
Akua Donkor is the founder and leader of the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP).
She appeared on the presidential ballot sheet in 2020.
Marricke Kofi Gane:
Also known as Kofi Ghana, Marricke Kofi Gane was an independent candidate in the 2020 general elections.
He is a management consultant, Chartered Accountant, a public speaker, and a book author.
Kwasi Busumbru:
People’s Action Party
Kofi Akpaloo:
Kofi Akpaloo is a Ghanaian politician and the leader of the Liberal Party of Ghana.
He was the party’s presidential candidate for the 2020 general elections.
David Apasera:
Daavid Apasera was the presidential candidate of the People’s National Convention (PNC) in the 2020 general elections of Ghana.
He was once a Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga in the Upper East region between 2001 and 2009.
Due to the nation’s economic difficulties, this year’s Christmas appears a little different.
However, the political authorities in Ghana are urging the Ghanaians to have confidence and hope for the best in 2023.
The President of the Republic, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, in a video message shared on social media, expressed optimism about the ability of Ghana’s economy to bounce back.
“I am happy that in spite of it all we are beginning to emerge out of the difficulties which encourages me to say that with hard work dedication and continued prudence in the management of the affairs of our nation, we will rise up again,” Akufo-Addo said.
The Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, in a tweet he shared, wished Ghanaians well and urged them to work together for a better 2023.
“May unity in serving the Republic be our mantra in 2023,” parts of his tweet read.
The Minister for Health, Kwaku Agyeman Manu, in a video message, said, “It is my prayer that this Christmas will fill you and your families with hope, joy, peace and above all good health”.
Below are some of the Christmas and New Year messages shared by Akufo-Addo, ex-President John Dramani Mahama and other politicians:
At the birth of Jesus, a bright star lit up in the sky and the wise men followed it with, gold, frankincense and myrrh. May this X’mas day, speedily bring, gold, frankincense and myrrh, your way in the mighty name of Jesus. I wish us all well. Ghana ???????? will not die. Shalom????❤️????— Samuel Koku Anyidoho???????? (@KokuAnyidoho) December 25, 2022
Wishing everyone in my constituency and beyond a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year. May this festive season bring lots of Joy and Happiness in everyone’s life. #TogetherWeCanpic.twitter.com/vuEGC3rqeT— Hon. Dorcas Affo-Toffey (@AfoDorcas) December 25, 2022
At the core of this festive season is the message of hope, peace and love. Despite these crushing economic challenges, I respectfully ask Ghanaians to take heart and collectively commit to the spirit of hope in entering the year 2023. Merry Christmas to you and your families. pic.twitter.com/H7rbVolZnW— Dr. Kwabena Duffuor (@DrDuffuor) December 25, 2022
Ahead of the 2020 elections, National Communications Officer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi, vowed to marry should his party, led by former President John Dramani Mahama, win the elections.
Mr Gyamfi who was optimistic that his party would win the polls, said he would climax the election victory with his wedding ceremony.
However, to his utmost disappointment, the NDC lost the elections to the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), thus, he was unable to fulfill his promise.
Two years on, photos and videos of a private wedding ceremony of Mr Gyamfi have popped up on social media.
According to reports, this happened on Wednesday, December 21, 2022.
The occasion was graced by high ranking members of the party, including the former President John Dramani Mahama, National Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, outgoing Chairman, Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, etc.
See the first photos as acquired by GhanaWeb below:
He said that after Moody’s lowered the nation’s creditworthiness.
The ratings agency also stated that it is particularly concerning because the nation’s Gross Domestic Product is anticipated to reach 80%.
Read the entire article
originally posted by mynewsgh on January 19, 2021
According to Felix Ofosu Kwakye, a former deputy minister of information under the John Dramani Mahama administration, the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia administration has produced the worst economic results in the previous 40 years.
Moody’s has said that Ghana’s debt levels under the current administration are worrying. They’ve predicted that that country’s economy could come under pressure from the rising debt.
According to Moody’s, the country’s Gross Domestic Product is expected to hit 80% which is extremely worrying.
To him, the Nana Addo Dankwa, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia administration has taken Ghana beyond HIPC. He said debt is swallowing the country due to poor economic decisions taken by the current administration.
“The Akufo-Addo /Bawumia government has delivered the worst economic performance in forty years. When they took over, our debt to GDP ratio was under 56%, now it is nearing a staggering 80% which is way beyond HIPC levels,” he stated.
Ex-President John Dramani Mahama has taken a swipe at the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo after he admonished African leaders to stop begging the West.
President Nana Addo urged the leaders to earn global respect and change poor perceptions about the African continent stressing “if we stop being beggars and spend African money inside the continent, Africa will not need to ask for respect from anyone, we will get the respect we deserve. If we make it prosperous as it should be, respect will follow”.
He made the remarks during the opening of the US-Africa Leaders‘ Summit in Washington DC.
“Africans are more resilient outside the continent than inside. We must bear in mind that to the outside world, [there’s] nothing like Nigeria, Ghana or Kenya, we are simply Africans. Our destiny as people depends on each other,” he added.
Delivering a speech at the NDC delegates conference, Mr. John Mahama mocked the President for preaching virtue but practicing vice.
“Our dear country, Ghana, that has been a poster boy of democracy, good governance and economic progress stands on the brink of bankruptcy and economic ruin. Yet, we have a President who enjoys sprouting the rhetoric of self-suspect and restrain from begging western nations for support and yet he has spent the last several weeks on the telephone with western leaders asking them to beg the IMF to grant Ghana the recently announced staff-level agreement for an extended credit facility. Our dear nation has never been so put to shame and come close to being a beggar nation as we are today”, he stated.
He further said “this NPP government has done the worst to erode the belief of Ghanaians in our democracy. Many Ghanaians see their situation as hopeless and are willing to take the hazards of dying in the Mediterranean sea or electrocution on a high tension transmission line in Kasoa”.
Mr. Mahama however urged Ghanaians not to lose hope.
“…countrymen and women, let us not despair; they say the darkest hour is before the dawn and they also say, in every adversity, we find opportunity and Bob Marley also say when one door is closed, another is opened. Ghana shall rise to a new dawn!”
The outspoken attorney claims that the NDC’s previous presidential contender for the 2020 general election squandered public funds on an unfounded election petition.
Gary Nimako stated that even though Mahama and the NDC caucus were aware they lacked any supporting documentation, they continued to accuse the court of being biased in their favor during the election case.
“Post-election case, there have been comments here and there that the judges have been biased against them. When, indeed, you know from day one that you have no evidence at all.
“With this revelation having come out to the public domain, I think Ghanaians deserve an apology from the NDC. Especially from former President Mahama to apologise to Ghanaians and the court because if they knew from day one that in fact, they had no evidence at all…Yet they managed to go to court with the hope that they could get Jean Mensa to mount the witness box and cross-examine her.
“They really misled Ghanaians and their supporters, and the way they treated the court. They have to eat the humble pie and apologise,” he told Ernest Kojo Manu on Joy FM’s Top Story on Wednesday.
In the said tape, Asiedu Nketiah is heard telling party supporters why the director of IT failed to electronically compile the documentation the party required to challenge the results of the presidential election.
The NDC filed an election petition after the 2020 general election accusing the Electoral Commission of stealing the election results for the NPP.
They alleged that NPP won the polls through vote padding, arithmetic and computational errors.
