Former President John Dramani Mahama has hailed Ghanaians for their contributions at the recently concluded National Democratic Congress (NDC) Delegates Congress.
Mr. Mahama also commended Ghanaians for responding to his appeal and helping the largest opposition party raise some GHC 1,083,000 in donations in 12 days to assist in hosting its 10th National Delegates Congress.
In a Facebook post on Monday, December 19, 2022, Mr. Mahama said: “I wish to express my appreciation to all donors who helped us make up the shortfall in our budget for the Congress.”
He noted that “this is a demonstration of the love Ghanaians generally and members of the NDC have for our party and the worthy cause we are embarking on.”
Mr. Mahama solicited funds to help with the party’s 10th National Delegates Congress, held on Saturday, December 17, 2022, where the NDC elected a new set of national executives for the party.
The former president, through social media, invited 500,000 willing Ghanaians, NDC supporters, sympathisers and friends to donate a minimum of GHC 10 each to help the NDC fund the congress.
The National Chairman of the (NDC) has received criticism from senior psychologist Professor Joseph Osafo for his remarks encouraging violence.
Johnson Asiedu Nketiah in his victory speech after being declared winner of the Chairmanship position at the recently held 10th National Delegates Congress said:
“We are prepared to sacrifice everything; and I mean everything, including our lives, to achieve victory … wherever impunity becomes law, resistance becomes a duty,” he noted.
“Looking at the array of executives elected today, I have no doubt the party wants us to carry the battle to the elephant. We cannot let the country and we cannot let the party down. We are not taking the confidence for granted. Ghana is in a crisis and the NDC is also at a crossroads.
“What we need is unity. We pledge on behalf of myself and the new executives that in the coming days, our first assignment is to work to unite the party and bring everybody on board, even as we march forward to defeat the elephant and set the nation on the path of progress,” he added.
Prof Joseph Osafo contributing to a panel discussion on Peace FM’s ‘Kokrokoo’ asked General Mosquito to apologise to Ghanaians.
“He should apologise … I don’t think we need to beat war drums. I totally disagree with him … we are growing in our democratic culture so we don’t need comments like this.”
He has, however, commended the party for a successful congress.
The National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Johnson Asiedu has couched an identity for himself with the symbolic smocks he wears at virtually every major party event.
Among the numerous smocks he wears, there’s one particular smock he is noted for donning for some of these events.
The smock is a black one with party colours, which also contains emblems.
Speaking in an interview, he revealed that he often appears in this symbolic smock whenever there is a battle.
He explained at the National Delegates Congress, he chose to wear his symbolic smock to indicate his readiness for the battle – elections.
“I wear this type of costume occasionally, when the occasion demands. It is our traditional war battle dress, so when you are going into battle you wear it and you know I’m referred to as the General of NDC for a good reason because people think that whenever there is crisis, I am the one who is called upon to take the lead. Traditionally this is the regalia of a war general and so on occasion like this is the dress…,” he said.
Johnson Asiedu Nketiah has been elected National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress.
At the National Congress held on Saturday, December 17, 2022, Asiedu Nketiah secured 65.17% of the total vote cast to win the election.
His closest competitor, Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo polled just 33.81% of the total vote cast.
According to the Electoral Commission, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah garnered 5,569 while the incumbent Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo managed 2,892 votes.
According to Mr. Seth Terkper, a former finance minister, who was speaking to the media on Saturday as he arrived at the Accra Sports Stadium for the 10th National Delegates Congress of the National Democratic Congress, the announcement of the Staff-Level Agreement reached with the International Monetary Fund has helped the Cedi’s performance against the US dollar (NDC).
“The Government must expedite action on its domestic and external debt restructuring Programme to sustain the gains, he said.
The government announced Tuesday, December 13, 2022, that it had reached a Staff-Level Agreement on a three-year US$3 billion Extended Credit Facility (ECF), with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), to support the country’s economic policies and reforms.
The agreement was reached after a visit by the IMF team led by Mr Stéphane Roudet, Mission Chief for Ghana, from December 1 to 13, 2022, to discuss with the Ghanaian authorities IMF support for their policy and reform plans.
The loan support programme is aimed at restoring Ghana’s macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability, protect the vulnerable, preserve financial stability, and lay the foundation for strong and inclusive recovery and growth.
However, the staff-level agreement is subject to IMF Management and Executive Board approval and receipt of the necessary financing assurances by Ghana’s partners and creditors.
The Officers and men dressed in anti-riot security gear were heavily equipped with modern riot control gadgets including batons, shields, riot vehicles, ambulances and other intelligence equipment.
They are to provide security for the congress at the Accra Sports Stadium as the party elects its national executives for the next four years.
Over 9,000 delegates take turns to cast their votes for the preferred candidates for the various positions.
With the National Women and Youth Organizers elections out of the way and Sammy Gyamfi’s National Communications Officer as the only contender, there are still nine positions up for grabs with over 62 candidates vying for those slots.
As with elections of this nature, some positions have been earmarked as the most keenly contested owing to the persons involved; this includes the national chairmanship race, General Secretary, National Organiser among others.
Some National Democratic Congress (NDC) supporters in the Trobu Constituency have entreated delegates to be resolute in election of national officers at the National Delegates Congress to be held on December 17, 2022.
In a press statement, the supporters urged their delegates to vote in favour of the outgoing Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia who is now competing in the chairmanship race.
They noted that Mr Nketia after serving the party as its General Secretary has political experience under his belt, thus can lead the party to victory come 2024.
“We have the firm belief that he is the one to lead us as Chairman into 2024 general elections.
“We are therefore making an appeal to the delegates across the country, and more especially of Trobu Constituency, who are going to exercise the sanctity of their votes on our behalf, to vote massively for General Asiedu Nketia for the Chairmanship position without fear,” parts of the statement read.
General Mosquito, as he is affectionately called, will be contesting with bigwigs like Samuel Ofosu Ampofu and Nii Armah Ashitey.
On Saturday, Saturday 17, delegates of NDC will head to the polls to decide who they wish to lead the party ahead of the 2024 general polls.
The Sunyani High Court has issued a restraining order against the Constituency Executive Members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Dormaa Central Constituency of the Bono Region.
Per the order of the High Court, all the twenty-four Constituency Executive Members in the Dormal Central Constituency have been barred and cannot participate in the National Delegates Congress which is scheduled for Saturday, December 17, 2022.
The restraining order comes after six aggrieved card-bearing members of the party in the Dormaa Central Constituency petitioned the court to seek two reliefs; “An order to declare the election of the defendants (Constituency Executives) as null and void and a perpetual injunction against the defendants from taking part in the National Delegates Congress.”
A portion of the statement of claim as granted by the court and sighted by this reporter reads:
“An order of a perpetual injunction restraining the 3rd-26th defendants from acting as the Dormaa Central Constituency Executive Members of the National Democratic Congress and also restraining the 3rd – 26th defendants from participating in the National Executive Congress taking part in the National Delegates Congress which would be held on the 10th and 17th December 2022 at Accra.”
According to Peter Mensah, one of the petitioners, they decided to seek redress in court after all attempts for the party to declare the fraudulent constituency election as null and void proved futile.
Citing the absence of the Electoral Commission to supervise and conduct the election, Peter Mensah maintained that, that proves that the purported constituency election contravened the party’s own stipulated guidelines.
“We have always maintained that the purported constituency election was fraudulently organized because the party’s guidelines mandate that the Electoral Commission should supervise the election but that was not the case. Sadly, all efforts for the right thing to be done proved futile so we went to court and we are glad that the court has spoken restraining them from carrying themselves as Executive Members of the National Democratic Congress in the Dormaa Central Constituency and by extension they cannot take part in the National Delegates Congress.”
Meanwhile, all efforts to speak to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) at the time of filing this report were unsuccessful but independent checks indicate that the restraining order has officially been on the National Democratic Congress (NDC), all Constituency Executive Members and Electoral Commission.
NDC delegates who will be going to the polls on Saturday, December 17, 2022, may have a difficult time choosing between the two contenders of the NationalChairmanship position (i.e incumbent General Secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketiah and incumbent chairman, Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo.)
This is because, according to Political Scientist, Dr. Kwame Asah-Asante, both candidates are ‘worthy materials’ for the post and have proven themselves over the years.
“They’ve all excelled throughout their years in the party as partyfaithful, and they’ve worked very hard to bring the party to where it is,” he said.
According to him, their immense contribution towards the growth and development of the party cannot be shoved under the carpet, and thus described them as stalwarts of the party.
He, however, expressed concern that the recent bickering between the two in the run up to the NDC’s National Delegates Conference may dent the image they have built for themselves through their works.
He explained that while it is normal for there to be disagreements within party executives, he was not expecting the said disagreement to spill out into the open instead of being addressed internally.
“I expected that whatever differences there are between them, they must do well to ameliorate the situation by talking to their supporters and making sure that the only way that they can win power is through the message that they churn out that will resonate with those who are going to elect them.
“And that they will have strategy that will be in tune with the legal processes that the party has put in place and of course they will be able to come out with manifestoes that will address the lingering challenges within this country in general and then the specific interest of the party, and of course, their followers and all that.
“Once they get these things right in place, their home will stay dry. So the bickering, the rancor, the attacks on each other to the best of my knowledge, it doesn’t bode well for them at all, and that I expect them to talk to their supporters and then go to the elections and then let us have genuine contest,” he said.
Meanwhile the Political Scientist has bemoaned the violence that characterized the first part of the National Delegates’ Conference in Cape Coast.
Dr. Asah-Asante stressed that it does not augur well for the image of the party as a democratic institution.
He called for the party’s leadership to address any challenges within the party to prevent a repeat of Saturday’s incident at the final National Delegates’ Conference.
“So I will urge the NDC leadership to sit down, plan properly and make sure that the big task ahead which is the Saturday one will be incident free. This also goes to the party faithful that you can’t claim to be supporting a party and at the same time taking certain decisions or actions that undermine the entire process that your party is putting in place.
“I think the party’s interest is bigger than any other interest, so if there are difficulties, there are challenges, I will urge people to use the internal structures within to be able to address their concerns and then forge ahead to make sure that their party wins power,” he said.
Aspiring general secretary of the NDC, Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah, has called for a united front among all people of diverse ethnic groups to help promote the unity of purpose for Ghana’s development.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Hogbetsotso Festival of the Anlo state, the current Elections Director of the NDC said, “while the quest for political power is critical in spearheading development, the gracing of the Hogbetsotsoza by the Asantehene, Outhmfuo Osei Tutu II, following the special invitation by Awomefia Togbe Sri signifies a longstanding effort to bring all cultures in Ghana together.”
Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah also took time to interact with former President John Dramani Mahama, leading chiefs in the Volta region, leaders of the NDC across all levels of the party, opinion leaders, elders, members and sympathisers of the party to assure them of his commitment towards a united party in the National Delegates Congress in December.
Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah has declared his intention to vie for the General Secretary position because he believes “Ghana is at the crossroads having been led by the incompetent leadership of Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo-Addo and vice president Mahamudu Bawumiah” who heads the economic management team.
Elvis Afriyeh Ankrah, insists, “following the comprehensive development undertaken by the John Mahama-led administration, it has become imperative for the NDC to be elected in the 2024 elections to give hope to the ordinary Ghanaian and restore the dwindling economy” back on track.
The Hogbetsotso has become one of the most prominent festivals in Ghana which seeks to rally all Ewes across the country and unify other Ghanaians of other ethnic groups towards the development of the country.