A recent survey conducted by IMANI Africa known as ‘The IMANI Public Understanding and Literacy for Sentiment and Election Analysis (PULSE)’, the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has emerged victorious over the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) for the first time in the history of this survey.
Franklin Cudjoe, the founder and president of IMANI Africa, announced this development on April 3, 2024, through a Twitter post.
He stated, “For the first time since the inception of IMANI PULSE, the NPP has an edge over the NDC in lesser negative sentiments on social media”.
The survey highlighted a significant decrease in negative public sentiments towards the NPP, dropping to nearly 18% (17.81%) from over 30% in the previous poll, marking a reduction of almost 13%.
While the NDC also experienced a reduction in negative sentiments, the rate of decrease was lower compared to the NPP, with negative sentiments decreasing from 21.86% to 18.64%.
Furthermore, the survey revealed that the NPP gained ground in positive sentiments on social media platforms, increasing marginally from 10.22% to 10.71%, whereas the NDC saw a decline in positive sentiment from 10.22% to 9.50%.
The IMANI PULSE survey, introduced in the lead-up to the 2024 General Elections, is a fortnightly analysis of social media-based sentiments aimed at understanding the public pulse regarding major political contenders and influential trends shaping social media discourse.
The survey encompasses platforms such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, Web, TikTok, Podcasts, and Newsfeeds, focusing primarily on the NPP and NDC while also considering other political parties and independent candidates.
The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, John Dramani Mahama, said during a national policy forum at the Peduase Lodge that the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) is feeling uneasy due to the overwhelming endorsement of his 24-hour economy idea.
During the gathering on February 23, Mahama criticised the NPP campaign team for attacking his proposal, pointing out that the NPP’s response indicates a sense of panic.
Key members of NPP have expressed concerns about the lack of clarity in the 24-hour economy proposal, with some arguing that it is already operational.
Mahama, undeterred by the criticisms, asserted, “The widespread acceptance of the 24-hour policy appears to have sent the NPP campaign into a tailspin, leading to a frantic effort to attack it through calumny and disinformation in the last few days.”
He further highlighted his commitment to reducing the size of the government if elected, noting that his opponent, Vice President Bawumia, made similar promises in response.
Mahama emphasised his dedication to delivering on his promises and criticised the NPP flagbearer for attempting to distance himself from the economic challenges.
Mahama contrasted his performance as Vice President with the current vice president, Dr. Bawumia, stressing his record of taking responsibility.
He argued, “Not only do I have a much better and measurable performance record in both my role as Vice President and Head of the Economic Management Team, and later as President, than my leading contender in this year’s elections, I also have a record of taking responsibility. The same cannot be said of my opponent.”
The flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama emphasized his commitment to avoiding empty promises in his campaign, distinguishing himself from the governing New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) approach to securing power.
Citing the challenging state of Ghana’s economy, Mahama expressed reluctance to make unrealistic commitments, asserting, “I don’t want to be like those dishonest people who came and promised you heaven.”
Addressing the concerns of pre-tertiary teachers in Tamale, Mahama acknowledged the economic difficulties they face.
“The economy is in a big mess and so I cannot promise everybody that we are going to increase your salaries and all that.
“I don’t want to be like those dishonest people who came and promised you heaven and said they would build factories in every district, they would build dams in every village, they would give every constituency one million dollars a year, I’m not that kind of person,” he explained.
Although he refrained from promising salary increments, he highlighted the critical issue of inadequate accommodation for teachers in rural communities.
“But we have suggested a solution for all this, we will help you with accommodation in some of the schools, so that more teachers can stay in school.”
Mahama pledged that, if elected, his government would prioritize providing suitable housing for teachers posted to such areas, aiming to alleviate the challenges they currently encounter.
Mahama further noted the reluctance of many teachers to accept postings in rural communities due to the lack of accommodation, resulting in substantial expenditures on daily commutes.
He stressed the importance of stakeholders understanding the country’s economic reality and pledged to promote transparency if he assumes power.
By doing so, Mahama aims to discourage unrealistic demands and foster a pragmatic approach to addressing Ghana’s challenges.
Watch video below:
Labour demands: It will be dishonest for me to promise revised conditions of service in current economic mess. – John Mahama #ElectionHQpic.twitter.com/zjpNKaAWYb
Gyamfi emphasised that, unlike Dr. Bawumia, former President Mahama demonstrated a willingness to accept responsibility for his actions during his tenure.
Sammy Gyamfi criticised Vice President Bawumia, asserting that he lacked credibility in comparison to Mahama.
“John Dramani Mahama has served as a running mate to the late Professor Mills and as a vice president before. Did you ever hear John Mahama dismiss his roles or claim to be just a mere mate to Professor Mills? Anytime there was a problem, he took blame as he was meant to. So, please don’t lump us together with Mahama and NPP; we can’t be part of such hypocrisy,” Gyamfi stated.
Dr. Bawumia, the Vice President, appeals to Ghanaians to support his bid for power in the upcoming December 7, 2024, general elections.
He emphasised that, if granted the opportunity, he intends to lead the nation independently, free from the directives of President Akufo-Addo.
“As Vice-President, I am like a driver’s mate. But if, by the Grace of God, you make me President, I will be in the driver’s seat with constitutionally mandated authority to pursue my vision and my priorities,” he said at a lecture on Wednesday.
Watch video below:
Did you ever hear John Mahama say that he was a mere mate to the late John Mills, so whatever mess that happened during his tenue should be attributed to him alone?
Sammy Gyamfi, criticizing the NPP’s inconsistent evidence on job creation, emphasized the current all-time high unemployment rate among the country’s youth.
He urged Ghanaians not to trust Vice President Bawumia’s words, questioning the credibility of the claims.
“Where did you create 2.1 million jobs Bawumia? Today the unemployment has increased from 8.4 in 2016 to almost 14 percent according to the Ghana statistical service, an all time high as we speak,” Sammy Gyamfi stated.
The flag bearer of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP),Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has asserted that the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s government has created more jobs than any previous administration.
Speaking at the UPSA auditorium on Tuesday in Accra, Vice President Bawumia said the government generated 2.1 million jobs between 2017 and 2022, despite the challenges posed by the global economic crisis.
He explained that this feat includes the recruitment of 100,000 additional health workers, 100,000 more teachers, and a significant increase in fire service personnel.
Bawumia stated: “What is probably the most remarkable development in terms of the economy is that our government has created 2.1 million jobs between 2017 and 2022 notwithstanding the global economic crisis. The public sector recruited 1.2 million people while the private sector created 975,000 jobs (per SSNIT data) . We recruited 100,000 more health workers, 100,000 more teachers, more than doubled the fire service personnel, etc. Our government has quite clearly created more jobs in a seven year period than any government. This is truly remarkable under the circumstances even though we still have to create more jobs”.
Watch video below:
Where did you create 2.1 million jobs – Sammy Gyamfi #Tigpost Sammy Gyamfi | World Cup | Mia Khalifa | Kofi Bentil | Afronita | Aboubakar Ouattara | Aburi Girls | Legon #IsYourBooYourBoopic.twitter.com/hEcRgOlmlo
Gyamfi’s comments come in response to Bawumia’s recent address at the University of Professional Studies in Accra (UPSA).
During the address on February 7, the Vice President outlined several visions aimed at improving Ghana if given the opportunity.
These visions included the cancellation of the E-levy, emissions tax, VAT on electricity, and the introduction of digital interventions to enhance the healthcare sector.
However, Gyamfi took issue with Bawumia’s credibility, particularly highlighting a controversial statement where the Vice President likened himself to a “driver’s mate,” suggesting he is under the control of the President and incapable of making decisions independently.
Gyamfi criticised Bawumia’s utterances as gibberish and lacking credibility, referencing past instances where the Vice President’s promises were allegedly unfulfilled.
He cited an example from 2020 when Bawumia announced the construction of an ultra-modern harbour in Cape Coast, which, according to Gyamfi, turned out to be unsubstantiated.
“Was it not the same Bawumia who stood at Cape Coast just this 2020 and said that good people of Cape Coast, I have good news for you, we are building for you an ultra-modern harbour when at the time, not a single block had be laid anywhere for the construction of the harbour. Even his own president when he was asked about this interview denied knowledge, that should tell you how dishonest this President is.
“I am trying to tell you Bawumia lacks credibility, his message is gibberish, his message is junk, there is nothing you can do with the words of a liar,” Sammy Gyamfi stated.
Watch video below:
If the messenger lacks credibility, his message is gibberish. There is nothing you can do with the words of a liar – Sammy Gyamfi on Vice President Dr. Bawumia.#TheKeyPointspic.twitter.com/ZOn8XcvUVq
A member of the communication team for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Chris Doughan has strongly criticized Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, dismissing his promises and asserting that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flag bearer has lost credibility.
Bawumia, who now leads the NPP, has vowed to bring about significant changes if elected in 2025, including a reduction in the number of ministers and a commitment to combat corruption.
However, Doughan contends that Bawumia’s recent pledges are merely a ploy to manipulate public opinion.
Doughan accused Bawumia of consistently making false promises to Ghanaians, asserting that the Vice President’s track record does not inspire trust.
He argued that despite Bawumia’s claims of economic prowess, the country has faced hardship under the Akufo-Addo government, particularly with rising living costs and escalating electricity prices.
Calling on Ghanaians to be cautious, Doughan urged voters to reject Bawumia’s new assurances and focus on supporting the NDC’s flag bearer, former president John Mahama.
Doughan praised Mahama for his honesty in the previous term and emphasised the need to elect a leader who can navigate the country away from what he described as the challenges posed by the current NPP leadership.
Speaking on Inside Politics on TV XYZ, Doughan declared, “John Mahama did a lot for Ghana with little resources unlike Bawumia and his Boss, Akufo-Addo. We the members of the NDC will jealously support John Mahama to win power and save this country from the ditch the NPP leadership has put us.”
During a courtesy call at the Gbewa palace in Yendi as part of his ‘Building the Nation tour,’ Mahama received counsel from the Yaa-Na, who emphasized the importance of a presidency aimed at creating a lasting impact for future generations.
“I believe you are not coming to make more money for your family but to leave a legacy that your children will not only be proud of, but will pave the way for them wherever they may find themselves in the future when you are long gone to your maker.
The Overlord also encouraged Mahama to view his opponent, Dr. Mahamudu of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), as a brother rather than an enemy, emphasising that political differences should enrich opportunities for the nation.
“Being on the opposite sides of the political divide does not make you enemies. It rather enriches the opportunities of the family,” he told Mahama.
Additionally, Yaa-Na Abubakari II urged Mahama to be bold in reshuffling his team based on merit and competence, even if it means parting ways with loyalists who may not contribute positively to the government.
“In seeking to make this legacy a reality, when you get the nod from Ghanaians, do not shy away from reshuffling your team to get the right ones on board by merit and competence, and lay off even loyalists but misfits, who will only churn out mediocrity for your government.
This applies especially to your kitchen cabinet, because they in reality rule you and the country. That would be a mistake; no Ghanaian will forgive you, if you happen to be the chosen one,” Yaa-Na said.
Addressing the water crisis in Yendi, Mahama promised to prioritise the establishment of a water supply system for the region, expressing disappointment over the stalled Yendi water project initiated during his previous term.
He assured the Overlord that if elected, his government would address the long-standing issue and ensure the people of Yendi have access to a reliable water supply.
The water supply project, initiated in 2020 by President Akufo-Addo, aimed to provide 15,000 cubic meters of water daily to Yendi and its environs.
Mahama pledged that the NDC government would make the Yendi water supply project a priority if voted into power in the upcoming 2024 general elections.
During his ‘Building Ghana Tour,’ President Mahama emphasized the importance of finishing ongoing projects before initiating new ones to optimize the allocation of scarce resources in the country.
Expressing dismay over the abandonment of NDC-initiated projects in the Ashanti Region by the NPP, Mahama cited examples such as the industrial hub at Adansi Fomena and the Obuasi Deeps Decline (ODD) projects.
These projects, initiated between 2014 and 2016, were left incomplete when the NDC left office, and he highlighted the New Patriotic Party’s claim of credit for the benefits of the Obuasi Deeps Decline (ODD) projects today.
Additionally, Mahama asserted that the Obuasi Campus of Kwame Nkrumah University Science and Technology (KNUST) and the Obuasi bus terminal were direct initiatives of the NDC Government.
He assured the traditional council that mining profits would be utilised judiciously for the development of the Adansi community if he was re-elected.
Addressing concerns at the New-Edubiase Chief’s palace, Mahama outlined achievements by the previous NDC government, including the district hospital, Fumso schools, Obuasi schools, stadium, and Obuasi town roads.
He pledged to continue such developmental efforts if voted back into power.
During the tour, Opagyakotwere Bonsra Afriyie II, paramount Chief of Adansi-Fomena, urged Mahama to consider reviewing the 1992 Constitution, pointing out problematic provisions.
In a similar vein, Nana Oduro Panin Bikorang II, Chief of New-Edubiase, advised Mahama to address those responsible for illegal mining activities that harm water bodies and forest vegetation.
Chairman for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, has offered a heartfelt tribute to the late E.T. Mensah, an esteemed stalwart of the party.
Asiedu Nketiah characterized him as a senior and dynamic colleague who left a profound impact on young parliamentarians during his tenure in Parliament.
He observed that the late Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram was held in high regard by nearly all the young MPs from both sides of the House until his passing.
During an interview at the burial grounds of the late ET Mensah (the forecourt of the State House) on Friday, Asiedu Nketiah said the late Council of State member was among the MPs who approached and suggested that he contest to become the NDC’s general secretary after deciding to leave Parliament to pursue a PhD.
He emphasized that he secured the position despite former President Rawlings and other stalwarts of the NDC supporting their respective candidates, attributing his success to the work and support provided by the group of MPs that endorsed him for the position.
“Something he did, which I will never forget, is that he was part of the group of MPs who recommended me to become the NDC general secretary when I was leaving Parliament after twelve years to pursue my PhD. ET Mensah, Doe Adjaho, Alban Bagbin, John Dramani Mahama, and a few others came together and suggested that the party needed a firebrand, and I did not have a pesewa at the time.”
“All the seniors in the party had their candidates, but with the backing of ET Mensah, Doe Adjaho, Collins Dauda, John Mahama, and others who pledged to work in their constituencies to ensure my election, I became the general secretary of the NDC,” Asiedu Nketiah added.
Mr. Mensah died in South Africa at the age of 77 in October 2023 after battling ill health for some time. His body was later brought to Ghana in the same month.
Enoch Teye Mensah (born May 17, 1946) was a Minister for Education and a Member of Parliament in Ghana from January 1997 till January 2017.
He held several portfolios in government. Until his demise, he was a member of the Council of State.
His funeral service was held at the forecourt of the State House in Accra on Friday, January 5, 2024.
When responding to questions from listeners on Starr Chat, hosted by Bola Ray on Thursday, October 19, 2023, the NDC chairman stated that the matter of his relationship with the former deputy general secretary was not relevant to the occasion.
“Why should my relationship with a particular individual matter in such a program? Don’t allow people to drag an important program into something else. I won’t get into such questions,” Asiedu Nketiah retorted when the host queried further with the question.
The question sought to find out Asiedu Nketiah’s relationship with Koku and the recent allegation by the former deputy secretary that the chairman haboured animosity towards the party’s flagbearer, former President John Dramani Mahama and had an agenda to see the failure of his bid in the 2024 elections.
“I don’t think that this type of question qualifies to be answered on such an important program so let’s leave it,” he stated.
In a recent series of tweets posted on a popular social media platform, Anyidoho made allegations against Asiedu Nketiah, who is widely known as General Mosquito.
Anyidoho claimed that Asiedu Nketiah has made a commitment to obstruct former President John Dramani Mahama from reclaiming the presidency.
He accused Asiedu Nketiah of harbouring a deep-seated animosity towards Mahama, which, according to him, poses a threat to the party’s unity and its electoral aspirations.
Koku suggested that the origin of this controversy dates back to when John Dramani Mahama, during his presidency, allegedly attempted to remove Asiedu Nketiah from his position in 2014.
As a result of this failed attempt, Nketiah has supposedly harboured intentions to prevent Mahama’s return to the presidency ever since.
“Mosquito’s disguised, deep hatred for John Mahama has destroyed the NDC. JM tried to oust Mosquito in 2014, and Mosquito has vowed to make sure JM never becomes president again. I heard Mosquito myself vow to ensure JM never becomes president again, and I dare him to challenge me,” he added in another tweet.
This isn’t the initial instance in which Koku Anyidoho has taken aim at Asiedu Nketiah.
Anyidoho has previously accused him of acting in a deceitful manner.
This accusation arose when Nketiah had assured Anyidoho that he would vacate the general secretary position but subsequently opted to run for the same position once more during the party’s internal elections in 2018.
In 2018, Anyidoho contested against Asiedu Nketiah for the NDC’s general secretary position but was defeated by his former superior, who retained the role.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), George Akuffo Dampare, has faced criticism from Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, a Member of Parliament (MP) from theNational Democratic Congress (NDC) representing South Dayi.
This criticism comes in response to a directive by the IGP for all police bodyguards of MPs to surrender their weapons to the nearest police station in Assin North ahead of the by-election scheduled for Tuesday, June 27.
While the IGP stated that the directive was aimed at ensuring a peaceful election, Dafeamekpor expressed his disagreement, asserting that the directive was unconstitutional.
Speaking to journalists in Assin North, he argued that the IGP did not possess the authority to issue such a directive.
However, speaking to journalists in Assin North, Dafeamekpor said the IGP had no right to give such a directive, as it was unconstitutional.
“Bodyguards attached to MPs are part of their conditions of service. The IGP has no power to vary the conditions of service of a sitting MP in the same way he has no power to vary the conditions of service of a superior court judge in this republic.”
“So for him to issue a statement and say that Police bodyguards of MPs should surrender their weapons to the nearest Police Station is unlawful and unconstitutional,” he stated.
Dafeamekpor said thedirective was an attempt to intimidate and harass MPs, and he called on the IGP to withdraw it immediately.
The directive by the IGP has been met with mixed reactions. Some people have argued that it is a necessary measure to ensure a peaceful election, while others have criticized it as being unconstitutional.
A member of the legal team of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Abraham Amaliba, has said that former President John Dramani Mahama has not received any lawsuit challenging his candidacy for the 2024 elections.
Court documents leaked on social media indicated that the former president, who was recently elected by the NDC to be its candidate for the 2024 presidential elections, had been sued over his eligibility to contest in the next presidential election.
The suit was filed by one Kenneth Kwabena Agyei Kuranchie, who wants the Supreme Court of Ghana to disqualify the former president from contesting as a flagbearer of a political party or the presidency in the future.
According to him, the constitution through Article 66 (1) of the 1992 Constitution indicates that a person seeking a second presidential term must be a sitting president but former President Mahama is seeking to recontest after being out of office for about 8 years.
Reacting to this in an interview on Metro TV, on Wednesday, June 13, 2023, lawyer Amaliba said that the suit is ‘much ado about nothing’.
According to him, the suit is just to divert the attention of Ghanaians from the current economic hardship in the country and his being championed by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.
“The former president has not been served and once serving is personal, they would have to take steps to serve him. What I can tell you is that absolutely nothing can stop the former president from contesting in the 2024 elections.
“This whole suit is a diversionary tactic. There is nowhere in the constitution that says that the former president cannot stand. I see this suit as legal gymnastics, I see this suit as a legal somersault… to stop the former president from contesting but nothing stops him from contesting,” he said.
He added that the NDC and the former president are not worried about the suit and are currently focused on winning the upcoming Assin North by-election.
Former President, John Dramani Mahama has been sued by a Ghanaian citizen over his bid to vie for a second presidential term on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
In the suit filed by the Plaintiff; Kenneth Kwabena Agyei Kuranchie, he wants the Supreme Court to disqualify the former president from contesting as a flagbearer of a political party or the presidency in the future.
According to him, the constitution through Article 66 (1) of the 1992 Constitution indicates that a person seeking a second presidential term must be a sitting president and in the case of former President Mahama, he is only seeking to recontest after being out of office for about 8 years.
He also noted that per the provision in the constitution, a former president seeking re-election must seek parliamentary approval before going on with his ambitions.
The Plaintiff in the suit also indicated a number of things he wants as reliefs: He wants the court to order the former president to fully disclose to parliament, the terms of his engagement as a flagbearer of the NDC.
Mr. Agyei Kuranchie is also seeking that the Supreme Court directs the Speaker of Parliament to invoke and operationationalise Article 68 (2) of the 1992 Constitution which indicates that
[The President shall not, on leaving office as President, hold any office of profit or emolument, except with the permission of Parliament, in any establishment, either directly or indirectly, other than that of the State].
The Plaintiff is also seeking for the court to order Former President, John Agyekum Kufuor and Former President John Dramani Mahama to make available to parliament, all engagaments not to do with the matters of the State of Ghana.
He also wants the court to order Mr. mahama to seek parliamentary approval for his engagement as a Flagbearer of the NDC or in the alternative, desist from his presidential ambitions.
Meanwhile, Article 66 (1) of the 1992 Constitution says;
(1) A person elected as President shall, subject to clause (3) of this article, hold office for a term of four years beginning from the date on which he is sworn in as President.
Article 68 (2) of the 1992 Constitution says;
(2) The President shall not, on leaving office as President, hold any office of profit or emolument, except with the permission of Parliament, in any establishment, either directly or indirectly, other than that of the State.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) will commemorate its 31st anniversary with a flag raising ceremony in Ningo Gangan, Assin North Constituency.
The party was founded on June 10, 1992 ahead of that year’s elections, a return to democratic rule in Ghana.
The party marked exactly three decades of its formation last year.
This year’s coincides with the electioneering campaign for the by-election inAssin North, the reason why the leadership of the party is taking the celebration to that constituency.
Already, party big wigs are in the Assin North Constituency, campaigning for James Gyakye Quayson to be re-elected as Member of Parliament (MP).
Mr Gyakye Quayson lost his seat after the courts ruled that he held a Canadian citizenship prior to filing his nomination for the December 2020 elections.
Members of the NDC have disagreed with the courts and found the ruling targeted at the opposition party.
Minority Leader Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, who led the caucus to the Central Region constituency, said victory in the June 27 by-election will not only be for Mr Gyakye Quayson but will also be for justice.
All NDC national executives bar the General Secretary, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, who is out of jurisdiction, are expected to be at the venue for the ceremony.
Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), General Asiedu Nketiah, has said money does not decide who gets voted for in the NDC anymore.
Speaking after the declaration of the results for the presidential primaries on Sunday dawn, Mr. Nketia expressed confidence that the party now has the men and women to ensure overwhelming victory in the 2024 general elections.
He commended the party delegates on the quality of candidates who were elected in the just-ended parliamentary primaries.
He said, “Money does not decide who gets the vote in [the] NDC anymore. We heard stories about big men, potentially rich men who could win elections; they all could not win in spite of their wealth and riches and the stories we heard about what they were intending to distribute, but we are happy that so far, the quality of candidates that have been produced in this election gives us confidence that we will go into 2024 and win presidential and win a significant majority in Parliament, and also deliver on the charge of rescuing this country.”
“We are not going to say we have the men; we want the men to prove themselves for you to say that ‘yes, NDC, you have the men’…” he added.
On Saturday, May 13, 2023, the NDC elected parliamentary candidates to represent the party in the 2024 election.
The party also elected former President John Dramani Mahama as its flagbearer for the 2024 elections.
A political scientist at the University of Winneba (UEW), Dr Isaac Brako, has said that the overwhelming victory of the former President, John Mahama, in the just-ended primaries of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) makes it possible to recapture power in the 2024 general election.
Speaking on Kumasi-based Oyerepa TV and monitored by Ghanaweb, the political scientist said the former president’s grip on the NDC party and the victory margin in the primaries make him a force to reckon with in the 2024 general election.
“If somebody says the general election is going to be easy, that will be untrue. Both parties must work hard. Anybody who wants to underrate the chances of the former president will do so at his own risk. So all of them will have to work hard,” he said.
When asked if the return of the John Mahama could be a reality, Dr. Brako said it is possible.
“It is possible, but it will heavily rest in the message they sell out. The public is looking out for certain things. And whatever they are looking out for is embedded in the various campaign messages. What was your performance in your first administration? What are you going to say differently that will cause the public to trust you with power again,” he added.
To him, the NDC must invest in their messages to make them attractive enough to the public.
“You must be able to craft an effective message that is attractive,” he continued.
Background:
The opposition National Democratic Congress elected former President John Dramani Mahama as its flagbearer for the 2024 presidential election on May 13, 2023.
In a landslide victory, the former president polled 297,603 (98.9%) against his contender, Kojo Bonsu who polled 3,181 (1.1%) in the election.
The Electoral Commission’s returning officer made the declaration in the wee hours of May 14, 2023.
John Dramani Mahama became president of Ghana ahead of the 2012 general election after succeeding his boss, John Evans Atta Mills, following his demise.
The NDC later put John Mahama up as its presidential candidate in the 2012 presidential election, where he clinched victory over his closest contender, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party.
John Mahama lost power in 2016 to Nana Akufo-Addo and subsequently failed to recapture power in 2020 when he was elected flagbearer of the NDC.
Ahead of the 2023 presidential primaries, John Mahama enjoyed wide endorsement within the NDC and was presumed to be the party’s flagbearer in waiting.
Ahead of the election, Dr Duffuor, who is a former finance minister under the erstwhile NDC administration led by John Evans Atta Mills, had sought an interlocutory injunction against the party from going ahead with the election.
At the hearing of his application in Accra High Court, barely 24 hours before the election, Dr Duffuor’s lawyers informed the court that they had been instructed by their client to withdraw the application.
Later, at a press conference on Friday, Dr Duffuor announced his resignation from the flagbearership contest.
The Electoral Commission has announced that all legal obstacles have been eliminated, allowing them to oversee the upcoming National Democratic Congress (NDC) primaries scheduled for Saturday, May 13th, 2023, according to the election management authority.
According to the EC, this follows the discontinuance of the Application for Injunction by Dr. Kwabena Duffour and Mr Edgar Asamoah Boateng that sought to restrain the Commission from conducting the NDC Primaries.
The EC on Thursday told the NDC to divest itself of all legal entanglements before it would supervise the election when it emerged that a flagbearer aspirant of the party had applied for an injunction against the polls following discrepancies in the photo album of delegates to be used for voting, scheduled for Saturday.
The EC said following the decision, it had suspended its intended distribution of logistics for the polls.
On Friday morning however, Dr. Duffour withdrew his application, and another one filed by a parliamentary aspirant, Mr. Edgar Asamoah Boateng was also withdrawn.
The party itself says it will no longer use the photo album for the polls.
A total of 356,024 voters are expected at 420 voting centres.
Each voting centre is supposed to take a maximum of 1,200 delegates.
A delegates list will be used at polling centres and a delegate will have to produce a valid national voters ID issued by the EC to be able to vote.
Whereas a total of 117 and 107 candidates are competing for seats in Accra and Kumasi respectively, the third most contested place is the Volta region with 75 candidates.
Late Friday evening, the EC issued a statement announcing it is all ready to supervise the polls and that arrangements were being put in place to ensure a credible and transparent election.
The statement was signed by the Chairperson of the EC, Jean Mensa.
Some aggrieved delegates of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Manhyia South Constituency of the Ashanti Region, have threatened to injunct this Saturday’s presidential and parliamentary primaries in the region.
This follows the exemption of the constituency from the election over claims that their delegates’ register is flawed.
Krofrom CPC Coordinator, Daniel Appiah, says they will seek legal redress if the issues are not addressed immediately.
“We would like to seek an injunction to halt the election, especially in the Ashanti Region if our concerns are not addressed within 48 hours”, he said.
NDC executives from some of the 107 branches of the party in the Manhyia South Constituency have gone through the necessary processes to participate as delegates.
This, they say, grants them the opportunity to vote in the election.
“The constituency has a total of 107 branches, but 452 executives that culminate to form the delegates in the entire constituency. These delegates bought their forms, paid their approved dues of three months and met the condition of being members for 4 years and counting before registration,”
“Members were adequately vetted by Dr Mrs Mary Awusi, then Deputy Women’s Organizer and Mr. Solomon Anane as Regional representative.
“These branch elected executives were subsequently sworn in as branch leaders and delegates of the party”, their statement read.
Three out of the 47 constituencies in the Ashanti Region will not participate in the upcoming Presidential and Parliamentary primaries of the NDC.
Fomena, Adansi Asokwa and Manhyia South constituencies have issues that need to be addressed before delegates can exercise their franchise.
Former Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Koku Anyidoho has declared his intention to cast his ballot in the upcoming NDC primaries scheduled for May 13, 2023.
He said the party’s National Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah cannot stop him from voting in the upcoming presidential and parliamentary primaries of the party.
According to the founder of Atta Mills Institute, “Today is the 6th of May technically we were supposed to be voting a week from today to elect Flagbearer and our parliamentarians. I will vote in my capacity as a former national officer and a former appointee. I have a new voter’s ID card and let Asiedu Nketiah come and remove my vote from the ballot box”.
Koku said this when he spoke to journalists at the sidelines of the 10th Eastern Presbytery Synod 2023 at Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana Amenuveve Congregation held in Koforidua, the Eastern Regional capital.
The NDC former deputy General Secretary said the party Chairman has failed to produce any evidence that he has been sacked and that he is still a bonafide member of the party, hence he will take part in the upcoming primaries scheduled to take place on May 13, 2023.
He explained that “Secondary on that score I am supporting Dr. Kwabena Duffuor in the Presidential primaries. I am not supporting John Mahama and that is one of the reasons why they said they have sacked me from the party because I have said I won’t support John Mahama, I am not a slave to John Mahama and I refuse to be a slave to him.”
Koku Anyidoho emphasised that Dr. Duffuor’s competency in managing the economy far outweighs that of former President John Dramani Mahama.
“Dr. Duffuor was the Finance Minister under John Evans Atta Mills so he worked with President Mills. I worked with him and I know what Dr. Duffuor stands for in terms of building the economy that President Mills built.
“32, 34 months single digit inflation, the introduction of the single spine, clearing of the arrears, Infrastructure expansion, three public Universities in three and half years, health facilities all over, I believe that Dr. Duffuor has the potential by training, by competence, by experience both in public and private life,” Mr Anyidoho stressed.
The Founder of Atta Mills Institute further urged the Electoral Commission (EC) to take a keen interest in the letter which was written by Dr. Duffuor’s campaign team concerning a fraudulent register for the upcoming primaries.
According to him, if the concerns raised by the Dr. Duffuor campaign team are not immediately addressed before Saturday, May 13, it will have dire consequences and discredit the EC Chairperson as a bad person or a fraudster.
He said even though it is the NDC party Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah who is perpetrating the fraudulent register, he will turn around to blame the EC when the issue comes up and it is exposed.
Mr Anyidoho threatened that if the concerns raised are not ironed out before next week, he will proceed to the court and put an injunction on the election.
Ahead of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), former President John Dramani Mahama is calling for unity of its members, especially presidential and parliamentary aspirant.
The vote is slated for May 13, 2023 with the presidential primary being the main focus for most analysts.
Former President John Dramani Mahama has reiterated calls for unity among the rank and file ahead of the process.
“Everyone has his supporters, there’s no point saying this person supported the winning team, so we will stay aside. All of us are NDC, let’s support each other after the primaries,” Mr. Mahama advised in his continued engagement with supporters at Bimbilla in the Northern Region.
Mahama is seeking to be re-elected to lead the NDC into the fourth straight election after winning in 2012 and losing in 2016 and 2020.
John Mahama will face competition in the primary from former finance minister Kwabena Duffuor and former Kumasi mayor Kojo Bonsu.
Presidential aspirant for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr Kwabena Duffuor, has pledge to align with businesses if given the nod as President of the Republic.
Dr Duffuor, who served as Finance Minister under the erstwhile Mills government and now a contender in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer race, said the next NDC government (under his leadership) will hold high interest in the business community.
The votes of the NDC in the two previous general elections have seen a significant reduction. This has been attributed to the decreasing votes at the party’s strongholds as well as shying away from floating voters.
Dr. Kwabena Duffuor who is currently on a tour at the Western Region in the build-up to the May 13th NDC presidential primaries says the party would need to enhance its attraction for floating voters who will dominate the business and professionals community.
Speaking at a gathering of party faithful in Sekondi, he pledged that the NDC will invest in businesses to endear itself to the business fraternity.
According to Dr. Duffuor his leadership will not neglect the party’s grassroots as has been the trend for the past years which has led to increasing apathy in the party’s strongholds.
The NDC has fixed May 13, 2023, to elect its flagbearer for the 2024 Presidential election.
The candidates include Ex-President John Mahama, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor and Mr. Kojo Bonsu.
A parliamentary aspirant of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Henry Sarfo Asamani-Yiadom, for Krachi East Constituency, said he will engage the services of a consultant to prepare an employment creation plan for the Constituency.
He said this master plan would help to profile the large army of unemployed people for easy placement when the opportunity availed itself.
Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), the aspirant promised to introduce youth mentorship programmes to the area for many young ones could learn to become great men and women in the future.
He again emphasized some key areas including creating decent and sustainable jobs for the youth and investing in young ones to have access to free sponsorship.
The aspirant also promised to tackle healthcare to ensure the observance of good sanitation and environmental hygiene throughout the Constituency to solve the problem of both liquid and solid waste disposal in the area, which posed a health risk for the people.
He mentioned road infrastructure, potable water, sustainable jobs for the constituency, and rural electrification as areas of major concern of the people.
Yiadom told the GNA that he would work hard to justify the mandate given to him after the primaries and lead the NDC to victory in the 2024 general elections.
Don Emmanuel Agbanyo, a.k.a next MP, a Ketu North National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary Candidate hopeful, Monday filed his nomination and restated his ambition to create markets and financial systems towards transforming Ketu North’s rural economy if elected the Party’s Candidate and later Member of Parliament for the area.
He said the creation of a viable market and financial systems, which would link the production and marketing of farm produce was the way to create jobs and curb youth unemployment in the Municipality noted for agricultural production.
Mr Agbanyo said this in an interview with the GNA, that, this will be his third time contesting the primaries.
He said it was unfortunate that though the Municipality was noted widely in the West African sub-region for the production and marketing of exclusive quality palm oil, gari and rice, the people remained poor and said his aim was to change the narrative and open up the Municipality for rapid socio-economic growth.
Mr Agbanyo said it was high time Weta, Penyi, Afife and Dzodze, the capital of Ketu North, became the commercial hub of the Volta Region leveraging the passage of the ECOWAS International Highway through it, linking Ghana and neighbouring Republic of Togo, and said that was going to be one of his priorities – taking advantages under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to make the area a market centre.
Mr Agbanyo, a Real Estate Developer, said he had engaged some investors who were ready to invest in irrigation and to support agro-processing industries taking advantage of the Ohawu Agriculture College in the Municipality.
He said once the Municipality was able to produce enough to feed itself and market through AfCFTA and local markets in Ghana, the rural economy would expand with opportunities for the service sectors-health and education.
Mr Agbanyo said his policy of “Education First” was to encourage and empower all, especially girls to be in school and said he would organise regular competitions for pupils and students from basic to tertiary level towards making Ketu North an education tourism Centre.
He said he would initiate various training schemes for traders, artisans, and people in the transport business to make their enterprises self-sustaining, towards “building the Ketu North we want”.
Mr Agbanyo said 2024 offered a new dawn for Ketu North, saying he was ready to give his all to transform the Municipality with opportunities for the young, medieval and the old and urged the delegates to vote for him.
Ten persons have picked forms to contest the NDC Ketu North Constituency primaries.
They are: Don Emmanuel Agbanyo, Afetsi Awoonor, Gabriel Kwamigah and Wisdom Nyamuame.
The rest are: Dr Donald Senanu Agumenu, Mr Prosper Ledi, Mr Leonard Nyakpo,Edem Agbana, Mr Francis Seglah and Mr John Adanu.
Dr James Avedzi, the current MP, who is also the Chairman of the Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee, is not contesting.
Ghana’s biggest opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has delivered what it describes as the “True State of the Nation’s Address.”
NDC’s address, delivered by National Chairman of the party, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah follows President Akufo-Addo’s March 8, State of the Nation’s Address which has been described by the party as a sham.
Mr Asiedu Nketiah on March 20, 2023, said President Akufo-Addo failed to capture the reality on the grounds regarding the state of the nation during the 2023 SoNA.
“…Ghanaians are experiencing excruciating hardships because the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia NPP government has offered utterly useless and reckless governance in the last seven years.
“We in the NDC, the only viable alternative to this bungling government, deem it necessary to straighten the records and expose the untruths presented to the nation through parliament by President Akufo-Addo and to highlight that our dire state is self-inflicted and deliberately so by this government,” he said.
Mr Asiedu Nketiah highlighted a number of issues he said the government failed to touch on during the 2023 SoNA, particularly the current economic crisis, and maintained that the President has lost touch with reality on the grounds.
“Today, the public debt stock which stood at 120 billion cedis in 2016 has increased to a whopping 600 billion, while the debt to GDP ratio that was 56% in 2016 now stands at 103%.
“Apart from the unsustainable debt of the country, the budget deficit which stood at 6.1% in 2016 now stands at a whopping 12% on the watch of the Bawumia-led Economic Management Team. This is after it rose to an unprecedented high of 15.7% in 2020 owing to the reckless election driven spending of the government.
He further noted that: “Per government’s own figures, the rate of inflation which stood at 15.4% as at December 2016, now stands at a hyper rate of over 52%. The lending rate that stood at about 25% on average in the year 2016, now stands between 38%- 45%; whilst exchange rate depreciation that stood at 9.6% for the year 2016 now stands at about 23% for the first two months of this year alone. This is after the Cedi depreciated by over 54% in the first eleven (11) months of last year, 2022, making it the worst performing currency in the world.”
Additionally, he lamented the downgrading of Ghana’s economy by key International Rating Agencies.
“From a stable credit rating of B- in 2016 under the NDC/Mahama administration, Ghana’s economy has been downgraded by all credit rating agencies to below junk status owing largely to the country’s default on its debt obligations on the watch of Bawumia,” he said.
“Despite being the luckiest and most resourced government in Ghana’s history, the Akufo Addo/Bawumia NPP government has the least to show in terms of socio-economic development,” the former Chief Scribe of the NDC added.
He further accused the government of draining the national coffers.
“The NPP has used all your money mainly for consumption. This is contrary to the President’s claim that his government has used “a large amount of the money we borrowed on road construction.”
He lamented that despite these challenges, the current administration has failed to accept responsibility and has delighted in falsifying the causes of the disaster currently being experienced.
“Even worse was the continuation of the discredited attempt to evade responsibility for the economic atrocities that have led us to this depressing point. Whilst they engage in vain glory, Ghanaians have to deal with the daily consequences of a collapsed economy,” he said.
Additionally, he said President Akufo-Addo in the address, failed to convince the Ghanaian people that there is any end in sight to “the suffering and pain that his government’s reckless and misguided policies have brought on us.”
The Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, according to certified economist Bernard Oduro Takyi, is the only one who can assist Ghana in overcoming the current obstacle preventing it from receiving the $3 billion bailout from theInternational Monetary Fund (IMF).
According to him, the only obstacle remaining before the government can convince the IMF board that Ghana’s debt is manageable and the $3 billion bailout should be approved is the Chinese government, which is now the only obstacle.
“The Chinese government is going to drag its feet and will not meet Ghana over the money we owe them. What they are likely to do is demand control of key assets of Ghana because we have failed to honour the agreement, we had with them.
“The only way out is for the government to fall on the Otumfuo. It took Otumfuo for Kufuor to get debt cancellation. The only way out is for the Otumfuo to lead the delegation anybody else forget it, it won’t wash.
“The Otumfuo’s seat goes beyond the country… in Africa, he is one of the most respected monarchs. He can speak to Buckingham Palace for the King of England to intervene for Ghana. If any other person leads Ghana’s delegation will not wash,” he said in Twi in an Onua TV interview, on Thursday.
Oduro Takyi, a leading member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) who has defected to the National Democratic Congress (NDC), added that the last person to be leading the country to seek reprieve for its international debt is the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta.
He explained that international lenders to Ghana including China see Ofori-Atta as the cause of the problems in Ghana and they will not be willing to sit with him to discuss the country’s debt.
The government of Ghana started engaging external debtors with the view to getting debt cancellation, especially from the Paris club of creditors.
China holds a third of Ghana’s external debts amounting to $1.7 billion out of a total of $5.7 billion.
Ken Ofori-Atta, according to a Joy News report, told Svenja Schulze, the German Development Minister that China has committed to a bilateral negotiation.
“The big elephant in the room is China as in how they will comport themselves in the comparability of treatment because China wants to do bilateral. We would be visiting China by the end of the week to really discuss how they can envelop as quickly as possible,” he said.
Svenja Schulze on her part assured of German support in helping Ghana to get fair treatment at the Paris club.
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.
A few days after the nomination form was picked for former President John Mahama to lead the largest opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), into the 2024 presidential election, a staunch member of the party, Ambassador Kwesi Ahwoi has suggested that Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang deserves to be retained as running mate.
In an exclusive interview with Starr News Eastern Regional Correspondent, Kojo Ansah at the sidelines of an event at Koforidua Technical University on Friday, Kwesi Ahwoi said even though former President Mahama has the prerogative right to appoint any running mate of choice, nothing stops him from re-appointing his 2020 running mate to partner him again into 2024.
“I have made a lot of statements. I have made a statement that I will do everything to make sure President John Mahama comes back to be President of this country and of course, he has to decide who will be his running mate. I don’t see anything wrong at all and nothing that stops Prof. Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang from being the running mate”. Ambassador Kwesi Ahwoi stated.
The former Interior Minister and current Chairman of Former Ambassadors and High Commissioners under the NDC, dismissed old-age arguments against Prof.Jaane Naana Opoku Agyemang. He said Prof.Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang, can rise to become the next President after John Mahama.
“People are talking about age and all. Age is not a concern. Age is being made a concern because we have a leadership today that is making age look like we have lost track. But if I tell you my age standing here you will be amazed but I have not lost track. So Naana whether she is 78, 79, or 80 can still be President of this country when President John Mahama finishes his service, that should not be a worry at all. Senior Kwabena Duffuor is putting in his cap. Kwabena Duffuor should be getting close to 79, what does he get to do with that, he got his brains, he got everything that he can use to lead this country.so I don’t see anything wrong with that(old age), Is it because Naana is a woman?” he quizzed.
Ambassador Kwesi Ahwoi said it is about time women are given opportunity to rule the country given the fact that men have been tried enough.
“It is about time we put a woman in charge of this country . They have a lot to offer this country. We have tried men, we’ve seen where men have taken us. Let’s try the women”.
Answering a question about whether or not Prof. Jaane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, will attract more votes for the NDC when made running mate to seal the party’s victory, Kwasi Ahwoi said Central region is an amorphous region therefore the seemingly poor performance of the party in 2020 should not be a litmus test for her re-appointment as running mate.
“It is the party that brings numbers it is not really the individual….if the party is strong the candidate is only a reflection of the party. But specifically, she also has her constituency, she can pull resources, and she can pull people. Most people are not calculating things well they think we lost in the central region. We lost the presidential election in Centralia Region because people forget that the central region is an amorphous region. It is not only Fantes. Central region is a combination of Ashantes, Akyems, Denkyiras just name it so don’t look at Fante and say because Naana is a Fante he should bring Central region, no! We have to go beyond that”.
Prof Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, an academician, the first female Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, and a former Education Minister was the running mate for the 2020 Presidential candidate of NDC John Dramani Mahama.
However, lost the election to incumbent President Nana Akufo-Addo of the ruling New Patriotic Party who polled 6,730,587 represented 51.30% as against 6,213,182 vote representing 47.36% polled by John Dramani Mahama of the NDC.
Member of Parliament for the Bole-Bamboi Constituency, Alhaji Yussif Sulemana, is seeking re-election in the coming National Democratic Congress (NDC) primaries, as well as the ultimate elections to be held in December 2024.
Alhaji Yussif Sulemana said his experience, coupled with the massive development projects he injected or influenced, makes him the best for the Bole-Bamboi Constituency.
The MP made these comments in an interview with Bole-based Nkilgi FM on the morning show of February 23, 2023.
According to Alhaji Yussif Sulemana, the announcement of his intent shouldn’t be a surprise because the rank and file of the NDC party has admonished him to contest and continue his good work for the constituency.
He added that, before he could pick a form to contest, a group known as the Brifo/Dagaaba Friends of Alhaji Yussif Sulemana, led by Mr. Daniel Manu, had already purchased the forms for him on the opening day for picking of forms.
He further thanked the group for their thoughtfulness and promised to work hard to unite all tribes in his constituency.
Alhaji Yussif Sulemana said he had always been there for his constituents and had their best interests at heart.
He highlighted his main agenda items of education, health, and agriculture, which have seen massive improvements since he became the Member of Parliament for the Bole-Bamboi constituency.
Alhaji Sulemana added that the party headquarters in Bole, which was dilapidated, has been refurbished through his own finances to make the office very conducive for all to relax and work for the party.
He indicated that all the NDC MPs in Parliament have unanimously endorsed John Dramani as flagbearer.
The incumbent MP has therefore said that delegates of the party should vote for him on May 13, 2023, to continue his good work and make sure former President, John Dramani Mahama wins the election on December 7, 2024.
A staunch member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr Senanu Kwesi Djokoto, who is currently the Acting Volta Regional Director of Health Services, has joined the party’s parliamentary race.
He received the endorsement of some National Democratic Congress (NDC) members in the Keta Constituency, to contest the party’s parliamentary primary, slated for May 2023.
The members, who on Wednesday picked and paid for Dr Djokoto’s nomination forms at the NDC Constituency Office at Keta, said they made the move because they believed in the candidate’s capacity to restore Keta to its glorious days, not only as an economic hub but also as a place of great political history.
Dr Djokoto, a former aide to late President Jerry John Rawlings, who contested the primary in 2019 but lost narrowly to the incumbent, Dr Dzulorli Gakpey, reacting to the development, said he was humbled by the move from the NDC members.
He expressed appreciation to the party faithful for believing in him to have paid for his nomination forms to enable him to contest the primary, and eventually win the parliamentary slot in the 2024 general election.
“I do not take it lightly that you are using your hard-earned income to pay for my nomination forms – as you have indicated to me it is due to your belief in my capacity to restore our beloved constituency to its past glory”.
“Let me assure you all that I will not let you down,” Dr Djokoto said.
The candidate, a two-time chairman of the Keta Constituency, called on all aspirants and party members in the area to work hard towards a peaceful, truthful and issues-based electioneering.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has asked government to provide a list of (ongoing) projects to be suspended as a result of the ongoing IMF negotiations.
The NDC MPs have equally described the current IMF negotiations as the most opaque in the country’s history.
President Akufo-Addo has announced the IMF deal will affect some capital intensive projects without providing details.
Addressing the media in parliament minority spokesperson on Roads and Transport and incoming chief whip Governs Kwame Agbodza disclosed over 60 projects will be affected.
The Adaklu MP, therefore, asked government to provide clarity on the matter and the basis for settling on each of the projects.
Mr. Agbodza further disclosed over 3 million jobs will be lost as a result of the development accusing government of failing to be transparent with the IMF negotiations.
National Organizer of the New Patriotic Party, Henry Nana Boakye, alias Nana B has alleged that former President wants to be President for another eight (8) years should he be given the nod as President in the 2024 elections.
He also alleges that the changes made in the leadership of the minority caucus by the National Executive Committee of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has the full backing of former President John Mahama and that it is part of bigger plot to extend his reign in the event he becomes president.
According to him, there are discussions within the corridors of the NDC on how to circumvent the constitution to get John Mahama to govern for eight years if wins the 2024 election.
In view of this sinister move, Nana B claims that John Mahama with alleged collusion from some members of the NEC is planting persons in key positions in parliament.
He is therefore challenging John Mahama and the NDC to come out and state publicly that he will not embark on such mission in the event that he becomes president.
“The selfishness and greediness in Mahama is that he wants to go for 8 years in the unlikely event that he wins the 2024 elections. The plan is either to amend the constitution or go to the Supreme Court interpretation of constitution on the eight-year term.
“The plan is to convince Ghanaians that the four-year terms is not enough and therefore should be extended. Mahama will come back and not be excited by a four-year mandate. This discussion is going on in the deeper circles of the NDC.
“They are finding ways and means, constituting teams on how they can make it possible for Mahama to govern for eight years. If you think I’m lying, I’m daring him to say it during his campaign that his will rule for only four years. I’m challenging Mahama to say that he will govern for just four years.
The NDC on Tuesday, January 24, made some changes to its leadership in Parliament.
Ranking Member of the Finance Committee and Member of Parliament for Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam Constituency in the Central Region, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has replaced Tamale South MP, Haruna Iddrisu as the Minority Leader.
Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, MP for Ellembelle has also replaced Ketu North MP, James Klutse Avedzi as the Deputy Minority Leader while Kwame Governs Agbodza, MP for Adaklu has also replaced Asawase MP, Muntaka Mubarak as the Minority Whip.
The decision has since sparked outrage among some sections in the Party, with some NDC Members of Parliament publicly opposing the move.
National Democratic Congress (NDC) constituency chairman for Tamale South, Alhaji Abdul Rauf, has descended on the National Chairman of the party, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, following the changes made to the Minority leadership in parliament.
To him, the party failed to consult members and national executives before reshuffling; a situation he says does not augur well for the party.
He is, therefore, asking the party to rescind its decision or face their wrath.
Although the decision is coming from the national executive body of the party, Alhaji Rauf has blamed Mr Nketia for the development.
According to him, he supported Mr Nketia’s bid to become chairman and so wondered why he has been unfair to Northerners.
“We were warned that Asiedu Nketia will destroy the party if he becomes the national chairman, and the changes he has made clearly show. I know that Asiedu Nketia dislikes Northerners and this development proves that indeed he dislikes us,” he noted.
Alhaji Rauf was speaking on Adom FM’s morning show Dwaso NsemWednesday following the party’s decision to change its leadership in Parliament.
Meanwhile, Mr Nketia said the election 2024 will be fought on the economy and thus the party had the obligation to put its best foot forward.
He said the party’s campaign message ahead of the polls will be heavy on the economy, hence the decision to reshuffle its leadership in Parliament.
But chairman Rauf has said that he and his constituents will not accept the decision of the national executive to replace Mr Iddrisu.
The NDC through its General Secretary Fifi Fiavi Kwetey wrote to the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, to announce replacement of three members, the Minority Leader, the deputy Minority Leader and the Minority Chief Whip.
According to Asiedu Nketiah, the changes feed into the larger party reorganization plan that has seen the election of local level to national officers over the last year.
He said, it had reached the turn of Parliament where the party was reorganizing with the focus on winning the 2024 election.
Currently, two major issues the government is facing is the Domestic Debt Exchange programme, which the Haruna Iddrisu-led Minority had asked to be suspended pending broader consultations.
Why Ato Forson in place of Haruna
On the specific reason why the NDC picked Cassiel Ato Forson (Ajumako Enyan Essiam MP) to replace Haruna Iddrisu (Tamale South MP) as leader of the Minority Caucus, he responded:
“We know for instance that going into election 2024, the economy is going to be the major battleground and so many of the debates and other discussions will focus on the economy.
“So, you better put your best man in the economy forward and that is what we’ve done,” he stressed stating that it was not for the party to consult before ringing the changes.
Other changes and retentions
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 General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, has returned to his home constituency to express gratitude to the chiefs and people there.
The NDC party executive was the immediate past Member of Parliament for the Ketu South constituency until 2020 when he stepped down, making way for the current legislator, Abla Dzifa Gomashie.
In photos and videos shared online, Fifi Kwetey shared his excitement at returning home, adding that he felt really at home.
“Over the weekend, I was in Ketu South. It was such a wonderful experience to return to the constituency where I grew up and once served as an MP. I sincerely appreciate the warm reception I received from the religious leaders, traditional authorities, party executives and the good people of the area,” he wrote on Facebook.
The visit by the NDC General Secretary was done in the company of the sitting MP, Dzifa Gomashie; the Volta Regional Chairman, Mawutor Agbavitor; and other executives of the party.
The team met with constituency executives and engaged in a number of activities geared towards rekindling the spirit of patriotism in their members.
The team also visited some churches in the community.
“I thanked the leadership of both churches for their support to the NDC and Ghana and appealed to them not to relent in their efforts to make the nation better, great and strong,” he added.
Fifi Fiavi Kwetey and the team also paid homage to Togbui Fiti Adzonugagag Amenya V, the Paramount Chief of the Aflao Traditional Council; as well as Togbui Addo of the Klikor Traditional Area, and Tigbui Adamah of Some Traditional Area.
“My tour ended with a visit to my hometown, Nogokpo, where I paid homage to the chief, Togbui Sabah,” he added.
Fifi Kwetey was elected as General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) at their recent National Delegates Congress, where he beat competition from the likes of Elvis Afriyie Ankrah and Dr Peter Boamah Otokunor.
The congress also saw the election of Johnson Asiedu Nketiah as the National Chairman of the party, beating the incumbent, Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo.
The National Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah has called on Ghanaians not to sit aloof on the bad governance by this current administration.
His comment comes on the back of damning revelations from the 2022 Auditor General’s Report on COVID-19.
According to the A-G, a total of ¢21,844,189,185.24 was mobilised for the fight against the pandemic.
However, out of this amount, only ¢11,750,683,059.11 was spent on curbing the spread of the virus.
Commenting on the development, the National Chairman of the NDC indicated that Ghanaians will learn a more bitter lesson if they do not voice out on Akufo-Addo’s bad regime.
“The hardships and corruption emanating from the disastrous economic, social, political and developmental policy choices of the Akufo-Addo and Bawumia NPP administration provides useful lessons and insights that must improve our governance systems and practices for the benefit of the future generation.
“Particularly these bitter lessons make a solid case for active citizen awareness and participation in the choice and/or implementation of policies,” Mr. Nketiah stated in a Facebook post on January 23, 2023.
He continued: “If citizens opt to sit on the sidelines, or pursue narrow political agendas, they ultimately bear the consequences of bad governance, as is currently with the dubious debt exchange programme and as revealed by the audit report on the COVID-19 expenditures of the government.
“Citizens must be interested, vocal, and insistent on how they prefer to be governed. It’s their country and their future that is more at stake with every government action.”
The main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is actively gearing up for a busy 2023 ahead of crucial 2024 General Elections as they look to wrestle power from the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).
It will be the first major test for the newly-elected batch of executives led by National Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, who until December 2022 had served for 17 years as the party’s General Secretary.
Asiedu Nketiah, along with his successor Fifi Fiavi Kwetey and members of the National Executive body are gunning for early victory by way of leading the NDC into the Jubilee House after eight years in opposition.
The party on Wednesday, January 18, 2023 released detailed guidelines on how its presidential and parliamentary primaries will be conducted later this year.
GhanaWeb looks at the major highlights contained in both processes.
Major modalities for the presidential primary
Date and venues:
The election of the Presidential Candidate shall be held on Saturday, 13th May, 2023 at Voting Centers in all 276 Constituencies of the NDC which includes the SALL/Guan catchment area.
The National Headquarters of the NDC shall constitute an additional voting center for all delegates from external branches of the party.
Nomination process and completing forms:
Nominations shall be opened between 22nd and 24th March, 2023
A candidate must be proposed by a party member in good standing and endorsed by five others in each constituency in each region across the country.
Candidates shall be subjected to a vetting process which is expected to take place at the party Headquarters on a specified date.
Cost of forms and submission:
Nomination forms shall be made available in the office of the General Secretary for purchase at a non-refundable fee of Thirty thousand Ghana Cedis (Gh¢30,000.00) paid by bankers’ draft.
The completed forms (Nomination and endorsement forms) are to be returned to the General Secretary of the Party with evidence of the payment of a non-refundable filing fee of Five hundred thousand Ghana Cedis (Gh¢500,000.00) via bankers’ draft.
Female candidates and Persons with Disabilities shall pay fifty percent (50%) of the filing fees
Election Day:
The presidential primary will take place concurrently with the parliamentary primary with the party’s national headquarters serving as the collation center.
A candidate will require 50% plus one to win a first-round victory.
Major modalities for the parliamentary primary
Date and place:
It shall be held on same day as the presidential primary (May 13, 2023). The election shall be held at a venue within the Constituency as determined by the Constituency Executive Committee in consultation with the Regional Executive Committee (REC) of the respective region.
Nomination forms
Forms shall be made available online for download on www.ghanandc.com and a non-refundable fee of Five thousand Ghana Cedis (Gh¢5,000.00) paid online via the stipulated momo or bank card.
The completed forms (nomination and endorsement) shall be completed and submiited to the Elections Directorate of the constituency after the payment of a non-refundable filing fee of Forty thousand Ghana cedis (Gh¢40,000.00) via Bank Card on www.ghanandc.com.
Completing forms:
Each contestant must be proposed by one person and seconded by three (3) persons all of whom must be members of good standing of the party in different branches of the constituency.
Each prospective candidate shall be endorsed by at least one branch executive member of the party from 50 percent of the total branches in the constituency.
Day of voting:
All rules as applies in national elections shall be applicable along with any other rules as communicated by the National Executive Committee (NEC).
Candidates can appoint agents to monitor the process. Ballots shall be counted and collated immediately after the process and winner shall be declared on the basis of first past the post – aspirant with highest number of votes.
Key timelines for the process:
OPENING OF NOMINATIONS MONDAY 22ND – 24TH FEBRUARY, 2023
SUBMISSION OF FORMS/ FILING OF NOMINATION MONDAY 20TH – 22ND MARCH 2023
Ashanti Regional National Chairman for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has described MP for Tamale-South, Haruna Iddrisu, as the potential candidate for the NDC flag-bearer position.
In an interview on Wontumi TV, Wontumi stated that Haruna Iddrisu will be the NDC’s flagbearer in years to come and that Okudzato Ablakwa, Member of Parliament for North Tongu also stands a chance of becoming his running mate if he plays his cards well.
“See, Mahama will lose in the 2024 elections, so, Okudzato Ablakwa has to be humble so that when Haruna Iddrisu is becoming a flagbearer he will consider you as his running mate. But now you’re tarnishing your image. Mahama cannot come again. He has already been president and vice so that’s the end for him,” Wontumi said.
The Ashanti Regional Chairman went on to say that if Haruna Iddrisu is elected as the NDC flagbearer, they will lose two consecutive elections before gaining a chance at the presidency.
Meanwhile, the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has set May 13, 2023, as a date to elect their flagbearer.
Prospective candidates of the upcoming National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary Primaries will pay GH¢30,000 and GH¢500,000 as filing fees and registration forms respectively.
The party will also elect parliamentary candidates for various constituencies across the country on the same day.
The election of the Parliamentary Candidate shall be held at a venue within the Constituency as determined by the Constituency Executive Committee in consultation with the Regional Executive Committee (REC) of the respective region.
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.
Prospective candidates of the upcoming National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential Primaries have an amount of GH¢30,000 and GH¢500,000 to pay as filing fees and registration forms respectively.
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.
The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has set May 13, 2023, as a date to elect their flagbearer.
Prospective candidates of the upcoming National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary Primaries will also pay 169757340,000 and 16975735,000 as filing fees and registration forms respectively.
The party will also elect parliamentary candidates for various constituencies across the country on the same day.
The election of the Parliamentary Candidate shall be held at a venue within the Constituency as determined by the Constituency Executive Committee in consultation with the Regional Executive Committee (REC) of the respective region.
Fifi Kwetey further added that, per the calendar of events of the primaries, forms will be available for pickup from February 22 to 24th February in all constituency offices.
Submission of forms is also scheduled for 20 to 22 of March 2023, vetting, 27 to 29 of March, appeal, March 30 to April, and elections May 13, 2023.
Member of Parliament for MP Muntaka has petitioned the NDC Ashanti leadership and the police over some allegations made by the new party Chairman of the constituency against him.
On Friday January 13, the chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Asawase constituency of the Ashanti region, Faisal Dauda, at a press conference, alleged that the Member of Parliament, Muntaka Mubarak wants him dead.
According to him, the Asawase MP hired thugs to gun him down due to the supposed friction between them.
Reacting to this, Muntaka Mubarak indicated that he has petitioned the party hierarchy and the police to investigate the allegation.
According to myjoyonline, the accusations are “baseless.”
The Asawase MP was speaking with Luv news’ when he presented financial support running into ¢300,000 to 110 needy students in his constituency to pursue various courses at the tertiary level.
Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, the general secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has refuted allegations that the party will hold its legislative and presidential primaries on a specific day.
Earlier reports noted that a schedule saying that the political party will hold its primaries on Saturday, May 6, 2023, was made available to the media.
Mr. Fiavi Kwetey, debunking the false date, said an official timetable for the election will be communicated at an appropriate time.
He urged the public to disregard the dates circulating in the media until official communication from his office has been projected.
“We will be coming out with a formal announcement in due time. Disregard everything until my office comes out with a formal announcement. So everything that you see, disregard until an official communication is out,” he said.
Meanwhile, some decisions reached at the NEC meeting included; preparation towards a ‘Thank You’ programme before the end of January and an agreement to hold both the presidential and parliamentary primaries concurrently.
Opening of nomination for Presidential and Parliamentary primaries according to NEC spans two days beginning on February 22nd to 24th, 2023.
On January 6, 2023, the NDC also disclosed amounts for filing and picking of nomination forms for aspirants.
Individuals interested in leading the party as presidential candidate ahead of the 2024 elections have been directed to pay a sum of Gh¢500,000.00 as filing fee and Gh¢30,000.00 as nomination fee.
Again, party members interested in assuming parliamentary duties have been directed to pay Gh¢5,000.00 as nomination fee and Gh¢40,000.00 as filing fee.
According to NEC, vetting of aspirants will be held between March 27 and March 29, 2023.
The 78-year-old former finance minister died at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital while receiving medical attention.
Prof. Kwesi Botchwey was a well-respected economist and governance expert who served during the military era of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) (1982 to 1991) and the constitutional period of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) (1992 to 1995)
He is known as one of the country’s longest-serving Finance Ministers.
Richard Akuoko Adiyah
Chief Executive Officer of Produce Buying Marketing Company, Richard Akuoko Adiyah, was reported dead on Sunday, October 2, 2022.
Though initial details about his demise remained scanty, a myjoyonline.com report sighted by GhanaWeb indicated that Mr. Adiyah was found dead in his chair on Thursday, September 30, 2022, at his home.
As a consummate finance and international development executive, the late CEO also had a political history, having served as a Member of Parliament for Ahafo Ano North on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party from 2008 to 2012.
Opanin Samuel Kwame Agyepong
Opanin Samuel Kwame Agyepong, father of Joseph Siaw Agyepong who is the Executive Chairman of Jospong Group of Companies passed away in June 2022.
He died at the age of 98 after a short illness.
He was buried on Saturday, September 10, 2022.
LESKEN
Popular businessman in the Upper East region, Kenneth Anewanah, otherwise known as LESKEN, passed away on Saturday, July 23, 2022.
The Chief Executive Officer of My Turn Construction Company died at a health facility in Accra where he was admitted.
The late Kenneth Anewanah, who owned several businesses in the Upper East Region, had hundreds of employees.
He was also a key distributor of Guinness Ghana Breweries Limited (GGBL).
SK Boafo
Ghanaian business magnate, Dr. Seth Kwame Boafo, widely known as Dr. S. K. Boafo died after battling short illness.
Dr. S. K. Boafo was the Executive Chairman for the S. K. Boafo Group of Companies, a conglomerate that included S. K. Boafo Travel and Tour, S. K. Boafo Logistics, and S. K. Boafo Construction.
Before his demise, he was highly successful in the transportation industry.
The General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Lawyer Barbara Serwaa Asamoah, has said that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is so keen on completing the National Cathedral of Ghana not because he wants to honour God as he has been saying.
According to her, Akufo-Addo, as suggested by Rev Isaac Owusu Bempah, wants to complete the Cathedral because of a covenant he has entered that has nothing to do with God.
Speaking in an Ahotor FM interview monitored by GhanaWeb, the NDC deputy general secretary alleged that the National Cathedral of Ghana is only being built for occult purposes.
“… this Cathedral is not being built for God, it is for another reason. Yesterday, I listened to a tape of the president’s pastor, Rev Owusu Bempah and this made me understand that Nana Addo has used his life to enter a covenant that requires that he builds the Cathedral to save his life.
“If you observe the way NPP members are trying to promote LBGT activities, and you look at all the things that have transpired and you added what Owusu Bempah said yesterday, my conclusion is that the Cathedral is an occult centre.
“It has something to do with some occultism that if Nana Addo fails to build, they will punish him for it,” he said in Twi.
She added that her claims are the only logical explanation because if not so, the president will not set aside GH¢80 million in the 2023 budget for the construction of the Cathedral despite the fact the country is facing an economic crisis.
Meanwhile, Parliament’s Trades and Industry Committee has suspended the approval process for an amount of GH¢80 million allocated for the construction of the National Cathedral.
Tamale Central Member of Parliament, Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, who disclosed the development to Accra-based JoyNews on December 13, said the suspension will be in place till justification for the allocation is made.
“What the Committee decided was that we cannot just approve this GH¢80 million, we must know how the other GH¢339 million was spent. What did it constitute?
“The GH¢80 million you want us to approve, how did it find space in the budget line of the Ministry of Tourism when the Minister and the directors could not speak to the questions we were asking? What constitutes the GH¢80 million, they should give us a breakdown,” he stressed.
The Director of Research for National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr William Ahadzi, has said the party was never clueless about the 2020 election results.
According to him, the system the party used for the collation of results got jammed, they, therefore, turned their attention to the manual collation which intends delayed making them not able to submit full results to the court.
His comments came after he was asked whether the NDC were clueless about the 2020 election results.
Speaking on JoyNews The Probe on Sunday, the Research Director explained that “We were never clueless.
“We introduced a system that got jammed when it was supposed to collect the data and so we switched quickly to the alternative which is manual collation.
“But the speed with which you want to collect data is important if you want to go to court. And the manual data which takes a lot of time wasn’t complete before we went to court.”
Mr Ahadzi continued that the party was having some of the results of the election when it went to court for an election petition even though it was not 100% results.
He expressed that blame should not be apportioned on the immediate past executives of the party for the misappropriation of results since it was not their fault but the fault of the system.
Recently, there has been a leaked tape in which the past General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia revealed that the party did not have enough evidence to contest the 2020 general election results.
In the tape, Asiedu Nketia was heard explaining to party faithful that the Director of IT failed to electronically collate the evidence the party needed to contest the outcome of the presidential election.
This made the New Patriotic Party (NPP) demand an unqualified apology from the NDC to Ghanaians and the Supreme Court for wasting their time during the 2020 election petition.
Meanwhile, NDC’s Director of Legal Affairs Abraham Amaliba has said the party will not apologise for the 2020 election petition.
Mr Amaliba said the party’s decision to contest the 2020 election results was justified, thus the demand for an apology is unnecessary.
Following comments made by the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, a leading member of the party has declared him unfit to contest in the upcoming National Delegates Congress.
With less than 24 hours to the National Delegates Congress of the largest opposition party, former Ghana’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Victor Smith has demanded that Chairman hopeful, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, resigns from the race.
According to him, Asiedu Nketia’s comment that suggested that the National Democratic Congress did not have adequate evidence but went ahead to challenge the 2020 presidential results betrayed the trust and secrecy of the party.
“You are indicting a former President who was our flagbearer at the time, why must you even go to the contest? Personally, if I did not want the good of the party, I would have taken the issue to court on this one. Asiedu Nketia cannot contest this one. In fact, he should be disqualified or sanctioned from the party,” Victor Smith stated.
Speaking on Adom TV’s Badwam on Friday, he said the General Secretary’s statement is unpardonable and therefore, he is unfit to contest in the party’s national congress.
Mr. Smith explained that ‘General Mosquito’s’ action is anti-party conduct, which has embarrassed the party or brought the party into ridicule or contempt.
For which he said “this man cannot take part in our elections. In my opinion, he should be sanctioned. if he wasn’t contesting and somebody went to speak about it, he would have sanctioned the person,” he said.
It would be recalled that in a leaked tape, Mr. Johnson Asiedu Nketia was heard explaining to party faithful that the Director of IT failed to electronically collate the evidence the party needed to contest the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.
He said the NDC had no collated results, and thus their lawyer Tsatsu Tsikata rejected the first set of documentation which the party was seeking to rely on to challenge the Electoral Commission’s declaration in Court.
In his remarks, ‘General Mosquito’ further alleged that the NDC’s National Chairman, Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, was the brain behind the party’s inability to effectively collate its results.
Contents of a leaked audio believed to have captured the voice of of the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu-Nketiah, has revealed that during the party went without defensible figures when they petitioned the Supreme Court over the 2020 elections.
Speaking in the 14-minutes-plus leaked audio clip that has been shared multiple times on microblogging app; WhatsApp, the voice is heard explaining that even before the NDC went to court to challenge the declaration of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as the 2020 elected candidate in the elections, they had been experiencing some technical challenges.
“Only after collating five regions, we were told that the system that would help with that job had crashed and that is why, in truth, we did not have results to challenge the Electoral Commission. We came to the conclusion that looking at the region-by-region results, we had won, and even if we had not, Akufo-Addo had not won the first round and in the worst-case scenario, we needed to go for a second round, but where were the documents for us to use?” he said.
Asiedu-Nketiah further said that after devising new ways of putting together their own results, he got to court and was surprised when there were no ready figures for him to use in defense.
The voice of the person believed to be the NDC General Secretary added that being someone known to be very knowledgeable in electoral processes, not even his expertise would have helped him avoid the embarrassment that situation presented him with.
“We then decided to resort to manual collation and then Chairman elected himself as the head of that team and then he brought in some university students to help with the work. So, when the time came for me to stand in the docket to give evidence and I asked for the evidence, what I was presented with, should anyone use it anywhere in evidence, they will be embarrassed but here in Ghana, I am respected by many as someone who is very knowledgeable in electoral processes yet when I was in the docket, I was presented with indefensible documents,” he added.
Asiedu-Nketiah, popularly known as General Mosquito, is contesting the incumbent Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo for the position of NDC National Chairman.
After two weeks of discussion, the proposal was adopted on December 6, 2022. Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta delivered it on November 24.
This year’s process went well because the Minority backed it, in contrast to 2021 when the Minority allegedly rejected the budget before the Majority overturned that rejection.
“As a Caucus after the 2020 budget, there has been series of engagements and questions has been raised as to the rationale for rejecting entire policy package of government when indeed it is one or two items that we disagree and we do have an opportunity to deal with those items independently.
“We have learnt lessons from that, and it really doesn’t make sense that we pursue an agenda to say that a complete package of policies by government should be rejected when the specifics that we disagree will be available for us to take a decision,” he explained.
He stressed that at later stages of the budget consideration, the Minority will scrutinize specific laws, some of which they will oppose having announced same to the public.
He assured that to the extent that the powers of the 136 National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs can go, “I am sure Ghanaians will be very happy if we resist up to the limit of the powers that they have given us and the limit of the powers that they have given us is 136 at the moment.”
He listed a number of the issues they will resist citing the Minority Leader’s concluding debate before the approval.
Among others, the threshold of the E-Levy must remain, it is to be scrapped per the 2023 budget. He, however disclosed that they will go with the proposed 1% rate because rejecting it will mean that the old rate remains because that law is still subsisting and in force.
They will also reject an amendment to increase VAT by 2.5%, reject allocation for the National Cathedral and also for the Contingency Vote, which he said had been abused after it emerged that government withdrew funds from the fund for the construction of the National Cathedral.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, has urged his colleague National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs not to listen to the plea of New Patriotic Party (NPP) stalwart Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko on the 2023 Budget.
Gabby Otchere-Darko asked MPs from the minority caucus to join the 2023 budget reading on Thursday, November 24, 2022.
According to him, the 2023 budget is important in Ghana’s negotiations with the International Monetary Fund as well as in restoring investor confidence in the country.
“Thursday’s 2023 budget is crucial. It can’t suffer a fate similar to the 2022 budget and its revenue measures. It could completely derail negotiations with the Fund if not passed. Critical to this are its revenue generation measures. We plead the NDC joins NPP in this for Ghana,” a tweet the NPP stalwart shared on November 23 read.
But Dafeamekpor, while reacting to Gabby’s tweet, said that he (Gabby) cannot be trusted and his plea is not sincere.
The MP, in a tweet, added that the minority caucus MPs do not need the advice of the NPP’s leading member.
“Beware of the Greeks bearing a Gift Horse in the face. This call by Otchere Darko is a typical Trojan Horse.
“Gabby, be reminded that the NDC and its powerful Minority Caucus of which, I’m a proud Member, won’t take advise from Ofori Atta’s lawyer on Social Media. Advise the IMF,” parts of the tweet read.
Gabby Otchere-Darko asked MPs from the minority caucus to join the 2023 budget reading on Thursday, November 24, 2022.
According to him, the 2023 budget is important in Ghana’s negotiations with the International Monetary Fund as well as in restoring investor confidence in the country.
“Thursday’s 2023 budget is crucial. It can’t suffer a fate similar to the 2022 budget and its revenue measures. It could completely derail negotiations with the Fund if not passed. Critical to this are its revenue generation measures. We plead the NDC joins NPP in this for Ghana,” a tweet the NPP stalwart shared on November 23 read.
But Dafeamekpor, while reacting to Gabby’s tweet, said that he (Gabby) cannot be trusted and his plea is not sincere.
The MP, in a tweet, added that the minority caucus MPs do not need the advice of the NPP’s leading member.
“Beware of the Greeks bearing a Gift Horse in the face. This call by Otchere Darko is a typical Trojan Horse.
“Gabby, be reminded that the NDC and its powerful Minority Caucus of which, I’m a proud Member, won’t take advise from Ofori Atta’s lawyer on Social Media. Advise the IMF,” parts of the tweet read.
View the MP’s tweet below:
Beware of the Greeks bearing a Gift Horse in the face. This call by Otchere Darko is a typical Trojan Horse. Gabby, be reminded that the Ndc and it’s powerful Minority Caucus of which, I’m a proud Member, won’t take advise from Ofori Atta’s lawyer on Social Media. Advise the IMF pic.twitter.com/7uMCVf717a
A leading member of the New Patriotic Party, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, has described as refreshing a decision by a High Court to dismiss a suit challenging the election of Jomoro Member of Parliament, Dorcas Affo-Toffey.
According to him, the decision by the court among other things is a clear indication of the fairness of the judiciary system of Ghana.
“Congrats! It is refreshing to be amply reminded that the legal system works! That, Lady Justice remains blind,” Mr Otchere-Darko wrote in a tweet in reaction to NDC member, Joyce Bawa Mogtari’s celebration of the court’s decision.
The opposition National Democratic Congress has over the period accused the bench of being bias against the party.
Some NDC members have cited the Supreme Court’s dismissal of the party’s petition against the 2020 presidential election result to back their claim.
However, the Sekondi High Court on Monday, November 21, 2022, dismissed a petition against the NDC Member of Parliament for Jomoro.
The case which had been ongoing for close to two years was decided when the court, presided over by Justice Dr. Richmond Osei Hwere dismissed the case on grounds that the MP was eligible to contest.
The court held that she lost her Ivorian citizenship at the very time she acquired her Ghanaian citizenship, thus, there was no merit in the petition seeking to annul her election on the basis of her having dual citizenship.
The petition was filed by one Joshua Emuah Kofie, who was challenging the eligibility of the MP to contest as a representative of the people in the constituency on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
He submitted that she had multiple nationalities, including American and Ivorian citizenships, which is against the 1992 Constitution.
While the court determined that she did not have Ivorian citizenship at the time of filing and contesting in 2020, the MP denied having American citizenship.
