Ghana’s largest opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), just came out of a successful National Executive Congress at the Accra Sports Stadium where Asiedu Nketiah emerged winner in the National Chairmanship race.
Asiedu Nketiah’s win saw the end of the reign of Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo as the National Chairman, and also saw the election of some women into the executive team of the NDC.
Ahead of the race, GhanaWeb looked at the 16 females who were contesting for some of the positions in the party.
In this updated article, we take a look at the successful women candidates and which positions they won.
Here they are:
Dr. Sherry Ayittey
Dr. Sherry is a veteran female member of the NDC and has served in many ministerial portfolios. She has served as Minister of Health, Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, and, Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development.
She was a member of the 31st December Women’s Movement, a non-governmental organization affiliated to the NDC, whose president is Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, wife of Jerry Rawlings; former President of Ghana.
She has been elected as the Second Vice Chairperson of the NDC.
Barbara Serwaa Asamoah
Barbara Serwaa Asamoah is a Ghanaian lawyer and politician. She is the deputy general secretary of the National Democratic Congress.
She was also the Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources from 2013 to 2017.
Barbara has been retained as a Deputy General Secretary of the NDC.
Dr. Hanna Louisa Bissiw
Dr. Hanna Bissiw is an outspoken member of the NDC.
She was the Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture from 2013 to 2017, and the former Member of Parliament for Tano South, in the Brong Ahafo Region Ghana.
Hannah Bissiw started her political career in 2008. She rose through the ranks from being a member of the NDC Manifesto Committee in 2008, Deputy Minister of State (Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing in 2009, Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, and also Member of Parliament for Tano South from 2012 to 2017.
She has been retained as the National Women’s Organiser of the NDC.
There were also the election of three women to serve on the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the NDC. They are Victoria Kuma-Mintah, Cecilia N. Asaga, and Araba Tagoe.
Below is list of all the national Executives of the NDC
Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, the new Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has described his election as the leader of the Party as “a call to duty.”
“Sunday’s event indicate that the NDC is not done with me yet. I see this election as a call to duty; the duty is enormous,” he said when he delivered his victory speech on Sunday morning to climax the Party’s National Executive Elections.
Mr Nketiah, who had served as General Secretary of the NDC for 17 years, dethroned Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, who became the Party’s Chairman in 2018, but lost his re-election bid.
Mr Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, a former Propaganda Secretary of the NDC is now the new General Secretary.
Mr Joseph Yammin, a former Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister, also won the National Organiser contest.
While thanking the delegates for the confidence reposed in the new National Executive Members, Mr Nketiah said his foremost task would be to unite the rank and file of the Party for victory in the 2024 parliamentary and presidential elections.
“This is a victory for the NDC and that their defeat(losing candidates) is not a defeat in the actual sense but an indication that the Party needs them to serve in other positions,” he said.
He described the Party’s National Executive Congress as an election to “regain the independence of this country,” adding: “We are prepared to sacrifice everything, including our lives to ensure that the country is rescued.”
Former President John Dramani Mahama congratulated all the new executives and commended the Party’s delegates for their sacrifices and efforts to the progress of the Party.
“I believe the delegates have the best wisdom and they have told us what they want. It is our duty to work with the blueprint,” he said.
Mr Mahama urged the new executives to “cut their celebrations short” and set to work immediately.
“(Election) 2024 has the highest stake and the executives must understand the responsibilities entrusted on their shoulders,” he said.
In his congratulatory message to the newly-elected national executives of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama had to be prompted after he made the mistake of referring to Asiedu Nketiah as General Secretary instead of his new role of National Chairman.
The moment was funny and perhaps awkward and reminiscent of President Akufo-Addo’s ‘manka no yie kwraa’ intervention after he mistakenly referred to the New Patriotic Party’s parliamentary candidate of Odododiodioo as Nii Lante Vanderpuye instead of Nii Lante Bannerman.
But when someone occupies a role for 17 years, it becomes difficult for anyone to within five minutes of that person taking over a new role, move on and address him with the credentials of his new position.
Such is the formidability and astuteness of General Mosquito as he is called. For seventeen years he served as General Secretary of the NDC and became synonymous with the position in Ghana’s body politics.
It, therefore, came as a shock when he announced that he was going to move up the ladder and test new waters as National Chairman of the NDC.
The shock was premised on two things;
Why would he leave a position he has been so good at and why would he take up the option of challenging Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo who had also had quite an eventful journey in Ghana’s politics?
But if there was anyone in Ghana politics who could pull this off successfully under the prevailing circumstances, it certainly was Asiedu Nketiah.
It, therefore, came as a shock to no one that at the end of voting on Sunday, December 18, Aseidu Nketiah was named winner of the chairman race with total votes of 5,569.
GhanaWeb today looks at the five reasons behind his success
Experience
In Ghana’s body politics, there is not one person with more experience in intra-party elections than Asiedu Nketiah.
Spending seventeen years in a position that returned a high turnover in the camp of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) means Asiedu Nketiah had mastered the rudiments of winning intra-party politics.
Per his own calculations in his interview with UTV, there have been about six General Secretaries in the NPP since he took over the same role in the NDC and spending such time there teaches you experience.
The NDC’s internal processes are still beautiful – Ofosu-Ampofo
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In his now famous supposedly leaked audio, Asiedu Nketiah spoke about how he had mastered the art of winning intra-party elections.
He knew what to say and what to do to swing votes in his favor and fortunately for him, his closest competitor Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, perhaps, came against the wrong man at the wrong time.
’ We can’t do without him’
Possibly a view from his supporters but when leading members of the NDC talked about Asiedu Nketiah versus Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo race, there was the sense that much as they appreciate the work of Ofosu-Ampofo, Asiedu Nketiah was too valuable a person and institution not to be deeply involved in the party’s organization.
From the Deputy Minority leader to the former MP for Tamale Central, Inusah Fuseini who spoke on Joy News, there was some acceptance that Asiedu Nketiah makes the NDC tick and that without him the party will struggle, especially going into a must-win election.
Even Victor Smith who openly campaigned against Asiedu Nketiah appreciated that fact, the reason he recommended that should Ofosu-Ampofo have won, Asiedu Nketiah was going to be appointed campaign manager of the NDC for the 2024 elections.
And that idea is not lost on Asiedu Nketiah either. In his leaked audio, he stated that he would have loved to retire but he knows the party, NDC, at this point cannot stand without him.
Ofosu-Ampofo’s ‘questionable’ loyalty to Mahama
Throughout his spell as national chair, Ofosu-Ampofo lived under the tag of not being a Mahama person and with John Mahama currently being the de-facto leader of the party, anyone in an opposing camp stood a high chance of losing intra-party elections.
As claimed by Insuah Fuseini, there is suspicion within the ranks of the NDC that Ofosu-Ampofo has surrounded himself with persons who are identified to be anti-Mahama.
Unlike Ofosu-Ampofo, Asiedu Nketiah is seen to be a person who will do everything within the law to make sure John Mahama returns to the Jubilee House.
Despite John Mahama’s public denial of same, the suspicion that Asiedu Nketiah’s remains a pro-Mahama candidate continues to fester.
Election 2020
Election 2020 proved decisive in the NDC elections for two things. The first one was the election petition and the second was the election of Alban Bagbin as Speaker of Parliament, which outcome is a product of the hung parliament produced by the 2020 elections.
Despite being the one who mounted the witness box in the 2020 election petition, Asiedu Nketiah, as heard in the notorious audio absolved himself of any blame and placed the whole petition fiasco at the doorsteps of Ofosu-Ampofo.
Dirty politics it may seem but that may have been enough to make people, especially NDC delegates, appreciate the issues and vote for him.
Also, there had been a plethora of witnesses from NDC Parliamentarians that but for Asiedu Nketiah’s presence in Parliament on the eve of January 6, 2021, Alban Bagbin could not have won the elections.
These two things were cited by Asiedu Nketiah and his team to drum home the reason for him to win the role.
Natural progression to the top
Some persons argue that Asiedu Nketiah’s decision to run for the chairmanship slots was a self-actualization move for him as he was suffering fatigue of occupying the General Secretary role. He made mention of this in his interviews with Okay FM and UTV on Friday.
There was also a widespread conspiracy that Asiedu Nketiah’s decision was part of a bigger plan by the party’s leadership to introduce someone from the Volta block who identified more with the Volta Region into the national executive committee.
According to reports, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey was impressed upon to offer himself for the position as the party believed that his presence in the committee would benefit the party and its relationship with the Volta Region.
Inusah Fuseini made allusions to this grand plot in his discussion with Joy News.
Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh, the Energy Minister, has asserted that the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) continues to be the greatest option for Ghanaians as compared to the opposition National Democratic Congress, despite the country’s economic challenges.
He pointed to the depreciation of the Ghana cedis against the Dollar as one of the problems government had been faced with but was quick to add that it would have been worse if any other political party was in charge of the Ghanaian economy at this time.
Speaking to members of the Tertiary Students Confederacy (TESCON), in the Ashanti Region at a conference in Kumasi, NAPO as he is popularly called said the cedi which dropped to an all-time lowest in history would have hit Ghs48 to a dollar if the National Democratic Congress(NDC) was in power.
“The worse in NPP is far better than the best in NDC. Some of you are motivated to serve NPP, know that you are motivated to serve the best. It is only NPP that can make Ghana better. No matter the circumstances that you are in, just imagine if it was NDC it would have been times three. If NDC was in government the dollar that could have gotten to 16 would have gotten to 48,” he said.
He admonished the young patriots to keep faith with the party and government amidst the prevailing challenges and eschew in-fighting, animosity and acrimony as such tendencies could potentially affect the ability of the party to break the 8.
“No TESCON member should have a divided mind about 2024. It is better to be the garden boy of the ruling party than to be the landlord of the opposition party,” he added.
President Akufo-Addo’srecent comment about Burkina Faso hiring Russian mercenaries has ignited foreign diplomatic concerns from the Minority in Parliament.
Speaking to reporters alongside U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on, December 14, the president alleged that Burkina Faso had hired Russian mercenaries and offered Wagner a mine as payment.
“Today, Russian mercenaries are on our northern border. Burkina Faso has now entered into an arrangement to go along with Mali in employing the Wagner forces there,” Akufo-Addo said.
Displeased with his utterance, Minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu, asserted that Ghana may suffer at the hands of Russia should they take offence at the president’s comment.
“For those who listened to him, a former Foreign Affairs Minister, former Attorney General he simply failed to momentarily have impulse control and to ensure a balance between foreign policy and security the security of our state as he openly condemned Burkina Faso and mentioned the Wagner group of Russia.
“He cannot provide us with food, he should not let them bring guns on us as a country,” the Minority leader said.
Also, a member of the Minority Group, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, noted that “Ghana cannot afford to be seen as a meddlesome busybody in the ongoing contentious reassessment and reconfiguration of colonial ties with France and the forging of new relationships by some Francophone African nations.”
While delivering a speech at the just-ended NDC National Delegates Conferencelast week, Mr Iddrisu announced that his side on the Foreign Affairs Committee will ask for a detailed briefing to Parliament concerning the President’s remarks.
Following the president’s comments, Burkina Faso summoned the Ghanaian ambassador for explanations.
In a statement issued after the meeting with the ambassador, Burkina Faso’s foreign ministry said it had “expressed disapproval” about the statements made by the Ghanaian president.
“Ghana could have undertaken exchanges with the Burkinabe authorities on the security issue in order to have the right information,” it said.
In a Facebook post last weekend, the North Tongu legislator, Mr Okudzeto Ablakwa, revealed that Moscow is considering its own response.
The prospect of Wagner expanding its presence in Africa has troubled Western powers such as France and the US, who say the group exploits mineral resources and commits human rights abuses in countries where it operates, according to international tabloids.
Chairman-elect of the National Democratic Congress (NDC)on behalf of the newly elected national executives has pledged to lead the party to victory in the 2024 general elections by hook or crook.
Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, while delivering his victory speech on Sunday, December 18, mentioned that a huge responsibility has been placed on the leadership of the party and he will ensure that the executives execute their mandate to ensure the party’s goal is realised in the next two years.
“You the delegates of our party have given us the mandate to secure the second independence of Ghana.
“We know the path will not be smooth but we will stand up to the challenge and we are prepared to sacrifice everything and I mean everything including our lives to make sure this country is delivered,” he said.
The former General Secretary of the party managed to oust Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, his immediate predecessor in the chairmanship race when the opposition party concluded its election at its 10th National Delegates Congress held at the Accra Sports Stadium last weekend.
Mr Asiedu Nketiah received 65.17% of the votes cast while his closest contender, Mr Ofosu-Ampofo secured 33.81% of the votes cast.
Despite the propaganda that went on ahead of the elections and the fierce contest between the two competitors, Mr Aseidu Nketiah has assured that the recent relection will in no way mar the cordial relationship he has with Mr Ofosu-Ampofo.
He pledged to protect the bond he has developed with his former boss, who has been an ally for 25 years.
“I will like to thank, most importantly, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo who has been my friend for 25 years. I value the friendship, so I don’t think we are going to sacrifice that friendship because of this contest,” he said.
Should the NDC stand a chance to claim power from the ruling party, New Patriotic Party (NPP), it would have to mend what has been broken and ensure unity remains one of the strongest virtues it possesses ahead of the 2024 polls.
The ruling government is however committed to breaking the 8-year-cycle gifted to political parties since 2000 and enjoy another 4-year-term to govern the people of Ghana.
Ruling party, New Patriotic Party (NPP) has said it is imperative the National Democratic Congress (NDC) provides a formidable team in the 2024 elections.
The party contends that the opposition party’s defeat in the polls will demonstrate Ghanaians’ confidence in the NPP to governthe country for yet another term.
“2024 is a foregone conclusion, we would win the election with the wider margin that will confront the NDC not to make an attempt to even appear before the Supreme Court,” he said on Saturday. We need a healthy NDC, we don’t want to defeat a limping horse,” a representative of the NPP said while delivering a solidarity message to the NDC.
The NDC held its 10th National Delegates Congress on Saturday, December 17, to elect its remaining new national executives.
The event which was held at the Accra Sports Stadium, was attended by party members from all over the country bringing together 9,200 delegates from the 276 constituencies.
At the end of the exercise, Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, won the chairmanship contest with 5,569 votes while his opponent, Samuel Ofosu-Ampofogained 2,892 votes.
For the Vice chairmanship position out of the eight who contested, Sheriff Abdul-Naziru, Dr. Sherry Ayittey, and Awudu Sofo Azourka were elected as vice chairs.
Former Member of Parliament for Ketu South, Fiifi Fiavi Kwetey, was crowned the General Secretary of the party.
Deputy General Secretary, National Organiser, Deputy National Organisers, National Communications Officer, Deputy Communications Officer and Zongo Caucus Coordinator went to Barbara Serwaa Asamoah, Joseph Yamin, Kobby Barlon Elikem Kotoko, Sammy Gyamfi, Malik Basintale, Ako Gunn and Mamah Mohammed Cole Younger respectively.
Prior to the general election in 2024, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, the general secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has given a stern warning to the New Patriotic party.
Fifi Kwetey admonished the NPP government to manage the country carefully to avoid economic difficulties that would cause immeasurable pain for Ghanaians.
He asserts that the NDC would unseat the NPP administration in the general election of 2024, thus they should exercise care in managing the economy to prevent it from worsening.
In addition, he stated that the new leadership will join forces to work together to recapture power in 2024 in an interview with GhanaWeb after winning the election for General Secretary.
“To the NPP all I can say is that, work hard to make sure you do not destroy our county worse, I mean much more than they have done, I mean what we’ve seen has been a moral calamity, what we are seeing has been a complete collapse of morality and therefore we pray that they do not do that, that is my hope, they have been a complete disaster, don’t make it worse and more difficult for the NDC to be able to come and do too much difficulty for the sake of Ghana and for the sake of the younger generation, don’t make it worse,” he said.
Fifi Fiavi Kwetey won the General Secretary race of the National Democratic Congress, replacing Asiedu Nketiah who won the National Chairman contest.
At the National Congress held on Saturday, December 17, 2022, Fifi Kwetey polled the highest number of votes to confirm his status as the new CEO of the NDC.
He got 4,543 of total vote cast to win the race.
Fifi Kwetey took to social media to announce his victory, indicating that he has been called by fellow candidate Dr. Peter Otokunor to be congratulated.
According to Mr. Seth Terkper, a former finance minister, who was speaking to the media on Saturday as he arrived at the Accra Sports Stadium for the 10th National Delegates Congress of the National Democratic Congress, the announcement of the Staff-Level Agreement reached with the International Monetary Fund has helped the Cedi’s performance against the US dollar (NDC).
“The Government must expedite action on its domestic and external debt restructuring Programme to sustain the gains, he said.
The government announced Tuesday, December 13, 2022, that it had reached a Staff-Level Agreement on a three-year US$3 billion Extended Credit Facility (ECF), with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), to support the country’s economic policies and reforms.
The agreement was reached after a visit by the IMF team led by Mr Stéphane Roudet, Mission Chief for Ghana, from December 1 to 13, 2022, to discuss with the Ghanaian authorities IMF support for their policy and reform plans.
The loan support programme is aimed at restoring Ghana’s macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability, protect the vulnerable, preserve financial stability, and lay the foundation for strong and inclusive recovery and growth.
However, the staff-level agreement is subject to IMF Management and Executive Board approval and receipt of the necessary financing assurances by Ghana’s partners and creditors.
On Saturday, December 17, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the main opposition party in the nation, conducted its 10th National Delegates Congress to elect new national executives.
9,200 delegates from the 276 constituencies gathered at the Accra Sports Stadium for the exercise, which was attended by party delegates from all over the country.
The winners are listed below.
Chairmanship
Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia, former General Secretary of the party, won the chairmanship contest.
The 65-year-old politician received 5,569 votes, while the incumbent National Chairman Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo received 2,892 votes, making him the closest rival.
Vice chairmanship position
Eight people competed for three spots in this category, but the three people listed below won the positions in the end.
Sheriff Abdul-Naziru, Dr. Sherry Ayittey, and Awudu Sofo Azourka were chosen as the first, second, and third vice chairs, respectively.
General Secretary
Fiifi Fiavi Kwetey, a former NDC member from Ketu South, won the election to succeed Johnson Asiedu Nketiah as general secretary.
The former Propaganda Secretary ran against former Sports Minister Elvis Afriyie Ankrah and Mr. Nketiah’s deputy Peter Boamah Otukunor.
Deputy General Secretary
For the two openings in this post, there were seven applicants.
With Gbande Foyo Mustapha, Barbara Serwaa Asamoah kept her job as deputy general secretary.
National Organiser
The former Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Joseph Yamin, won the position.
Deputy National Organiser
In addition, just two of the four candidates were required for this position.
Kobby Barlon and Elikem Kotoko were chosen following the election.
National Communications Officer
Sammy Gyamfi has been retained as the Communication Officer position after he contested unopposed.
Deputy Communications Officer
Malik Basintale and Ako Gunn were elected the deputy National Communication Officers.
Zongo Caucus Coordinator
Five people competed for this position, but Mamah Mohammed Cole Younger ultimately prevailed.
NEC members
This position saw the highest number of contestants. Nineteen persons contested for five slots.
Victor Wonder Kutor, Araba Tagoe, Cecillia N. Asaga, Victoria Kuma-Mintah and Ephraim Nii Tan Sackey were elected.
According to Johnson Asiedu Nketia, he is not prepared to end his friendship with Samuel Ofosu Ampofo in the name of party elections.
In order to take over as Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), General Mosquito, as he is often known, deposed Mr. Ofosu Ampofo.
Asiedu Nketiah received 65.17% of the vote during the 10th National Delegates Congress, which made him the only candidate for the Party’s upcoming 2022 National Delegates Congress.
Asiedu Nketia pledged to protect the bond he has developed with his former boss, who has been a friend for more than 20 years, during his swearing-in speech.
“I will like to thank, most importantly, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo who has been my friend for 25 years. I value the friendship, so I don’t think we are going to sacrifice that friendship because of this contest,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Ofosu-Ampofo got 2,892 votes representing 33.81% of the votes cast.
About an hour to the end of the collation, Mr Ofosu Ampofo was spotted leaving the stadium in his vehicle.
General Mosquito insists that this election calls for unity among the party’s rank and file toward victory in 2024.
This is the only way, according to him, that Ghana’s economic crisis can be lessened.
At the recently concluded National Delegates Congress of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), held in Accra, former president John Dramani Mahama made an effort to appease all losers who ran for national executive positions in the party.
There is space for everyone in the party to fulfill their contribution quota, according to Mr. Mahama.
He claimed that nobody will be left out and they shouldn’t be dissatisfied.
Mr. Mahama urged winners to exercise moderation in their celebrations as the national executives who had just been elected were sworn in.
He also urged them to reach out to losers and involve them in whatever processes they embark upon.
“This celebration must be very short. We must cut it short and get to work immediately. As I said, we are all the winners.
“For those who were elected, we must be gracious in victory and for those who have lost, let us understand that there is a lot of room under the umbrella for everybody,” he said.
The party organised its 10th National Delegates Congress to elect its new executives on Saturday, December 17.
Delegates of the party converged at the Accra sports Stadium for the exercise.
Some 9,200 delegates from the 276 constituencies took part in the exercise.
At the end of the contest, Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketiah won the National Chairman position, beating his ‘good friend’ and incumbent chairman, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo.
Former president John Dramani Mahama has instructed the National Democratic Congress’s (NDC) newly elected national executives to get ready to work right away.
Mr. Mahama described the 2024 general election as crucial and said the difficult task ahead demands the executives’ undivided focus while carrying out their mandates.
Delivering a speech at the just-ended national congress, the 2020 presidential candidate of the NDC said “We must cut the celebration and set to work immediately.”
“These executives have been elected by the delegates to serve a mandate until 2026 and it is going to be a very important mandate because a most critical election with a higher stake is due in 2024 and these executives are going to oversee it.
“I believe they understand the responsibility that has been thrust on their shoulders. So this celebration must be very short. We must cut the celebration and set to work immediately,” he stressed on Sunday morning.
Further urging unity following the internal elections, Mr. Mahama galvanized both election winners and losers to take part in amicable activities.
He claims that there is space under the umbrella for anyone.
“We are all the winners, but those who were elected must be gracious in victory and those who have lost, let us understand that there is a lot of room under the umbrella.
“The party might be asking them to serve in other capacities and we are all going to work together to ensure that those who were not elected have a role to play in the victory of 2024,” he noted.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC), the opposition party, has pledged to work to retake power in 2024 through its newly elected national executives.
They contend that the party must win the elections in 2024, period.
This was said in the National Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketia‘s victory address.
The immediate-past General Secretary, Mr. Asiedu Nketia, declared that he and his executives are ready to give up everything for the benefit of the party as a whole.
He claims that the delegates have given them the difficult task to complete.
“You the delegates of our party have given us the mandate to secure the second independence of Ghana.
“We know the path will not be smooth but we will stand up to the challenge and we are prepared to sacrifice everything and I mean everything including our lives to make sure this country is delivered,” he said.
The party organised its 10th National Delegates Congress to elect its new executives on Saturday, December 17.
Delegates of the party converged at the Accra sports Stadium for the exercise.
Some 9,200 delegates from the 276 constituencies took part in the exercise.
At the end of the contest, Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia won the ultimate position of National Chairman.
Joseph Yamin, the National Organiser-elect for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), claims that the party has a stronger team in place for the general elections in 2024.
One of the seven people that applied to fill the position was the former Deputy Minister of Sports.
According to Mr. Yamin, the party is now better positioned to win the 2024 election as a result of the election of new executives who emerged from the congress.
“I think that we have a strong team now and we’ll be able to move forward very strong, in fact, stronger than we use to be to win power 2024,” he said.
The NDC’s 10th National Delegates Congress has come to an end with the results announced.
The former General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah is now the Chairman-elect of the party after a landslide victory, according to Electoral Commission.
In addition, Fifi Kwetey succeeds Johnson Asiedu Nketia as general secretary with a decisive victory over Dr. Peter Boamah Otokunor and Elvis Afriyie Ankrah.
The delegate election congress has been conducted without any violence, unlike when the party’s women and youth organizers were elected.
Now, the NDC will eagerly anticipate defeating New Patriotic Party representatives in the upcoming 2024 election.
Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, a former Ketu South NDC MP, won by a landslide at the party’s 10th National Delegates conference on Saturday, and will succeed Johnson Asiedu Nketia as general secretary.
The former Propaganda Secretary ran against Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, a former Sports Minister, and Dr. Peter Boamah Otukunor, Mr. Nketia’s deputy.
Dr. Otukunor received 2,595 votes, and Mr. Afriyie Ankrah received 1,408 votes, while the NDC firebrand received 4,543 votes.
Johnson Asiedu Nketia bowed out as General Secretary after 17 years of service in order to run for a more senior position within the party.
For the Chairmanship position, General Mosquito, as he is more commonly known, faced off against Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, the current occupant.
Confirming his victory in a Facebook post, the jubilant former Deputy Finance Minister in the Mahama administration, said one of his contenders had called to congratulate him.
“My Brother and Comrade Boamah Otokunor called me a few minutes ago to congratulate me. Very gracious of him. I had earlier told him yesterday that I was proud of his competitive campaigning and I repeated same this morning. I reassured him of my complete readiness to work closely with him to make our party greater and stronger,” he wrote.
According to the 55-year-old, “he looks forward to working closely together with him” as the party gears up to wrestle power from the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).
While applauding his competitors for the healthy competition, Mr Kwetey said he checks all the boxes the delegates wanted.
“I was not being complacent when saying what I was saying on the back of travelling to all 275 constituencies; spoken to them and listening to them. Therefore, I could feel exactly what they were yearning for so I knew what I was talking about when I said I was confident of winning,” He told Joy News’ Kweku Asante.
“I was not underrating my opponents, they also conducted a very strong campaign as well but I just felt that the mood of our teeming party supporters and delegates here wanted a different kind of leader and I fitted that pedigree far more,” he said on Saturday.
Mr Kwetey said uniting the members of the NDC after the internal election is pivotal to the party’s victory in the 2024 elections.
Regarding returning the NDC to IPAC Meeting, he said all the options are on the table for consideration.
“We are not going to be doing things the same way we have been doing them in the past,” the incoming General Secretary said.
At the current 2022 National Delegates Congress of the Party, the politician, 65, won 65.17% of the vote to defeat the opposition.
This is the result of the elections that were held on December 17, 2022, on Saturday at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo who had vowed to emerge victor ahead of the congress got 33.81% of the votes.
He was spotted leaving the stadium in his vehicle about an hour before the end of the collation,
Popularly known as General Mosquito, Mr Asiedu Nketia relinquished his 17-year reign as the NDC’s General Secretary to run for the Chairmanship role.
Ahead of the polls, the General Secretary bade farewell to his members and urged all to forgive any transgressions that may have emanated from his office while serving as the chief scribe.
However, he said, the government must provide facts and figures to support the emerging trends in order to assist people make informed decisions.
“The signs are looking good but let us support it with fact,” he told journalists at the Accra Sports Stadium where the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is having its delegates conference on Saturday December 17.
He further told the government to accept blame when things are not going well with the economy and not just blame them on global factors.
“When it so going bad it is global situation but when it is going well it is the government,” he said.
His comments come on the back of positive signs seen with the strength of the Cedi against the Dollar.
The local currency has over the past few days, especially since the start of December 2022, been gaining strength against the major trading currencies particularly, the Dollar.
Per the Bank of Ghana (BoG) rate, the Cedi, as of Thursday December 15, was buying at GHS7.9975 to a Dollar and and selling at GHS8.0056 to a Dollar.
Former President John Mahama has arrived at the Accra Sports Stadium, where the NDC Delegates Congress is being conducted.
Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, Mr. Mahama’s running mate for vice president in the 2020 election, as well as a few prominent delegates, were present.
He made his way around the stadium greeting delegates and party supporters before they took their seats.
Mahama is expected to address the conference as part of the proceedings.
The Conference which is under the theme, ‘Rallying for Victory 2024’ is being attended by over 9,200 delegates who are expected to be from 276 constituencies.
The National Chairman hopeful, Johnson Asiedu Nketia and other party executives are also at the event.
Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, the chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has denied accusations that he is a party mole.
This comes after claims that he is a mole and can’t be trusted to be the party’s leader.
Additionally, Mr. Johson Asiedu Nketia, his rival in the NDC Chairmanship campaign, charged him with failing to provide pertinent information during the petition for the 2020 election.
Asiedu Nketia described his ordeal in what is thought to be a leaked speech to certain party supporters, saying he found it difficult to defend the party in court.
However, speaking in an interview on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen on Friday, Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo said he can never be a mole in the party. He added that he is an incorrigible member of the NDC.
He explained that he has spent half his life working for the NDC, thus it is impossible for him to betray the party.
“Do you know how long I have served the NDC? I am 60 years and I have served the NDC for 30 years- half of my life on this earth. It is sometimes very strange for someone in the party with the wildest imagination to suggest the least that the Chairman of the party is the mole in that party..does it make sense?” he quizzed.
According to the aspiring Chairman, he is hurt by such comments. He added that it is not fair on the part of his opponents to describe him as such.
“I have a family and my family has described NDC as my first wife and my real wife as my second wife, because when it comes to NDC, I give my all to the party.”
For this reason, Mr. Ofosu-Ampofo urged anyone with proof that he is a party mole to come forward with it.
The delegates of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) elected the remaining national executives of the party.
The second phase of the congress happened at the Accra Sports Stadium.
The remaining positions up for grabs were; Chairman, Vice Chairman, General Secretary, Deputy General Secretary, National Organiser, Deputy National Organiser, Communication Officer, Deputy Communication Officer.
The others are, Zongo Caucus Co-ordinator and National Executive Committee (NEC) members.
AU Farouk, a representative of the main opposition NDC from the Northern Region, has passed on.
The popular serial caller to most radio and television morning shows across the country is said to have collapsed at the University of Ghana where most delegates have been lodging for the Congress.
His mortal remains have since been taken back to Tamale for burial.
NDC’s 10th National Congress
The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) will today, Saturday, December 17, 2022 elect national executives for the party.
The party is moving at least 9,000 delegates to the Accra Sports Stadium from various constituencies to partake in the congress.
The key race to watch in the NDC polls is the national chairmanship position between the incumbent Chair, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, the incumbent General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, and former Member of Parliament, Nii Armah Ashiety, and Samuel Yaw Adusei.
Incumbent Chairman, Ofosu Ampofo will be facing a formidable challenge from General Secretary, Asiedu Nketiah in a high-stakes election. The two frontrunners are poised to put forth a fierce battle to secure a win after working hard for the party.
Meanwhile, an amount of GH₵1,083,000 was generated through the party’s fundraising appeal to finance the 10th national congress scheduled for today December 17, 2022 at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Below is the list of candidates vying for various positions:
CHAIRMAN
SAMUEL YAW ADUSEI
JOHNSON ASEIDU NKETIA
SAMUEL OFOSU AMPOFO
NII ARMAH ASHIETEY
ELVIS AFRIYIE ANKRAH
FIFI FIAVI KWETEY
DR. PETER BOAMAH OTOKUNOR
DEPUTY GENERAL SECRETARY
FRANCIS LANME GURIBE
CATHERINE DEYNU
BARBARA SERWAA ASAMOAH
GBANDE FOYO MUSTAPHA
KWAME ZU
BRADI PAUL OPATA
EVANS AMOO
NATIONAL ORGANIZER
JOSHUA HAMIDU AKAMBA
HENRY OSEI AKOTO
MAHDI MOHAMMED GIBRILL
SIDII ABUBAKARI
SOLOMON YAW NKANSAH
CHIEF HAMILTON BINEY NIXON
JOSEPH YAMMIN
DEPUTY NATIONAL ORGANIZER
KOBBY BARLON
HABIB MOHAMMED TAHIRU
ELIKEM ERIC KEVIN KWAME KOTOKO
ALHAJI YAW KUNDOW
COMMUNICATION OFFICER
SAMMY GYAMFI
DEPUTY COMMUNICATION OFFICER
GODWIN AKO GUNN
ADONGO ATULE JACOB
MALIK BASINTALE
KWAKU BOAHEN ANTHONY
MOHAMMED NAZIRU
ZONGO CAUCUS CO-ORDINATOR-
ABASS ZULKARNAIN KAMBARI
HON. ALHAJI BABANLAMIE ABU SADAT
MAMAH MOHAMMED COLE YOUNGER
ABDUL-AZIZ MOHAMMED
YAKUBU MAHMUD MUDI
NEC MEMBERS
EPHRAIM NII TAN SACKEY
PEREZ FERNANDEZ ARMAH LARYEA
ISSAHAKU ISSAH ADEL
REV. IRENE SENA AGBLEKE
ABDULLAH FARRAKHAN ISHAQ
MALIK ADAMA
VICTORIA KUMA-MINTAH
EMMANUEL EWOENAM YAO ADZOME-DZOKANDA
CECILIA N. ASAGA
EBENEZER EFFAH HACKMAN
NAJAWA ALHAJI ISSAH
STEPHEN LADZEDO
ANITA ANNAN
RANSFORD CHATMAN VANNI-AMOAH
THOMAS AYISI KUMAH
WONDER VICTOR KUTOR
MOHAMMED MAMUDU
ARABA TAGOE
FAMOUS KWESI KUADUGAH
The National Democratic Congress’ delegates will today cast their ballots to elect the remaining national executives of the party.
The second phase of the congress is expected to take place at the Accra Sports Stadium.
On Saturday, December 10, the NDC began the first phase of its congress and elected its National Youth Organiser and National Women’s Organiser.
Both George Opare Addo and Dr. Hanna Louisa Bissiw managed to retain their positions after beating Brogya Genfi and Margaret Ansei, respectively.
Abigail Akwabea Elorm Mensah and Felicia Dzifa Tegah were also elected as the Deputy Women’s Organisers of the Party.
The remaining positions up for grabs are; Chairman, Vice Chairman, General Secretary, Deputy General Secretary, National Organiser, Deputy National Organiser, Communication Officer, Deputy Communication Officer.
The others are, Zongo Caucus Co-ordinator and National Executive Committee (NEC) members.
Four aspirants are vying for the Chairmanship position currently held by Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo.
Mr Ofosu-Ampofo, who seeks a second term, will face the incumbent General Secretary of the Party, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, Samuel Yaw Adusei and Nii Armah Ashietey.
MrAsiedu Nketia, popularly known as General Mosquito, is expected to give Mr Ofosu-Ampofo a run for his money.
Eight individuals are contesting for the Vice Chairman position. They are Sherif Abdul-Nasiru, Abanga Yakubu Alhassan, Dr. Sherry Ayittey, Seth Ofori Ohene, Awudu Sofo Azourka, Alhaji Amadu B. Sorogho, Alhaji Habibu Adramani and Evelyn Enyonam Mensah.
The current Deputy General Secretary, Dr. Peter Boamah Otokunor wants to elevate his post a notch higher, but he will be facing Elvis Afriyie Ankrah and Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, in his quest for the General Secretary position.
Francis Lanme Guribe, Catherine Deynu, Barbara Serwaa Asamoah, Gbande Foyo Mustapha, Kwame Zu, Bradi Paul Opata and Evans Amoo are contesting for the Deputy General Secretary position.
Mr Joshua Hamidu Akamba also hopes to secure a second term in office as the National Organiser. He will, however, have to compete against six other contenders; Henry Osei Akoto, Mahdi Mohammed Gibrill, Sidii Abubakari, Solomon Yaw Nkansah, Chief Hamilton Biney Nixon and Joseph Yammin.
Contenders for the Deputy National Organiser portfolio are; Kobby Barlon, Habib Mohammed Tahiru, Elikem Eric Kevin Kwame Kotoko and Alhaji Yaw Kundow.
Mr Sammy Gyamfi is running unopposed for the National Communication Officer portfolio, a position he already occupies.
On the other hand, five individuals are competing to be the next Deputy Communication Officer.
They are; Godwin Ako Gunn, Adongo Atule Jacob, Malik Basintale, Kwaku Boahen Anthony and Mohammed Naziru.
The contenders for the Zongo Caucus Co-Ordinator are; Abass Zulkarnain Kambari, Hon. Alhaji Babanlamie Abu Sadat, Mamah Mohammed Cole Younger, Abdul-Aziz Mohammed and Yakubu Mahmud Mudi.
Nineteen persons are competing to be members of the National Executive Committee.
They include; Ephraim Nii Tan Sackey, Perez Fernandez Armah Laryea, Issahaku Issah Adel, Rev. Irene Sena Agbleke, Abdullah Farrakhan Ishaq, Malik Adama, Victoria Kuma-Mintah and Emmanuel Ewoenam Yao Adzome-Dzokanda.
The others are; Cecilia N. Asaga, Ebenezer Effah Hackman, Najawa Alhaji Issah, Stephen Ladzedo, Anita Annan, Ransford Chatman Vanni-Amoah, Thomas Ayisi Kumah, Wonder Victor Kutor, Mohammed Mamudu, Araba Tagoe and Famous Kwesi Kuadugah.
Contrary to believes that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is divided due the recent tensions brewing, National Communications Officer for the party, Sammy Gyamfi has indicated that NDC is united.
According to him, the disagreements were a usual characteristic of the contest which would soon end after the election of new executives scheduled for Saturday, December 17.
“The NDC is not doomed, the NDC is in fact getting stronger and stronger. In every contest there is a possibility of some acrimony and disagreements, once the contest is over we have always demonstrated that we are one family. We love ourselves.
“We have a common goal and that common goal is our focus and that you can rest assured that after all is said and done, we will unite and come together as one and work for the progress of the National Democratic Congress,” he said.
Sammy Gyamfi’s assurance comes on the heels of mudslinging and acrimonious campaigns leading up to the congress.
Speaking at a familiarisation tour ahead of Saturday’s congress, he said the party had put the necessary security arrangements in place to prevent any violent clashes.
“Adequate security measures have been put in place; we are working with the Ghana Police Service. Our internal party security will be here to complement their efforts.
“We have learned useful lessons from what happened in Cape coast and we can assure our rank and file and the general public that we will not have any such occurrence … so security will not be a problem at all,” he added.
About 9,000 delegates are expected to participate in the congress on Saturday.
It would be recalled that the national youth and women congress held on December 12 in Cape Coast, was characterised by disturbances leading to the injury of four persons and the destruction of property.
The party’s Council of Elders has since condemned the acts of violence and demanded for a full report of the incident.
It said persons found to have breached the party’s rules whether elected or not will face disciplinary action.
The party urged strict observance of the rules announced by the Congress Planning Committee to avoid the recurrence of violent events and to ensure a peaceful outcome of Saturday’s congress.
Some National Democratic Congress (NDC) supporters in the Trobu Constituency have entreated delegates to be resolute in election of national officers at the National Delegates Congress to be held on December 17, 2022.
In a press statement, the supporters urged their delegates to vote in favour of the outgoing Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia who is now competing in the chairmanship race.
They noted that Mr Nketia after serving the party as its General Secretary has political experience under his belt, thus can lead the party to victory come 2024.
“We have the firm belief that he is the one to lead us as Chairman into 2024 general elections.
“We are therefore making an appeal to the delegates across the country, and more especially of Trobu Constituency, who are going to exercise the sanctity of their votes on our behalf, to vote massively for General Asiedu Nketia for the Chairmanship position without fear,” parts of the statement read.
General Mosquito, as he is affectionately called, will be contesting with bigwigs like Samuel Ofosu Ampofu and Nii Armah Ashitey.
On Saturday, Saturday 17, delegates of NDC will head to the polls to decide who they wish to lead the party ahead of the 2024 general polls.
As delegates of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) prepare to converge at the Accra Sports Stadium on Saturday to elect their new crop of leaders, a leading member of the NDC planning committee has assured that the party’s legal team is handling possible cases of injunction ahead of the conference.
Speaking in an interview on Joy FM’s Midday News on Friday, Mr Alex Segbefia noted that by the close of Friday, the party would be settled on candidates who would be allowed to vote or not.
“We do have potential injunction cases but they are being dealt with. We know that we will reach some amicable resolution of all those matters by close of today,” he reiterated.
According to him, the party is optimistic about this year’s election and believes it will be more successful than the previous ones.
Touching on the lessons learned from the youth and women’s congress, held almost a week ago, he stated that the party has identified the triggers of the clashes, therefore to avoid a repetition of the violent clashes, “No T-shirts of aspirants will be allowed in the premises”, adding that party colours are however, allowed.
This, the Chairman of the national congress planning committee of the NDC explained, is because the T-shirts of aspirants “are means of infuriating or identifying people and once they are groups, things can then spark off.”
He also stated that members of the public without properly identified tags or observer tags will not be allowed in the stadium.
Incumbent General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), has denied reports that former President, John Dramani Mahama asked him not to contest for the chairmanship position of the party.
Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia said those claims are untrue and should be disregarded.
According to him, that is the campaign strategy of his opponent to create the impression that he has disrespected the former President.
The incumbent National Chairman, Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, says there have been attempts by party bigwigs to stop Asiedu Nketia from competing him, but to no avail.
However, Mr Asiedu Nketia said he has the full support of the entire party to contest.
“It’s a lie. Nobody asked me not to contest for the chairmanship position.
It’s not true. Everyone who says or is saying that is telling a lie,” he said in interview with UTV on Friday.
Currently, Mr. Ofosu Ampofo’s role as the NDC’s National Chairman is threatened by the decision of the party’s General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia to unseat him.
Political analysts have described it as the main contest in the party’s upcoming National Delegates Congress. Mr. Asiedu Nketia is frantically taking steps to take control of the party as National Chairman ahead of the 2024 general election.
Aspiring National Democratic Congress (NDC) National Organizer Mahdi Jibril argues that the best person for the job is someone who is well versed in the scientific approach to work and the data of electoral processes.
He believes there is no link between being the national organiser of the party and being physically fit.
“Being a national organizer has nothing to do with physique. People are of the notion that if you want to be a national organiser, you need to be well-built but they forget the position of the organizer is not about carrying timber and logs at the office. It is about the scientific approach to the work and the data. You are working with the voter register and the party register, and if you don’t understand the dynamics of this, then you will lose the election,” Mahdi Jibril exclusively told Boama Darko Isaac on Accra-based Original TV.
“You must be a credible organizer who can be trusted by all and is knowledgeable about electoral issues.”
Being the current deputy organizer of the party, he asserts that an organizer must be able to protect the ballot after voting and not only focus on getting people to turn up to vote. “The organizer must have electoral and research understanding, being abreast of electoral dynamics as well.”
Having shown direction and dedication in his capacity as a deputy national Organiser, Mahdi Jibril believes the party is deficient in organization and pledges to resolve that, leading the NDC to achieve victory in election 2024.
The Deputy National Youth Organiser of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Edem Agbana, has stated that there is no way the General Secretary of the party, Asiedu Nketiah, will apologise for speaking the truth.
Reacting to the recently leaked audio of the General Secretary, the young NDC executive member said that there is nothing new in what was said there.
He insisted that everything General Mosquito said in that audio is public knowledge and that even ahead of the 2020 election petition at the Supreme Court, it was made clear that the NDC did not have collated results to present in the court.
“What exactly was in the audio that was a top secret? When he was going to court, he was asked where his results were and he said he did not them available and that he was there to contest the results as declared by the Electoral Commission, and so if he comes to say we did not have collated results, what is so secretive about it?
“Everybody knows that we were not carrying our collated results and so he (Asiedu Nketiah) is working with the truth, and we know that our party members are seeing the things that are going on and they know that General loves to speak the truth and it can never affect our chances,” he said.
Speaking to the morning show host on Kumasi-based Oyerepa TV, Kwesi Parker-Wilson, ahead of the NDC’s national delegates congress, scheduled for Saturday, December 17, 2022, Edem Agbana said that being the typical truthful person he is, Asiedu Nketiah will never apologise.
He added that it is for this reason that he believes the delegates of the party will give their vote to him at the congress.
“In fact, if that audio has done anything, it has rather come to boost the morale of the NDC people to believe that General is someone who, even when things were so terrible, he sacrificed himself, went forward to go and testify; because of the NDC.
“Apologise for what? For speaking the truth? What should General apologise for; for speaking the truth? It is public knowledge and General will not apologise for speaking the truth,” he stated.
Asiedu Nketiah has indicated his intention to challenge the incumbent National Chairman, Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, for his position, after declaring that he will no longer contest for the General Secretary slot.
General Mosquito has been the NDC’s General Secretary for the last 17 years.
In the next 24 hours, the National Democratic Congress’delegates will cast their ballots to elect the remaining national executives of the party.
The second phase of the congress is expected to take place at the Accra Sports Stadium.
On Saturday, December 10, the NDC began the first phase of its congress and elected its National Youth Organiser and National Women’s Organiser.
Both George Opare Addo and Dr. Hanna Louisa Bissiw managed to retain their positions after beating Brogya Genfi and Margaret Ansei, respectively.
Abigail Akwabea Elorm Mensah and Felicia Dzifa Tegah were also elected as the Deputy Women’s Organisers of the Party.
The remaining positions up for grabs are; Chairman, Vice Chairman, General Secretary, Deputy General Secretary, National Organiser, Deputy National Organiser, Communication Officer, Deputy Communication Officer.
The others are, Zongo Caucus Co-ordinator and National Executive Committee (NEC) members.
Four aspirants are vying for the Chairmanship position currently held by Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo.
Mr Ofosu-Ampofo, who seeks a second term, will face the incumbent General Secretary of the Party, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, Samuel Yaw Adusei and Nii Armah Ashietey.
Mr Asiedu Nketia, popularly known as General Mosquito, is expected to give Mr Ofosu-Ampofoa run for his money.
Eight individuals are contesting for the Vice Chairman position. They are Sherif Abdul-Nasiru, Abanga Yakubu Alhassan, Dr. Sherry Ayittey, Seth Ofori Ohene, Awudu Sofo Azourka, Alhaji Amadu B. Sorogho, Alhaji Habibu Adramani and Evelyn Enyonam Mensah.
The current Deputy General Secretary, Dr. Peter Boamah Otokunor wants to elevate his post a notch higher, but he will be facing Elvis Afriyie Ankrah and Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, in his quest for the General Secretary position.
Francis Lanme Guribe, Catherine Deynu, Barbara Serwaa Asamoah, Gbande Foyo Mustapha, Kwame Zu, Bradi Paul Opata and Evans Amoo are contesting for the Deputy General Secretary position.
Mr Joshua Hamidu Akamba also hopes to secure a second term in office as the National Organiser. He will however, have to compete against six other contenders; Henry Osei Akoto, Mahdi Mohammed Gibrill, Sidii Abubakari, Solomon Yaw Nkansah, Chief Hamilton Biney Nixon and Joseph Yammin.
Contenders for the Deputy National Organiser portfolio are; Kobby Barlon, Habib Mohammed Tahiru, Elikem Eric Kevin Kwame Kotoko and Alhaji Yaw Kundow.
Mr Sammy Gyamfiis running unopposed for the National Communication Officer portfolio, a position he already occupies.
On the other hand, five individuals are competing to be the next Deputy Communication Officer.
They are; Godwin Ako Gunn, Adongo Atule Jacob, Malik Basintale, Kwaku Boahen Anthony and Mohammed Naziru.
The contenders for the Zongo Caucus Co-Ordinator are; Abass Zulkarnain Kambari, Hon. Alhaji Babanlamie Abu Sadat, Mamah Mohammed Cole Younger, Abdul-Aziz Mohammed and Yakubu Mahmud Mudi.
Nineteen persons are competing to be members of the National Executive Committee.
They include; Ephraim Nii Tan Sackey, Perez Fernandez Armah Laryea, Issahaku Issah Adel, Rev. Irene Sena Agbleke, Abdullah Farrakhan Ishaq, Malik Adama, Victoria Kuma-Mintah and Emmanuel Ewoenam Yao Adzome-Dzokanda.
The others are; Cecilia N. Asaga, Ebenezer Effah Hackman, Najawa Alhaji Issah, Stephen Ladzedo, Anita Annan, Ransford Chatman Vanni-Amoah, Thomas Ayisi Kumah, Wonder Victor Kutor, Mohammed Mamudu, Araba Tagoe and Famous Kwesi Kuadugah.
The Sunyani High Court has issued a restraining order against the Constituency Executive Members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Dormaa Central Constituency of the Bono Region.
Per the order of the High Court, all the twenty-four Constituency Executive Members in the Dormal Central Constituency have been barred and cannot participate in the National Delegates Congress which is scheduled for Saturday, December 17, 2022.
The restraining order comes after six aggrieved card-bearing members of the party in the Dormaa Central Constituency petitioned the court to seek two reliefs; “An order to declare the election of the defendants (Constituency Executives) as null and void and a perpetual injunction against the defendants from taking part in the National Delegates Congress.”
A portion of the statement of claim as granted by the court and sighted by this reporter reads:
“An order of a perpetual injunction restraining the 3rd-26th defendants from acting as the Dormaa Central Constituency Executive Members of the National Democratic Congress and also restraining the 3rd – 26th defendants from participating in the National Executive Congress taking part in the National Delegates Congress which would be held on the 10th and 17th December 2022 at Accra.”
According to Peter Mensah, one of the petitioners, they decided to seek redress in court after all attempts for the party to declare the fraudulent constituency election as null and void proved futile.
Citing the absence of the Electoral Commission to supervise and conduct the election, Peter Mensah maintained that, that proves that the purported constituency election contravened the party’s own stipulated guidelines.
“We have always maintained that the purported constituency election was fraudulently organized because the party’s guidelines mandate that the Electoral Commission should supervise the election but that was not the case. Sadly, all efforts for the right thing to be done proved futile so we went to court and we are glad that the court has spoken restraining them from carrying themselves as Executive Members of the National Democratic Congress in the Dormaa Central Constituency and by extension they cannot take part in the National Delegates Congress.”
Meanwhile, all efforts to speak to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) at the time of filing this report were unsuccessful but independent checks indicate that the restraining order has officially been on the National Democratic Congress (NDC), all Constituency Executive Members and Electoral Commission.
National Communications Officer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi, has dismissed claims that he has six land cruiser.
According to him, he has only one of such vehicles he received as a gift due to his affiliation with former President John Dramani Mahama.
The National Communications Officer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi has hinted that he got his land cruiser vehicle as a gift.
According to him, he has only one Land Cruiser which was given to him because of the love his benefactor has for former President John Mahama.
His comments follow the allegations made by some critics, including George Opare Addo, the newly elected National Youth Organiser, that he has numerous vehicles, including six land cruisers and a house at Airport Hills.
The critics asked him to disclose his source of wealth.
Speaking on Accra-based Onua TV on Wednesday morning, he said, “they said I have six Land Cruisers but I have only one and even that one someone gave it to me out of the love he has for Mahama.”
He, however, accepted the claims that he is wealthy and asked God to make it come to pass.
“I’m not the owner of those houses trending on social media. But in fact, the houses I am going to build will be five times better than those.”
It would be recalled that the newly re-elected National Youth Organizer of the NDC, George Opare Addo openly asked Sammy Gyamfi to explain his source of wealth.
According to him, he considered the contest between he and Brogya Genfi as being against “that Airport Hills small boy” Sammy Gyamfi.
However, the National Communication Officer has denied all the allegations.
The Council of Elders of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has condemned the incidents of violence that occurred during the election of the party’s National Youth and Women’s Organiser last Saturday at Cape Coast.
Four persons sustained injuries during the conference with 16 persons being arrested by the Police for their involvement in the scuffle.
In a statement on December 14, the party’s Council of Elders demanded a full report on the violence which marred the conference.
It said persons found to have breached the party’s rules whether elected or not will face disciplinary action.
“In this regard, the Council has called for a full report of the incidents and any member(s), whether elected or not, found culpable in the breach of the rules prescribed by the Congress Planning Committee or complicit in any of the incidence will take serious disciplinary action in accordance with the Party’s code of discipline.
“The Congress Planning Committee should have no hesitation in removing any person(s) whose behavior is not conducive to the orderly conduct of the Congress,” the statement said.
The party urged strict observance of the rules announced by the Congress Planning Committee to avoid the recurrence of violent events and to ensure a peaceful outcome of Saturday’s Congress.
The Council of Elders expressed worry over the current internal wrangling in the party ahead of the national congress.
It cautioned contestants that the “Council wishes to remind all contestants that acting contrary to laid down rules and regulations will carry severe sanctions including disqualification of any contestant.”
“All contestants are reminded that the party stands supreme and this will not be sacrificed for the personal interest of any contestant, delegate or party member.”
Former Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Inusah Fuseini, is optimistic of the NDC‘s win in the upcoming 2024 elections.
He says nothing will stand in the way of the National Democratic Congress winning election 2024.
According to him, concerns about utterances made by the General Secretary of the Party, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, having the potential to derail the ‘winning’ tangent of the party are unfounded.
Johnson Asiedu Nketia, who is contesting against the incumbent NDC National Chairman, Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, in a leaked audio tape, accused the Chairman of failing to supply the NDC’s legal team in the 2020 election petition relevant data to challenge the outcome of the elections.
He said this was why the NDC could not sufficiently support their claims during the trial.
Reacting to the leaked audio, Inusah Fuseini stated that the General Secretary’s communication was not intended for general consumption, and that he was only giving an explanation of what had happened.
He noted that while the revelation may have ruffled some feathers within the party, it is not enough to derail the party’s progress.
“What he was seeking to do was probably explain to the party delegates why we are where we are; why we could not win the elections; why our case was not made up very well in court. And so the fact that it leaked is very very unfortunate.
“But Asiedu Nketia ought to have known that it will leak because in campaigning for a position in the party or government or to lead the country, people deliberately, intentionally plant others to be able to see what their opponent is doing, so he ought or our leaders ought to be circumspect,” he said.
Inusah Fusieni added that “as a party we had always known that these two giants if they contest each other we’ll definitely have fallouts, and so that is why there was an initial attempt to try and see whether they would be reconciled.
“Chairman Ampofo spoke about what the team achieved during their term in office, that team included the General Secretary of the party who is now contesting him for the chairmanship. So there’s no doubt that that team also has some few weaknesses.”
He said with the two giants going against each other, party delegates will be forced to critically anlayse the strengths and weaknesses of both parties in order to make a decision.
“Aisha, you should be reminded that four people are contesting for the chairmanship position. But why are we narrowing it down to two? Because, one, those two persons are giants in the party and they all have something to contribute towards the success of the party, and nobody wants to lose either of them.
“But only one person can become chairman, so as a delegate you have to look at them individually, look at their strengths and weaknesses and see whether in the present state of the party who will be better positioned to lead us to the Promised Land,” he said.
NDC delegates who will be going to the polls on Saturday, December 17, 2022, may have a difficult time choosing between the two contenders of the NationalChairmanship position (i.e incumbent General Secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketiah and incumbent chairman, Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo.)
This is because, according to Political Scientist, Dr. Kwame Asah-Asante, both candidates are ‘worthy materials’ for the post and have proven themselves over the years.
“They’ve all excelled throughout their years in the party as partyfaithful, and they’ve worked very hard to bring the party to where it is,” he said.
According to him, their immense contribution towards the growth and development of the party cannot be shoved under the carpet, and thus described them as stalwarts of the party.
He, however, expressed concern that the recent bickering between the two in the run up to the NDC’s National Delegates Conference may dent the image they have built for themselves through their works.
He explained that while it is normal for there to be disagreements within party executives, he was not expecting the said disagreement to spill out into the open instead of being addressed internally.
“I expected that whatever differences there are between them, they must do well to ameliorate the situation by talking to their supporters and making sure that the only way that they can win power is through the message that they churn out that will resonate with those who are going to elect them.
“And that they will have strategy that will be in tune with the legal processes that the party has put in place and of course they will be able to come out with manifestoes that will address the lingering challenges within this country in general and then the specific interest of the party, and of course, their followers and all that.
“Once they get these things right in place, their home will stay dry. So the bickering, the rancor, the attacks on each other to the best of my knowledge, it doesn’t bode well for them at all, and that I expect them to talk to their supporters and then go to the elections and then let us have genuine contest,” he said.
Meanwhile the Political Scientist has bemoaned the violence that characterized the first part of the National Delegates’ Conference in Cape Coast.
Dr. Asah-Asante stressed that it does not augur well for the image of the party as a democratic institution.
He called for the party’s leadership to address any challenges within the party to prevent a repeat of Saturday’s incident at the final National Delegates’ Conference.
“So I will urge the NDC leadership to sit down, plan properly and make sure that the big task ahead which is the Saturday one will be incident free. This also goes to the party faithful that you can’t claim to be supporting a party and at the same time taking certain decisions or actions that undermine the entire process that your party is putting in place.
“I think the party’s interest is bigger than any other interest, so if there are difficulties, there are challenges, I will urge people to use the internal structures within to be able to address their concerns and then forge ahead to make sure that their party wins power,” he said.
The national chairman hopeful of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has mounted a spirited counteraction against the leaked tape that has gone viral on social media.
In the said leaked tape, the current NDC General Secretary, Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, was heard confessing to some party delegates in the Ashanti Region that the NDC had to contest the 2020 election results in the Supreme Court without the collated results because its Information Technology (IT) system crashed.
According to Mr Asiedu Nketia, what was contained in the leaked tape is no news.
“These are matters I have spoken about from time immemorial as the party’s General Secretary,” he forcefully said.
Mr Nketiah defended the content of the tape while speaking on Accra-based TV XYZ and later played on Accra 100.5 FM’s mid-day news on Wednesday, December 14, 2022.
“This is nothing new except the people want to make a political meal out of it,” he said.
He warned people who intend to take this tape to town to rethink their decision.
He was of the view there was nothing inside that tape saying “I told the Supreme Court the same thing when I mounted the witness box in the 2020 Election Petition.”
“When I was asked about the NDC’s collated results I said I have none, besides, it is not the business of the NDC to collate results,” he argued.
“It is the EC’s job to collate results,” he said, adding that the NDC can only collate results for its internal purposes.
“We compile results for internal consumption not for the EC and the court’s consumption,” he said.
He narrated that it was the NDC’s quest to challenge the EC’s collated results because the EC collated multiple results using the wrong procedures.
“Go and check what happened in Techiman South Constituency,” he challenged, adding that: “The figures are not consistent.”
National Communications Officer of the NDC, Sammy Gyamfi, has accused the party’s re-elected Youth Organiser of hiring members from their biggest contender, the NPP, to openly vilify and attack him.
According to him, Pablo, whose mandate as National Youth Organiser was renewed last Saturday, held a meeting with NPP communicators last night and fed them with narratives to malign his person.
Speaking on Accra-based Onua TV on Wednesday morning, he explained that some of the NPP communicators who Pablo met last night, later called him to leak Pablo’s dubious intentions.
He said those communicators wondered why Pablo, a national executive of the NDC would want to stab a fellow executive, in the person of Sammy Gyamfi.
The NDC spokesperson however refused to mention the names of his informants, but tressed that George Opare Addo, popularly known as ‘Pablo’, was behind the scheme to have his name soiled.
“He met them (NPP communicators) last night and fed them with false narratives”, he stressed in the local Twi dialect.
However, the campaign coordinator for George Opare Addo, Abubakar Mutiu-Rahman, has refuted the said allegations by the NDC’s National Communications Officer.
In a statement shortly after Sammy Gyamfi’s claims on Onua TV on Wednesday morning, Mutiu-Rahman said Pablo has not met any NPP communicator as Sammy Gyamfi alleged.
He said Pablo is committed to the cause of the NDC and would not embark on any such treacherous move to destroy the party.
“The claim that Pablo met with NPP Communicators yesterday is false, at no point has Pablo met any NPP communications team, not previously or yesterday.
Mr Gyamfi must prove when and where this meeting took place as well as who the participants were”, the statement emphasised.
“There is no greater insult than the claim of being a traitor to one’s party; we will not countenance any more of such allegations from Sammy Gyamfi and his ilk. We will allow this to slide but let no one mistake it for cowardice.
Pablo is very much committed to leading a united front for the NDC Youth Wing. He’s willing to work with all and sundry to ensure HE John Dramani Mahama is elected President, so we can rescue this nation”, the statement concluded.
The comments by both parties come in the wake of the outcome of the NDC’s recently held National Youth and Women’s Congress.
At the said Congress, the incumbent National Youth Organiser, George Opare Addo, retained his seat in a keen contest again former Ashanti Regional Youth Organiser, Brogya Genfi.
However, the supporters of Pablo as well as himself believed that Brogya Genfi was supported by Sammy Gyamfi and other bigwigs in the NDC; including close associates of former President, John Dramani Mahama.
This has subsequently created a feud between Sammy Gyamfi and Pablo and his allies.
Speaking on Asempa FM yesterday, Pablo said he is disappointed in the schemes that were orchestrated by Sammy Gyamfi to remove him.
Meanwhile, the NDC’s National Communications Officer says he supported Brogya Genfi based on his rapport with him; adding that he did not go on rampage to attack Pablo during the contest.
Speaking on Onua TV, Sammy Gyamfi also denied the allegations that close associates of Mahama, such as the former Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, were all behind Brogya Genfi.
He further discounted Pablo’s claims that he had spoken about his health during the campaign period.
The General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah is reported to have made some damning comments about the 2020 election petition filed by former president John Mahama in a leaked audio-visual recording.
In the video, the male figure alleged to be Mr Asiedu Nketiah is heard saying that, the NDC had no substantial evidence to battle out it case at the Supreme Court.
The video goes on to tout that the NDC had no collated results.
As a result, Mr Asiedu allegedly said Lawyer Tsatsu Tsikata, who represented the party at the apex court, had hesitated to take over the case.
Mr Tsikata rejected the first set of documentation which the party was seeking to rely on to challenge the Electoral Commission’s declaration in Court, per the video.
“So we consulted Tsatsu Tsikata on the matter. The following day, he returned our documents; stating that if this is what we have, then we have no case and that he cannot represent the party, so we should look for another lawyer”, the supposed “Asiedu Nketiah” revealed.
The collated results allegedly supervised by the party’s National Chairman Samuel Ofosu Ampofo was poorly done, parts of the video stated.
The collated results, which were given him as a witness to the case “was nothing to write home about. If I had presented it to any court, I would have been embarrassed”.
The male figure in question blamed the party’s defeat in the 2020 election on the Mr Ampofo.
He said the system Mr Ofosu-Ampofo brought was not effective, and broke down midway into the collation.
The truth is, we couldn’t collate the 2020 election results.
There was no way we could have provided evidence to back our court Case~ Aseidu Nketiah admits
Sammy Gyamfi will not be happy 😂 pic.twitter.com/U7zkUYuR9l
— Emmanuel Debrah Drafor Amicable (@EmmanuelDrafor) December 13, 2022
Background
Former President John Mahama sought a redress at the apex court after the electoral Commission declared President Akufo-Addo as the winner of the fiercely 2020 general elections.
Nana Akufo-Addo who contested the election on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) won with 6,730,413 votes which represents 51.295 percent of the total valid votes cast.
Mr Mahama who rejected the outcome of the result by the EC, alleged that the election was marred with several anomaly.
He alleged that vote padding and other errors complained of by the petitioner affected the outcome of the Presidential Election results of 2020.
The Supreme Court in March 2021 ruled that although it finds the accusation of vote padding very serious, it observed that this allegation was not proven by the petitioner.
The Chief Justice said that the judges are therefore settled in their minds that even if there was vote padding, it did not in any way affect the outcome of the election results.
National Youth Organiser for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), George Opare-Addo, has dismissed reports of him rallying behind Dr Kwabena Duffuor’s dream of becoming the next NDC flagbearer.
Speaking in an interview with Mugabe on Power FM, Mr Opare Addocategorically stated that such claims are false and deliberately fabricated to court the disaffection of other prospective candidates who will be contesting the NDC flag bearership position.
Clarifying matters, Pablo, as he is affectionately called, admitted having an affiliation with Dr Duffuor, however, he said he has always believed this is another opportunity for former President John Dramani Mahama to lead the country again on the ticket of the NDC.
“Is Dr Duffour a member of NDC or NPP? He was once the NDC Finance Minister. I have a fine relationship with the Duffuors; my family and their family have done business before. I know them..but when it comes to the flagbearership, I have said it over and over again that this time is for John Mahama. He is the one we are going with” he said.
Prior to the first phase of the NDC national delegates conference, there were reports suggesting that Mr Opare Addo, affectionately called Pablo, has been penciled to play a key role in a future campaign team of Dr Kwabena Duffuor for the flagbearership position of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) ahead of the 2024 elections.
He had also been accused of receiving funding from prominent members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) including the Ashanti Regional NPP chairman Benard Antwi Boasiako (a.k.a Chairman Wontumi), Gabby Otchere Asare-Darko, among others, a claim he has vehemently resisted.
Responding to the various allegations leveled against him prior to the first phase of the NDC national delegates conference he dismissed the reports, stressing that “I have nothing to do with any of them.”
Expressing further frustrations over the claims of his affiliation with Dr Duffour, Pablo noted that some members of the NDC who persistently attack the former Minister, go to him for money.
“Some of the people who insult the man secretly go to him for money. I will mention names today if you allow me. Sometimes I am in his house and they come there. Dr. Duffuor is a great man and a key NDC figure who was Finance Minister and Governor of the Bank of Ghana so there’s nothing wrong with him. But they insult him and go to him for money”, Opare Addo said.
“Doesn’t the party go to him for funding? I have gone to him for money in 2016 before to prosecute the campaign in Ashanti Region. So what is wrong if I am associated with him?” he questioned.
Although Mr Opare Addo had emerged winner of the National Youth Organiser race, the election had been characterised by some tension believed to be between his faction and that of his contender, Mr Ernest Yaw Brogya Genfi.
Sixteen people were declared wanted subsequently.
Asked by Mugabe whether he intends to unite the party, particularly the youth wing, he responded in the affirmative, emphasising that he is ready to work and ensure that peace prevails among members of the party.
The Office of Former President John Mahama has disassociated the former statesman from any of the candidates contesting in the National Democratic Congress’ national executives election.
In a press statement dated December 13, the Office noted its attention has been drawn to publications where candidates associate his name with their campaign.
“The Office of HE Dramani Mahama condemns a publication in a tabloid newspaper that the family of the former President is in support of one of the aspirants for the National Chairman of the NDC,” a portion of the circular read.
According to the Office, John Mahama“has no preference and has not endorsed any candidate.”
An aide to the former president, Joyce Bawah Mogtari, revealed that Mr Mahama will work with whoever emerges victorious, just like any supporter of the opposition party.
This is because “of paramount interest to President Mahama is victory for the NDC in 2024 to work with expectant and suffering Ghanaians to ‘Build the Ghana We Want.”
Following the clarification, the Office of the Former President has advised the rank and file of the party to disregard such false publications.
On December 10, NDC delegates retained George Opare Addo and Dr. Hanna Louisa Bissiw and George Opare Addo as the National Youth Organiser and National Women’s Organiser respectively.
George Opare Addo, who is also known as Pablo, polled 533 votes to triumph over his fiercest contender Brogya Genfi who polled 508 votes.
On the other hand, Dr. Bissiw polled 433 votes to beat her closest contender, Margaret Ansei who obtained 362 votes of the total valid ballot cast.
The opposition party will on December 17 decide who occupies the chairmanship, Vice Chairman, General Secretary, Deputy General Secretary and National Communications Officer positions.
The chairmanship position, the highlight of the elections, is keenly contested by the incumbent, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo; the current General Secretary, Johnson Aseidu Nketia; party stalwart, Nii Armah Ashietey and Samuel Yaw Adusei.
Mr Sammy Gyamfi, the National Communications Officer of the opposition party, National Democratic Congress (NDC), has touted members of the party as individuals without blemish.
According to Mr Gyamfi, the NDC does not house any criminal as reported. He stressed that there is no criminal in the NDC.
He continued, stating that the NDC is a content-driven party and does not posses virtues such as greediness and selfishness.
For him, the opposition party is content with one vehicle as against six as observed in some political parties.
Mr Sammy Gyamfi also mentioned that he currently owns just one V8, and not six as being alleged.
National Communications Officer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfihas refuted claims of corruption-related activities leveled against him by some unknown faces in the political landscape.
Speaking on Onua TV on Wednesday, Mr Gyamfi noted that he has not stolen from any individual and no one in the country can prove otherwise.
According to him, at the age of 24, he was well to do and had employed a number of citizens at a restaurant he was operating.
He noted that he has been blessed enough to live an honest life.
To critics and those mounting allegations against him, Mr Sammy Gyamfi said “you cannot destroy who God has blessed.”
Mr Gyamfi is hoping to retain his position as NDC Communications Officer when the party holds its National Delegates Conference on December 17.
National Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress, Sammy Gyamfi, is reacting to some allegations levelled against him as the party seeks to elect its national executives.
Sammy Gyami is alleged to own a mansion at Airport Hills, but he has denied the claims.
He is answering questions posed by Captain Smart on Onua TV.
The National Youth Organiser of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has explained what led to the confusion during the women and youth leadership elections at the party’s 10th Women and Youth Conference at the University of Cape Coast.
Speaking in an interview on Power FM, which was monitored by GhanaWeb, George Opare Addo, who is popularly known as Pablo, said that the election was delayed because of issues surrounding the eligibility of some of the delegates who were to take part in the elections.
He explained that there were issues with some delegates who had been barred from taking part in the elections by court orders, as well as the leadership of student groups that had intentionally not held their elections.
According to him, there was a court order barring three executives from the Eastern Region, the regional youth organiser and his two deputies, from taking part in the election, but his opponent was saying that all the executives from the region, including the constituency executives, were not to take part in the elections.
He, however, indicated that the issues raised were resolved with the help of the party’s lawyers, who were present, and the organisers of the conference, allowing the elections to continue.
“They made a lot of demands, which I accepted; my only demand was that I was not going to accept their move to exclude executives from three constituencies in the Eastern Region because they were misinterpreting the court order.
“And that one was based on facts, law. Because the law did not say that they should not be allowed to vote. The law stated those who were barred from voting, and they were the regional organiser and his two deputies,” he said in Twi.
He added that in the Greater Accra Region, some of the names on the voters’ registers had to be taken out, and the two parties to the youth elections came to an agreement for the elections to proceed.
Pablo was the eventual winner of the NDC’s youth organiser position, but the election was marred by violence.
The Ghana Police Service has even declared 16 people who were involved in the violence during the election, wanted.
The Deputy Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Rabi Salifu says the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has been peddling falsehood about the cedi-dollar depreciation rate.
According to her, the NDC hired some influencers on TikTok to raise false alarm about the strength of the cedi.
“The NDC went to get few people to stage them, to say come out and throw fear in the system, they came out to say by December dollar was going to be ₵25 which is not happening”, she said.
“They came to say the dollar was going to get stronger and stronger, the speculations we were all condemning were all triggered by the NDC”, she also added.
Rabi Salifu is the Deputy Communications Director of NPP.
Speaking on Joy Prime’s Prime Morning, Rabi Salifu said that this false speculation created fear and panic in people, causing them to hurriedly exchange their cedis for dollars to maintain the value of their currency.
“They threw in speculations, people held the dollars and our cedi was underperforming”, she alleged.
The Deputy Communications Director of the NPP believes that the NDC’s attitude has intensified or worsened the country’s inflation rate.
When the host of the programme challenged her for evidence since the claims had not been proven to be factual, Rabi Salifu insisted that she has evidence to support her claim.
Her claim comes two months after President Akufo-Addo asked Ghanaians to stop unfounded speculations about the value of the local currency against other major trading currencies across the globe.
Cautioning against the speculations, he said government would deal with all persons who publicised such false pieces of information on the value of the Cedi.
“Fellow Ghanaians, as the French would say, l’argent n’aime pas le bruit, to wit, money does not like noise, sika mpɛ dede. Where there is chaos, where there is noise, where there is unrest, you will not find money. If you talk down your money, it will go down. If you allow some unidentifiable person to talk down your money, it will go down”, he counselled.
This comes after the analysis of the “Police-specific video material” from the incident.
Four people were hurt and properties were destroyed as a result of the disruptions these people produced, according to the police.
The suspects are a part of two competing factions, according to a news release released by the Police on Sunday.
“Following violent disturbances at the NDC’s National Youth and Women’s Congress held at Cape Coast in the Central Region on December 10, 2022, 16 people have so far been declared wanted in connection with the violence.
“While proceedings were ongoing at the Congress two rival groups violently clashed throwing stones, blocks, sticks, clubs, chairs among others, causing injury to three persons and destruction to property,” the Police said.
The Police said its swift intervention brought the issue under control.
“The intervention of the Police brought the situation under control for the processes to continue to the end without any further incident,” they said.
“A ¢10,000 reward has been set aside for any member of the public who can provide credible information to the police that can lead to the arrest of any of the suspects,” the statement concluded.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Friday, November 11, 2022, held its regional election conferences nationwide.
The exercise ended on Sunday, November 13, 2022.
NDC delegates across the regions voted for the positions of chairman, youth organizer, women organizer, secretary, organizer, and other positions.
The polls were organized in the 13 regions.
The elections in the Bono East, Ahafo, and Eastern Regions were put on hold by the Functional Executive Committee of the party over some yet-to-be-resolved issues.
Elections in the Eastern Region will be held next weekend whiles that of the Bono East and Ahafo regions will be determined later.
After the end of the polls, some incumbent executives have been retained whiles some executives were voted out.
In the Greater Accra Region, the Chairman of the party, Joseph Ade Coker was defeated in the contest held on Sunday, November 13, 2022.
The election saw Ashie Moore obtaining 327 votes, with Michael Tetteh Kwetey coming second with 297 votes, while the incumbent, Ade Coker followed with 222 votes.
The other candidates are Thomas Ashong 147, and Kojo Berko 4.
GREATER ACCRA REGION
Chairman
1. Michael Tetteh Kwetey – 297
2. Kobina Ade-Coker – 222
3. Kojo Obeng Berkoh – 4
4. Emmanuel Nii Ashie-Moore – 327
5. Thomas Mustapha Ashong – 147
Rejected – 1
Vice Chairman
1. William Vinyo
2. Ibrahim Mahama Jajah
Secretary
1. Theophilus Tetteh Chaie – 720
2. Victor Quarshie Adonoo – 281
Deputy Secretary
1. Patricia Naa Akuyea Addy- 481
2. Baba Abu Abdulai – 306
3. Godwin Mahama Ayaba – 212
Rejected – 1
Organiser
1. Anthony Nukpenu – 595
2. Fiifi Taylor – 404
Rejected – 1
Deputy Organizer
1. Ibrahim Musah- 84
2. Kabu Saint Emmanuel – 121
3. Dickson Mawuko Lekey – 102
4. Gambo Abdulai Zam-Atu – 691
Rejected – 1
Valid votes – 998
Treasurer
1. Mohammed Norgan – 593
2. Akunkel Mbilla Regina Samira – 404
Rejected : 1
Valid vote 997
Deputy Treasurer
1. Kennedy Hedoe – 607
2. Augustine Edem Viduku – 230
3. Amegashie Abla Happy – 156
Rejected – 2
Valid votes – 993
Communication Officer
1. Jerry Johnson – 527
2. Emmanuel Nii Ayitefio Abola Mettle-Nunoo Jnr – 470
National Youth Organiser of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Goerge Opare Addo popularly known as “Pablo” has dismissed claims that suggest he has withdrawn from the ongoing National Youth Election.
He says such reports are false and just a ploy by his opponents to court public disaffection for him.
Mr Opare Addo, thus, has entreated the general public, especially NDC supporters to disregard any claim that seeks to suggest that.
According to Pablo, his opponents are finding ways and means to include people who were not allowed to vote at the regional level into the voters register which generated at the regional level.
“I’m here to address one issue. I understand it is being rumored around I have boycotted the election. It is not true. There are issues that the committee is supposed to address. Our opponent went to court insisting that those people who did not in the regional election be allowed to vote and i challenged it. Delegates lists are generated from the regional election, so if at the region you were not allowed to vote, you cannot import into this register” he said.
Meanwhile Youth Organiser for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), George Opare Addo, has been tipped to retain his position when the party elects its new batch of national executives on December 10, 2022.
The Member of Parliament for Tamale North, Alhassan S. Suhuyini has advised the New Patriotic Party (NPP) led government to do away with its “arrogant posturing” amidst talks about the debt exchange programme.
In an interview on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, Mr Suhuyini stated that government should desist from projecting itself as “knowing it all” and also stop making decisions on behalf of the public without consultation.
“This is where we should all put our patriotic caps on and look at how we can help the government to at least, get the staff-level agreement. But we will hope that moving forward, they will shed off that arrogant posturing of knowing it all and taking decisions on our behalf without consulting us and expecting to consult us after they have taken some of these decisions,” he said.
Speaking about the budget, Mr. Suyuhini who indicated that government’s approaches are not “comprehensive enough”, stated that they have adopted interventions which they opposed during the National Democratic Congress (NDC) regime.
Sharing his perspective on the debt exchange programme, the legislator said activities of the Akufo-Addo-led government have vindicated the Minority.
He explained that despite their vindication, “better engagement” would reduce the level of opposition emanating from the public in respect of the debt exchange programme.
The prevailing level of opposition, he said could hamper the IMF negotiations.
The Tamale North legislator therefore urged government to show concern by cutting down expenditure.
“But most importantly, they must demonstrate that they are willing to take a haircut themselves,” he concluded.
Ghana’s negotiation with the IMFis expected to reach its peak with Ken Ofori-Atta leading the charge after a failed censure motion to remove him.
The debt exchange programme has been rejected by many individual and corporate bondholders since it was announced by government. The programme seeks to stabilize the hard-hit economy which many, including experts have said is the fault of the Finance Minister, hence the call for his removal.
Due to the debt restructuring, domestic bondholders will receive interest payments that are zero percent in 2023 and five percent in 2024.
In an effort to re-establish the country’s ability to service its debt, existing domestic bonds as of December 1, 2022, will also be swapped for a series of four new bonds expiring in 2027, 2029, 2032, and 2037.
At least two persons have allegedly sustained gunshot wounds at the ongoing congress of the National Democratic Congress in Cape Coast.
Over 1,800 delegates of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) are expected to vote in Cape Coast Saturday, December 10, to elect candidates for the National Youth Organiser, Deputy Youth Organiser, Women’s and Deputy Women’s Organiser positions of the party.
The election is being held at the campus of the University of Cape Coast (UCC).
For the Youth Organiser position, George Opare Addo and the party’s Ashanti Regional Youth Organiser, Brogya Genfi are contesting.
Osman Abdulai Ayariga, Ruth Dela Seddoh, Bright Nudokpo Honu, Sulemana Abdul Karim and Mohammed Abubakari Sadiq Gombilla are all in the race for the National Deputy Youth Organiser position.
The rest are; Kabiru Ahmed, Eric Dadson, Pendilock Owusu Asare, Obed Opintan and Jude Sekley.
Women Organiser
The contest for the Women Organiser position is between the incumbent, Dr. Hanna Louisa Bisiw and a former Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Suhum, Margaret Ansei.
Aspirants for the Deputy Women Organiser are; Abigail Akwabea Elorm Mensah, Felicia Dzifa Tegah, Jessie Adams and Hajia Alijata Sulemana.
The party’s national executives election will take place at the Accra Sports Stadium on December 17.
