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Tag: NDC

  • NDC leadership asked me to contest Tano South Parliamentary seat – Hanna Bissiw

    The National Women’s Organiser of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr Hanna Louisa Bissiw, has set the record straight on why she contested for parliamentary candidate in Tano South in the 2020 national election while holding her position and working as National Women Organiser.

    According to her, the decision was taken by the NDC leadership on the back of research conducted in the runner up to the 2020 general election.

    Some factions in the NDC is criticizing Dr. Hanna Bissiw for simultaneously contesting as a parliamentary candidate for 2020 while working as national officer of the party.

    In reaction to the false impression created around her contest and what led to the decision which was taken by the national leader of the NDC, Dr. Bissiw has outlined in detail event which led to the party deciding and tasking her to contest the Tano South Seat for the NDC in 2020.

    I contested in the 2020 Parliamentary elections based on the entire decision by the National Democratic Congress(NDC). These are the facts of that “Political Decision”;

    ➢ Early 2019, a meeting was held in Ada and presided over by the National Chairman, Ofosu Ampofo. At the meeting,incumbent parliamentarians insisted that they needed early primaries so they could have the peace to go about their duties. At the time NDC had106 members in Parliament.

    ➢ A decision was made to organize primaries for sitting members of Parliament and leave out orphan constituencies.

    ➢ The party was to employ the services of a surveying company to conduct research and come up with findings on candidates in the orphan constituencies who have the tendency to win those seats. To win in any elections, research is utterly important.

    ➢ The issue of unqualified persons who could be suggested for candidature by the research findings was raised.

    ➢ The question was put out to the Chair and leadership of the party on what they will do if the survey findings recommend somebody the constitution does not allow to contest or the regulations agreed on to be used for the primaries goes against.

    ➢ The response from the national Chairman was that, he will take a ‘Political Decision’. A political decision like the one taken in Winneba where an angry NPP member crossedcarpet to the NDC. It was realized by the party that the “defunct” NPP member had lots of grounds to win the seat for us.

    As a result, our PC who was duly elected was asked to step down for the NPP person who came in less than the stipulated time of 4years to contest on our ticket. That was a “Political Decision” for 2020.

    ➢ At that meeting, it was decided that Parliamentary primaries in the various orphan constituencies will be staggered. As and when they are able to convince the candidate who will emerge as the one with the high possibility of winning the seat to contest, and then they will conduct the election. So for the first time in our history, Parliamentary primaries were staggered.

    ➢ I was approached to contest because the party’s survey indicated that I had 91.3% rating in Tano South and the two other candidates shared the remaining 8.3%. Based on this finding, I was approached to contest for the party.

    ➢ Subsequently, some suggested that I step down as the National Women Organizer because the regulation states that if you want to contest primaries, you had to step down. I said NO.

    ➢ I’ll contest for the party if that’s what they ask of me but I was not going to step down. It doesn’t have to come with conditions because the decision to contest didn’t come from me. The party wants me to contest.

    ➢ There were meetings here and there trying to convince me to step down to go and do what the party wanted me to do. I vehemently said no because I’ve taken that seat before and I know what it takes to win the seat.

    ➢ You can’t come to me in the year 2020 and ask me to contest for a seat that needs a whole lot of work before you’ll be able to get victory. That too as late as an election year, you approach me and you want me to resign and go do the party’s bid for, so I refused.

    ➢ Eventually, the party directed that I contest for the seat on behalf of the party. Finally, in late august 2020, they said because of democracy a guy was made to contest me in the primaries. He pulled 47 votes out of the 1,092. The delegates massively endorsed me with 1,045 votes.

    ➢ After the primaries, our designs were supposed to come from President Mahama’s office. They took my picture from President Mahama’s office and the design did not come until ending of September.

    ➢ Due to this, it was during the first week of October I got any presence in the constituency.

    ➢ On the other hand, all National Officers were directed to go and station in their various regions and work from the regions in September.

    ➢ So I had only two months to contest in that election. It was an election that we didn’t lose. If you check the records, pulled 17,066 for the Presidential race. This is the first time we’ve had 17000 and over votes from Tano South Constituency for any NDC Presidential candidate.

    ➢ I set up ten teams and at the same time, I was working in and out of the constituency. In September for instance, I was with President Mahama in the Upper West and the Northern region. The running mate came to Ahafo regionbecause I was stationed to work in Ahafo according to the directives to all National Officers. I was with her throughout her stay in the region.

    ➢ On 30th and 31st October, I was in the eastern region. I campaigned in three markets in the Eastern region and Fanteakwa as well. This brings the total to four.

    ➢ After being discharged from the hospital in that same October, I went to the market. On 3rd November, I was in Kaneshie market, Agbogbloshie market and Ablekuma South market.

    ➢ In the 2020 elections, NDC didn’t lose in Tano South. We didn’t lose that seat. There was zero coalition after the elections. Anyone who took the numbers directly from the polling centers declared that I won.

    ➢ There was a general light off in the entire constituency and it was drizzling as well. They rushed and gave some pink sheets to our agents. Some of them realized the discrepancies in the figures and drew the attention of the EC officials.

    The answer they gave was “send them to your party leadership. When they come to the coalition centre, they will ask for recount”.

    ➢ So as we received those pink sheets that did not tally withthe figures at the polling centers, we rushed to the coalition centre in Bechem. A typical example is Konkomba A & B. The result of one center was over 400 and the other a little under 400. When you add the tow it was over 800votes but on the pink sheet, I was given 88 at both centers and 44 at both centers for my opponent and 72 spoilt ballots.

    ➢ At where I voter, Old mosque I had 285 and my opponent had 160 but on pink sheet, they gave me 103 and gave him 160. For the first time in Brosankro NDC had never won Old Brosankro but we won old Brosankro. You go to Mansin, polling stations that we have never won before in the history of this 4th republic, we won. You go to new Brosankro we won polling centers that hitherto we were not winning and appreciated in the other centers.

    ➢ Come to my own hometown, Techimantia, places where the NPP will get 200 and over votes and we get 50, 40votes. But in the 2020 election, if they had a little over 200 votes, we pulled 200. We appreciated in all the polling centers. There was no difference of 100votes between me and my close contender except for Appetite where he was able to stretch me with 100 votes. Only one polling center out of the 120 polling centers. Techimantia is the biggest place. The figures did not tally.

    ➢ We stayed at the coalition centre throughout the night. EC claimed they were doing administrative work but with all the administrative work we realized they were playing tricks.

    ➢ Thus, we indicated to Mr. Asamoah and I mention his name because he was the Presiding officer that we have not seen ballot boxes, biometric machines and electoral materials at the coalition center. We made it known that we will request for a recount of the ballots of the various polling centers.

    ➢ So where were the ballot boxes, biometric machines and the other electoral materials? He told us we are delaying him so we should allow them to finish with their administrative work. We sat through the night under heavy armed Police and Military officers. The coalition centerlooked like a war zone.

    ➢ The lawyer was directed to write a letter for recount, which was done. So we requested for the electoral materials to arrive. The lady returning officer appeared at the coalition center around 4 to 5a.m.

    ➢ Around 7 a. m I entered my car to charge my phone. The lawyer came with some sheets they said we should sign. They collated, so we refused to sign that report. We held a press conference and NDC as a political party took this case to court.

    ➢ Whiles in court and proceedings were not favoring the NPP, the entire EC office mysteriously caught fire one weekend and everything burnt down to ashes. There was zero evidence for us to continue the case.

    ➢ Now my question is, am I bigger than the party? Because anytime the party wants a particular candidate to contest anything anywhere, can anybody impose themselves on the party? No.

    ➢ I asked the party to get their candidate to go and contest if they thought they had somebody who could win the seat. In the survey’s findings in the entire orphan Constituencies I had the highest ratings at the time when I had zero presencein Tano South and hardly went to the village.

    ➢ Now, for the records, I have zero interest in going to contest for that seat. Even if there is no contest and I am asked to present myself for swearing in, I don’t want it. I am not interested in becoming a member of Parliament.

    ➢ Whether I am contesting for National Women’s Organizer or not, I reiterate that i am not interested. I have worked as a member of parliament and I know what it entails but, I have lost any interest in that regard.

    ➢ I accounted for every pesewa that was given to me. I lived well with my people even after we lost the election. 84 boreholes were drilled. Schools were built, mosques were built, school fees were paid, and scholarships were given. Computers, laptops, text books, exercise books, health facilities, I touched every sector. From the markets to abattoirs, reaching out to the needy in their various homes,reaching out to children and donating about 500 new clothes every year together with food items and toys to throughout the constituency and supporting teachers.

    ➢ The most important thing is that as a member of parliament, I led a very transparent administration like a mirror. I will always offer my support to the people but I am not interested in becoming a Member of Parliament for Tano South.

    ➢ I am not interested.

  • NDC ‘thugs’ clash with police in Kumasi

    Some heavily-built thugs of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), clashed with some personnel of the Ghana Police Service to disrupt the Ashanti Regional Delegates Conference on Sunday, November 13.

    According to media reportage sighted by GhanaWeb, these persons believed to be members of the opposition NDC wanted to enter the Baba Yara Sports Stadium without accreditation and were prevented by the security personnel.

    An eyewitness who spoke to Accra-based Joy FM said, when one of the thugs was arrested his colleagues prevented the police from taking him to the police station for questioning, thus, resulting in some altercation.

    “The guys vowed they would not allow the police to take the suspect away. So they fought them for a while,” the eyewitness said.

    Warning shots from the police then angered these young men, numbering about thirty resulting in a free-for-all fight between them and the police.

    The thugs reportedly pelted the police with stones while the police also resorted to the use of the butts of their rifles.

    The police had to leave the main entrance of the Baba Yara Sports Stadium to restore calm.

    The incident, however, did not affect the voting process.

    The NDC is electing new executives to steer the affairs of the party in the Ashanti Region.

    Nearly 1,500 delegates have converged at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in what many have described as a tense election.

     

  • Don’t consider yourself out of NDC if not elected – Asiedu Nketia tells aspirants

    The General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia on Saturday advised aspirants who would not be elected to executive positions not to consider themselves as “outcasts.”

    “Not being voted for does not mean you are not part of the Party… because at every point in different times people are required to execute a particular task for a result,” he said.

    Mr Asiedu-Nketia gave the advice in an address to delegates at the Bono Regional NDC Conference to elect regional executives for a four-year term, at the Ahenfie Hotel at Berekum in the Bono Region.

    He said what the NDC needed was a good selection of executives capable of wresting power from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Election 2024.

    Mr Asiedu-Nketia encouraged aspirants who might lose to understand that they would be called upon whenever their services were needed, saying: “The Party needs a collective effort to beat the NPP in the next general election”.

    He advised the delegates to reward aspirants who worked hard for the party by voting them back into the executive positions.

    More than 400 delegates were expected to vote to elect executives for four positions, with seven of the aspirants going unopposed.

    Source: Myjoyonline

  • Stop expensive internal elections, unnecessary bribing of delegates – Eric Alifo to NDC top hierarchy

    Lawyer Eric Delanyo Alifo, a stalwart of NDC in the Ho West Constituency is wondering why the bosses of his party look on while office seekers in internal elections buy their way to victory although some might not be fit for the positions they seek.

    He cannot also understand why the party makes internal contests for positions at the branches, constituency, region, and national expensive for young and energetic members of the party who only want to step up to assist in the organization of the party, and mobilizing for support.

    Lawyer Alifo argues that although many who abhor the overly monetization of Ghana’s politics think that very little or nothing can be done about it, he disagrees with that position.

    He also believes that there may indeed, be genuine efforts to support the party’s executives (delegates) in many ways long before elections, the act of doling out monies to them, or giving out goodies to them purposely to influence their votes must be distinguished and prohibited with dire consequences to offenders.

    He thinks his party must issue guidelines against the practice, reminding the party executives that “where there is a will, there is a way.”

    Lawyer Alifo expressed his thoughts just after NDC’s constituency elections.

    Source: Ghanaweb 

  • Economic crisis won’t automatically win us 2024 polls – Doe Adjaho to NDC

    The former Speaker of Parliament, Edward Doe Adjaho, has charged members of the National Democratic Congress to be united and remain focused as the current economic crisis is not sufficient to guarantee the party a victory in the 2024 general elections.

    Speaking ahead of the NDC’s Volta Regional Delegates Conference in Ho, the former MP for the Avenor-Ave constituency now Akatsi South, urged members of the NDC not to be complacent and work hard towards the elections in 2024.

    He also called on members of the party to desist from wooing delegates with money and favours for votes ahead of the general elections in 2024.

    “The statement is that we should not be complacent as a party. The mid-term elections in the United States have taught us that hardship alone, inflation and the economy cannot win an election…So let us not be complacent.”

    “Hardship is a factor, and cost of living is a factor but it is not sufficient. We have to work hard, we have to be united and present a united front in this region and in the party,” Doe Adjaho said.

    Source: Citinews

  • E/R NDC polls: Etornam Nyarko elected youth organizer

    Richard Etornam Nyarko has been elected as the new Youth Organizer for the National Democratic Congress in the Eastern Region.

    Richard Etornam popularly called Bilbo polled 55 of the total votes to unseat the incumbent, Emmanuel Okai Mintah who garnered 52 votes.

    Mr. Mintah who was seeking to retain his seat unfortunately succumbed to Bilbo in a fiercely contested election in the Nsawam-Adoagyiri Municipality.

    Fohad Agbenyadzi Tetteh also emerged as the winner in the Deputy Youth Organizer elections beating Nathaniel Guamah, Eryk Kwasi Agyapong, and Evans Srenyame.

    For the Women Organizer position, Shirley Naana Osei Ampem retained her position with 39 of the total votes against the 34 votes polled by her rival Evelyn Korang who was a former women’s organizer.

    Tina Effah Boadi also polled 28 of the total votes to become the Deputy Women’s Organizer beating her close rivals Rita Awatey Akosua, Linda Ahenkorah, and Sahadatu Ibrahim.

    The main elections will, however, come on next weekend at Akim Oda in the Birim Central Municipality.

    Source: Citinews

  • Election of NDC’s Youth and Women’s organiser put on hold in Ashanti region

    The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has called off the election of Youth and Women’s Organizer executives in the Ashanti Region.

    The election scheduled to take place at the Republic Hall, KNUST, was opposed by a group of aspirants who claim the delegates’ list had been manipulated.

    The group led by Emmanuel Atanga, an aspirant vying for Deputy Youth Organiser, described the 47 delegates’ list as fradulent and undeserving to serve its purpose.

    The aggrieved group petitioned the National Executives of the party, which led to the set up of a three-member committee to authenticate the issues.

    The committee after nvestigation came out with a delegates’ album of 34.

    The group however says this did not meet expectation, claiming some institutions were not qualified to exercise their franchise.

    Leadership of the Party, as at 6pm on Friday held a crunch meeting including other stakeholders but entrench positions defeated their agenda.

    The chairman of the election committee, Nuru Hamidan, said they are meeting all the aspirants at the regional party office on Saturday to resolve outstanding issues.

    According to him, the meeting will determine if they will cast their ballot on Sunday or the election will be further postponed.

    Delegates from far and near expressed disappointment over the development as they left the election ground without voting.

    “This is not the NDC I know,”,one of the aggrieved delegates said.

    “We are sending a message to the rank and file of the party that it doesn’t look so well in the Ashanti Region and with this I fear we will lose in 2024,” another said.

    Some top party officials and individuals were seen engaging all aggrieved parties to resolve the issue.

    Source: Myjoynews

  • We have no preferred candidate in NDC internal elections – Mahama’s family

    The family of former President John Dramani Mahama has categorically refuted claims of having preferred candidates in the upcoming internal elections of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

    A statement signed by Rafik Mahama, Secretary to the family, said “no member of the family is aligned and supports any of the candidates as being alleged.”

    He urged the general public and members of the NDC to disregard reports of the former President supporting some preferred candidates.

    “John Mahama Family has no preferred candidates in the upcoming NDC Internal Elections. Reports reaching the family of H.E. John Mahama indicate some persons associating their names with certain candidates in the upcoming internal elections of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).”

    “For the avoidance of doubt, no member of the Mahama family, including H.E John Mahama, has any preferred candidates. The family has absolute belief in the ability of the party’s delegates to elect, out of the party’s rich pool of qualified candidates, the best candidates to serve in the various positions being contested.”

    The NDC will from Friday, November 11, 2022, begin its regional election conferences nationwide.

    The exercise will end on Sunday, November 13, 2022. The party wants delegates to fully abide by all laid down rules outlined.

    NDC delegates in the Greater Accra Region will vote for the positions of youth organizer and women organizer at the Du Bois Memorial Center today.

    The elections will continue on Sunday at the Tema Sports complex where delegates will elect a new Chairman, Secretary, and Organizer among others for the Greater Accra Region.

     

  • NDC’s regional executives elections begins today

    The regional elections of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), will begin today, Friday, November 11.

    The exercise is expected to end on Sunday, November 13.

    Ahead of this, the party’s Elections Committee has urged all delegates to fully abide by all directives.

    In the Greater Accra Region, the delegates are scheduled to vote for the positions of youth organiser and women organiser today at the Du Bois Memorial Centre.

    The exercise will then continue on Sunday at the Tema Sports Complex.

    At the venue, the delegates will elect a new Chairman, Secretary, and Organizer among others for the Greater Accra Region.

    The incumbent Regional Chairman, Ade Coker is being challenged by three others.

    The three are a former Member of Parliament for Adentan, Nii Ashie Moore, a former parliamentary aspirant for Ningo Prampram, Michael Kwetey Tetteh and Greater Accra Regional Youth Organiser Thomas Mustapha Ashong.

  • A.B.A Fuseini calls out coward NPP MPs over the removal of Ken Ofori-Atta

    The Member of Parliament for Sagnarigu, Alhassan Bashir Fuseini, has called out what he described as the cowardice of his colleagues on the majority side of parliament in their decision not to support their vote of censure motion against the Minister of Finance.

    Speaking in an interview with JoyNews and monitored by GhanaWeb, the outspoken National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP expressed shock at the MPs’ decision not to support their vote.

    He explained that it amazes him that the MPs, who had earlier called for the minister to be sacked, would in turn throw away an easy opportunity to get their request granted.

    “The man is a walking disaster, and once they themselves have come to the conclusion that Ken Ofori-Atta is a disaster, this is an excellent opportunity for them to walk the talk when they told us Ken Ofori-Atta was a disaster and must go.

    “If you have been parasitising and they call for free food, it’s like your wife has just cooked, so, why is it that now that they have free food – the opportunity that the censure is moved, and now they’re running away.

    “So, it is abundantly clear that they will be reneging on their responsibility,” he sad.

    Alhassan Bahir Fuseini, also known as A.B.A. Fuseini, further stated that regardless of the position of the NPP MPs, they in the NDC will prove to Ghanaians that they are the ones concerned about their concerns and their well-being.

    “I now say that today is a historic day in parliament, that the people will see who is truly beholding to the national interest of this country; who is truly standing up for the oppressed masses; who is truly standing up for the excruciating hardships that our people are suffering,” he said.

    The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has proposed a vote of censure in Parliament.

    Should it pass, it would make the appointment of Ken Ofori-Atta as Minister of Finance invalid in the eyes of parliament, forcing the president to officially sack him.

  • Don’t be complacent ahead of 2024 polls – Afriyie Ankrah to NDC members

    The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has warned its members not to exhibit signs of complacency ahead of the 2024 elections.

    The party contends that all and sundry must contribute as the NDC aims at winning the next polls.

    Speaking to Citi News after launching his campaign to contest the General Secretary position, Director of Elections for the NDC, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah urged his supporters to stay focused.

    “The governing party will be very desperate in trying to deploy other means so for me, if genuine elections are held today, the NPP will struggle to get 40 percent, but we know they won’t do genuine elections. That is why the NDC must not be complacent and say that we have won already. I don’t want to hear that. We must fight to the finish. We want to win an overwhelming victory that nobody can do anything about it.”

    The Chairman of the NDC, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo wants delegates to retain him as the chairman of the party.

    He argues the party requires a formidable team to rescue the country from the current government.

    “I respectfully urge and entreat all delegates to vote for me come December 17. Be assured that, a vote for me is a vote for unity, a stronger party, inclusiveness, hard work and ultimately, it is a vote for victory in 2024. I am the people’s chairman and I have an unfinished agenda. Vote for me for victory for the NDC in 2024 and form the next government.”

  • Martin Kpebu is a full NDC member, the party sponsored his demo – Abronye alleges

    The Bono Regional Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwame Baffoe, a.k.a. Abronye DC, has alleged that renowned legal practitioner Martin Kpebu, who has been calling for President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to step down, is a member of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).

    Abronye DC alleged that Kpebu was given money by the NDC to organise his recent NanaMustGo (Kume Preko Reloaded) demonstration to get President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to step down for his poor management of Ghana’s economy.

    Speaking in a Neat FM interview monitored by GhanaWeb, Abronye added that Kpebu, who claims to be incorruptible, refused to give the other organisers of the demonstration their share of the funds given to them by the NDC.

    “The call for the president to step down is a call by the NDC. Because under the Constitution if the president steps down automatically the Speaker (of Parliament) becomes president for the next 3 months.

    “Martin Kpebu, who is known to be an NDC member, is the one championing this course. He is a full member of the NPP… He is doing this (call for Akufo-Addo to step down) for the NDC. He went for the budget for this demonstration from the NDC – they gave him everything. He should come and swear that it is not the NDC who gave him the money for the demonstration,” he said in Twi.

    “He even stole all the money given to him by the NDC. He refused to give the other organisers their share. You (Kpebu) are saying that people are corrupt, but you refuse to give the other organisers of the demonstrations what is due them,” he added.

     

  • I’m the necessary condition for an NDC victory in 2024 – Afriyie Ankrah to NDC delegates

    A former Director of Elections of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, has called on NDC delegates to vote for him to become the party’s next general secretary.

    Afriyie Ankrah, who made these remarks while filing his nomination for the position at the party’s headquarters in Accra on Wednesday (November 11), intimated that he is the only person among the other candidates who can ensure that the party is not robbed of its predestined victory in the December 2024 elections.

    He added that the party’s delegates know this fact, and his prayer is that they will make him the replacement for Johnson Asiedu Nketiah come December 17.

    “I love this party! I know you all do. If I thought for a split second that what I am doing would be tantamount to danger for this party, I would gladly excuse myself; however, I know, you know, and the delegates know that for this election of 2024, I am the best person for the job and it’s for that reason why I came to submit my form to contest the position of General Secretary to help organise the party for battle and victory in 2024.

    “I have always believed that when a man gets into his head to do something, and when he exclusively occupies himself in that pursuit, he must succeed, whatever the difficulties. We will win 2024 by all means, but first, I appeal to the best in you delegates to vote massively for me as your next General Secretary,” he said.

    Afriyie Ankrah is expected to face stiff competition from the ex-Deputy Minister of Finance and former Propaganda Secretary of the NDC, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey and the current Deputy General Secretary of the NDC, Dr. Peter Boamah Otokunor.

    Over 63 percent of participants in a poll conducted by GhanaWeb in October 2022 said that the current Director of Elections of the NDC should be the replacement of the outgoing General Secretary of the party, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah.

  • Elvis Ankrah submits nomination forms to contest NDC General Secretary slot

    Elvis Afriyie Ankrah has submitted his nomination forms to contest the position of general secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Ghana’s largest opposition party.

    The former Director of Elections of the party presented the forms on Wednesday, November 9, 2022, at the party headquarters in Accra.

    Presenting the forms, Elvis Ankrah stated that the pending national delegates congress of the NDC is its most critical election ever because it holds the hopes of many Ghanaians.

    “But I can tell you right now that this delegate congress is the most critical elections in the history of our dear country. If we get it right as a party the whole country will get it right and if we get it wrong the country will sink.

    “Take a moment and carefully think about the ramifications of putting the wrong people in the right offices. It’s akin to going fishing with a sharp shovel. This party is the last frontier of hope for the many hopeless people across this country and this election is the most hopeful thing that the people of this country are looking forward to this year,” he said.

    He added that the outcome of the elections will largely determine the future of the party.

    “How we move forward as a party and a country is predicated largely on the outcome of this election,” he said.

    Elvis Afriyie Ankrah is facing competition from Dr. Peter Boamah Otokunor, the current Deputy General Secretary of the NDC; and Fifi Kwetey, a former Member of Parliament for Ketu South and Deputy Minister of Finance.

    The NDC will hold its national delegates congress in December 2022.

     

     

  • Start expenditure rationalization from Akufo-Addo’s office – Mahama

    Ghana’s former president, John Dramani Mahama, has charged the government to start slashing down its ballooning expenditure from the Office of the President.

    In a tweet, John Mahama stated that the budget of the president’s office has ballooned exponentially in the last six years to GH¢ 3.1 billion.

    “The budget for the Office of the President has ballooned, over the last six years, from GH¢700m to GH¢ 3.1bn in 2022,” he tweeted.

    The former president further advised the government to start cutting down the expenditure of the president’s office, as it could save the country a substantial amount of money.

    “For expenditure rationalization to be successful, it must first start in the President’s office. Substantial savings of GH¢1bn can be made by slashing the budget,” he added.

    The government of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has been faced with a lot of economic challenges in the last year, with inflation figures skyrocketing.

    Fuel prices and the rate of exchange of the Ghana cedis to the US dollar have also been extremely high in recent months, plunging a lot of businesses into disarray.

    See John Mahama’s tweet below:

    The budget for the Office of the President has ballooned, over the last six years, from GH¢700m to GH¢ 3.1bn in 2022. For expenditure rationalization to be successful, it must first start in the President’s office. Substantial savings of GH¢1bn can be made by slashing the budget.

    — John Dramani Mahama (@JDMahama) November 8, 2022

  • Brogya Genfi sues Tolon MP over alleged forgery; demands annulment of polls

    The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Youth Organiser aspirant, Yaw Brogya Genfi has filed a writ at the Supreme Court for the annulment of the election of New Patriotic Party Member of Parliament for the Tolon constituency, Habib Iddrisu.

    The writ filed by Brogya Genfi stated that the MP had been convicted of fraud and forgery in Australia and was not fit to contest an election in Ghana at the time he filed his nomination to contest as an MP.

    The writ filed on Monday, November 7, stated that Mr Iddrisu was convicted on his own plea by the Perth Magistrates Court in Australia on November 28, 2011.

    Among the reliefs being sought by Brogya Genfi include;

    “A declaration that the 1st Defendant, Mr. Habib Iddrisu, who was elected the Member of Parliament for the Tolon Constituency in the Northern Region of the Republic of Ghana during the 2020 Parliamentary Elections, was not qualified to be elected a Member of Parliament within the meaning of Articles 94(2)(c)(1) and 94(5)(a) of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana by reason of the fact that, at the time of filing his nomination for the said elections between 5th and 9th October 2020, he had been convicted of forgery and fraud (both offences involving dishonesty) on his own plea by the Perth Magistrates Court in Australia on the 28 of November 201 and ten (10) years had not passed at the time when Mr. Habib lddrisu filed his nomination for the said elections;

    “A declaration that the decision of the 2nd Defendant to permit the 1st Defendant to contest Parliamentary Elections in the Tolon Constituency when the 1st Defendant had been convicted for forgery and fraud (both offences involving dishonesty) on his own plea by the Perth Magistrates Court in Australia on the 28th day of November 2011 is inconsistent with and violates Articles 94(2)(c)(9 and 94(5)61) of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana and ten (10) years had not passed when the 2nd Defendant made the decision to allow the Defendant to contest the 2020 Parliamentary Elections.”

    “A declaration that the election of the 1st Defendant as the Member of Parliament for the Tolon Constituency notwithstanding his conviction for forgery and fraud (both offences involving dishonesty) on his own plea by the Perth Magistrates Court in Australia on the 28th day of November 2011 is inconsistent with and violates Articles 94(2)(c)(i) and 94(5)(a) of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana and to that extent is unconstitutional, null and void and of no legal effect;

    “A declaration that the swearing-in of the 1st Defendant as Member of Parliament for the Tolon Constituency is inconsistent with and violates Articles 94(2)(c)() and 94(5)(0) of the .1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana and is to that extent unconstitutional, null and void and of no legal effect.”

     

  • I never joked with paying arrears, it boosted economy – Duffuor

    Flagbearer hopeful of the opposition National Democratic Congress(NDC) and former Finance Minister, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor says he was serious with paying arrears to contractors and other persons who had worked for the government while he was in office.

    According to him, the regular payment of arrears went a long way in boosting the growth of the economy.

    “We never joked with expenditure. I was not making payments when there was not enough money. But as soon as money hits government account, I paid off people who government owed. We managed government bill very well. I never joked with arrears. I never denied contractors their money. I ensured I paid regularly in bit until all the debt is cleared,” Dr Kwabena Duffuor said on Ghana Kasa show on Kasapa 102.5FM/Agoo TV on Monday.

    He added: “When we paid contractors, their work also progressed and we also took the taxes. You pay arrears with your right hand and you take taxes with your left hand. That is how it is done. If a contractor has executed a project worth GHC10m and you say you’ll not pay him, how does he take care of the workers. The money is not for him, it is for the workers. When he pays them, then you also take the tax from them. That helps the economy to grow very fast and a lot of taxes are paid. If government does not pay contractors their businesses collapse and there’ll not be enough taxes to build the country.

  • Let’s unite to turn Ghana around – Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah

    Aspiring general secretary of the NDC, Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah, has called for a united front among all people of diverse ethnic groups to help promote the unity of purpose for Ghana’s development.

    Speaking on the sidelines of the Hogbetsotso Festival of the Anlo state, the current Elections Director of the NDC said, “while the quest for political power is critical in spearheading development, the gracing of the Hogbetsotsoza by the Asantehene, Outhmfuo Osei Tutu II, following the special invitation by Awomefia Togbe Sri signifies a longstanding effort to bring all cultures in Ghana together.”

    Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah also took time to interact with former President John Dramani Mahama, leading chiefs in the Volta region, leaders of the NDC across all levels of the party, opinion leaders, elders, members and sympathisers of the party to assure them of his commitment towards a united party in the National Delegates Congress in December.

    Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah has declared his intention to vie for the General Secretary position because he believes “Ghana is at the crossroads having been led by the incompetent leadership of Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo-Addo and vice president Mahamudu Bawumiah” who heads the economic management team.

    Elvis Afriyeh Ankrah, insists, “following the comprehensive development undertaken by the John Mahama-led administration, it has become imperative for the NDC to be elected in the 2024 elections to give hope to the ordinary Ghanaian and restore the dwindling economy” back on track.

    The Hogbetsotso has become one of the most prominent festivals in Ghana which seeks to rally all Ewes across the country and unify other Ghanaians of other ethnic groups towards the development of the country.

    Source:  Ghanaweb

  • I can fight NPP boot for boot; vote for me – Ade Coker

    A Chairman hopeful of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), in the Greater Accra Region, Mr. Joseph Ade-Coker has boldly stated that he can match his opponent in the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) boot for boot to win massively in the next general elections in 2024.

    He said the NDC needs a courageous person like him to lead the battle and amass votes for the party to be at the helm of affairs in the country.

    Interacting with NDC delegates during his campaign tour, Mr. Ade Coker said, “I have demonstrated that l have the courage to fight the NPP, they should also watch the posture of the NPP, they have been telling us that they are going to break the eight-year jinx, …If that is the case, the NDC needs a very courageous, bold and articulate person to be able to lead them in the battle in the Greater Accra region, which always determines the winning votes of the NDC. They should vote for me, I have come to you with a message and with a plan.”

    The incumbent Greater Accra regional Chairman of NDC said the calibre of regional executives the delegates will elect internally will determine the party’s chances in the 2024 general elections.

    “The calibre of people you elect tomorrow will determine the success of the NDC going into the 2024 general elections. If you elect people who are not mature, competent, tried and tested, the results will be GIGO, Garbage in Garbage out,” he warned.

    He further advised delegates to desist from being influenced by money and enticing goodies.

    The NDC is expected to elect its regional executives on November 12-13, 2022, to steer the affairs of the party.

     

    Source: Citi News

  • The Ashanti in me will win NDC 2024 elections easily if I lead – Kojo Bonsu

    A former Mayor of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), Kojo Bonsu, has said it will be easier for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to win the 2024 elections if he is elected the flagbearer of the party.

    “I’ve told you that as an Ashanti that will bring the votes; it will add on because Ashantis want their own as the leader,” he explained in an interview with Raymond Acquah on UpFront.

    According to him, there are available data to show that if the NDC gets more votes in the Ashanti region, it will easily win the 2024 polls – and he believes this is one of the key reasons he must be considered to lead the party.

    Kojo Bonsu earlier this year declared his intention to run for the NDC flagbearer race at the Manhyia Palace during the Akwasidae Festival where he sought the blessings of the Asantehene to emerge the first Ashanti flagbearer of NDC.

    “If I am the leader, we will win easily. [If I am not], we still will work hard and win but it will be easier if I lead. It is data, it is there, the votes are there. If you get more votes in Ashanti, you win the elections easily. This is no rocket science,” he stressed.

    Meanwhile, former Finance Minister Dr Kwabena Duffuor has also announced his intent to lead the NDC in the 2024 election.

    He announced on Thursday in a Facebook post, saying he is prepared to contest for the flagbearship position of the party when nominations are opened.

    “Today, I officially announce my intention to contest for the flagbearship of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) anytime the party opens nominations. I will offer myself once again to serve the land of my birth with humility and sacrifice when given the chance to do so,” he said.

    Is Mahama contesting?

    Former President John Mahama says he has not decided whether he will lead the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2024 elections.

    In an interview with the Voice of America (VOA) he said since the party is yet to make that decision in 2023, it would be premature for him to announce his intentions.

    According to him, “It’s good to keep your opponent guessing so even if I am not running, I am not going to say I am not running.”

    “A decision would be taken early next year in the first quarter; that’s when we hold our party’s primaries for the presidential candidacy and we’d see,” he added.

    According to him, he would not have any problem if the NDC does not choose him as the 2024 flagbearer.

    “The party decides. If the party thinks I should [be the flagbearer], why not? My country has given me so much… educated me, made me who I am. I will not deprive the people of that choice if I have to and so it depends on what the party thinks is best for us.

    “It’s to win the election of 2024 and if we have to have a candidate other than me, I don’t have a problem with it,” he told Uganda-based NBS television.

    Source: Myjoyonline

     

  • 2024 elections: Dr Kwabena Duffour formally declares interest in NDC flagbearership

    Former Finance Minister Dr Kwabena Duffuor has made it official that he will be seeking to lead the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as its flagbearer in the 2024 election.

    It had been in the rumour mill for a while now, but Dr Duffuor’s action cements the claims.

    According to Dr Duffuor, he is prepared to contest for the flagbearship position of the party when nominations are opened.

    He posted on Facebook on Thursday that “Today, I officially announce my intention to contest for the flagbearership of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) anytime the party opens nominations. I will offer myself once again to serve the land of my birth with humility and sacrifice when given the chance to do so,”

    While rumours have been rife of Dr. Duffuor joining the race, he had avoided openly declaring his intention to run.

    In an interview in November, 2021, he indicated that his main objective at the moment was to help the opposition NDC build a formidable party.

    “The NDC has not opened any nomination for Presidency. All that we are doing now is to build a very strong party. So when we get there, we will know.

    “Let’s get to the river before we cross. We are not there yet, when we get there, we will cross and then we will know. But right now the focus is on the party and not on any individual. Soon, the party will elect its leaders but for now, we are not there yet,” he had said.

    According to him, having a resilient political party remains the only way the opposition party can emerge victorious in the 2024 general elections.

    The former Finance Minister therefore cautioned people against pitching him against former President John Mahama.

    However, the tables have turned today, as he has publicly declared his interest.

     

     

  • NDC presidential candidate hopeful join calls for Ofori-Atta to resign

    A presidential candidate hopeful of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Ernest Kwaku Kobeah has waded into calls for the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, to resign.

    He believes dismissing the Minister will boost investors’ confidence to make the economy fit.

    Ghana’s economy keeps on in limbo whiles market women and traders demonstrate and protest economic hardship due to the depreciation of the cedi to the dollar since the country’s economy is import-driven.

    But the Ghanaian businessman in the United Kingdom and a presidential candidate hopeful of the NDC, Kwaku Kobeah is of the view that many investors are keeping their monies from investing in the Ghanaian economy since they do not have any confidence in the minister since there is no policy that has been put in place to revert the ailing economy.

    “It is obvious now that the finance minister has failed and the longer he prolongs at the ministry the more difficult we go through as a country,” he said on Accra-based Original FM.

    According to him, the Bank Of Ghana has revealed that Ghana’s total public debt stock went up marginally by GH¢130 million to GH¢393.4 billion in June 2022, about 78.3 percent of the Gross Domestic Product, stating that this will affect the economy since no policy or production can reduce the rate of importation into the country.

    He said even though the Parliament has failed under Article 82 which gives a clear procedure on how a Minister can be removed but his stay in office will bring the era of Kalabule in 1979 when the military took over to discipline some traders on the street.

  • Prophet Azuka makes revealing predictions on who will win 2024 elections

    The Founder of the Shining Grace Chapel International, Prophet Azuka, has said that if the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and former President John Dramani Mahama don’t sit up, they could easily lose the 2024 elections.

    He explained that although he once saw that John Mahama and the NDC would win the 2024 election, it didn’t take long for the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) to reclaim power.

    “Recently, I was lying down when I saw that, as I mentioned earlier in 2018, I said that Mahama should wait until 2024 because he will win; he was holding a white angel. However, about a month after, I saw that the NPP had reclaimed it,” he said.

    Pushed further by Paula Amma Broni during an interview on GhanaWeb TV’s Talkertainment, the controversial Prophet Azuka stated that the ruling party, the NPP, will win the 2024 elections.

    He, however, stressed that if the NDC sits back and does nothing, hoping that the economic hardship will be enough to endear them to voters, the NPP could win back the hearts of Ghanaians.

    “I see that the NPP has won the election again, but the reason I am explaining it is because when I consider the current economic hardships we are in, I got surprised that it is the NPP that will win the elections again. That was when I understood the things of the spirit better.

    “So, if the NDC sits back and claims that because times are hard, things will automatically work for them, they should know that things can get better in the two years left,” he said.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • ‘It’s been frustrating’ – NDC’s Grace Ayensu-Danquah explains why she abandoned election petition

    The Essikado-Ketan Parliamentary candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2020 polls, Dr Grace Ayensu-Danquah, has pulled out of her case against the New Patriotic Party’s Joe Ghartey, MP for the same constituency, who, she insists, was fraudulently declared the winner by the Electoral Commission.

    Dr Ayensu-Danquah’s decision, according to her, is because of disappointment and frustration, especially as the case, which has dragged on for close to two years, with no end in sight, continues to drain her time and commitment towards rejuvenating the party at the constituency level.

    Dr Ayensu-Danquah, who is an American-trained Burn Reconstructive Surgeon, has also debunked syndicated media reports suggesting she was fined for chickening out of the case.

    According to her, Counsel for the plaintiffs demanded GHC500,000 but the Judge, Justice Richmond Osei Hwere, declined the request and instead handed them (the 1st and 2nd respondents, i.e. the Electoral Commission and Joe Ghartey) the initial GHC20,000 deposited to settle administrative fees.

    The 2020 Essikado-Ketan NDC candidate in her petition to the Sekondi High Court, cited several infractions during the coalition of votes which changed the figures in favour of the incumbent MP, Joe Ghartey.

    She avers that illegality resulted in the EC declaring results based on the second respondent, Joe Ghartey’s own pink sheets, which gave him — 26,701 valid votes compared to the NDC candidate — 24,527, while Ghana Union Movement’s (GUM), Frank Cobbinah Parliamentary candidate polled just 629.

    The petitioner however insisted that her “own collated results from the figures declared after counting at polling stations were that the first respondent obtained 26,299 valid votes while the petitioner had 26,336 valid votes, making the petitioner the obvious winner, but the second respondent declared otherwise.”

    But Dr Grace Ayensu, in her termination plea before Court raised a number of concerns.

    That to date she and her lawyer, Daniel Ametepe, have complied fully with all orders of the High Court and have pursued the matter with the utmost zeal and diligence but the 1st Respondent has not yet complied with pre-trail orders of the Court by the failure to file his witness statement and pre-trial checklist.

    That 20 months after she first filed the action, a lot of water has gone under the bridge and upon serious reflection and consultation, “I have decided to let go and rather help my party focus on the future reorganisation as Election 2024 is not too far away,” she explained.

    She has since described twists on the development and the Court’s decision to fine her as mischievous and lacks appreciation of how the case travelled and her reason to move on.

    “It is left with just about two years to the next elections but because of this case, not much in terms of development is happening in Essikado-Ketan, but just confusion,” her lawyer, Mr Daniel Ametepe, explained to journalists, after the hearing.

    “We filed a witness statement for three witnesses to come before the court to narrate what happened on the 7th and 8th of December 2020 because we had a case,” he continued: “Joe Ghartey’s lawyer filed a motion for the case to be dismissed but he lost that case and still went ahead to file an appeal to that ruling.”

    “Even the appeal that Joe Ghartey made his lawyer file, he is not pursuing it,” Mr Ametepe noted, indicating: “This is all to create uncertainty in the High Court.”

    “So, the processes that we have taken to terminate the case [are] part of the rules of the court. That is why the judge granted our case of discontinuation,” he concluded.

  • NDC petitions Parliament to freeze proposed C.I. making Ghana Card sole document for voter registration

    The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has petitioned Parliament to halt the laying of a proposed Constitutional Instrument (C.I.) which seeks to make the Ghana Card the sole identification document for compiling the new voters’ register.

    Until the backlog of Ghana Cards has been cleared, the NDC wants the C.I. to be frozen in order not to deny “millions of citizens” the right to register and vote in the 2024 general elections.

    More so, other evidence of citizenship such as the use of a Ghanaian passport and the guarantor system must be added to the Ghana Card for the registration exercise.

    “Any further action on the proposed C.I. by or in Parliament should be frozen until consultations have been initiated and concluded with the major stakeholders, especially the political parties, including the NDC and civil society,” part of the petition cited by MyJoyOnline.com stated.

    The petition will be presented by the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, when the House sits for business on Tuesday, November 1.

    EC justifies use of Ghana Card

    The Electoral Commission earlier in September defended its decision to use only the Ghana Card for the voter registration exercise, saying it is still the valid and surest way to rid the register of minors and foreigners.

    According to the EC’s Director of Electoral Services, it is possible for eligible voters to get their Ghana Cards before the end of their registration on October 7, 2024.

    Dr Serebour Quaicoe was confident that barring any unforeseen circumstances, every qualified voter can get their identity cards to be fully registered for the 2024 general elections within the next two years.

    He believes no one would be disenfranchised because all Ghanaians have enough time to access the Ghana Card.

    But the NDC believes this would rather be a tool to infringe on the rights of citizens.

    “Since the proposed Public Elections (Registration of Voters0 Instrument (C.I.), as a subsidiary legislation, cannot override the substantive provision in the Constitution on the citizens’ right to register and to vote, and insistence on the Ghana Card as the only evidence of citizenship will deny millions of citizens the right to register and vote, other forms of evidence of citizenship such as the Ghana passport and the guarantor system must be added to the Ghana Card as evidence of citizenship in the proposed Constitutional Instrument (C.I.),” the petition added.

     

    Source: Myjoyonline

  • Thugs invade NDC headquarters, threaten deputy secretary

    Some group of persons reportedly stormed the National Headquarters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) at Adabraka on October 31, 2022.

    The group is said to have entered the third floor of the deputy general secretary, Barbara Serwaa Asamoah, and removed her prepaid meter.

    These individuals are also said to have threatened to deal with the Deputy General Secretary for ‘allegedly installing a prepaid meter in her office.

    In a press statement from the NDC signed by Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, the leadership of the party condemned such actions adding that the party will take immediate steps to involve law enforcement agencies.

    “In the early hours of yesterday, Monday 31st October 2022, a group of persons managed to gain entry into the national headquarters of the National Democratic Congress at Adabraka in Accra.

    “Upon entering, the said group, clad in red and fuming with rage, entered the 3rd-floor office of the Deputy General Secretary, Hon. Barbara Serwaa Asamoah, and removed a prepaid meter. Soon thereafter, the spokesman of the group addressed the crowd that accompanied him and threatened to deal with the Deputy General Secretary for allegedly installing a prepaid meter in her office,” the statement added.

    Below is the statement

    In the early hours of yesterday, Monday 31st October, 2022, a group of persons managed to gain entry into the national headquarters of the National Democratic Congress at Adabraka in Accra.

    Upon entering, the said group, clad in red and fuming with rage, entered the 3rd floor office of the Deputy General Secretary, Hon. Barbara Serwaa Asamoah, and removed a prepaid meter. Soon thereafter, the spokesman of the group, addressed the crowd that accompanied him and threatened to deal with the Deputy General Secretary for allegedly installing a prepaid meter in her office.

    The Leadership of the NDC wish to condemn in no uncertain terms this blatant act of thuggery and criminality and will take immediate steps to involve the law enforcement agencies to deal with the miscreants and their sponsors.

    The party will take additional steps to identify all who entered the premises to carry out this dastardly act and to subject them to the disciplinary measures provided by the party’s constitution.

    No member of the party has any right whatsoever to attack any leader of the party at any level for whatever reason. Any attack on a national officer is an attack on the entire leadership of the party. And any of those elements who are party members will be dealt with without fear or favour in accordance with the laws of the party. LONG LIVE THE NDC! ISSUED IN ACCRA THIS TUESDAY 1st NOVEMBER

     

     

  • Financial sector clean up not Ofori-Atta’s idea, it was an IMF conditionality – Analyst

    Financial Analyst Dr Michael Dawson has responded to claims that the financial sector clean –up which has ensured that the financial sector is solid , robust and resilient was Ken Ofori-Atta ‘s idea.

    “Let me state that the decision to undertake the reforms in the financial sector was mooted by the IMF. Thus, the clean-up was part of the IMF Conditions for the country.

    “You remember the asset quality review which was executed during the NDC era. The asset quality review gave a sense of the state of the banks. Former Finance Minister Seth Tekper and Governors appointed by President Mahama are aware of the malfeasance which was discovered after the asset quality review of the Banks.

    “During the NDC era, the IMF published several reports warning the Bank of Ghana to take some corrective measures within the banking sector, but the NDC government failed to clean up the sector. I think we should stop politicizing the benefits of the banking sector reforms.The reforms have led to stability and confidence in the financial sector.

    “I can tell you that, some depositors were not getting back their funds from some of the financial institutions. Some of the banks had also breached several banking regulations. Indeed, the financial system at the time, was on the brink of total collapse. The central bank had clearly explained that the clean-up was based on poor business practices and weak capital positions of the banks and financial institutions. I am aware that the liabilities of some of the banks were more than their assets”.

    Dr Dawson made these comments in a write up following a statement by President Mahama that the Honourable Ken Ofori-Atta proposed and introduced the idea of the reforms in the banking sector.

    “I will say that the resilience shown by the banking sector is due to the comprehensive financial sector reforms that took place before the Coronavirus pandemic. You can imagine what would have happened if the banking sector reforms wasn’t done. We would have woken up one day to see a collapse of the Ghanaian economy. The measures taken safeguarded the investments of 4.6 million depositors. There is confidence now in the sector. The exercise was crucial for stability and confidence in the financial sector”.Dr Dawson said.

     

  • Highlights of John Mahama’s address on Ghana’s economy

    John Dramani Mahama, the 2020 presidential candidate of the country’s main opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), addressed the nation on Thursday, October 27, 2022, from Accra.

    The event, dubbed ‘Building the Ghana We Want,’ allowed the former president of Ghana to diagnose what he believed are the current problems the country is facing, as well as proffer solutions to how to make them better.

    Reading a 39-page address at the UPSA Hall in Accra, the former president outlined a number of issues that he believes can save the country from further economic mess if the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government implores them.

    Below are highlights of his speech as put together by GhanaWeb:

    1. Reducing the public debt, debt service obligations and creating fiscal space

    “The biggest problem with our economy today is the huge size of our public debt, estimated to be around GH¢ 522 billion by close of this year. This must immediately be tackled and stopped from growing further.

    “To achieve this:
    1) An immediate moratorium must be placed on all non-concessional borrowing.
    2) Government must actively canvass our bilateral partners for more concessional financing and grants.
    3) There must be a stop to Central Bank financing of government above the 5% threshold. The current printing of money to finance Government’s deficit is further fueling inflation.
    4) Government must stop collateralizing statutory funds for the purpose of taking on more loans. The wanton collateralization has been unhelpful.”

    2. Cutting cost, reducing waste, and spending wisely

    Under this, he called for the down-streaming of the size of ministers, secretariats and agencies, the cutting down of the budget of the Office of the President, check waste in government expenditure and corruption, the suspension of non-essential projects, and a call for greater transparency in public procurement.

    “It is a notorious fact that corruption has defeated the Akufo-Addo government. In fact, it is fair to say that there has never really been a fight against corruption under Akufo-Addo.

    “The graft and misapplication of public funds by government appointees call for radical action and not shielding of perpetrators, as we have sadly witnessed in the last few years.”

    3. Stabilizing the currency, cutting the import bill and job creation

    While expanding this point, John Dramani Mahama called for a consideration of the Operation Feed Yourself program of 1976, as a measure of sustaining progress in agricultural production, with a focus on small scale producers.

    He also called for the Akufo-Addo government to leverage on the country’s energy and petroleum sectors to help shore up the economy.

    “We do enormous damage to our currency, the cedi, and our economy, when we spend billions of dollars on the importation of rice, sugar, tomato products, frozen fish, poultry, meat products and vegetable cooking oils.

    “Yet we have more than the potential to produce here to feed ourselves and even export. It is estimated that forex outlay for food products for which we have a comparative advantage to produce locally amounts to some $3 billion every year.

    “It is said that out of adversity comes opportunity. Restriction of importation of some of these products, side-by-side with increased local production, is a realistic proposition that we need to begin to consider.”

    What Ghanaians can do to support the economy:

    President John Dramani Mahama however called on the citizenry to play a critical role in all of this.

    Basing his call for domestication, he urged people to patronize more local products and avoid the needs to patronize things from overseas.

    “While responsibility for the difficulties we face lie with the Akufo-Addo and Bawumia government, there are things we can do as citizens in our own small way to minimize the suffering we are going through and help Government turn the situation around.

    “A good way to start will be to regulate and minimize out expenditure by sticking to only the things that we really need. As much as possible, we need to acquire and sustain a taste and preference for locally manufactured products.

    “If we must buy consumables or food products, let us choose that rice or chicken that is produced locally so that it doesn’t become necessary to find millions of dollars to import the same items.

    “Let us consciously eat more of our local foods like yam, local grains, cassava, beans, local fruits, and vegetables. That way, we reduce demand for foreign currency, reduce the pressure on our own currency and boost domestic production to create a win-win situation.

    “Cut down on non-essential foreign travel and cut down on expensive foreign products in our homes. If there ever was a time to be thrifty, this is it!”

     

  • Annul Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency polls; it was rigged – Some NDC members demand

    Some aggrieved National Democratic Congress (NDC) executives and aspirants in the Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency have accused the incumbent constituency leadership of the party of conniving with other agencies to rig the just-ended constituency election.

    They are pointing accusing fingers at the New Patriotic Party (NPP) constituency chairman, the Electoral Commission, NDC electoral committee and police for bullying their way through the election.

    The members claim the elections were conducted in an unfair and unjust manner to enable the current leadership to stay in power.

    “Some executives are threatening to withdraw their services, others are threatening to resign from their positions. We will not allow their overwhelming shouts of change to be silenced,” said Joshua Essel, one of the disgruntled aspirants.

    Speaking at a press conference, Joshua Essel assured party members in the constituency that steps will be taken to annul the results.

    “As leaders who believe in the rule of law, we have taken action and addressed the appropriate quarters. We seek redress and the total annulment of the elections because it was nothing but fraud. The election was fraught with many irregularities, illegalities and thievery”.

     

  • We’ve not declared support for Asiedu Nketiah’s chairmanship ambition – Minority

    Minority leader Haruna Iddrisu has clarified that his side in Parliament has not declared support for Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, who is seeking the chairmanship position of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

    It was earlier communicated by Deputy Minority Whip, Ahmed Ibrahim, that the NDC Caucus supports the candidature of Mr Asiedu Nketiah, the current General Secretary of the Party.

    Mr Ahmed Ibrahim, who is also the Member of Parliament for Banda, made the comment at the launch of the election campaign of the aspirant on Tuesday, October 25, 2022.

    However, the Tamale South MP explains that “the Leadership of the Caucus never met on the matter and have not taken any decision on the matter.”

    Mr Iddrisu also noted that neither has the Caucus met to deliberate nor taken a decision on any candidate contesting any position within the Party, therefore, has urged the rank and file and the public to disregard the purported statement made during the launch.

    The Minority leader further explained that such a decision cannot be taken since the Leadership of the Caucus “has no position on any of the candidates vying for the respective positions in the Party.”

    According to him, Mr Ahmed Ibrahim’s attention has been drawn to the matter and “has since rendered an unqualified apology to the entire Caucus.”

    “We further wish to urge all Members of the Caucus to refrain from making such comments in the immediate future,” Mr Iddrisu entreated.

    The chairmanship race

    Mr Nketiah, who has been the NDC General Secretary for the past 17 years, believes he is now experienced, trustworthy, and fearless to serve as the chairman of the party.

    He will go up against the incumbent chair, Ofosu Ampofo, who seeks to lead the NDC to victory in the 2024 general elections.

    Aspirants for the various national positions of the party are expected to file their nominations on November 5 and 6, 2022.

    Successful candidates will be vetted on November 9-10, 2022, while November 12 and 13 will be set aside for appeals ahead of the Women and Youth Conference on December 10 and a National Conference on December 17, this year.

    On the other hand, the Council of Elders of the Party has called for calm and decorum between the two contestants in the chairmanship race.

    “In the interest of party cohesion, internal discipline and long-term stability, the Council urges all contestants to regional and national positions, especially the incumbent national chairman and General Secretary, to be circumspect in their campaigns by adhering to ground rules discussed and agreed upon,” it said.

    “These include the use of decorous language, refrain from media attacks, breach of confidentiality and misrepresentations of decisions taken in relation to past actions of leadership,” the Council added.

    Source: The Independent Ghana

  • Ofori-Atta would have been jailed if he was a member of the NDC – Okudzeto Ablakwa

    Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, is alleging that the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has diverted $100 million of Ghana’s oil fund into an offshore account.

    The reason for the diversion is unknown, but Mr. Ablakwa says Ofori-Atta’s action is a violation of Article 176 of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.

    Article 176 states that all revenues or other monies raised or received for the purposes of, or on behalf of, the government shall be paid into the Consolidated Fund.

    This, according to Mr. Ablakwa, is one of the reasons the Minority wants Ofori-Atta sacked from office.

    Speaking to Nhyira FM’s Nana Jantuah on Kuro Yi Mu Nsem, the Member of Parliament said the Finance Minister would have been jailed if he was a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

    “One of the grounds listed that Ofori-Atta should be removed from office is that he has diverted at least one hundred million dollars of our oil fund into an offshore account in violation of Article 176 of the 1992 constitution.

    “We do not know what he is doing with those oil funds, who are the signatories to those accounts and why he has engaged in that diversion. When you read the latest PIAC report, PIAC has indicted him. What business does Ofori-Atta have in diverting hundred million dollars?”

    Mr. Ablakwa says the Attorney-General who should be initiating the prosecution of the Finance Minister is a colleague cabinet minister, which makes it difficult to start the process.

    He believes the 1992 constitution should be amended to have an independent prosecution entity without any political affiliation.

    “Why should the Attorney General be a cabinet minister under the same government? Why can’t we have just an independent prosecution entity?

    “The only one who can initiate the prosecution of [Ken Ofori-Atta], the Attorney General, is a colleague cabinet minister and both sit in the same meeting.”

    The North Tongu MP says the Special Prosecutor would have been the best option, but the office has not lived up to expectations.

    He thinks the establishment of the Office of the Special Prosecutor has been a disaster and it is more likely causing financial loss to the state.

    “That whole arrangement of the Special Prosecutor has been a disaster. It’s not lived up to the promise. We were all excited that we now have an independent person with no nonsense character and he will not be influenced by the politics of the day.

    “But let’s be truthful, that office I think that is even now just a matter of causing financial loss to the state.”

    Source: Myjoyonline

  • Let’s unite to break the NPP’s resolve to ‘break the 8’

    A national chairman hopeful on the ticket of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Nii Armah Ashitey, is urging the rank and file of the party to unite and challenge the governing New Patriotic Party’s ‘Break the Eight’ mantra in 2024.

    “We can alone break the NPP’s break the eight mantra if we solidly unite for a purpose,” he rallied.

    The former NDC Member of Parliament (MP) for Klottey Korley Constituency in the Greater Accra Region made this comment speaking in an interview with Emmanuel Quarshie (The Hitman), host of the Ghana Yensom morning show on Accra 100.5 FM on Thursday, October 27 2022.

    “Unless the NDC unites after the elections that it can devise a strategy to break the NPP’s quest to break the eight,” he said.

    “It is incumbent on the winners in the last elections to reach out to the losers in last Saturday’s Constituency elections to achieve the purpose of breaking the NPP’s break eight,” he added.

    “Unfortunately, as a party, we have not taken any interest in the NPP’s mantra to break the eight but we can break the NPP’s quest to break the eight,” Mr Ashitey bemoaned.

    “I have always shied away from scoring the president on his performance because he has failed on all cylinders,” he noted.

    He added that NPP has failed to give Ghanaians hope by not bringing the needed change in the country.

    “Ghanaians have had enough of the bad governance of president Akufo-Addo,” he put forth.

    The former Minister of Manpower and Labour Relations said Ghana as a nation, ‘we have it all but we have not been able to fix the problems of the country because all economic measures being churned out favour foreigners in the country.”

    He called for the need for Ghana to domesticate its economic gains.

    The man who is a lawyer by profession said he had worked in various capacities within the rank and file of the party hence he is capable to lead the party as a national chairman.

    “I’m ready to share my experience in the leadership of the party” he said, adding that the NDC has a problem because it lost elections in 2016 and in 2020.

     

  • Ghanaians will be selling human beings to survive if the NDC were in power – Deputy trade minister

    Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Michael Okyere Baafi, has insisted that his party, the New Patriotic Party, are better managers of Ghana’s economy compared to the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).

    Speaking in an interview on TV3, which GhanaWeb monitored, Okyere Baafi said that if the NDC were the handlers of the economy in these difficult times, Ghanaians would be suffering so much that they would have to resort to selling people to make a living.

    “When we say people have the men to govern, have the ideas to govern, it is even out of place to compare the NDC and the NPP. I don’t stand to be corrected. How do you say that? It is completely out of place.

    “You cannot situate this at any given talk or conversation. What were you (the NDC) able to do? As a matter of fact, I am telling you with confidence that if you people were to be in power by this time, people will be selling human beings on the street of Ghana… It is a statement of fact that I’m making to you,” he said.

    Okyere Baafi, who is the Member of Parliament for New Juaben South, also refuted assertions by the NDC that Ghanaians are facing a lot of challenges because the Akufo-Addo government does not listen.

    According to him, the advice given to the government by the opposition NDC are out of bad will.

    “The mindset (of the opposition), the spirit behind the talk is not clear. It doesn’t seem good. It is not honest,” he added.

     

  • It’ll be very bad for Akufo-Addo and NPP if they decide to repeat history in 2024 – Otukonor

    The Aspiring General secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr Peter Buamah Otukonor has revealed that the NDC will do everything possible to win the 2020 general elections.

    According to him, the 2024 elections will be a ‘do or die affair’ as they will not let history to repeat itself.

    In an interview with GhanaWeb, he said they don’t expect the NPP to repeat whatever they did in the 2020 elections.

    “(2024 elections) do or die it will certainly be because we can not afford to stand a minute with this incompetent and clueless government. Most importantly and particularly too, on behalf of the people of this country, we cannot tolerate the continuance of this government and so whatever it will take to win political power in 2024 we are going to do that together with the people of this country to make sure we change government and bring a government to understands the plight and need of people,” he said.

    He added that the power of the people should not be underestimated.

    He said the signs are already clear that the Ghanaians have lost trust in the President Akufo-Addo.

    He cited the booing in his recent public appearance and the during his tour as clear examples of the mistrust.

     

  • Resign now or we’ll confront you with unprecedented resistance – NDC Youth Wing to Akufo-Addo

    The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Youth Wing has made a strong-worded call on President Akufo-Addo to not only sack Ken Ofori-Atta but for him to also resign as Head of State.

    Issued under the hand of the National Youth Organiser of the party, George Opare Addo, the group said that Ghanaians have had enough of the performance of this administration that has plunged the country into a lot of hardships.

    The statement added that many Ghanaians have lost their investments and livelihoods because of the kind of government the president has run in the last six years.

    “Over the past six years, you, your cousin the Finance Minister, your Economic Management Team headed by your incompetent Vice President, as well as your entire Government have pursued economic and fiscal policies that have wreaked havoc on our nation’s economy and resulted in untold hardships for the Ghanaian people.

    “Today, because of your reckless governance, Ghanaian families are unable to put food on the table. People’s entire life savings are going down the drain, and our currency, the cedi, is depreciating at a rate never seen in the history of our nation in the past four decades. Yours has been a failure of historic proportions; one that has plunged our nation into its most acute economic downturn in an entire generation,” the statement said.

    The NDC Youth Wing, therefore, called for an immediate resignation from the president else they would embark on an unprecedented resistance to his government.

    “Enough is enough! Ghanaians did not give you the mandate to put us through this level of suffering that has spared no family nor business. The Ghanaian people cannot continue to suffocate under your repressive and destructive misrule. It has become apparent that you lack the fortitude to properly govern this country. We demand that you sack your finance minister and resign now, to stem the suffering that has engulfed our nation and save our country from further collapse and international ignominy!

    “If you remain headstrong and refuse to sack the finance minister and resign from office as President, we will confront you with a level of resistance never experienced by any President in the history of our country,” it added.

    The group further called on the youth of the country to be on standby to picket against the government.

    “We are by this medium calling on all young people of this country to picket at Government offices and protest across the country whenever they are called upon by the Leadership of the Youth Wing to do so,” the statement said.

    Already, there has been a call by 80 Members of Parliament from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to sack the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, as a way of restoring public confidence in the economy.

    The president has since met with the MPs and urged them to give the minister some time to complete some pertinent government business, including the completion of an IMF negotiation.

     

  • NDC chairmanship race: We’ve not endorsed Asiedu Nketiah – Minority

    The Minority in Parliament has distanced itself from its Deputy Whip’s endorsement of Johnson Asiedu Nketiah in the National Democratic Congress chairmanship race.

    In a statement, the Minority said the Deputy Whip, Ahmed Ibrahim’s claim that the NDC caucus in Parliament was supporting Mr. Nketiah was untrue.

    It said the leadership of the Caucus never met on the matter “and have not taken any decision on the matter.”

    It also said the Caucus has not met and has not taken any decision on any of the candidates contesting any position within the Party.

    The Minority added that “the Leadership and the Caucus has no position on any of the candidates vying for the respective positions in the Party.”

    The Minority also said Mr. Ibrahim, who is also the Banda MP, has apologised to the NDC Caucus for the comments.

    “We accordingly urge our rank and file and the public to disregard the purported statement made during the launch.”

    Source: Citinews

  • Nkwanta North NDC gets new executives

    Mr Isaiah Kudjoe Dordoe has been elected as the Constituency Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Nkwanta North of the Oti region.

    Mr Dordoe, who polled 538 votes, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA), he would not relent in his efforts in putting the party together in the Constituency ahead of the 2024 election.

    He strongly appealed to the newly elected executives to remain united and focus on the greater task ahead of them.

    Other elected executives are Mr Yagban Olu, Vice Chairman, Mr Samuel Kofi Kilifingh, Secretary and Mr Thomas Dawuni Ntakpayor, Deputy Secretary.

    Mr Geyam Kwame was voted as the Organizer, Mr Ndombe Kolon, Deputy Organizer, Madam Sara Aja Gbande, Women Organizer and Madam Udatu Abdul Karim as Deputy Women Organizer.

    The position of Youth Organizer went to Mr Joshua Kunjin while Mr Wayo Bajimpoan got the nod as Deputy Youth Organizer.

    Other Youth Organizer went Mr Abdulai Hamza, the Treasurer elect is Mr Tahiru Yakubu and Mr Edward Niliyung Belabame as Deputy Treasurer.

    Mr David Nalibey Umborkan was elected as Communication Officer, Mr Gideon Bilinyi as Deputy Communication Officer and Mr Abubakar Alhassan as Zongo Caucus Coordinator.

    The other eight executive members are Mr David Nponpir, Mr Rashid Yussif Zakari, Mr Adams Ali Champua, Mr Silas Tinanyun, Madam Beatrice Mensah, Mr Osman Abubakar, Mr Azizu Maifetorm and Mr Tibornyan Yajabrum.

    Source: GNA

  • Traditional priest elected NDC constituency chairman

    A popular traditional priest, Okomfuo Kyei (real name, Nana Yaw Kyei), has been elected as the new Chairman of the National Democratic Congress in the Adansi Asokwa constituency of the Ashanti Region.

    According to a report by the Ghana News Agency, the new chairman unseated the incumbent chairman, Godwin Anumley Dogodzi, with a vote tally of 436 to 285.

    The report added that after he was confirmed, Nana Kyei pledged to work hard to win the constituency seat for the NDC in the 2024 general elections.

    He further called on all members of the party to unite towards the task ahead, adding that it would take unity and determination to recapture power from the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).

    Other executives elected were Joseph Ankomah as vice chairman, Lawrence Osei Adarkwa as secretary, Amidu Raman Razark as assistant secretary, and Kwabena Ebo as organiser.

    The rest were Moses Appenteng, treasurer; Isaac Semirika, youth organizer; Madam Mavis Adjei, women organizer; and Julius Dzekpey Mawuli, communication officer.

    The NDC held its constituency elections across the country on Saturday, October 22, 2022.

    There were, however, over 15 constituencies that did not hold their elections due to some unresolved election details, including incomplete voter registers.

  • ‘Akufo-Addo has become more prouder than NDC and Mahama’ – Prophet Kofi Oduro

    Prophet Kofi Oduro, General Overseer, Alabaster International Ministry, has indicated that President Akufo-Addo has become prouder than the opposition NDC and its 2020 flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama.

    The man of God in a viral video sighted by GhanaWeb said the President needs to repent from his arrogance if he wants to see a solution and have a remedy to the current economic hardships facing Ghanaians.

    He said the President, who was favoured by God for his meekness has become prouder and his pride will take him down without any remedy.

    He noted that without repentance, a proud Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo-led government will go down in the history of Ghana as the worse.

    Prophet Kofi Oduro said, “they spoke carelessly without any remembrance and in the humility of your heart, God favoured you but your excellency you have become more prouder than the NDC and their Mahama.

    “I stand here with a heavy heart to respectfully say this to you, sir, the Lord is telling me pride takes everybody down and if you continue to be proud, you will go down without remedy.”

    He continued: “your government will be the worse in the history of this country. Your excellency, if you continue in the arrogance of speech and the pride of your life, you will never see solution and you will never see remedy.

    “I stand here as a man of God and as a prophet of God of not needing anything from you except your repentance and your humility; if not Ghana is going into destruction. It is only the fool that thinks that we are going in the right direction.”

     

  • NDC elects constituency officers today; 24 on hold

    The National Democratic Congress (NDC) will today and tomorrow elect officers to steer the affairs of the Party at the constituency level for the next four years

    All is set for the elections, except in 24 constituencies in the Eastern, Central, Volta, Upper West, and Greater Accra regions where the elections have been put on hold.

    A statement signed by Mr Daniel Amartey Mensah, Deputy Director of Elections, NDC, ahead of the elections, said the decision was taken due to “disputes over delegates’ list for those constituencies and/or the exclusion from ballot papers of candidates who have been qualified through the appeal process.”

    The affected constituencies in the Eastern Region are: Mpraeso, Atiwa East, Atiwa West, Achiase, Nkwawkwaw, Upper West Akim , Afram Plains North, Akim Swedru , Akropong , Fanteakwa South, and Asene Manso Akroso constituencies.

    In the Greater Accra Region, elections in the Shai Osudoku, Bortianor Ngleshie , Ningo Prampram, Ledzekuku, Ayawaso North , Amasaman , and Adentan constituencies have been put on hold.

    The elections will also not be held in the Hohoe, and Sogakope constituencies in the Volta Region while those in the Prestea Huni Valley and the Shama constituencies in the Western Region have also been put on hold.

    The Jirapa West Constituency is the only constituency affected in the Upper West Region.

    The Party’s Functional Executive Committee earlier directed that all elections should be held in one day – either Saturday October 22, 2022 or Sunday, October 23, 2022.

    A total of 11, 825 candidates had filed to compete in the elections in the 276 constituencies, including the Santrokofi Akpafu Likpe and Lolobi (SALL) Constituency, which does not have a representation in Parliament yet.

    Per the Party’s guidelines, eligible voters would be required to have paid their party dues in full before they would be allowed to cast their votes.

    Branch executives and former government appointees of the Party will be eligible to vote in the elections.

    The Chairman and Constituency executives are responsible for the venue for the constituency conference, but where there are disagreements, the elections venue “shall” be at the District Capital, the Party, said.

    All constituencies are required to include candidates who have been duly cleared to contest through the appeal process on their ballot papers and exclude candidates who have been disqualified through the appeals process from the ballot papers. Elections will not be held till ballot papers are rectified,” it said in a statement.

    The Party cautioned that: “Failure to strictly adhere to this directive will render any election illegal, hence a nullity, and appropriate sanctions will be applied to any person found culpable.”

    Source:GNA

  • 466 aspirants vying for positions in Bono NDC constituency elections

    A total of 13, 209 delegates are expected to vote to decide the fate of some 466 aspirants in the Bono Regional National Democratic Congress (NDC) Party’s constituency election this weekend.

    In all, that region has 12 constituencies.

    Mr Richard Blay, the Party’s Bono Regional Director of Elections, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Sunyani that Banda was the only constituency among the 12 that had all its aspirants going unopposed and therefore, would settle for acclamation on Saturday.

    He said that aside, the Berekum East constituency would hold the election on Sunday, but the rest would have theirs on Saturday.

    Giving the constituency breakdown, Mr Blay explained that in Sunyani East Constituency, 43 aspirants were seeking to be elected with 2,295 delegates expected to vote, whereas in Sunyani West, 1,700 delegates would be voting for 40 aspirants.

    At the Berekum East constituency, 1,204 delegates would be voting for 47 aspirants, whereas Berekum West has 46 candidates with 561 expected delegates.

    The Dormaa West constituency has 39 contenders and 540 delegates, Dormaa East, 36 candidates and 807 delegates and the Dormaa Central, 42 aspirants but 1,247 delegates.

    The Jaman North and Jaman South constituencies have 41 and 47 aspirants, with 1,014 and 1,211 expected delegates, respectively.

    The Wenchi constituency has 50 aspirants and 1,256 delegates with the Tain constituency having 35 aspirants and 1,372 delegates.

    Mr Blay expressed satisfaction with the election process in all the 12 constituencies, saying everything was on course for a successful, free, and fair election, indicating security on the day was well-assured for the safety of everyone.

    The 466 candidates are contesting Chairman, Vice- Chairman, Secretary, Deputy Secretary, Organiser, Deputy Organiser, Treasurer, Deputy Treasurer, Communication Officer, and Deputy Communication Officer positions.

    The other positions are Women Organiser, Deputy Women Organiser, Youth Organiser, Deputy Youth Organiser, One Youth Representative, Zongo Caucus Coordinator and eight other Executive members.

  • Ashie Moore sends goodwill message to NDC aspirants

    Former Member of Parliament for Adenta Constituency, Mr. Emmanuel Nii Ashie Moore, aspiring to be elected the Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has wished contestants at constituency executives’ elections well.

    The elections are scheduled for Saturday, October 22, 2022, and Nii Moore, in a statement, extended goodwill to all aspirants.

    “As the National Democratic Congress (NDC) prepares to elect constituency Executives on Saturday, 22nd October 2022, I wish to extend my good will to all aspirants vying for the various positions, “the aspirant said.

    Nii Ashie Moore reminded contestants that the “election of Constituency Executives forms a key component in our quest to capture power in 2024 elections and to rescue Ghanaians from the grips of the failed New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration.”

    Describing the elections as “important exercises,” Nii Ashie Moore prayed that they would be conducted without rancour or disturbance across the 275 constituencies.

    He recalled that the NDC a few weeks earlier had successfully selected Branch Executives and in like manner was his conviction that the Constituency Executives’ Elections would not depart from this established norm.

    “I therefore wish all aspirants the best of luck for the forthcoming elections, “he said.

    Nii Ashie Moore entreated aspirants to remember that he has their best interest at heart.

    “I look forward to working with you as your Greater Accra Regional Chairman as I trust that you will vote for me when the Regional Executives’ Elections are held in a few weeks’ time,” he said.

    He added: “I say may the divine peace of God reign during and after these important elections to ignite the principles of probity, accountability and social justice and to restore confidence in our great party, the NDC to ensure a smooth take off for election 2024.”

    Source: GNA

  • NDC accuses Akufo-Addo of commissioning Mahama projects

    The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has accused the New Patriotic Party (NPP)of commissioning projects initiated under the Mahama government during the President’s recent tour of the Ashanti Region.

    According to the party, President Akufo-Addo has failed the people of the region despite making numerous promises during the election period.

    Addressing the press, the Ashanti Regional Communications Director of the NDC, Abass Nurudeen, said the underwhelming performance of the NPP vindicates the NDC.

    “President, Akufo-Addo has very little to show for all his unprecedented borrowing,” Mr. Nurudeen said.

    In contrast, he added that former President Mahama started legacy projects like the Kejetia Central Market, which President Akufo-Addo inspected during his tour.

    But the NPP has vehemently defended the party’s infrastructure track record in the Ashanti Region.

    Richard Ahiagbah, the Communications Director of the NPP, argued that in these matters, governance should be considered a continuum.

    “They are the ones who will tell you that government is a continuum. All the debt they incurred as they are sitting in opposition now, who is paying it?”

     

     

     

  • You can’t use Mahama to advance your vice-presidential ambitions – NDC jabs NAPO

    The National Democratic Congress (NDC), in the Ashanti Region have cautioned the Manhyia South Member of Parliament, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh to stay off joining issues with former president John Dramani Mahama.

    The party at an October 20, 2022 press conference said a recent attack on the former president by the MP, popularly referred to as NAPO, was to further his ambitions of becoming a vice-presidential aspirant of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).

    NAPO had earlier this week stated that he was going to match Mahama boot for boot given that he was the most likely presidential candidate of the NDC. He reportedly added that he was going to teach Mahama some sense.

    Responding to his claims, the NDC official who addressed the press conference stated: “We know you have aspirations of becoming a running mate, but if you think you will use Mahama to advance your aspirations, then we are battle ready for you.

    The NDC asked NAPO to advance any extra sense that he had to VP Mahamudu Bawumia to help him tackle the economic challenges the country is currently faced with.

    “We want to tell the Manhyia South MP that even if he has any sense as he claims, he should advance some to Bawumia to tackle the economic challenges so that people in his constituency – Alabar and Ashtown – to ameliorate the hardship and loss of livelihoods people are suffering.

  • Mahama donates GH¢10,000 to all 138 NDC constituency offices to support executive election

    Former President John Dramani Mahama has donated more than GH¢1.3 million to his party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), in support of the party’s upcoming internal constituency executive elections.

    According to a statement issued by the National Communications Officer of the NDC, Sammy Gyamfi, the donation was made on Thursday, October 20, 2022.

    The statement indicated that all the 138 constituency offices of the NDC are expected to get GH¢10,000 each from the donation to support their executive elections.

    “The former President of the Republic of Ghana and NDC flag-bearer for the 2020 Presidential Election, H.E John Dramani Mahama has today donated an amount of GHS10,000 to each of the 138 orphan constituencies of the party (a total of GHS1,380,000) to support the conduct of constituency elections coming off this weekend,” parts of the statement read.

    The NDC said that it is grateful to the former president for his continuous support of the party.

    According to businessghana.com, 11, 825 candidates across the country have filed their nominations to compete for constituency executive positions in the party.

    The election is slated for Saturday, October 22, 2022 and Sunday, October 23, 2022.

    Read the full statement issued by the party below:

    JOHN MAHAMA DONATES GHS1,380,000 TO SUPPORT NDC CONSTITUENCY ELECTIONS.

    20/10/22

    The former President of the Republic of Ghana and NDC flag-bearer for the 2020 Presidential Election, H.E John Dramani Mahama has today donated an amount of GHS10,000 to each of the 138 orphan constituencies of the party (a total of GHS1,380,000) to support the conduct of constituency elections coming off this weekend.

    The party is most grateful to His Excellency for his continuous support for the great NDC.

    Sammy Gyamfi Esq.
    National Communications Officer.

  • Signs of 1948 riots are looming – Nana Oye

    Former Gender Minister, Nana Oye Bampoe Addo (formerly Nana Oye Lithur) says the circumstances that led to the 1948 riots in Accra are currently looming in Ghana.

    According to the past NDC appointee, the triggers that led to the historic protest can be seen across the country.

    On the 24th of February 1948, three unarmed ex-servicemen were shot during a protest. This infuriated other citizens who took to the streets to call out the colonial regime for its bad leadership and mismanagement.

    Speaking in an interview on the AM Show on Thursday, the gender advocate said the same anger that fueled the 1948 protests is lurking, hence the need for government to urgently address the prevailing economic crisis.

    “If you remember the 1948 riots, it seems like we are just seeing it being replayed. Where the traders were up in arms about the high cost of living and shops were closed. Then it led to Sergeant Adjetey and co., marching on to the seat of the colonial government.

    [With] the ramifications of what happened; over a hundred people dying and how the riots [was] all over Ghana because of the economic situation. And you see it playing, right? History is actually repeating itself”, she said.

    She also added that the recent incidents of booing the President at public functions are a worrying development which reflects the displeasure of the populace.

    Madam Oye Addo’s comments add to the repeated calls for the President to invest more efforts in bettering the economy to prevent any untoward events.

    Currently, Ghana is in a dire economic situation with citizens feeling the brunt of the hardship.

    The economic crisis is evident in the constant depreciation of the local currency, in addition to the rising rate of inflation.

    These developments have become very topical, with stakeholders constantly bemoaning the situation.

    Meanwhile, in the wake of the widespread public agitations about the state of the economy, government maintains that it is working tirelessly around the clock to put the smiles back on the faces of Ghanaians.

    According to the government, the economic situation has been exacerbated by the Russia-Ukraine war, as well as the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • Akufo-Addo, NPP’s popularity critically low in Ashanti region – NDC

    The Ashanti Regional branch of the opposition NDC has criticized President Akufo Addo’s just-ended tour of the Region describing it as full of tantrums and empty promises.

    It argued that the Ashanti Region is no more a stronghold for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), but has now turned into a strangling hold for the governing party.

    The opposition NDC said it observed a cold reception that turned into booing and jeering when the president visited the Ashanti region on his four-day working tour.

    Addressing the media, the Regional Communications Director of the NDC, Nurudeen Abass contended the president had nothing substantial to show to the Ashanti region for all the revenues and votes the Nana Addo administration enjoyed from the region.

    “Distinguished friends from the media, it goes without saying that President AkufoAddo’s latest tour of his favourite political backyard was nothing short of
    underwhelming. With nothing by way of any worthy accomplishments, President AkufoAddo went about inspecting and commissioning mediocre and mundane projects which ordinarily should be the work of DCE’s and other government officials. To imagine that the President was driven in a convoy of nearly 70 V8’s to commission a magistrate court building at Toase, sums up what miserable spectacle of a tour it was.

    “It is important to remind ourselves that when President Mahama and the NDC constructed a brand new High Court building at Obuasi in 2016, the then Regional Minister and MCE for Obuasi at the time did the honour of commissioning same. This is for us, the difference between the Nation-Builder, President John Dramani Mahama and the Family Builder, His Excellency William Akufo-Addo. Whereas one of them – President Mahama, built legacy projects in the Ashanti Region, such as the $234 million Kejetia Central Market project, the largest investment in the history of the Ashanti Region, the Kumasi Airport Phase II, Rattray Park, Konongo-Kumawu-Kwahu Water Project, the 500-bed Military Hospital at Afari, the 250-bed Regional Hospital at Sewua, the other – President Akufo-Addo, has very little to show for all his unprecedented borrowing and the huge votes he enjoys from the people of the region.

    “Indeed, the popularity of the New Patriotic Party and President Akufo-Addo for that matter is so low in their own stronghold that they have resorted to emulating the NDC’s hugely successful membership drive in the Ashanti Region in order to try and revive their sinking fortunes. For a party that garnered as much as 1.8 million votes out of a total of 2.5 million valid votes cast in the 2020 elections to be conducting a membership registration drive in their supposed comfort zone two years down, is clear indication of their waning popularity in the region.”

  • Ofosu Ampofo’s courage was tested at Ayawaso West by-election – Asiedu Nketiah

    The General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, says the National Chairman of the party, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo’s courage as a leader was tested during the violent Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election.

    According to him, Mr Ofosu Ampofo’s announcement of the NDC’s withdrawal from that crucial by-election was an outright wrong move.

    The Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election held in 2019 was marred by violence after National Security Operatives brutalized voters resulting in some having their legs broken and being admitted to the hospital.

    Mr Ofosu Ampofo has said he arrived at the decision for the NDC to pull out based on the advice given by the party’s security experts, adding that both ex-President John Mahama and Asiedu Nketia were consulted before the decision was made public.

    But Asiedu Nketiah in an interview on Kasapa 102.5FM/Agoo TV denied consenting to that decision.

    “I was attending a conference in the Dominican Republic as the Vice President of Socialist International when Chairman Ofosu Ampofo called me saying that some vigilantes had fired gunshots all over the place and so he thinks the NDC should withdraw from the election. I told him don’t, it is a bad decision, and that he’ll set a bad precedent in the NDC. I told him with violence or not, the NDC will win so the party shouldn’t withdraw.”

    He added: “Right after I was done with him, I received a call from ex-President Mahama telling me he’s picked up information that Ofosu Ampofo intends to announce the party’s withdrawal, it’s a bad move, tell him he shouldn’t do it. I told him I’d spoken to him (Ofosu Ampofo) not to do so. Shortly after, I saw news flashing of Ofosu Ampofo flanked by the party’s security capos announcing the NDC’s withdrawal from the election. One of the reasons he cited was that the NDC Parliamentary candidate is unable to step out of his room. So if the candidate is not able to come out, should the party withdraw from an election,” Asiedu Nketia asked.

    Asked by the host, Bonohene Baffuor Awuah whether he sees Ofosu Ampofo as a weak leader, Asiedu Nketia responded: “his (Ofosu Ampofo) courage was tested at the battlefield and we all saw the results.”

    “During the election in Jaman North and Banda, I was there at the forefront confronting security officers. The good thing about this is that when you are a leader and there’s any frightening situation where soldiers or police officers are intimidating people and the leader steps up and confronts the situation, your followers become empowered and also stand their ground. It is easy for foot soldiers to be attacked when the leadership abandons them,” Asiedu Nketia added.

     

  • NPP’s worst performance better than NDC’s best – George Krobea Asante

    A Deputy National Communications Director of the ruling NPP, George Krobea Asante, has admonished the opposition NDC for claiming superiority in the management of the economy.

    Speaking on Peace 104.3 FM’s evening show, the Platform with Nana Yaw Kesse as the host, George Krobea Asante pointed out that “today, even in the UK, the Pounds Sterling is struggling against the US Dollar”. He further stated that “in the midst of the economic difficulties being experienced by Ghanaians, we have a stable power.”

    He said that under the NDC, apart from the challenging economic situation, erratic power generation became the order of the day.

    “Even in the midst of crisis, the worst form of NPP’s government is better than NDC’s best government,” he stressed.

    He also touched on the fight against illegal mining activities emphasizing that while there is a national discourse on the matter, the NDC is rather thinking about the next elections whether by foul or fair means.

    He pointed out to the opposition party that the fight against galamsey is a very serious national issue that must be given attention by all political parties, but the NDC, which is only concerned about winning power, is looking the other way.

    All the NDC excels in, Mr. George Krobea Asante said, is the engagement of propaganda by members of the opposition party. He called on all well-meaning Ghanaians to make the fight against galamsey a topmost priority.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • We shall strengthen the branches for victory – NDC Vice-Chairman Aspirant

    A Vice Chairman Aspirant of the National Democratic Congress in the Ashanti region, Alhaji Nje Abdalah Umar, has admonished party faithful to strengthen their respective branches for the success of the party.

    He believes the chances of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) winning the 2024 general election largely depends on strengthening the branches,

    He said the branches were the base of the party, where actual mobilisation of members to vote on election’s day happened, hence the need to commit more resources to revitalise that important structure of the party.

    Speaking to the media after successfully filling his nomination to contest in the forthcoming regional elections, he said supporting the branches to protect the ballots was critical to the party’s chances of winning the 2024 elections.

    “Although I am contesting for a regional executive position, I will pay attention to activities at the branch level where every vote of the party would be counted when given the nod by the delegates,” he promised.

    He said he had already been involved in the re-organisation and registration of members at the branch level ahead of the constituency elections, visiting seven constituencies.

    “I have come to appreciate and understand the challenges facing our branches after visiting seven of them in the last few months, and that is why I intend to work closely with the entire regional executives and other relevant stakeholders in the party to make the branches vibrant,” he noted.

    He implored the delegates to give him the nod to serve the party as a regional executive, having been actively involved in activities of the party at various levels since 1992.

    As the Founder of Buffaloes for NDC, a youth group dedicated to supporting activities of the NDC in the Ashanti and Bono Regions, Alhaji Nje is known for championing youth activism within the party.

    He was hopeful that his ambition to serve the party at the regional level would receive the backing of the delegates and pledged his commitment to contribute to the NDC’s quest to recapture power in 2024.

    Source: GNA