The Ashanti Regional Chairman of theNew Patriotic Party(NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, the Sekyere Kumawu by-election was an arduous battle for the party, requiring significant effort before achieving a resounding and decisive victory.
Addressing a news conference in Kumasi to mark one year anniversary of the election of the regional executives, Chairman Wontumi confessed that when they started the Kumawu by-election campaign, they didn’t have the support of the constituents.
He added “We were hooted when we arrived inKumawu to campaign because of the independent candidate and how 2020 general elections went in the constituency.”
Chairman Wontumi commended the Kumawu electorates and New Patriotic Party members who joined the campaign team in Kumawu to support the party in day and night campaign.
He assured the government will do its best to meet the infrastructural need to promote development in the Sekyere Kumawu district, adding that the NPP goverment is committed to addressing the current economic challenges the country is facing.
He said, Ashanti Region is forever grateful to the Government for the massive infrastructural projects ongoing in the region, adding that no political party can compare its work in Ashanti to the ruling New Patriotic part’s government in the last 7years.
“Currently, through the hard work of Nana Addo led government Kumasi can boast of International airport, asphalted roads, school infrastructural projects, retooling of Kumasi Technical University, proposed Suame inter Change, Kejetia Market phase two project, Agenda 111 , Boankra inland port among others.
“As we are celebrating our one year anniversary as regional executives of the party we want to assure the general public that Ashanti regional executives of the NPP will ensure that the party wins election 2024.”
A prominent figure in the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and brother to the President, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, has been criticised by a political science lecturer at the University of Ghana, Prof. Ransford Gyampo over a 2015 tweet.
According to Prof. Gyampo, even though Ghana is presiding over abundant resources which shouldn’t have bankrupted the state, the deeds of the government justifies Akufo-Addo’s own “Yɛte sika so nanso ɛkɔm de yɛn” to wit we are in distress in the midst of abundance.
The lecturer said making certain utterances when in opposition does more harm than good to citizens of the country, referencing to Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko’s September 15, 2015 tweet.
His comment stems from President Akufo-Addo’s quest to return to the international capital market soon following Ghana’s bailout from the Bretton Wood Institution.
“If running an economy was all about borrowing your way into an unsustainable debt hole, then any halfwit can be president. Do you know who a halfwit is, a stupid or a foolish person. So I was a bit worried when the President just hinted that we may go to the capital market.
Buying into Dr. Theo Acheampong’s assertion that going to the capital market was something that shouldn’t be on the table now, Prof. Gyampo wondered “if we have all the resources here, why do we think about quickly going to the capital market? It’s the president who said ‘yɛte sika so nanso ɛkɔm de yɛn.’ It means we have all the resources here and in fact if we are truly going to go by some of the things the IMF is telling us to do and if we ourselves are going to look beyond some of the things that the IMF is telling us to do, then truly we’ll see that we are really presiding on resources where there would be no need for us to think about going to the capital market to be talking about borrowing.”
The former Director of the Centre for European Studies was explicit that “government of a developing country is too serious a business to be reduced to just borrowing and that if running an economy is all about borrowing your way into an unsustainable debt hole, then Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko says any stupid or foolish person can become aPresident.”
A flagbearer candidate for theNew Patriotic Party(NPP), Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, will pick up his nomination paperwork today at the party’s headquarters in Asylum Down to begin the process of filing to contest for the Presidential Primary.
Persons familiar with the campaign activities of Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto say the exercise will be done by a group of party faithful called Friends of Dr. Afriyie Akoto.
“This group strongly believes in Dr. Afriyie Akoto and has therefore mobilized their own resources to support him. They keep on urging Dr. Afriyie Akoto to contest for the flagbearer position to save the party. So, they will pick the nomination forms today and go and hand it over to Dr. Afriyie Akoto at his Campaign Office. This is to urge him on”, Benjamin Oduro who is familiar with the campaign activities of Dr. Afriyie Akoto hinted.
Should the exercise go on as planned, the picking of nomination forms by Dr. Afriyie Akoto will bring to five the number of flagbearer hopefuls who have picked the forms to contest the party’s Presidential Primary.
When nominations opened on Friday, May 26, 2023, a former Trade and Industry Minister, Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku, former MP forMampongconstituency, Kofi Addae Nimo, former Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko and former General Secretary of the NPP, Kwabena Agyei Agyapong, picked their nomination form to signal their readiness for the contest.
It is however not clear when the MP for Essikado Ketan, Joe Ghartey, former Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, MP for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong and Vice-President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, will pick their nomination forms.
All have publicly announced their intentions to contest the party’s Presidential Primary.
On Thursday, May 25, 2023, the General Secretary of the NPP, Justin Kodua Frimpong, announced the roadmap to the party’s Presidential Primary.
In a statement released in Accra, opening of nominations was fixed at Friday, May 26, 2023 while nominations closes on June 24, 2023.
The party scheduled Saturday, August 26, 2023, as a day for its Special Electoral College Election if the candidates for its Presidential Primary exceed five.
It also scheduled Saturday, November 4, 2023, to hold its National Congress to elect a flagbearer for the 2024 general elections.
On Friday, May 26, 2023, four presidential aspirants of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) picked up forms after the party commenced accepting applications for its next flagbearership election.
At the close of day, four candidates successfully picked up their nomination forms.
Boakye Agyarko
Former energy minister, Boakye Agyarko, was the first to pick up nomination forms for the party’s primaries.
A team led by Benjamin Ashitey Armah picked up the forms on behalf of the presidential hopeful at the party’s headquarters in Accra on Friday, May 26, 2023.
Before picking up the nomination forms, Boakye Agyarko had previously met with all regional party executives during his tour.
According to Amarh, spokesperson for Mr. Agyarko’s campaign team, the former minister was the best candidate for the party to retain power in 2024. He described Mr. Agyarko as the “engine” of public policy in the NPP, noting that he would restore hope for the ordinary Ghanaian when given the nod.
Kofi Konadu Apraku
Serial flagbearer aspirant, Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku, also had his nomination forms picked up on his behalf by his team.
Apraku is a Ghanaian politician, economist, corporate executive, diplomat, and a member of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Parliament of the 4th Republic of Ghana.
Dr. Apraku was the Member of Parliament for the Offinso North constituency in the fourth parliament of the fourth Republic of Ghana.
Under the John Agyekum Kufuor government, Dr. Apraku served in various government positions. He served as the Minister of Trade and Industry and was the Minister of Regional Cooperation and NEPAD between 2003-2005. He was the Chairman of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers, a group that includes the Ministers in charge of Integration, Finance, and Trade. He was a governor of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) from 2003 to 2006.
After picking up his nomination on Friday, Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku’s team said the NPP and Ghana needed a leader with political experience and economic prowess to turn the fortunes of the country around.
Mr. Kwame Obiri Nkansah, Director of Communication, Friends of Apraku, who picked up the forms, said, “We must go back to the basics if we want to address this economic crisis. Going back to the basics means growing what we eat and producing what we wear, and this is the focus of Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku.”
Francis Addai-Nimoh
Another former contender for the NPP flagbearer slot, Francis Addai-Nimoh, also had nomination forms picked up for him on Friday.
Addai-Nimoh is a leading member of the NPP has represented the party in parliament in the past.
Addai-Nimoh has served as a Member of Parliament for Mampong between 2008 and 2016. He contested in the NPP’s presidential primaries in 2014, where he lost.
Kwabena Agyei Agyepong
Former General Secretary of the NPP, Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, has picked up a nomination to contest in the flagbearer contest.
After winning the general secretary position in 2015, Kwabena Agyepong and other national executives of the party were removed from office and suspended on grounds of being against the party’s then flagbearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
His suspension has since been reversed after the party won the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections.
More to come
Meanwhile, other notable figures like Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Assin Central MP Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, former trade minister Alan Kyerematen, and former agric minister Dr. Owusu Afriyie-Akoto are expected to pick up their nominations in the coming days.
As several national executives have arrived in Assin North, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is prepared to stage another by-election.
This comes after the Supreme Court, on May 17, ordered Parliament to remove James Gyakye Quayson’s name as a Member of Parliament.
In its ruling, the apex court barred Mr. Quayson from assuming the role of a Member of Parliament, stating that he was not qualified at the time he contested the 2020 election.
The ruling party has announced its preparations for the upcoming election, pending the decision of the Electoral Commission regarding the scheduling of a by-election in the region
Mr. Quayson is currently facing five criminal charges, including Deceit of a public officer (contrary to section 251 (b) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960, Act 29), Forgery of Passport or Travel Certificate (contrary to section 15 (1)(b) of the Passports and Travel Certificates Act, 1967, NLCD 155), Knowingly making a False Statutory Declaration (in contravention of the Statutory Declarations Act, 1971, Act 389), Perjury (as per section 210 (1) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960, Act 29), and False Declaration for Office (against section 248 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960, Act 29).
Given the high stakes involved, it is expected that both major parties will go to great lengths to secure the seat.
The NPP, in particular, appears to be taking the fight seriously, as the General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, and the National Organizer, Henry Nana Boakye, arrived in Assin North yesterday ahead of the polls, as reported by Daily Guide.
FormerBuilsa North Member of Parliament Timothy Awuntirim has stated that all initiatives accomplished by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) were launched by Ex-President John Mahama.
According to the former MP, all of the construction projects claimed by the NPP government began during the NDC era.
Speaking on Joy Prime’s morning show, the former MP indicated that the Akufo-Addo-led government has failed to initiate new projects considering the amount of money borrowed internationally.
He said former President Mahama was able to construct more facilities with the available resources, even though the amount borrowed was less than that of the NPP government.
Aside from the Tamale interchange, which he considers an overpass, the Akufo-Addo administration has only completed projects started by the NDC.
“The Pokuase interchange cost less than $100 million. We sourced the funding, and they came and continued. The Nungua interchange was awarded in 2012. Tell me a single project that you people started and finished. So, if we hadn’t started that, you cannot boast of a project that you started from the foundation,” he claimed.
In 2017, the government inaugurated the One District, One Factory (1D1F) project, which seeks to create massive employment opportunities, particularly for youth in rural and semi-urban communities, thereby reducing poverty.
The former MP argued that no factory has been built since the initiation of the project.
“You haven’t built because you said that you were supporting private sector development. You were supporting private sector firms to revamp them, but that doesn’t mean that you’ve built the factory.”
Timothy Awuntirim also debunked claims by the Vice President, Dr. Bawumia, that the country experienced five years of ‘Dum So’ under the NDC administration.
According to him, a party governs for four years, not five, and therefore Bawumia’s comments are false.
He blamed the NPP government for the current economic crisis, which he said was a result of ‘reckless’ spending of funds.
The government is dedicated to completing stalled roads in the Kumawu constituency, according to theNew Patriotic Party(NPP) newly-elected Member of Parliament for the area, Ernest Yaw Anim.
At the end of the by-election on May 23, 2023, Mr. Anim received 15,264 votes, defeating the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, Kwasi Amankwaa, and two Independent Candidates, both named Kwaku Duah.
Kwasi Amankwaa from the NDC garnered 3,723 votes, while one of the Kwaku Duah candidates had 2,478 votes, and the other Kwaku Duah managed only 62 votes.
Speaking after his victory in the by-election on Tuesday, May 23, Ernest Anim assured that the government will not renege on its promise to fix all roads within the Kumawu enclave.
He also mentioned that more infrastructural development will soon take place to address the challenges faced by his constituents.
“Already this was our seat, and we have been able to retain it. Now NPP we have cushioned ourselves, we are in a better position now than the opposition party [NDC], to implement the policies President Akufo-Addo wants the party to implement in parliament”.
He stressed, “I have said countless times that this project was already in the pipeline. The late MP for Kumawu, Philip Basoah, had met the council of local churches back on January 22, 2023, and he had promised that the roads were going to start by the end of April 2023. Fortunately for us, the contractor came on site on April 15, 2023, and construction started. I have promised the people of Kumawu that the contractor is going to be with us for the next 14 months. He’s going to make sure that every road that is in the pipeline, from Effiduase all the way to Wuraso is constructed. He’s going to work on the Kumawu town roads which include Abotanso, Pepease and all the surrounding towns within Kumawu”.
Ernest Anim clarified that the construction was not aimed at winning the seat.
“For us, we know what we have said, and we are going to deliver. This is not a lie, this is not to win the seat, this is something that the party was committed to and the government was committed to doing. We have told you that, for NPP, we do what we say. The machines are going to be on the roads for the next 14 months and the people of Ghana will see the good things NPP will deliver to Kumawu,” the MP-elect said.
The MP-elect also highlighted that the government has plans for projects in the agriculture and education sectors, and they will work towards addressing the issue of unemployment in the constituency.
Ernest Anim reassured the people of Kumawu that progress will be visible going forward, and that the NPP is dedicated to delivering on its promises.
He denied allegations of vote-buying and the government’s involvement in infrastructural development to influence voters.
The Kumawu constituency has recently witnessed significant development, including the paving of untarred roads and the construction of new roads.
The by-election followed the demise of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) MP, Philip Basoah who passed away in March.
The chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Akatsi North Constituency, Mr. Godfred Root Kudalor, and the constituency’s youth organizer, Zakari Nasiru, have been suspended by the Volta Regional Executive Committee of the party.
The decision comes as a response to allegations of serious misconduct against them.
In a letter dated Sunday, May 21, signed by Pope Yao Yevoo, the NPP Volta Regional Secretary, Mr. Kudalor and Nasiru were unanimously suspended during a meeting held by the Regional Executive Committee on Sunday.
“The Committee, by a unanimous decision, has suspended you as the Constituency Chairman for Akatsi North,” the statement read in part.
The statement also refers Mr. Kudalor and Nasiru to the Disciplinary Committee in response to a petition filed against them by Mr. Innocent Agblorti, the constituency organiser, Madam Veronica Ati, the women’s organiser, and nine Electoral Area Coordinators. The petitioners have called for the immediate suspension of Mr. Kudalor for releasing an audio message on the Constituency Executives platform and giving a radio interview where he expressed support for calls made by some constituency executives to remove Mr. Simon Peter Ofosu, the District Chief Executive for the area.
The committee has instructed them to hand over all party properties under their care to the 1st Vice Chairman, pending the outcome of investigations by the Regional Disciplinary Committee.
Earlier, on Tuesday, May 16, Mr. Zakari Nasiru, the ConstituencyYouth Organiser, held a press conference at the Constituency Party Office, demanding the removal of the District Chief Executive (DCE) from office, citing issues of non-performance and disunity, among others.
The petitioners alleged that the actions of Mr. Kudalor and Zakari Nasiru were a clear breach of Article 4 (7) (f) and (g) of the Party’s Constitution, which has the potential to undermine the progress made by the party in the Constituency.
When contacted by the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Mr. Kudalor declined to comment on the matter but stated that he would refrain from further comments until directed to do so by his legal team.
President Akufo-Addohas expressed sympathy for those who claim they cannot see the fruits of his administration’s efforts.
According to him, “We have done the work already and those who have eyes to see can see our positive works. But those who cannot see our good works, I am sorry, I cannot help them”.
The president made the comments during the New Partiotic Party’s (NPP) final rally ahead of the highly-anticipated by-election in the Kumawu Constituency of the Ashanti Region.
He told party faithful that he will hand over power to a successor from his party when his tenure expires in January 2025 citing the work that the administration has put in since 2017.
“We shall hand over to NPP presidential candidate in 2024,” the president stressed to cheers from the teeming crowd.
The pro-government Daily Guide’s reporter at the rally said in his May 22 report that the presiddent also compared the reasons his government went to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a bailout as against why the NDC wnet to the global lender in 2015.
He said whiles external shocks of COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war forced his government to the IMF, the NDC government went to the IMF because of gross mismanagement in political office.
The Kumawu by-election
Voters will choose a replacement for their Member of Parliament, Philip Atta Basoah, who died on 27th March this year while still serving his 3rd consecutive term.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) is represented by Ernest Yaw Anim, whiles Kwasi Amankwaa is the NDC candidate. There are two independent candidates with the name Kwaku Duah also in the race.
Kumawu has been a beehive of political activity in the last week with big wigs from the NDC and NPP holding rallies in the constituency to canvass for votes for the vacant seat.
The EC has issued a notice that it is ready for the vote on Tuesday.
Communities in Kumawu in the Ashanti region have been abandoned by President Akufo-Addo, according to the National Democratic Congress'(NDC) Deputy General Secretary in charge of Operations, Mustapha Gbande.
According to him, for President Akufo-Addoto resort to campaigning even under the funeral of the late MP means the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has lost touch with their stronghold.
The Kumawu by-election follows the death of the MP for the constituency who was buried on Saturday.
The leadership of the NDC and NPP have been in the constituency supporting and campaigning for their various candidates.
Speaking to the media, Mr. Gbande stated that Ghanaians will see either a victory of the NDC or an overwhelming appreciation and unprecedented votes from the Kumawu by-election.
“They have taken the people for granted though it is their stronghold and the NDC went into that constituency with a clear cut message of good will. We have been loyal to them. HE. John Mahama was here briefly within four hours and left. My national chairman and general secretary of the party have left the campaign since and our message has been very simple.
“The track record of this government is so poor when it comes to projects. We showed them an example of the projects at Sir John’s village that after the people went on demonstration to call on the government to do their roads before they come for Sir John’s funeral. They move the machines there right after the funeral, they move the machines back. The same scheme is what they are planning to execute here,” Mr. Gbande stated
He continued: “So clearly our expectations in this election have been met partially, that one the government has lost popularity, two the government has lost touch with its own people, three even in their stronghold Nana Addo has abandoned these communities. These people voted massively for them and it is a good thing for the NDC going into 2024.”
President Akufo-Addo on Saturday, 20 May 2023 bid farewell to the late New Patriotic Party(NPP) MP for Kumawu, Philip Basoah.
Basoah died on Monday (27 March 2023) while receiving treatment at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra.
A host of dignitaries, including Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and Second Lady Samira Bawumia, as well as the former trade minister Alan Kyerematen, Dr Kwabena Duffuor and MPs attended the funeral.
President Akufo-Addo has urged people in the Kumawu constituency to cast their ballots for the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) parliamentary candidate in Tuesday’s by-election.
The two main political parties, NPP and National Democratic Congress (NDC) are on a drive to annex the seat.
With the highly anticipated by-election inKumawu set to take place in about 24 hours, top political party bigwigs in the NPP and NDC have intensified efforts in their bid to ensure their candidate wins the seat.
While a former President, John Dramani Mahama is making a strong case for the NDC, President Akufo-Addo and Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia are convincing delegates to vote for their party’s candidate.
The two independent candidates in the race have also vowed to cause an upset.
The atmosphere at Kumawu on Sunday, 21st May 2023 was a politically charged one as the NPP embarked on a massive rally.
Speaking during the NPP’s final rally in the constituency held on Sunday, May 21, the President who endorsed Ernest Yaw Anim urged the constituents to vote for him.
“The replacement for Philip Basoah is handsome, humble, and kind-hearted and is ready to serve you. He has united all members of the party in this constituency. Ernest Yaw Anim deserves to do the job. He’s number one on the ballot paper, place your thumb on where you see him, we don’t want any deceptive candidate“.
On his part, the Vice President touted the achievements of the NPP and reminded the constituents of the projects they will miss if they vote for the NDC’s candidate.
“Vote for the NPP’s candidate to go to parliament to bring development to the constituency. The NDC should know that we haven’t forgotten the dumsor era. Do you want us to experience dumsor again?” he asked.
The NPP parliamentary candidate for Kumawu, Ernest Yaw Anim also urged the constituents to avoid complacency and go out in their numbers to vote massively for him in order to ensure a resounding victory.
“Let’s all go out in our numbers to vote massively for me to win,” he urged.
The NPP’s rally was led by President Akufo-Addo, his Vice, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and other NPP stalwarts including a former Trade Minister and a flagbearer hopeful of NPP, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, MP for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong, former Agric Minister and a flagbearer aspirant, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, NPP’s National Chairman, Stephen Ntim amongst others.
There is a heavy security presence in Kumawu as dozens of security personnel have been deployed to the area ahead of the by-election.
The four contestants include Ernest Yaw Anim of NPP, NDC’s Kwasi Amankwaa and two independent candidates.
Aspiring presidential candidate for the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP),Hon. Joe Ghartey, has urged the party delegates to elect a seasoned and reliable candidate for the 2024 general elections.
He said that the party needed someone who was loyal and also had compassion to lead the party. The former Minister of Railways Development, while talking in an interview with Sir John on Fox morning drive on Tuesday as part of his tour of the Ashanti Region, monitored by The Chronicle, urged the delegates to do the needful by voting him if they wanted the party to break the 8 years myth.
Joe Ghartey explained that he had been a member of the NPP since 1992 when the party was formed, and had since touted the ideals and campaigned for the party to move the country forward.
He indicated that Railway Transport was his priority and it was intention to focus on transportation infrastructure to develop Ghana. He stressing that as a country “we must always strive to go forward and not backwards.”
Speaking to the media, Joe Ghartey stated that the Justice for All programme he initiated had decongested Ghana’s prisons.
He said the introduction of the Justice for All programme had reduced the number of remand persons in Ghanaian prisons to 9% from 33%
“Justice for All” was a programme which, among other things, moved the court into the prisons to grant relief to people who were unjustifiably incarcerated. Today, I say this to praise the Lord, that only 9% of our inmates are remand prisoners,” Joe Ghartey educated listeners of Angel FM.
He explained that the decision to introduce such a life-touching programme was realised after visiting theKumasi Central Prison, where he saw that the place was overcrowded, during which he met a young lady who had been jailed in very unfortunate circumstances.
He added that “other African countries like Kenya have adopted the programme to help reduce the number of remand prisoners in their prisons in their countries.”
The lawmaker affirmed that these initiatives made him happy, because it was all about making a difference wherever he found himself in serving the people.
The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has set November 4, 2023 for its presidential primary to select a flagbearer for the general elections in 2024.
Former Attorney General and Minister for Justice Joe Ghartey will face former Agric Minister Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, Mr. Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, Former Trade Minister, Mr. Boakye Agyako, former Energy Minister; Mr. Kennedy Agyapong, Mr. Kwabena Agyapong, former General Secretary of the party, Mr. Francis Addai-Nimoh and Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku alongside the Vice. President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, who have all declared their intention to contest in the upcoming presidential primary to seek the mandate to lead the party ahead of the 2024 polls.
Following the death of Member of Parliament (MP) for Kumawu, Philip Basoah, residents of the area will vote in a by-election on May 23, 2023, to choose a new representative.
While everything now seems set for the election, a development in the names of two out of the four candidates who have been approved by the Electoral Commissionto contest in the election has got political watchers now paying closer attention to the contest.
Prior to the announcement of the notice of poll by the EC, the contest had already generated interest as the elected candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Ernest Yaw Anim, was expected to face stiff competition in the bid of his party to retain the seat.
His closest contenders include a former member of the party in the constituency, Kwaku Duah, who chose to run independently against the deceased MP in the 2020 election.
Mr. Duah came second in the 2020 contest with a total valid vote of 11,698, representing 39.96% of the total votes, as against Mr. Basoah who won the race with 14,960 valid votes, representing 51.11% of the total votes.
Aside from having to contend with Kwaku Duah, who has also decided to contest again in the upcoming election, the NPP also has to worry about the candidate of the opposition National Democratic Congress, Kwasi Amankwah, who some believe may be able to take advantage of the situation and grab a win, even though the Kumawu Constituency is traditionally an NPP seat.
However, in what some people believe to be a move sponsored by the ruling NPP, another candidate also bearing the name Kwaku Duah has joined the contest as an independent candidate.
Relatively unknown to the electorate until the declaration of his intent to contest in the election, some critics believe the young independent candidate, who hails from Bodomase, is being sponsored by the NPP in a clever strategy to derail the prospects of the leading independent candidate.
Per the rules of the EC, independent candidates, when it comes to their appearance on the ballot paper, only have the advantage of “first come, first serve” after the position of candidates representing registered political parties is determined.
Thus, come May 23, the two Kwaku Duahs will appear in consecutive order at the bottom of the ballot paper.
Strikingly, the new Kwaku Duah chose a dove as his symbol on the ballot paper, just like the senior Kwaku Duah.
Other candidates in the race for the Kumawu by-election are candidates of the Convention People’s Party and the Liberal People’s Party, bringing the total number of contenders to six.
Director of Communications for the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Richard Ahiagbah, has stated that the newly-elected flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, will not keep his pledges if elected president in 2024.
According to him, Mr Mahama’s victory speech delivered after the NDC’s presidential and parliamentary primaries, was unconvincing and an attempt to whitewash his under-performance during his tenure in government.
“Everything the former president said yesterday [Monday] cannot be trusted. Nobody will be able to hang their hat on it. Because if you measure his performance in the past and what he’s saying, you ask the simple question, why didn’t he do these things the first time?” Ahiagbah stated while speaking journalists on Tuesday.
Mr Mahama on Monday, May 15, officially addressed party members and the nation at large, outlining some of the plans and policies he intends to implement if he wins the 2024 election.
Among other things, the former president promised to speed up investigations into the killing of late journalist, Ahmed Sualeto ensure that justice is served.
But Mr. Ahiagbah says based on the history of previous killings that were not fully dealt with under Mahama, he cannot be trusted on this promise.
“Under him [John Mahama] J. B Dankwa died. Samuel Ennin died under him. Now suddenly he’s able to investigate the death of Ahmed Suale. What happened to Ennin? What about J.B. Danquah’s death? Why was it not investigated if it was that simple to just investigate that in a broad stroke?” Mr Ahiagbah quizzed.
It is unclear if Mr. Ahiagbah’s mention of Samuel Ennin was in reference to the late Ashanti Regional Chairman of the Ghana Journalists Association, who was killed in 2007 under the administration of former President John Agyekum Kufuor. Meanwhile.
Mr Mahama also promised to reinstate the licenses of some of the banks that were ‘unjustly’ revoked by the NPP government.
But Mr. Ahiagbah does not think the former President can keep this promise either.
Speaking on the same show, the special aide to former president John Mahama, Joyce Bawah Mogtari advised that the NPP communicator be disregarded.
She said the NPP is only on an endless mission to taint Mr Mahama’s reputation.
“We live in a government that has failed entirely to deliver on any promise they ever made to the good people of Ghana. He [Richard Ahiagbah literally speaks from the left and right of his mouth, and I think all he thinks about is how to make President Mahama look and sound unconvincing,” she said.
Madam Mogtari stressed that the NDC was much better at running the country since they fulfilled most promises made to Ghanaians.
“We are actually where we are, and we have so many Ghanaians, young and old, who are listening and paying rapt attention, who are actually watching and waiting to see just what Mr Mahama has to offer tells you one thing; that Mr Mahama has proven himself resilient enough.
“Mr Mahama has had occasion to indicate that he didn’t say that everything was perfect under his watch. But, go back and search the Corruption Perception Index. We were doing much better. Go and check the press freedom. We were doing much better.
“Check the Ghana Integrity Initiative report. We were doing much better. In terms of even your media freedom, we were doing much better. In terms of tolerance, taking responsibility, leadership, and equity we were doing much better,” she noted.
Meanwhile, a Political Marketing Strategist, Dr. Tutu Boahene says the results of the just-ended NDC primaries indicated that John Dramani has improved his support base.
“When you check the statistics, not just the percentage, which is the 98.9%, but the various constituencies and the numbers that were coming, he [John Mahama], has actually gathered a lot of support in some of these areas. In fact, for you to get an absolute figure of about 2,880 from Ashiaman, that is very powerful.
“And even though we know that Ashiaman is a strong area for the NDC, it tells you that the delegates went for him. And if the voting pattern in these areas is anything to go by in terms of the representation on the ground, then obviously we would expect that it is going to be a straight win probably for the NDC come 2024,” he said.
A disqualified National Democratic Congress(NDC) flagbearer aspirant, Kojo Bonsu, has urged party members to work together in order to support the mission to save Ghana from the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The former Kumasi Mayor who failed in his bid to become the flagbearer of the opposition NDC said former President John Mahama’s landslide victory is a clear warning to the ruling government that the NDC together with millions of disappointed floating voters shall cause change at the polls in December 2024.
Mr Bonsu also called on Dr. Kwabena Duffour who withdrew from the flagbearership contest to consider the great value he adds and to join forces with the party to wrestle power from the nation-wrecking NPP.
“Now that our elections are over, first, I wish to congratulate H.E John Dramani Mahama for emerging victorious at the end of the day. His landslide victory is a resounding and clear warning the ruling government that the NDC together with millions of disappointed floating voters shall cause change at the polls in December 2024
“I also call on my senior comrade. Dr. Kwabena Duffour to consider the great value he adds and join forces with the party for us all to wrestle power from the nation-wrecking NPP.
“Regardless of the circumstances surrounding the electioneering process and the outcome of the election itself, we must now all join the rescue mission of liberating our mother Ghana from the modern-day imperialism and colonialism practiced in a benevolent democracy under this NPP government.
“What is ahead of us is far bigger than any spilled milk. We cannot afford to lose any single effort going into the 2024 general elections and we must be relentless in our united pursuit of victory. Together, we shall be invincible.”
The period of Akans holding the flagbearership post in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is over, according to Member of Parliament for New Juaben South Constituency in the Eastern region and Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Michael Okyere Baafi.
According to him, it is now time for other tribes to also take over to lead the party as presidential candidates and to ascend the presidential seat.
Mr. Okyere Baafi explained that the NPP is made up of members from different ethnic groups and religions, therefore, appropriate for anyone qualified to lead the party regardless of his or her background.
“What I want to say is that, with the direction of the country, it is not only one community which makes Ghana. We have Ashantis, we have Ewes, we have Gas, we have Krobos and Bonos in Ghana. Some of all these tribes are Members of NPP which means the era where only Akans lead the party is over. Now we need people from all these tribes listed to also lead the party to become president” Okyere Baafi said.
Hon. Michael Okyere Baafi made this comment when speaking at the official launch of “Women Delegates For Bawumia” in Koforidua, the Eastern regional capital.
Okyere Baafi described as deceitful and untenable claims that Ghana is a Christian-dominated country therefore a Muslim cannot become president.
“They say Ghana is a Christian country so some say a Muslim cannot lead the country. This is where I want to speak briefly on. For all those contesting the election, the only one who can be president is called Mr. Mahamudu Bawumia. Among the aspirants the only one who can lead the party into victory, his name is Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia”.
He continued, “Some Christians who want to deceive you that they are the majority so won’t vote for Muslim must cast their minds to Nigeria. In Nigeria, Muslims are majority but the President is a Christian. In Senegal, Muslims are majority but the President is a Christian. Listen very well! A country with diverse tribes means everyone could become president in future”.
He said Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has demystified the myth that Muslims cannot fellowship with Christians in church, and has set a standard that will become a yardstick for every Muslim who wants to be President.
“Christians must listen. For the first time, we are going to have a Muslim as President to serve as standard to every Muslim who dreams to be President. Dr.Bawumia will be the first Muslim to bring that standard because most Muslims don’t enter Churches to fellowship but we have a Muslim (Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia) who attends all-night services, a Muslim who goes to conventions, a Muslim who attends retreats, a Muslim who worships with Christians such a Muslim will become standard”.
He added “So henceforth, every Muslim who wants to be president will follow the standard. He must be a Muslim who can enter into churches, he should be a Muslim who can attend retreats, that is the paradigm shift brought to Ghana by Dr. Bawumia. He is setting a standard for everybody who is a Muslim who wants to become a president, for the first time he has set the standard for all of us. So don’t let anyone deceive you. Dr. Bawumia is well experienced, he has the will-power, he has the expertise, he has knowledge and wisdom to move Ghana forward.”
“Women Delegates for Bawumia” is a new political group within the ruling NPP made up of female delegates who have declared support for Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to become flagbearer of the party in 2024.”
The theme for the Women Delegates for Bawumia is “The Strength of a Woman, the force behind Bawumia.”
The launch was attended by female delegates of the NPP from all 33 Constituencies in the Eastern region.
The National Coordinator of “Women Delegates for Bawumia” Maame Esi Davenport said the aim of the group is to secure 80% female delegates’ votes for Dr. Bawumia.
This she said will be done through a vigorous campaign strategy trumpeting the achievements of the Akufo Addo/Bawumia-led government.
She touted the competence of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia in leading the country describing him as an able and exceptional Vice President whose involvement in politics has changed the face of Ghanaian politics.
She stated that Dr. Bawumia’s experience in both the private and public sectors adds to his credentials as the best presidential material.
She averred that Dr. Bawumia has been instrumental in the Akufo Addo-led government’s policy interventions impacting positively the country
Maame Esi Davenport debunked propaganda by opponents that Dr. Bawumia is new in NPP stating that “he has been with the NPP for decades, worked so hard for the NPP to win power through his economic lectures that exposed the incompetence of John Mahama led government” therefore deserves to lead the party.
On women empowerment, she said Dr.Bawumia has demonstrated in many ways his commitment to empowering women to take leadership roles to change society, using his Wife the second lady Samira Bawumia as an example.
Former President, John Dramani Mahama has advised Ghanaians to refrain from placing their hopes in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for a better economy.
Speaking to National Democratic Congress delegates in the Wa East constituency in the Upper West Region, Mahama claimed that the NPP is not capable of changing Ghana’s fortunes within the remaining one and a half years left for it to leave power.
Mahama opined that the NPP has been in power for almost seven years hence has nothing new to offer.
He thus advised Ghanaians not to expect any miracles from the NPP.
“We have experienced NDC’s administration- after Professor Evans Atta-Mills, I took over from him making it 8 years. And we have experienced NPP for almost 7 years. They are left with one and a half years more, no miracle is going to happen. What they have done is all that they can do, they are not going to add anything to it. So anybody thinking that there will be a miracle is just tickling himself and dreaming. What you have is all there is, there’s going to be nothing more,” Mr. Mahama said.
Mahama’s comments come at a time when the government is engaging the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a $3 billion bailout to help restore the ailing economy.
The government has also rolled out policies and programs aimed at restoring macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability.
The government has expressed hope of securing the Paris Club financing assurances within the shortest possible time to enable the $3 billion support from the IMF. The Deputy Finance Minister, John Kumah, assured that discussions towards securing the bailout support from the IMF have been fruitful.
Mahama’s criticisms of the NPP’s ability to revive Ghana’s economy come amidst the ongoing debate about the country’s economic future.
Member of Parliament for the Dome Kwabenya Constituency, Adwoa Safo, has stated that despite the hardships and obstacles that the party is facing, theNew Patriotic Party(NPP) remains focused on the country’s prosperity and growth.
According to her, the party will not fail its members despite these challenges.
In a Facebook post where she shared a picture of herself and the chief of Staff, Frema Opareshe captioned;
“The New Patriotic Party (NPP) is all we have and it remains the sole platform and vehicle through which the Prosperity and Development of our dear Country Ghana will be realised.”
A flagbearer candidate for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto has said that majority of farmers want him to become Ghana’s next president.
Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto said majority of NPP delegates who are farmers benefited from the policies and programmes he initiated during his tenure as the Food and Agric Minister.
Speaking to journalists in Accra, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto says his track record makes him the clear favourite.
“Most of these farmers I met in Upper East, Upper West, Savannah regions are also delegates and party constituencies executives. The one million farmers are the ones who will bear witness to me. Just go to any farmer and ask about the impact I have had on their lives when I was Minister for Food and Agriculture. And they will confess to you, they will tell you. They will vote for me to win,” Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto said.
Dr. Akoto officially resigned to focus on his Presidential ambition as he wants to lead the New Patriotic Party into the 2024 general elections.
He served as a Member of Parliament for the Kwadaso Constituency in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region for two terms.
In Parliament, he held the position of Deputy Ranking Member and subsequently the substantive Ranking Member for the Committee on Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs until 2017 when he was appointed the Minister for Food and Agriculture.
The former Food and Agriculture Minister is in fierce competition with Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Assin Central MP, Kennedy Agyapong, and Francis Addai Nimo who have declared their intention to contest in the party’s flagbearership race.
The others include former MP for Essikado-Ketan, Joe Ghartey, former General Secretary of the NPP, Kwabena Agyapong, Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku, and former Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko.
The NPP has set November 4, 2023, for its presidential primaries to select a flagbearer for the general elections in 2024.
However, if more than five candidates file to run in the primaries, the party will call a Special Congress on August 26.
The nomination period for the presidential primaries will begin on May 26 and end on June 24, 2023.
Former President, John Dramani Mahama has slammed the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government for borrowing excessively.
Mr Mahama said when he was leaving office in 2016, the debt of Ghana was GHS120 billion with projects to show for it.
However, he said, at the moment, the debt is almost GHS600 billion with no projects to show.
Interacting with delegates of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Sissala West as part of his campaign to be elected flagbearer of the party, on Tuesday, May 9, Mr Mahama said ” When we were leaving office the debt was GHS120billion. Today, it is almost GHS 600 billion but with no infrastructure projects to show for.
“At least we should have clean drinking water, a hospital built, and infrastructure but unfortunately, that is not the case.”
He further said Ghanaians are calling for the NDC to return to office.
“Ghanaians are asking the NDC to come back because they have realized that what they were told about the NDC, they were all lies,” Mr Mahama said.
On Monday, May 8, some youth in theKaraga District of the Northern Region demolished properties owned by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the area.
The reason for the destruction is suspected to be a result of the arrest of some youth of the town over their alleged involvement in the murder of a sub-chief of Karaga, Issahaku Adam.
The chief who is one of the sub-chiefs under the new Karaga Naa, Kar Naa Natogmah Abdulai was attacked and murdered on April 6.
In total, three persons were arrested to assist with investigations.
A sub-chief believed to be in his late 50s, Issahaku Adam, was on Thursday night, April 6, shot dead by some unknown assailants in Karaga in the Northern Region.
According to the police who confirmed the incident to Citi News, the killing is in connection with the Karaga chieftaincy dispute.
The sub-chief reportedly went to the Karaga Palace to pay homage and on his return, was shot by some unknown persons.
The Ada Traditional Councilissued severe warning to political party activists, to keep off the Songor salt mine site.
According to the Ada chiefs, some political party actors have over the years used influence peddling, and their actions are instigating some indigenes of Ada against private salt mining firm, Electrochem Ghana Limited.
At a press conference addressed by the Mankraloof the Ada Traditional Council, Nene Obichere Agudey III, said a series of stakeholder consultations have taken place, and at the tale end of the consensus, some individuals break ranks with agitations.
Traditional leaders believe their acts are derailing the progress of the communities that are expected to benefit from the natural resources of the land.
“We want to warn all political parties, especially the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to stay clear of the Ada-Songor lagoon development. We believe the security services are able to speak to issues of breaches if any and maintain law and order and also able to determine whether there have been excesses in their operations.”
Nene Obichere Agudey III, assured that “our doors are always opened to continue engagement with all well-meaning Ada youth.”
The National Democratic Congress’ aspiring flag bearer,Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, has stated that he endured hardships under the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).
This comes on the back of a skewed campaign by his opponents that he has received some form of sponsorship for his bid to lead the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
However, the former Governor of the Bank of Ghana(BoG) has flatly denied the allegation.
According to him, he has not received any sponsorship from the NPP to destroy the NDC which he contributed to building.
He disclosed this when addressing the party’s delegates in Adansi Asokwa Constituency in the Ashanti region as part of his four days campaign in the Ashanti region.
Dr. Duffuor however urged the party supporters particularly the delegates to disregard the destructive campaign his opponents are sharing to party members.
“I funded the NDC so I’m NDC and nothing can change my love for NDC. The NPP destroyed my banks and tried to collapse every business under my control. I want to tell you that the NPP has hurt me more than any other member of the party. The NPP can never use me to destroy the NDC. My main aim is to return NDC to power to make Ghana better,” Dr. Duffuor reiterated.
He pleaded with the party supporters to vote for him to lead the party into election 2024 on Saturday 13th May 2023 in the presidential election by thumb printing #3 on the ballot paper.
Member of Parliament for the Yendi constituency, Umar Farouk Aliu Mahama, has said that majority of New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament want Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to be the party’s next flagbearer.
Mr. Mahama said Dr. Bawumia stands tall among the persons that have so far put themselves up for the NPP’s flagbearership slot.
Speaking on Eyewitness News on Citi FM, the Chairman of Parliament’s Muslim Caucus said though the other aspirants are equally qualified, the Vice President is the right person to take the country to the promised land considering his time working with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
“As for me and the majority of the Majority MPs, we are rooting for the Vice President, and it is a fact, and we are bold enough to say that we want Mahamudu Bawumia to take us to the promised land and also unite the party after the elections.
“Although we are yet to meet the other presidential hopefuls, it was clear during our meeting with the Vice President that everybody in the room wants Dr. Bawumia, and we are not saying that everyone wants him, but at least, over 100 MPs want him.”
Mr. Mahama further indicated that he is optimistic “that Bawumia will win [the presidential primaries] with over 80 percent of the votes.”
The Vice President in a meeting with members of the Majority Caucusin Parliament on Tuesday, May 2 disclosed his intention to contest the NPP Presidential Primaries on November 4, 2023.
He comes up against nine others including three-time runner Alan Kyerematen who resigned in January 2023 to focus on his Presidential ambition.
A member of the New Patriotic Party‘s (NPP) publicity team, George Ayisi, has said that the $170 million granted loan will aid government focus on addressing national challenges.
Even though majority of Ghanaians are not happy with the borrowing habit of the government, Mr. Ayisi believes the government is on the right path.
“There are times you find yourself in a precarious situation that you may need some little push to stabilize your position and then have proper focus to deal with the situation properly.”
Bernard Oduro, a member of the NDC opposed Mr. Ayisi’s statement.
“From the financial economy point of view, it is not wrong to go into debts.”
Responding to Mr. Oduro, Mr. Ayisi said; “I disagree with him(Bernard Oduro) for claiming I’m defending the government for no good cause even though I’m not surprised at that.”
“There are certain areas that government will invest in that will generate phenomenal returns,” he added.
On May 2, 2023, parliament approved an amount of $910.6 million loan at an emergency sitting in the absence of about fifteen minority members.
The majority chief whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh has stated that the vice president Dr Mahamadu Bawumia has called for support from theNew Patriotic Party(NPP) members of parliament (MPs) ahead of elections.
Mr Annoh-Dompreh described the action of the vice president as a respect for the NPP lawmakers.
He expressed the appreciation on behalf of the Majority to Dr Bawumia.
For & on behalf of the Majority Caucus, I wish to express our profound gratitude for the numerous support and particularly your wonderful show of respect to us by your decision to seek for our blessings as you decide to lead our great party towards the 2024 General elections.. pic.twitter.com/FgRWoku6f0
— Hon. Frank Annoh-Dompreh (@FAnnohDompreh) May 3, 2023
In a tweet, the Nsawam Adoagyiri Lawmaker said “For and on behalf of the Majority Caucus, I wish to express our profound gratitude for the numerous support and particularly your wonderful show of respect to us by your decision to seek for our blessings as you decide to lead our great party towards the 2024 General elections.”
Mr Annoh-Dompreh earlier said that Dr Bawumia was the man for the job.
In a tweet ahead of the Dr Bawumia’s address at the Harvard University, he said “(He) is the man for the job.”
Former general secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwabena Agyepong has remarked that no one can claim to be the party’s principal funder because the party has been sponsored at various times by different people for various reasons.
This is in response to a recent back and forth with Assin Central Member of Parliament, Kennedy Agyapong, over the latter’s claim that he supported the party with a US$3m loan in 1992.
Kwabena had earlier disputed the claim citing the logistical challenges that he was privy to in 1992 and the unfavourable political conditions at the time.
In the wake of confirmation of the transaction by a partner of the Assin Central MP, Mr. Oppong Bio, Agyepong has conceded that he may have been oblivious to certain details but that it was immaterial to the extent that the party is supported by all members with the capacity so to do.
Kwabena Agyepong and Ken Agyapong
“He mentioned the names of persons including President Kufuor, indicating that President Kufuor led them to take a loan for Adu Boahene’s campaign. President Kufuor is alive and so is Kwame Mpianin…I don’t want to go further into the matter.
“If you claim certain things happened and some persons are aware, it is possible. But don’t go about bragging that you initiated it and paid off a loan for campaigns in 1992.
“There are a lot of people who have supported the party in one way or the other”, he said.
In the upcoming presidential primaries, Eugene Boakye Antwi, the member of parliament for Subin in the Ashanti Region, has warned New Patriotic Party (NPP) delegates not to tamper with what he described as Christian or Akan votes.
The former Deputy Minister of Works and Housing explained that the NPP, for a long time has derived its political strength and support from Christian or Akan-dominated areas across the country.
He argued that it is important that delegates of the party do not tamper with that trend.
“Delegates shouldn’t do anything to antagonize that base because if the base refuse to vote, you are out of office,” he said.
Speaking in an interview with Kumasi-based Oyerepa TV, Eugene Boakye Antwi said that there are about 12 polling stations in his constituency where the NPPalways trails behind the NDC.
He added that this is because those areas are non-Akan-dominated areas.
He, therefore, cautioned the party against electing candidates who will be detrimental to the base of the NPP.
“The empirical evidence is that we derive our political power, support, authority, and existence from Akan-dominated or Christian-dominated areas of this country, and it’s a fact. Check our current numbers in parliament and you would establish that most of the MPs from the Majority Caucus emerged from Akan-dominated areas. So, why do you want to elect a candidate who will be detrimental to your base?” he quizzed, while speaking with the morning show host, Kwesi Parker-Wilson.
The Subin MP also dismissed claims that his analysis is centered on tribalism, insisting that “in our current politics, we cannot rule out ethnicity or religion.
“People are only making hypothetical analysis that electing Bawumia as flagbearer will weaken the base of the NDC in Muslim communities. The NDC appreciates that Ghana is a Christian-dominated country, reason they elected a Christian as their flagbearer,” he added.
The Combined Trader Unions in Kumasi Kejetia market is demanding the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to fulfill the pledge of GH¢100,000 made to the direct victims of the market fire.
The extension portion of the new Kejetia market was on March 15, 2023 caught by fire through alleged human error while using a gas cylinder for cooking.
The fire completely burnt about 35 shops bringing to a halt all trading activities in the affected area for more than a month now.
A delegation from the New Patriotic Party led by the party’s General Secretary, Justin Frimpong Kodua, Henry Nana Boakye National Organizer, Kate Gyemfua National organizer among other highly recognized party members visited the market to console the victims.
Speaking to GHOne News Ashanti regional Correspondent, Isaac Justice Bediako, General Secretary of the Party, Justin Kodua announced a GHC100,000 financial support package to the victims whom he described as active respected members of the party.
Adding the money donated will help them recover some of the losses they have incurred from the fire disaster.
“Knowing the situation that they find themselves in, the party has made a pledge of GHC100,000 to support the market women and men whose shops got burnt, at least to support them in the interim, while we know that the government will also have a package for them,” he added.
However, speaking to GHOne News on Thursday, April 27, 2023 Nana Kwasi Prempeh said, the New Patriotic Party is yet to honour the pledge they made to them as leaders to share with the fire victims.
“As we speak now we are yet to receive the GHc.100,000 monitory pledge the party made to the fire victims. Our members are always chasing us for the money thinking that the money has already been given to us,” he said.
He, however, explained that the NPP’s flagbearer hopeful Alan Kwadwo Kyeremanteng has already honoured the GHc.100,000 he made to the victims the very day he made the pledge with what he described as ‘physical cash’.
He pleaded with the party leadership to fulfill the promise they made to the victims for it to serve the intended purpose.
A prospective presidential contender for the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, has criticized those who think he is unqualified to represent the party in the 2024 elections.
The vociferous Assin Central Member of Parliament said his critics say he is not “presidential material” because he does not speak impeccable English like some of his contenders.
According to him, the youth needs a candidate who will provide them with jobs and alleviate their sufferings and not a candidate who is only interested in wearing expensive suits and always speaking the Queen’s English.
Kennedy Agyapong also said it seems his opponents want to undermine all the sacrifices he had made for the NPP over the years.
“Who in the party has worked more than me? I have made lots of sacrifices for the party by using my money to fund party activities. Today they are saying I’m not presidential material. What is presidential material? Is presidential material someone who can speak good English, wears suits and does not care about the welfare of the youth?”
“Between someone who says good to see you and the other who encourages you to get up to go to work, which one of them is presidential material? We want jobs, we are not joking at all. We are tired of listening to big English all the time,” he asserted.
Mr. Ohene Agyapong called on the delegates to make a wise choice by electing a formidable candidate who can lead the party to help the party win the 2024 general elections.
“My advice goes to all the delegates to try and make the right choice in the election of a presidential candidate for the party. You will bear the brunt if you make wrong choices that will send the party into opposition. Make no mistake during the primaries to elect just any candidate. I will use the little money I have for myself till I die and not spend on party members anymore,” the MP said.
The outspoken lawmaker said this when he addressed NPP delegates in Koforidua in the Eastern Region.
A former president of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, has blamed the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for destroying farmlands in mining zones through illicit mining (galamsey).
The galamsey report by Prof Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, according to Mr. Mahama, is clear evidence of this assertion.
Speaking to delegates in Sefwi Wiawso as part of his tour of the Western North area, John Mahama stated that the NPP government’s galamsey activities have destroyed important agriculture fields.
“The former Minister and Chair of the Committee leading the fight against galamsey has in the report revealed that the galamsey activities are done by NPP bigwigs. Since the NPP assumed office, most of the country’s farms have been destroyed because of illegal mining.”
The aspiringNational Democratic Congress (NDC) Presidential Candidate, also said the country’s cocoa sector is on the verge of collapse because of the mismanagement of the sector by the Akufo-Addo government.
Mr. Mahama maintained that the government’s failure to adjust the producer price of cocoa annually and the delayed payment of farmers for cocoa beans are part of the factors destroying the sector.
“Under the previous NDC administration, we ensured that there was an upward adjustment in the producer price [of cocoa] every year. But that is not the case with this government. Price adjustments are taking place after four years. This is what is collapsing the sector”, he stated.
Mr. Mahama added that the sector must be supported, noting that some farmers no longer find farming cocoa lucrative.
He referred to a farmer who said he will give out his land for galamsey because the returns are far better than farming.
“He doesn’t mind selling his farm for galamsey because there’s no profit from the cocoa business today. Payment of farmers for their cocoa purchases is no longer instant, and they do not get any bonus. Farmers must now wait for three to four months to receive payment”, he added.
The former president is visiting all nine constituencies in the region and is expected to continue to the Ashanti Region.
On May 31, 2023, more than 11 million unregistered SIM cards will be terminated, this is according to the National Communications Authority (NCA).
Addressing the press in Accra, the Director General of the NCA, Joe Anokye, said, “One of the things to note is that active mass SIM registration for existing SIMs is coming to a close and as mentioned earlier, we have about 11 million SIMs which are yet to begin the registration process, these subscribers have up to the end of May 2023 to complete their SIM registration or have their SIMs deactivated from the network”.
He assured that the data safety of Mobile subscribers within the Central SIM registration database is intact.
Concerns have been raised about some breaches of data by industry watchers, but the Authority says the integrity of the system is intact.
The NCA also justified a directive to major industry player, MTN to suspend its data zone service.
Mr. Joe Anokye said MTN which had been identified as a Significant Market Player breached regulations.
“MTN should not charge lower for voice, SMS, and data. MTN should not charge off-net calls. MTN has so far been in compliance with the directive. However, in January 2023, the NCA took notice of MTN data zone bundle, the 24-hour data bundle for the various data allocations. Some market players raised concerns, NCA engaged MTN and reviewed the product. We realised that the MTN data bundle was the lowest on the market and in violation of the directive. It was directed to discontinue the service,” he explained.
An aspiring New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer, Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, has said that if he were President Akufo-Addo, he would have promptly taken actions regardingProfessor Kwabena Frimpong Boateng‘s galamsey report.
In a report presented to the Chief of Staff in March 2021, the former Minister of Science, Environment, Technology and Innovation accused some NPP officials of engaging in and promoting illegal mining.
But Kwabena Agyepong, a former General Secretary of the NPP seeking to be elected the party’s presidential candidate for the 2024 presidential election, says action on the report should be taken immediately, adding that the report should not have been on the desk of the President for two years without attention.
Speaking to Nhyira FM’s Nana Jantuah on Kuro Yi Mu Nsem, Kwabena Agyepong said “that report will not lie on my desk for two years without attention if indeed he did.”He however said Prof. Frimpong-Boateng could have come out boldly to tell the President to implement some recommendations in the report and resign if the President failed to do so.
“Why has Prof taken so long? Now that you are out people would say it is because you are no more (in government) that’s why you are coming out now. I would have expected that when he was the Minister then, the firm action would be to come out to Cabinet that I want to do this and that and if the President says he wouldn’t agree, then he resigns,” he opined.
Meanwhile, Mr. Agyepong says he will put a moratorium on surface mining, including community mining, to regenerate the forests in the country should he become President.He says the only mining activity he would approve as President is deep mining which involves huge capital to make sure mining is done sustainably.“I have said that mining has not been good for Africa. What has Ghana gotten from mining? Go to where we mine in the country and you will see abject poverty. I don’t like the galamsey at all,” he said.
A 2021 report on the work of the defunct Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), has alleged a concerning cover-up scheme that involved private legal practitioner Gabby Otchere Darko.
The scheme was reportedly aimed at shielding those responsible for harmful mining practices in the Krobo and Apaprama Forest reserves.
The report indicates that President Akufo-Addo was informed about the cover-up scheme and vowed to take action.
However, it is not clear if the President has followed through on his promise to “deal with it”.
This revelation has raised important questions about the government’s commitment to protecting Ghana’s natural resources and preserving the environment for future generations.
Lawyer Gabby Otchere is a leading member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and cousin of president Akufo-Addo.
According to the Prof a call from the lawyer insisted that he gave a company the permit to engage in illegal mining.
The former minister stated that Gabby who was supposed to assist the president was rather the one encouraging the illegal activity.
Meanwhile, the lawyer has denied that he had interfered in the work of the IMCIM.
According to Gabby he called the then- minister to inquire about his client, a business that held the necessary permissions to mine in the country.
“We were ready to dislodge Heritage Imperial Limited, a company that was destroying the Krobo and Apaprama Forest Reserves and in the process had also polluted and diverted the course of River Offin as can be seen in the satellite images below. I informed the President about the behaviour of Mr Gabby Asare Otchere Darko and he promised to deal with it.
“Heritage had a mining exploration permit issued in July 2019, aforest entry permit issued in November 2018, and also an EPA permit yet the soldiers went and seized the equipment of Heritage and so I called the soldiers and was told that it was the Minister who had sanctioned them and so I asked the Minister what the issue was with the equipment seizures and the Minister said they were prospecting and not exploring and that was the conversation that we had,” he added.
The 37-page report was prepared in 2021 and handed over to the Chief of Staff.
According to Prof. Frimpong-Boateng, some NPP leaders paid Chinese citizens to participate in galamsey on their behalf.
“Throughout our struggle with illegalities in the small-scale mining sector, what baffled me was the total disregard of the President’s commitment to protect the environment. I can state without any equivocation that many party officials from the National to the unit committee level had their friends, PAs, agents, relatives, financiers or relatives engaged in illegal mining,” the report said.
“Most of them engaged Chinese working for them. I am not referring to party people who had their legitimate concession and were mining sustainably as they were instructed to do. There are appointees in the Jubilee House that are doing or supporting illegal mining or interfering with the fight against the menace,” he added.
The Professor served under President Akufo-Addo in his first tenure in office.
He headed the committee established by President Akufo-Addo in March 2017 to combat unlawful small-scale mining.
Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI), Lands and Natural Resources (MLNR), Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD), Chieftaincy & Religious Affairs, Regional Re-Organisation and Development, Monitoring and Evaluation, Water and Sanitation, Interior, Defense, and Information are some of the ministries that made up the Committee.
The Committee’s duties included regulating and sanitizing small-scale mining operations in the several mining regions to make sure that miners adhere to the law.
However, the Committee was disbanded soon after the 2020 presidential election.
According to him, these individuals prevented him from addressing the issue, as well as the committee he headed.
“I can state without any equivocation that many party officials from the national to the unit committee level had their friends, PAs, agents, relatives, financiers, or relatives engaged in illegal mining. Most of them employed Chinese workers.
“I am not referring to party people who had their legitimate concession and were mining sustainably as they were instructed to do.
“There are appointees in the Jubilee House who are engaging in or supporting illegal mining or interfering with the fight against the menace,” excerpts from the document said.
According toProfessor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, majority of the ministers appointed to the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM) abandoned the committee.
The Ministers of Sanitation and Local Government and Rural Development were the only ministers who remained to serve on the Committee, according to Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng.
President Akufo-Addo established the Committee in March 2017 to combat unlawful small-scale mining.
Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI), Lands and Natural Resources (MLNR), Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD), Chieftaincy & Religious Affairs, Regional Re-Organisation and Development, Monitoring and Evaluation, Water and Sanitation, Interior, Defense, and Information are some of the ministries that made up the Committee.
The Committee’s duties included regulating and sanitising small-scale mining operations in the various mining regions to ensure that miners adhere to the law.
However, the Committee was disbanded soon after the 2020 presidential election.
The report also revealed how a former NPP representative in the Ashanti Region sold concessions that had been obtained unlawfully for GHC 200,000 each.
“Hon. Joseph Albert Quarm, the former MP for Manso Nkwanta exemplifies such individuals. He was a member of parliament for the Manso Nkwanta Constituency in the Ashanti region and at the same time a member of the board of the Minerals Commission.
He used his position as a member of the Minerals Commission to acquire dozens of large scale concessions in his district, ostensibly for community mining purposes.
“This infuriated the party in the constituency, so during the 2020 primaries to select a candidate, the electorate voted against NPP MP, the then sitting MP, who had more resources than other candidates,” parts of the report said.
The report emerged after President Akufo-Addo instructed the Police to look into the earlier accusations made by Prof. Frimpong-Boateng in March.
The distinguished scholar, who served under President Akufo-Addo in his initial tenure in office, stated that corruption extends as far up as Jubilee House, where the administration is located.
According to Dr. Mustapha Hamid, CEO of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), all other candidates in the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) race for flagbearer know that Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia will win, but they are only competing because it is within their legal rights to do so.
“Well, I back Dr Bawumia. He’s going to win the NPP primaries. There is absolutely no doubt about it. Oh yeah! It’s done. I am sure the others [ aspirants to the flagbearer position] know. But it’s a competition so it’s okay for them to show up,” he said confidently.
Other aspirants to the flagbearer position include former Trade Minister Alan Kyeremanten, former NPP General Secretary Kwabena Agyapong, maverick MP Kennedy Ohene Agyepong, and former Agriculture Minister Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto.
All these persons, according to Dr Hamid, are aware that Dr Mahamudu Bawumia will win the contest. For him, Dr Bawumia’s stellar performance as Vice President and qualities make him the best to lead the NPP.
“First of all, he is arguably the most active Vice President we have had in this Fourth Republic…You would agree that this is the Vice President who has been in the forefront of policy and who has not just taken a back seat as Vice President but who is in the forefront of implementing stuff,” he added.
The NPP flagbearership election is scheduled to take place in November 2023 as campaigns heat up and people make their biases known.
Inspector-General of Police,Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, has demonstrated his will to ensuring that the country is free from criminals.
Dr. Dampare says with the help and assistance of other security agencies, the fight against crime will be relentless.
He gave this assurance during the commissioning of a police barracks at Kwabenaya in Accra.
“My colleagues and I are working in partnership with other security agencies to give you the biggest of assurances to the government and the people of Ghana that we will never sleep nor rest until this country is at peace with itself,” Inspector-General of Police assured.
In a similar move, the police administration engaged the leaders of the two major parties on how best to defuse political tensions as part of efforts to maintain decorum on the country’s political landscape.
On Monday, April 17, 2023, the Ghana Police Service met with the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the oppositionNational Democratic Congress (NDC) to discuss some political disagreements at the meeting called by the Inspector General of Police.
This was said in a statement issued by the Service after the engagement urging the parties to be decent in their operations.
“They should do their politics and allow the Police to do policing. We, therefore, called on them to support us including by criticizing us constructively to do a professional job in line with our constitutional mandate”, the Ghana Police Service mentioned in its release signed by its Director of Public Affairs, ACP Grace Ansah-Akrofi.
The Ghana Police Service has established a dedicated legal team to investigate all politically related incidents legally to determine whether there are elements of crime present or not before taking any action.
Consequently, it said the service would not intervene in any situation where there was no criminality involved.
A statement to that effect was released yesterday by the police administration after the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare, met with the leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) over recent happenings on the political front.
“This is a paradigm shift from the practice in the past where people were arrested in the heat of the moment for politically related incidents as a result of attempts by politicians on either side to whip up public sentiments against the police thereby creating the impression that the police supports one side against the other.
“ In such instances when no concrete charges can be levelled against such people, they are eventually released thereby creating the impression in the public domain as though the police were manipulated in effecting their arrests,” the statement said.
It added: “This initiative has been used to analyse all recent cases such as comments made by the Minister of Food and Agriculture and the Constituency Youth Organiser for the NDC at Suame, among others”.
The meeting, which was called at the instance of the IGP, was necessitated by press statements issued by both parties and subsequently followed by petitions to the police service to arrest certain individuals on either side of the political spectrum for some alleged offences.
The NDC petitioned the police service to arrest the Member of Parliament (MP) for Abetifi and Minister of Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong, for allegedly claiming that the NPP would never hand over power to the NDC.
On the other hand, the NPP, following the NDC’s petition, followed up with a similar petition calling on the police to arrest former President John Dramani Mahama and the NDC National Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, over some alleged inflammatory comments they had made in the past.
Updates
The police said they provided an update on the status of political violence and related incidents recorded during the recent internal elections of both parties.
These included the arrest and prosecution of some 14 members of the NPP for disturbances during their constituency election at Enchi and the arrest of nine out of the 16 wanted individuals for disturbances at the national youth and women organiser polls of the NDC in Cape Coast.
“An update was also provided on the status of the 2020 general election-related cases, including Techiman South and Odododiodio constituencies and the public will be duly updated on these cases in the course of the week,” the statement said.
Strategic intervention
Again, the police service said it had established a Police Election Security Secretariat to work with all political parties and other stakeholders to enhance the management of security for all elections in the country.
“This is a complete departure from the old order where an election security task force was put together just some months before the general election.
Since its creation over a year ago, the Police Election Security Secretariat has worked with the various political parties in their respective internal elections from the polling station, through the constituency to the national executive elections,” it stated.
It added that the secretariat was currently working with both parties on their parliamentary and presidential primaries.
Support police
The police statement further indicated that at the meeting, both parties were informed that with the new policing interventions in place, “they should do their politics and allow the police to do their policing.”
“ We, therefore, called on them to support us, including by criticising us constructively to do a professional job in line with our constitutional mandate”.
While commending the leadership of the two political parties for availing themselves and contributing to the success of the meeting, the police service called on Ghanaians to help the service in their effort to build an independent police service which would serve the greater good of the people and not the interest of any individual or group of people.
“Once again, we wish to assure the public that we remain committed to ensuring peace, security, law and order in the country at all times including before, during and after all elections in the country,” the statement said.
Themilitary shouldn’t be a part of the primary security taskforce for the 2024 general elections, according to security analyst Dr. Adam Bonaa.
He said they should just be on standby for support if need be.
“They should not be part of the core tasksforce for the elections, they should be on standby,” he said on the Big Issue on TV3 Tuesday April 18.
Dr Bonaa was commenting on the meeting that the Police held with the leadership of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Monday.
The meeting which was called at the instance of the Inspector-General of Police was necessitated by press statements issued by the parties and subsequently followed by petitions to the Police Service with each party calling on the Police to arrest certain individuals of the other side for some alleged offences.
At the meeting, both parties were given the opportunity to air their grievances.
The main issue raised by them was in respect to comments by some political actors from both sides of the divide considered to be inflammatory.
The Police told the leadership of NDC and the NPP not to interfere with their job.
The Police said in a statement after a meeting with the leadership of the two parties that they “should do their politics and allow the Police to do policing. We therefore called on them to support us including by criticising us constructively to do a professional job in line with our constitutional mandate.
As we commend the leadership of the two political parties for availing themselves and contributing to the success of the meeting, we would like to call on Ghanaians to help us in our effort to build an independent Police service which will serve the greater good of the Ghanaian people and not the interest of any individual or group of people.
“Once again, we wish to assure the public that we remain committed to ensuring peace, security, law and order in the country at all times including before, during and after all elections in the country,” the statement said.
Former Manhyia North MP, Collins Owusu Amankwahhas disagreed with a poll conducted by renowned pollster Ben Ephson that indicates Alan Kyerematen, the front-runner for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential nomination, is losing support from party delegates.
According to him, Ben Ephson’s claim that Alan is losing popularity is false because his polls are not credible.
Speaking in an Akoma TV interview on April 13, Owusu Amankwah, who is a member of the campaign team for Alan, alleged that Ben Ephson makes favourable predictions for politicians who pay him.
“Nobody trusts Ben Ephson now. He sits in his office and listens to serial callers to make predictions.
“He predicted that the NDC’s former chairman, Ofosu Ampofo, is going to win at the end of the day, Asiedu Nketiah won. He said that John Badu (NPP’s former general secretary) would maintain his seat, but JFK won. He said Sam George will lose his seat… He is not credible.
“We will no longer pay attention to stomach pollsters, who make predictions based on your ability to pay. Sam George has come to say that if you go to him (Ben Ephson) and give him a fat envelope, he will make projects for you,” he said in Twi.
The former NPP MP also alleged that Ben Ephson, who is the managing editor of the Daily Dispatch newspaper, is now doing the bidding of Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, who has also indicated his intention of contesting in the NPP presidential primaries.
“Today he has turned the Daily Dispatch into the Daily Bawumia,” he said.
TheNew Patriotic Party‘s (NPP) 1st Vice-Chairman for the Central Region’s Mfantseman Constituency, Gabriel Amoah, has stepped down.
The 44-year-old entrepreneur told the Ghana News Agency he tendered in his resignation letter on Friday, March 31, and was received by Mr Evans Osei, the Constituency Secretary and copied to all appropriate quarters.
Though he could not deny or confirm his widely speculated intention to contest the Parliamentary slot, he was optimistic about working hard with the constituency leadership to stretch the NPP’s political fortunes in the 2024 election.
Having served the party with dedication and commitment across the ranks, Mr. Amoah said it behoved on him to go all out to mobilise the grassroots to make the constituency a stronghold of the NPP.
Elated with his resignation, he said: “After a painstaking effort and a wide consultation and deliberations across the party, I have decided to resign to work assiduously to maintain the political gains of the party in the constituency.
“I want to use this platform to remind all that energizing the base of the party is key and fundamental to the victory of the NPP in the 2024 elections.”
To him, Mfantseman is the heartbeat of the NPP and political activism in Ghana hence, he was prepared to sacrifice his resources not only to save the party in the area but make the party more attractive.
Considering the interesting history of parliamentary candidates of NPP in the Constituency, Mr. Amoah called on the supporters of the party to embark on a massive grassroots mobilization campaign to get more people on board.
That, he said, was the surest way to ensure a resounding victory for the party in the 2024 elections.
For the youth, he said: “As the youth of the NPP, we may have a tougher responsibility, but breaking the eight is a must-do for us. We must convince Ghanaians that changing a productive regime merely because it has lasted for eight years is not healthy for a country that seeks progress.
“We must prove beyond any reasonable doubt to Ghanaians why the party must not go after its two-term regime cycle. Beyond singing the chorus of ‘Breaking the Eight’, we must critically engage our minds forthwith,” he added.
Both the rulingNew Patriotic Party(NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) are a bunch of thieves, according to Reverend Christian Kwabena Andrews, the founder of the Ghana Union Movement.
He has cautioned the Ghanaian youth not to blindly follow them to give them the urge to continuously milk the state.
Osofo Kyiri Abosom, as he is also known, and Founder and General Overseer of Life Assembly Worship Centre, speaking with Onua TV’s Akua Sarpomaa Wednesday, April 12, 2023, said the NPP and NDC are same wine from the same source, making one not better than the other.
The third force in the 2020 presidential polls opined that, the recent rants from the opposition NDC is nothing Ghanaians should build any hopes on, since they will come and do worse of what the NPP are doing, should they be given the opportunity to rule again.
“The NDC and NPP are two sides of the same coin. All the noise of the NDC is nothing because when they come, they’ll do the same things. What I will tell the Ghanaian youth is that, if we don’t get civilised and blindly follow the orators of the English Language… they’re thieves and they will continue to milk this country,” he maintained.
Meanwhile, the man of God says President Akufo-Addo and his brother the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, should begin investigating themselves over the loans taken on behalf of the state.
The man of God is suspecting the numerous bonds government has been raising on the international market are diverted elsewhere without getting to the country.
“I think Nana Akufo-Addo and Ken Ofori-Atta should begin to investigate themselves. With me I think the loans we take don’t get to Ghana. When they take the money they divert it and print currencies here to run the economy because this does not make sense,” he lamented.
The deputy minister of food and agriculture, Mr. Yaw Frimpong Addo, has urged for concerted efforts to empower women and help them achieve economic independence.
He said it was important to enhance women’s skills in business management to facilitate their self-employability to contribute meaningfully to national development.
Mr Frimpong Addo, also the Member of Parliament for Manso Adubia, made the call at the reorganisation and inuaguration of the Manso-Dadease Women’s Wing of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
He said women formed the larger percentage of the population in the constituency and it was important to build their capacity to support the household income, education and healthcare of their families.
Ongoing road rehabilitation projects in the area would help open it up to create conducive environment for investment and employment generation, he said, and urged the women to grasp the opportunity to improve on their lot.
Mr Addo called on them to rally behind the NPP and support the Government to continue with the social interventions to benefit most Ghanaians.
Madam Ruth Osei, Manso-Adubia Constituency Women’s Organizer, said the reorganisation of the wings was to strengthen the party at the community levels and equip the women with skills to propagate the good works of the NPP to help it “Break the Eight.”
Mr Kofi Acheampong, Constituency Chairman, said women played critical roles in party organisation and it was important to equip them with information and communication skills to sell the good works and gain more votes for the party in the 2024 elections.
The New Patriotic Party(NPP) flagbearer hopeful, Kennedy Agyapong’s campaign team has urged other candidates and their teams to run their campaigns in accordance with the party’s code of conduct.
According to the team, it is important that the codes outlined by the party are duly followed so as not to create unbridgeable divisions in the party.
The word of caution from Kennedy Agyapong’s team comes in the wake of attacks on the Assin Central MP over the sincerity of his promise to set up a scholarship fund with his salary in the event that he is elected president of Ghana.
Critics questioned the genuineness of the promise on the premise that Kennedy Agyapong is allegedly drawing bonuses as board chair of Ghana Gas.
The Ken 2024 team deems that rhetoric as a propaganda scheme from competitors to soil the image of Kennedy Agyapong.
The team insisted Kennedy Agyapong has consistently shown himself to be a man of his word and will not abandon the promise if he the elections.
Read the full statement below
Our attention has been drawn to some vile propaganda against our candidate Ken Ohene Agyapong on some social media platforms. The propaganda believed to have been churned out by some faceless individuals from the camp of our opponents is for all intent and purposes meant to discredit our candidate.
In a subtle jab, these faceless individuals through their propaganda materials sought to question the sincerity of Ken Ohene Agyapong’s promise to use his salary as President to establish a scholarship scheme to support the needy but brilliant students. They reason that, by accepting his allowances as Board Chairman of Ghana Gas as well as remuneration from his legitimate business gains, he cannot be trusted to keep his promise.
We wish to state unequivocally that not only are the assertions stated above infantile, but they also demonstrate profound nervousness within the competing camps that Ken Agyapong’s listening tour to hear directly from the people is generating excitement unparalleled by their feeble efforts to emulate same.
Ken Ohene Agyapong has demonstrated throughout his political life that he is not someone who dabbles in deceit for political gains. Not only is he seen by many as one of the few credible voices in our political space today, but he is also seen as someone who honors his pledges of support, especially to those less fortunate. Unlike, some of his opponents, Ken Agyapong can boast of massive support for the party both at the top echelons and at the grassroots.
There is no gainsaying that the growing popularity of Ken’s campaign at the grassroots is causing considerable nervousness among his competitor. The infantile attacks notwithstanding. Ken Agyapong is still committed to a civil and sane internal campaign and would not resort to any form of abrasive tactics to destroy anyone in our party. But he will respond to falsehoods and misinformation.
We wish to caution that all aspirants and their hirelings or assigns must stay within the party’s code ‘which mandates all to ensure a decorous campaign to make reconciliation after the elections easy for all. Let us remember the real opponent we face out there is the NDC and not ourselves.
Richard Ahiagbah, the director of communications for the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), has asked former president John Dramani Mahama to name the party’s individuals he alleges are involved in galamsey.
Mr. Ahiagbah said the former president must be patriotic enough and help the police bring such persons to book.
Mr. Ahiagbah made the call on the back of a claim by former president Mahama that government has deliberately been harassing NDC supporters who engage in galamsey but allowing NPP fanatics to engage in the practice with impunity.
In an interview on Eyewitness News on Citi FM, Mr. Ahiagbah refuted the accusations and said the Akufo-Addo government has made strides in its fight against galamsey and admonished the former president to volunteer information leading to the prosecution of such people.
“When the president took control of the fight against galamsey, he engaged everyone because it is an open fight he was leading and there was no secret about it and I call others to come on board and disregard the comments of the former president”.
“If the former president knows anyone engaging in galamsey, he should tell us because all of us are united in the fight against galamsey. But we want to know the NDC supporters he said are engaged in galamsey, so they can be prosecuted for endangering our future.”
“We must be interested in what the former president was saying because it is revealing that there are NDC people who are doing galamsey, and he knows them and encourages them to keep doing it, but they are now disappointed because the fight against galamsey is successful,” Mr. Ahiagbah further stressed.
Mr. Ahiagbah further indicated that the government’s fight against galamsey has been relatively successful and appealed for a collective effort and collaboration of the public to keep it going.
“The Lands Minister is busy reclaiming galamsey lands and the fight against galamsey is ongoing, and we all have to make efforts to help make the fight a success.”
The president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s job approval rating has plummeted after improving in January 2023, according to a new national survey released by Global InfoAnalytics for the month of April 2023.
According to a brand-new nationwide survey conducted byGlobal InfoAnalytics in April 2023, president Akufo-Addo’s job approval rating dropped after improving in January 2023.
The poll shows 65 per cent of voters disapprove of his performance, up from 59 per cent in January, while 29 per cent approve of his performance, down from 32 per cent.
Fifty-eight percent of the governingNew Patriotic Party(NPP) supporters approve the president’s performance and 38 per cent disapprove.
For the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), 11 per cent approved Nana Akufo-Addo’s job performance whilst 86 per cent disapproved his performance.
Additionally, 15 per cent of floating voters approved of his performance compared to 77 per cent who disapproved his performance.
Also, 71 per cent of voters believe Ghana is headed in the wrong direction, unchanged from January 2023 poll.
Nineteen percent believed it is headed in the right direction and a further 10 per cent did not have opinion.
For the NPP primaries ahead of the 2024 national elections, the poll shows Mr Kennedy Ohene Agyapong (KOA) surging among general voters but not enough to overtake Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen (AKK) and Dr Mahamudu Bawumia (DMB) in the race to lead the NPP into the 2024 elections.
Kennedy Agyapong according to the polls now attracts 23 per cent of votes when voters were asked to indicate their preference for the NPP leadership.
Alan Kyerematen stills leads Dr Bawumia 30 per cent to 29 per cent among all voters. However, among NPP affiliates, Dr Bawumia still has a slender lead over Alan Kyerematen. Dr Bawumia now attracts 39 per cent of NPP votes, Alan Kyerematen attracts 37 per cent while Kennedy Agyapong has 23 per cent.
The formerNew Patriotic Party(NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Tema East, Daniel Nii Kwartei Titus-Glover, has stated that President Akufo-Addo will make the greatest mistake if he refuses to sign the anti-LGBT bill into law.
Speaking in an interview on UTV on Thursday, which was monitored by GhanaWeb, Titus-Glover allayed fears that the president will not assent to the Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, 2021 (Anti-LGBTQI bill), saying that Akufo-Addo not approving the bill will not be politically prudent for the NPP.
“President Akufo-Addo has femalechildren and recently one of them got married. He is a strong believer of the Anglican faith; he does not support gayism and lesbianism.
“Just like the late former President, Prof John Evans Atta Mills, who said he will not allow the acceptance of gays under his presidency, Akufo-Addo also in an Anglican Church in Mampong said same-sex marriage will never happen under his watch.
“We know the implication of these gay issues in Ghana, as a political party and as a government. And you think that after Parliament has passed the anti-LGBT bill, the president will say he will not assent it. That will be the greatest mistake of President Akufo-Addo,” he said in Twi.
Titus-Glover, a former deputy minister of trade and industry, also said that the response given by President Akufo-Addo on the anti-LGBT bill, during the visit of the Vice President of the United States of America, Kamal Harris, was apt.
He explained that President Akufo-Addo only said that the bill is being considered by Parliament and that when it is passed, it will come to him for approval into law.
What Akufo-Addo said:
At the joint press conference, both President Akufo-Addo and Vice President Kamala Harris were confronted with the issue of the criminalization of LGBTQ+ activities in Ghana.
Responding to the question at Jubilee House, in Accra, on Monday, March 27, President Akufo-Addo refuted the suggestion that Ghana already had an anti-LGBT law.
He said that the Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, 2021 (Anti-LGBTQI bill), which was championed by “only a hand full of MPs”, is currently being considered by Parliament.
Akufo-Addo added that even if the bill is passed, it will still have to be ratified by him. He also said that the anti-LGBT bill has been modified.
“The legislation was a private members bill; it is not an official legislation of the government but it is one that is being muted by a hand full of private members.
“My understanding from the recent discussion I had with the chairman of the committee is that the substantial elements of the bill have already been modified as a result of the intervention of the Attorney General,” he said.
Former President John Mahama has stated that he is the only viable candidate that the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) fears and therefore he should be elected as flagbearer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the upcoming 2024 general elections.
Speaking to delegates of the NDC in the Somanya Constituency on Tuesday, April 11, 2023, Mahama expressed his confidence in his ability to lead the NDC to victory in the elections.
“I wouldn’t have contested if I was sure that my contenders for the NDC presidential slot could stand against the NPP and win the 2024 general elections, but we cannot take the risk. The only person the NPP fears amongst NDC members is me, John Dramani Mahama,” he said.
Mahama went on to accuse the NPP of being unable to sleep when they hear his name, hence their call for a new face to lead the NDC. He also dismissed calls for a change in leadership within the NDC, saying it was none of their business.
“They [NPP] are unable to sleep when they hear my name. That’s why they have been calling for a fresh person. Are you the ones to tell us what we should do? It’s none of your business, I believe God has given us the power already,” he said.
The NDC is expected to hold its presidential primaries on May 13, 2023, with Mahama and other prominent party members expected to contest for the position of flagbearer.
Ahead of the contest, Mr Mahama is being touted by key figures in the NDC as the presumptive leader of the party.
Ghanaian actor turned politician, John Dumelo, has expressed his opposition to the Ghanaian government’s decision to implement a 10% tax on earnings from lotteries, games of chance, and sports betting.
The new tax policy is part of the government’s efforts to increase domestic tax revenue and expand the tax base.
In a tweet, Dumelo criticized the government’s decision and noted that the youth, who have created their own jobs through sports betting and other forms of gambling, would rise against the government if the tax policy is implemented.
He argued that instead of taxing the youth’s winnings, the government should focus on creating jobs and providing economic opportunities for the youth.
“Create jobs; you won’t create. The youth have created their own jobs too; ahhh, you want to tax their winnings…continue. That day will come when the youth will rise against you. It will be too late,” he said.
Dumelo’s comments have sparked a heated debate on social media, with some Ghanaians supporting his position and others criticizing him for promoting gambling and opposing a legitimate tax policy.
John Dumelo is not new to the political scene in Ghana. He contested for a parliamentary seat in the 2020 general elections under the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), but lost to his opponent from the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
However, he has remained vocal on issues affecting youth and has used his platform to advocate for their interests.
Create jobs, you won’t create. The youth have created their own jobs too ahhh, you want to tax their winnings…..continue. That day will come when the youth will rise against you. It will be too late.
