The founder and leader of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), Kofi Akpaloo, has criticized both the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for their wasteful spending during the recent Assin North by-election.
According to him, both parties disappointed the country as the amount of money poured into the election campaign by both parties alone could have been used to construct 30 factories in the country.
“Both the NDC and NPP have let down the country. The amount of money they spent on this by-election alone can be used to build about 30 factories. They have really spent money,” he said.
He described scenes of people carrying money, seasoning cubes, and cement in broad daylight.
“You can find someone carrying ‘amane’ [herrings] on her head and you on top of it, you will find bundles of money being carried and is in full glare. A little after he or she will come back to collect Maggie seasoning cubes and salt, they really spent a lot.
“And for cement, it is as though they brought a cement factory into this constituency. In every environment in the constituency, you will find cement being shared. The NPPs were sharing, the same as the NDCs. This is the only job they came to do there.
Kofi Apkaloo also recounted witnessing a fight in Assin Bereku, with individuals claiming to have been cheated in the distribution of monies being given to them by the NPP and the NDC.
“Both the NPP and NDC have really paid huge sums of money in Assin North and none of them can deny that fact. This morning, I witnessed a fight here in Assin Bereku with some constituents claiming to have been cheated in sharing the money,” he added.
The Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) presented the only female to contest in the Assin North by-election. The candidate, Bernice Enyonam Sefenu, polled 87 votes representing 0.29 per cent out of 29,962 of the total valid vote cast.
The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) says one of the things that went against them in the just-ended Assin North by-election was the fact that they had limited time to market their candidate, Charles Opoku.
The NDC’s James Gyakye Quayson polled over 17,245 representing 57.56% of the votes, while the NPP’s Charles Opoku managed 12,630 or 42.15% of the valid votes cast.
The General Secretary of the NPP, Justin Kodua Frimpong, says unlike the NDC, his party had a limited time in propagating their message to the electorate.
Speaking to JoyNews, he said “as a party, we did not have enough time. We had to go and quickly hold our primaries to elect our candidate, and yes Charles Opoku was elected within the shortest possible time.”
“We could not get the time to market him very well. It’s true, the time was very short against a candidate who had won elections in 2020.”
He explained that Mr Quayson was popular and already had a stronger support base in the constituency, and so if the party wanted to win the seat, there should have been enough time to market their candidate.
“This is someone who won the seat from us in 2020, and until the supreme court made a pronouncement that he could not hold him as a Member of Parliament, he was a Member of Parliament for the constituency, so he was definitely popular,” he said.
“In terms of reality in terms of what happened at Assin North, you can concede that there was an element of sympathy that went his way,” he added.
Mr Frimpong explained that the constituents felt their MP had been treated unfairly hence the need to re-elect him into the office to fulfill the promises made to them.
He, however, says vital lessons would be gleaned from the election for a stronger comeback in 2024.
However, a political science lecturer at the University of Ghana says the discerning nature of the electorates in Assin North came to play in the by-election.
Prof Ransford Gyampo noted that the governing party seemed to have underestimated the voters’ capacity to interpret hidden meanings and intentions behind some strategies implemented.
Prof Gyampo further noted that the residents comprehended the motives behind the sudden surge in developmental projects and the attempts at vote buying.
As a result, the lecturer believes they chose to “teach them [NPP] a lesson” by voting for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, James Gyakye Quayson.
Renowned journalist, Kwesi Pratt Jnr., has advocated for an increase in the number of by-elections in Ghana, citing the ongoing by-election in the Assin North constituency as an example.
The by-election has been necessitated by the eviction of Mr James Gyakye Quayson from Parliament after a Supreme Court ruling that went against him over claims that he held dual citizenship at the time he was elected in 2020.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has however put James Gyakye Quayson up again to contest the seat against the ruling New Patriotic Party’s candidate, Charles Opoku.
41,168 electorates are casting their votes at 99 polling stations in today’s by-election in the Assin North constituency.
Kwesi Pratt, speaking on Peace FM’s ‘Kokrokoo’ programme, enjoyed the feel of a by-election as he recounted how quick developmental projects are undertaken in communities where the by-election is being held.
The Vice President of the Republic, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, prior to the Assin North by-election, commissioned a 31-kilometre stretch of road from Assin Fosu to Assin Praso in the constituency.
Similarly, during the Kumawu by-election, road construction machinery was spotted in the vicinity as works on the roads were fast-tracked days to the by-election.
Although the government says these projects weren’t done to leverage votes, some Ghanaians however don’t believe it.
To Kwesi Pratt, these activities by government tell that “by-elections are very sweet”.
He so hoped there would be another by-election at Assin North, Ayawaso West Central, Kumawu and other constituencies since it appears the only time government pays attention to the plight of the people is when they are seeking their votes.
“If I were at Assin North, I would pray for another by-election,” he laughed heartily, stressing “there should be more by-elections in this country”.
More congratulatory messages from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) are trooping in for Member of Parliament-elect for Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson.
John Ntim Fordjour, the Member of Parliament for Assin South, is the latest to extend his heartfelt congratulations to James Gyakye Quayson, the newly elected Member of Parliament for Assin North Constituency.
James Gyakye Quayson emerged victorious in the highly anticipated by-election held on June 27, defying the odds and overcoming significant opposition from the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government.
The electoral victory of James Gyakye Quayson is remarkable, considering the challenges he faced in his political journey since 2021.
Just last month, he was ousted from office following a Supreme Court ruling that nullified his candidature in the 2020 polls.
Furthermore, his name had been expunged from parliamentary records, making his re-entry into the political arena a significant uphill battle.
The decision by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to present Quayson as their candidate was seen as a daring move, fraught with risks.
However, the party’s gamble has paid off, as the people of Assin North have once again shown their faith in Quayson by electing him to represent their interests in Parliament.
John Ntim Fordjour, a fellow parliamentarian and proud native of Assin, took to social media to commend Quayson’s triumph.
“Congratulations to my own Assin brother Hon James Gyakye Quayson, MP-Elect for Assin North Constituency and the @OfficialNDCGh on the electoral victory. Grateful to all NPP members and stalwarts who joined hands with us to put up a spirited campaign. In the end, all we have is one Assin North, one Assinman and One Ghana. God bless us all!” he tweeted.
The by-election in Assin North Constituency was highly contentious, with both major political parties actively campaigning and the presidency throwing its weight behind the New Patriotic Party’s candidate, Charles Owusu.
Prominent figures, including presidential flagbearers, attended rallies in Assin North, underscoring the significance of the contest.
However, in the end, it was James Gyakye Quayson who emerged victorious, earning the trust and support of the electorate.
Special aide to former President John Dramani Mahama, Joyce A. Bawah Mogtari (Esq.), has highlighted some major factors that led to the defeat of the NPP in the just ended Assin North by-election.
He attributed the humiliating loss of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the recent Assin North by-election to the abuse of incumbency, which was prominently on display during the campaign.
Mogtari also raised concerns about President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s premature comments on the ongoing legal case involving James Gyakye Quayson and the use of bribery and vote-buying tactics by the government to secure the seat.
The Assin North by-election, which ended in a resounding victory for Hon. James Gyakye Quayson of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has brought to light the issue of incumbency abuse within Ghanaian politics.
Mogtari pointed out that the NPP’s loss was partly due to their misuse of the advantages that come with being in power.
“One of the fallouts from the recent Assin North by-election, where the NPP received a humiliating loss, was the incumbency abuse, which was on full display,” Mogtari stated.
She expressed concern over President Akufo-Addo’s bold statements about Quayson potentially going to prison while the legal case was still ongoing.
Such premature comments, according to Mogtari, raise questions about the fairness of the process and may have influenced voters.
Moreover, Mogtari raised another issue regarding the use of questionable tactics to sway voters. She criticised the government’s resort to bribery and vote-buying, deeming it an insult to the intelligence of the electorate.
Mogtari emphasised that last-minute inducements, such as promises of road construction, cannot compensate for years of neglect and inadequate representation.
“The victory of justice and humility over abuse and arrogance shows that the people are awake and will no longer tolerate incumbency abuse in our politics,” Mogtari asserted.
Managing Editor of the Daily Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, has said it is time for electorates to teach politicians important lessons and hold them accountable for their actions.
His comment comes on the back of the New Patriotic Party (NPP)’s loss in the Assin North by-election despite the rapid infrastructural developments that were deployed to the constituency before and during the by-election.
According to him, this demonstration of resistance by electorates against politicians’ arrogance and impunity could mark the beginning of a new trend in the political landscape of the country.
Kwesi Pratt was speaking on Accra-based Metro TV.
According to him, politicians have always gotten away with campaign tactics such as the rapid construction of roads among other things.
However, these tactics didn’t work in the case of the Assin North by-election as the electorates refused to fall to the typical tactics employed by politicians in elections.
“Over the last couple of years, from 1992 politicians have generally gotten away with their arrogance and impunity. There is a by-election, they go and do their thing, asphalted the road, and so on and they win. This is the first time we find people in a constituency so defiant.
“I think this level of defiance is impressive and I think also, this is how trends begin,” he said.
The renowned journalist added that the results from the Assin North by-election highlight the importance of teaching politicians an essential lesson emphasising that they are not superior beings over the electorates.
“And I suspect very strongly that a new trend is emerging in our politics. And if I am right, that will be very good for our politics. I think it is time we teach our leaders and politicians important lessons. They have to learn that they are not supermen, they are not brainier than the rest of the population. But they are there because the population put them there to serve. And if they don’t do what the population expects, there will be a moment of accountability,” he added.
Kwesi Pratt also argued that it is time to demystify these myths surrounding constitutional bodies making them untouchable.
“This trend is going to be very important, especially when we have now gotten into an era where every constitutional body claims to be about the people; the EC claims it is independent and nobody can tell it what to do, the Supreme Court says they are above everybody among others, all these myths need to be shut.
“Why, even the constitution itself which creates these bodies can be changed,” Kwesi Pratt noted.
Charles Nii Teiko Tagoe on Tuesday evening congratulated the opposition National Democratic Congress and its candidate in the June 27 Assin North by-election.
Tagoe became the first known NPP person to post a congratulatory message to the NDC and James Gyakye Quayson even before official results were announced.
“Congratulations to the NDC, MP-elect,” his post on facebook read.
The NDC through its own collation had projected a 57% victory for Quayson hours after polls closed across the 99 polling stations in the constituency.
Hours later, Gyakye Quayson was announced the winner after the Electoral Commission of Ghana officially declared him as the Member of Parliament-elect.
According to the Electoral Commission’s announcement, James Gyakye Quayson garnered a total of 17,245 votes, representing 57.56% of the total votes cast.
His closest contender, Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), received 12,630 votes, accounting for 42.15% of the votes.
Bernice Enyonam Sefenu of the Liberal Party Ghana (LPG) secured 87 votes, which represented 0.29% of the overall tally.
The by-election in Assin North was held to fill the parliamentary seat left vacant following a legal battle that questioned Quayson’s eligibility to hold office due to dual citizenship concerns.
Ghanaian actor and politician, John Dumelo, recently issued a warning to Lydia Alhassan Seyram, his contender in the 2020 parliamentary race for theAyawaso West Wuogon Constituency.
He advised her to be prepared for a potential defeat in the upcoming 2024 polls.
Dumelo conveyed this message through a tweet on June 27, 2023. His statement came after he celebrated the victory of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Assin North by-election, where James Gyakye Quayson of the NDC emerged triumphant, defeating Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
John Dumelo, who contested the Ayawaso West Wuogon seat on the NDC ticket for the first time in the previous election, made his intentions clear with a tweet that read, “Lydia Seyram Alhassan, your downfall is next!”
The Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency has been a hotspot for both NPP and NDC. In the 2020 elections, Dumelo and Lydia Alhassan fought a closely contested race, with Seyram emerging as the winner.
However, Dumelo’s warning suggests that he remains determined to claim the seat in the upcoming elections.
The NDC candidate for Assin North defeated the NPP candidate, marking a significant win for the opposition party.
According to the Electoral Commission’s announcement, James Gyakye Quayson garnered a total of 17,245 votes, representing 57.56% of the total votes cast.
Bernice Enyonam Sefenu of the Liberal Party Ghana (LPG) secured 87 votes, which represented 0.29% of the overall tally.
The by-election in Assin North was held to fill the parliamentary seat left vacant following a legal battle that questioned Quayson’s eligibility to hold office due to dual citizenship concerns.
Despite extensive campaigning against his candidacy by the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government, James Gyakye Quayson emerged victorious in the Assin North by-election held on June 27.
Quayson, who was previously removed from his position as Member of Parliament due to a Supreme Court ruling that nullified his candidacy in the 2020 elections, also had his name expunged from parliamentary records.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) took a calculated risk by nominating him as their candidate, but their gamble has ultimately paid off as Quayson’s win in the election demonstrates.
Below are five reasons Gyakye Quayson prevailed despite the stiff odds he came up against
Sympathy votes from ouster
The nature of his ouster was widely contested by the NDC and other legal luminaries like Prof. Kwaku Azar; which sentiment seemed to have sunk by way of the NDC’s campaign.
Development blitz by NPP
The presidency and relevant ministries descended on the constituency with projects upon projects.
A section of the voters openly spoke about their anger that the government abandoned them all that while and sought to win the polls using last-minute projects.
Ongoing criminal trial by government
Gyakye Quayson’s criminal trial at the High Court is also a factor that analysts believe played in the interest of the embattled MP.
Well-oiled NDC campaign
The NDC knowing the political implications of the outcome of the vote in relation to the 2024 polls deployed a well oiled campaign that involved all officials across the national, regional and constituency levels.
This was evident in the way the party collated its results, matching the official results with slight percentage points.
Massive show of support by Minority
Almost all NDC MPs were deployed to the campaign grounds at different times with his former colleagues serving as polling station executives across the constituency.
Weeks before the vote, northern MPs, Ashanti, Volta and Greater Accra MPs were strategically deployed to specific zones that had specific ethnic demographics to drum home the strength of the MP-elect.
According to data projected by the Electoral Commission of Ghana (as of 19:18GMT or 7:18pm) Mr Quayson had amassed over 50% of votes cast in 31 out of 99 Constituencies.
Mr Quayson was leading the race with 52.31%, while the New Patriotic Party candidate, Charles Opoku followed with 47.45% and Bernice Enyonam Sefenu of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) followed with 0.18% of the votes.
It appears the NDC candidate who had been embroiled in a legal battle over alleged illegalities regarding his citizenship, has managed to rally his supporters and regain their trust as he vies to represent the constituency once again.
As the polls opened early this morning, voters from Assin North turned out in significant numbers to cast their ballots and have their voices heard. The atmosphere at polling stations was filled with enthusiasm and a sense of determination as constituents eagerly participated in the democratic process.
Party supporters from all sides were optimistic that their candidate will win, however, the Electoral Commission remains the institution to issue the final verdict.
The Independent Ghana will keep you posted on any development regarding this election.
James Gyakye Quayson wins back Assin North seat for NDC
National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) James Gyakye Quayson is set to make his triumphant return to Parliament after being stripped of his position by the Cape Coast High Court over his dual citizenship.
Mr Gyakye Quayson on Tuesday, June 27, beat his closest contender, Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Assin North by-election by obtaining 17,245 votes out of the total valid votes of 29,962, representing 57.56 per cent.
Mr Charles Opoku, on the other hand, garnered 12,630 of the votes cast, representing 42.17 per cent while Bernice Enyonam Sefenu of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) secured 87 votes.
Tuesday’s election was marked by electoral malpractices such as bribery and vote-buying, as well as the arrest of some recalcitrants who posed as security officers.
For the opposition National Democratic Congress, their candidate’s victory drums home the dissatisfaction in the incumbent government by the people of Assin North due to the lack of developmental projects.
Assin North only observed the rehabilitation of some bad roads by the government a few weeks towards the by-election.
However, the government refuted claims suggesting that the initiative was to influence the electorate to swing towards the government.
For over two years, Assin North Constituency could not boast of a stable representative in Parliament, as Mr Quayson, who emerged winner in the 2020 Assin North Parliamentary election, was dragged to court by one Michael Ankomah Nimfah for contesting while in possession of Canadian and Ghanaian citizenship.
The Cape Coast High Court after hearing both the petitioner and respondent in July 2021, nullified the Assin North election on the basis that Mr Quayson had dual citizenship.
Nonetheless, Mr Quayson continued to parade himself as a legislator, prompting the petitioner to take his case to the Supreme Court for interpretation of Article 94 (2) (a).
In April 2022, the apex court instructed Mr Quayson to stop holding himself as an elected MP until the determination of the suit challenging his election.
The court also ordered him to abstain from any Parliamentary business and also refrain from engaging in activities pertaining to an MP. Mr Quayson’s lawyers subsequently filed an appeal but the Supreme Court dismissed it.
In its ruling on May 17, the Supreme Court directed Parliament to expunge Mr Quayson’s name from its records, arguing that it would not ignore the submissions on the continued disregard of the orders of the High Court which have not been suspended or overturned.
According to the court, allowing Mr Quayson to remain in the capacity as MP “will be an indictment of the administration of justice.”
Following this, Parliament declared the Assin North seat vacant and a by-election was scheduled by the Electoral Commission (EC).
The NDC believes their triumph in the by-election is a stepping stone to an assured victory in the upcoming polls.
Despite Mr Quayson’s re-election, he risks losing his freedom as he has been accused of forgery and perjury related to certain offenses during the lead-up to the 2020 Assin North parliamentary election.
An Accra High Court has ruled that the trial involving James Gyakye Quayson will proceed on a day-to-day basis starting from Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) appears to have given up the fight so quickly in the ongoing Assin North by-election as its Director for IT, Eric Ntori, has conceded defeat even before the official results of the elections have been declared by the Electoral Commission (EC).
In an interview with JoyNews monitored by The Independent Ghana, Mr Ntori disclosed that data available at the EC strongroom indicates that the NPP is lagging behind in terms of the results.
Director for IT, Eric Ntori
“It hasn’t been easy but it’s all good. Looking at our preparation, it’s been good but this is an election and it didn’t go well for us but it doesn’t matter that we lost it all. I think we will go back to the drawing board again and come back in 2024 and make sure we can snatch the seat again,” he said.
He made the remarks while the EC was still compiling the results. He, however, expressed high optimism that the party will bounce back better in the 2024 general elections.
The Deputy Communication Director for the NDC, Malik Basintale, has confidently assured the NPP that the NDC would emerge victorious in the Assin North by-election, regardless of any efforts made by the opposing party to seize power.
Malik believes that nothing the New Patriotic Party will do will turn the hearts and minds of the Assin North constituents away from the National Democratic Party.
According to Malik Basintale, the NDC is unbothered about the monies and tokens the NPP is sharing to the constituents.
He added that the NPP could share human parts or free visas to heaven, but their fate of losing woefully in the by-election will not change.
The Communication Officer was speaking on the ‘Point of View’ on Citi TV.
“I can confidently say that even if the NPP decides to share human parts and free visas to heaven, we will defeat them in the by-election. I can confidently say that from where I am, we have been interrogating people, and interacting with them throughout the processes. We have availed ourselves to listen to their concerns. What we are able to solve we have solved, what we are able to improve upon we have done that,” Malik said.
The keenly contested race for the Assin North seat is between the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate, Charles Opoku and James Gyakye Quayson of the NDC whose seat in parliament has been in contention following nationality claims after he was voted as MP back in 2020.
Meanwhile, a new poll conducted by the Global InfoAnalytics has revealed that Charles Opoku, holds a slim advantage over James Gyakye Quayson in Tuesday’s by-election.
The poll which was conducted ahead of the by-election showed that some 45.6 percent of respondents expressed their desire to vote for James Gyakye Quayson, while 46.7 percent declared their intention to vote for Charles Opoku.
It further showed that some 6.9 percent of respondents remain undecided about the candidate to vote for who. This could prove pivotal in determining the final outcome of the election according to Global InfoAnalytics.
You can also watch this episode of People & Places here:
Why Akans head this Ghanaian group made up of 3 tribes, 5 clans | People & Places
In the last and final episode of People & Places with focus on the Ada People, Wonder Ami Adu-Asare and her guests put the spotlight on the chieftaincy system of this ethnic group
An unprovoked attack against the National Youth Organiser of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), George Opare Addo, by some thugs believed to be members of the New Patriotic Party, resulted in the destruction of his plush 4×4 vehicle.
Assin North: Pablo(NDC National Youth Organiser) speaks on his attack#RepublicNews
The windscreen of the vehicle, one of the front window frames and the rear window have been damaged after the men attacked the vehicle.
The by-election in Assin North was held to fill a vacant parliamentary seat, drawing significant attention from political parties and constituents alike.
It was supposed to be a peaceful exercise of democratic rights, however, this incident appears to have tainted the image of the election.
A young man believed to be in his twenties has confessed to taking a sum of GHC 200 from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as an incentive to vote for the party.
However, in an unexpected turn of events, he disclosed in the video above that he did not cast his ballot in favor of the NPP candidate in the Assin North by-election since he is an astute member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
There were earlier claims that both parties were engaging in vote buying but these claims were treated as mere speculations since there were no substantial evidence to
This young man’s revelation, however, adds a new twist to the discourse since it confirms the claims. back them.
Meanwhile two executives of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) were attacked on Tuesday in Assin Praso amidst the Assin North by-election.
Per reports, NDC Communications Officer, Sammy Gyamfi, and his deputy, Malik Basintale were victims of an attack allegedly orchestrated by members of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).
In a viral video on social media, the vehicle said to be that of Sammy Gyamfi’s had its rear window damaged in what looked like a gunshot. Mr Malik Basintale’s vehicle was in a far more devastating state.
“I took their 200Ghc and still voted against them(NPP)”
After being chased away by angry constituents at Abuakwa Sepase, a Member of Parliament for Atwima Nwabiagya South Constituency narrowly escaped what he claimed could have resulted in his death.
The MP, Emmanuel Adjei Anhwere, was chased out by an enraged crowd after the death of a lotto seller who was swept away by flood water.
When the MP learned of the man’s death, he went to the scene to inspect the collapsed bridge that caused his death.
When angry constituents saw their MP, they began throwing stones at him in protest.
It took the timely intervention of the Abuakwa district command of the police to control the angry crowd that wanted to attack the lawmaker and whisked him away to safety.
After escaping the angry constituents who pelted him with stones, the MP questioned whether it was his responsibility to build roads.
“The construction of this road did not begin today. Why are they refusing to finish it? I’ve also expressed concerns about this bridge, but no one has responded.
“I would have been killed if it hadn’t been for the intervention of the police. Why should this happen? Do I make roads? This road project began under Kufour but stalled.
Kwame Governs Agbodza, Member of Parliament for Adaklu has alleged that 500 soldiers have been deployed to Assin North where a crucial by-election is taking place today, June 27.
He wondered why a security task known to be strictly undertaken by the police, which point has been buttressed by the Inspector-General of Police, is being augmented with the military without any concrete explanations.
“The IGP has made it clear that elections security is the responsibility of the Police. So what duties will the 500 soldiers deployed and on their way to Assin North be performing tomorrow?
“Is this deployment at the request of the IGP? Somebody must provide urgent answers,” he disclosed in a tweet on the eve of the polls.
The IGP has made it clear that elections security is the responsibility of the Police. So what duties will the 500 soldiers deployed and on their way to Assin North be performing tomorrow?
Is this deployment at the request of the IGP? Somebody must provide urgent answers.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has fielded its ousted MP for the area James Gyakye Quayson who will come up against the ruling New Patriotic Party’s Charles Opoku.
Ahead of the vote, a fellow NDC MP Nelson Dafeamekpor has slammed the IGP over a directive that all police assigned to MPs should return their arms to the local police.
A directive he said was unconstitutional to the extent that it varied the condition of service of MPs and also exposed them to security risks.
Voters in the Assin North constituency are demonstrating their eagerness to exercise their democratic rights.
A GhanaWeb reporter present at the Methodist Primary 1 polling station in Assin Breku captured images of voters forming queues as early as 5:00 am even though polls formally open at 7:00 am.
Nimatu Yakubu reports that as early as 5:30 am, election materials had already arrived at the particular polling station, and preparations for the voting process were in full swing.
The images from the polling station depict a diverse group of individuals patiently waiting in line, eager to have their voices heard through the ballot box. The early turnout suggests a strong sense of civic duty among the residents of Assin North.
Some voters at the Methodist Primary 1 polling station in Assin Breku have accused the NPP of vote buying.
Barely 30 minutes before the commencement of voting, some voters at the DA JSS Bereku raised alarm about voting buying in a house close to the voting center.
When GhanaWeb’s reporter got to the venue, there were some voters at the said house and journalists were being chased away from the venue.
The northern regional chairman of the NPP also blocked cameras and ordered his party members not to speak with journalists.
Meanwhile, voting commenced at exactly 7am at Methodist Park which has 4 polling stations.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) are in a statistical tie for first place in the fight for the parliamentary seat, according to the Executive Director of Global Data Analytics, Mussa Dankwa.
He has consequently urged neither party to celebrate just yet, but rather to put more effort towards winning the election, which might happen today, Tuesday, June 27, 2023.
In an interview with Eyewitness News on Citi Radio in Accra on Monday, Mr. Dankwa made this statement.
Mr Dankwa said this in an interview on Eyewitness News on Citi FM in Accra on Monday.
“The outcome of the polls suggests that the race is too close to call meaning that it is statistically dead heat, meaning there is a tie.
NPP’s candidate leads with 46.7 percent and NDC’s James Gyakye Quayson with 45.6 percent.
That represents 1.1 percent margin between them. And mind you the margin of error is 1.9 percent so that margin of leading is within the polls’ margin of error, so it is dead heat according to pollsters,” he stated.
Mr. Dankwa said 6.9% of voters remained undecided, making their votes pivotal in determining the outcome of the election.
He said the survey involved 2,500 participants, providing valuable insights into the preferences of the electorates ahead of the by-election.
Both candidates are vying for the support of theundecided voters, knowingthat their decision will shape the final results.
Meanwhile, the survey by Global Info Analytics also revealed that Charles Opoku has lost a 19% lead he enjoyed four weeks ago to a 1.1% lead.
On the issue of the court case, when voters who voted for Mr. Opoku were asked if they were influenced to vote for him because they feared Mr. Gyakye Quayson’s court case could be an issue, 20% of them said they intended to vote for Mr. Opoku because of Mr. Gyakye Quayson’s court case.
The poll also showed that 44% of NDC voters who intend to vote for Mr. Opoku were doing so because of Mr. Gyakye Quayson’s court case.
In the key battleground electoral areas of Endwa, Breku, Dominase, Bediadua, and Praso, undecided voters average over 10% of voters.
The Member of Parliament for Sagnarigu, Alhassan Bashir Alhassan (ABA) Fuseini, has said that the Assin North by-election is a done deal for the candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), James Gyakye Quayson.
Speaking to Nimatu Yakubu at one of the polling stations for the by-election, the Methodist Primary School 2, the MP said that Gyakye Quayson was wrongly removed from parliament and today the people of Assin North would give him justice.
“At the end of the day, the verdict of the people, which I believe would be a resounding victory for Honourable Gyakye Quayson, would be asserted.
“It is a keen contest all right but I believe that he would win handsomely… the people have appreciated that he has suffered injustice. He doesn’t deserve to have been ousted as a Member of Parliament because he did everything that was legitimate and proper to be elected MP… So, I believe that the good people of Assin North would give him justice,” he said.
The MP added that even though Quayson was denied access to resources in the three years he was an MP, he did some good for his constituents.
On the electoral process, ABA Fuseini said that so far everything is going well as at the time he spoke to GhanaWeb at 7:00 am.
In an interview on Monday, Gladys Pinkrah, the Central Regional Director of the Electoral Commission (EC), assured that the EC is fully prepared for the upcoming by-election in Assin North, scheduled for Tuesday.
Pinkrah stated that all the necessary election materials have arrived in Assin North and will be distributed to the respective polling stations on Tuesday morning.
The EC expressed confidence in its readiness to conduct a smooth and successful by-election.
“We have received all our election materials and have packaged them so early in the morning we will dispatch them to the polling centers.
We have also trained our election officials, so we are going to have all the representatives of the political parties, NPP, LPG and NDC at the polling stations before we have deployment,” she stated.
Voters in the Assin North constituency in the Central Region will go to the polls today, Tuesday, June 27, to elect their next representative in Parliament.
Three candidates are vying for the seat: James Gyakye Quayson of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), and Bernice Enyonam Sefenu of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG).
The Electoral Commission (EC) scheduled the by-election for June 27 following the nullification of the 2020 parliamentary election won by Mr Quayson.
The Supreme Court ordered Parliament to expunge Mr Quayson’s name from its records after it found that he held dual citizenship at the time of filing his nomination forms.
A recent survey by Global Info Analytics shows that Mr. Opoku of the NPP has a slight lead overMr. Quayson of the NDC.
The survey, which was conducted between June 15 and 20, 2022, found that 46.7% of respondents said they would vote for Mr. Opoku, while 45.6% said they would vote for Mr. Quayson.
The remaining 6.9% of respondents said they were undecided.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has refuted allegations that he is responsible for the prosecution of former Member of Parliament for Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson.
He asserts that he has never interfered with the judiciary’s work during his tenure as President.
Speaking to supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Assin Breku, Central Region, ahead of the upcoming by-election, President Akufo-Addo maintained that Mr. Quayson is facing prosecution due to his violation of the law.
The President raised a question regarding the distinction between Mr. Quayson and Adam Sakande, the former Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, who was prosecuted and convicted for a similar offense.
President Akufo-Addo urged constituents of Assin North not to make the mistake of voting for someone who could potentially end up in jail and impede the area’s development.
The by-election in Assin North became necessary after parliament informed the Electoral Commission that the seat had become vacant. This action followed a Supreme Court ruling stating that the Electoral Commission had acted unconstitutionally by allowing Mr. Quayson to contest the 2020 parliamentary election without providing proof of renouncing his Canadian citizenship.
The court declared Mr. Quayson’s election unconstitutional, null and void, and of no effect. Furthermore, his swearing-in was deemed unconstitutional.
Meanwhile, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is supporting Mr. Quayson as their candidate in the by-election, while the NPP in Assin North has chosen Charles Opoku as their candidate.
The election is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, June 27.
Former Finance Minister and National Democratic Congress (NDC) Presidential hopeful, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor has made a bold declaration, stating that former President John Dramani Mahama will emerge victorious in the upcoming 2024 elections, regardless of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) stance.
Addressing a gathering at Assin North, Dr Duffuor noted that the New Patriotic Party has not adequately prioritised the needs and welfare of the ordinary Ghanaian.
He, therefore, entreated the electorates to ensure that the New Patriotic Party is ousted in the 2024 elections and former President John Dramani Mahama is elected into office.
“Whether the NPP likes it or not, John Mahama will win the election 2024,” he said.
He noted that the NPP has plunged the country into economic hardships, and “hunger.”
Ghana’s political landscape is characterised by vibrant competition between two major political parties, namely the NPP and the National Democratic Congress (NDC). Both parties have emerged as the dominant political parties in Ghana. They have consistently garnered significant electoral support and have alternated in power since the country’s transition to multi-party democracy in the early 1990s.
Both parties are optimistic about a win in the upcoming elections scheduled for December 2024.
Dr Duffuor while addressing the gathering asked them not to allow the NPP to intimidate them, rather, urged them to exercise their franchise without fear and in favor of the NDC, since the latter will ensure that the lives of Ghanaians improve significantly.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has chastised former President John Dramani Mahama during the New Patriotic Party’s final rally ahead of the June 27 by-election in Assin North, for allegedly attacking the judiciary.
Mahama, who had also addressed the National Democratic Congress (NDC) final rally in Gangan made comments to the effect that the courts had been politicized and that led to the ouster of NDC’s James Gyakye Quayson as Member of Parliament, which ouster led to the by-election.
Akufo-Addo blasted Mahama for the comments describing it as unfortunate but unsurprising for a man who ever said that ‘Ghanaians are forgetful.’
The president referred to the case of NPP MP Adamu Dramani Sakande who was jailed during Mahama’s presidency over a dual citizenship case, a similar incident to what Quayson is facing in an Accra High Court.
“John Mahama says if not for politics, what the courts have said of Mr. Quayson will not be. Essentially that the Supreme Court has been politicized. Ghanaians easily forget and that is why he said that.
“What happened to Adamu Dramani Sakande during his presidency, he seems to have forgotten. It is the exact same thing that has befallen Quayson.
“Was it politics that led to Sakande’s jailing during his presidency? Why is he relating it to that now, let us be truthful, we should be truthful, people should stop lying to people in the villages,” he jabbed.
He drummed the advantages of choosing the NPP’s Charles Opoku over Quayson stressing that the constituency needs someone from the ruling party and not a lawmaker who could potentially be in jail or who would be frequenting the courts during his tenure.
“Don’t elect someone who will be frequenting the courts – Appeal, Supreme, High Courts, that is not what you need. I came to appeal to you to elect a lawmaker who can join government to continue the work government is executing in Assin North.
“Ghanaians are forgetful, does such a person think well of Ghanaians? We are not a forgetful people. What happened to Sakande, it is on the same path Quayson is traveling. It is not for me to say.
“The NPP is not interested in intimidating or scaring him, it is the laws that are after him, it is not me scaring him, it is the laws. If the laws come after you, it is not Nana Addo, it is the law,” Akufo-Addo stressed stating that he has never sought to influence the courts in his time in office.
The by-election has attracted a lot of political activity in the past few weeks. Campaigns ended on June 25 ahead of the vote.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has officially closed nominations for its presidential primaries.
Speaking to JoyNews’ Samuel Mbura, the Director of Elections, Evans Nimako, revealed that 10 people have successfully filed their nomination forms.
He added that one person who picked nomination forms, Nana Oppong Odeneho, in a letter to the elections committee, communicated his decision to withdraw from the race before the close of the exercise.
“Eleven people picked nomination forms, as we peak 10 of them have filed. So far for the 10 people, per the party’s timelines, the vetting committee, chaired by former Speaker of Parliament Mike Ocquaye, will begin their vetting from 3rd to 6th of July,” Mr Nimako noted.
He added that when the vetting process ends, the party will get to know whether there will be a special electoral college or otherwise.
“In the party’s arrangement if we happen to have five of them being recommended (by the vetting committee) then there will be no special electoral college,” he explained.
His comment comes after 10 candidates filed their nomination to participate in the NPP’s presidential primaries in November.
The candidates are, Dr Mahmudu Bawumia, Joe Ghartey, Alan Kyerematen, Boakye Agyarko, Dr Konadu Apraku, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, Kwadwo Poku, Kennedy Agyapong, Kwabena Agyapong and former MP Francis Addai Nimo.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has closed nominations for its flagbearership race.
The nominations was closed on Saturday, June 24, 2023.
Mr Joe Ghartey, a former Minister for Railways and Member of Parliament (MP) for Essikado-Ketan, was the last to submit his presidential nomination form on Saturday.
Mr Ghartey was given a rousing welcome by his supporters when he arrived at the NPP headquarters at Asylum Down to submit the form.
The five-time lawmaker, speaking to the media after filing his nomination, said he was ready to make a significant impact on the political landscape.
He promised to transform the country, and improve the living standards of all Ghanaians when elected NPP Flagbearer and eventually, President of Ghana.
The NPP opened nomination for its presidential primary on May 26, 2023.
The Party has slated August 26 for its Special Elections and November 4, for the National Conference to elect a flagbearer for the 2024 general election.
Those who have filed nominations are: Mr Kennedy Agyapong, Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Mr Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, a former General Secretary of the NPP, Mr Kwadwo Poku, an Energy Expert, Mr Alan Kyerematen, a former Trade and Industry Minister, and Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.
The rest are: Mr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, a former Food and Agriculture Minister, Mr Boakye Agyarko, a former Energy Minister, Mr Edward Addai-Nimo, a former MP for Asante Mampong, and Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, an Economist.
Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Stephen Ntim, has been convincing them that Charles Opoku will be the best person to well represent them in Parliament and also lobby for the necessary developmental projects to the area.
Chairman Ntim’s campaign has seen him visiting towns including Assin Bereku (District Capital), Assin Praso, Assin Asempaneye, Akenkanse, Akonfudi, Dansami, Assen Mempasem, Assin Kushia, Assin Senkyem, Assin Brofoyedu, Assin Juaso, Assin Breman, and Bediadua to solicit for votes.
The National Chairman of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Stephen Ntim is embarking on a vigorous campaign for the party’s Parliamentary Candidate for the Assin North constituency, Charles Opoku.
With the by-election expected to come off in few days’ time, June 27, Chairman Ntim has intensified the campaign moving from town to town to appeal to the electorate to vote massively for the NPP candidate.
The Assin North by-election which comes off on June 27 is a two-horse trace between the NPP’s Charles Opoku and the NDC’s James Gyakye Quayson.
In a remarkable display of unwavering commitment, Vice President Dr. Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia and some NPP executives braved through torrential rains to commission an Astro turf in Assin North.
Despite the overflow, they stood their ground, greeting footballers with handshakes and spreading a message of encouragement.
In a video capturing the scene, the vice president, alongside NPP executives including Nana B, walked through the rain to exchange pleasantries with the footballers as part of the commissioning of the pitch. Dr. Bawumia who declined to to take cover under an umbrella, was heard saying, “Give it your best,” instilling a sense of determination in the athletes.
Even the newly-constructed Astro turf itself was not spared as the football pitch turned into a swimming pool, adding an unexpected twist to the event.
The commissioning of the Astro turf holds significant importance as the Assin North constituency prepares for a highly anticipated by-election on June 27.
This electoral event follows a Supreme Court ruling that declared the election of James Gyakye Quayson as Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin North unconstitutional.
In response to the court’s decision, both major political parties have swiftly mobilized their forces, embarking on vigorous campaigns to rally voters and secure victory in the upcoming by-election.
Renowned pollster, Ben Ephson has predicted that Charles Opoku, the New Patriotic Party’s candidate in the Assin North by-election will win the upcoming elections and kill James Gyakye Quayson of the National Democratic Congress’s dream of retaining his seat.
Ben Ephson, in a Joy News interview, held that the election is quite close but believes that the determining factors favor the New Patriotic Party.
Laying the premise for his prediction of victory for the NPP, Ben Ephson noted that Gyakye Quayson won the 2020 elections largely because of his place of origin is Assin Bereku.
According to him, with Assin Bereku holding the largest number of voters within the constituency, Gyakye Quayson had the advantage of his own people voting massively for him.
The situation is however different as Charles Opoku who is the NPP’s candidate also hails from the town.
Ephson also argued that the ‘sympathy votes’ campaign which was being championed by the NDC has been dealt a blow following the decision of the Accra High Court to allow Gyakye Quayson to campaign whiles his criminal trial is ongoing.
“Both parties want this seat so badly. For Quayson the sympathy votes that he would have gotten have dropped a bit because some NDC people were trying to influence the swing voters that when there is a by-election, roads get done and monies come from both parties so let’s vote for Quayson so that if he loses, then we will have another chance for another by-election but the court asking to go back to the campaign has dimmed his chances.
“For the NPP candidate, the little investigations I’ve done show that he has been preparing himself for politics. For the past few years, he has an NGO which has been doing a number of activities. That gives him an advantage. If you were to gamble with your last 100 cedis, I will advise you to put your money on the NPP candidate even though it’s too close to call.
“Quayson came from Assin Bereku and the lady was from another area. The lady had issues with some of the NPP executives in Assin Bereku which is why this time she was asked to stay aside. With both candidates coming Assin Bereku and the lady who is popular in another town campaigning for the NPP… The NPP candidate has also been doing a lot of philanthropic works in Assin North”, he said.
In what has been termed as a mid-term election to assess the popularity of the two main political parties ahead of the 2024 elections, James Gyakye Quayson of the NDC is battling Charles Opoku of the NPP to retain the seat which he won in 2020.
The by-election was necessitated by a Supreme Court decision to declare the 2020 elections in the constituency as null and void.
The court held that at the time of filing to contest, James Gyakye Quayson had not successfully renounced his Canadian citizenship and thus was a dual citizen of Ghana and Canada.
A member of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Communication Team, Nana Akomea, has joined the many who believe that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) are worried by the candidature of Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.
During an interview on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana this week, Nana Akomea revealed that he came by the realisation after carefully assessing the actions of the opposition party.
According to him, out of the 10 individuals contesting in the flagbearer race of the NPP, none but one has been heavily criticised in the campaign message of members of the NDC.
He stated that Dr Bawumia has been singled out by the NDC due to his influence. He asserted that the party is deliberately discrediting the Vice President to make him unpopular before the public.
“People say it, but I have not given the seriousness to that. But people say that the NDC is really afraid of Bawumia.
“Alan has filed and I didn’t hear NDC talk about Alan’s filing and criticizing him like they are doing to Bawumia. Why will the NDC focus on one person out of the 11 or 12 candidates,” he said.
Nana Akomea is not the only individual who shares such thoughts. The Vice President, the subject of the matter, also believes so since he asserts that the NDC will lose majority of its votes in the north should he contest.
“They know John Mahama cannot take me on in the North. I will beat him in the North. This is why they don’t want me be to flagbearer,” Dr Bawumia said to some NPP supporters over the weekend.
Member of Parliament (MP) for Atwima Nwabiagya South constituency, Emmanuel Adjei Anhwere swerved a mob attack at Abuakwa Sepase on Friday, June 23.
The attack is said to be fueled by the death of a lotto seller who was swept away by flood water.
The MP upon hearing of the demise of the man, came to the scene to inspect the collapsed bridge which caused the death of the death.
However, angry constituents upon seeing their MP started throwing stones at him in a protest.
It took timely intervention of the Police from Abuakwa district command to control the angry crowd who wanted to attack the lawmaker and, in the process, whisk him away to safety.
The angry constituent while protesting described the soft-spoken MP with unprintable words while also threatening to vote against him and the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) for taking their loyalty to the party for granted.
The MP, Emmanuel Adjei Anhwere blamed the unfortunate flooding development in his Abuakwa and its environs on the absence of the contractor responsible for constructing bridge in the area. He said, his constituents have every right to protest against him because of the problems flood waters are exposing them to.
This is the second time the MP has been chased out of his constituency in Ashanti region over deplorable road network in the farming Constituency.
The first incident occurred on was Wednesday (August 24, 2022) where he was chased out with machete by constituents who were unhappy with the poor road infrastructure in the area.
The Ashanti Regional Dean of Ashanti legislators was touring parts of the constituency when the angry youth descended on him. Constituents at Kobeng, Seidi and Amanchia, wielding machete threatened the MP and forced him to flee the scene.
The angry constituent said killing the MP will lead to a by-election which will address majority of their developmental needs in the constituency as done in Sekyere Kumawu and Assin North Constituencies.
Tragedy has struck once again in the Assin North constituency ahead of the by-election as three executives of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) sustained injuries in a motor accident.
The incident comes barely a week after an NDC sympathizer lost her life and several others were injured in a similar accident during an election campaign.
The news was initially shared on Twitter by an NPP activist with the username Gen Buhari.
According to the information provided, the injured executives included Bright Dugan, who serves as the Constituency Youth Organiser for New Edubiase, as well as two polling station executives in the Assin North constituency. The accident reportedly took place in the vicinity of Kushea.
According to him, the injured individuals were transported to a nearby hospital on June 22, 2023.
Gen Buhari’s tweet further mentioned that Bernard Antwi Bosiako popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, the Ashanti regional chairman of the NPP, visited the injured executives in the evening to check on their well-being.
His tweet, accompanied by photos of the accident victims read, “Assin North: This afternoon, 3 NPP members, namely Bright Dugan, the Constituency Youth Organiser for New Edubiase, and 2 polling station executives in the Assin North constituency got involved in a motor accident at Kushea. Chairman Wontumi paid them a visit this evening.”
The Assin North by-election has been scheduled to take place on June 27, 2023, following the expungement of the former member of Parliament James Gyakye Quayson over a dual citizenship case that went as far as the Supreme Court of Ghana.
Six hopefuls seeking the presidential candidacy of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have successfully filed their nomination forms ahead of the impending primaries.
The nomination process, which commenced on Friday, May 26, 2023, saw a total of 11 candidates obtaining the necessary forms to participate in the primaries scheduled for Saturday, November 4, 2023.
Among the candidates who have filed their nomination forms are Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, Alan Kyerematen (former Minister of Trade and Industry), Dr. Akoto Afriyie (former Minister for Food and Agriculture), Dr. Konadu Apraku (economist and former Minister for Regional Cooperation), Boakye Agyarko (former Minister for Energy) and Kennedy Agyapong.
It is anticipated that two additional aspirants, Kwabena Agyei Agyapong (former General Secretary of the NPP), and Mr. Kojo Poku (an energy expert), will submit their nomination forms by the end of tomorrow, June 21, 2023.
If more than five aspirants who have collected their forms proceed to file them by the closing date on Saturday, June 24, 2023, the NPP will convene a “Super Delegate Conference” on Saturday, August 26, 2023, as per the provisions in Article 12 (5) (b) of the NPP constitution.
This conference involves a Special Electoral College comprising the National Council, the National Executive Committee, the Regional Executive Committees, the National Council of Elders, Members of Parliament, representatives from special organs of the party, past National Officers, representatives from external branches, founding members, and card-bearing Ministers of the NPP while in government.
The NPP initiated the nominations process on Friday, May 26, 2023, which will conclude on Saturday, June 24, 2023. Aspirants who collected the forms are obliged to pay a non-refundable nomination fee of GH¢50,000.00.
The completed nomination documents must be filed by Saturday, June 24, 2023, accompanied by a filing fee of GH¢300,000.00.
As of today, Tuesday, June 21, 2023, six candidates, including Boakye Agyarko (former Minister for Energy), Francis Addai Nimoh (former Member of Parliament for Mampong Constituency), Kwabena Agyei Agyapong (former General Secretary of the NPP), Dr. Konadu Apraku (economist and former Minister for Regional Cooperation), Dr. Akoto Afriyie (former Minister for Food and Agriculture), Kennedy Agyapong (Member of Parliament for Assin Central constituency), have submitted their nomination forms to participate in the presidential primaries.
The remaining contenders who have also collected their forms are Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Mr. Kojo Poku (energy expert), Alan Kyerematen (former Minister of Trade and Industry), and Joe Ghartey (former Minister for Railways Development and Member of Parliament for Essikado-Ketan constituency in the Western Region).
A flagbearer hopeful of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kennedy Agyapong, has said that one of the easiest things he will do is to sack people who do anything that goes against the country, no matter how close they are to him in power.
He explained that, in the instance he becomes the president of Ghana, even if his chief of staff misbehaves, he would not hesitate to have him sacked.
Speaking at the NPP Headquarters in Accra after he had filed his nomination forms, the flagbearer hopeful, who is also the Member of Parliament for Assin Central, stressed that it is the only way to imbibe discipline in the populace.
“I believe in accountability, I’m sorry. If God gives me the nod, he’ll be a chief of staff, but one strike, he’s out. Ghana first, he comes second. If he does anything against this country, I’ll fire him. That is the only way we can move this country.
“So, can you imagine if I’ve fired my chief of staff, the rest will sit up because even the chief of staff fired, then what about me the director, what about me the manager? It trickles down, and we’ll become disciplined. Discipline is key to the success of this country,” he said.
Kennedy Agyapong is among a number leading New Patriotic Party (NPP) members who have so far submitted their forms to lead the party as its presidential candidate for the 2024 general elections.
In his bid to become the flagbearer of theNew Patriotic Party (NPP) and potentially the President of Ghana, Kennedy Agyapong has pledged to adopt a zero-tolerance approach towards corruption and any activities related to corruption.
That, he said, would ensure accountability from public office holders and deliver the desired development for Ghanaians.
“I believe in accountability. If God gives me the nod, he (pointing at his Campaign Manager) will be the Chief of Staff. Listen to me very carefully, one strike and he is out. Ghana first, he comes second,” he said.
“If he does anything against this country, I will fire him. That is the only way we can move this country forward. So, can you imagine if I have fired my Chief of Staff. The rest would sit up because even if the Chief of Staff has been fired, what about me the director, what about me the manager? It trickles down and we become discipline.”
Mr Agyapong made the remarks after filing his nomination forms to contest the flagbearership of the NPP, inAccra.
The MP also mentioned creation of job opportunities for the teeming youth if elected as flagbearer of the Party and ultimately, the president as his priority.
He said Ghana had abundant natural resource such as arable land which supported agriculture.
“I have visited about 180 constituencies and have come to realise that we as politicians have done a disservice to the nation. With the arable lands, seas, rivers that God has given to us, we are endowed with so many minerals, a lot of opportunities in this country. But, everywhere you go, especially Volta Region, the resources are untapped. And I want Ghanaians to give the opportunity and challenge me that, I will make sure I turn the fortune of this country around, he said.
“I don’t believe in theory. I am a pragmatic person, I believe in practical things. What I saw in Volta Region, what I saw in Afram Plains area and Northern Region, believe me that we can change this country.”
Mr Agyapong stressed that Ghana’s inflation and interest rate woes where attributable to the country’s inability to produce and export more to earn .
He said, going forward, Ghana must pursue rigorous agro-processing policies to add more value to its raw materials to boost its foreign exchange earning.
“I don’t believe in theory. Your inflation will be stable only when you have been able to stabilize prices, interest rate will be stable only when we stabilize our prices here and especially when our export exceeds import and we have excess of the foreign currency, that is when we can stabilize this country.
“It is not only book. Let’s get down to work,” he added.
He called for a change in the mindset of Ghanaians which made them feel inferior to citizens of other countries, stressing that, the time had come for them to be patriotic and put the country first.
He also urged delegates and Ghanaians at large, to “have faith in me that there is a new dawn that is going to change this country.”
The NPP opened nomination for its presidential primary May 26, 2023.
The one-month long exercise is expected to close on Saturday, June 24, 2023.
The Party has scheduled August 26 for its Special Elections as well as November 4, for the National Conference to elect a flagbearer for the 2024 general election.
Supporters of Ken Agyapong have thronged the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) headquarters in Asylum Down as he files his nomination forms today, Wednesday June 21, 2023.
The crowd joined the outspoken MP to proudly display placards bearing the inscription “Ken Ohene Agyapong for President 2024,” while jubilantly singing and dancing.
Radiating confidence, Kennedy Agyapong donned a striking white ensemble and graciously acknowledged the enthusiastic crowd by waving in their direction.
So far the flagbearers of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) who have filed their nomination forms include; Former General Secretary of NPP,Kwabena Agyapong, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, former Trades Minister Alan Kyerematen, former Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko, Dr. Konadu Apraku, and former Agric Minister Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto.
The NPP will elect a flagbearer ahead of the 2024 elections on November 4, 2023.
However, because more than five candidates have filed to run in the primaries, the party will call a Special Congress on August 26.
A flag bearer hopeful of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku, asserts that his training, experience, and expertise in finance, economics, management, and policy decision-making make him the ideal candidate to lead the NPP to success in the 2024 general election.
He said the tremendous experience he gained when he served with the United Nations (UN) mission to Croatia after it broke out of the then Yugoslavia, as staff in charge of Macroeconomics in rebuilding that country and also in South Africa when that country emerged from the apartheid system and was preparing to hold its first election, made him the best to lead thepartyin 2024.
He further stated that his practical experience in Parliament when the NPP was in opposition and government, on issues of finance and economics, as well as being the ranking member on the Finance Committee of Parliament and later as the Minister of Trade and Industry, also made him the best person to lead the party.
“I believe I am the best person to lead the NPP in 2024 to victory, based on the training and experience I have acquired over the years,” the NPP flag bearer hopeful stated.
Filing of nomination
Dr Apraku, who was also a member of the second, third and fourth Parliament of the Fourth Republic for the Offinso North Constituency in the Ashanti Region, said this in an interview with the Daily Graphic after successfully filing his nomination forms last Monday (June 19) to contest the NPP flagbearership.
The flag bearer hopeful, who was at the party’s headquarters at Asylum Down in Accra last Monday to submit his nomination, was asked by the party’s elections committee to complete his documents, and did so and re-submitted it later in the afternoon to the committee.
However, members of the team revealed that certain documents such as his CV and personal contributions to the party were not included in the nomination document submitted.
Dr Apraku, who holds a Doctoral Degree in Economics and Finance, said he was in the race to lead the party to victory in the 2024 general election and believed the delegates of the party would give him the nod to lead the party based on his experience and service to the party, both in opposition and in government.
Dr Apraku becomes the fifth presidential aspirant to file his forms as of Monday, June 19, 2023, since the party opened nominations for the presidential primary on May 26, which is expected to end on June 24, 2023.
A candidate in the New Patriotic Party‘s (NPP) presidential primary race, Eric Sekyi Nketia, has dropped out of the contest due to what he claims to be unjust treatment meted out to him.
The senior lecturer at the University of Education, Winneba, in April this year declared his intentions to contest the NPP Presidential Primaries and lead the party into the 2024 election.
Eric Sekyi Nketia says on three different occasions he was not allowed to pick forms at the party headquarters though the party had opened nominations.
He says a petition to the General Secretary and the Chairman of the National Council on the treatment meted out to him has proven futile.
He is therefore withdrawing from the race to allow others to contest.
Vincent Acheampong, who is a self-styled car dealer, currently faces multiple charges at the Suame Divisional Police Command as well as the Ashanti Regional Police Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for his criminal activities.
The suspect, who has multiple cases lodged against him by his victims in various parts of the country, was arrested at his hideout around Breman UGC, a suburb of Kumasi, after playing several months of hide-and-seek with the security agencies that have been on a manhunt for him.
His modus operandi was taking vehicles from prominent car dealers under the guise of selling them on their behalf and then absconding with no trace of either the money or the vehicles.
In a case in point, he is confirmed to have taken a vehicle belonging to a Tamale-based journalist, traded it, and taken a vehicle belonging to a Kumasi-based businessman with the promise of topping him up. Vincent Acheampong, who is also a former NPP Constituency Executive for Offinso North, went into hiding, and despite several attempts to retrieve the cross-country vehicle in question, they proved futile. When pressure was mounted on him to produce the vehicles, he issued a number of cheques with a face value of GHC190,000. The cheques were dishonoured by the respective banks because the accounts were dormant.
An official complaint was lodged with the Suame Police, who, after several months of trailing, arrested him on Monday, June 19, 2023.
The Deputy Minister for Energy, Andrew Mercer Agyapa, has refuted assertions that the ousted Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson, is being prosecuted because the New Patriotic Party (NPP) wants a majority in parliament.
According to him, the ousted MP committed a crime and the fact that his conviction would affect the numbers at parliament is not a reason for him not to be prosecuted.
Speaking in a TV3 interview shared on Facebook on Monday, June 19, 2023, Agyapa Mercer added that the evidence is clear that Gyakye Quayson committed a crime and he has no doubt that he would be jailed.
“This gentleman who is taking the NDC’s abuse willingly, violated the statutory declaration, saying that he owed no allegiance to any other country.
“And I hear some argument to the effect that the man had tendered his application to the Canadian authorities, really and that is exculpatory. Are we serious?”
The deputy energy minister who is also the Member of Parliament for Sekondi, added, “What kind of joke is this? What kind of joke is this? The law is clear on this… He had another citizenship other than Ghana… he is going to jail.”
The High Court in Accra, on Friday (June 18, 2023), ruled that the ongoing criminal trial of ousted Assin North Member of Parliament, James Gyakye Quayson, will be heard daily starting from Tuesday, June 20, 2023.
This was after the presiding judge, Justice Mary Maame Ekue Yanzuh, turned down an application for the trial to be adjourned till after the by-election.
The Court has since fixed June 20, 21, and 23 for the trial to continue.
Quayson was recently ousted from parliament after the Supreme Court of Ghana ruled that he was ineligible to contest in the 2020 parliamentary election because he failed to renounce his Canadian citizenship in time.
But there is still one case the former MP has to face in court after the Office of the Attorney General accused him of deceiving public officers to acquire state documents.
On February 12, 2022, the State charged James Gyakye Quayson with five counts; deceit of a public officer, forgery of a passport, knowingly making a false statutory declaration, perjury, and false declaration.
In a recently released memoir, renowned Ghanaian actress and movie producer Yvonne Nelson has expressed her regret over a photograph she took with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo during his election victory in 2016.
Yvonne Nelson, known for her outspoken nature, claimed that the president had not lived up to the expectations in terms of general governance and economic management.
The memoir reveals that Yvonne Nelson and her friends visited the then president-elect Akufo-Addo to extend their congratulations shortly after the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and its candidate emerged victorious in the 2016 elections.
According to her, the opposition won the election because, at that time, the nation was grappling with a severe power crisis, known as “dumsor,” which had resulted in significant job losses and adversely impacted small-scale enterprises heavily reliant on electricity.
She spoke about her involvement in the 2015 #DumsorMustStop protest before adding: “A year later, the opposition NPP and its candidate won the 2016 election. The power crisis and its effects were a major sin of the incumbent National Democratic Congress (NDC). Dumsor had resulted in job losses and dealt a deadly blow to the small-scale enterprises that depended on electricity but could not afford alternative sources of power. Even though the NDC administration resolved the crises at a huge cost and through shady procurement deals, the victims of dumsor, corruption, and mismanagement could not forgive the party at the presidential and parliamentary polls.
“The NPP, led by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, won massively in both the presidential and parliamentary elections. Some friends and I went to congratulate the president-elect, Nana Akufo-Addo, with whom we took a photograph. It is a photograph I regret taking.”
She added that Nana Akufo-Addo, who was presented as an incorruptible leader and the antidote to corruption in the public sector and political space, has fallen short of expectations. “He was said to be incorruptible, and Ghanaians thought he was going to be the antidote to mass stealing at the highest level, which is euphemized as corruption. Unfortunately for Ghana and those who trusted in him, he has turned out to be a monumental disappointment whose government’s unbridled borrowing, corruption, and reckless spending plunged the nation into economic dumsor,” she wrote in her book dubbed “I Am Not Yvonne Nelson.”
In her book, Yvonne Nelson, among other disclosures, revealed that she was contacted by a person close to the president to become the parliamentary candidate of the New Patriotic Party for the Ayawso West Wuogon Constituency in the 2020 general elections.
Spokesperson of Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has stressed that unlike others, his boss is vying to be a president to serve Ghanaians and not to amass wealth.
In a June 20, 2022 interview on Citi TV, Dr. Gideon Boako, disclosed that Bawumia entered politics to serve and that is the motivation behind his bid to ascend to the presidency on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
He stressed the political weight of his principal stating that Bawumia was the most influential person in terms of ideas and vision in Ghana’s politics.
“I think Dr. Bawumia has been the most influential person in our politics in terms of ideas and vision. A vision that you can identify with. Politics has moved to politics of ideas, so you need such visionary leaders who have organized themselves well and committed themselves.
“You can see through them that they are not into politics to amass wealth for themselves. But they are into politics to ensure that things work. That has been the Vice President, working to make sure things are done properly. The people see him to be a unifier,” he underscored.
Boako also addressed tribal concerns swirling around the candidature of Bawumia who could potentially become the first Northerner to run on the ticket of the NPP as a presidential candidate.
“The NPP has a candidate who is not an Akan, the advantage it brings to the party is that, while there will not be any motivation for an NPP supporter in the Akan area to say I won’t vote for Bawumia because he’s a Northerner and I’m going to vote for a former President John Dramani Mahama who is also a Northerner.
“You are able to consolidate your gains in your strongholds. Then you leave Dr. Bawumia and Mr. Mahama to fight in the strongholds of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) where they both come from.
“And see whether or not your candidate will have a competitive advantage over the NDC in his own backyard. That is where the strength of Dr. Bawumia comes in. Dr. Bawumia has been able to exert a lot of influence to the advantage of the NPP in the North”.
Bawumia will come up against other contenders like Alan Kyerematen, Kennedy Agyapong, Francis Addai-Nimoh, Kofi Konadu Apraku and others in the race to lead the NPP into the 2024 elections.
Traders at the Sekondi market are bitterly lamenting over the dilapidated state of the market, causing huge financial losses to their businesses as it drives trading activities to Takoradi and other satellite markets.
The over 100-year-old Sekondi Market has seen very little renovation since it was constructed in the late 1920s, when the market was relocated from Sekondi European Town to its current location at Asafo Bongoasie.
The most pressing need of the traders at the Sekondi market is the re-roofing of the market.
At the time of the visit to the market, our Western Regional Correspondent observed that sections of the market sheds had been ripped off, exposing the women in the market to the scorching sun and the rain.
The situation, according to the traders, is rendering their business activities inside the market fruitless, and the hope of getting the problem fixed dwindles by the day since all the pleas to the Sekondi Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) to come to their aid have fallen on deaf ears.
According to ports, the situation has remained like that for some years now but the traders, on their own accord, have been making contributions to rehabilitate sections close to their stores, all to no avail and are now facing the impact since the rains set in.
“I have lost more than seven pieces of cloth belonging to my customers which was given to me to sow for them, but as usual, we closed the shop one day and went home. That night it rained heavily, and when we returned to the market the following day, my shop flooded, destroying so many things in the shop. Why should that happen,” a seamstress in the market lamented.
As if that were not enough, all the ECG meters in the market are equally exposed to the rain, and for that matter, it is not safe to stay in the shop anytime it rains.
“I have not been able to work in the shop for three weeks now since it started raining, look at how my shop has flooded, and I cannot use the equipment I work with as a hairdresser because the electrical wires are in the rain,” she added.
The traders are therefore appealing to the government to come to their aid as a matter of urgency.
Meanwhile, an attempt by the NDC’s Parliamentary Candidate for Sekondi Constituency, Lawyer Blay Armah, to fix the dilapidated roofing of the market has been strongly contested by the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly, arguing that plans are far advanced for the reconstruction of the Sekondi market, so allowing Lawyer Blay Armah to fix the situation would be a no for the assembly.
Corroborating this information, Lawyer Blay Armah told our correspondent that he consulted the Coordinating Director of the Assembly and informed him of his intention to fix the dilapidated roofing of the market for the traders, but he was not permitted to do so.
Adding the decision was born out of a passionate appeal the market women made to him.
“I have seen how the traders are suffering, and the rainy season has worsened the situation. Most of the traders can’t sell whenever it rains, so I went to see the situation and decided to fix the roofing for them. The administrator in the market asked me to speak to the Sekondi sub-metro director, but I rather followed it up with the Coordinating Director since the buck stops with him and then the Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), but the Director told me nicely that I should forget it.”
According to him, the Coordinating Director was emphatic that the assembly has plans to fix the market in the future.
“He said they have sent estimates of the market to the Finance Ministry and that they have plans of redeveloping the market to a modern status, so even if they allow me to fix it, my investment will go to waste. But it is my money, and even if I fix it today and it is taken off tomorrow, I won’t be bothered. The traders are suffering, and the plan they are talking about did not start today. They have been promising to fix it over the years, but nothing has happened there and the traders are suffering. A temporal solution is needed for now,” he added.
The Public Relations Officer of STMA, John Last, also indicated that allowing any investment into the market would later go to waste since the assembly has earmarked the market for demolition and reconstruction right after the famous Takoradi market redevelopment.
“We have a programme dubbed the Sekondi-Takoradi Integrated Market Development, and we have already submitted the concept note and all proposals to the Finance Ministry through the Ministry of Local Government [Decentralization and Rural Development]. So, we already have a program for the market, it has been planned for demolition. The Coordinating Director told them the assembly will not encourage any investment that will later go to waste,” he indicated.
That notwithstanding, Lawyer Blay Armah believes he is being prevented from finding temporary solutions for the market women due to political reasons but until the assembly compromised on their stands and finds a temporary solution to the plight of the traders in the Sekondi market the problem lingers on.
Member of Parliament for the Ashaiman constituency in Greater Accra has condemned the ruling New Patriotic Party for the woes and misfortunes of the people under his jurisdiction.
The MP, Ernest Henry Norgbey explained that the poor road network in Ashaiman is a result of neglect by the ruling NPP government.
The politician added that steps taken to address this misfortune and build decent roads for the Ashaiman constituency have proven futile.
“The roads in Ashaiman are in a very terrible shape and the residents, commuters, motorists, everybody is complaining about the roads of Ashaiman. It’s just unfortunate that the NPP government is paying deaf ears to our plight.
“We have been asking series of questions about our roads and the reason why the government is not attending to them but all these questions we ask are falling on deaf ears,” the MP said during a media engagement.
Ernest Norgbey also lamented the large numbers of residents in Ashaiman and the need for facilities that could satisfy the growing number of the constituency’s population.
He further added that Ashaiman only sees development during the regimes of the NDC and yet, a majority of the residents cast their votes for the NPP.
“Ashaiman is a cosmopolitan community and all kinds of people live there and so the numbers are huge. We need the facilities. The facilities are not coming. It is only when NDC is in power that we see something about our roads.
“This government, even though they had about 41 to 45000 voters in Ashaiman, they still refuse to construct our roads and our roads in a very deplorable shape. Everybody is complaining about the roads in Ashaiman,” he added.
Some angry residents of Ashaiman on Monday, June 12, 2023, in a viral video were seen shouting and hooting at the DCE, Albert Okyere in a protest against the poor nature of their roads.
With countless promises from the government and some started road construction projects in Ashaiman, residents continue to bare bear the frustration that comes with using the dilapidated roads to ply their businesses.
The former Minister for Food and Agriculture and flagbearer hopeful of the New Patriotic Party, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, has made an appeal to the delegates of the party to vote for him to become the flagbearer and represent the party in the 2024 general election.
Addressing the media and supporters who were present as he filed his nominations on June 19, 2023, the former agric minister indicated that the filing of his nomination is a pivotal landmark for the party and for the country if he should win.
“Today marks a landmark in my journey to bear the flag of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and with that, to lead this country into our future prosperity. Let me say here that everybody who has come here including representatives of farmers are here on their own accord. You can’t see any bus, or any big commercial vehicle bringing in people to come and support. The people here have come on their own volution and on their very strong conviction that my candidature for the flagbeareship of this party will be good for the New Patriotic Party and it will be good for the people of Ghana. For this, I am very grateful.
“With the heavy downpour this morning, I thought I will just come with my team but if you look at the teeming crowd which have gathered here including farmers and well-wishers and the huge turnout of the media, it really shows that the people of Ghana are interested in the policies of Owusu Afriyie Akoto,” he said.
Drawing from his track record as the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto noted that he could use the sector as a leverage to develop the country because of its potentials.
He believes Ghanaians have not been able to even scratch the surface of the sector.
“I can assure you, the same way I was able to bring agriculture to the frontline of policy discussions, it will be the same way that agriculture will be used to take us out of the clutches of the IMF. Because the Agric sector in this country has great potentials and we haven’t even scratched the surface of it.
“During the six years of my service in the Akufo-Addo government, we laid the foundations in terms of programmes, legislations, intellectual capacity, and all that, to build an agriculture which will provide the finances both foreign and local to fund our industrial development, our education, health and infrastructure including motorways, farm tracks and all the requirements that we need to make a good country,” he added.
The flagbearer hopeful called on the delegates of the party to consider his candidature and make him the flagbearer in the presidential primaries in August and November 2023 respectively.
“I am therefore assuring you all that having taken this first step today on the road to August 26 for the Super Delegates, I hope I am appealing to the delegates, polling station executives, the electoral area coordinators, the constituency executives, the regional executives, the national executives, the council of elders , the patriots abroad without branches all over the world, I am appealing to you that when the time comes, vote Owusu Afriyie Akoto to make this party great again and also turn things around to ensure that this country becomes possible,” he added.
CEO of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Dr. Bernard Okoe-Boye, has stated that hospitals refusing to accept NHIA cards would soon lose their accreditation.
In his view, it is important for hospitals to provide healthcare to all persons including people with NHIA cards.
According to Dr Okoe-Boye, the refusal of hospitals to accept NHIA cards contradicts the principles upon which the authority was established and undermines the goal of achieving universal healthcare coverage and leaves vulnerable individuals without proper medical assistance.
“Before the end of the year, some hospitals are going to be decredentialed by us, decredentialed means that they are going to lose their credentials. Any hospital that is decredentialed, I would not be surprised would go and bring Chiefs to come and beg because 80 per cent of all hospitals in Ghana, survive with NHIA so when we withdraw the license they cannot operate.
“The IGF of 80 per cent of all hospitals in Ghana, as for government hospitals it is 90 per cent, they survive only because Health Insurance continues to pay them every month,” Dr Okoe-Boye said when speaking to the media on Tuesday, June 20.
Dr. Okoe-Boye also expressed his frustration with the constant negative portrayal of the NHIA and its services.
He believes that such criticism only serves to tarnish the reputation of an institution that has made significant strides in improving healthcare access for all citizens.
The former Deputy Health Minister acknowledged that there is always room for improvement within any organization, including the NHIA, however, he believes that continuous bashing and negative portrayals hinder progress and do not contribute to the betterment of the healthcare system.
He called for a change in the narrative and encouraged stakeholders to engage in constructive dialogue with the NHIA to address any concerns and improve the delivery of healthcare services.
NPP President hopeful, Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku, who was refused audience by the party’s Elections Committee for not completing his nomination forms has managed to successfully submit his forms.
Scrutiny by the elections committee earlier revealed that the forms had not been filled completely.
The acceptance comes barely 10 hours after he was turned away by the committee today
Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku was expected to be the first aspirant to submit his forms but that has not been the case.
He now joins the likes of former Trade Minister Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen and Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia who submitted their forms last week.
Also, former Agric Minister, Dr Afriyie Akoto has also submitted his nomination forms.
Flagbearer hopeful of the New Patriotic Party, Boakye Agyarko, has urged the party to take action against candidates in the flagbearership race who are disregarding the election rules.
Mr Agyarko emphasized the importance of upholding the rules and regulations for a fair and transparent electoral process.
Speaking on the matter, Mr Agyarko stated, “It is important that all [candidates] uphold the rules and regulations, without sounding like a fly in the jar, there have been many provocations, there has been many breaking the rules for which no sanctions have been applied. I have even raised the matter at the national council.
“So long as the rules are clear, so long as there is total fairness, so long as we are all tempered or measured, I believe that we would have a very peaceful contest. But please do not hold yourself aloof from the entire process.”
Responding to Agyarko’s plea, Evans Nimako, the Director of Elections of the NPP, urged him to report any instances of election rule violations by the aspirants to the appropriate committees.
Nimako assured Agyarko that the party would address the concerns once they are brought to their attention.
A flagbearer hopeful of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Boakye Agyarko, has called upon the party to take appropriate measures against candidates in the flagbearership race who are disregarding the election rules.
Mr Agyarko emphasized the importance of upholding the rules and regulations for a fair and transparent electoral process.
Speaking on the matter, Mr Agyarko stated, “It is important that all [candidates] uphold the rules and regulations, without sounding like a fly in the jar, there have been many provocations, there has been many breaking the rules for which no sanctions have been applied. I have even raised the matter at the national council.
“So long as the rules are clear, so long as there is total fairness, so long as we are all tempered or measured, I believe that we would have a very peaceful contest. But please do not hold yourself aloof from the entire process.”
Responding to Agyarko’s plea, Evans Nimako, the Director of Elections of the NPP, urged him to report any instances of election rule violations by the aspirants to the appropriate committees.
Nimako assured Agyarko that the party would address the concerns once they are brought to their attention.
