Aggrieved supporters of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Manso Nkwanta Constituency in the Ashanti region have threatened to defect to the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) if the party fails to address disputes arising from party parliamentary primary.
The party after the primary declared Sammy Adjei as Parliamentary Candidate elect to lead the party in the constituency into election 2024.
However, some aggrieved supporters at a news conference in Pakyi number 2 describe the election of Sammy Adjei as fraudulent.
The aggrieved supporters of the party are therefore calling on the regional executives of the party to address all issues raised from the party’s Parliamentary primary or they join the governing NPP.
Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has been endorsed by a former NPP Member of Parliament for Okaikoi North, Issah Fuseini as the best candidate to lead the New Patriotic Party into victory in the upcoming 2024 general elections.
Former NPP Member of Parliament for Okaikoi North, Issah Fuseini has appealed to the delegates of the ruling New Patriotic Party to elect Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as flagbearer of the party.
Contributing to Peace FM’s ‘kokrokoo’ show, Issah Fuseini touted Dr. Bawumia as the best candidate to lead the NPP into victory in the next general elections.
He noted that the Vice President has proven through his works that he deserves to be President of Ghana.
“Even as Vice President, he has proven himself like this. What about when he becomes a President?”, he told host Nana Yaw Kesseh.
Nominations for the Presidential primary opened on May 26 and is expected to end on June 24, 2023.
umia as flagbearer of the party.
Contributing to Peace FM’s ‘kokrokoo’ show, Issah Fuseini touted Dr. Bawumia as the best candidate to lead the NPP into victory in the next general elections.
He noted that the Vice President has proven through his works that he deserves to be President of Ghana.
“Even as Vice President, he has proven himself like this. What about when he becomes a President?”, he told host Nana Yaw Kesseh.
Nominations for the Presidential primary opened on May 26 and is expected to end on June 24, 2023.
Mr Joe Ghartey, Member of Parliament for Essikadu-Ketan constituency and presidential aspirant of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has picked nomination forms to contest the Party’s presidential primaries.
Mr Ernest Oti Akenteng, New Juaben North Constituency Chairman of the NPP, picked the forms on his behalf at the Party’s headquarters in Asylum Down on Thursday, June 01, 2023.
Mr Evans Nimako, the Director of Elections of the NPP, presented the forms to Mr Akenteng, who subsequently handed it to Mr Ghartey at the Osu Ebenezer Presbyterian Church.
There were several constituency executives and chairpersons of the Party who joined the Delegation to pick the forms for the presidential hopeful.
Mr Ghartey had expressed his intentions to lead the NPP into the 2024 General Election, and was determined to tackle poverty head-on upon becoming the President of the nation.
For him, it is time for Ghanaians to “fight poverty” rather than fight against one another.
Mr Ghartey, an astute lawyer and former Minister of Justice and Attorney-General, was poised to ensure that the Party moved in a new direction, which everyone regardless of his or her economic, social, religious or ethnic background could have equal opportunity.
Mr Ghartey, during his tenure as Minister of Justice and Attorney- General under President John Agyekum Kufuor’s Administration, introduced the ‘Justice For All’ programme, which freed many prisoners across the country.
Mr Ghartey, also a former Minister of Railways Development and Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament is seeking to energise the Party faithful and give young people the opportunity to serve the country should he emerge victorious in the primaries, and subsequently elected President of the Republic.
Addressing some constituency executives of the Party at Osu Ebenezer Presbyterian Church, Mr Ghartey said, he was not seeking to become the Party’s pesidential candidate or President for personal gains, but rather to serve Ghanaians and bring economic prosperity for all.
The Presidential Aspirant recounted how he had stood with the NPP through difficult times dating back to the 1990s, saying; “We have worked tirelessly for this Party.”
The Party, he said, needed an experienced person who could unite the rank and file of the Party, saying; “It’s about time politicians stop fighting against each other”.
“We must unify the country and we must unify the party,” he said.
He underscored the need for politicians to fight for the future of Ghanaian children.
Mr Ghartey is a politician some NPP constituency executives nationwide consider as the best bet to lead the Party to victory in the 2024 General Elections and build a more prosperous nation for all Ghanaians.
Mr Adams Abdul Majid, a Senior Aide to Mr Ghartey, whilst addressing the media, said the youth of the Party were solidly behind the presidential aspirant because he was a grassroots man and a transformational leader.
Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Council of Elders, Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, says the Council is engaging flagbearer aspirants in crucial talks to persuade some to withdraw from race, so the party can have a consensus candidate.
Ten individuals, including the Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, and former Trades Minister, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, have all picked nomination forms to contest for the flagbearership position.
Chairman of the Council of Elders, Hackman Owusu-Agyemang believes the party’s interest will be better served if the aspirants could agree on what he calls a “consensus candidate.”
“We’ve pressed upon them what we call negotiation in political strategy, and if the strategy demands that some people must step down, I think in the interest of the party and its unity, it will not be out of place.”
“Even if after the electoral college, we keep talking as a fraternity, then we should be able to understand ourselves.”
“For my personal view, I think that if we can look at the issue of getting a consensus candidate it will help us tremendously,” he said.
Mr Hackman Owusu Agyemang is one of the people who firmly believes that the NPP’s decision to allow as many as 17 people to contest for the flagbearership position ahead of the 2008 elections, was the reason the party lost that presidential election.
The party elder called that single decision a “major mistake.”
In a media interview in August 2021, he said ““[It was] in the year 2008 where we had 17 of our people in competition to be president. If at the time we had the understanding that it will not help us and the best thing to do was to have one or two compete for it, we would not have lost that election. That did not help us break that 8-year cycle that was beginning to establish itself. That was a major mistake.”
Meanwhile, the NPP says two persons have picked forms in a bid to represent the party as its candidate in the Assin North by-election.
The party’s Director of Elections, Evans Nimako made this known.
“Two people have picked up their nomination forms, we have Fredrick Amoah Kyei and Charles Opoku. Nominations have come to an end, the party’s committee chaired by the national first vice chairperson Mr. Danquah Smith will sit with the committee to conduct the vetting.”
“EC itself is tied with time because it must operate within 30 days, same as the party, so you realize from the corresponding issue by the General Secretary, it directed that as much as possible the constituency is ready.”
“The conduct of the exercise will be very swift so on Wednesday 7th of June the party will conduct the primary to select the candidate we’ll sponsor for the by-election,” he said.
National Organiser of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has cast doubt on the possibility of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to secure the Assin North seat by sympathy votes.
Henry Nana Boakye explained that the dynamics in the area is beyond voting for a personality who was ousted from Parliament for engaging in illegality.
Ahead of the Assin North bye-election on June 27, the NDC is confident of winning the seat after its deposed Member of Parliament, James Gyakye Quayson, declared his intention to contest again.
This is a big gamble by the opposition party as its candidate is also facing criminal charges in court. If found guilty, Mr Quayson could face 10 years in prison in hard labour.
But Nana Boakye on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme on Friday said the NDC is engaging in emotional blackmail by retaining Mr Quayson as its candidate.
Unfortunately, he said the people at Assin North are very discerning and will not fall for the antics of the opposition.
He said: “94 percent of the people at Assin North are educated and will not vote because of sympathy. They deserve better.”
The NPP National Organiser said they have done all ground works and will bring on board a competent candidate to contest the election.
He charged voters at Assin North to look beyond theatrics and vote massively for NPP to continue the developments in the area.
In a rebuttal, National Organiser of the NDC, Joseph Yamin, said they have already won the bye-election.
He said the people of Assin North appreciate the good works of Mr Quayson and will vote massively for him.
The NDC National Organiser stated that the roads being contracted in the area are not enough to buy the votes of the people.
Mr Yamin predicted a landslide victory for the NDC at the end of the bye-election.
Chairperson of the Council of Elders of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Hackman Owusu-Agyemang has issued a stern warning to aspirants participating in the party’s upcoming internal elections with regards to behavior.
According to Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, the leadership of the party would not condone any unruly behaviour by supporters of any aspirant.
He noted that aspirants would be held responsible for how their fans behave during the party’s elections.
“We as elders are talking to these aspirants and asking them to rein in their supporters so that we do these elections with utmost decorum and also be void of all acrimony and insults.
“We will hold them responsible for the utterances of their supporters, we will not let them go free. Because to say that, ‘well, I did not say, somebody said’, no, you have to hold them and make sure that you call your supporters to order,” Mr Owusu-Agyemang said on JoyNews on Friday, June 2.
The NPP Council of Elders Chairperson acknowledged that there were controversies bound to arise due to the calibre of individuals vying for positions such as that of the flagbearer.
He maintained that the party’s unity would not be compromised by the upcoming internal elections.
Highlighting the significance of unity within the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr. Owusu-Agyemang emphasized that the Council of Elders is committed to preserving this cohesion.
He reassured party members that no aspirant would receive preferential treatment over others in the upcoming primaries.
Four polling station executives in the Greater Accra Region have been suspended due to misconduct by theMadinaconstituency of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Phillip Nyame is a polling station organiser for S.D.A JHS (B) in the Social Welfare 2 electoral area, Mrs. Mireku-Addo Grace Ansah is a polling station organiser at S.D.A JHS (B) is also in the Social Welfare 2 electoral area.
Others are Mr. Nicholas Amposah, polling station organiser at D.C Primary School in Kweiman electoral area – suspended indefinitely, and Mrs. Mabel Appiah Sarpong, a polling station secretary at No. B3 Redco also suspended for six months.
The Constituency Secretary, Reginald Bosompem, announced this in a letter dated May 30, 2023.
In an interview with Citi News, Kwame Owusu, the campaign manager for Kennedy Agyapong, emphasized that the candidate’s disciplinary approach has garnered significant support from the party’s grassroots.
“We believe in the grassroots. The people are excited about what honourable Ken stands for. Honourable Ken does not stand for indiscipline. Honourable is honest in terms of his dealing with the country. Honourable Ken is patriotic that he will die for Ghana, and he has demonstrated that.
So most of the time if you hear him talking loud or making a case, it is what people will come in and say that he is not conforming. Of course, he is not conforming because he stands for the ordinary people and ordinary people are not conformists,” he said.
Mr Owusu said his disciplinary nature would give him the edge over his contenders, saying “People want somebody who is disciplined because there is too much indiscipline in this country. Indiscipline leads to corruption and once you see a man that you believe is honest, and you are going to work for him, it has to be at the back of your mind that whatever you do you are going to face the whip very squarely.”
Joe Ghartey, a former minister for railroads and development, has filed his nomination form to contest in the New Patriotic Party(NPP) presidential election.
A delegation comprising his campaign team members picked the forms on his behalf on Thursday, June 1, at the party’s headquarters at Asylum Down in Accra.
Speaking to the media, a member of the campaign team, Majeed Adam, said Mr Ghatey is ready for a victory because he has the backing of the grassroots.
He noted that if the former Minister wins the race, Ghanaians are assured of a new direction and leadership that will not only restore their confidence in the country, but also strengthen the economy and change the narrative of Ghana’s politics.
“The leadership of our time will lead to development. It must be seen as transformational rather than transitional. It is not just a matter of the fact that President Akufo-Addo is leaving and somebody must wear his shoes. We need a competent leader to wear his shoes so that Ghana will be better off than what we are seeing today,” Mr Adam noted.
This is not the first time the Essikado-Ketan MP is seeking to lead the NPP.
This brings the number of aspirants in the presidential race of the NPP to 10.
Former Ministers, Alan Kyerematen and Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and a former MP for Mampong, Francis Addai-Nimoh have all picked forms to contest.
Others are former Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko, a former General Secretary of the party, Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, Energy Analyst, Kwadwo Poku, a two time presidential aspirant,Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku and MP, Assin Central Kennedy Agyapong.
In order to protect the ocean’s ability to regenerate,President Akufo-Addohas called on African countries to enhance their domestically defined contributions and adaptation strategies.
This would ensure that the ocean continues to deliver substantial economic, environmental, and social value for the continents’ development.
The President made the call when he opened the National Blue Economy Summit (NBES) in Accra on Wednesday.
The summit is on the theme “Our Ocean’s Health, Our Prosperity, Our Planet’s Security.” It brought together blue economy experts to brainstorm and drive policy on the marine ecosystem.
The objective of the two-day summit is to reverse marine pollution and enhance the management and restoration of the marine and coastal ecosystem of the nation.
It also aims to mobilise transformative ocean action to achieve the United Nations(UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Blue economy refers to the sustainable use of coastal and marine resources for economic growth and improved livelihoods and jobs.
President Akufo-Addo explained that the health of the planet and the health of the peoples of the world are linked to the health of oceans, which are now under pressure from unsustainable fishing practices, pollution, marine debris, habitat loss, ocean acidification and climate change.
He told the gathering that the ocean, the lifeblood of the planet, generated half of the world’s oxygen supply, drove the global economy through transport trade, and provided food and sustenance, mineral resources, energy, employment, and livelihoods, as well as cultural recreation value for billions of people around the world.
“The consequences of neglecting the ocean are dire not just for the millions of people who depend on it for their livelihoods, but also for the health of our planet.
“There is therefore the need to preserve and protect the ocean and all its resources…We need to take decisive actions now to safeguard the ocean’s capacity to regenerate and continue to deliver substantial economic, environmental and social value for our development.”
President Akufo-Addo noted that in Ghana’s instance, its coastal exclusive economic zone stretches 218,00 square kilometres, and is home to over 7.5 million people.
Sadly, Ghana’s coastal and marine resources face significant threats in the form of biodiversity loss, pollution, ocean dumping, overfishing, illegal and unreported and unregulated fishing, piracy, and trafficking.
Those threats, the President said, “are avoidable” and the inability to deal with them held consequences for the livelihoods of many people, affecting food security prospects, critical infrastructure, important ecosystems and the security and stability of the entire African region.
“Like many other coastal African countries, the blue economy provides us with food, employment, and income. For instance, some 10 per cent of Ghana’s workforce is employed in the fishing sector which also accounts for 4.5 per cent of the country’s GDP.
“Additionally, 70 per cent of Ghana’s trade is carried by sea through the ports of Tema and Takoradi. We are well positioned to benefit from the ocean resources if sustainably managed,” he said.
The President thus proposed a five-point agenda for urgent action at the country and continental levels to protect the ocean, the planet, and the wellbeing of all.
He said the continent must prioritise sustainable management of its oceans by establishing and enforcing robust regulations to prevent overfishing and promote responsible fishing practices.
“We must collaborate closely with our international partners as well to establish marine protected areas, safeguarding critical habitats and promoting biodiversity conservation.”
Secondly, the President suggested that Africa deepens strategic partnerships and build a progressive coalition led by the private sector, academia, civil society organisations and community leaders, for enhanced ocean health and the accelerated development of communities.
He said the Continent must be deliberate in ensuring greater and smarter investments into ocean action.
President Akufo-Addo also urged investment in research and technological advancements and innovation to navigate the challenges to the blue economy to pave the way for a brighter future.
He also called for international cooperation, the sharing of data and research findings and collaboration on joint projects.
“We must recognize the interconnectivity of our global community and the need for international collaboration. The challenges facing the ocean transcend borders and no single nation can tackle them alone…We can leverage the collective wisdom and expertise of nations worldwide.
“Together, we can drive innovation, develop sustainable solutions, and address the pressing issues that threaten the ocean. The ocean is the life source of our planet, a healthy ocean, human wellbeing, and sustainable ocean management are inseparably interconnected,” he stressed.
He urged participants at the summit to, as a matter of urgency, propose policies that would help Ghana and the rest of the African continent protect its oceans and marine life.
President Akufo-Addo’s administration is allegedly the worst in Ghana’s history, according to veteran media personality, Kwasi Kyei Darkwah, often known as KKD.
According to him, Ghana is at the worst place ever under Akufo-Addo since its independence because all the economic indicators under his watch are at unprecedented levels.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday, May 30, 2023, KKD added that the current government is also the worst when it comes to nepotism, favouritism and corruption.
“Right now, our hope is in the IMF, I don’t know which ‘38-year-old boy’ is going to tell us what to do… my point is who leaves his house at Ridge and goes to somebody’s house at Kaneshie to say ‘Charlie things are not going well in my home, come and manage my home for me for the next 3 to 5 years’.
“Who does that and still says we are brilliant? And even worse you get Gabby writing things like ‘the alternative is scary’. Dude, you are the worst… this is not about NPP, NDC, CPP, or whatever. This is the worst government we have ever had in this country. The worst ever! Look at all the metrics,” he said.
The veteran journalist explained that the Akufo-Addo government is the worst because of corruption, bad decisions, nepotism and poor policies.
Pollster, Ben Ephson has stated that the upcoming by-election at Assin North Constituency will be an interesting contest for both the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Congress (NPP).
Speaking on Starr Today with Joshua Kodjo Mensah Tuesday, Ephson stated that Assin North is a swing seat and no political party will easily win the by-election.
“Assin North is kind of a swing place so it is not going to be a safe place for anybody. That is going to be interesting.
“It is up to the two political parties to get people out to vote and definitely a by-election will not have the same energy as the general election. But this will be a higher turnout than Kumawu”, Ben Ephson stated.
Meanwhile, the Clerk to Parliament, Cyril Kwabena Oteng Nsiah has written to the Electoral Commission (EC) of the occurrence of a vacancy in the Assin North Constituency.
“I, Cyril Kwabena Oteng Nsiah, Clerk to Parliament do hereby formally notify you of the occurrence of a vacancy in the Assin North Constituency necessitated by the Judgement of the Supreme Court dated 17th May, 2023,” he wrote in a letter to the Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC).
However, the NDC is expected to present James Gyakye Quayson for the by-election when the Electoral Commission opens nominations for the contest.
The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has set Wednesday, May 31, 2023 as date for the opening of nomination for the upcoming Assin North by-election.
The decision was taken at its Steering Committee (SC) meeting held on Tuesday, May 30, 2023 where the timelines for holding parliamentary primary was announced.
Nominations are to close on Thursday June 1, 2023 while the election has been slated for Wednesday June 7, 2023.
A statement signed by the General Secretary, Justin Frimpong Kodua said “The Party has also approved detailed Rules and Regulations to govern the conduct of the parliamentary primary election which would be made available to stakeholders. However, Nomination Forms will be available at the Constituency Party Office for purchase.”
Former Trade and Industry Minister, Alan K Kyerematen, has officially joined the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) presidential race.
This is after some market woman, in support of Mr Kyerematen’s candidacy, picked nomination forms on his behalf at the party’s headquarters on Wednesday, May 31, 2023.
The move by the market women comes after a number of candidates who have declared their interest to contest in the upcoming NPP Presidential Primaries picked their forms.
The NPP’s presidential primaries has been scheduled for November 4, 2023. So far 11 aspirants have declared their intention to contest for the position. Out of the 11, 8 (including Mr Kyerematen) have picked their forms.
They are: Former General Secretary of the NPP, Kwabena Agyepong; a former Energy Minister, Mr Boakye Agyarko; a former Member of Parliament for Mampong, Mr Francis Addai-Nimo; an Economist cum corporate executive, Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku; Former Agric Minister, Dr Afriyie Akoto; Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia; Renowned energy expert Kwadwo Nsafoah Poku and the former Trade and Industry Minister, Alan K. Kyerematen.
In order to enhance healthcare service, Ussif Mustapha, a member of parliament for the Yagaba Kubori seat and minister for youth and sports, has donated an ambulance to the Yizesi health center in the Mamprugu Moadiri district.
The ambulance, donated on 28 May, is the second to be presented to the facility after vice president Mahamudu Bawumia donated the first ambulance in 2016. It developed a fault in 2017 but has since not been repaired.
The minister said three communities – Kubori, Laogri and Kunkua – will also receive an ambulance each. This is his own initiative. He urged residents to ensure that the ambulance serves its intended purpose.
With the new ambulance, residents do not have to travel over 60km on motorbikes and tricycles for referral services.
Residents were happy to receive the ambulance following many appeals to the district assembly. A senior youth leader, Abdulai Yussifu Danso, expressed joy saying two of his relatives had suffered health complications due to the absence of an ambulance in the facility.
He said, “I am very happy that we now have an ambulance… My sister, Arasi, was in labour with twins. When we sent her to the Yizesi health centre only one baby survived.
“The nurses did their best but after several hours, the second labour was not setting in. The nurses asked us to call an ambulance. By the time it arrived, my sister had had a stillbirth.”
The district health director, Bukari Adam, who received the ambulance said the district had been struggling with referral of labour cases but that will now be a thing of the past.
He said, “I feel great for receiving this ambulance because it is huge relief to healthcare delivery here. Most of our referrals come late in the night around 1am to 3am. When we call for nearby ambulance services, they don’t want to attend to us sometimes. So, most of the time, we struggle to refer cases, especially labour cases in the night.”
James Gyakye Quayson will once again represent the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the incomingAssin North by-election.
In a statement, Deputy Communications Officer Godwin Ako Gunn said Mr Quayson has been a victim of a hunged Parliament, with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) doing everything possible to reduce the numbers of the NDC in Parliament.
He said “The only reason the NPP is so desperate to get a majority in Parliament is to pass the AGYAPA DEAL, the last promise left for the President’s family to own the natural resources of Ghana for a minimum of 25 years. I entreat all lovers of our democracy to support Hon. Quayson and the NDC, both in cash and in kind, to regain that seat. This support must be channelled through the proper party structure to ensure efficient deployment.
“With the Kumawu bye-election experience, we know the IMF cash will be up for spending in the Assin North Constituency. That is why all well-meaning Ghanaians must stand up to be counted in this campaign. Nana Addo has turned this nation upside down. It will take you and I to redirect the course of this nation. There can’t be any better time than this. This is a rescue mission. We must do this together – light a candle, and keep your hopes alive – because there are better days ahead.”
Parliament has informed theElectoral Commission (EC) of a vacancy in the Assin North Constituency.
A letter written to the Commission by the Clerk on Tuesday, May 30 said “In the exercise of the power conferred and the duty imposed on the Clerk to Parliament by Section 3 of the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana (Amendment) Act 1996 (Act 527), I Cyril Kwabena Oteng Nsiah, Clerk to Parliament do hereby formally notify you of the occurrence of a vacancy in the Assin North Constituticny necessitated by the Judgement of the Supreme Court dated 17th May 2023 vide Writ No. J1/11/2022 issued in respect of James Gyakye Quayson in the case of Micaheal Ankomah Nimfah vrs James Gyakye Quayson, the Electoral Commission of Ghana and the Attorney General request you to take appropriate consequential actions as required by law.”
The Supreme Court ordered Parliament to remove the name of Assin North Member of Parliament, James Gyakye Quayson, from the records of the Legislature.
The apex court on Wednesday, May 17 unanimously ruled that the name of Gyakye Quayson, should be expunged from the records of Parliament. This was after plaintiff Michael Ankomah Nimfah filed an application early this year, seeking among others, a true and proper interpretation of Article 94(2)(a) of the 1992 Constitution.
He sought to invoke the original jurisdiction of the apex court of the land to declare the election of Mr Gyakye Quayson as unconstitutional.
Article 94(2)(a) of the 1992 Constitution states: “A person shall not be qualified to be a member of Parliament if he owes allegiance to a country other than Ghana.”
Former Trade and Industry Minister, Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen will pick his nomination forms for the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP)’s flagbearership contest today, Wednesday, May 31, 2023.
According to sources, a delegation will pick up the forms on his behalf at the party’s headquarters.
The NPP will elect its flagbearer for the 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections in November and so far 11 aspirants have declared their intention to contest for the position.
However, since Friday, May 26 when nominations opened, seven persons have so far picked the nomination forms which cost GHs 50,000.
These include Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, a former Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko, a former General Secretary of the party, Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, a former MP for Mampong, Francis Addai-Nimoh, a former Agriculture Minister, Dr Owusu Afryie Akoto, Energy Analyst, Kwadwo Poku.
Meanwhile, the filing fee has been pegged at GH¢300,000.
As per the directive from the National Communications Authority (NCA), all active and unregistered SIM cards are required to be deactivated today, Wednesday May 31.
The Minister of Communications, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful announced the commencement of the re-registration of all mobile SIM cards on October 1, 2021, and the exercise was expected to have lasted for a period of six months but was extended several times for tangible challenges faced by SIM card users.
Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia had earlier explained that the re-registration exercise was to rid the country’s cyberspace of fraud, monitor and track down persons who use their phones for criminal activities.
The Vice President’s comments were corroborated by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr. George Akuffo-Dampare who said the re-registration exercise by the government had assisted the Service in its operations to clamp down on cybercrime in the country when he appeared before the Public Accounts Committee on January 20, 2023.
Government on February 14, 2023, disclosed that a total of 25,150,522 SIM cards had been successfully registered in Ghana as of February 9, 2023, and also encouraged the public to comply with the registration timelines.
All unregistered SIM cards were set for deletion on April 17, 2023, but the decision was rescinded after several consultations.
But a day before the final deadline, hundreds ofGhanaians rushed to the National Identification Authority’s Headquarters in Accra in a last-minute attempt to secure a Ghana Card which is mandatory for the re-registration exercise to enable them register their SIM cards to avoid deactivation.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) is justifying why embattled former lawmaker for Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson should not be treated differently when former lawmaker for Bawku Central, Adamu Dramani Sakande faced the same fate.
According to the National Organiser of the NPP, Lawyer Henry Nana Boakye, Mr. Quayson had the opportunity to make his case at the High Court through to the Supreme Court, and not for once did he convince any of the judges he was deserving of staying in parliament.
He is at a loss as to why the NDC, whose Attorney General prosecuted Adamu Sakande, is waging an emotional campaign in Assin North because the same courts have applied the law to remove Gyakye Quayson as MP.
Read his full argument below;
In July 2012, Ghanaians woke up to the shocking news that Mr. Adamu Dramani Sakande, NPP MP for Bawku Central, had been convicted and sentenced to jail for two years for falsely declaring under oath he had renounced his UK Citizenship. The NDC celebrated the decision as unprecedented and a triumph of the rule of law
Today, the same NDC, whose Attorney General prosecuted Adamu Sakande, is waging an emotional campaign in Assin North because the same courts have applied the law to remove Gyakye Quayson as MP.
For the record, Mr. Quayson had the opportunity to make his case at the High Court through to the Supreme Court, and not for once did he convince any of the judges he was deserving of staying in parliament. His criminal trial is underway, and he still has every opportunity to defend himself.
The leadership of the NDC, as usual, has failed to take responsibility for their incompetence in undertaking requisite due diligence before the 2020 elections; and rather, has diverted blame to the Court that applied the law in equal measure in 2012 and 2023. In the end, Mr. Quayson would be the only one to personally suffer criminal sanctions despite the NDC’s leadership and its legal team being responsible for the tardy handling of the legal issues.
Our laws, like our justice system, are non-discriminatory and blind to parties or persons. Let the NDC blame their leaders for their indolence and spare residents of Assin North and the emotional blackmail.
RIP Hon. Adamu Dramani Sakande…. BE WISE, Hon Gyakye Quayson
Vice President, Mahamudu Bawumiahas expressed confidence in becoming Ghana’s president.
Addressing a crowd of enthusiastic supporters alongside Volta Regional Minister, Dr. Archibald Letsa, Dr. Bawumia acknowledged and appreciated their unwavering support.
Proclaiming to resounding cheers and applause, he stated, “I want you to know that I appreciate your support, we are going to break the eight. First of all, we are going to have to go and file for the flagbearership, which I am going to do.”
This announcement carries immense significance, signaling a notable development in the internal politics of the NPP as preparations for the upcoming 2024 presidential elections intensify.
On May 30, 2023, Dr. Bawumia’s campaign team, comprising Sammi Awuku, Fred Oware, and Ayisi Boateng, collected his nomination forms from the party’s headquarters, underscoring the significance of his candidacy. Widely regarded as one of the frontrunners in the race, his aspirations have gained considerable momentum.
In recent weeks, Dr. Bawumia has embarked on an extensive nationwide campaign, engaging with party executives, grassroots supporters, and influential figures in various communities.
The Vice President’s campaign has centered around showcasing his impressive track record in implementing key government programs, including the successful One-District-One-Factory initiative and the transformative Planting for Food and Jobs program.
Dr. Bawumia’s determination to secure victory in the flagbearership race is underpinned by his vision to transcend the traditional eight-year limit, symbolizing a renewed era of leadership and progress. With aspirations to assume the highest office in the land, he emphasized the importance of unwavering support from his followers.
The NPP’s upcoming flagbearership race promises to be an intriguing contest that will shape the party’s future trajectory. As Dr. Bawumia’s campaign gains momentum, his economic expertise, advocacy for digitalization, and ability to effectively communicate government policies position him as a formidable contender.
With the nation eagerly observing the dynamics of the race, the NPP’s internal politics take on heightened significance, setting the stage for a transformative and consequential journey towards the 2024 general elections.
Founder of the Alabaster International Ministry,Prophet Kofi Oduro has stated that President Akufo-Addo will forever be remembered as the worst president in Ghana’s 4th Republic.
According to him, Akufo-Addo has only managed to bring untold hardship on ordinary Ghanaians since he came into office on January 7, 2017.
Speaking during a sermon at his church, Rev Oduro added thatAkufo-Addohas lost his way and cannot resolve the current economic challenges in the country.
“I want to tell my president; your expertise cannot fix this. From now until 7th December 2024, Your Excellency, you would go down in history as the worst in the 4th Republic.
“It has been six and half years of pain and agony. Six and half years of bleeding and bloodshed. We need help and that help no human can give… businesses are struggling, people are suffering,” he said.
The pastor added that the only way things would get better is when Akufo-Addo repents and begs God for forgiveness.
“Returned back with a pure heart, repentant heart and he will have mercy on all of us. When the righteous rule there is peace. Return back to God, he will restore your fortunes,” he said.
Watch Rev Oduro’s remarks in the video below:
Prophet Dr. Kofi Oduro, Senior Pastor of The Alabaster International Ministry has this message for president Akufo-Addo and his failed government.
Watch! pic.twitter.com/oj6My0X6cO
— General Marcus! (@marcusadampah) May 29, 2023
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Presidential candidate hopeful for the NPP, Kojo Poku on Tuesday, May 30 picked his nomination forms from the party’s headquarters.
In an interview with the press during the nomination pickup, Kojo Poku said that this is the beginning of a new day and it’s a good day for the KMP family in all 16 regions of the country.
Flanked by a number of supporters, the NPP flagbearer hopeful added that he will storm the party headquarters in the next two weeks with all his supporters to endorse and submit his form in a grand style.
“We have finally picked the form as you all can see. It is the beginning of a new day. Picking the form is one step, actually having the good people of KMP in all 16 regions endorse this form is the second step and in good time in the next two weeks, we will bring all our supporters to do a bit of funfair in submitting the form,” the aspirant said.
The New Patriotic Party opened nominations for presidential candidates on Friday, May 26, 2023.
As part of the nomination process, the party said prospective candidates will be expected to pay a non-refundable fee of GHS 50,000.00.
The NPP’s nomination fee requirement aims to ensure that only serious and committed candidates participate in the flagbearer elections.
Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has officially entered the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential race, as members of his camp on Tuesday picked up a nomination form for him.
This comes after national executives of the party rejected an earlier attempt by members of the ‘Bawumia Fun Club’ to pick the form for him, accompanied by a cheque for the mandated GHS 50,000.
The group had on Friday, May 26, attempted to pick the presidential nomination forms for Dr. Bawumia to contest the presidential candidacy of the ruling party, however, the party said it had no authorisation from the campaign team of the vice president to receive the endorsement.
Speaking to JoyNews after picking up the form on Tuesday, however, former Chief Executive Officer of the Bui Power Authority, Fred Oware who was accompanied by the Director-General of the National Lottery Authority, Sammi Awuku, said they were authorised to do so.
Explaining why the team was not flanked by party supporters, Mr. Oware said it “was a private assignment.”
Backing this stance, Mr. Sammi Awuku added that, Dr Bawumia will be ready to communicate with the media after filing the form.
On May 3, 2023, the Vice President declared his intention to lead the NPP in the 2024 general election.
The Vice-President told the Majority Caucus in Parliament last Tuesday of his intention to contest the presidential primary slated for November 4, this year.
This disclosure to the Majority Caucus in Parliament was reiterated at an informal meeting with NPP supporters in Hohoe over the weekend.
“I want you to know that I appreciate your support. We are going to break the 8. First of all, we are going to file for the flagbearership which I’m going to do, win the flagbearership, break the 8, and go to Jubilee House. That is what I’m going to do,” Dr. Bawumia noted.
The Vice-President is in the race with former Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen; former Food and Agriculture Minister, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto; Assin Central Member of Parliament (MP), Kennedy Agyapong, and a former MP for Mampong in the Ashanti Region, Francis Addai Nimoh.
The rest are a former Minister of Justice and Attorney General and MP for Essikado-Ketan, Joe Ghartey; a former General Secretary of the NPP, Kwabena Agyepong; Former Trade Minister Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku and former Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko.
The party is expected to elect one of the nine as its presidential candidate for the 2024 election.
Already, six people have picked up forms to contest in the flagbearership race.
Nomination for the presidential primary began on May 26 and is expected to end on June 24, 2023.
The party’s parliamentary primaries are scheduled for February next year.
The oppositionNational Democratic Congress(NDC) has been cautioned to prepare for a similar defeat in the general elections of 2024 as it reels from its recent setback in the parliamentary by-election held at Kumawu in the Ashanti region.
The Metropolitan Chief Executive, Yohane Amarh Ashitey, has promised that the 2024 routing of the NDC by the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) will be like the whipping of a school child.
“In the lead-up to the by-election in Kumawu, everybody said it would be a verdict on the performance of the NPP government ofPresident Akufo-Addoand as we now know, that verdict was another resounding rejection of the NDC.
“The NDC, therefore, should be preparing their minds for another whipping in 2024 – that one will be like a schoolmaster whipping a school child,” Hon. Yohane Amarh Ashitey told journalists.
He fired the taunt on the sidelines of a general meeting of the Tema East NPP delegates and party members at the Olams School in Tema Community One.
According to the MCE, “Kumawu is the writing on the wall for the NDC.”
The meeting had been held to deliberate on internal party issues but had seen the Tema MCE take almost all the shine from the event which was also attended by bigwigs including the Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the party, Divine Agorhom.
Others in attendance were the Tema East NPP Constituency Chairman, Nene Ofoe Teyechu Agbadiagba IV, Hon. Daniel Nii Kwartei Titus-Glover, former deputy Minister of Transport and MP for Tema East, Mr. Stephen Aboagye, 2nd Vice Chairman, Solomon Sackitey, a senior officer at GPHA and Tema East NPP Secretary, Hon. Dennis Amanor Tetteh, Tema East sub-metro chairman, Gilbert Nii Kwartei Titus-Glover, constituency youth organizer and Albert Kraku, constituency communications officer. Hon. Albert Okyere, Ashaiman MCE, used the occasion to preach unity.
First, Yohane Amarh Ashitey had been mobbed by the delegates upon his arrival at the meeting and showered with cat-calls proclaiming him as the NPP’s incoming Parliamentary candidate for Tema East.
The meeting had been used by Divine Agorhom to announce that when the party opens nominations, way will be created for anybody interested in contesting for any of the three seats in Tema to contest.
To this, the delegates around started chanting the name of the MCE amidst war songs and avowals that only Hon. Yohane Amarh Ashitey will be allowed to contest unopposed for the Tema East NPP ticket which is currently vacant after former hardworking MP, Titus Glover, lost the election to the NDC’s Isaac Ashai Odamtten in 2020 as a result of betrayal on the part of some NPP Gurus.
The Tema MCE holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical/Electronic Engineering from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and Master’s degree in Mobile Communications from Beckton University of East London.
He is also a former lecturer at the All Nations University College in Koforidua where he taught Transmission Lines and Wave Guide, Antenna and Wave Propagation, Microwave and Optical Communications.
A university Foundation Lecturer in Engineering Science and Engineering Mathematics, his credentials were touted by his fans.
Meanwhile, Hon. Yohane Amarh Ashitey explained why the NPP will soundly beat the NDC in the 2024 elections.
“It is a simple matter of records, Free SHS, we have built more schools, more roads, more factories, more interchanges and better managed the economy, the challenges of COVID notwithstanding, We have also shown more policy competence than the NDC, so the whipping of the NDC by the NPP like a school child in 2024 is a sure banker.” Yohane Amarh Ashitey.
Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia has expressed his strongest intention yet to enter the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearership contest scheduled for August this year.
Addressing a group of his supporters in the Volta Region, Bawumia emphasized the NPP’s determination to “break the eight,” indicating the party’s ambition to achieve a historic third consecutive term in power following President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s two terms (eight years), which will conclude in 2025.
“I want you to know that I appreciate your support, we are going to break the eight. First of all, we are going to have to go and file for the flagbearership which I am going to do,” he declared to huge cheers and applause.
Standing in front of an office labelled ‘Supporters of DMB Hohoe” and flanked by the Volta Regional Minister Dr. Archibald Letsa, Bawumia stressed:
“Winning the flagbearership, break the eight and go into Jubilee House, I need your support, thank you very much.”
Among the 10 aspirants who have publicly declared their interest in succeeding Akufo-Addo as the leader of the NPP, only about half of them have obtained nomination forms for the contest, initially scheduled for later this year.
If more than five individuals file to contest, a preliminary round will be conducted, narrowing down the field to five candidates for the main round of voting.
The other nine known aspirants include:
John Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen – Former Trade and Industry Minister
Kennedy Ohene Agyapong – Member of Parliament for Assin Central
Dr. Owusu Afriyie-Akoto – Former Minister for Food and Agriculture
Boakye Agyarko – Former Minister of Energy
Joe Ghartey – Former Minister for Railway Development
Kwabena Agyei Agyapong – Former General Secretary of the NPP
Francis Addai Nimoh – Former Member of Parliament for Mampong
Eric Sakyi Nketiah – Senior Lecturer at the University of Education, Winneba (UEW)
Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku – Former Member of Parliament for Offinso North constituency and Minister for Regional Cooperation and NEPAD.
Former Presidential Staffer,Stan Xoese Dogbe has provided evidence confirming the video’s claims, in contrast to a press release disputing the viral video’s claims that an ambulance owned by the government is being auctioned in Dubai.
The National Ambulance Service, in a release dated May 29, 2023, attempted to set the record straight regarding the viral video showing a government of Ghana-branded Toyota Hiace ambulance supposedly being sold in Dubai.
According to the service, “The ambulance in question is one of the 26 Toyota Hiace Ambulances being procured by the Government, through the Ministry of Health and funded by the World Bank.
“The said ambulance is located on the premises of the Company, which is manufacturing the ambulances. “It is therefore untrue that the ambulance is there for sale,” the service added. The service explained that the ambulances are awaiting shipment to Ghana after the completion of the manufacturing process.
However, in a Facebook post, Stan Dogbe shared a screenshot of a May 23, 2023, post by the manufacturing company SK Motors FZCO on Facebook, where the company was advertising the same ambulance for sale.
“SK Motors FZCO, the Dubai-based car dealer, whom the National Ambulance Serviceof the Republic of Ghana claimed in a statement on Monday to be the manufacturers of a set of ambulances being procured, had earlier on May 23, 2023, put up for sale on its Facebook page what it described as New Toyota Hiace GL 2024 Ambulances.
“The ambulance in the accompanying photo for the advert was none other than what appeared in an amateur video with the Republic of Ghana National Ambulance Service logo and details on them,” Stan Dogbe wrote.
He revealed that the company has since deleted the post following the statement released by the National Ambulance Service. He also pointed out that the company in question is a car dealership and not a manufacturer, as claimed by the service. “In an earlier PR statement regarding the viral video, the Service claimed that the ambulance is part of a fleet that has been procured and is due to be shipped to Ghana.
The Service also claimed that SK Motors FZCO is the manufacturer of the Toyota ambulance, a fact that I have challenged the Service to provide proof of. “SK Motors has this evening deleted the earlier Facebook advert of the GoG advert, but folks had saved the post before they were prompted to delete,” he said.
The former presidential staffer highlighted the contradictions in the statement and criticized the government’s attempts to dismiss the video as propaganda.
“Does the National Ambulance Service have more information to provide? “Government officials had earlier sought to deny the video, claiming it was just another propaganda against the government, before the Service embarrassed them with its faulty and deceptive PR goof,” Stan Dogbe added.
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.”
The National Chairman of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) Stephen Ayesu Ntim has expressed heartfelt appreciation to the chiefs and people of Kumawu in the Ashanti Region for their massive support for the party during the recently held by-election.
The electorate in Kumawu on Tuesday, May 23, 2023 voted massively for the NPP Parliamentary candidate, Ernest Yaw Anim who garnered 15, 264 votes, as against his closest contender the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Akwasi Amankwah who had 3,723 votes.
He was elected as the new Member of Parliament for the area to replace the late MP, Philip Basoah who died in March 2023.
Speaking when he paid a courtesy call on the Paramount Chief of Kumawu, Barima Sarfo Tweneboah Kodua, Chairman Ntim assured the chief and people that the party will continue to bring the needed development to the area beyond the by-election.
He also used the opportunity to introduce the new MP elect of Kumawu to the gathering.
Present with him was the MP elect, Ernest Anim, the Kumawu Constituency Chairman, Nana Agyemang Prempeh, the executives and other national officers.
Chairman Ntim presented drinks and other items to the Chief and elders as show of appreciation for the gesture.
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.
In a televised speech to the country on May 28, 2023, President Akufo-Addo complimented vice president, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia for serving as his deputy.
The President acknowledged the instrumental role played by officials of his government in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic but singled out the Vice President for his unwavering support during challenging moments.
“I am indebted to the Ministers of State, officials of the Presidency, led by the Chief of Staff, the Parliament and the Judiciary, and all the members of the brilliant COVID-19 Taskforce. I must make special mention of the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, who was my reliable source of support in the darkest and most trying moments,” President Akufo-Addo stated.
President Akufo-Addo also expressed appreciation to various individuals, groups, government institutions, organizations, and organized labour for their contributions to Ghana’s battle against the pandemic.
During the address, the President officially declared the COVID-19 pandemic as over in Ghana. He shared the following statistics: “In general, since the first case was confirmed in our country on March 12, 2020, there have been one hundred and seventy-one thousand, seven hundred and fifty-eight (171,758) positive cases from two million, five hundred and thirty-eight thousand, one hundred and ninety-eight (2,538,198) tests.”
President Akufo-Addo also mentioned the progress of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign, with twenty-five million, one hundred and seventy thousand, three hundred and eighty-two (25,170,382) vaccine doses administered. He added that ten million, five hundred and thirty-six thousand, four hundred and twenty (10,536,420) individuals have been fully vaccinated, representing 52.7% of the twenty million (20 million) people targeted. Additionally, four million, five hundred and ninety-nine thousand, eight hundred and eighty-three (4,599,883) individuals have received booster doses.
Based on these facts, the COVID-19 Taskforce chaired by President Akufo-Addo met on May 17 and made far-reaching decisions regarding the management of the pandemic. The President announced that all outstanding COVID-induced restrictions at airports and entry points have been lifted, returning to the pre-COVID situation in terms of health entry requirements.
President Akufo-Addo also highlighted the recently secured $3 billionInternational Monetary Fund (IMF) economy support facility, which he believes will aid in the restoration of Ghana’s economy from the impact of the pandemic.
President Akufo-Addo was however quick to mention that the IMF money will not spell immediate end to the nation’s economic woes.
Read the President’s full address below:
Address By The President Of The Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, On Updates To Ghana’s Enhanced Response To The Coronavirus Pandemic, On Sunday, 28th May 2023
Fellow Ghanaians, good evening.
It has been some time since I last came into your homes, so I want to thank you for having me again tonight. I have come because of two important events that both occurred last week on 17th May. The first is an update on the COVID-19 pandemic; the second is the recent agreement we have reached with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Some three weeks ago, on 5th May, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that COVID was no longer a public health emergency of global concern.
It had taken three years, five months and twenty days of unbelievable tumult, unrelenting pain and suffering and emotional turbulence of a world turned upside down, but we have at last heard the words for which we had all been praying. The scientists and health experts tell us that we no longer have a public health emergency of international concern.
They tell us also that there is evidence of reducing risks to human health from COVID-19 infections. This has led to the decreasing trend of COVID-19-related deaths, hospitalizations and intensive care admissions. The world has also achieved the long hoped-for immunity, and with improved clinical management, the experts say it is time to transition to long-term management of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In other words, we can now breathe that collective sigh of relief. For, even though we may still have to deal with sporadic, isolated outbreaks, the crisis itself has technically ended.
The pandemic trend in Ghana is similar to the general global trend as announced by WHO.
As at 15th May, 2023, there have been one thousand, four hundred and sixty-two (1,462) deaths attributable to Covid-19 in Ghana, with the last death being recorded on 8th January, 2023. These are not mere figures, or inconvenient statistics, they are dearly loved parents, sons and daughters, relations, friends and colleagues whom we shall continue to miss dearly. May their souls rest in perfect peace. I am glad to report that, currently, we do not have any critical or severe cases.
In general, since the first case was confirmed in our country on March 12, 2020, there have been one hundred and seventy-one thousand, seven hundred and fifty-eight (171,758) positive cases from two million, five hundred and thirty-eight thousand, one hundred and ninety-eight (2,538,198) tests. You would recall that we started the Covid vaccination campaign in March 2021 and, as at 25th May 2023, twenty-five million, one hundred and seventy thousand, three hundred and eighty-two (25,170,382) vaccine doses have been administered. There are ten million, five hundred and thirty-six thousand four hundred and twenty (10,536,420) fully vaccinated people, that is, 52.7% out of the twenty million (20 million) people target we had set, with four million, five hundred and ninety-nine thousand, eight hundred and eighty three (4,599,883) persons having received booster doses.
In the light of these facts, the COVID-19 Taskforce, which I chair, met on 17th May and took some far-reaching decisions on the measures we have put in place for the management of the pandemic, which were announced by the Ghana Health Service on 19th May. The most important of these decisions was that the COVID-19 pandemic was over in Ghana.
Thus, all the outstanding Covid-induced restrictions at our airports and all entry points have been lifted, and we are back to the pre-COVID situation as far as health entry requirements are concerned.
It will be recalled that, three years ago, we started with drastic measures and restrictions; the international airport was shut for months and our land borders were closed to human traffic for almost three years.
The hospitality industry was devastated, hotels and restaurants and other social gathering places were shut down, schools and universities and training institutions were shut down. Indeed, our world was turned upside down. That culturally defining Ghanaian symbol, the handshake, was prohibited and frowned upon and we were advised not to hug our children and our loved ones.
Churches, mosques and other places of worship were closed for months, and our beaches remained emptied of human activity. Fellow Ghanaians, even our funerals, that sacred Ghanaian ritual, were stopped and then attempts were made to change the tone and character of the funeral with the imposition of restrictions on how many can attend or be fed at the ceremony.
Fellow Ghanaians, throughout these trying times, I kept urging all of you to believe that this, too, shall pass. Dare I say that this too has passed? The emergency is over, and we can safely lift many of the oppressive restrictions we have had to endure, we can shake hands, we can hug, we can visit, and we no longer have to wear masks. But it is strongly recommended that we keep some of the measures imposed during the crisis and integrate them into our everyday lives because they have served us well and will continue to serve us well.
I urge you all to continue with the regular hand washing and other personal hygiene measures, so they become entrenched national habits. There has been a dramatic decrease in diarrhoea diseases, and we have not had any cholera outbreaks these past three years – these developments are attributable mostly to the hand washing and improved hygiene regimen in our communities. It does not hurt to wear a mask if you have a cold for example, it might protect those around you. If you are uncomfortable in a crowded and enclosed space, go out into the open and continue the new ways we have devised for outside entertainment. I hope there will be no argument that we should continue and institutionalize the periodic cleansing, disinfection and fumigation of markets. Never again should our markets be breeding grounds for rodents.
There are other ways in which this nightmare has brought some good dividends that must be acknowledged.
It has led to the strengthening of our disease surveillance system, and this has been manifested in recent months by our ability to deal, in a very rapid and aggressive way, with outbreaks of frightening diseases like Marburg, Lassa fever, Monkey Pox, before they could turn into serious public health catastrophes.
The pandemic also exposed some of the painful deficiencies we have, and forced us to take some brave and necessary decisions, like the expansion of our network of health facilities under Agenda 111.
I doubt very much that, but for the pandemic, the network of health laboratories with capacity to do PCR testing in our country would have expanded exponentially from the initial 2 to 67 laboratories nationwide.
And, Fellow Ghanaians, we have begun the process of manufacturing our own vaccines with the establishment of the National Vaccine Institute. The painful lesson from the pandemic about the access to vaccines certainly concentrated our minds, and we must be proud that we did not bow our heads in defeat, but used the crisis to achieve such a positive outcome. We now have in place a Vaccine Institute and two Vaccine Manufacturing plants: I commissioned that of Atlantic Life Sciences Limited last year, and a few weeks ago, I performed the sod-cutting ceremony of that of DEK Vaccines Ltd.
There is no question but that Ghana came out of this global catastrophe much better than many other countries, if we consider the rate of infection, hospitalization and deaths. We must recognize that this happened because we worked at it in a focused and competent manner.
We refused to be swayed by the populist noises, conspiracy theory peddlers, false and uninformed analysts, but rather we relied firmly on the science and data-driven information for guidance.
Contrary to what some foreign experts claimed, we do have a decentralized, resilient public health system, which reaches every corner of our country with highly competent and dedicated health workers – a public health system of which we can be justly proud.
When it was most needed, the health sector and religious and traditional leaders demonstrated admirable leadership. The private sector rose to the occasion and displayed innovation and dynamism.
We managed a strong community engagement and communication strategy which carried the entire population along, and was admired and praised by Ghanaians and the outside world. Among Ministries, Departments and Agencies, there was strong and palpable multisector collaboration.
It certainly also helped that we found the resources from the government, partners, individuals, corporate entities, and the public to support health workers and procurement of required materials. Fighting covid has been a very expensive undertaking characterized, as it was, by lockdowns, closed borders, minimal economic activity and the consequential steep decline in revenues. The testing for the millions who went to public laboratories; the quarantine of arrivals from outside the country, hospital admissions, treatments and feeding for all patients were publicly funded and cost vast sums of money. The vaccination programme was expensive, very expensive; even though we received some donated vaccines, we purchased a lot with our own resources, and the multiple country-wide vaccination campaigns cost a lot of money.
The fumigation, cleansing and disinfection of markets, schools, offices and other public spaces also cost a lot of money. Free water was provided, and the cost of electricity subsidized. Fifty-four thousand (54,000) additional health workers were hired, and all health workers obtained a tax rebate.
Fellow Ghanaians, keeping us all informed about this most unpredictable virus was expensive. A lot of money was spent on public education, public information, risk communication, public and community engagements and keeping us all abreast with the relevant information. We must thank the Ministry of Information and its agencies, and the National Commission for Civic Education for the exceptional work.
It took courage, and I am particularly happy that we reopened schools, colleges and universities at the time we did in spite of the fears of some parents and the condemnation of our critics. In some countries, millions of girls and boys did not return when schools eventually reopened after they had been kept shut for over a year. The logistics for keeping the schools open were huge and costly, but I am delighted that no Ghanaian child was left behind.
Let me make it clear that COVID expenditures, essentially unplanned, have been subject, at my instigation, to audit by the Auditor-General, and are going through parliamentary processes. We all deserve to be reassured that the crisis was not used as a cover for corrupt practices. The COVID Health Recovery Levy that was introduced to help fill some of the expenditure holes might not be the most popular tax, but I entreat all of you to bear with us. The Covid Trust Fund has performed an invaluable service, and with these developments has reached the end of its mandate. I thank the trustees as well as all donors and contributors to the fund.
It is likely, God willing, that this will be the last in the series of ‘Fellow Ghanaians’ speeches on COVID, and, as your President, I have a truly long list of people and institutions I must take this opportunity to thank.
I thank, firstly, all of you, my compatriots, my fellow Ghanaians, for your patience, understanding and cooperation; health workers and the scientific community. I thank the leaders of the faith-based groups, the Christian Council, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference, the Ghana Charismatic and Pentecostal Council, the Chief Imam and the Moslem leaders, for their strong involvement, powerful prayers and support, their help especially in feeding the vulnerable during the lockdown periods, and, through the Church of Pentecost, in providing accommodation for an isolation and treatment centre. I thank the Council of State and our traditional leaders, the National and Regional Houses of Chiefs, for their support and help in community sensitization. I thank the political and business leaders; development partnerships, NGOs, civil society; the sports, hospitality, entertainment, creative and tourism industries; our security services – police, military, immigration; teachers, pupils, students, parents, and guardians; I thank the journalists and the entire media.
A few weeks ago, I gave National Honours to most of the frontline workers who had been in the trenches as it were in the COVID battle. A total of twenty thousand one hundred and ten (20,110) people were given National Honours. They were well deserved, but I know some might have been left out, not out of any malice. We continue to recognize those who come to our attention.
I must make special mention of the Environmental Health personnel of the Ministry of Local Government. They played a key role in the burials of COVID-related deaths. The private funeral homes deserve honourable mention. They set the pace for how funerals should be conducted within the COVID protocol restrictions and with cultural sensitivity.
In paying tribute to the health workers, I should address our psychologists and psychiatrists and express my gratitude for their work. Covid exacted an extreme emotional turbulence on the population and no one can predict how long the effects on our mental health will last and their work continues even after the end of the emergency.
I believe it would be appropriate to make also a special mention of the Ministry of Health and its implementing and regulatory agencies, the Christian Health Association of Ghana, the Military and Police Health Services, quasi-government, private health care providers and the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), which has established itself as a world-class institution, able to hold its own on the international scene.
On behalf of the people of Ghana, I express eternal gratitude to the Police, the Immigration and the Military, and the two IGPs, two CDSs and Comptroller-General that have served during the period.
I pay homage to the pharmaceutical and textile industries, and to the many corporate bodies that made generous donations, and rallied to the call for enhanced domestic production of medical supplies. The Ghana Airport Company must be mentioned for the hard work of its staff. The Ghana Education Service and the Director-General that saw us through the school closures and re-openings, thank you. And thank you to its sister body, the Ghana Health Service and its dynamic Director-General, both of whom gave such impressive accounts of themselves during this crisis.
It would be greatly remiss of me not to place on record my appreciation to the National Ambulance Service and its workers. They worked well and we are proud of them. I acknowledge the fact that digital technologies and drones helped very much in getting vaccines and medications to hard-to-reach areas, and I am glad they have become an integral part of our health delivery system. If we were still looking for any proof, we found that the high use of mobile phones and the digitalization agenda helped in the surveillance process, particularly with contact tracing and patient follow-up.
I am indebted to the Ministers of State, officials of the Presidency, led by the Chief of Staff, the Parliament and the Judiciary, and all the members of the brilliant COVID-19 Taskforce. I must make special mention of the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, who was my reliable source of support in the darkest and most trying moments.
And to the many who advised me publicly and privately, supported and prayed for me, I say thank you.
The emergency is over. Unfortunately, the consequences are very much still with us, especially in terms of the economic devastation it has left in its trail.
It would be recalled that I said, right at the onset of the pandemic, that we would do whatever it took to protect the lives of the Ghanaian people. In the now often quoted statement, I said “we know what to do to bring the economy back to life, but what we do not know is how to bring people back to life”. The clear implication was that we would protect lives even if it was at the risk of harming the economy.
I knew that the pandemic and the measures we were taking to keep us alive would have a devastating effect on the economy, but I believe I had the support of the Ghanaian people to concentrate on protecting lives at any cost; but I do not think anyone, anywhere, imagined the effect would be so widespread, so destructive and so deep.
I owe it to you, my compatriots, and to myself to go to any length to bring back the economy to the rude health it was in before the onset of the pandemic. When things came to the state where I concluded that we had to go to the International Monetary Fund to access a facility for budgetary support, I gave directives to the Minister for Finance to start the process.
It was a painful decision for me to take, because going to the IMF was not part of the economic transformation agenda I had been pursuing, especially as my government had gone the extra mile to bring to a successful end the IMF programme we inherited from the previous government. But who would have imagined that President Akufo-Addo would order the closure of airports, offices, factories or schools. We were in extraordinary times and we took extraordinary measures, and when faced with the realities of the economic crisis last year, I accepted the challenge that the economy required a similar attitude, including the sacrifices many of us have made in recent times.
Luckily, the International Monetary Fund has been most supportive, and we have ended up with having our programme approved in record time, culminating in the formal approval by the IMF Board on 17th May. As I am sure we have all heard by now, the details of the programme have been explained by officials of the Fund and by our Minister for Finance and the Governor of the Bank of Ghana.
The first tranche of six hundred (600) million US dollars has been credited to our national account, out of the three (3) billion US dollars that we have negotiated to receive within a period of thirty-six (36) months.
Fellow Ghanaians, access to the IMF facility will not spell the immediate end of the difficulties we are in presently, but the fact that we have been able to negotiate such a deal sends a positive message to our trading partners, creditors and investors; a positive message that will be underpinned by the discipline, hard work and enterprise with which we execute the programme.
It should lead to the restoration of confidence and the reopening of avenues that had been closed to us this past year and a half. It should also lead to the resumption of many of the infrastructural projects that have stalled.
Fellow Ghanaians, we got ourselves out of a pandemic in which there were no precedents on which to rely, and where even the experts admitted they had no clear-cut solutions. We did it by being resolute, being focused and working very hard, and by accepting that we had to stick together.
With a similar frame of mind and attitude, we shall overcome the economic difficulties as well, sooner rather than later. I have no doubts at all in my mind that we are on the right path, and we would soon start to see significant improvements in the economy and in the living standards of Ghanaians.
Twi,
Anuanom, Nyame adom, Covid Yare3 no a 3to hy33 yen so, na 3de )haw bebree br3 yen no, Nyame adaworoma, y’atumi atu ase3. Me sr3 mo, mo mma y3n nyinaa nda Nyame ase, na y3n k) so hw3 y3n ho so yie
Ga,
Anyemim3, Nyonmor dromo naa, COVID hela niba wono, ni eke hawmo babaoo ba, nyonmor 3joo wo, wo nye wofal3shi.
Wo f33 woda nyomo shi ni wokw3 woh3no ojogban.
We are a God-fearing and a God-loving nation, and that is why throughout my presidency, I have consistently stressed that the Battle is the Lord’s. Thus, three years ago, when the pandemic first hit us, I asked for a National Day of Prayer and Fasting for God’s help to be observed on 25th March, 2020. Now that the Lord has heard our prayers and seen us through this COVID trial, I would respectfully ask that next Friday, i.e. 2nd June, all Muslims should say a special prayer of gratitude for our nation’s health, and that next Saturday and Sunday, i.e. 3rd and 4th June, all Christians should do the same. Fellow Ghanaians, we shall overcome our present economic difficulties. The Battle is indeed the Lord’s. Goodnight, and may God bless us all and our homeland Ghana, and make her great and strong. I thank you.
Popularly perception that the COVID-19 fund which received millions of dollars in donation became a kitty for corruption has been dispelled by President Akufo-Addo his last national address to the nation on the global pandemic.
PresidentAkufo-Addo has stated that the COVID-19 pandemic was not used by his administration as a cover for participating in corrupt activities.
In a televised address to the nation on Sunday night, May 28, 2023, the President reassured the public, highlighting the courageous steps taken by his administration to protect citizens’ lives despite the unforeseen challenges posed by the pandemic.
“It took courage, and I am particularly happy that we reopened schools, colleges, and universities at the time we did, despite the fears of some parents and the criticism from our detractors. In some countries, millions of children did not return to school even after being closed for over a year. The logistics required to keep schools open were extensive and costly, but I am delighted that no Ghanaian child was left behind,” President Akufo-Addo expressed.
Addressing concerns about financial accountability, President Akufo-Addo assured the nation that COVID-19 expenditures, although unplanned, were audited by the Auditor-General at his request and are undergoing parliamentary scrutiny.
He emphasized the government’s commitment to transparency, stating, “We all deserve to be reassured that the crisis was not used as a cover for corrupt practices. The COVID Health Recovery Levy, implemented to help offset some of the expenditure, may not be the most popular tax, but I urge everyone to bear with us. The Covid Trust Fund has provided invaluable service and has now fulfilled its mandate. I express gratitude to the trustees, donors, and contributors to the fund.”
After presenting the current COVID-19 statistics in Ghana, President Akufo-Addo declared the pandemic officially over in the country.
This was arrived at after government’s COVID-19 Taskforce at a meeting on May 17 resolved to lift all remaining COVID-related restrictions at airports and entry points, returning to the pre-COVID situation regarding health entry requirements.
The government has faced criticism, particularly from the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), accusing it of irresponsible borrowing and misappropriation of public funds under the guise of the COVID-19 fight. The government, however, maintains that the expenditures were necessary and justified, attributing the country’s current economic challenges to the global pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war.
Akufo-Addo urged the nation to recognize the government’s efforts and the importance of financial accountability in navigating the COVID-19 crisis successfully.
Read the President’s full address below:
Address By The President Of The Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, On Updates To Ghana’s Enhanced Response To The Coronavirus Pandemic, On Sunday, 28th May 2023
Fellow Ghanaians, good evening.
It has been some time since I last came into your homes, so I want to thank you for having me again tonight. I have come because of two important events that both occurred last week on 17th May. The first is an update on the COVID-19 pandemic; the second is the recent agreement we have reached with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Some three weeks ago, on 5th May, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that COVID was no longer a public health emergency of global concern.
It had taken three years, five months and twenty days of unbelievable tumult, unrelenting pain and suffering and emotional turbulence of a world turned upside down, but we have at last heard the words for which we had all been praying. The scientists and health experts tell us that we no longer have a public health emergency of international concern.
They tell us also that there is evidence of reducing risks to human health from COVID-19 infections. This has led to the decreasing trend of COVID-19-related deaths, hospitalizations and intensive care admissions. The world has also achieved the long hoped-for immunity, and with improved clinical management, the experts say it is time to transition to long-term management of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In other words, we can now breathe that collective sigh of relief. For, even though we may still have to deal with sporadic, isolated outbreaks, the crisis itself has technically ended.
The pandemic trend in Ghana is similar to the general global trend as announced by WHO.
As at 15th May, 2023, there have been one thousand, four hundred and sixty-two (1,462) deaths attributable to Covid-19 in Ghana, with the last death being recorded on 8th January, 2023. These are not mere figures, or inconvenient statistics, they are dearly loved parents, sons and daughters, relations, friends and colleagues whom we shall continue to miss dearly. May their souls rest in perfect peace. I am glad to report that, currently, we do not have any critical or severe cases.
In general, since the first case was confirmed in our country on March 12, 2020, there have been one hundred and seventy-one thousand, seven hundred and fifty-eight (171,758) positive cases from two million, five hundred and thirty-eight thousand, one hundred and ninety-eight (2,538,198) tests. You would recall that we started the Covid vaccination campaign in March 2021 and, as at 25th May 2023, twenty-five million, one hundred and seventy thousand, three hundred and eighty-two (25,170,382) vaccine doses have been administered. There are ten million, five hundred and thirty-six thousand four hundred and twenty (10,536,420) fully vaccinated people, that is, 52.7% out of the twenty million (20 million) people target we had set, with four million, five hundred and ninety-nine thousand, eight hundred and eighty three (4,599,883) persons having received booster doses.
In the light of these facts, the COVID-19 Taskforce, which I chair, met on 17th May and took some far-reaching decisions on the measures we have put in place for the management of the pandemic, which were announced by the Ghana Health Service on 19th May. The most important of these decisions was that the COVID-19 pandemic was over in Ghana.
Thus, all the outstanding Covid-induced restrictions at our airports and all entry points have been lifted, and we are back to the pre-COVID situation as far as health entry requirements are concerned.
It will be recalled that, three years ago, we started with drastic measures and restrictions; the international airport was shut for months and our land borders were closed to human traffic for almost three years.
The hospitality industry was devastated, hotels and restaurants and other social gathering places were shut down, schools and universities and training institutions were shut down. Indeed, our world was turned upside down. That culturally defining Ghanaian symbol, the handshake, was prohibited and frowned upon and we were advised not to hug our children and our loved ones.
Churches, mosques and other places of worship were closed for months, and our beaches remained emptied of human activity. Fellow Ghanaians, even our funerals, that sacred Ghanaian ritual, were stopped and then attempts were made to change the tone and character of the funeral with the imposition of restrictions on how many can attend or be fed at the ceremony.
Fellow Ghanaians, throughout these trying times, I kept urging all of you to believe that this, too, shall pass. Dare I say that this too has passed? The emergency is over, and we can safely lift many of the oppressive restrictions we have had to endure, we can shake hands, we can hug, we can visit, and we no longer have to wear masks. But it is strongly recommended that we keep some of the measures imposed during the crisis and integrate them into our everyday lives because they have served us well and will continue to serve us well.
I urge you all to continue with the regular hand washing and other personal hygiene measures, so they become entrenched national habits. There has been a dramatic decrease in diarrhoea diseases, and we have not had any cholera outbreaks these past three years – these developments are attributable mostly to the hand washing and improved hygiene regimen in our communities. It does not hurt to wear a mask if you have a cold for example, it might protect those around you. If you are uncomfortable in a crowded and enclosed space, go out into the open and continue the new ways we have devised for outside entertainment. I hope there will be no argument that we should continue and institutionalize the periodic cleansing, disinfection and fumigation of markets. Never again should our markets be breeding grounds for rodents.
There are other ways in which this nightmare has brought some good dividends that must be acknowledged.
It has led to the strengthening of our disease surveillance system, and this has been manifested in recent months by our ability to deal, in a very rapid and aggressive way, with outbreaks of frightening diseases like Marburg, Lassa fever, Monkey Pox, before they could turn into serious public health catastrophes.
The pandemic also exposed some of the painful deficiencies we have, and forced us to take some brave and necessary decisions, like the expansion of our network of health facilities under Agenda 111.
I doubt very much that, but for the pandemic, the network of health laboratories with capacity to do PCR testing in our country would have expanded exponentially from the initial 2 to 67 laboratories nationwide.
And, Fellow Ghanaians, we have begun the process of manufacturing our own vaccines with the establishment of the National Vaccine Institute. The painful lesson from the pandemic about the access to vaccines certainly concentrated our minds, and we must be proud that we did not bow our heads in defeat, but used the crisis to achieve such a positive outcome. We now have in place a Vaccine Institute and two Vaccine Manufacturing plants: I commissioned that of Atlantic Life Sciences Limited last year, and a few weeks ago, I performed the sod-cutting ceremony of that of DEK Vaccines Ltd.
There is no question but that Ghana came out of this global catastrophe much better than many other countries, if we consider the rate of infection, hospitalization and deaths. We must recognize that this happened because we worked at it in a focused and competent manner.
We refused to be swayed by the populist noises, conspiracy theory peddlers, false and uninformed analysts, but rather we relied firmly on the science and data-driven information for guidance.
Contrary to what some foreign experts claimed, we do have a decentralized, resilient public health system, which reaches every corner of our country with highly competent and dedicated health workers – a public health system of which we can be justly proud.
When it was most needed, the health sector and religious and traditional leaders demonstrated admirable leadership. The private sector rose to the occasion and displayed innovation and dynamism.
We managed a strong community engagement and communication strategy which carried the entire population along, and was admired and praised by Ghanaians and the outside world. Among Ministries, Departments and Agencies, there was strong and palpable multisector collaboration.
It certainly also helped that we found the resources from the government, partners, individuals, corporate entities, and the public to support health workers and procurement of required materials. Fighting covid has been a very expensive undertaking characterized, as it was, by lockdowns, closed borders, minimal economic activity and the consequential steep decline in revenues. The testing for the millions who went to public laboratories; the quarantine of arrivals from outside the country, hospital admissions, treatments and feeding for all patients were publicly funded and cost vast sums of money. The vaccination programme was expensive, very expensive; even though we received some donated vaccines, we purchased a lot with our own resources, and the multiple country-wide vaccination campaigns cost a lot of money.
The fumigation, cleansing and disinfection of markets, schools, offices and other public spaces also cost a lot of money. Free water was provided, and the cost of electricity subsidized. Fifty-four thousand (54,000) additional health workers were hired, and all health workers obtained a tax rebate.
Fellow Ghanaians, keeping us all informed about this most unpredictable virus was expensive. A lot of money was spent on public education, public information, risk communication, public and community engagements and keeping us all abreast with the relevant information. We must thank the Ministry of Information and its agencies, and the National Commission for Civic Education for the exceptional work.
It took courage, and I am particularly happy that we reopened schools, colleges and universities at the time we did in spite of the fears of some parents and the condemnation of our critics. In some countries, millions of girls and boys did not return when schools eventually reopened after they had been kept shut for over a year. The logistics for keeping the schools open were huge and costly, but I am delighted that no Ghanaian child was left behind.
Let me make it clear that COVID expenditures, essentially unplanned, have been subject, at my instigation, to audit by the Auditor-General, and are going through parliamentary processes. We all deserve to be reassured that the crisis was not used as a cover for corrupt practices. The COVID Health Recovery Levy that was introduced to help fill some of the expenditure holes might not be the most popular tax, but I entreat all of you to bear with us. The Covid Trust Fund has performed an invaluable service, and with these developments has reached the end of its mandate. I thank the trustees as well as all donors and contributors to the fund.
It is likely, God willing, that this will be the last in the series of ‘Fellow Ghanaians’ speeches on COVID, and, as your President, I have a truly long list of people and institutions I must take this opportunity to thank.
I thank, firstly, all of you, my compatriots, my fellow Ghanaians, for your patience, understanding and cooperation; health workers and the scientific community. I thank the leaders of the faith-based groups, the Christian Council, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference, the Ghana Charismatic and Pentecostal Council, the Chief Imam and the Moslem leaders, for their strong involvement, powerful prayers and support, their help especially in feeding the vulnerable during the lockdown periods, and, through the Church of Pentecost, in providing accommodation for an isolation and treatment centre. I thank the Council of State and our traditional leaders, the National and Regional Houses of Chiefs, for their support and help in community sensitization. I thank the political and business leaders; development partnerships, NGOs, civil society; the sports, hospitality, entertainment, creative and tourism industries; our security services – police, military, immigration; teachers, pupils, students, parents, and guardians; I thank the journalists and the entire media.
A few weeks ago, I gave National Honours to most of the frontline workers who had been in the trenches as it were in the COVID battle. A total of twenty thousand one hundred and ten (20,110) people were given National Honours. They were well deserved, but I know some might have been left out, not out of any malice. We continue to recognize those who come to our attention.
I must make special mention of the Environmental Health personnel of the Ministry of Local Government. They played a key role in the burials of COVID-related deaths. The private funeral homes deserve honourable mention. They set the pace for how funerals should be conducted within the COVID protocol restrictions and with cultural sensitivity.
In paying tribute to the health workers, I should address our psychologists and psychiatrists and express my gratitude for their work. Covid exacted an extreme emotional turbulence on the population and no one can predict how long the effects on our mental health will last and their work continues even after the end of the emergency.
I believe it would be appropriate to make also a special mention of the Ministry of Health and its implementing and regulatory agencies, the Christian Health Association of Ghana, the Military and Police Health Services, quasi-government, private health care providers and the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), which has established itself as a world-class institution, able to hold its own on the international scene.
On behalf of the people of Ghana, I express eternal gratitude to the Police, the Immigration and the Military, and the two IGPs, two CDSs and Comptroller-General that have served during the period.
I pay homage to the pharmaceutical and textile industries, and to the many corporate bodies that made generous donations, and rallied to the call for enhanced domestic production of medical supplies. The Ghana Airport Company must be mentioned for the hard work of its staff. The Ghana Education Service and the Director-General that saw us through the school closures and re-openings, thank you. And thank you to its sister body, the Ghana Health Service and its dynamic Director-General, both of whom gave such impressive accounts of themselves during this crisis.
It would be greatly remiss of me not to place on record my appreciation to the National Ambulance Service and its workers. They worked well and we are proud of them. I acknowledge the fact that digital technologies and drones helped very much in getting vaccines and medications to hard-to-reach areas, and I am glad they have become an integral part of our health delivery system. If we were still looking for any proof, we found that the high use of mobile phones and the digitalization agenda helped in the surveillance process, particularly with contact tracing and patient follow-up.
I am indebted to the Ministers of State, officials of the Presidency, led by the Chief of Staff, the Parliament and the Judiciary, and all the members of the brilliant COVID-19 Taskforce. I must make special mention of the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, who was my reliable source of support in the darkest and most trying moments.
And to the many who advised me publicly and privately, supported and prayed for me, I say thank you.
The emergency is over. Unfortunately, the consequences are very much still with us, especially in terms of the economic devastation it has left in its trail.
It would be recalled that I said, right at the onset of the pandemic, that we would do whatever it took to protect the lives of the Ghanaian people. In the now often quoted statement, I said “we know what to do to bring the economy back to life, but what we do not know is how to bring people back to life”. The clear implication was that we would protect lives even if it was at the risk of harming the economy.
I knew that the pandemic and the measures we were taking to keep us alive would have a devastating effect on the economy, but I believe I had the support of the Ghanaian people to concentrate on protecting lives at any cost; but I do not think anyone, anywhere, imagined the effect would be so widespread, so destructive and so deep.
I owe it to you, my compatriots, and to myself to go to any length to bring back the economy to the rude health it was in before the onset of the pandemic. When things came to the state where I concluded that we had to go to the International Monetary Fund to access a facility for budgetary support, I gave directives to the Minister for Finance to start the process.
It was a painful decision for me to take, because going to the IMF was not part of the economic transformation agenda I had been pursuing, especially as my government had gone the extra mile to bring to a successful end the IMF programme we inherited from the previous government. But who would have imagined that President Akufo-Addo would order the closure of airports, offices, factories or schools. We were in extraordinary times and we took extraordinary measures, and when faced with the realities of the economic crisis last year, I accepted the challenge that the economy required a similar attitude, including the sacrifices many of us have made in recent times.
Luckily, the International Monetary Fund has been most supportive, and we have ended up with having our programme approved in record time, culminating in the formal approval by the IMF Board on 17th May. As I am sure we have all heard by now, the details of the programme have been explained by officials of the Fund and by our Minister for Finance and the Governor of the Bank of Ghana.
The first tranche of six hundred (600) million US dollars has been credited to our national account, out of the three (3) billion US dollars that we have negotiated to receive within a period of thirty-six (36) months.
Fellow Ghanaians, access to the IMF facility will not spell the immediate end of the difficulties we are in presently, but the fact that we have been able to negotiate such a deal sends a positive message to our trading partners, creditors and investors; a positive message that will be underpinned by the discipline, hard work and enterprise with which we execute the programme.
It should lead to the restoration of confidence and the reopening of avenues that had been closed to us this past year and a half. It should also lead to the resumption of many of the infrastructural projects that have stalled.
Fellow Ghanaians, we got ourselves out of a pandemic in which there were no precedents on which to rely, and where even the experts admitted they had no clear-cut solutions. We did it by being resolute, being focused and working very hard, and by accepting that we had to stick together.
With a similar frame of mind and attitude, we shall overcome the economic difficulties as well, sooner rather than later. I have no doubts at all in my mind that we are on the right path, and we would soon start to see significant improvements in the economy and in the living standards of Ghanaians.
Twi,
Anuanom, Nyame adom, Covid Yare3 no a 3to hy33 yen so, na 3de )haw bebree br3 yen no, Nyame adaworoma, y’atumi atu ase3. Me sr3 mo, mo mma y3n nyinaa nda Nyame ase, na y3n k) so hw3 y3n ho so yie
Ga,
Anyemim3, Nyonmor dromo naa, COVID hela niba wono, ni eke hawmo babaoo ba, nyonmor 3joo wo, wo nye wofal3shi.
Wo f33 woda nyomo shi ni wokw3 woh3no ojogban.
We are a God-fearing and a God-loving nation, and that is why throughout my presidency, I have consistently stressed that the Battle is the Lord’s. Thus, three years ago, when the pandemic first hit us, I asked for a National Day of Prayer and Fasting for God’s help to be observed on 25th March, 2020. Now that the Lord has heard our prayers and seen us through this COVID trial, I would respectfully ask that next Friday, i.e. 2nd June, all Muslims should say a special prayer of gratitude for our nation’s health, and that next Saturday and Sunday, i.e. 3rd and 4th June, all Christians should do the same. Fellow Ghanaians, we shall overcome our present economic difficulties. The Battle is indeed the Lord’s. Goodnight, and may God bless us all and our homeland Ghana, and make her great and strong. I thank you.
Projects that were put on hold as a result of efforts to obtain a bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), according to President Akufo-Addo, will resume shortly.
The President gave this assurance when he addressed the nation in his 29th update on measures taken against the spread of Coronavirus and an update on the IMF programme.
The president in his update warned that the IMF programme will not bring an immediate end to Ghana’s economic woes but said he is confident it will bring confidence to the Ghanaian economy.
“Fellow Ghanaians, access to the IMF facility will not spell the immediate end of the difficulties we are in presently, but the fact that we have been able to negotiate such a deal sends a positive message to our trading partners, creditors and investors; a positive message that will be underpinned by the discipline, hard work and enterprise with which we execute the programme.
“It should lead to the restoration of confidence and the reopening of avenues that had been closed to us this past year and a half. It should also lead to the resumption of many of the infrastructural projects that have stalled.”
The Executive Board of the International MonetaryFundon May 17 approved a $3 billion credit facility to Ghana to help revive the ailing economy after months of negotiations.
The first tranche of $600 million of the facility hit the country’s account with the reminder $2.4 billion to be disbursed over a two-year period.
Former General Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party, John Boadu, has defended the practice of party leaders publicly declaring their support for their preferred candidate in the upcoming presidential primaries.
Mr Boadu refuted claims made by some social commentators that such actions are detrimental to the party.
According to Boadu, there is nothing inherently wrong with a leader expressing their support for a particular candidate as long as they are not in violation of the party’s rules and regulations.
He emphasized that it is acceptable for leaders to openly declare their intentions regarding a candidate unless the party’s guidelines prohibit such endorsements.
Mr Boadu clarified that the only factor that may restrict leading members from publicly supporting a candidate is the party’s specific rules and regulations.
“If the person is a leader and the rules and regulations don’t prevent him from campaigning for one person or the other and his campaign doesn’t bring divisions but rather only supporting his candidate, what is wrong?”, he questioned while making his submissions on Peace FM’s ‘Kokrokoo’ morning show.
He found it hypocritical to condemn this trend where executives or Ministers among other party leaders show the party supporters who he or she hopes to win the primaries.
“Sometimes, we must be brutally frank and just also clear some of this hypocrisy going on. You see the Members of Parliament; all the candidates who are contesting worth their sort have gone to them one by one seeking their support,” he told host Kwami Sefa Kayi.
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.
Flagbearer hopeful of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, on Friday picked the nomination form to contest the Flagbearer position of the NPP.
The former General Secretary of the NPP said his picking of the nomination form marked the beginning of great things to come.
He promised to usher in “A New Dawn” on Ghana’s political landscape anchored on the restoration of cherished values of service, sacrifice and selflessness, which he called the “Triple S Doctrine”.
Mr Agyepong expressed a passion to see to the transformation of the country, promising to cut waste by leading a lean, effective and efficient government machinery primed to deliver meaningful development to the underserved population.
He advised NPP delegates to choose wisely, looking out for “thinking leaders”, those with innovative ideas and a clear understanding of where they wanted to take the country to.
He implored the delegates to trust his capacity and fortitude to take difficult and uncomfortable measures needed to reverse Ghana’s economic decline.
Mr Agyepong urged them not to mortgage their future for a pittance and denounce any monetary and material overtures and inducements.
He called on other flagbearer aspirants to accept his call for an open debate, adding that, Ghanaians were entitled and deserved to examine and know what each of the aspirants stood for.
“Our ideas, policy priorities and preferences, our temperament and character all matter. If you want to lead the people of Ghana, then you should be humble enough to submit yourself for scrutiny by the people,” he added.
He expressed confidence in the Party’s National Executives and Elders to ensure that the upcoming Presidential Primaries were conducted in a spirit of fairness and equity devoid of manipulation, coercion, favouritism and utmost respect for the Party’s Code of Conduct regarding same.
Starting tomorrow, Friday May 26, 2023, persons who wish to contest in the upcoming New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential primary can pick up nomination forms.
This was announced by the party in a statement issued on May 25, 2023.
Portions of the statement said: “The New Patriotic Party (NPP), at its National Executive Committee (NEC) and National Council meetings held on Monday, April 3, 2023, approved the timelines for holding the party’s presidential primaries as follows: Opening of Nominations- Friday, May 26, 2023.”
Nominations will, however, close on Saturday, June 24, 2023. Special Electoral College Elections (if any) will be conducted on Saturday, August 26, 2023.
The National Congress has also been slated for Saturday, November 4, 2023.
The party also noted that “nomination forms shall be obtained from the Office of the General Secretary at the Party Headquarters, Asylum Down, from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm (Monday to Friday).
“Consequently, an Aspiring Presidential Candidate shall obtain the Nomination Forms after payment of a non-refundable nomination fee of Fifty Thousand Ghana Cedis (GHC 50, 000.00) only, through a Bankers Draft issued to the NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS, ACCRA as payee,” the statement also said.
The Party further indicated its determination to hold a free, fair, transparent and a peaceful presidential primary election, and urged all stakeholders to help make this a reality.
This comes a few weeks after the National Democratic Congress (NDC) held its primaries to elect a Leader for the party. At the end of the race, former President John Dramani Mahama emerged the winner.
Prior to the opening of nominations by the NPP, various names have popped up as potential candidates to lead the party. Some have openly declared their intentions while others remain discreet about their intentions.
Names like former Trades Minister, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, Assin Central MP, Kennedy Agyapong, former Agric Minister, Dr Afriyie Akoto, Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia have all popped up as possible candidates.
National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate for Okaikoi Central Constituency in the Greater Accra Region, Abdullai Abu Sadiq, popularly known as Baba Sadiq, has raised concerns about the upcoming 2024 general elections, alleging that the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) might conive with the Electoral Commission (EC) to steal the election.
According to him, the NDC needs to be vigilant and be on high alert not to fall victim to any potential tactics by the NPP.
The founder of 3 Music Awards pointed to an alleged pink sheet, which circulated on social media prior to the Kumawu by-election, as evidence of the NPP’s intention to steal the 2024 election.
He argued that it served as a warning sign for the NDC.
Speaking in a panel discussion on Onua TV on May 24, 2023, he claimed that the said pink sheet provides clear evidence of the NPP’s intentions to manipulate the electoral process.
“How do you tell us that this is a mistake? It is not a mistake, referring to the viral pictures of the signed pink sheet. This gives us, in particular people in the NDC, a reason to be very vigilant in going into the 2024 elections because this can be one of the tricks that they will be employing,” he said
He emphasized that the NDC could not trust the EC in the upcoming elections, maintaining that there is a need for the NDC to go the extra mile in monitoring the process.
According to him, the NPP’s confidence in claiming they will “break the eight” (referring to winning a third consecutive term) depends on their alleged arrangements with the EC.
“You see as they consistently claim that they will break the eight ‘8’, the confidence in which they use to say such words depends on the kinds of arrangements they have done with the EC.
“We can never ever trust the EC going into the 2024 elections. We cannot, so we need to be able as a party to go the extra mile and ensure that vigilance and monitoring should be there because these are indications that show that they would want to have their way going into the 2024 elections,” he alleged.
The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, aka Chairman Wontumi, has expressed his willingness to guarantee the party wins the currently vacant Assin North parliamentary seat
He believes that despite the constituency being outside his region (i.e. in the Central Region), he is the man to lead the NPP’s charge to wrestle it from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) which last won it in 2020.
“When it comes to by-elections, it is national in nature… now people are calling me Prof. Wontumi, they are saying now I have a PhD in politics, I understand politics. I have been two-time constituency chairman and three times Ashanti Regional chairman, which is a historic feat.
“I am just going there (Assin North) to win. I cannot wait to go to Assin North to win. Immediately I step there, I just win. Asiedu Nketiah knows that once I step there, I will win, so, we are going there to win,” he told Paul Adom-Otchere on the May 23 edition of Good Evening Ghana show.
The Assin North seat has been declared vacant after the Supreme Court on May 18 annulled the election in 2020 of James Gyakye Quayson as MP for the constituency ordering parliament to delete his name from its records.
The apex court ruled that the processes leading to his nomination and filing of papers as well as election was not proper hence ousting him from the House.
The seat is expected to be declared vacant and a by-election called to elect a new MP for the people of Assin North.
The NDC has disagreed with the court and stated that Gyakye Quayson will be their candidate when the by-election is scheduled.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) is preparing to hold another by-election in Assin North as several national executives have arrived in the constituency.
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.
Former president and presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress(NDC) John Mahama has stated that the NDC performed very well despite vote-buying by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) during the Kumawu Constituency by-election.
He noted that a significant increase in the number of votes obtained by the NDC in the by-election, taking into consideration votes obtained in the 2020 parliamentary election, points to how well the performance of the NDC has improved.
He also expressed gratitude to the people of Kumawu for the hospitality shown to him when he went there to campaign and commended them for being peaceful before, during and after the elections.
“Congratulations to the people of Kumawu for the peaceful conduct of Tuesday’s parliamentary by-election.
Of course, I cannot forget the warmth of the people and the enthusiasm demonstrated when I led a delegation from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to campaign for our candidate, Kwasi Amankwah. I am very grateful.
That enthusiasm was aptly demonstrated in the increased number of votes our candidate garnered in the poll – 1,284 actual votes representing an increase of 52.6% over our 2020 performance.
That is significant, especially in the face of the deliberate vote buying undertaken by the NPP, even at the polling stations, and the deceit of the people with asphalt roads, and the fact that the constituency has historically been an NPP stronghold,” he said in a statement after the election.
The by-election held on May 23, 2023, was won by the NPP candidate Ernest Yaw Anim with over 70% of the valid votes cast.
Read the full statement of John Mahama below:
Congratulations to the people of Kumawu for the peaceful conduct of Tuesday’s parliamentary by-election.
Of course, I cannot forget the warmth of the people and the enthusiasm demonstrated when I led a delegation from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to campaign for our candidate, Kwasi Amankwah. I am very grateful.
That enthusiasm was aptly demonstrated in the increased number of votes our candidate garnered in the poll – 1,284 actual votes representing an increase of 52.6% over our 2020 performance.
That is significant, especially in the face of the deliberate vote buying undertaken by the NPP, even at the polling stations and the deceit of the people with asphalt roads, and the fact that the constituency has historically been an NPP stronghold.
The election result is a great sign from the good people of Kumawu.
Judging from the results, the ruling NPP has clearly recorded a significant reduction in the overall votes in their stronghold, and for me, that is a great sign from the good people of Kumawu.
We may not have succeeded in flipping the seat, but I am proud that, as a collective, spearheaded by our National Chairman and General Secretary, we have had the opportunity to test our reviewed electoral operational procedures, including monitoring, party agent selection and training, collation, and transmission of results.
I would want to congratulate the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and his men and women for their assistance in ensuring the peaceful conduct of the polls. The conduct of the police personnel gives us confidence for the future that they will continue to bear true allegiance to the state and not to any political party.
To the Electoral Commission, you are once again reminded that a credible election depends as much on the persons you recruit and appoint as presiding and other officers as much as it depends on the collaboration with the agents and representatives of the political parties.
Many of the infractions observed should not have occurred. Our monitoring teams that ensured the early detection of these infractions would be looking forward to engaging further to ensure that these issues are definitely dealt with, and corrective measures are taken ahead of any other election.
Thank you to the team from the branches, constituency, region, national, and the many selfless members of our party who were in Kumawu to assist in various ways towards the improved outing in this by-election.
Congratulations, Kwasi Amankwah. You can count on the party for the utmost support to enhance the gains of the NDC in the main election in 2024.
All in all, Kumawu has had positive outcomes for us, and we must apply lessons learned speedily even as we head towards the pending Assin North by-election.
Finally, I extend my congratulations to the Member of Parliament-elect Ernest Ayim.
A member of the New Patriotic Party‘s (NPP) Communication Team, Lawuratu Musa-Saaka, has stated that the President’s tagline ‘Ghana Beyond Aid’ does not indicate that the country would not borrow, but rather that the country will receive these helps on its terms.
She said these while speaking on TV3’s New Day and was monitored by the media.
According to her, achieving the mantra does not mean the country will not reach out for support but this support will be negotiated based on sustained economic development of the country.
“Ghana Beyond Aid doesn’t necessarily mean that we will not be seeking support or other resources from other places. Even if you are going to build manufacturing plants and all that, people come in as investors and they are not Ghanaians. You will need support but once you go beyond aid, you take monies on your terms, not on the terms of the person bringing you the aid,” she said.
Madam Lawuratu further added that Ghana currently is in a better position to accept or reject aid and supports that does not enure to the benefit of the country.
“I am saying that even if you go beyond aid, you have people bringing you support because they have found an opportunity in your economy or they have a programme or project for themselves that needs you in it. They are coming with their terms but when you are in a successful country, any support that is coming in comes on your terms.
“So, you can accept whatever support that is coming in or not but it will on your terms. But sometimes when you are desperate enough, you go take support and investments that don’t necessarily to the benefits of the people” she added.
Background: On Wednesday May 17, 2023, Ghana received the first tranche of $600 million loan facility from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The bailout, among other this is to help revamp the Ghana’s economy.
The Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jr, has contrary opinions about the victory of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the just by-election that took place in Kumawu.
NPP’s Ernest Yaw Anim, emerged winner in the Kumawu by-election with 15,264 representing 70.91% of the valid votes, whereas the NDC candidate polled 3,723 representing 17.29%.
The independent, Kwaku Duah, an independent candidate secured 2,478 representing 11.51%, while the next Kwaku Duah who also stood as an independent candidate managed some 62 votes representing 0.29%.
According to Kwesi Pratt, the percentage clocked by the NPP cannot be described as a landslide victory after it lost up to about 10,000 votes in this by-election compared to the total votes in the 2020 election.
“Today, I was looking at the headlines and they are all talking about the landslide victory, I don’t see any landslide victory in this election. What is landslide about this election? If you do the analysis, clearly, more than 10, 000 people who voted in the last election did not vote in this election and NPP lost substantially,” he said.
He further explained that the third independent candidate on the ballot paper, Kwaku Duah, was a force that contributed to the loss of the NPP.
“In fact, all those who did not vote in this election if you look at the numbers, normally would have been counted as NPP voters. If you do the analysis of the last elections, you will realize that the independent candidate was getting his votes from NPP supporters and the guy who won was also getting his votes from the NPP supporters.
Then we will realize that more than 10,000 votes have been lost. What is interesting is that the NDC gained a little over 1000 votes so if you are trend analysis, that should inform you about the performance of the NPP in this election,” he added.
Kwesi Pratt Jr was speaking on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana.
The Otumfuo Ahenenanom Hene, Nana Kwame Mensah-Bonsu, has strongly criticized President Akufo-Addo for the lack of developmental projects in the Ashanti Region.
Nana Mensah-Bonsu, who is a sub-chief of Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, accused President Akufo-Addo and his political party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), of neglecting the Ashanti Region and taking it for granted.
During an interview on the ‘For The Records’ program aired on Sunday, May 21, 2023, Nana Mensah-Bonsu highlighted that the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), despite receiving fewer votes in the Ashanti Region, has implemented more projects in the region compared to the NPP government.
This criticism emphasizes the perceived disparity between the promises made by the NPP and the actual development experienced by the Ashanti Region under President Akufo-Addo’s leadership.
He added that the Akufo-Addo government is the worst he has seen, asking “whether the president had any education”.
“I am here to fight for Ashanti. Akufo-Addo should come and point out all the development projects he has brought to the Ashanti Region and let Mahama also do same.
“… has Akufo-Addo gone to school since he came into politics, who is his classmate? Who did he go to law school with? Who did he go to the university with? He has not brought any project to the Ashanti Region.
“I beg you call the NDC and call the NPP for them to come and account for what they have done in the Ashanti Region. We’re not fools. If we were blind yesterday, today we can see that it is raining and the ground is wet,” he said in Twi.
The Otumfuo Ahenenana went on to list a number of projects started by the John Dramani Mahama administration, including the Sofoline Interchange in Kumasi, which the Akufo-Addo government has failed to complete in the over six years it has been in office.
He urged Ashanti chiefs to speak up and called on the people of the Ashanti land to make wise electoral choices for their own good.
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.
Ernest Yaw Anim of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) won theKumawu Constituency by-election with 15,264 votes (70.91%), retaining the party’s seat.
The by-election was expected to be closely fought following the high stakes invested in the seat by both the ruling NPP and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), whose candidate Kwasi Amankwaa, came a distant second with 3,727 votes or 17.29 percent.
Supporters of the NPP even ahead of official announcement of collated results hit the streets from various polling centres in wild celebration, satisfied with the local results and convinced, Ernest Anim, an economist and a chartered accountant was on his way to represent them in parliament.
.The two other contestants in the by-election, both named Kwaku Duah, equally did not provide much of a contest, sharing between them a paltry 2,540 votes or 11.8%.
Ernest Yaw Anim (NPP) : 15,264 (70.91%)
Kwasi Amankwaa (NDC) : 3,723 ( 17.29%)
Kwaku Duah (Ind. 1) : 2,478 (11.51%)
Kwaku Duah (Ind. 2) : 62. ( 0.29%)
The polls saw a heavy deployment of the police, with fears that the exercise could degenerate into violence, however, save from pockets of disagreements from some of the polling centres which were resolved, the by-election was highly peaceful.
The seat became vacant following the death of NPP’s Member of Parliament for the area, Philip Basoah, and with the acute balance of power in parliament between the two main parties, the Kumawu seat was a critical addition and pitched the poll as a game changer for both parties.
The NPP has always won the seat since 2000, but the party left nothing to chance, providing opportunities for party bigwigs to tour the constituency and to whip up support for its candidate. That effort saw Vice PresidentDr. Mahamudu Bawumia, other presidential aspirants Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto and Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen all descend on the constituency to campaign for support.
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.
A former Executive Director of the Forestry Commission, Oppon Sasu, has claimed that politicians’ failure to crack down on illicit mining (galamsey) during election periods.
According to him, the country witnessed an increase in illegal mining during the election years of 2012, 2016 and 2020 due to the involvement of politicians in galamsey.
He said the active involvement of politicians and politically exposed individuals in the illegal gold trade had also helped to entrench the destructive activity in the nation’s forest reserves.
Mr Sasu told the Daily Graphic in an interview that during the past three election years, politicians either relaxed the clampdown on illegal mining or simply looked away to profit from the proceeds of the illegal trade to support their political campaigns.
“During election years, we see the increase in galamsey because it gives the politicians easy money, so they lack the political will to stop it and sometimes they even take money from the illegal miners even before they enter the forest to mine, and all you need is the power to mine without restrictions.
“Even if they enter the forest for only a week, imagine the destruction they can cause and the money they can make,” he said.
Mr Sasu was speaking to the Daily Graphic during the recently held stakeholders’ dialogue on natural resources in Accra. It was held on the theme: “Harnessing our natural resources responsibly for our sustainable collective good.” Galamsey surges in election years – Former Forestry Commission boss Destructions
With over 40 years of experience in managing forest resources, Mr Sasu said without the help or protection of the political class, individuals would not be able to enter forest reserves illegally to mine gold.
Giving a personal history of how the country’s forest reserves had been degraded over the years, he said major degradation started in the 1980s when devastating wildfires broke out in many parts of the country.
He said the mass return of Ghanaians living in Nigeria in 1983 also brought about the phenomenon of illegal chainsaw logging, while farmers also encroached on forest reserves to expand their farms around the same period.
“As young officers, we realised the destruction before illegal mining set in,” he recalled.
He said until around 2000, there were no illegal mining in forest reserves, and that galamsey activities were only done with hand-held tools such as pickaxes and shovels, limiting the extent of destruction.
However, he said, by 2012, illegal miners had begun using excavators for their activities, thereby increasing the impact on the forest.
The advent of excavators in theillegal mining trade came with the influx of foreign nationals in the trade. Solution
Mr Sasu said there was no small-scale mining ongoing in any of the country’s forest reserves but rather, large- scale illegal mining under the pretext of prospecting for gold.
He, therefore, urged the government to, as a matter of urgency, stop all prospecting activities in forest reserves and encourage deep mining instead of surface mining if there was the need to mine in a forest reserve.
He also called for strict implementation of the country’s regulations on mining, noting that enforcement of the regulations would deter people from indulging in illegal mining. Positive stories
However, the Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, Martin Kwaku Ayisi, said a lot was being done to contain the menace and also cause people to shift from illegalities to legal mining.
He said small-scale mining was taking place in 13 out of the 16 regions, apart from Oti, Volta and Greater Accra, with about three million people depending on small-scale mining.
“We have to do it very well. We must not look at the few in illegal operations to say we should shut down small-scale mining,” he said.
Mr Ayisi said there were areas where illegal small-scale mining was not taking place in water bodies, ramsar sites or ecological sensitive areas and they could be supported to formalise their operations.
He said recently when the commission discovered that 200 smaller scale miners were mining illegally underground in a community in the Upper East Region, the commission stepped in to support them and they were now doing things right.
“We have given them two mercury free processing machines which cost $300 to $1,000 to work and pay. Their operation has been licensed, they have their EPA permit and they are working lawfully,” Mr Ayisi pointed out.
Also in the Bole District, the Minerals Commission CEO said 300 people were operating illegal mines, but the commission sent them three mercury-free processing machines and formalised their operations which would translate to providing a means of livelihood to 3,000 people.
‘If we do it over the next five years we will see responsible mining. The solution will not be overnight. It will require time to do this,” Mr Ayisi pointed out at the just ended Natural Resource Stakeholders Dialogue.
An executive of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Nurudeen Hamidan, has warned all party agents in the ongoing by-election in the Kumawu constituency not to sign pink sheets until voting ends.
Mr. Hamidan gave the warning to party agents after the NDC claimed that it had detected some pink sheets being used for the elections have already been signed even though voting is still underway.
In an interview with Citi News‘ Hafiz Tijani, Mr Hamidan who is also the former Chief Executive of Asokore Mampong called on the Electoral Commission to ensure that no pink sheet already signed is used in the election.
The already signed pink sheet has since been changed by officials of the Electoral Commission while some NDC agents at some polling stations have been changed by the party.
He added that the NDC will do everything possible to ensure that Tuesday’s election is not rigged in favour of the ruling New Patriotic Party.
The EC is conducting a by-election in the Kumawu constituency following the demise of Philip Basoah in March this year.
The two main political parties, the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) have all put in various efforts seeking to annex the parliamentary seat.
The EC which is organising the by-election, has assured that all necessary materials are ready for the by-election.
The parliamentary candidates include: Akwasi Amankwaa popularly known as ‘Tom Cee’, of NDC, NPP’s Ernest Yaw Anim, and two other independent candidates both with the same name, Kwaku Duah.
Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has sarcastically told Minister of Energy, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, affectionately called NAPO, that he is challenging him in old age.
In a video in commemoration of the minister’s 55th birthday today, May 23, 2023, he wondered why the Manhyia South lawmaker is racing so fast in age.
“NAPO, I hear tomorrow is your birthday. You are racing very fast…do you want to be an old man like me? If you were born in 1968, if you do the calculations, you are now 54 or 55 years of age. Whatever it is, many happy returns. I have consistently advised you and wish to urge you to take things slowly. God Bless you,” he said.
Happy Birthday Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh….simply called "Napo".
NAPO is a trained medical doctor and a leading member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) who served as a member of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of the United Kingdom from 1999 to 2003.
He studied Human Biology and Medicine at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, later continuing post-graduate studies at the Netherlands Institute of Health Sciences and the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
He is the current Member of Parliament for Manhyia South Constituency in the Ashanti Region of Ghana and served as a Minister of Education but is currently the Minister for Energy.
Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh was born on May 23, 1968, at Pakyi Number 2 in the Ashanti Region.
Prior to parliament, Prempeh served as CEO of Keyedmap Security Services Limited from 2004 to 2009.
