Former Deputy General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Obiri Boahen, has advised President Akufo-Addo to listen to the call by some NPP members of parliament to dismiss Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.
According to him, if the concerns of these people are ignored, it could affect the democratic stability of the country.
Speaking on Ade Akye Abia on Okay FM, he said he must consider the call of the NPP MPs as this has never happened in the history of Ghana politics.
“Mr president, we have learnt history; we know history. But, Mr President, in the supreme interest of our tradition, multiparty democracy, please listen to the MPs. You are in a country you don’t take chances when issues of politics are popping up.
“We are in a continent where a small issue can escalate. This is not NPP and NDC issue. This is a national issue which goes down to the stability of western democracy. This has never happened in the country’s history,” he said.
Some Members of Parliament in the majority have threatened to boycott the 2023 budget presentation and debate if the finance minister is not relieved of his post.
The MPs explained that their position follows several concerns over the poor management of the economy, which has forced the government to seek IMF assistance.
“We have had occasions to defend allegations of conflicts of interest, lack of confidence, and trust against the leadership of the Finance ministry. The recent development within our economy is of great concern to the greater majority of members of our caucus and our constituents.
“We have made our great concern to the president through our parliamentary leadership and the leadership of the party without any positive response. We are by this medium communicating our strong desire that the president changes the Minister of Finance and the Minister of state in the Finance Ministry without further delay in order to restore hope in our financial sector and reverse the downwards trend in the growth of the economy,” Andy Appiah Kubi, MP for Asante Akyem North, who spoke on behalf of the MPs said at a press conference.
On Tuesday, October 25, about 80 Members of Parliament within the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP)were reported to have signed a petition demanding the removal of Ken Ofori-Atta as finance minister.
The group, through a press conference, also demanded the removal of Charles Adu Boahen, who serves as a Minister of State at the finance ministry; a close ally of Ken Ofori-Atta.
The MPs explained that their position follows several concerns over the poor management of the economy, which has forced the government to seek IMF assistance.
The group added that should the president fail to heed to their call, they will no longer do business with the government nor support the 2023 budget.
The MP for Asante-Akim North, Andy Kwame Appiah-Kubi, who introduced himself as the spokesperson for the Majority Caucus, said that several concerns raised on economic management have been sent to government, but are all yet to yield the intended results.
In the wake of the development, some Ghanaians on social media have lauded the confidence of the majority MPs.
Although President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has on numerous occasions backed down against calls to change his finance minister, the pressure now appears to be mounting from within his own party.
Some citizens have also already concluded that the president would likely not dismiss Ken Ofori-Atta, basing their assumption on the close family ties Akufo-Ado has with the finance minister.
While this is yet to come to fruition, GhanaWeb Business has compiled a list of potential candidates who are likely to be the best replacements if Ken Ofori-Atta is taken off the job at the Ministry of Finance.
Dr Mark Assibey Yeboah
Dr Assibey-Yeboah is a former Chairman of the Finance Committee of Parliament. During his tenure as chair, he led many engagements toward sound economic indicators of government.
He has also earned himself a reputation for being an economic guru among his peers.
Prior to Ghana returning to the IMF, Dr Assibey-Yeboah warned of harsh economic conditions and therefore called on the government to resort to the Fund at an earlier time ahead of its July 1, 2022 decision.
He also cast doubts on the government’s ability to raise the projected GH¢6.9 billion revenue target from the controversial Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy), insisting they would not be able to realise the intended target – a prediction which came to be.
Dr. Assibey-Yeboah holds a BSc (Hons) in Agricultural Economics degree from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). He also holds an MS (Agricultural and Resource Economics) from the University of Delaware, USA.
He has earned an MA and a Ph.D. both in Economics from the University of Tennessee, USA specializing in International Macroeconomics, Monetary Economics and Econometrics.
Dr Assibey-Yeboah has worked in various capacities, locally and abroad. He has served as lecturer at the University of Tennessee, USA and worked in a similar capacity as an Adjunct Faculty at Milligan College, Tennessee-USA.
The former lawmaker has also served as a senior economist at the Bank of Ghana and has been a lecturer at the Ghana Telecom Technology University College and Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA).
Professor Gyan-Baffour
Prof. George Yaw Gyan-Baffour is a Ghanaian development economist. He was in charge of the former Ministry of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation.
He is credited for the introduction of Ghana’s first Monitoring and Evaluation mechanism which was used for assessing the progress of national development and dubbed the ‘Annual Progress Report’.
Despite the ministry no longer being in existence, the mechanism continues to be used in the monitoring and evaluation tool of Ghana’s development agenda.
He also supervised the preparation of the Coordinated Program for the Economic and Social Development of Ghana (2002-2012), which is a constitutional requirement for the President of the Republic of Ghana.
Prof. Gyan Baffour is also credited for leading the team that prepared Ghana’s first compact under the Millennium Challenge Account.
Prior to leaving for the USA to further his education, Prof. Baffour worked at the Ministry of Industrial Science and Technology from 1974 to 1984.
He is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Economists of Ghana and has served on various boards of institutions, including the Bank of Ghana.
He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin, Madison in Industrial Relations; a Post Doctorate diploma from Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government; an MA in economic policy from University of Wisconsin, Madison; a BSc. (Hons) degree in Economics from the University of Ghana.
Kwame Pianim
Kwame Pianim is not a stranger when it comes to finance and economic management in Ghana.
The renowned economist is a management and investment consultant who has served in various capacities in government and the private sector.
He served as an Economic Research Officer of the United Nations-USA, from 1964 to 1970.
He was the Acting Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning from 1970 to 1972 and served as Deputy Managing Director of Ghana Aluminum Products Limited, Tema. He was also Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Cocoa Marketing Board from 1978 – 1979.
The veteran economist also served as the Chairman of Ghana Financial Services Limited at Bayport Financial Services Limited and was the Chairman of the Public Utilities and Regulatory Commission (PURC).
Kwame Pianim attended Achimota Secondary School and holds a B.A. Double Honors in Economics and Political Science from the University of New Brunswick, Canada (1963) and M.A. in Economics from Yale University (1964).
With additional files from the Chamber of Independent Power Producers
Dr. Ernest Addison
Dr. Ernest Kwamina Yedu Addison is an economist and the 15th Governor of the Bank of Ghana.
He attended the Methodist College and the Mfantsipim School for his primary and secondary education. Dr. Addison then proceeded to the University of Ghana and earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics from 1982 to 1986.
From 1987 to 1989, he obtained an M.Phil in Economics and Politics from the University of Cambridge in England and later a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Economics from McGill University in Canada.
Before he was appointed Governor of the BoG, Dr. Addison served as the former Director of Research at the Bank of Ghana from 2003 to 2011, as well as an Economist at the African Development Bank.
He specializes in financial policy and economic management.
One person has been injured and at least one vehicle has been set on fire following a dispute over a piece of land in Central Dzorwulu, Accra.
The police in a Facebook post on Tuesday, October 25, 2022 , indicated that the burnt car belonged to two men who hired some thugs to destroy a four-bedroom flat.
“The Police responded to the scene to restore calm. Police later had information that one of the vehicles belonging to the suspects, Nana Owusu Banahene and James Quainoo, run into a ditch and was attacked by a mob who pelted them with stones, injured one of the suspects, James Quainoo, and set his car ablaze,” the police added.
The thugs in an attempt to flee from the police whilst executing the assigned task entered into a ditch.
Information gathered by the police shows that before the demolishing began, the perpetrators attacked the occupants of the house.
On Monday, October 24, 2022, a video which saw a middle-aged man driver bleeding profusely in the middle of the streets went viral on Twitter.
A voice was heard from the video stating that someone had been shot.
However, the police have thus far established that nobody was shot during the incident as per what has been circulated.
The law enforcement body, have also stated that the two culprits are in police custody.
In the meantime, while efforts are being made to apprehend all of the other culprits, the injured suspect is receiving medical care at the hospital.
Also, the police has asked the public to maintain calm adding that it is in control of the situation and would update the public on any development.
“The Police are in control of the situation and calm has since been restored. We, therefore, wish to urge the public to remain calm. Further developments will be shared in due course,” the police added.
Some eighty Members of Parliament (MP) belonging to the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) have called for the sacking of Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.
They also want the Minister of State at the Finance Ministry, Charles Adu Boahen, removed from post.
According to the legislators, the aforementioned members of the Executive have proven to be incapable of handling the Ghanaian economy which is currently in tatters.
Speaking to the press on Tuesday, October 15, 2022, Asante-Akim North MP, Andy Kwame Appiah-Kubi said “we are communicating our strong desire that the President should change the Minister of Finance and the Minister without further delay in order to restore hope into the financial sector and reverse the downward trend in the growth of the economy.”
He noted that push has come to shove as the concerns of the Majority Group which were tabled before its leadership to the President, have yielded no positive results.
The Majority Group now adds their voice to the many Ghanaians calling for Mr Ofori-Attato be replaced by a more competent individual.
Pressure now mounts on President Akufo-Addo, who has indicated that he has no plans of sacking the current Finance Minister.
The President has explained that Mr Ofori-Atta has proven himself worthy of managing the economy. He cited Ghana’s growth in 2017 to argue that he finds no basis to replace the Finance Minister.
“I came to office in 2017 under a stringent IMF programme. This same man was able to manage the affairs of our economy in such a way that in my first term, we were one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. An average growth rate of 7% which allowed us to initiate programmes such as Planting for Food and Jobs,” he said.
“So somebody who has been able to do that. The current difficulties are not his fault. So how do I do it (sack him)? What will be the basis? What will be the rationale,” he further interrogated.
Ghana is currently battling a high inflation rate of 37.2% as of September, 2022. Also, the local currency continues to lose its value against major trading currencies.
A dollar is trading at about GH15. All these have happened under the watch of Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.
Meanwhile, Mr Ofori-Atta has encouraged Ghanaians to remain calm as the country engages the International Monetary Fund for an economic recovery programme.
He expects that the local currency will begin to appreciate once a deal is agreed upon.
A Former Deputy General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Obiri Boahene, has berated the Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, for insulting persons who have been criticising President Akufo-Addo over happenings in the county.
The Okyenhene said that persons who have been criticising the president over the current economic hardship are uncivilized villagers, witches, and wizards who have no sense of appreciation.
“We must appreciate the feat of the President and show him appreciation for what he has done for Ghana. We must defend and protect him.
“Those insulting the President are children of villagers. They are uncivilized. No well-nurtured person will insult an elderly. If you were raised in the Church, you will not insult an elder. If you are not a villager, then you may be a witch or wizard.
“Not all will like you. Even Jesus Christ was crucified. It won’t bother me if they speak with sincerity but when you speak with hate, witchcraft, and envy, you must be careful because one day, one day! one day! one day! One day! The truth will overcome evil lies and envy,” the chief said.
Reacting to this, Nana Obiri Boahene intimated that Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin’s comments were unfortunate.
The former NPP deputy general secretary added that the chief, rather than insulting the critics of the president, should have urged Akufo-Addo to listen to those with genuine concerns.
“Let me be very honest. Such a comment coming from a big chief is not in good taste. You are not some small chief, you are a big chief and you were not talking to your friend, you were talking in public and you uttered such words, it is not good.
“You don’t have to support the NDC or the NPP to make such comments. It was an opportunity for him to urge the president to listen to the cries of Ghanaians. You don’t just call people witches and wizards. It is not good,” he said in Twi in a Neat FM interview monitored by GhanaWeb.
An aspirant for the flagbearership of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr. Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, has started a tour of the diaspora chapters of the Party to share his vision of a” New Dawn”, “New Dimension” and “New Direction” towards rallying support for his campaign.
“Ghana is really at the crossroads and what the country urgently needs now is the crack of a ‘New Dawn’ of astute political leadership with a vision that inspires hope in the youth, rejuvenates our political base and rekindles the faith of Ghanaians in our constitutional democracy.”
Addressing the Los Angeles Chapter of the NPP in the United States, on Sunday, Mr Agyepong described his cause as a “redemption mission”, in a news brief to the Ghana News Agency.
He said his vision was: “To create a critical mass of patriots needed to generate the momentum required to cause a seismic shift in the thinking and orientation of what public service and party politics should mean to politicians, political appointees, civil servants and indeed all our countrymen.”
Mr. Agyepong said the NPP needed to aspire for a “new deal, new dimension, and new direction” led by a generational leader “who is courageous, committed, compassionate and competent”.
“In all humility, I trust I fit the bill and hopefully with your support, we can create a broad coalition of the willing to help mobilise a groundswell of grassroots support for our project to rescue our motherland Ghana.
“The aim is to restore the cherished values of service, sacrifice and selflessness back into our body politic,” Mr. Agyepong said.
He reiterated his commitment to working hard to win the NPP presidential primaries, and subsequently the hearts and minds of Ghanaians towards obtaining a historic third term in the 2024 General Election.
He expressed gratitude to the Diasporan NPP Chapter members for the kind words of encouragement, support and the expressions of solidarity and goodwill for his decision, “to contest the Flagbearership of our dear party, NPP”.
“We have a sacred duty to recalibrate and reawaken all Ghanaians to set us on a path to deliver meaningful progress and prosperity for our long suffering underserved population. Let us do this together now,” Mr Agyepong told members of the chapter.
He is expected to attend the opening plenary of the 2020 Convention of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) going on in Anaheim California.
From there, he will be the special guest of the NPP UK branch on Sunday October 30th at the Dominion Centre, Wood Green, London.
Mr Agyepong will also have some media engagements in London.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has reportedly suspended its polling station organizer in the Manhyia North Constituency of the Ashanti Region, named Andy, who begged former President John Dramani Mahama’s forgiveness for voting against him.
In a viral video sighted by GhanaWeb on October 20, Andy berated President Akufo-Addo for his poor handling of Ghana’s economy while expressing regret for his decision to vote against former President John Dramani Mahama.
“Honourable Mahama, please forgive me. Mahama, forgive me. I did not know that things were going to be like this. If I knew that this was what was going to happen, I would not have voted against you. Mahama, please forgive me.
“… As for you, Akufo-Addo, I am not going to say anything against you. After all these (difficulties), you are also insulting us by telling us that nobody held our hands to vote. 2024 will be here soon and you will see your stance.
“A dollar is almost GH¢15 and you’re telling us it is because of the Russia-Ukraine war. A gallon of petrol is now GH¢70. We can no longer buy cement. We have all packed our cars. Mahama please forgive, please forgive,” he said in Twi.
In another video sighted by GhanaWeb, Andy, who disclosed his suspension from the NPP, said that he has no regret for the comments he made.
He added that his suspension will not affect him in any way since the NPP has done nothing for him for the 12 years he has been serving the party.
“Yesterday, the dollar was GH¢14 plus. Today it is GH¢15, why? You have suspended me for speaking the truth.
“It has never been my intention to contest for a position in the NPP; it has never been my intention. Also, the NPP has never gotten me a job. I have been a member of the NPP for 12 years and you have not gotten me a job. And so, what is the essence of your suspension?
“… I will continue to seek Mahama’s forgiveness because I did not know this was how things were going to be. I have supported the NPP with my resources. I have used my money for posters, banners and other things. I don’t want to hold any position in the NPP and I will continue to beg Mahama for his forgiveness,” he said in Twi.
One of the many models used by the New Patriotic Party during the 2020 general elections has made shocking revelations as to how his image ended up on billboards and posters.
Nicholas Teye, a 35-year-old Senior High School teacher, appeared on a billboard with the inscription “Remember me. My livelihood depends on your vote.”
Speaking to the media, Mr Teye said he was initially told that together with some other people, their photos were being used for calendars and magazines and there is a reward of GH¢300 attached to it.
According to him, before given the amount agreed upon, he was asked to sign an undertaking that stated that he has allowed his photo to be used for the NPP 2020 campaign.
“I was very angry when I read the notice because I told them they should have informed me earlier before snapping the photo, so I did not sign and I left.”
However, he returned to take the money after realising he was in economic distress.
“When I got home, my wife and the woman who helped me with funds to pay for the NABCO training said I should go for the money…I later went and signed for the GH ¢300…,” Nicholas Teye stressed.
Currently, Nicholas Teye, has to disguise himself before going to public spaces, as his life is reportedly under threat.
He said individuals displeased with the current running of the economy by the Akufo-Addo-led government have threatened his life.
“My major challenge is the threat. So any time I have to go out I have to put on a nose mask and sometimes a cap,” he said.
Government has come under criticism from a cross-section of the public due to the current economic crisis.
In the wake of this, Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has been at the receiving end from almost all and sundry.
While the “ordinary citizens” have been agitating on and off social media, Ghanaian celebrities have also not held back from expressing their dissatisfaction against government.
In the past week, some Ghanaian celebrities have called on President Akufo-Addo and the Minister of Finance to sit up and address the economic crisis fraught the country.
Below are some celebrities who have waded into the national conversation
Prince David Osei
The Ghanaian actor is one of the familiar supporters of the ruling government. He, alongside other celebrities like Kalybos was seen to be involved heavily clothed in NPP paraphernalia campaigning for the then Presidential Candidate, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
However, the movie star has openly displayed his disappointment in the government. In a tweet sighted by GhanaWeb, Prince called on government to seek help.
“Can we all put aside politics, humble ourselves and seek help from whoever has the ideas or in-depth knowledge on how to stop the further depreciation of our currency and stabilize our economy,” he tweeted.
Yvonne Nelson
The movie producer and actress is another popular figure who has not held back from bashing the government and calling for urgent steps to change the current tides.
In 2015, Yvonne Nelson led a demonstration against power cuts in Ghana, popularly known as “Dumsor”. Being a citizen and not a spectator as President Akufo-Addo implored Ghanaians, the model has this time taken to Twitter to quiz the President over his governance.
“Are you still the President? Are you still in this country? Are you this heartless? Do you hear people crying? Are you this heartless? No more campaign ahead so you are unbothered. You obviously feel nothing for Ghanaians. Such a disappointment”, she lamented.
Lydia Forson
The Ghanaian actress and social critic have also been vociferous over the state of affairs. She has opined that the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori Atta, needs to resign.
According to her, the minister has performed woefully and thus is unfit to continue occupying his position.
Furthermore, she has asked the government to take a cue from Britain, whose Prime Minister has resigned her inability to lead.
“I really wish Gabby Otchere Darko’s obsession & admiration for the UK parliament included taking pointers as well on resignations and firing. It makes absolutely no sense that Ken Ofori Attah is still the finance minister; how? He’s lost the confidence of the people! She said in a tweet.
Nana Aba-Anamoah
The Ghanaian media personality and General Manager of GHOne TV and Starr FM has penned a long letter to Ken Ofori Atta.
The TV host in the letter discusses how the minister has failed in his capacity and needs him to resign. She called the minister an absolute failure in managing the economy and driving it into an abyss.
A portion of the letter reads, “Hmm. Maybe a part of you wants to leave and your cousin (President Akufo Addo-Addo) is backing you to the hilt on the altar of loyalty. But for God’s, spare the entire nation this prolonged spectacle of failure and let go of the burning rod.”
Former Member of Parliament for Adenta Constituency, Mr. Emmanuel NiiAshie Moore, aspiring to be elected the Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has wished contestants at constituency executives’ elections well.
The elections are scheduled for Saturday, October 22, 2022, and Nii Moore, in a statement, extended goodwill to all aspirants.
“As the National Democratic Congress (NDC) prepares to elect constituency Executives on Saturday, 22nd October 2022, I wish to extend my good will to all aspirants vying for the various positions, “the aspirant said.
Nii Ashie Moore reminded contestants that the “election of Constituency Executives forms a key component in our quest to capture power in 2024 elections and to rescue Ghanaians from the grips of the failed New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration.”
Describing the elections as “important exercises,” Nii Ashie Moore prayed that they would be conducted without rancour or disturbance across the 275 constituencies.
He recalled that the NDC a few weeks earlier had successfully selected Branch Executives and in like manner was his conviction that the Constituency Executives’ Elections would not depart from this established norm.
“I therefore wish all aspirants the best of luck for the forthcoming elections, “he said.
Nii Ashie Moore entreated aspirants to remember that he has their best interest at heart.
“I look forward to working with you as your Greater Accra Regional Chairman as I trust that you will vote for me when the Regional Executives’ Elections are held in a few weeks’ time,” he said.
He added: “I say may the divine peace of God reign during and after these important elections to ignite the principles of probity, accountability and social justice and to restore confidence in our great party, the NDC to ensure a smooth take off for election 2024.”
The Director of Communication at the Jubilee House has said comments made by President Akufo-Addo with regards to the people of Kwabre were taken out of context.
According to Eugene Arhin, the president did not call the bluff of the people but rather stated that he is focused on fulfilling his promises.
“I don’t think the President was calling anybody’s bluff. The host asked him a particular question and the response the President gave was to what the host was saying.
“Indeed, if you look at the package of road construction that is currently going on in the Kwabre and the Manso areas, I mean, what the President stated in his response was that I don’t think anybody threatening that, ‘I will not vote for him’ should be something that he should be worried about,” Eugene Arhin is said to have stated during a presser at the Jubilee House.
President Akufo-Addo, during an interview said he is unmoved by threats to vote out the new Patriotic Party.
According to the president, threats of voting against him or the NPP due to unfulfilled promises or lack of development under his tenure, especially, is a personal decision which he cannot be bothered about.
The president was reacting to a message sent into the radio programme by a listener who stated that residents of Kwabre and Manso would vote against the NPP if President Akufo-Addo’s government failed to construct their roads.
The message, as read by the host of the programme, Captain Koda, stated that the residents of the area, being a stronghold of the NPP, voted massively for President Akufo-Addo.
“Our plea through you (roads minister) to the Mr President is that when you look at the voting pattern, residents of Kwabre voted massively for Nana. They said I should tell the president that they will be pained if you don’t construct their roads for them in 2024; they will vote against the NPP,” the host, sending the message through the Minister for Roads and Transport, Kwasi Amoako Atta, who was in the studio with the president, said.
However, after several backlashes from Ghanaians with regards to the president’s response, Eugene Arhin said the president meant that he has no control over who a citizen decides to vote for even though he is focused on fulfilling his promises.
“At the end of the day, his focus is to make sure that he delivers. Once he delivers and the road infrastructure is there and you still decide to go and vote for another party, that is your problem,” Eugene noted.
He continued, “What he did indicate in that interview was that, work is ongoing in all parts of the country. There is no way we can construct all roads at the same time. It is not possible, looking at the national purse. So, if people, as per what the host was saying, will not be patient and wait for their time, that is fine, but he did not call anybody’s bluff,” the chronicle quoted Eugene Arhin as having said.
Former Gender Minister, Nana Oye Bampoe Addo (formerly Nana Oye Lithur) says the circumstances that led to the 1948 riots in Accra are currently looming in Ghana.
According to the past NDC appointee, the triggers that led to the historic protest can be seen across the country.
On the 24th of February 1948, three unarmed ex-servicemen were shot during a protest. This infuriated other citizens who took to the streets to call out the colonial regime for its bad leadership and mismanagement.
Speaking in an interview on the AM Show on Thursday, the gender advocate said the same anger that fueled the 1948 protests is lurking, hence the need for government to urgently address the prevailing economic crisis.
“If you remember the 1948 riots, it seems like we are just seeing it being replayed. Where the traders were up in arms about the high cost of living and shops were closed. Then it led to Sergeant Adjetey and co., marching on to the seat of the colonial government.
[With] the ramifications of what happened; over a hundred people dying and how the riots [was] all over Ghana because of the economic situation. And you see it playing, right? History is actually repeating itself”, she said.
She also added that the recent incidents of booing the President at public functions are a worrying development which reflects the displeasure of the populace.
Madam Oye Addo’s comments add to the repeated calls for the President to invest more efforts in bettering the economy to prevent any untoward events.
Currently, Ghana is in a dire economic situation with citizens feeling the brunt of the hardship.
The economic crisis is evident in the constant depreciation of the local currency, in addition to the rising rate of inflation.
These developments have become very topical, with stakeholders constantly bemoaning the situation.
Meanwhile, in the wake of the widespread public agitations about the state of the economy, government maintains that it is working tirelessly around the clock to put the smiles back on the faces of Ghanaians.
According to the government, the economic situation has been exacerbated by the Russia-Ukraine war, as well as the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Energy Minister and Member of Parliament for the Manhyia North Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh has accused media practitioners in the Ashanti Region of taking money from some people to denigrate the governing NPP in the region.
The MP who was not specific with which media persons said, “Journalists have taken money and they sit on radio to insult the government. Their agenda is mainly to make the NPP look bad in the area but the truth is that the government is doing well for Asanteman.”
Speaking at the sod-cutting ceremony of the Suame Interchange on Tuesday, October 18, 2022, Dr. Prempeh also known as NAPO touted the achievements of the governing NPP in the Ashanti Region. According to him, the party is the only one that has the development of the region at heart and numerous projects are ongoing in the region curtsy the governing NPP.
He urged the residents in the region to be thankful to the government saying, ” even God who created us requests for thanks from us anytime he does something good for us hence we the people in the area must be thankful to the Nana Addo government for what he continues to do for us”.
He took a swipe at individuals who use the absence of the Suame Interchange to accuse the government of not developing Asanteman by saying, “Suame Interchange is not Asanteman, other roads and infrastructure are being developed in the region”.
A Deputy National Communications Director of the ruling NPP,George Krobea Asante, has admonished the opposition NDC for claiming superiority in the management of the economy.
Speaking on Peace 104.3 FM’s evening show, the Platform with Nana Yaw Kesse as the host, George Krobea Asante pointed out that “today, even in the UK, the Pounds Sterling is struggling against the US Dollar”. He further stated that “in the midst of the economic difficulties being experienced by Ghanaians, we have a stable power.”
He said that under the NDC, apart from the challenging economic situation, erratic power generation became the order of the day.
“Even in the midst of crisis, the worst form of NPP’s government is better than NDC’s best government,” he stressed.
He also touched on the fight against illegal mining activities emphasizing that while there is a national discourse on the matter, the NDC is rather thinking about the next elections whether by foul or fair means.
He pointed out to the opposition party that the fight against galamsey is a very serious national issue that must be given attention by all political parties, but the NDC, which is only concerned about winning power, is looking the other way.
All the NDC excels in, Mr. George Krobea Asante said, is the engagement of propagandaby members of the opposition party. He called on all well-meaning Ghanaians to make the fight against galamsey a topmost priority.
President Akufo-Addo has proclaimed that he is unperturbed by threats of electoral consequences by some supporters of the New Patriotic Party, NPP.
He is of the view that not everyone will vote for a particular candidate in an election and that voters can also not be forced to make choices in a democratic dispensation hence there was no need to threaten a government with votes.
Akufo-Addo was responding to concerns raised by people in Manso and Kwabre, who according to an OTEC FM journalist had threatened to vote out the NPP in 2024 if their roads are not fixed.
The journalist was hosting the President in an exclusive interview as part of his official visit to the Ashanti Region where he inspected and launched a number of projects.
“The people of Kwabre and Manso, we know they voted massively for Nana, they have asked me to inform the president that if their roads are not fixed, they will be pained and in 2024, they will vote against the NPP,” the journalist said after the Roads Minister Kwasi Amoako-Attah had responded to a question.
The president quickly weighed in with a response: “No problem, no problem.” He continued: “I am saying people make those kinds of threats, me, they don’t frighten me. Somebody votes for you, somebody supports you, it is because they want you to do things for them, so I understand that.
“There is no need for people to say if I do not do it, this or that. That is your own problem. Of course, I will fulfil my promises.
“But if it so happens that you decide to vote for the NDC, that is your problem, that is not mine. Nobody will hold your hand to thumbprint for any candidate, the most important thing is that I understand the responsibility and we will deal with it,” he stressed.
President Akufo-Addo has stated that threats of voting against him or the New Patriotic Party(NPP) due to unfulfilled promises or lack of development under his tenure, especially, is a personal decision which he cannot be bothered about.
“People make those kinds of threats; they don’t frighten me. Somebody votes for you, and somebody supports you. It’s because they want you to do certain things for them. I understand that. But there is no need for people to say that if I am unable to do this and that… those are their own issues to deal with. Of course, I will do it (the road).
“But if it comes to the election and you choose to vote for the NDC, that is your own issue that is not my worry because nobody holds your thumb to vote; it is your own work. The important thing is that I understand my responsibility, and we will deal with it,” the president said during an interview on Kumasi-based Otec FM.
The president was reacting to a message sent into the radio programme by a listener who stated that residents of Kwabre and Manso would vote against the NPP if President Akufo-Addo’s government failed to construct their roads.
The message, as read by the host of the programme, Captain Koda, stated that the residents of the area, being a stronghold of the NPP, voted massively for President Akufo-Addo.
“Our plea through you (roads minister) to the Mr President is that when you look at the voting pattern, residents of Kwabre voted massively for Nana. They said I should tell the president that they will be pained if you don’t construct their roads for them in 2024; they will vote against the NPP,” the host, sending the message through the Minister for Roads and Transport, Kwasi Amoako Atta, who was in the studio with the president, said.
A new video has emerged of a farmer standing in water at the level of his chest, on his farmland, as he bitterly complains about the devastating effects of galamsey in the country.
The man, who explained that he campaigned passionately for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to win political power, expressed his disappointment at how badly the situation of small-scale illegal mining has been.
He also painted a picture of how much damage the activities of galamsey have caused to their livelihoods, as well as their farms.
“In the era of the NPP, things have deteriorated so badly. Look at the cocoa trees I have planted for close to 13 years. To think that we worked for the NPP to come to power to make things better, then we should have just allowed the NDC to stay. Look at what galamsey has done to my cocoa farm..
“Since we came to meet our forefathers on these lands, even when it floods, it does not come here… look at all these cocoa trees on about 10 acres of land that has been destroyed by water. Why? If this was what it was, then we should not have even gone into this type of farming,” he lamented.
The man continued that there was even a time when they were unable to even salvage any of their harvested cocoa beans because the flood waters had washed through their lands.
He further regretted giving all of his energy and time to working for the NPP to come into office, with the hope that their coming would help make his life better.
“We even had cocoa bags numbering about ten bags here but they have all been washed away, and the little that was left behind, we came by only to see that it had also been washed away. Is this how we will continue to live on this land?
“We all thought that we were helping the NPP to come to power so that our lives would be comfortable, but if we knew this is how it would come about, then what was the benefit? Since they came into power, galamsey activities have go on and on such that immediately there is small rain, then it rushes through our cocoa farms. The damage is all over this area,” he said.
It is, however, unclear which part of the country the man was speaking from, but there is no doubting the extent of the damage that the activities of people engaged in the illegal trade in small-scale mining (galamsey) have caused to the environment in recent years.
Galamsey, as it is widely known, has become a matter of great concern for many, with traditional rulers, politicians, social groups, and nearly every Ghanaian making it a point to contribute to discussions or calls for the menace to be stopped.
The infiltration of foreigners, especially Chinese nationals, into the illegal trade, with the use of their heavy equipment, has further escalated the destruction of the mining activities in the environment.
The General Secretary of Convention Peoples Party (CPP), Nana Yaa Jantuah, has called for the immediate resignation of the past Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Freddie Blay, as the board chairman of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC).
She explained that Blay had to resign because his law firm is representing the accomplices of the alleged illegal small-scale mining (galamsey) kingpin, Aisha Huang, who the government, which he is part of, is prosecuting.
Speaking in a TV3 interview monitored by GhanaWeb, Jantuah berated Freddie Blay for defending Aisha Huang’s accomplices.
He reiterated that the action of the former NPP chairman is ethically wrong and amounts to a clear case of conflict of interest.
“This is a man who is part of the governance of an organization in the NPP government and his law firm is defending galamsey. What do they seek to achieve? Are they just playing?
“I thought he had even left GNPC, but he is still there. Being the board chair is not of GNPC, it means you are part of the government. It is the people who are in government who become board chairmen because it is assumed and believed that they believe in the agenda of the government in power. That is why they put them there, to direct governance as board chairman.
“You are in government and your firm is defending a government that the president of this country has put his job on the line to stop. I think he should resign as board chair of GNPC. I don’t know why he is still there because it is a conflict of interest. You can eat your cake and have it,” she said.
She indicated that she is very disheartened that a member of the government is supporting something that is killing Ghanaians and destroying the country’s lands and water bodies.
Freddie Blay, who is the immediate past chairman of the NPP, has come under heavy criticism after it emerged that he is the main lawyer for Huang’s four co-accused in a case related to galamsey.
Lucy Ekeleba Blay, a private legal practitioner, in court on Tuesday (October 11), said that she was holding brief for Freddie Blay in the case of the four accomplices in the persons of Gao Jin Cheng, Lu Qi Jun, Haibin Go and Zhang Zhipeng.
Former President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, has observed that Ghana’s four-year term for every government is insufficient for the needed investment in developing the country.
He indicates that, unlike other countries where governments have ample time to roll out their ideas and ensure seamless development, the same cannot be said about Ghana.
“We have a four-year term like they have in America and not as they have in other countries where there are five terms, so it is very little you can do in terms of infrastructure; we will do our best.
We will Invest in the health sector, invest in Education, invest in the economic infrastructure, but all these must be geared towards creating opportunities, especially for young people to be able to realize their full potential and be able to find jobs in the economy. I think that’s what we will be looking at,” he said in an interview on Voice of America.
The leader of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2020 election said another focus of a new NDC government would be strengthening public institutions in the country and intensifying the fight against corruption.
He reiterated his calls for the review of the 1992 constitution. He believes that after 26 years of using the constitution, it will be right that some tweaking is done to help build the country.
Director of Legal Affairs for the National Democratic Congress, Abraham Amaliba has advised the former New Patriotic Party (NPP) Chairman, Freddie Blay to recuse himself from defending Chinese illegal miners in court.
The former Chairman is representing some Chinese nationals standing trial for their alleged involvement in illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey in the country.
Critics say Mr. Blay’s move defeats the government’s effort in fighting the menace which has left many water bodies and forest reserves destroyed.
Commenting on the issue on Starr Today with Joshua Kodjo Mensah, the NDC’s legal director indicated that Mr. Blay should not be seen as compounding issues for the government as it wages war against the galamsey menace.
“So for the sake of the people of this country who are also fighting the galamsey menace,let me not involve myself in the matter. Sometimes your conscience should tell you what you should do.
“What has even compounded the issue is that in this whole saga of galamsey, the government officials have been fingered to be engaging in it. That is a new dimension.
“Our fight against galamsey, we are now seeing that names of appointees have been mentioned. Then you (Freddie Blay) compound the problem for the government by defending those who have been mentioned as accomplices,” Mr. Amaliba stated.
He continued: “I think he is a senior lawyer, it is not always that you follow money. He will get his money alright but his image will be tarnished.
“I have done similar cases and where I feel that the people see my services will create the wrong impression I’ve given those cases to colleagues, who are not in the same situation that I find myself.”
The NDC legal director further added that Mr. Blay should hand over the case to any of his lawyers who are not connected to the NPP to handle it.
“Don’t forget Nkrabea Effah is also there as a lawyer and you are also there as lawyer and the government officials have been fingered as contributing to the menace,” he said.
The immediate past national chairman of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Freddie Blay, has expressed shock at the backlash he and his firm has received because of their decision to defend some foreign nationals standing trial for alleged illegal mining offences.
Law firm Blay and Associates is the law firm defending the four accomplices of En Huang, popularly known as Aisha Huang, who has been charged with the others for engaging in illegal mining activities in Ghana.
The decision of Mr Blay’s firm to defend these foreign nationals, when his party and government is battling an ongoing galamsey menace has raised eyebrows but the astute lawyer in a radio interview said every accused person is entitled to legal representation.
Mr Blay who is a stalwart of the NPP due to his immediate past position says it is rather unfortunate that he has been subjected to attacks.
Speaking to Joy FM on Wednesday, October 12, Mr Blay said, “My clients are not guilty; we’ve sworn an oath to defend them.
They came to instruct us and we as professionals, we have sworn an oath to defend our clients to the best of our knowledge and ability and that is exactly what we are doing in accordance with the Constitution of this country.
“They are not guilty. They’ve been brought before the court, they’ve pleaded not guilty and are being defended,” Mr Blay said as quoted by Graphiconline.
According to him, the four accused persons may have a relationship with Aisha Huang because in 2017 they bought a supermarket from her.
Meanwhile, the Attorney-General, Godfred Dame has assured Ghanaians that his outfit will not relent in its effort to prosecute all illegal miners in the country, adding that, for Aisha Huang, who has gained notoriety for the galamsey trade she will pay for both her past and present offences.
Godfred Dame was speaking to the press after the now-famous galamsey kingpin Aisha Huang was denied bail on Tuesday, October 11.
“In respect of Aisha Huang, we have filed most of the documents we will rely on. We have filed witness statements with four witnesses, we need about four more. But the Judge in her discretion decided to adjourn to 24th October for us to come and conduct the case management conference and we are ready to conduct the trial on a day by day basis and the Judge has also indicated the inclination to conduct the trial in that manner. So we are happy with the progress of the matter. And it is important to indicate to the world our full commitment to prosecute all these illegal mining offences. It is something that is of utmost importance to the nation.”
Aisha Huang, a Chinese national, previously deported/repatriated for dealing in illegal mining in 2018 was re-arrested this year.
She is currently standing trial with three other Chinese nationals for mining without a license and engaging in the sale and purchase of minerals.
All three were remanded into the custody of the National Investigation Bureau pending the final determination of their case.
The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) is of the view that justice will be served in the matter involving the state versus Aisha Huang and four others in a case involving illegal small-scale mining activities.
This according to the party is despite the fact that lawyers affiliated with it are representing the accused persons.
Speaking on Accra-based Joy FM, the party’s Director of Communications, Richard Ahiagbah maintained that the court will at all times deal with evidence put before it by parties to the case.
He contended further that it was within the right of an accused person to get legal representation in court and consequently it was also right for the NPP-affiliated lawyers to render professional services to such persons.
“If it is a matter of conscience then we should say that there shouldn’t be legal representation for criminals or for somebody who has killed somebody or is alleged to have killed somebody. As conscience will dictate, we should all abhor such behavior and therefore no lawyer as matter of conscience should want to defend any such act
“I don’t think there will be any miscarriage of justice because the lawyers in the case are NPP related or have affiliations with the New Patriotic Party. The idea is that every client deserves a representation.
“Our laws allows for that, so the client have exercised their right to have legal representation and those happens to be people affiliated with the NPP. I don’t think that necessarily changes the rules of the court which is evidence,” Ahiagbah said.
It emerged that former NPP Chairman, Freddie Blay, is the main lawyer for Aisha Huang’s accomplices namely Gao Jin Cheng, Lu Qi Jun, Haibin Go and Zhang Zhipeng, in the prosecution.
Aisha Huang together with her four other accomplices made a court appearance yesterday October 11 for the state to continue with their prosecution.
Private attorney Lucy Ekeleba Blay said in court that she was holding brief for Freddie Blay in the case of the four accomplices. Another NPP affiliated lawyer, Nkrabea Effah Darteh is representing Aisha Huang.
Meanwhile, Attorney General Godfred Dame has indicated his readiness to fast-track the prosecution of Aisha Huang for her past and previous crimes.
Ms. Huang and her accomplices have been remanded into custody until November 24, 2022 following the judge’s refusal to grant them bail.
A former national chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Freddie Blay, says his law firm is ready to defend the four accomplices of Aisha Huang because they are innocent.
He said they have no reason to believe or act otherwise, adding that the four Chinese nationals deserve full legal representation in court.
“They came to instruct us and we as professionals, we have sworn an oath to defend our clients to the best of our knowledge and ability and that is exactly what we are doing in accordance with the Constitution of this country.
“They are not guilty. They’ve been brought before the court, they’ve pleaded not guilty and are being defended,” Mr Blay said in an interview on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Wednesday.
According to him, the four accused persons may have a relationship with Aisha Huang because in 2017 they bought a supermarket from her.
That, in any way, does not suggest they are illegal miners and should not have fair legal representation or defence, Mr Blay stressed.
“Our firm is defending these clients; they’ve told us their story. Maybe the prosecution has been told some other story and that is why we are before the court to defend them,” he added.
“We are a firm of lawyers, we take our instructions from our clients based on the story they’ve told us which we have no reason to believe otherwise.”
“I don’t know whether you are saying that at a time like this when people are accused or arraigned before court, they should not be entitled to any defence,” he retorted.
NPP justification
Meanwhile, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has justified the decision by its former national chairman, Freddie Blay, to defend four accomplices of ‘galamsey’ queen Aisha Hunag in court.
According to the Communications Director, Richard Ahiagbah, people’s political affiliations should not deny anyone the right to justice and fair representation in court.
“I don’t think there would be any miscarriage of justice because the lawyers in the case are NPP related or have affiliation with the New Patriotic Party.
The idea is that every client deserves a representation; our laws allow for that so the clients have exercised their right to have a legal representation,” he told JoyNews in an interview.
What happened?
A feeling of surprise erupted in the Criminal Court 5 on Tuesday when it was announced that former NPP National Chairman Freddie Blay will be representing four accomplices of Aisha Huang who are being held by the state for their involvement in illegal mining.
Lucy Ekeleba Blay, a private legal practitioner, announced in court that she was holding brief for Freddy Blay in the case of the four accomplices of Aisha Huang namely; Gao Jin Cheng, Lu Qi Jun, Haibin Go and Zhang Zhipeng.
Aisha Huang herself is being represented by NPP stalwart, Nkrabea Effah Dartey.
This move by Mr Blay has sparked discussions among the public as many say it suggests a lack of principles and defeats government’s fight against the canker.
“Those [lawyers] happen to be people affiliated with the NPP; I don’t think that necessarily changes the rules of the court… I think that we should pay attention and see that the due process is occasioned and the outcome is fair to our country,” Richard Ahiagbah noted.
The High Court, on Tuesday, denied two applications for bail by lawyers for the Chinese illegal mining kingpin.
The Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Dame, and the Lands Minister, Samuel Abu Jinapor, were in court to lead government’s efforts in prosecuting Aisha Huang and others being held for illegal mining.
The ex-Deputy Minister of Finance, Fifi Kwetey, has accused the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) of being full of selfish individuals who do not have the country’s interest at heart.
According to him, the party has never supported policies or agendas that will lead to the country’s development which they will not benefit from.
In an XYZ TV interview monitored by GhanaWeb, Fifi Kwetey added that the party can be akin to the woman in the Bible who, after killing her child, wanted the child of another woman divided because they would rather see Ghana destroyed than implement the much-needed policies that do not benefit them.
“The larger spirit that drives our friends in the NPP is the spirit that does not hold well for the country. They opposed independence. They opposed our effort to become a republican state. As far as they are concerned, if we are not going to have it, then nobody should have it.
“You know the story of King Solomon and the two women, where one of the women slept on her child, which caused his death while the child of the other woman was alive. And the one who had slept on her child said the baby alive was hers and should be divided. Unfortunately, the NPP represents that woman that wanted the child to be divided.
“NPP, unfortunately, has that behaviour; if we are not going to get it, let it be killed, let it be destroyed. So, they opposed the Akosombo Dam, they opposed that Motorway, in 1992, they opposed the Constitution of Ghana, they opposed VAT, they opposed GetFund, they opposed ESLA. It is like once we are not in charge, we don’t want it,” he said in Twi.
Actor, Prince David Osei,has joined calls for the current administration to strive to improve the living conditions of Ghanaians.
It can be recalled that the actor campaigned vigorously for the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the build-up to the 2020 general election, however, he has expressed dissatisfaction over the perpetual worsening living conditions.
The actor shared a screenshot of a news outlet that shows Ghana ranks first when it comes to astronomical food prices exceeding 100% in SubSaharan Africa.
In a post that has surprised a lot of people and applauded by a cluster in the same measure, Prince threw away partisan politics to call out the president to fix the country before things get out of hand.
As mentioned in the preceding paragraph, Prince decided to ditch the kind of politics we do in Ghana by defiantly slamming the government he himself campaigned for in the face of hardship in the country- a situation which has been hailed by a lot of people.
His full post reads;
Mr President! With all due respect Mr President, why are you sleeping on Ghanaians. This is not acceptable Mr President. We deserve better, we know there are global crises and hardships. Yes, we know! But looks like you and your ministers are determined to inflict untoward hardship on the citizenry.
I decided to give you and your government the benefit of the doubt, I reckon I was wrong! The Youth of this nation are not smiling, it pours, but we are still sweating.
If things don’t change by December, we will mobilize the youth of this country and hit the street irrespective of party affiliations, whether NPP, NDC, CQQ, PNC whatever, doesn’t matter now, we are all in this together. God bless our motherland 🇬🇭 We want to see improvement in our livelihoods. If you have to sack some people do it without fear or favour because your legacy is on the line, Sir!! @nakufoaddo
The implementation of the textiles tax stamps policy aimed at tackling the influx of pirated and fake textiles in the country as well as other challenges in the industry is slated to commence on November 1 this year.
Implementation modalities of the policy, according to the Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan Kyerematen would include having textiles stamps affixed on all textile prints traded in Ghana.
Speaking at an engagement forum with textiles wholesalers and retailers on the policy in Accra on Friday, he said, the textiles tax stamp policy was one of six measures aimed at finding lasting solutions to the challenges and also strengthen the textiles sector to create jobs for Ghanaians.
Mr Kyerematen (second from left) interacting with the traders during the engagement forum
The forum was to sensitise and educate the public, particularly dealers in the industry on the introduction of the textiles tax stamps as part of the government’s commitment to addressing the challenges of the textiles industry as well as developing the sector to harness the significant gains the sector stands to offer.
Participants included representatives from the Ministry of Finance, Ghana Revenue Authority-Domestic Tax Revenue Division, Intellectual Property Office and Ghana Standards Authority.
The other measures, he noted include, Import management systems; Introduction of Designated Entry Corridors (Tema Port and Aflao Border for textile imports); Provision of Incentive Packages for local manufacturers to make them competitive; attract foreign textile manufacturers to set up or relocate their plants in Ghana; and reconstitute the Task Force to embark on effective market monitoring and surveillance.
Mr Kyerematen revealed that the local demand for African prints was about 120 million yards per annum, of which the local supply is just about 35 per cent (42million yards), with the remaining 65 per cent imported.
He recalled that the local textiles industry used to be vibrant in the last three decades, but that the influx of pirated designs and gross infringements on trademarks of local textile manufacturers have been identified as two of the key areas which have adversely affected the textiles industry in the country.
The government, he said, we convinced that the policy measures would lead to the development of the local textile firms to reduce the import of pirated textiles by promoting local manufacturing.
Mr Kyerematen assured the stakeholders that, despite the introduction of the measures, importation of textiles was still allowed since the country does not currently have the local manufacturing capacity to meet the total national demand of over 120 million yards per annum.
He expressed the hope that the policies were going to help streamline the imports of textiles and further ensure that all the players involved in the textiles industry benefit.
The governing New Patriotic Party(NPP) Constituency Chairman for Ellembele, Samson Ndoli has accused the District Chief Executive for the area, Kwasi Bonzoh of collecting GHC70,000 bribe to facilitate illegal mining in the area.
In an interview, he accused the DCE of taking the said amount from some illegal miners who had been arrested and allowed them back to the mining site to continue with their further destruction of the land.
“The party held a meeting in our office which was attended by the DCE where we agreed that illegal miners in our area are destroying our water bodies and so we need to arrest them. We undertook the operation to arrest them led by the DCE during which 7 excavators were seized and five persons arrested. Three days after their arrested, we were informed that they’ve been released after the DCE held a meeting with them where he collected GHC70,000 allowing their machines to go back to the site. We were not happy with that news and so we went to the site the following day where we took videos. We realized that the illegal miners had gone further in the destruction of the land.”
He continued: “We then went to inform the District Police Commander that those who were arrested have gone back to the site. We moved to the scene with the Police and the media where we saw them working. Many of them escaped but three were arrested, we seized their equipment and fuel and took them to the police station. In the evening, the DCE’s aide came and bailed out the suspects. One of the DCE’s boys told us that if we arrest the miners ten times, they will be released ten times because the DCE is the Chairman of the DISEC. After the media publication, the DCE decided to cover up, he teamed with the galamseyers to do a press conference. What we find unfortunate is that even if you the DCE will release them to go back to the site, he needed to inform us (Executives) because we took the decision together. The DCE should have even commended us for arresting the suspects but he rather called the Secretary and asked him what locus he had to lead police officers to go to a mining site.”
He added: The party birthed the government. So if the government introduces a policy, the party must stand firmly and back that policy.”
In September 2022, Police arrested the DCE, Kwasi Bonzo days after his personal assistant, and one other person were placed under police investigation for the disappearance of two mining excavators in the district.
The arrest ensued when the DCE caught wind that the police had recovered an excavator similar to what had been reported missing. He moved in to supposedly identify the earthmoving equipment in the early hours of the day.
Reports indicate that the DCE was ignored when he came in to try and verify the machines’ ownership. He then followed up to Ayisakrom in the district where he was said to have confronted the security officials resulting in a scuffle.
He was arrested and transported to the headquarters in Sekondi.
NPP Constituency Chairman of Elembele Constituency exposes the DCE for the area, Kwasi Bonzo for collecting bribes to facilitate illegal mining in the area. pic.twitter.com/MIGOjZ61D0
The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has taken a swipe at the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) after the latter described its effort in fighting illegal mining in the country as a scam.
The NPP Deputy Director of Communications, Ernest Kofi Owusu Bempah in a statement said the NDC’s conduct is “like the pot calling the kettle black because their track record in the galamsey menace is horrible.”
Mr. Owusu Bempah accused the NDC of enabling and festering galamsey when they had the opportunity to pull the plug.
“We are talking about a party that shamelessly launched the Youth in Small Scale Mining programme in the Eastern Region, which apparently opened the floodgate for galamsey.”
“Of course, the galamsey situation got so bad under Mahama in 2015, such that he had to hang his shame on the people of Kyebi, tagging the place as the headquarters of Galamsay in the country.”
He further accused the NDC of enabling galamsey kingpin, Aisha Huang to thrive in Ghana.
“For those that may have missed this; the erstwhile Mahama government issued an infinite resident permit to Aisha Huang.”
“Precisely on 28th March 2015, Aisha Huang was given an indefinite resident permit to live here in perpetuity and to engage in her illegal activities. This happened under the Mahama administration. Meanwhile, she was unsuccessful in getting the permit during the President Kufour era.”
“So you see, any dastardly attempt by the NDC to rationalize the political economy of galamsay must be roundedly condemned. It is beyond dispute that under John Mahama-led government, the national record of the deleterious impact of galamsay left a lot to be desired. It was simply unprecedented.”
He explained that all the Akufo-Addo administration has been doing is simply managing a very bad situation as well as it can by the deft and relatively constructive application of the statutory laws of the land.
The National Communications Officer of the NDC, Sammy Gyamfi while addressing a press conference in Accra on Thursday, October 6, 2022, said the President is not backing his efforts with action.
He described the measures and strategies put in place by government to win the war against the illegality as a clear deception, alleging that some members of the NPP and government are behind galamsey in the country.
Flagbearer hopeful of the New Patriotic Party, (NPP) Kwabena Agyepong, has advocated for the payment of ex-gratia every four years to Article 71 officeholders to be scrapped immediately.
He stated in an interview with Accra-based Joy News that the country does not have the financial resources to support such payments.
Agyepong contended that persons such as Members of Parliament can be given “something little” after serving their terms in office but it should not be in the current lump sum even for MPs who return to Parliament.
He listed the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin together with Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu (Majority Leader and Suame MP) and Kobina Tahir Hammond (Adansi Asokwa MP) as people who have benefited greatly from payment of ex-gratia over the years due to their long stay in the legislature.
He said such payment were not right on any moral standing stressing that it should halt with immediate effect.
“Ex-gratia should be like a parachute payment. When you have served your country like a member of Parliament…it’s a difficult assignment. I would say it is like marriage. When you elevate a lady to certain level as a wife and you want to leave, that’s why they let you pay alimony.
“You have to support her. You cannot allow her just to drop because you are leaving. That’s not right. It is not fair. You make somebody an honorable Member of Parliament, he served when he is going home, something little. Maybe he can take the car away,” the former NPP General Secretary said on October 6.
“…not after every four years. I never understood that. If you are coming back it cannot be ex-gratia. I see the Speaker and the likes of Kyei Mensah, they must have benefited a lot. My good friend KT Hammond…that is not right. It cannot be right on any moral standing. We should stop it immediately. We don’t have the money as a country,” he added.
Mahama, NPP “clash” over payment of ex-gratia
Former President Mahama while speaking to a gathering of NDC lawyers pledged to implement recommendations of the Constitutional Review Committee as well as review ex-gratia payments in the next NDC administration
“The next NDC government must commit to the implementation of the review of the 1992 Constitution, which was begun by President John Evans Atta Mills of blessed memory. This review should among others aim at reforming the judiciary and tackle head-on issues on ex-gratia payments and other matters of Article 71 emoluments” Mahama said.
Bono Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as Abronye DC, however, said Mahama benefited from ex-gratia payment to the tune of GH¢14 million in 2013 – a claim the office of the former president has denied.
Abronye DC also said Mahama cannot scrap the payment of ex-gratia because he “loves ex-gratia more than his wife Lordina”.
The NPP in press conference also said the promise by Mahama was mere political rhetoric aimed at swaying voters.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC)has cast doubts over President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s resolve to deal ruthlessly with government officials said to be engaging in illegal small-scale mining also known galamsey.
The NDC maintains government and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have not shown enough commitment in dealing with party bigwigs behind the illegality.
President Akufo-Addo while speaking to Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in Kumasi as part of a meeting to find a lasting solution to the galamesy menace, expressed readiness not to shield any government official found complicit in galamsey activities.
But the National Communications Officer of the NDC, Sammy Gyamfi who addressed a press conference in Accra on Thursday, October 6, 2022, said the President is not backing his efforts with action.
“President Akufo-Addo’s comment on this matter shows clearly that he hasn’t repented from shielding his officials who are engaged in illegal mining and proves what a walking contradiction he is, as he continues to skirt around this very important issue”.
For Sammy Gyamfi, “the Ghanaian people are simply tired of the President’s cocktail of empty and useless rhetoric on this subject of galamsey. We are saying to him today, that it is either we begin to see action on his part or he should simply spare us his empty talk”, he stressed.
The NDC also believes the Akufo-Addo government has failed woefully in the galamsey fight.
The party describes the measures and strategies put in place by government to win the war against the illegality as a clear deception, alleging that some members of the NPP and government are behind galamsey in the country.
“The so-called fight against galamsey by the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia/NPP government is a scam and has been a lost battle from day one. This is because, there has never been any genuine commitment or political will on the part of the President to combat the menace.”
“President Akufo-Addo has proven to be a leader who has specialized in talk without backing same with deeds. Today, our beloved country stands at a cross-road of unprecedented economic mess and unprecedented environmental degradation under the watch of President Akufo-Addo and Alhaji Bawumia,” he said.
Sammy Gyamfi at the press conference further slammed the president and the Minister of Lands and Natural Resource, Samuel Abu Jinapor over the galamsey menace and accused them of “shifting the blame to the chieftaincy institution.”
Former President, John Dramani Mahama has underscored the need for government to tackle the growing rate of youth unemployment in the country.
He asserts the high rate of youth joblessness is a matter of national security concern that needs serious tackling.
“Government owe it as a responsibility to do all they can to secure the peace and safety of the nation but above all to reduce youth unemployment. This is necessary to ensure that the young people do not become easily recruitable to fill the ranks of the insurgence due to frustration and lack of opportunity”, says Mr. Mahama.
He was speaking as a special guest of honour at the 2022 Convocation at Liberty University in Michigan of the United States.
The former President while condemning the activities of Boko Haram in the sub-region revealed that the youth stand a chance of being recruited if opportunities are not created for them.
“Ghana is an Island of religious calmness in a sea of turbulence as almost all our surrounding neighbours have in recent times experienced some major form of insurgency, coup d’états or other conflicts including religious conflicts.”
“In all these acts, one thing is clear, leadership at all levels including the family, the school, the church, the government all have the responsibility to educate and inform the impress young members of our society about the imminent threats and dangers out there”, he emphasized.
Terrorist activities happening in Sahelian countries such as Burkina Faso and Mali have become a major concern to the government, hence the need for stringent measures to ensure the safety of the citizenry.
Ghana’s security agencies have been put on high alert over threats of terrorism in the country.
The government said several efforts are underway to ensure that the country is protected from any form of attack following reports that terrorist groups are looking to expand southward, with countries such as Ghana in focus.
Presidential hopeful, Kojo Nsafoah Poku, has alleged that the recent challenges with the payment system of the Electricity Company of Ghana are resultant of a deliberate cyber-attack by some individuals.
According to him, some people intentionally introduced a virus into the system of the ECG to hide some crimes they committed.
He added that the IT staff at the ECG cannot be involved in the current challenges, as is being asserted, because they do not want any third party to be brought on board because of their inability to perform.
“The ICT staff are against the hiring of a third party to help with the payment system of the ECG and so they will never do something that will lead to that. Now that their payment system is down, people will be saying that the 3rd party has to be brought on board and that is not what the ECG staff want.
“There is someone at the ECG who is refusing to give data or equipment for the issue to be resolved and EOCO has now gone to take them by force. The person is the one with a motive. Now, there is a subject of criminality because the person might be trying to hide some bad things she/he has done including the possibility of shortchanging the company in terms of revenues acquired through the payment system.
“The truth is that the person has introduced a virus into the system of the ECG and that is why Ghanaians now have to struggle in order to purchase electricity,” he said in Twi in an XYZ TV interview monitored by GhanaWeb.
He urged Ghanaians to be patient because the security apparatus of the country including the National Cyber Security Centre, and the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), have taken up the matter and will get to the bottom of it.
Since Tuesday, 27 September 2022, ECG customers across the country have struggled to purchase prepaid credits for their prepaid metres.
The ECG announced that it was experiencing challenges with the purchase of electricity by customers on the E-cash and PNS metering systems.
In a public announcement, the ECG noted that the interruption is due to “a technical challenge.”
The power distribution company, however, assured customers in the affected areas that its “engineers are working assiduously to correct the anomaly and restore the system to normalcy.”
Some Ghanaians including a System Analyst and Cyber Security Consultant, Yayra Koku, have alleged that the current challenge with the Electricity Company of Ghana’s prepaid vending system is a deliberate ploy to make way for the procurement of a new payment platform from a private company called Hubtel.
In a post shared on Twitter on Monday, October 3, 2022, Yayra Koku said that there is nothing wrong with the current payment system of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) but some people want to change it because of a 4 percent commission they stand to get.
Former Member of Parliament for Suhum, Frederick Opare-Ansahis rooting for Vice President Bawumia to become the next flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
In a radio interview on Accra based Asempa FM’s “Ekosii Sen” programme he explained why he thinks Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia is the obvious choice to lead the NPP to Election 2024 and also why he joined the Vice President’s tour of the northern sector.
“The Vice President wasn’t starting an election campaign; instead, he was on a working tour as part of the excellent work he has been doing, especially given the situation we are in.
“Some of these travels are motivated by his steadfast support for the President and specifically focus on inspecting government infrastructure projects, and it is clear from the projects he looked at (i.e., Agenda 111 and other MMDAs sanctioned infrastructure projects),” Opare-Ansah said.
“I have seen first-hand the assurance the Vice President gives the populace and believes it is a commendable action for a Vice President to take,” he added.
“It is time to stop some NPP members’ attempts to defame the Vice President in the name of racial strife. He is a man who has served as the party’s running mate in a number of elections, and his efforts have helped us win two significant elections. Those who are doing this should stop because he is a diligent man and has not sought to disparage any of his potential contenders,” the former MP added.
When asked if he supports the Vice President’s bid, he responded that while he was aware that the Vice President hadn’t yet declared, he was prepared to do so on the Vice President’s behalf if he become reluctant to do so when the party allowed it.
He acknowledged that, despite being known as a staunch supporter of Alan Kyeremateng’s campaign previous NPP primaries, he is now firmly aligned with Bawumia’s camp because the grassroots want Dr. Bawumia to lead and he has learnt from his past experiences.
Ashanti Regional Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, a.k.a. Chairman Wontumi, has denied allegations that he is involved in illegal small-scale mining (‘galamsey’).
He said that he will never do anything to hurt his company or ruin the image of his party, the NPP, adomonline.com reports.
The regional chairman added that if he wanted to do illegal mining, he will not go through the trouble to acquire the mining licenses he has.
“I won’t do things to hurt my company; I won’t do things to hurt this party (NPP). In 2017, I could have easily moved to the site to work but I waited untill I got the license before beginning my operations.
“If someone wants to do galamsey, would the person apply for a lease? You can’t go to the police if you want to engage in a criminal activity,” he said.
Wontumi added that his only intention in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve was to drive out ‘galamseyers’ as he awaits the permission of the lands minister to start mining.
“It is like a man who has gone in for a woman and visited her family to perform the knocking ceremony. If another guy wants to rape the lady, you have expressed interest in, won’t you protect your lady? I have the gazette and this is law and if galamsey operators want to destroy my site, shouldn’t I protect the place?” he quizzed.
Meanwhile, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has directed the Forestry Commission to suspend the operations of Akonta Mining Company in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve of the Amenfi West Municipal Assembly.
According to a statement issued by the Public Affairs office of the Ministry on Friday, September 30, 2022, the company owned by the ruling NPP Chairman for Ashanti Region has been engaging in mining activities in the forest without a permit.
“The attention of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has been drawn to publications about certain operations by Akonta Mining Limited in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve in the Amenfi West Municipality in the Western Region.
“Records available to the Ministry show that while Akonta Mining Ltd has a mining lease to undertake mining operations in some parts of Samreboi, outside the Forest Reserve, the company has no mineral right to undertake any mining operations in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve,” the statement said.
According to the Ministry, while Akonta Mining Company had applied for a permit to mine in the said forest reserve, the Minister had yet to give approval to any such application hence rendering the activities of the firm in the said forest reserve illegal.
The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, has clashed with the Public Relations Officer of the timber processing firm, Samertex, Vincent Torgah, over rights to be operating in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve.
The clash comes after the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, directed the Forestry Commission to cease the operations of Akonta Mining Company in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve of the Amenfi West Municipal Assembly.
According to a statement issued by the Public Affairs office of the Ministry on Friday, September 30, 2022, the company owned by the ruling NPP Chairman for Ashanti Region, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, alias Wontumi, has been engaging in mining activities in the forest without a permit.
“The attention of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has been drawn to publications about certain operations by Akonta Mining Limited in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve in the Amenfi West Municipality in the Western Region.
“Records available to the Ministry show that while Akonta Mining Ltd has a mining lease to undertake mining operations in some parts of Samreboi, outside the Forest Reserve, the company has no mineral right to undertake any mining operations in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve,” the statement said.
According to the Ministry, while Akonta Mining Company had applied for a permit to mine in the said forest reserve, the Minister had yet to give approval to any such application hence rendering the activities of the firm in the said forest reserve illegal.
Reaction to this in an Asempa interview monitored by GhanaWeb, on Tuesday (October 4), Wontumi insisted that he has the right to some parts of the Nimiri Forest and he is only awaiting a mining lease from the ministry to start the mining.
He said that he has documents that show that he has rights to some parts of the forest reserve and that there is even a case that is yet to be determined by the court on who has the rights to the dispute parts of the forest.
“If Samertex says they have the right to the disputed parts of the forest, they should provide their evidence like I have.
“Akonta Mining is not mining in the forest; we only entered the forest about two years ago but Samertex knows that there have been illegal miners in the forest since 2013. Why did not report these galamseyers to the forestry commission?” he said in Twi.
He added that his company together with some security only went into the forest to sack illegal miners who were already in the forest but they were attacked by officers of Samertex which led to the destruction of one of his vehicles.
But, the PRO of Samertex, Vincent Torgah, who joined in the conversation, said that the claims of the NPP regional chairman were false.
According to him, the Forestry Commission of Ghana which gives leases to forests in the country has on some occasions informed Wontumi’s Akonta Mining that it has no right to be mining in the forest.
“The Ministry has told Akonta Mining on a number of occasions that it has no right to be mining in the forest.
“But anytime we go to the forest with officials of the Forestry Commission, we see that the mining is ongoing. The security of Akonta sometimes refuse to let us leave the forest and we have to be rescued,” he said.
The Chairperson of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Nana Akosua Sarpong Kumankumah, has extended a hand to the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) urging it to consider a possible merger to enable them to take up the reins of government.
While paying glowing tribute to the founder of the PPP, Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, Nana Sarpong Kumankumah said the enthusiasm to give Ghanaians a third viable political party, which led to the inauguration of the PPP, was still relevant as it was 10 years ago.
“Come home and let’s together fight this humongous evil that is in this country making sure our children do not get what they deserve. Come home and let’s with unity go to the Jubilee House and take over governance and make sure that the youth of this country have a better alternative. Come home,” she emphasised.
She said the “CPP is ready, you are ready, let’s all come together,” she emphasised.
In a solidarity message at a rally to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the PPP last Saturday at Elmina in the Central Region, Nana Sarpong Kumankumah said it was only with a united front that a third force could take up the seat of governance and give Ghanaians and particularly the youth a better alternative.
The event held at the Nana Kobina Gyan Square in Elmina was attended by members and sympathisers of the PPP across the country.
It was on the theme: “10 years of progressive focus to bring change in Ghana’s Democratic Governance-The Way Forward.”
Commendation
The CPP chairperson commended the founder of the PPP for the immense impact he through the PPP had made on the country’s political landscape, saying she was certain that things would have been different if Dr Nduom was part of the political campaign in 2020.
She said while there had been issues which, undoubtedly, caused the founder of the PPP to start the PPP as a possible third alternative party, there was the need to build bridges to build a formidable party capable of taking the reins of government.
Nana Sarpong Kumankuma said Dr Nduom had the spirit of Ghana’s first President, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, saying Dr Nduom had proven that he was a great political asset.
She said his presence should ignite the spirit of Dr Nkrumah and propel them to unity to win power.
Efforts by the Nkrumahist parties to merge into a formidable political force has faced a lot of challenges making them unable to make any meaningful impact in the country’s recent general elections.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has dispelled claims by the New Patriotic Party that 29, instead, of the 46 E-Block projects former President John Dramani Mahamamakes claims to were completed.
The NDC said the Mahama government, in its bid to enhance access to Secondary Education, awarded a total of 124 Community Day Senior High School (E-Block) projects and completed about 50 of them by December 2016, out of which 46 were personally commissioned by President Mahama.
“The handing-over notes of the former Minister of Education under the NDC/Mahama government, the venerable Prof. Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang bears out this fact.”
It further noted that each of the Community Day Senior High Schools had an ultra-Mordern library, furnished classrooms, ICT laboratory, Biology laboratory, Physics laboratory, Chemistry laboratory, General Science laboratory, a school bus for students and a pick-up vehicle for office staff among others.
The party insists that all these facilities were inspected by the President, the Chiefs, community leaders and the media during the commissioning.
“Interestingly, the first Minister of Education of the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government, Mathew Opoku Prempeh is on public record to have said in 2017 that the NDC/Mahama government completed 46 Community Day Senior High Schools. This was widely reported by the media. The internet never forgets.”
“Post-facto this public admission by their own Minister of Education, the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government in a futile effort to distort the superior record of the NDC/Mahama government deceptively reclassified some completed E-Block projects as uncompleted, thereby reducing the total number to 29. This so-called reclassification was largely done on the contrived and flimsy grounds that some of the 46 completed E-blocks had no furniture even though the physical structures had been fully completed.”
“The attached document (stamped fake) being circulated by hired NPP apologists on social media is a product of this warped thinking and should be treated with utmost contempt.”
The party attached a list of Community Day Senior High Schools that were completed and/or commissioned by former President John Mahama before exiting office.
1. Seventh Day CDSHS- Abease, Pru West
2. Dermaa CDSHS- Dermaa, Tano South
3. Lambusie CDSH- Lambussie District
4. Nchumuru CDSHS- Krachi
Nchumuru
5. Maame Krobo CDSHS- Kwahu, Afram Plains South
6. Kwabenya CDSHS- Ga East
7. Atta Mills CDSHS- Ekumfi Otuam
8. Nkwanta CDSHS- Nkwanta
9. Nyanoakwaboah CDSHS- Upper West Akyim, Adeiso
10. Adobewora CDSHS- Atwima Mponua
11. Adugyama CDSHS- Ahafo-Ano South
12. Bamiankor CDSHS- Bamiankor, Nzema East District
Other Community Day Senior High School (E-Block) projects that were completed by the NDC/Mahama government but not commissioned and operationalized by December 2016;
1. Mion CDSHS- Mion Constituency
2. Apesua CDSHS- Yilo Kronos
3. Gyarko CDSHS- Techiman Municipality
6. Mpaha CDSHS- Central Gonja District
7. Bamboi CDSH- Bole Bamboi district
8. Obuasi kwabenakwa CDSHS- Obuasi among others.
Having borrowed more monies than all governments since Nkrumah put together with very little to show for, the NPP has shamelessly resorted to plain sophistry to distort the sterling and superior record of the visionary Nation Builder, H.E John Dramani Mahama.
He posits that President John Dramani Mahama stands tall relative to his record of investments not only in educational infrastructure, but in all sectors of the country.
The Director of Communications of the New Patriotic Party, Richard Ahiagbah, has bemoaned how external factors like the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war have impeded the current administration’s development agenda.
He thinks it will be unfair to assess government’s performance without taking these factors into consideration.
“If we are having a conversation between 2017 and 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic, no one would have predicted that we will someday find ourselves in this economy, considering the growth trajectory we were on.”
“In the three years of our first four-year term, we were growing. And then in the fourth year, something happened. Our situation can be likened to a student, who had impressive grades in the first three years, and then fell sick in the final year, which affected his punctuality, and ultimately his academic performance in the final year. Would we say he was a bad student?”
“This is the exact situation we, the NPP, find ourselves in. People are prejudiced in having this conversation. We need to compare our records with that of the NDC, and make a fair judgement.”
He further accused some policy analysts of not being completely transparent to Ghanaians, but “picking and choosing the numbers or the parochial interests.”
This, he believes, accounts for the negative perception most Ghanaians have of the government.
“When the economy was picked up in 2016, they knew where the numbers were, but they are silent on it. Even now, we have posted first and second-quarter growth, but nobody is willing to talk about it, all they do is political advocacy and go around saying everything is bad. That is problematic, that, unfortunately, is what we have to contend with.”
The NPP Director of Communications is however hopeful that government will revive the economy despite all the challenges.
The Deputy Ranking Member on the Mines and Energy Committee of Parliament, John Jinapor, has called on the government to show commitment to the fight against illegal mining by prosecuting bigwigs involved in the activities.
According to him, there is evidence to prove that some people in the governing NPP are involved in galamsey which is degrading lands and water bodies in the country.
Speaking on Newsfile, John Jinapor said that “if they go arresting the small fishes while their men are blatantly disregarding the law and moving into forest reserves and degrading the forest, they’re sending the wrong signal.“
“The only way to deal with it is for the President to show leadership, by going after his people. There is ample evidence to suggest and to confirm that some top hierarchy within the NPP are engaged in this illegal activity,” he added.
Using Akonta Mining Limited as an example, the ranking member questioned how the company owned by NPP’s Ashanti Regional Chairman, Wontumi obtained a prospecting license that expires in 2035.
“The law says that you can’t renew a license beyond three years and when you do, it says that the land size ought to be reduced going forward. So, how come Wontumi is able to acquire a prospecting license that expires in 2035? There are a lot of them out there,” Mr Jinapor said.
In the Akonta Mining Limited case, he stated that the mining firm breached the laws when it moved its activities into the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve in the Amenfi West Municipality in the Western Region.
“So clearly there is some blatant disregard for the law by some people who feel untouchable,” he added.
Mr Jinaporcharged the government to demonstrate their commitment to dealing with the menace of illegal mining.
“The President himself said he is putting his job on the line, nobody compelled him, the result so far has been very appalling for me, the President hasn’t achieved anything significant.”
Meanwhile, the Lands Ministry has directed Akonta Mining Limited to stop operations in the Tano Nimiri Forest.
In a statement issued on September 30, the Ministry said even though Akonta Mining Limited has a mining lease to undertake mining operations in some parts of Samreboi, outside the Forest Reserve, “the company has no mineral right to undertake any mining operations in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve”.
The statement said the sector minister, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has therefore directed the Forestry Ministry to, “forthwith, ensure that the company does not carry out any operation in the Forest and to take the necessary action against any person found culpable in this matter”.
The directive came after two persons sustained gunshot wounds at the Akonta Mining firm in Samreboi in the Western Region.
This happened after a section of the youth reportedly prevented personnel of Akonta Mining Limited from sending more mining equipment into the Tano Nimri Forest reserve on Thursday.
The company is said to have been mining in the reserve despite a declaration by the government that it has not granted any entry permit into the forest reserve.
But, OccupyGhana is asking the Lands Ministry to go a step beyond merely directing Akonta Mining Limited to halt operations in the Tano Nimiri Forest in the Western Region.
According to the pressure group, the ministry must invite the security agencies and the Attorney General into the fray by furnishing them with the information needed to ensure that perpetrators are punished.
“We therefore demand that you forthwith refer the facts and evidence in your possession that show that the said mining company is undertaking mining operations in breach of the Act, to the police and the Attorney-General for further investigations and prosecution of the company and its directors and officers.”
The second Vice Chairman of the New Patriotic Party in the Fanteakwa south constituency, Nana Kofi Akomea Jnr has waded into the booing at President Akufo-Addo with a call to the youth.
The experienced NPP Communicator believed the youth could have addressed their supposed displeasure in a different way instead of on such a global stage.
President Akufo-Addo was booed ‘Away, Away, Away’ at the Global Citizen Festival in Accra over the weekend when he was invited on stage to address the many participants present at the event.
Nana Kofi Akomea Jnr in an interview with the reporter described the incident as unfortunate and disgracing to hoot at the first gentleman of the land to the world.
Even though he did not apportion blame on any individual or group, he found it difficult to understand why some people can plan and hoot at the President, knowing well that the world was watching.
According to Nana Kofi Akomea Jnr, he does not believe the cation of the participants has to do with the state of the economy but may come with reasons unknown to Ghanaians.
He stressed that the Akufo-Addo-led government has been touted as one of the many Presidents who has handled the economy amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war and rather needs commendations from Ghanaians and not the other way round.
“I will urge Ghanaians, especially the youth to trust in the Akufo-Addo-led NPP government as a lot is being done to redeem the image of the current global economic crisis,” he said.
Communication Team Member of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) Nana Kofi Ntiamoah, has urged Ghanaians to have confidence in the Akufo-Addo administration to navigate the nation positively through the present economic storms because, fundamentally, the NPP has a track record of doing so.
Nana Kofi Ntiamoah reminded Ghanaians that although times may be hard now, the Akufo-Addo administration inherited an even more dire situation and successfully moved the country onto a path of growth until the whole world was blindsided by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine conflict and locally, the banking sector clean-up.
He assured that despite the present difficulties, the government is working assiduously to restore the country on the path of growth and accelerated development shifted off course by the three almost concurrent challenges.
“Not long ago, we had felt similar despair. The fear of losing our lives to a pandemic and the near halt to our economy as we battled to survive each day. Some years ago also we had been confronted by very dire economic circumstances.
The joblessness of our youth, years of lights out that impacted adversely on businesses and jobs, the disappointment of dealing with a collapsed national health insurance system and inability to access health care, the bane of the cash and carry system, a nearly collapsed national ambulance system, freeze on public sector employment, an almost collapsed banking sector and so on,” Nana Kofi Ntiamoah told Accra-based Wontumi TV.
“The government of President Akufo-Addo put in much effort to turn things around and elevate the standards of living of the Ghanaian people above what the situation used to be at the time this government was formed in 2017. Taking over from then meant we had to do our best also to make things work and better.
“Together as a country, we proceeded to fix the economy. We made great gains and the records attest to this. Prior to the Coronavirus pandemic which has impacted all economies in the world, we stabilized the economy and achieved great strides,” he added.
“In the midst of the current economic challenges we face, we are putting in place the key pillars for the economic transformation of Ghana. We may not yet be where we want to be, and we may be buffeted by the winds of the pandemic and the war for yet a little while, but we have made a great start and, together, we shall finish what we started.”
The National Chairman of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Stephen Ntim has commissioned the party’s Regional Directors of Communications to lead their respective regions in propagating the good works of the government.
According to him, the Regional Directors of Communications have a crucial role to play in ensuring that the NPP “breaks the eight” in the upcoming 2024 general election which promises to be keenly contested.
He was speaking at a meeting with all the Regional Directors of Communications of the party at an event held on Tuesday in Accra.
Present at the meeting were the National Director of Communications, his deputies, and the party’s Director of Finance and Administration.
A pro-Alan member, Alhaji Hindu Abdallah says that after Bawumia formally declares his political aspirations, he will run a campaign for him.
Vice-President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is being supported by Alhaji Hindu Abdallah, a well-known activist and Alan Kyerematen’s Northern Region coordinator, to run as the candidate for the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).
According to him, he is not supporting Bawumia because he is a Muslim or a Northerner, adding the economist is the best thing to have happened to the party.
“Don’t get me wrong… I’m not supporting Bawumia because he is a Northerner or Muslim but rather I am supporting him because he is competent and the best to lead the party,” the former Northern regional organizer of the NPP told Radio Tamale.
Alhaji Abdallah said he will campaign for Bawumia once he makes his political ambitions known publicly and officially.
“If Bawumia comes out today to declare his intention to contest asNPP flagbearer you cannot leave me out as his lead campaigner,” he said. “You can peddle all the falsehood in the world but the truth is that I am a diehard Bawumia person.”
Kwame Asare Obeng, alias A Plus, has projected that Assin Central Member of Parliament, Kennedy Agyapong, will win the flagbearership race in the governing New Patriotic Party, NPP.
In a September 26, 2022 Facebook post, A Plus cited the ‘honesty’ of the lawmaker as the main factor that has endeared him to the party’s rank and file.
He was responding to the NPP’s claim that an attack on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, at a concert in Accra over the weekend was orchestrated by members of the opposition National Democratic Congress, NDC.
He slammed the communication as lacking sense because there are NPP members on record who are unhappy with the way the country is being run.
“Hon Kennedy Agyapong criticized the governments decision to go to IMF. Is he NDC? You see how popular he has become in the party? He is going to win your presidential primaries.
“The people are tired of your outmoded and foolish communication style. They are looking for people who at least APPEAR honest. Not praise singers who defend every nonsense; that is why Hon Ken is winning. If you don’t see him winning then you don’t have any business being in politics,” his post read in part.
He reemphasized his long held position that most of the NPP’s communicator were psychologically unfit for the role.
“Your downfall is not NDC. It is your poor communication and “mad” communicators. 90% of your communicators are always one always a sentence away from the psychiatric hospital.”
President Akufo-Addo was booed by a section of the crowd during a star-studded musical concert, the Global Citizen Festival, which took place at the Black Star Square on September 24, 2022.
Chants of ‘away, away’ were heard when he appeared on stage to deliver a message. The president proceeded to deliver the over six-minute message.
Patrons of the Global Citizens Festival who heckled President Akufo-Addo have been reprimanded by the ruling New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) deputy director of communications, Jennifer Queen.
“The event was to sell the country to the entire globe. So if you end up cutting parts of some videos or instigate people to hoot at the president who is our leader it speaks very bad of you. Some people want to claim that they are the doyen of wisdom and are acting smart.
“This is becoming a norm nowadays. If a minister, vice president or government official goes to a programme you find people who go out to hoot at them. But what that tells is that a lot of these people lack home training. A lot of these people lack proper upbringing,” she said on the Monday, September 26, 2022, edition of Okay FM’s Ade Akye Abia programme.
The New Patriotic Party’s deputy director of communications added that the NDC had incited the crowd with the support of a few stubborn people in an effort to earn easy political points.
“Despite all the benefits the state is gaining from the event, the NDC and their evil mindsets wanted it to fail. The intel gathered by our National Communication Directorate shows that they sat down to orchestrate this to outshine the beauty of the programme. I am talking about the NDC because they were the first group of people who started sharing the video,” she stated.
Jennifer Queen, however, condemned the actions of the crowd while emphasising the success of the event, which she notes adds to the president’s commitment to pushing Ghana’s entertainment, arts and culture.
“I will tell you that it is condemnable, it was unwarranted, it was bad behaviour from some elements who were being paid to go and do that, but in the end, the programme went on successfully,” she said.
The booing of President Akufo-Addo has attracted several social media reactions, with some critics saying it was a reflection of frustrated Ghanaians expressing their disaffection with the president and his government.
If you ever thought the incumbent government was a listening one, then economist Professor Godfred Alufar Bokpin begs to differ.
For him, the Akufo–Addo administration has been indifferent to heeding any advice that stakeholders have suggested.
Prof Bokpin said this when contributing to Ghana IMF talks on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday.
According to him, Ghana’s economic crisis is due to the government’s unwillingness to admit that it has mismanaged the economy and needs help.
“If you check all that we have said from last year to date, you’ll see that there was no theory. In fact, the theory gives grounding and the predictive framework we get. We are in this because the government failed to listen.
“We are in this because of the posture of the government. We are in this because of our own actions and inactions so we cannot outsource all our problems to Russia–Ukraine war,” he told Samson Lardy Anyenini.IMF
Official negotiations between the government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for an economic programme are expected to take off from Monday, September 26, 2022.
The IMF mission is coming to Accra after a request was made by the government for an economic programme to help support Ghana’s balance of payment.
This is coming on the back of previous engagements and discussions with the IMF to try and understand the current challenges facing Ghana’s economy.
The IMF team was earlier in Ghana to pick up what has been described as an “economic data gathering exercise”.
This is expected to influence the Fund’s proposal to government on moves to turn around the economy.
The IMF has also engaged other interest groups, including civil society groups, business associations and government institutions.
Meanwhile, Prof Bokpin has expressed displeasure over government’s decision to seek external support.
According to him, previous support from the IMF have failed to achieve its intended expectations.
He maintains that any support from the Bretton Wood institution will do very little in current times.
The Minister of Youth and Sports, Mustapha Ussif, has paid a visit to the National Headquarters of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) as part of efforts to strengthen the link between the government and the party.
It also forms part of the initiatives to bridge the gap between government appointees and party officers in the party’s quest to mobilise its rank and file for a third consecutive electoral victory in 2024 and to “break the eight” as the popular mantra goes.
During the interactions, Mr Ussif said nearly 75 per cent of the country’s 31.8 million population fell within the youthful bracket, which fuelled government’s commitment to implement several youth-centred interventions.
Interventions
He mentioned that interventions such as YouStart, Green Ghana, various modules of the Youth Employment Agency and the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (COTVET) had led to employment, training, capacity building and the provision of financial support to the country’s youth.
The Youth and Sports Minister, therefore, encouraged the party to liaise with the appropriate government officials and agencies supervising these youth- centred interventions to ensure their success.
Mr Ussif further encouraged the party to emulate the youth structures of South Africa’s ruling African National Congress which, he said, had been crucial to the party’s long stay in power.
Way forward
The General Secretary of the Party, Justin Frimpong Kodua, who received the minister on behalf of party headquarters, reiterated the point that this initiative of holding regular party-government meetings would be replicated across the country, particularly in the regional capitals.
That, he said, was to provide a platform for government appointees, particularly ministers of state and chief executive officers (CEOs) to interact with party officers and grassroots.
As part of this initiative, the party headquarters have witnessed visits over the previous weeks by some government appointees, including the CEO of Ghana Water Company Limited, Dr Clifford Braimah, and the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abdulai Jinapor.
Other appointees are expected to have their turn in the coming weeks.
The outspoken lawmaker is one of the candidates in the race who is actively engaged in activities geared towards emerging as the NPP candidate for the 2024 presidential polls.
In an interview on the sidelines of a social event that he attended on September 15, he was asked about the claim that candidates like himself will likely drop out late into the race.
“If NPP opens nominations, I will pick forms… those who pick forms and quit, does he look like me? At 62 years, how can I declare my flagbearership ambitions in the NPP and quit, I am not quitting,” he said.
He, however, called for clean campaigns stressing his disinterest in what he described as ‘dirty politics.
“We are all going to run, just that what I don’t want is dirty politics. I am not going to do dirty politics. I will go to the people and tell them what I have done for the NPP and Ghanaians and for which reason they should vote for me,” he emphasized.
A confident Agyapong said he was upbeat that he will prevail over all the other candidates and called on delegates to vote for him for his track record in serving the party and the country but also for the fact that he is the overwhelming candidate of the youth.
Kennedy Agyapong declares intention
Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, MP, Assin Central, in May this year became the first to publicly announce his bid to lead the NPP
He said if the governing party wants to break the eight as their mantra for 2024 is, then they must break the eight with Kennedy Agyapong.
“Yes, it is true. I have decided that when the NPP opens nominations, I will pick a form and file my nomination to contest the party primaries as the flagbearer…I will stand on the ticket of the NPP and nothing will change,” Kennedy Agyapong said in a Facebook live interview with The Announcer Newspaper, Wednesday, May 26.
Other contenders – rumoured and announced
There are other contenders in the race to lead the NPP. Two on record to have declared their intentions are former NPP General Secretary, Kwabena Agyapong and former Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko.
The Agric Minister is also rumoured to be lacing his boots to contest as is Joe Ghartey, one-time Attorney General and Railways Minister.
He explained that the salary differentials has been occasioned by President Akufo-Addo taking a 30% salary cut in July this year as a result of economic crunch.
Addressing a press conference on September 19, Abronye DC reiterated that the government continues to fund the activities of Mahama despite he being out of office.
“In 2021, we all saw in the Emolument Committees report and the salaries of ministers up to that of the president. As I speak today, John Dramani Mahama receives more salary than Akufo-Addo.
“He receives GH₵35,000 without a Cedi deduction but for Nana Akufo-Addo’s GH₵35,000, 30% percent is deducted from it and other government appointees also take the cut since 2021. So you [Mahama] who is sitting at home not working, when you are traveling the state funds it, your salary is bigger than that of President Akufo-Addo and his Vice Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia ,” he charged.
Abronye DC has in recent times taken on the former president over issues concerning his finances, particularly ex-gratia.
Background
Abronye DC has alleged that former President Mahama took ex-gratia of GH¢14 million in 2013 and GH¢15 million in 2017, a claim the former president has denied.
He alleged that the former president took the GH¢14 million ex-gratia through his Agricultural Development Bank Account and that he (Mahama) also received retirement benefits including his salaries, accommodation allowances, travel allowances, and salaries of his staff that summed up to GH¢15 million.
But Mahama has denied the GH¢14 million and has also said that he does not receive his full retirement benefits.
“They haven’t given me an office, I rent an office in East Cantonments, I pay the rent myself, I pay for my own fuel, the state doesn’t give me fuel. I pay my own domestic staff; I pay my own medical bills. I pay for my own air tickets when I travel,” the ex-president said in a TV3 interview last week.
The Bono Regional Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party(NPP), Kwame Baffoe, alias Abronye DC, has revealed how several state-owned vehicles were purchased at a discount by former National Democratic Congress (NDC)government officials as they prepared to leave office.
According to the document sighted by GhanaWeb, 361 automobiles at $110 each were sold to government appointees for a pitiful $3 million.
Abronye asserted that the state lost $107 million as a result of this.
“The table above shows 40 out of the available 361 documents exposing how various state cars were purchased by high-rank NDC officials after they had lost the 2016 polls. The total value of all 361 cars was $110, but John Mahama sold it to his appointees at $3m, causing a financial loss of $107m equivalent to GHC1.5 billion to the state,” he shared as part of a press conference organised by the Patriotic Forum for Accountable Governance at the International Press Centre on Monday, September 19, 2022.
The press conference was on the back of a statement by former President John Dramani Mahama that he will review Article 71 of the 1992 Constitution, which covers emoluments such as ex-gratia for senior government officials if he wins power in 2024.
But according to Abronye, the former president’s promise is aimed at scoring political points and has no actual commitment behind it.
He tagged former President Mahama as being the biggest beneficiary of Article 71.
Per details of the document shared by Abronye, some of the cars, including a 2015 model Toyota Avensis registered WR 2798-15 with a market price of $28,965.00 (GHC167,846.38), were sold to former Deputy Education Minister Alex Kyeremeh for a paltry GHC500.
Some other beneficiaries of the 361 cars include Alhaji A.B.A Fuseini, Joyce Bawa Mogtari, Collins Dauda, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, Sylvester Mensah, Murtala Mohammed, Victor Smith, Dr Raymond Atuguba and Dzifa Attivor.
Abronye noted that a good number of persons who benefited from the sale of the cars were cronies of former President Mahama and officials of the NDC and did not merit an ex-gratia in the first place.
President Akufo-Addo disclosed this in an interview on a local radio station in the Volta region during an official visit.
The president stated that witnessing the female presenter who granted him interview revived his motivation to keep working toward that goal.
“You know my basic position that I’ve taken, and seeing you, of course, it’s heightened it: my determination to marry in the Volta Region, and that I’m like a suitor who keeps on knocking on the door, looking forward to the day the door will be open. We’ll keep on till the day the door is open,” he said.
However, Sam George a social media post has questioned whether the president’s intentions to find a new wife a major priority in the midst of the economic crisis.
“Hehehehehe! Addo Showboy nunu. I can testify about the Ayigbe Toffee but in this hard times, is a new wife Bossu’s top priority? Ah well,” he tweeted on September 17.
The economy has suffered a downturn in recent months with inflation rate hovering around 33.9% per data from the Ghana Statistical Service.
The Cedi has also significantly depreciated with the economy also hard hit by recent downgrades by international rating agencies such as Fitch and S & P.
Government has partly blamed Covid-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war as cause for the increased cost of living while promising to implement measures to curtail it.
It is consequently seeking a $3 billion IMF credit facility over a three year as it finds its way out of the economic quagmire.
Hehehehehe!
Addo Showboy nunu. I can testify about the Ayigbe Toffee but in this hard times, is a new wife Bossu’s top priority? Ah well! ????????♂️https://t.co/6LF4NDfI9n
