TIG Post

Tag: parliamentary

  • Kpandai Parliamentary election rerun scheduled for Dec 30

    Kpandai Parliamentary election rerun scheduled for Dec 30

    A rerun of the Kpandai Constituency Parliamentary Election will be held on Tuesday, December 30, the Electoral Commission (EC) has announced.

    Only the three (3) candidates who participated in the 2024 Parliamentary Election in the constituency will contest, according to a press release dated December 10 by the Deputy Director at the Research, Monitoring and Evaluation Department of the EC.


    “The Electoral Commission wishes to inform the General Public that following the Tamale High Court’s ruling on Monday, 24th November, 2025, ordering a rerun of the “Kandai Constituency Parliamentary Election within thirty (30) days” and upon receipt of a letter from the Clerk to Parliament on Tuesday, 9th December, 2025, formally notifying the Commission of the occurrence of a vacancy in the Membership of Parliament, the seat of the Constituency in Parliament has become vacant.


    “The Electoral Commission will hold a rerun of the Parliamentary Election in the Kpandai Constituency on Tuesday, 30th December, 2025.


    “The rerun of the Kandai Constituency Parliamentary Election will be conducted for only the three (3) Candidates who contested the 2024 Parliamentary Election in the said Constituency,” part of the statement read.


    Meanwhile, the Minority in Parliament has opposed the court ruling declaring the vacancy of the Kpandai constituency parliamentary seat in the Northern Region null.


    The Tamale High Court declared the Kpandai parliamentary election conducted in 2024 invalid on Monday, November 24. As a result, His Lordship Emmanuel Brew Plange directed the Electoral Commission (EC) to conduct a new poll in the constituency within 30 days.


    But addressing the media on Tuesday, December 9, Minority Chief Whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh noted, “Mr Speaker, there is a letter that was sent into the house to declare the Kpandai seat vacant.

    That letter is out of place, unfortunate, and goes against the rule of law. We strongly submit that the letter must be withdrawn by Parliament. We in the minority will not agree to the writing of this letter”.


    However, the candidate at the centre of the Kpandai election challenge, Matthew Nyindam, has disclosed that the 2024 parliamentary election in the area was conducted in a free and fair manner.


    Despite the High Court directing a re-run of the election, Matthew Nyindam insisted that he and his team did not engage in any wrongdoing and are prepared to face the re-run.


    Speaking to the media on Tuesday, December 9, he noted, “I am so fine because I am not troubled. We’ve not cheated in this particular election. What I’ve realised is that there is a government that is so strong and whatever they want to do, they will want to do it. They don’t care whether you are right or you are wrong.”


    Earlier this year, the former Member of Parliament (MP) and National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate for Kpandai, Daniel Nsala Wakpal, submitted a petition to the Tamale High Court challenging the results of the 2024 parliamentary election in the constituency.


    According to the petitioner, the Kpandai parliamentary election was marred by irregularities in the voting and collation processes. He argued that Pink Sheets from many polling stations were inaccurate or inconsistent.


    He stated: “The parliamentary election held in the Kpandai constituency on 7th December 2024 was not conducted in compliance with Regulations 39 of the Public Elections Regulations, 2020 (CI 127) and the principles laid down by Regulations 39, and that the said non-compliance affected the results of the elections.


    “The declaration and publication of the parliamentary election results held in the Kpandai constituency on 7th December 2024 were not made in compliance with Regulations 43 of the Public Elections Regulations, 2020 (C.I 127) and the principles laid down by Regulations 43, and that the said non-compliance affected the entire results of the parliamentary elections in the Kpandai constituency.”


    But Matthew Nyindam has argued that, “The Parliamentary Election Petition filed by the 1st Interested Party on 25th January 2025, in respect of the Parliamentary Election held at the Kpandai Constituency on 7th December 2024, was invalid and could not have properly invoked the jurisdiction of the High Court, Commercial Division, Tamale.”


    This will be the second time the country has had a re-run of elections after the 2024 general polls. Ablekuma North remained the only constituency in Ghana without a sitting MP due to unresolved disagreements over the outcome of the parliamentary vote.


    The Electoral Commission on Friday, July 11, held a re-run election in 19 polling stations in Ablekuma North to provide constituents with a representative. Ewurabena Aubynn polled 34,090 votes to beat the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Akua Afriyie, who secured 33,881 votes.


    On December 10, 2024, three days after the national polls, the EC declared Ewurabena Aubynn of the NDC the winner of the Ablekuma North parliamentary seat, defeating the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Nana Akua Owusu Afriyieh.

    However, the EC later revoked the announcement, revealing that results from 62 of the 281 polling stations had not been included in the initial collation.


    Efforts to restart the collation in January 2025 were disrupted by multiple challenges. These included interruptions due to the submission of unverified Pink Sheets and a violent intrusion at the collation centre that heightened security concerns.


    After extensive deliberations, the Electoral Commission announced in July that it would hold a re-run election because the 19 scanned polling station results used for collation, although approved by agents of both political parties, had not been verified by the presiding officers responsible for those polling stations.


    The EC arrived at this decision after meeting with representatives of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Tuesday, July 1.

  • Kpandai MP petitions Supreme Court over annulled 2024 Parliamentary election

    Kpandai MP petitions Supreme Court over annulled 2024 Parliamentary election

    The Member of Parliament (MP) for the Kpandai Constituency, Mathew Nyindam, has petitioned the Supreme Court over the recent High Court ruling on the 2024 parliamentary elections in the area.

    The Tamale High Court has declared the Kpandai parliamentary election conducted in 2024 invalid. As a result, His Lordship Emmanuel Brew Plange has directed the Electoral Commission (EC) to conduct a new poll in the constituency within 30 days.

    Earlier this year, the former Member of Parliament (MP) and National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary Candidate for Kpandai, Daniel Nsala Wakpal, submitted a petition to the Tamale High Court challenging the results of the 2024 parliamentary election in the constituency.

    According to the petitioner, the Kpandai parliamentary election was marred by irregularities in the voting and collation processes. He argued that Pink Sheets from many polling stations were not accurate or consistent.

    He stated: “The parliamentary election held in the Kpandai constituency on 7th December 2024 was not conducted in compliance with Regulations 39 of the Public Elections Regulations, 2020 (CI 127) and the principles laid down by Regulations 39, and that the said non-compliance affected the results of the elections.

    “The declaration and publication of the parliamentary election results held in the Kpandai constituency on 7th December 2024 were not made in compliance with Regulations 43 of the Public Elections Regulations, 2020 (C.I 127) and the principles laid down by Regulations 43, and that the said non-compliance affected the entire results of the parliamentary elections in the Kpandai constituency.”

    But Mathew Nyindam has argued that “The Parliamentary Election Petition filed by the 1st Interested Party on 25th January 2025, in respect of the Parliamentary Election held at the Kpandai Constituency on 7th December 2024, was invalid and could not have properly invoked the jurisdiction of the High Court, Commercial Division, Tamale”. 

    This will be the second time the country has had a rerun of elections after the 2024 general polls. Ablekuma North had remained the only constituency in Ghana without a sitting MP due to unresolved disagreements over the outcome of the parliamentary vote.

    In view of this, the Electoral Commission on Friday, July 11, held a rerun election in 19 polling stations in Ablekuma North to provide constituents with a representative. Ewurabena Aubynn polled 34,090 votes to beat the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Akua Afriyie, who secured 33,881 votes.

    On December 10, 2024, three days after the national polls, the EC declared Ewurabena Aubynn of the NDC the winner of the Ablekuma North parliamentary seat, defeating the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Nana Akua Owusu Afriyieh.

    However, the EC later revoked the announcement, revealing that results from 62 of the 281 polling stations had not been included in the initial collation.

    Efforts to restart the collation in January 2025 were disrupted by multiple challenges. These included interruptions due to the submission of unverified Pink Sheets and a violent intrusion at the collation centre that heightened security concerns.

    After extensive deliberations, the Electoral Commission in July announced that it would hold a rerun election because the 19 scanned polling station results used for the collation, though approved by agents of both political parties, were not verified by the presiding officers responsible for those polling stations.

    The EC arrived at this decision after meeting with representatives of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Tuesday, July 1.

    Violence mars Ablekuma North rerun election

    At the Odorkor Methodist 1 polling station in the Ablekuma North constituency, some individuals engaged in a fisticuff with the police personnel. Also, a JoyNews journalist was slapped by an unknown individual.

    Former Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development and Member of Parliament for Ewutu Senya East Constituency, Hawa Koomson, was also assaulted by a group of men. A journalist with GH One Television, Banahene Agyekum, was also slapped by a police officer.

    The Ghana Police Service has interdicted one of its officers who was caught on camera slapping a journalist with GH One Television, Banahene Agyekum, during the rerun election at Ablekuma North.

    In line with internal disciplinary procedures, he has been referred to the Police Professional Standards Bureau (PPSB) for investigation.

    The officer concerned has been withdrawn from the ongoing election duty at Ablekuma North.

    The police have assured the public that a thorough investigation will be conducted into the matter and further updates will be communicated.

    It is unknown what exactly transpired between the reporter and a group of police officers that led to him being slapped.

    The police officer’s action has been condemned by all, including the mayor of Accra, Michael Kpakpo Allotey, who witnessed the unfortunate incident.

    Deputy Minister for Government Communications, Shamima Muslim, in reaction to the said incident, commended the police for its swift action to reprimand its officer for such unlawful acts and condemned the recent attacks against civilians and journalists during the Ablekuma North election rerun.

    “What we are happy about is the swift action that the Ghana Police itself has taken in interdicting the officer in question,” she said.

    “It is completely unwarranted. Government itself takes a very serious stance, especially on security agencies meting out unwarranted attacks to civilians under any circumstances,” she added.

    President of the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA) Albert  Kwabena  Dwumfuor also condemned the attack on journalists. Due to the chaos that erupted, Inspector General of Police Christian Tetteh Yohuno visited some polling stations in the constituency.

    The Minority in Parliament has also condemned the violence that took place during the just-ended Ablekuma North rerun election, accusing members of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) of instigating violent activities.

    In a statement signed by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the caucus said:

    “The most disturbing aspect of today’s violence is not just the brutality itself, but the deliberate endorsement and celebration of these attacks by senior government officials. For example, Dr.

    Hanna Louisa Bissiw, National Women’s Organiser of the NDC and CEO of the Minerals Development Fund, provided perhaps the most damaging response with her statement that “violence begets violence” and her suggestion that the brutal attacks were somehow justified.”

    “Even more shocking is the Facebook post by Malik Basintale, Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) and Deputy National Communications Officer of the NDC,

    who apparently celebrated the man who attacked Hon. Mavis Hawa Koomson with the disturbing declaration, “From today, I name him the Flying Python. He shall be in charge of the 5k Airforce!” This grotesque celebration of violence against a former Member of Parliament represents a new low in Ghana’s political discourse,” the statement added.

    The Minority has registered its displeasure with the operation of the Ghana Police Service at the polling stations.

    “The Ghana Police Service’s response raises serious questions about their preparedness and commitment to protecting our electoral process. Security personnel were overwhelmed by the perpetrators, failing to prevent these attacks on political figures, party agents, and journalists. More concerning are allegations surrounding Chief Superintendent Lumor Frederick Senanu and his potential role in facilitating these disruptions.”

    The caucus stressed the need for increased protection for voters, electoral officers, journalists, and candidates. It also called on the international community, civil society, and media to monitor developments closely.

  • Perpetrators of Ablekuma North rerun chaos will face the law – Muntaka

    Perpetrators of Ablekuma North rerun chaos will face the law – Muntaka

    The Minister for the Interior, Mubarak Muntaka, has vowed to go after individuals who contributed to chaos during the Parliamentary rerun in the Ablekuma North constituency.

    According to him, justice will be served regardless of the perpetrators’ political affiliation.

    He pledged while addressing the media on Monday, July 14, as part of the ‘Government Accountability Series’ programme.

    “I can assure you that not my party, not any group, will we sit and allow to see the resurgence of vigilantism. I have spoken to the IGP firmly about the happenings in the Ablekuma North. Videos have been forwarded to him, and we have instructed him to act swiftly to bring the perpetrators to book.

    “We’re not going to condone any actions by individuals within or outside our party going around to do the untoward. I can assure the public that we will ensure that under the leadership of H.E. John Dramani Mahama, no such group will be allowed to form,” he assured.

    Reacting to the incident, the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) has rated the Ghana Police Service’s performance at the just-ended Parliamentary election at the Ablekuma North Constituency as unsatisfactory.

    The organization believes the police failed to execute their mandate despite their numbers.

    The Electoral Commission (EC) held an election in 19 polling stations of the Ablekuma North to provide its constituents with a representative after the 2024 parliamentary elections on Friday, July 11.

    However, voting in two polling stations, the Odorkor Methodist 1 polling station and St. Peters polling station in the constituency, was suspended and later continued following chaos.

    At the Odorkor Methodist 1 polling station in the Ablekuma North constituency, some individuals engaged in a fisticuff with the police personnel. Also, a JoyNews journalist was slapped by an unknown individual.

    Former Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development and Member of Parliament for Ewutu Senya East Constituency, Hawa Koomson, was also assaulted by a group of men during the election.

    In a video gone viral, a man lunged at Hawa Koomson, pushing her to the ground. Another person was seen kicking her.

    The Police officers present intervened and prevented further attack against Hawa Koomson.

    Meanwhile, the Ghana Police Service has interdicted one of its officers who was caught on camera slapping a journalist with GH One Television, Banahene Agyekum, during the rerun election at Ablekuma North.

    In line with internal disciplinary procedures, he has been referred to the Police Professional Standards Bureau (PPSB) for investigation.

    The officer concerned has been withdrawn from the ongoing election duty at Ablekuma North.

    The Police have assured the public that a thorough investigation will be conducted into the matter and further updates will be communicated.

    It is unknown what exactly transpired between the reporter and a group of police officers that led to him being slapped.

    The Police officer’s action has been condemned by all, including the mayor of Accra, Michael Kpakpo Allotey, who witnessed the unfortunate incident.

    Engaging the media after the assault, Banahene Agyekum expressed distress and pain.

    “Yes, (I won’t be able to continue work today) because my right eye is shaking and I don’t know what happened to my forehead. I have to go for a medical checkup,” he stated.

    The Electoral Commission (EC) is holding an election in 19 polling stations of the Ablekuma North to provide its constituents a representative after the 2024 parliamentary elections.

    After the 2024 polls, Ablekuma North remained the only constituency in Ghana without a sitting MP, due to unresolved disagreements over the outcome of the parliamentary vote.

    On December 10, 2024, three days after the national polls, the EC declared Ewurabena Aubynn of the NDC the winner of the Ablekuma North parliamentary seat, defeating the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Nana Akua Owusu Afriyieh.

    However, the EC later revoked the announcement, revealing that results from 62 of the 281 polling stations had not been included in the initial collation.

    Efforts to restart the collation in January 2025 were disrupted by multiple challenges.

    These included interruptions due to the submission of unverified pink sheets and a violent intrusion at the collation centre that heightened security concerns.

    The Electoral Commission (EC), after extensive deliberations, in July noted that it will hold the rerun election because the 19 scanned polling station results used for the collation, though approved by agents of both political parties, were not verified by the presiding officers responsible for those polling stations.

    The EC arrived at this decision after it met with the representatives of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Tuesday, July 1.

    Ahead of today’s election, the EC called on the Ghana Police Service to provide the needed security to ensure a safe environment for the conduct of the election.

  • Nominee vetting has been reduced to mere formality – ACEPA

    Nominee vetting has been reduced to mere formality – ACEPA

    The African Centre for Parliamentary Affairs (ACEPA) has criticized the ongoing vetting of ministerial nominees, characterizing the process as deficient and lacking depth.

    According to ACEPA, the conduct of parliamentarians from both the majority and minority sides has impeded meaningful engagement, stifling comprehensive analysis of nominees on crucial national matters.

    Speaking to Citi News, Dr. Rasheed Draman, Executive Director of ACEPA, underscored the importance of revamping the Appointments Committee’s methodology to restore credibility and ensure the vetting process achieves its intended purpose.

    Dr. Draman emphasized that the current framework is ill-equipped to facilitate a substantive evaluation of nominees, particularly on significant issues impacting the country.

    He called for immediate reforms to enhance the committee’s effectiveness and transparency.

    “I think this process has been very unsatisfactory. There is a need for some serious rethinking about how the Appointments Committee conducts its business. We see, first of all, Members of Parliament, particularly those from the Minority, missing a very important opportunity to exact accountability from nominees.

    “They focus on trivial issues, issues that are not speaking to the competence, the integrity, and the fit of the person to the ministry or department that he or she is going to.

    “On the side of the members of the Majority, I think they have turned this whole process into some kind of friendly match. I mean, it is their colleagues from the same party, but I think we still have to take this business very seriously.”

  • NDC’s case on parliamentary collation order to be heard by SC on Jan 23

    NDC’s case on parliamentary collation order to be heard by SC on Jan 23

    The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) challenge against a High Court order instructing the Electoral Commission (EC) to finalize the collation of parliamentary results in specific constituencies on Thursday, January 23.

    The High Court, on January 4, presided over by Justice Forson Baah Agyapong, granted a mandamus application filed by the New Patriotic Party (NPP). The court directed the EC to complete the collation process for Okaikwei Central, Tema Central, Techiman South, and Ablekuma North and declare the parliamentary winners.

    Dr. Rashid Tanko-Computer, the Deputy Director of Elections and IT for the NDC, who spoke to the media, clarified that the party’s earlier attempt to halt the collation was postponed due to a procedural issue involving the NPP’s notification.

    “We went to court on Monday, and the judge indicated that the NPP candidates had not been properly served, so our lawyers must find a way to serve them before the matter can be properly heard. As a result, the case was adjourned indefinitely until they are properly served,” Dr. Tanko-Computer explained.

    He further noted the party’s determination to challenge the High Court’s directive in the upcoming Supreme Court hearing.

    “However, the certiorari we filed at the Supreme Court is scheduled for January 23, where we will ask the Court to quash the decision made by the trial judge, which allowed the EC to proceed with what we consider an illegal activity. We will be in the Supreme Court on the 23rd to argue our case,” he stated.

    The NDC contends that the collation order was improperly issued and is seeking the Supreme Court’s intervention to overturn the directive.

  • Ghana Boundary Commission Bill gets Parliamentary nod

    Ghana Boundary Commission Bill gets Parliamentary nod

    Parliament has passed the Ghana Boundary Commission Bill, 2023, following its third reading on December 18, 2024. This new legislation is designed to bolster the country’s capacity to handle boundary demarcation and resolve related disputes more efficiently.

    Major General Dr. Emmanuel Wekem Kotia, Commissioner General of the Ghana Boundary Commission, expressed confidence in the bill’s passage, stating that it would provide the Commission with greater authority in managing boundary issues. He highlighted that the bill brings the Commission’s operations in line with international standards.

    Additionally, the bill enables the Commission to implement social interventions to support marginalized communities along border areas.

    “The passage of this bill strengthens our mandate, and I believe Ghana will be the ultimate winner as we work toward resolving boundary-related issues,” Dr. Kotia said. He stressed that the bill will also help Ghana maintain peace and stability along its borders while improving the lives of those in border areas.

  • No military officer was deployed to interfere with Tuesday Parliamentary proceedings – GAF

    No military officer was deployed to interfere with Tuesday Parliamentary proceedings – GAF

    The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has denied claims circulating in the media that military personnel were sent to the Grand Arena of the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC) to disrupt parliamentary proceedings during the Fifth Meeting of the Fourth Session on Tuesday, 22 October 2024.

    In a statement released by the Director-General of Public Relations, GAF firmly labelled these reports as “false” and called on the public to regard them with significant scepticism.

    “Such misinformation, among other things, tarnishes the reputation of GAF,” part of the statement read.

    This follows the sighting of military personnel at the AICC premises on Tuesday morning during Parliament’s Fifth Meeting. An earlier announcement from Parliament noted that the security forces were present at the request of the Speaker, Alban Bagbin, following comments he made on the floor on Thursday, 17 October 2024, where the Minority Leader called for four parliamentary seats to be declared vacant.

    However, the Supreme Court issued a stay of execution on the Speaker’s announcement, permitting the affected MPs to keep their seats and engage in parliamentary activities until a final decision is reached.

    This situation has led to a leadership crisis within Parliament, unsettling the existing power dynamics.

    In response to this controversy, the Speaker officially asked GAF to conduct specialised security checks, including canine units and bomb sweeps, prior to the start of each Tuesday’s sessions.

    “On Monday, 21 October 2024, the Speaker of Parliament, Right Honourable Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin, through the Clerk of Parliament, formally requested security assistance from GAF for routine canine and bomb sweeps of the Chamber. This standard procedure is conducted on the first sitting day of the week—typically Tuesdays—whenever Members of Parliament convene outside the traditional Parliament House,” GAF stated.

    GAF clarified that the military personnel stationed at the Grand Arena were not present to disrupt parliamentary proceedings but were there exclusively to carry out security sweeps to guarantee the venue’s safety.

    “Their role was exclusively to perform these routine checks, ensuring the safety and security of the facility by searching for any explosive devices or harmful substances,” the statement continued.

    GAF reaffirmed its dedication to protecting the welfare of all citizens and assured the public that it will persist in undertaking missions focused on ensuring security and safety.

    “We also urge media outlets to refrain from disseminating false information and to report responsibly on matters of public interest,” GAF added.

  • ‘Rambo Style’ of tax collection from business owners is a thing of the past – GRA

    ‘Rambo Style’ of tax collection from business owners is a thing of the past – GRA

    The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has announced significant changes in its approach to revenue collection, moving away from previous aggressive tactics.

    In a recent briefing with the Parliamentary Press Corp in Accra, Deputy Commissioner Daniel Adisi emphasized that the GRA is now prioritizing engagement and education in its interactions with the business community.

    He highlighted that effective taxation is a technical process that requires clear and continuous communication.

    Adisi assured that the GRA is adopting a more customer-focused approach, aiming to work collaboratively with businesses to enhance understanding and compliance with tax regulations.

    He stressed the crucial role of taxes in national development and encouraged businesses to recognize their importance.

    “The business community is ready to engage us. Like I did say taxation is a bit technical, so you have to explain, explain and explain, and that is what we are trying to do. Now GRA is customer centric. Please carry this message across and let’s grow together. Because without taxes we can’t grow our nation.

    “We go out there to collect loans and other things, it is some country’s citizens that have paid their taxes, we also must endeavor to pay. GRA is ready to educate and use channels like this to reach out there for us to know the importance of the taxation we need to pay,” Daniel Adisi stated.

  • No Parliamentary support until SSNIT hotels sale is terminated – Minority threatens gov’t

    No Parliamentary support until SSNIT hotels sale is terminated – Minority threatens gov’t

    The Minority in Parliament has urged President Akufo-Addo to direct the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) to stop the sale of a 60% interest in four of its hotels.

    The NDC MPs stressed that, even though Bryan Acheampong’s private hotel has withdrawn from the transaction, they still insist on an immediate halt to the sale.

    They are calling on the government to make a public statement to notify organized labor and the Ghanaian public that it has canceled the controversial plan to sell SSNIT hotel shares to government officials under dubious circumstances.

    In a press release dated Friday, July 12, and signed by their leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, the Minority in Parliament declared that the Ghanaian public has clearly opposed the questionable scheme by the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia administration to sell the SSNIT hotels.

    The Minority has warned that they will withhold cooperation with the government in Parliament until an official announcement of the deal’s cancellation is made.

    Additionally, they stated that if the announcement is not made by July 16, they will escalate their non-cooperation to include protests.

    “The Minority Caucus announces for the information of the general public that until the government makes it clear that it has stopped the sale of the SSNIT hotels, the NDC Caucus will no longer cooperate with the government in the handling of government business in Parliament.”

    “Again, if by close of Tuesday, 16th July, 2024 the government fails or neglects or refuses to declare that the sale of the SSNIT hotels has been abolished, we shall escalate our noncooperation to include measures such as demonstrations across the country,” an excerpt of the statement said.

    The statement highlighted Ghanaian opposition to the sale, stressing the need for transparency and accountability in managing national assets.

    The Minority called on the government to champion public interests and avoid controversial transactions.

    SSNIT has announced the suspension of its plan to sell a 60% stake in four hotels.

    Issued just before midnight on Friday, July 12, SSNIT’s decision followed the withdrawal of Rock City Hotel, owned by Minister of Food and Agriculture Bryan Acheampong, amid strong stakeholder opposition.

    The statement, signed by SSNIT Board Chair Elizabeth Ohene, who had previously supported the deal, confirmed the termination of the sale process.

    SSNIT reassured pensioners, contributors, and the public of its commitment to managing the Trust’s affairs prudently to ensure the sustainability of the pension scheme.

  • I had a system that prevented Togolese who registered from voting in 2016 – Hopeson Adorye

    I had a system that prevented Togolese who registered from voting in 2016 – Hopeson Adorye

    A prominent figure in Alan Kyerematen’s Movement for Change, Hopeson Adorye, has disclosed details of a covert operation he led to prevent alleged Togolese nationals from voting in Ghana’s 2016 general elections.

    In an interview on Onua TV on May 16, 2024, Adorye explained that the operation, which involved the use of explosives, took place entirely within Togo’s borders, not Ghana’s.

    He organized a team and traveled to Togo to engage with traditional authorities in border communities, urging them to dissuade their people from crossing into Ghana to vote.

    He further elaborated that he made his team swear an oath of secrecy, ensuring regional executives were unaware of their plans.

    Using a local contact with strong ties to traditional authorities, Mr Adorye’s team moved from one authority to another, providing them with substantial sums of CFA for advocacy and radio announcements to deter cross-border voting.

    “There is this issue in the Volta Region during elections that Togolese came and registered to vote. In 2016, they came to register alright, but I took it upon myself to disable the system so that they would not come and vote.

    “I chose a team and made them swear an oath that they were not going to inform the regional executives of what we were going to do,” he narrated in Twi.

    He added, “We had a relation who grew up there (Togo) and he had a good relationship with the traditional authorities there. So, he moved us from one authority to the other so we could engage them. When we met them, we gave them a lot of money (CFA) for them to use for advocacy, radio announcements and the like.”

    A former New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary hopeful, also revealed a more drastic part of his strategy: creating fear among Togolese nationals to prevent them from voting.

    “I told them that things were going to happen so they should not come… Because of what we told them, we put things in order. Everything that happened took place in Togo. Those saying it happened in the Volta Region, if you throw this (dynamite) at a polling station, won’t people die? Who in the Volta Region can say that there was an explosion in his or her area?

    “And I gated the people. After it (the explosion), I made them take off on the motorbikes. There was a commotion, and the people started saying that what we told them had started happening. It was a strategy. Everything happened in Togo,” he reiterated.

    He asserted that Ghanaian security officials, including the Inspector General of Police, could not summon him for actions that took place outside Ghana’s jurisdiction. Additionally, he criticized the NPP for not recognizing or rewarding him and his team for their efforts.

    This revelation comes amidst calls from veteran journalist Kwami Sefa Kayi for security agencies to arrest and investigate Adorye for his claims that the ruling NPP used dynamites to intimidate voters in the Volta Region during the 2016 elections.

    Watch video below:

  • NPP’s La Dadekotopon Parliamentary Primary to be held today

    NPP’s La Dadekotopon Parliamentary Primary to be held today

    The New Patriotic Party (NPP) is scheduled to conduct its Parliamentary Primary in the La Dadekotopon Constituency on Saturday, April 27th.

    Among the contenders who have submitted their nominations for the primary are Joseph Addo, personal driver to President Akufo-Addo, and Solomon Kotey Niikio, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for the area.

    The primary was sanctioned by the National Executive Committee of the NPP following the resignation of the elected Parliamentary Candidate, Dr. Joseph Gerald Tetteh Nyanyofio, citing personal reasons.

    In the 2020 election, the NPP lost the La Dadekotopon seat to Rita Naa Odoley Sowah of the NDC.

    The NPP aims to reclaim the seat in the upcoming December polls.

  • Court decision upholds law limiting parliamentary immunity of intelligence watchdogs

    Court decision upholds law limiting parliamentary immunity of intelligence watchdogs

    The Ontario Court of Appeal has approved a law that restricts members of the spy watchdog from utilizing their special immunity to speak openly.

    A group of politicians from different parties called the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians can see top-secret information.

    Normally, MPs and senators can’t be prosecuted for things they say in Parliament.

    However, people in the watchdog group, called NSICOP, could get in trouble if they share protected information that is not allowed by the rules of the committee.

    This week, a new decision was made that changes a previous decision from the Ontario Superior Court in 2022. The new decision says that Parliament can restrict parliamentary privilege without needing to change the constitution.

    A group of three judges in the Court of Appeal has said that Parliament can restrict freedom of speech and debate as long as it follows the rules set out in the committee’s laws, without changing the constitution.

  • Guidelines for conduct at NPP’s presidential, parliamentary primaries released

    Guidelines for conduct at NPP’s presidential, parliamentary primaries released

    Guidelines for the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) impending presidential and parliamentary primaries in November of this year have been announced by the NPP National Council.

    These rules have been made public for all candidates to comply by in order to prove their eligibility and be ready for the elections. They were debated and taken into consideration during its meeting on Thursday, July 20, 2023.

    Here is a press announcement from the party’s national council that includes all the essential rules.

    The presidential primaries held by the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) to choose a candidate for the general elections in 2024 will take place on November 4, 2023.

    The 10 presidential candidates, who were all approved during the vetting process, will be reduced to five in a Special Electoral College on August 26, 2023.

  • James Quayson: Supreme court declares 2020 Assin North election unconstitutional

    James Quayson: Supreme court declares 2020 Assin North election unconstitutional

    The election of James Gyakye Quayson as Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin North in the Central Region has been declared unconstituitional by the Supreme Court.

    In a unanimous decision Wednesday morning (May 17, 2023), a seven-member panel of the Supreme Court ordered Parliament to expunge the name of Mr Quayson as MP, reports Graphic Online’s Emmanuel Ebo Hawkson from the court.

    The Supreme Court in April 2022 ordered the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson, to stop holding himself as an MP until the determination of a suit challenging the constitutionality of his election.

    In a 5-2 majority decision on April 13, 2022, the apex court ordered Mr Quayson to abstain from any Parliamentary business and also refrain from engaging in activities pertaining to an MP.

    Reasons

    In its ruling, the Supreme Court was of the considered view that the High Court in Cape Coast has declared the election of Mr Quayson as null and void, and therefore allowing him to continue as an MP while the constitutional issue was yet to be determined “will be an indictment of the administration of justice.”

    “There can be no justification for ignoring the submissions on the continued disregard of the orders of the High Court which have not been suspended or overturned,” the court held.

    Also, the court held that the whole country would suffer greater hardship if Mr Quayson was allowed to continue to serve as an MP and the court determines that his election violated the 1992 Constitution.

    “This court will be failing in its exclusive mandate and duty to the Ghanaian people to uphold and defend the Constitution if it does not suspend, mitigate or abate an alleged constitutionality illegality if the applicant were to succeed in the end of this suit,” the court held.

    The majority decision was authored by Justice Kulendi.

    In the dissenting opinions, Justice Dordzie and Amegatcher were of the view that the Supreme Court was not the right forum for the applicant, and that all he needed to do was to enforce the judgment of the High Court.

    Plaintiff’s case

    In July 2021, Mr Ankomah-Nimfah won a judgment at the Cape Coast High Court nullifying Mr Quayson’s election on the basis that the MP held Canadian citizenship at the time he filed to contest the seat.

    He then went to Supreme Court in January, this year for interpretation of Article 94 (2) (a), the same constitutional provision the High Court used to nullify Mr Quayson’s election.

    His basis for going to the apex court was that despite the judgment by the High Court, Mr Quayson still continued to parade himself as an MP.

    Mr Ankomah-Nimfah is seeking a declaration from the Supreme Court that upon a true and proper interpretation of Article 94(2)(a) of the 1992 Constitution, at the time the EC opened nominations for people to file to contest the Assin North parliamentary seat, Mr Quayson held a Canadian citizenship and therefore was not eligible to contest.

    He further wants the court to declare that the EC breached Article 94(2)(a) of the 1992 Constitution when it allowed Mr Quayson to contest the parliamentary election in Assin North when he owed allegiance to another country.

    Again, he is urging the Supreme Court to declare the entire process that led to Mr Quayson’s election as MP for Assin North as unconstitutional and, therefore, null and void.

  • Asiedu Nketiah told to resign from Parliamentary Service Board

    Asiedu Nketiah told to resign from Parliamentary Service Board

    The National Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, is once again being urged to resign from his post on the Parliamentary Service Board.

    The calls that were made upon his nomination to the board by Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin on March 29, 2021 have been repeated in light of his recent election as NDC chairman.

    Speaking on a recent edition of Peace FM’s Kokrokoo Morning show, former CPP General Secretary, James Kwabena Bomfeh (Kabila) argued that the NDC National Chairman “can’t continue to be a member of the Parliamentary Service Board”, while describing it as inappropriate for party officers to hold state positions.

    “Party Chairmen, General Secretaries, party officers who are appointed to state-owned boards should also stop because the same principle applies there,” he said.

    “You should resign,” Kabila reiterated as he condemned Mr. Asiedu Nketiah’s decision to remain on the Board.

    In the same vein, former Central Regional Minister, Kwamena Duncan who was speaking on the same show “Asiedu Nketiah must resign from the Parliamentary Service Board, because how do you sit on a board that is duly informed about the president coming to deliver the State of the Nation Address and then turn around to also read an address contrary to what the president did. That is clearly a conflict of interest.”

    Kwamena Duncan was referencing Mr Asiedu Nketiah’s True State of the Nation Address which sought to poke holes in the president’s address on the current state of the Ghanaian economy.

    The Parliamentary Service Board is responsible for promoting the welfare of the Members of Parliament and staff of the Service.

  • What to look out for in parliament next week

    What to look out for in parliament next week

    Eight ministers are expected to appear before the house to respond to questions, which include urgent and oral questions.

    The ministers expected to appear are the Minister for the Interior, Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Minister for Education, Minister Lands and Natural Resources, Minister for Roads and Highways, Attorney General and Minister for Justice and Minister for Roads and Highway.

    The ministers will respond to over 45 questions during the week.

    The business statement, which was read by the Deputy Whip, Lydia Seyram Alhasan, added that ministers of state have not been programmed to respond to parliamentary questions on Thursday, March 23, 2023, to enable the House to consider some financial bills and other important business.

    The members have also been informed the house will adjourn in two weeks, hence the reason they should devote themselves to the business of the house.

  • Adwoa Safo discussing her position with leadership before she resumes duties – Aide

    An aide to the Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya, Sarah Adwoa Safo, Nana Dubin Kwapong, has said that the MP is currently having discussions with the leadership of the majority caucus before she will resume her parliamentary duties.

    Speaking in a Neat FM monitored by GhanaWeb, Dubin Kwapong intimated that the MP is discussing issues surrounding the majority caucus’ push for her to be removed from the House.

    He added that as soon as Adwoa Safo knows her stance, she will start attending to her parliamentary duties.

    “Adwoa Safo has not gone to Parliament since her return. As we all know, there are some issues that have to be resolved regarding whether she will continue as a Member of Parliament or she will be removed.

    “So, in the meantime, she is engaging with the leadership of Parliament so that she will know her stance before she resumes her duties,” he said in Twi.

    Dubin Kwapong further stated that Adwoa Safo has no issues with her colleague MPs who want her removed.

    “If you know honourable, she is not someone who takes things too personal; she has taken everything that happened in good strides. She is now discussing what exactly happened with the leadership, and I am hopeful that something useful will come out of this,” he added.

    Meanwhile, the MP for Tamale Central, Alhassan Sayibu Suhuyini, has said that it was curious that Adwoa Safo’s much-awaited return is coinciding with a vote of censure motion the minority caucus was due to move against Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.

    According to him, the latest development is akin to the last time she was in Parliament, that is, to help with the passage of the 2022 Budget statement of the government.

    “You know there is an important vote coming up?” Suhuyini asked New Day host Berla Mundi before adding: “The finance minister’s vote of censure, she has showed up. When did she last show up last minute? On the budget.

    “They knew where she was; they could bring her, they just didn’t want to,” he submitted.

  • Lesotho to hold parliamentary vote amid political instability

    The ruling All Basotho Convention, in power since 2017, has been unable to pass important constitutional changes in parliament.

    Lesotho will hold a parliamentary election on Friday, amid failures by its politicians to pass constitutional reforms meant to end years of political instability in the southern African mountain kingdom.

    The All Basotho Convention (ABC) has run the country since 2017, but divisions within the party have led to two prime ministers over five years. One of them, Thomas Thabane, stepped down in 2020 after being charged with the murder of his ex-wife.

    He denied any wrongdoing and the charges were later dropped.

    His successor, Prime Minister Moeketsi Majoro, declared a state of emergency in August after legislators failed to pass two bills meant to end political volatility in parliament.

    Last month, Lesotho’s highest court ruled the declaration unconstitutional.

    The ABC has selected another leader, former health minister Nkaku Kabi, to contest the ticket, after he defeated Majoro in a party vote in February.

    The proposed constitutional reforms would have amended everything from the role of political parties, to rules over floor-crossing in parliament, the appointment of senior officials and the role of the prime minister.

    The aim was to make Lesotho less prone to political logjams when disagreements occur. But lawmakers failed to agree on them in August.

    Lesotho has seen four military coups since independence from Britain in 1966.

    In 2014, gunshots were heard in Maseru and then-Prime Minister Thabane temporarily fled the country, accusing the military of overthrowing him, which forced South Africa to mediate to restore order and allow his return.

    Opposition riots in the capital Maseru in 1998 prompted South Africa to deploy troops to restore order.

    Surrounded on all sides by a South African mountain range, Lesotho’s cool lakes and springs are a vital source of freshwater for its bigger neighbour, supplying the taps of its commercial capital, Johannesburg.

     

    Source: Aljazeera