Minister-designate for Communications, Digital Technology, and Innovation, Sam Nartey George, during his vetting, announced the government’s plans to undertake a fresh SIM card re-registration exercise.
This move, he explained, aims to address the shortcomings of the previous registration process.
Providing further clarity, Dr. Kenneth Ashigbey, CEO of the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, revealed that the earlier exercise was not fully completed, necessitating a more comprehensive approach.
Sam George criticised the earlier process for its inefficiencies and pledged that the new registration would be streamlined, technology-driven, and user-friendly, eliminating the long queues that plagued the 2022 exercise.
In the 2022 exercise, SIM cardholders were required to link their numbers to their Ghana Cards, but the process faced significant challenges, including delays and SIM deactivations for non-compliance.
George assured that the upcoming re-registration is designed to enhance security and improve the reliability of Ghana’s telecommunications infrastructure, ultimately serving the best interests of all Ghanaians.
“We will do a proper SIM re-registration again, and this time, there will be no queues because common sense will prevail, and we will use technology to do it,” he assured.
Responding to the announcement in an interview with Citi FM, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, Dr Kenneth Ashigbey said the previous exercise was incomplete.
“I wouldn’t say it is useless. I would say it was incomplete. The thing about it is the fact that the biometric data that was collected was not reading properly.”
He pointed out that the fingerprint data was not captured as accurately as the NIA’s system, stressing the importance of using the NIA database as the “single point of truth.”
“What we should have done was use the NIA database to complete the cycle,” Ashigbey noted.
He explained that while the initial phase of SIM registration verified data against theNIA database, the second phase—biometric verification—was flawed.
“We do the liveliness test, we do the likeliness test, we collect the biometric data, but we don’t compare it with the single point of truth, which is the NIA database,” he stated.
He emphasized the need to correct this gap to ensure the new registration process is comprehensive and effective.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Ningo-Prampram, Sam Nartey George, has responded to the ‘threat’ from the United States government regarding Ghana’s Promotion of Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill (anti-LGBT+ bill).
In an interview with Nigeria-based News Central TV on March 3, 2024, Sam George accused the US government of hypocrisy, pointing out that they freely trade with Arab countries like Qatar, where engaging in homosexual activities is punishable by death.
He emphasized Ghana’s independence and the liberty to enact laws that govern its people, asserting that American businesses operating in Ghana are there for profit, not solely due to LGBTQ issues.
Sam George stated, “Ghana is not the 51st state of the United States. Tell the American people. You either do business with us on our terms, or you can walk.
“American businesses that operate in Ghana are not in Ghana because of LGBTQ. They’re in Ghana because they make a profit. If you think that because we are protecting our cultural values and saying no to LGBTQ, you want to lose $100 million in profit, pack up and go,” Sam George said.
He added, “Africa must begin to assert our rights. We are not puppets and stooges of the West. And it’s just the sheer hypocrisy of America and the West. Qatar buys a billion dollars of military hardware every year from America. The punishment for homosexuality in Qatar is death… the maximum in Ghana’s law is just three years.”
Regarding the passage of the anti-gay bill, Ghana’s Parliament passed the Promotion of Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill on February 28, 2024.
The bill, awaiting presidential assent, criminalizes and proscribes LGBT activities, along with their promotion, advocacy, and funding. Offenders face jail terms, with the bill requiring presidential assent within seven days or parliamentary approval by a two-thirds majority if rejected.
The US government responded by threatening serious consequences if the bill becomes law. Matthew Miller, a spokesperson for the United States State Department, stated that the US administration is in discussions with Ghana to prevent the bill’s passage.
He warned that the bill could lead to sanctions similar to those imposed on Uganda, which passed an anti-gay law in 2023.
The US government supports Ghana with aid, and Miller emphasized potential ramifications on US assistance, affecting areas such as agriculture, malaria prevention, HIV/AIDS control, and military assistance.
In a statement, Miller argued that Ghana’s anti-LGBT+ bill violates the rights of its citizens, damages its international reputation, and jeopardizes economic agreements.
Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Sam Nartey George, has stated that Africans are not individuals who can be manipulated by the West for selfish interests.
In an interview with Nigeria-based television station News Central TV, he indicated that it’s long overdue for African countries to object to the rule and intimidation from the West.
“Ghana is a fertile ground for business; Africa must begin to assert our rights. We are not puppets and stooges of the West,” he added.
His comments come after parliament, on Wednesday, the February 28 2024, passed the Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values, also known as the anti-LGBTQ bill.
The legislation prohibits lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) activities and criminalizes their promotion, advocacy, and funding in the country.
The bill awaits approval from President Akufo-Addo for implementation.
The United States of America (USA) has warned that Ghana’s public health, media, civic spaces, and economy could be affected should the bill be endorsed.
In a statement, US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller stated that the legislation threatens Ghana’s tradition of tolerance, peace, and respect for human rights.
Mr. Miller has called for a review of the bill to safeguard the rights of all individuals in Ghana, citing its inconsistency with the country’s values.
However, Sam George, who is also the proponent of the LGBTQ bill, has indicated that President Akufo-Addo must be confident enough to assent to the bill as Ghana stands to lose.
He emphasized that American businesses operate in Ghana to make profits and not because of LGBTQ-related agendas.
According to him, no American business owners in Ghana will cease operations if they are making huge profits just to oppose the country’s cultural values.
He added that whoever will not be comfortable with what the country supports can suspend their businesses, as those willing to will come and occupy their spaces.
“Well Ghana is a proud African Nation, first country in sub saharan Africa to gain independence and lead a light for the rest of Africa. I expect the leaders of our country, the president of our country to stand shoulder high and tell the American people you either do business on our terms or you can walk.
“American businesses that operate in Ghana are not here because of LGBTQ, they are here because they make a profit. If you are an American business working in Ghana and you turn 100 million dollars in profit every year, if you think that because we are protecting our cultural values and say no to LGBTQ you want to lose a 100 million dollars in profit, pack up and go another company to come to Ghana and do business, he added.
Ningo Prampram’s Member of Parliament, Sam Nartey George, has strongly criticized Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s recent lecture titled “Ghana’s Next Chapter: Selfless Leadership and Bold Solutions for the Future.”
Describing the speech as “73 pages of beautiful nonsense,” Sam George expressed dissatisfaction with the content presented by Dr. Bawumia, accusing him of recycling old promises and falsehoods, particularly pointing out inconsistencies in job creation figures.
In an exclusive interview with GhanaWeb’s Nimatu Yakubu Atouyese, Sam George remarked, “It’s 73 pages of beautiful nonsense, there is nothing that makes sense in that speech. It is a rehashing of old promises, lies.”
He highlighted discrepancies in Bawumia‘s claims about job creation, citing conflicting figures provided over time and challenging the vice president’s credibility.
Referring to Bawumia’s suggestion that Ghanaians should make him a driver, Sam George criticized the attempt to distance himself from President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s governance, asserting that Bawumia cannot detach himself from Akufo-Addo’s perceived governance challenges.
“Bawumia cannot detach himself from Akufo-Addo’s bad governance and implementation of policies,” he asserted.
“Two people who are cabinet members at the time came to tell us Bawumia played a pivotal role in the creation of E-Levy, yet Bawumia stands up here today and say he wants to scrap E-Levy,” he stated, stressing that what he sees is inconsistency in Bawumia’s statements.
“Even if you look at the budget. the appendixes, you realise that the government says in 2024 they are going to pay 826,000 people, so it tells you that Bawumia is lying and this is unbecoming of someone who wants to be president,” Sam George remarked.
Citing Bawumia’s biography where he claimed to chair the Economic Management Team, Sam George pointed out what he saw as inconsistency in Bawumia’s statements, particularly regarding the creation of the E-Levy, which he alleged Bawumia played a pivotal role in developing.
Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s speech, delivered on February 7, 2024, outlined his vision for Ghana and highlighted the achievements of the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia government over the past seven years.
The lecture, covering various economic sectors, sparked significant discussions on social media platforms.
Regarding Dr. Bawumia’s suggestion that Ghanaians should make him a driver as he is currently a driver’s mate, Sam George criticized Bawumia’s attempt to distance himself from President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s governance.
Drama unfolded at the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) meeting on February 5, 2024, as the Director-General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), Professor Peter Twumasi, and the NSA’s chief accountant faced intense scrutiny during regarding the lodgement of funds received by the institution during the Christmas festivities.
The interrogation, led by Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Sam Nartey George, and Committee Chairman, James Klutse Avedzi, exposed discrepancies in the handling of funds totaling GHS250,000 raised from renting out facilities at the Accra Sports Stadium during the Christmas period.
Sam George disclosed that checks amounting to GHS250,000 were received from various entities for non-sporting activities at the Accra Sports Stadium in 2023.
Chief Accountant and Director of the National Sports Authority struggle to explain why part of monies received for events in Accra were lodged in their Kumasi account. pic.twitter.com/wLnwLQ2sld
He questioned whether these funds were deposited into the NSA’s central account as required or if they were split between regional accounts.
The NSA’s chief accountant admitted that part of the funds was lodged in Accra while the remainder was deposited in Kumasi, citing the issuance of invoices as the reason for the split. However, his responses failed to satisfy the committee’s inquiries.
Chairman Avedzi intervened, expressing dissatisfaction with the explanations provided and characterizing the situation as “a mess.”
He recommended further investigation and corrective measures to address the apparent irregularities in fund management within the NSA.
During the hearing, Professor Twumasi attempted to clarify the matter but faced challenges in convincing the committee members regarding the rationale behind the payment allocations.
In light of the revelations, the committee emphasized the need for accountability and transparency in the management of public funds, particularly within government agencies such as the NSA. The findings from the hearing will be included in the committee’s report, with potential recommendations for remedial action to rectify the identified deficiencies in financial management practices within the NSA.
As the investigation unfolds, stakeholders await the committee’s report and any subsequent actions aimed at ensuring proper oversight and accountability in the handling of public funds by government institutions.
Confusion gripped the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) meeting held today, January 29, 2024, when Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram, Hon. Sam George, posed a question on the age of the Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).
Rev. Dr. Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah appeared before the Committee with the Deputy Finance Minister, Hon Abena Osei-Asare, to respond to questions on some infractions.
During the meeting Mr Nartey George asked when the Commissioner-General attained the age of 60. First, Member of Parliament for Mpraeso, Davis Ansah Opoku, interjected, arguing that Sam George’s question is a “personal” one.
How old is the GRA Boss?
Confusion rocks Public Accounts Committee as Hon. Sam George asks of the age of Commissioner General of the Ghana Revenue Authority, Rev. Dr. Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah.#PublicAccountspic.twitter.com/olD4modWWi
However, Sam George defended his question, arguing that the Finance Minister came before Parliament to inform the House on behalf of President Akufo-Addo that he [President] was no longer going to give contract extensions to people above the age of 60, especially when their expertise was not scarce.
“And so if I ask a question that which year did the Commissioner of the Ghana Revenue Authority attain the age of 60, it is not a personal question, it is not a personal question [because] he is a public servant,” he added.
After this clarification, the Deputy Minister of Finance, Hon Abena Osei-Asare, also mounted a defense for the GRA boss, arguing that the question is not a public interest question but the chairman of the committee, James Klutse Avedzi, insisted that the Commissioner General should answer the question.
Ningo-Prampram Member of Parliament (MP) Sam Nartey George has disclosed that he spends time with his wife during his days off politics.
Reflecting on the journey of his successful marriage, Sam George described the experience as a “good exercise.”
The Ningo-Prampram MP made this submission during an interview with host of Daily Show Berla Mundi on TV3, “If I am not doing politics, I lie by my wife,” Sam Nartey George stated.
According to the law maker, there is no such thing as a perfect marriage.
He argued that an inaccurate narrative about married couples’ lives has been propagated.
Selecting a compatible mate is, in the Ningo-Prampram MP’s opinion, the best method to prevent miscommunications that can result in divorce.
“ Marriage is work but it is a good exercise, especially when you find the right person. Marriage is not a noun but a verb.”
Speaking on the subject of high divorce cases in the country, the Ningo-Prampram stated that traditional media has played a major role in misinforming the youth about the concept of marriages.
Sam George argues that narratives through movies have created an impatient youth who assume marriages are without ups and downs.
“ People have watched too many Novela, movies have taught us a certain culture of impatience. No two people can live together without issues.
“ So we have been accustomed to it through the power of movies so that really is the challenge of marriage as well in young couples.”
Recently, Sam George and his charming spouse Vera commemorated their ten years together.
The MP for Ningo-Prampram has in numerous ways mentored the youth to be a better version of themselves.
Marriage is a verb, not a noun. It is work, but it is good exercise, especially when you are with the right person – Sam George talks about his union and why he feels marriages are ending quickly.#TheDayShowpic.twitter.com/v0yEZsSxfV
The Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Sam Nartey George, has voiced profound frustration over the unauthorized spillage of the Dawhenya Dam, denouncing it as a blatant display of negligence and irresponsibility.
This incident has led to extensive devastation, displacing numerous residents and submerging properties in floodwaters.
In a scathing rebuke, Sam George pointed to a lack of discipline and accountability among those entrusted with the dam’s management.
He strongly condemned the actions of those responsible, highlighting their apparent disregard for the potential consequences of their decisions.
Sam George has pledged to uncover the identity of the immediate past manager of the Dawhenya irrigation project, vowing to make the individual’s name public.
Additionally, he expressed his intention to demand an explanation from the relevant ministry regarding the authority granted to spill portions of the irrigation dam, allegedly to foreigners, including Chinese and Indians.
“I am trying to get the name of the immediate past manager of the irrigation project at Dawhenya, and I will put it out in public and demand that whichever ministry is involved must demand from him what authority he had to spill portions of the irrigation dam to foreigners. I am hearing, Chinese and Indians,” citinewsroom quoted Sam George as having said.
Sam Nartey George promised the public that he would try to bring normalcy back to the affected area, despite the seriousness of the situation.
On Tuesday, October 3, Bank of Ghana Governor, Dr. Ernest Addison was notably absent when the NDC MPs attempted to present their petition during the #OccupyBoG protest.
Instead, the OccupyBoG protest’s leadership encountered Wing Commander Kwame Asare Boateng (retired) and several Bank officials.
They were informed that Dr. Addison was engaged in a meeting with a delegation from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and was unavailable to receive the petition.
MP for Ningo-Prampram, Sam Nartey George, was upset that a “watchman” had been sent to receive the delegation.
“We were told stories that he wasn’t well and later told that he would come and receive our petition and we stood there for an hour and more and still failed to show up and sent a watchman to come and meet us,” he said.
But who is Wing Commander Kwame Asare Boateng (retired).
Wing Commander Kwame Asare-Boateng Rtd (Esq) joined the Bank of Ghana in 2019, assuming the role of Director responsible for the Security Department. During his tenure, he has significantly revitalized and enhanced the effectiveness of the Security Department.
Prior to his service at the Bank of Ghana, Mr. Asare-Boateng dedicated 26 years of his career to the Ghana Air Force, where he ascended through the ranks to the position of Wing Commander. He also held the role of Deputy Director of the Legal Directorate at the Air Force Headquarters. Throughout his military service, he held various key roles, including those of an Intelligence Operator, Administrator, and Legal Officer.
Mr. Asare-Boateng participated in numerous operational assignments, including serving as the Force Conduct and Discipline Officer with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) and as the Force Intelligence Officer during his tenure as a UN Observer in Liberia.
He was admitted to the Ghana Bar in 2007 after successfully completing his professional law program. In addition to his legal qualifications, he holds a Master of Arts Degree in International Relations and a Bachelor of Arts Degree, both awarded by the University of Ghana.
Mr. Asare-Boateng’s distinguished service has been recognized through several awards and United Nations Medals, highlighting his professionalism and unwavering dedication to both his nation and the United Nations.
The Member of Parliament (MP) representing Ningo-Prampram, Sam Nartey George, has strongly criticized Dr. Ernest Addison, the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, for his absence when the Minority presented their petition calling for his removal.
The MP went on to label Dr. Addison as a coward, suggesting that his absence was due to fear of the sizable crowd that had gathered during the #OccupyBoG protest.
During a media interview on Wednesday, October 4, Mr Nartey George emphasized that the MPs from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) would not back down from their demand for the Governor’s resignation.
Mr. Nartey George asserted that he had always believed Dr. Addison lacked the courage and suitability required to lead the central bank.
Dr Ernest Addison, Bank of Ghana, Governor
“We were told stories that he wasn’t well and later told that he would come and receive our petition and we stood there for an hour and more and still failed to show up and sent a watchman to come and meet us.”
“I’ve always maintained that man (Dr. Ernest Addison) is a coward and we will protest till he comes out to receive our petition,” he said.
Dr Addison on Tuesday failed to show up to receive the petition from the NDC MPs.
The leadership of the OccupyBoG protest was met by Wing Commander Kwame Asare Boateng and a host of the Bank’s leaders, who told the protesters that Dr Addison was in a meeting with a team from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and was therefore unavailable to receive the petition.
The Minority Leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, in response, described the decision by Dr. Addison as appalling and disappointing. He refused to present the petition to anyone other than Dr Ernest Addsion.
He assured that another protest would be held on a date yet to be established to present the petition to the BoG Governor.
The Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram, Sam Nartey George, has cautioned President Akufo-Addo against hastily engaging in a military intervention in Niger in the wake of the recent coup.
He has urged the President to avoid putting Ghanaian soldiers’ lives at risk.
Using Twitter as his platform, the MP emphasized that Ghana’s military currently stands as a testament to the commitment and professionalism of the nation’s officers.
However, he expressed concern that the government has not adequately invested in the necessary tools and equipment to support them.
He wrote, “Dear President @NAkufoAddo, you know better than us all the pitiful state of our armed forces for foreign military intervention in another sovereign state. You know that despite the professional attitude and disposition of our gallant officers, you have failed to retool and equip our forces. Do not send them to untimely useless death!”
Invoking international law, the lawmaker cited Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter, which prohibits any state from taking illegal actions that undermine the sovereignty of another nation.
He also challenged the notion of military intervention being considered by President Akufo-Addo and other West African leaders within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
“Article 2(4) of the UN Charter prohibits the illegal action you and your cronies in ECOWAS are considering. Even if you wanted to hide under Article 42, do you have a UNSC resolution authorising an intervention? There is no clear evidence of the 3-basis required to trigger R2P so respect the sovereignty of Niger,” he stated.
He advocated for a more pragmatic approach involving non-kinetic measures to engage, rather than an aggressive stance aimed at appeasing external powers. He insisted that any decision to involve the Ghana Armed Forces in a senseless war should require the approval of Parliament, emphasizing the demand for the same.
Sam George further recommended focusing the nation’s limited resources on improving the living conditions of Ghanaians and refraining from interfering in other countries’ affairs. He concluded by using the phrase “‘Dzi wo fie asem’ Mr President,” which translates to “Mind your business, Mr. President.”
Ningo-Prampram Member of Parliament, Sam Nartey George, is of the view that the legacy left by late former President Dr Kwame Nkrumah cannot be matched by any of his successors.
While contributing to the subject of coup d’etats in Africa on JoyNews on Monday, Mr George noted that Dr Nkruamh proved to the world, particularly the West, that the black man is capable of managing his own affairs.
However, he noted that after his passing, all the leaders Ghana has encountered have failed to fill the shoes once worn by the country’s first president and prime minister following its independence from British colonial rule on 6th March 1957.
Ghana’s founding father, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah
“Look, a black man, Kwame Nkrumah, showed that it is possible.
“Over the weekend, I took my kids across about three regions and showed them a few things Nkrumah did and you know what my soon to be 8-year-old son said to me, he said ‘Nkrumah did a lot for Ghana and he wasn’t President for a very long time.’ And I said yes, he set a bar that nobody can meet.
“None of our following Presidents have been able to meet,” he said.
According to the Ningo-Prampram legislator, Ghana has not seen such impressive development as the current crop of leaders are more interested in serving themselves than the citizens.
“So it is possible if you have the leadership, the desire to serve your people and not to serve yourself,” he said.
Mr Nartey George is of the view that Ghana and Africa as a whole need “a crop of young leaders who are afrocentric in their thinking and will say to the West and Europe, ‘we will stay, hold our own, trade among ourselves, and we will only trade with you if you are willing to come and negotiate with us as equals.’”
The MP stressed that the older generation have failed the current generation. Citing President Akufo-Addo as reference, he noted that the president cannot demand a return to democratic governance in Niger when he failed to criticize the likes of Alassane Ouattara, who attempted to run for a third term by altering Ivory Coast’s constitution.
“This whole talk by Akufo-Addo that the hunter must withdraw and allow democratic institutions. What did he say when his friend Alhassan Wattra attempted to change the constitution of Ivory Coast. What did he say when his friend in Senegal tried to do it? It is that hypocrisy of African leadership that is leading to a revolution in the younger generation of Africans to say these old folks have had their day, and it is time for us to take our destiny into our own hands,” he stated.
Ouattara reversed an earlier commitment and announced his intention to participate in the October 31 election, prompting allegations that he is emulating the actions of other African leaders who have manipulated constitutional rules to retain control.
Although Ivory Coast’s legislation restricts presidential terms to two, Ouattara argues that the adoption of a new constitution in 2016 effectively reset the counter, thereby permitting him to seek re-election.
Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Samuel Nartey George, has asserted that Africa’s misfortune being ridden by the West can only be overturned by a set of new young African leaders.
According to Mr Nartey George, examples of the leaders he talks about began to surface during the recent military takeovers recorded in the West African sub-region.
He cited the new crop of leaders that have emerged from some Francophone countries, such as Burkina Faso, Mali and Guinea, as those he believes have what it takes to make Africa self-reliant.
In an interview on JoyNews on August 8, the MP said: “What is happening in Francophone Africa. People are waking up. We can no longer be taken for stooges.
“It is this awakening in the next generation of Africans that we are capable of managing our own Affairs and that we must unite. We must have a new cadar.
“Look across the landscape of Francophone Africa, with the exception of the Niger (leader), who is a bit elderly— I think about 61 or so. All the other guys – Burkinabe, Guinean, Malian, they are young soldiers,” he said.
According to Mr Sam Nartey George, the set of individuals who must take the helm of affairs are those “who are afrocentric in their thinking and will say to the West and Europe, ‘We will stay, hold our own, trade among ourselves, and we will only trade with you if you are willing to come and negotiate with us as equals.’”
Despite regarding the military juntas as daring and bold, the Ningo-Prampram MP noted that he stands against autocracy. He, however, clarified that he supports the kind of democracy that suits the African way of living and not those of the West.
“I am student of democracy. I believe democracy must strive. I believe Africa must develop its own version of democracy. The western democracy is not suitable for Africa.
“Look at Rwanda. Rwanda is celebrated by the West but what they practice in Rwanda is not the western democracy,” he said.
Military takeover in Burkina Faso, Mali and Guinea
In Mali’s case, President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta was ousted from power by a military coalition in August. Subsequently, Mali’s former Defense Minister, Bah Ndaw, assumed the presidency of the new transitional government, with Colonel Assimi Goita appointed as vice president. However, they were both removed from power a year later in May by Colonel Assimi Goita, a 42-year-old.
On September 5, 2021, Guinea experienced a coup d’état as the armed forces captured President Alpha Condé, who had extended his stay in power through a constitutional amendment. Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, 43-year-old, was sworn in as transitional leader in October.
In Burkina Faso, President Roch Kabore was ousted from power on January 24, 2022, following a coup led by Colonel Paul-Henri Damiba. However, eight months later, military rule was reestablished, led by Captain Ibrahim Traoré, 35.
Colonel Assimi Goita
In Burkina Faso, President Roch Kabore was ousted from power on January 24, 2022, following a coup led by Colonel Paul-Henri Damiba. However, eight months later, military rule was reestablished, led by Captain Ibrahim Traoré.
Captain Ibrahim Traoré
Actions after takeover
Mali
Mali has embraced a new constitution that marks a departure from its previous status quo. The country has shed its official language, French, which had held that position since 1960.
The fresh constitution, endorsed with an impressive 96.91% of the vote during a referendum on June 18, brings about a change where French is no longer the designated official language.
Instead, French will transition into a working language, while recognition as official languages will be granted to 13 other native languages spoken within the nation.
Burkina Faso
In January of 2023, the junta government of Burkina Faso issued an order for several hundred French troops to depart the West African nation within a month.
This decision by Burkina Faso’s leadership followed France’s withdrawal from Mali in the prior five months, ending a nine-year engagement in combatting Islamic extremists alongside regional military forces.
A significant portion of these troops have since established new bases in Niger and Chad.
In April 2023, the military junta expelled the correspondents from two prominent French daily newspapers, namely Le Monde and Liberation.
This action served as a fresh indication of the decline in both press freedom and diplomatic relations with France in a country that has been deeply affected by jihadist violence.
The expulsions of Sophie Douce from Le Monde and Agnès Faivre from Liberation were executed, with both journalists arriving in Paris. These events followed the suspension of the France 24 television channel five days prior, and Radio France Internationale (RFI) being suspended four months earlier.
Prominent Ghanaian political figure and Member of Parliament, Sam Nartey George, has voiced his apprehensions regarding the current state of the nation.
With unwavering honesty, he has drawn attention to a precarious situation, asserting that Ghana seemingly fulfills the distressing characteristics of a failed state.
He recalled that during a programme he undertook at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Center, Ghana checked all the boxes of a failed state.
“When I did my programme in Kofi Annan. In one of our classes, we looked at the indicators for failed states and Ghana ticked all the boxes. All. A huge youth population, growing unemployment, desperation, we tick all the boxes.
“So the class ended with the conclusion that it was the grace of God that has kept Ghana away from failing because all the things that are classic indicators of a failed state exist in Ghana,” he added.
During his appearance on Good Evening Ghana, Sam George addressed several implications of the indicators, highlighting unemployment as a major concern among them.
“You just need to drive around Accra and look at the desperation in the faces of young people,” he stated, adding that the upcoming elections will be a battle of competencies, where candidates will be assessed and selected based on their skills and their competencies, and not just promises.
“The next election is not necessarily going to be about who’s got the best promises and slogans, it’s about who can appear to the youth of this country and give them practical solutions to unemployment,” he said.
Founder and leader of Ghana’s Liberal Party, Percival Kofi Akpaloo, has accused persons supporting the Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill of inadvertently encouraging the engagement of the queer community.
The politician elaborated that Sam Nartey George, one of the key supporters of the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Cultural Values Bill, is employing a reverse psychology approach to persuade Ghanaians into thinking that the advocates are opposed to the LGBTQ+ community.
During an interview with Johnnie Hughes on 3FM Sunrise, Kofi Akpaloo claimed that the eight supporters of the anti-gay bill have been compromised with financial incentives to advance the activities of the LGBTQ+ community.
“They take money to come and promote something but to you, they start it from the opposite and when you look at it you say oh, these people are working for us. They are not working for you, they are rather promoting this,” he told Johnnie Hughes.
When questioned by Johnnie Hughes regarding whether Sam George, Ntim Fordjour, and other advocates of the anti-gay bill have received monetary compensation to promote the appeal of LGBTQ+ activities, Kofi Akpaloo confirmed their involvement in accepting such funds.
Additionally, the politician mentioned a billboard promoting LGBTQ+ tolerance that was installed along the Tema Motorway in June 2022, as well as Sam George’s response to it.
He stated that Sam George’s action of sharing a picture of the billboard on social media promoted the LGBTQ+ community more than it had ever been in Ghana.
“Let me tell you. When a gentleman went to Tema Motorway and then he said to him, I didn’t see anything because I have been driving on that stretch. But he said, oh, they erected some billboard and then he took a picture and posted it on the internet and it went viral. So, who is promoting what? Are you okay? He could have brought the thing down. If you think you hate it, you could have brought the thing down.
“Maybe, you even erected it and then you went there because we didn’t know who erected it. So, you did it and you took a picture and made noise out of it. Such that you see, people didn’t even know the colours of the LGBTQ. Are you okay? People didn’t even know the colours but the mere fact that you picked the picture and you started sharing them, who is promoting what?” he quizzed.
Akpaloo in the same vein concurred with Johnnie Hughes’s analysis of the anti-gay sponsors using reverse psychology on Ghanaians saying “Exactly! Fantastic! You have given me the right word. …My brother, I don’t want to use some words but the thing is that we need to open our minds big, you know, sometimes, people play on our minds. You know, if you are there, you might think the person is fighting for you but it is the other way round.”
Background
The Promotion of Proper Sexual Human Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill was submitted to parliament by the Constitutional, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs Committee on March 31, 2023.
The Bill is a Private Members’ Bill sponsored by a bipartisan group of lawmakers and has passed the second reading in Parliament.
The eight MPs who sponsored the Bill are Sam Nartey George (MP, Ningo Prampram), Emmanuel Bedzrah (MP, Ho West) Della Adjoa Sowah (MP, Kpando), John Ntim Fordjour (MP, Assin South) – the sole NPP MP sponsoring the Bill.
The remaining sponsors are Alhassan Sayibu Suhuyini (MP, Tamale North), Helen Adjoa Ntoso (MP, Krachi West), Rita Naa Odoley Sowah (MP, La Dadekotopon) and Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor (MP, South Dayi).
Member of Parliament (MP) for Ningo Prampram, Sam Nartey George, has criticised supporters of the LGBTQ+ community who argue for the right of individuals to choose their own gender, expressing disagreement with their stance.
The MP intimates that the LGBTQ+ people are trying to play God by assigning different sex to themselves order than the ones they were born with. He said this in an interview on Ghanaweb.
The MP posited that God is now showing the LGBTQI community his power because people who were born male but have through operations to become females (female transgenders) are now getting prostate cancer which is a known disease for adult males.
“You see this is at the base of everything, there is a difference between sex and gender. The LGBTQ group try to make them one and the same to confuse the world but you can confuse Sam George and his people.
“Because we know what the difference is. Sex is a binary contrast that is biological and determined by God, you can’t change it. Sex is male and female, that is it. There is nothing beyond male and female.
“… and that is why those of them who claim that they have transgendered from male to female and they are unlucky and they get prostate cancer. You would see the person dressed as a woman with makeup and then she is treating prostate cancer. Transgender women are now having to deal with prostate cancer, you can’t cheat God,” he said.
At a recent session of the Public Accounts Committee in Parliament, Member of Parliament representing Ningo-Prampram, Sam Nartey George, raised concerns regarding a contract awarded by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to Safaritech.
Sam George uncovered information indicating that Safaritech, a company purportedly registered in the United Kingdom, had actually been delisted since 2016.
In addition, he disclosed that the current address associated with Safaritech led to a tailoring shop located in Spintex.
These revelations have raised serious doubts about the legitimacy and credibility of the contract awarded by the GRA, as the company in question appears to have questionable registration status and an unconventional business address.
Questioning the GRA representatives, George stated, “Would it interest you if I told you that, according to our information, you engaged this company in 2020, despite it being delisted as a registered company in the UK since 2016? They had displayed the UK as their base of registration. What due diligence did you carry out before engaging them?”
In response, Dr. Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, the Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority, admitted, “I will gather this information because I didn’t expect it to be part of today’s schedule. I don’t think that was around 2020, but I will check and provide you with the necessary information.”
Undeterred, Sam George emphasized, “Well, that doesn’t change the fact that in 2016, this company was delisted. Moreover, you imposed a 773 million US dollar back tax on MTN Ghana Limited, designated as the best corporate taxpayer in Ghana, based on a Safaritech report that KPMG disputed. What due diligence was carried out, and at what cost? Could you provide details of the consultancy that Safaritech conducted and its cost to the taxpayer?”
The GRA boss requested time to gather accurate information to provide a comprehensive response.
George then requested that the committee be furnished with the details of the cost associated with Safaritech’s engagement, to clarify the nature of their involvement with a company whose listed address is currently a tailoring shop on Spintex Road.
Based on this, the chairman of the PAC committee James asked GRA to provide this information before the House in two weeks.
A member of parliament for Ningo Prampram, Sam Nartey George, has emphasized the importance of maintaining one’s privacy when dealing with difficult life events.
His comments were part of his views on actress and movie producer Yvonne Nelson’s memoir ‘I am Not Yvonne Nelson,’ which was released earlier this week to massive reviews.
“I still hold the view that certain things ought to remain private no matter how blatant or bold you want to be. That is why there is a word called privacy,” Sam George stated on the AM Show on JoyNews on June 22.
“I will leave the jury out on that,” he replied when asked whether by the content of the book the actress had showed lack of emotional intelligence.
He also posited that the book comes across as a tell-it-all type yet in his opinion it really was a selective tell-it-all.
“Yvonne Nelson’s book is a very bold attempt at a tell-it-all, however, following all the commentary coming up, it appears it is not a tell-it-all, it is a selective tell-it-all.
“There are questions about some of the narrations that have been made, we are beginning to see a lot of pushback on social media, people disputing a lot of things that she is saying and people adding things,” the lawmaker added.
About Yvonne Nelson’s book
“I Am Not Yvonne Nelson” is an explosive and riveting account of a young womanwho sets out to discover herself but finds out that she has been living with a false identity.
The drama and the twists and turns of this moving story have all the markings of a spellbinding movie script, except that the protagonist, who is an actor, is contending with a reality that intermittently soaks her pillow with tears.
Uncharacteristic of an autobiography, the author comes to her audience stark naked. The book opens the door widely into the life of the author and exposes the good, the bad, and the ugly sides, not only of her life but also of the make-believe world of celebrities.
The launch was graced by many industry stalwarts, businessmen, and politicians, including John Dumelo, Adjetey Anang, Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, and Becca. Also present were media personalities, including Manasseh Azure Awuni, Sammy Forson, and GhanaWeb Entertainment Editor Benefo Buabeng popularly known as Abrantepa.
Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Sam Nartey George, is displeased by the manner in which the government has treated James Gyakye Quayson over the allegation of forgery and perjury.
He accused the government of abusing its power to bully an innocent citizen who has only sought to provide development to the people of Assin North Constituency but has been accused of having dual citizenship and breaching the law.
“It is just an embarrassing spectacle of how low this government has sunk that they have focused on Gyakye Quayson and have blatantly abusing power and incumbency. Trying to carry the Judiciary along,” he told JoyNews on Thursday.
Contrary to claims by the Attorney-General that Mr Gyakye Quayson owed allegiance to both the United States of America and Ghana when he contested the 2020 Parliamentary election, Mr Nartey George stated that Mr Gyakye Quayson at the time he contested the elections did not have any citizenship aside from the Ghanaian citizenship.
“Gyakye Quayson at the time he swore the oath to become a Member of Parliament did not have any other citizenship.”
He dismissed attempts to compare Mr Gyakye Quayson’s case to that of Adamu Dramani Sakande. “They are completely different. Comparing apples and ‘aliguintuguin’ to wit soursop,” he said.
In July 2012, a New Patriotic Party Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Adamu Dramani Sakande, was convicted by an Accra High Court after he was found guilty of perjury and forgery.
This was after he failed to denounce UK Citizenship before contesting for the Bawku Seat.
Highlighting the differences between the two cases, Mr Sam George said: “Adamu Dramani Sakande at the time he contested the election had three different nationalities.”
“Adamu Dramani Sakande at the time he swore the oath to become a Member of Parliament on the night of 6th and 7th was still holding three citizenship. He was still traveling with his British passport after being sworn-in.”
The Ningo-Prampram legislator therefore dared the government to provide Mr Gyakye Quayson’s other passport aside from his Ghanaian passport.
Background
The facts according to Deputy Attorney-General, Mr Tuah-Yeboah, are that, the accused on July 26, 2019, signed an application form for a Republic of Ghana passport in which accused indicated that he was a Ghanaian and does not have dual nationality.
The Deputy Attorney-General said that Mr Quayson, at the time, held a Canadian citizenship, issued on October 30, 2016, but failed to declare same on the application form.
Mr Tuah-Yeboah said based on alleged false information together with the other information provided by the accused on the passport application form, he was issued with a Ghanaian passport, number G2538667, on August 2, 2019.
Mr Quayson is currently on GH¢100,000 bail with one surety for alleged forgery, perjury and knowingly making false declaration.
An Accra High Court judge has declared that James Gyakye Quayson’s perjury and forgery trial will be conducted on a daily basis starting from July 4, 2023.
The court presided by Justice Mary Yanzuh had earlier ruled that the perjury and forgery trial involving Mr Gyakye Quayson will proceed on a day-to-day basis, starting from Tuesday, June 20, 2023.
Subsequently, the High Court set June 23 to rule on whether the trial of James Gyakye Quayson should be put on hold after the legal counsel of Mr Quayson led by Lawyer Tsatsu Tsikata filed processes urging the court to review its decision to hear the case on a daily basis. It then adjourned sitting to June 23.
In court today, the court after hearing the argument of Mr Quayson’s lawyers decided to begin the trail from July 4.
On Saturday, May 13, Member of Parliament (MP) for Ningo-Prampram, Sam Nartey George emerged winner as the party’s parliamentary candidate in 2024.
This is the third consecutive time one of the youngest MPs will be representing the party.
Sam George, who was very optimistic and calm despite a little chaos, polled 1,036 votes.
Prior to the official announcement, delegates began jubilating for Sam Goerge.
To confirm he was leading, Sam George, who was close to where the sorting of the ballot paper triggered his delegates to jubilate following his beaming smiles.
Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Sam Nartey George, has called on the government to explain how its agenda – Ghana Beyond Aid – remains relevant amid support initiatives from international bodies.
Mr Nartey expressed his concerns in Parliament on Tuesday when the House reconvened to approve some loan agreements.
Among the seven loan agreements approved was $200 million loan agreement with the World Bank geared towards financing the Ghana Digital Acceleration Project.
Reacting to the initiative, the Ningo-Prampram MP said: “Mr Speaker, reading the committee’s report, I am interested to see how they say that this loan is consistent with Ghana Beyond Aid. We are taking a loan from the World Bank as part of Ghana Beyond Aid; I am trying to understand the rationale behind it.”
He also stated that the government needs to come clear with regards to the $43 million loan facility which seeks to ensure exclusive and safe digital transformation.
“Mr Speaker, it is also important that, when you look at component 1, is a 43 million US dollars facility for ensuring exclusive and safe digital transformation.
“Mr Speaker, currently we are all dealing with SIM card registration and our bio data being used by people we don’t know. We need to know how this 43 million Dollars is going to be used to protect the bio-data and strengthen the data protection commission.”
The breakdown down of the loan agreements indicate that $60.6 million will be allocated to the Ghana Covid-19 Emergency Preparedness and Response Project, $150 million for the West Africa Food Systems Resilience Programme received.
An amount of €170 million has been allocated for establishment of the Development Bank of Ghana (DBG).
In addition, $30 million was allocated to support the Covid-19-related Medical Equipment Provision Project, $150 million went toward the Primary Healthcare Investment Project, and $150 million was allocated to the Public Financial Management for Service Delivery Programme.
Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram Sam Nartey George has said Ghana’s economy is gone beyond being broke to bankruptcy.
According to him,Ken Ofori-Atta has taken the country to a stage where the government cannot be bailed out and that’s the difference between being broke and bankrupt.
Speaking on Good Morning Ghana show, he reiterated that Ghana could not be called broke but bankrupt. “…we are not even qualified to be called broke to be borrowed money, we are bankrupt. There is a difference between being broke and be bankrupt. If you are bankrupt, we can’t bail you out and that’s is where this delusional person has taken us to with the management of his economy. He still thinks that management of the economy is about wearing white and quoting the bible.”
He said the finance minister should not be taken seriously as anything he says is not exactly what he does which includes his statement that there won’t be a haircut, yet implemented it.
“Whatever Ken Ofori-Atta tells you; he means the opposite. He told Ghanaian people there will be no haircut and IMF. But we are not just at the IMF, we are begging China, begging the Paris Club, and begging everybody. That’s how messed up we are,” he added.
Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram Constituency, Sam Nartey George wants the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining report as authored by Prof Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng to be referred to the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
He raised concerns over the failure of President Akufo-Addo to refer the Chairman of the dissolved Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, report to the Office of the Special Prosecutor.
According to him, the stature of the respected cardio surgeon ought to influence leadership to take the 36-page report more seriously.
“This is something that should have been referred to the Special Prosecutor by now,” he stated.
Sam George was speaking on TV3‘s The Keypoints on Saturday, April 22 as the report came up for discussion.
He also raised concerns over the failure of the Chief of Staff or the President to call any of the persons cited in the report.
Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram Sam Nartey George has bemoaned the current state of the economy.
He said Ghana’s economy is gone beyond being broke to bankruptcy.
According to him, Ken Ofori-Atta has taken the country to a stage where the government cannot be bailed out and that’s the difference between being broke and bankrupt.
Speaking on Good Morning Ghana show, he reiterated that Ghana could not be called broke but bankrupt. “…we are not even qualified to be called broke to be borrowed money, we are bankrupt. There is a difference between being broke and be bankrupt. If you are bankrupt, we can’t bail you out and that’s is where this delusional person has taken us to with the management of his economy. He still thinks that management of the economy is about wearing white and quoting the bible.”
He said the finance minister should not be taken seriously as anything he says is not exactly what he does which includes his statement that there won’t be a haircut, yet implemented it.
“Whatever Ken Ofori-Atta tells you; he means the opposite. He told Ghanaian people there will be no haircut and IMF. E are not just at the IMF, we are begging China, begging the Paris Club and begging everybody. That’s how messed up we are,” he added.
Ningo Prampram Member of Parliament `(MP), Sam Nartey George has expressed concerns over what he describes as multiple breaches associated with the SIM card re-registration exercise which commenced in October 2021.
According to the MP, “there is widespread evidence that there are multiple breaches of citizen’s personal data during the SIM card registration exercise,” a situation he said would have been treated with utmost seriousness “in any serious jurisdiction.”
Sam George’s concern follows reports of a rise in the number of phone numbers (illegally) linked to peoples’ Ghana Cards.
Broadcast journalist with Angel FM, for instance, recently shared on social media how he mysteriously found out there were more numbers than did not belong to him linked to his Ghana Card, after visiting one of the Telcos to inquire about the number of SIM cards linked to his card. Other people have shared similar sentiments.
It is against this background that many people have called for a common and simple system that will allow them to verify the numbers linked to their Cards.
On April 11, 2023, the National Communications Authority (NCA) announced plans to create a system that will enable the public to verify the number of SIM cards linked to their Ghana Cards.
NCA in a social media post said that it has actively engaged the various telecommunication networks on launching a shortcode that will allow subscribers to verify the number of SIMs linked to their Ghana Cards.
Despite this assurance, Sam George noted that there is cause for alarm given the amount of data which have so far been tampered with.
“We are in a crisis! Do not forget that I had raised this issue on October 17, 2022 and the response from the National Communications Authority Ghana was that they were doing mystery shopping. Today, the Director of Legal at the Regulator is not telling us steps taken to check the extent of the breach but is shifting responsibility to citizens to wait for an app to check if they have suffered a breach? Good graces! How low have we sunk as a Nation,” he said.
He, however, proposed some steps to take in order to mitigate the impact of the alleged breaches which has been outlined below:
1. The NCA should immediately halt any further registration and conduct a thorough investigation of registration records to determine how many SIMs have been registered with each unique Ghana Card number.
2. They should then send messages to the primary number associated with each Ghana Card notifying the holder of the number of SIMs registered.
3. Where there is an issue of unauthorised registration using the Ghana Card, the customer is then given a chance to raise a complaint and the Data Protection Commission Ghana is immediately activated to determine the challenges with whichever Data Processor was involved and remedial steps taken including compensation and punitive action on the Data Processor.
4. Based on the findings of the DPC and NCA, criminal charges for identity theft and Data breaches would be brought against the persons or entities involved in the identity theft.
This is what a functional system should commence immediately as a triage of this process which is necessary and commendable but which has been messed up from the get go by poor public policy planning.
The Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Sam Nartey George, has established that the Minority fought against the passage of the new tax bills in parliament on Friday, March 31, 2023.
In the wake of the passage, Sam George has opined that something may have gone wrong regarding the headcount during Friday’s vote.
“If we had acquiesced we wouldn’t have gone through the vote, we wouldn’t have accounted for our 136, we wouldn’t have challenged what appeared to be an error in counting. We are aware now that at the time we did the first count Mohammed Tuferu was not in Parliament.
“There are two [majority] MPs who also walked in after the clerks had finished taking the vote from the majority side, so clearly, that vote shouldn’t have read 136, 137, but be that as it may, the Speaker only announces what it is presented to him,” Sam George was quoted by citinewsroom.com.
According to him, “the clerks have a question to answer as to how they managed to get 137.”
On Friday, March 31, 2023, Parliament passed three new taxes.
These were the Excise Duty Amendment Bill 2022, the Growth and Sustainability Levy Bill, 2022, and the Income Tax Amendment Bill 2022.
The taxes are expected to rake in about GH¢4 billion in Ghana annually as part of the government’s domestic revenue mobilization agenda and move to secure an IMF bailout.
The Minority in Parliamenthas disproved claims that the caucus didn’t make a valiant effort to oppose the three new tax legislation voted on Friday.
Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Sam Nartey George, on the Citi Breakfast Show on Monday suggested that the clerks in Parliament have some questions to answer on how they went about Friday’s head count.
“If we had acquiesced we wouldn’t have gone through the vote, we wouldn’t have accounted for our 136, we wouldn’t have challenged what appeared to be an error in counting. We are aware now that at the time we did the first count Ahmed Tuferu was not in Parliament.
“There are two [majority] MPs who also walked in after the clerks had finished taking the vote from the majority side, so clearly, that vote shouldn’t have read 136, 137, but be that as it may, the Speaker only announces what it is presented to him,” Mr George told host Bernard Avle.
He added that “the clerks have a question to answer as to how they managed to get 137.”
Parliament on Friday, March 31, passed the Excise Duty Amendment Bill 2022, the Growth and Sustainability Levy Bill, 2022, the Ghana Revenue Authority Bill 2022 and the Income Tax Amendment Bill 2022.
The financial bills seek to raise about 4 billion Ghana Cedis annually as part of domestic revenue mobilisation.
The bills are also crucial to aid the government’s quest to facilitate the Board Approval for the $3 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) Programme staff-level agreement.
The Minority in Parliament earlier communicated its opposition to the bills, but the bills were passed despite an MP from the majority suffering a near-fatal accident on his way to the House.
The Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram Constituency in the Greater Accra region, Sam Nartey George has lambasted the Vice president of the United States of America, Kamala Harris over her comment on the the issue of Lesbians, Gays, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ+) activities in Ghana.
According to Sam George, the vice president, who is currently in Ghana on a mission to strengthen ties between Ghana and the United States, is unqualified to lecture Ghanaians on human rights issues because human rights violations are common in her home country.
He proceeded by suggesting that Americans should understand the legislative process in order to address such a difficult problem because human rights issues are prevalent in the US.
Speaking in an interview with Citi FM on March 28, 2023, Sam George added that the American people should visit Ghana and learn a few things about the lawmaking process from our parliament because they are willing to assist them.
“For the president to run away from his own government’s position on the Bill is unbelievable and worrying but let me assure you that we are not going to be cowed by the undemocratic comments of the American Vice President.
“The American people should be coming to Ghana to learn a few things from our Parliament when it comes to issues of lawmaking because we will be in a good position to help them,” he stressed.
He voiced unhappiness with President Akufo-Addo for his recent remarks regarding the LGBTQI+ bill when he spoke with Kamala Harris at a joint press conference.
President Akufo-Addo is quoted to have said that the anti-LGBT bill, which was championed by “only a hand full of MPs”, is currently being considered by Parliament.
Akufo-Addo added that even if the bill is passed, it will still have to be ratified by him.
It may be recalled that Kamala Harris spoke on the issue of LGBTQ+ activities while responding to a question at Jubilee House, in Accra, on Monday, March 27, Kamala Harris said that for her, the LGBTQ+ issue was one that bordered on human rights.
She added that every person has the right to live as he/she wants.
“Let me be clear about where we stand. First of all, for the American press who are here, you know that a great deal of work in my career has been to address human rights issues and equality issues across the board including those related to the LGBT community.
“And I feel very strongly about the importance of supporting freedom and supporting and fighting for equality among all people and that all people be treated equally.
“I will also say that this is an issue that we consider and I consider to be a human rights issue and that will not change,” she stressed.
The Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Sam Nartey George, has lauded the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, over the professionalism executed in the Ashaiman murder case.
This follows the arrest of key suspects over the death of a soldier at Ashaiman in Accra.
In a statement, the Ghana Police Service said it had, through a week of sustained intelligence, arrested six key suspects in connection with the killing of a 22-year-old soldier who was with the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) band at Sunyani in the Bono Region. w
On March 4, 2023, the police said they received information that a male adult had been found lying dead at Ashaiman Taifa in the Greater Accra Region.
According to the police, a team of police officers proceeded to the said location, confirmed the incident, and immediately commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the victim’s death, leading to the arrest of the six persons.
Commenting on the development on GHOne TV, the lawmaker stated that the IGP and his men deserve all the praise for getting the killers of the young soldier and putting them before the court.
“I am one who has been very critical of the Ghana Police led by Dampare, but when they get it right, I will commend and praise them, and this is one instance where I will sing to the high praises the professionalism and diligence of our Ghana Police. Because I have also maintained that we have the finest police service in all of Africa, in fact, in the whole world.
“Our Police Service is among the six or seven in the world that the United Nations (UN) accepts for peacekeeping operations. We’ve professional men and women in our police service who, when they want to work and when the political braze at the top of the police service allows them, will do a fantastic job. This is one instance where they’ve done fantastic work,” Nartey George stated.
Meanwhile, the Member of Parliament for Ashaiman, Ernest Norgbe, has said the payment of hospital bills for residents who suffered military brutalities at Ashaiman has now become a debt to him.
Speaking on Starr Today with Emmanuel Agyabeng, the MP stated he has been paying hospital bills, buying drugs, and involving the services of psychologists, among others, for the victims of the military brutalities.
“It has become a debt on me as the MP. I had a call from one at the hospital where I had to send money to be able to buy medicines. Some of them are still undergoing some kind of trauma, so I’m trying to organize a psychologist, which I have spoken to, to talk to them. We are collating data to see whether we can arrange for some sort of compensation for all of them,” Norgbe stated.
Ningo-Prampram MP, Samuel Nartey-George, has slammed President Akufo-Addo for claiming that the country has enjoyed complete free speech under his reign.
President Akufo-Addo during the 2023 State of the Nation’s Address, lauded his government for championing free speech in the country.
He mentioned that: “Today, we live in a country in which we enjoy complete freedom of expression, freedom of association, freedom of assembly, freedom of religion and political affiliation. Indeed, freedom of speech has now reached such heights that even members of the diplomatic corps feel able to join in our national discourse, and pronounce on matters that would be problematic for Ghanaian diplomats in their countries of origin.”
But reacting to this, the vociferous MP disputed the claim, maintaining that free speech has been stifled under the current administration.
“This is a President who starts his speech by saying that we have the highest level of Freedom of Speech. The President has a short memory. His memory is failing him because if the President’s memory is not failing him, he will remember that on the 31st of January last year, he summoned the diplomatic corps to Peduase and warned them that they should stop engaging in local issues and dabbling in local discourse,” Mr George said.
The Ningo-Prampram MP also commented on the issues of Military men invading Ashaiman following the murder of one of their colleagues.
He was baffled over the President’s silence on the issue during the 2023 State of the Nation’s address, thus, accused Mr Akufo-Addo of endorsing the violence.
“The President is commander of the Ghana Armed Forces, your taxes, my taxes were used to fuel an air force helicopter, fuel armoured personnel carriers and carried men of the Ghana Armed Forces to go and wreak havoc on innocent citizens of Ashaiman and the President doesn’t think it is necessary to speak on that matter. In fact he endorses the violence and this is a man who was touted as a defender of Human and civil liberties,” he said.
He thus concluded that the title of a Human and Civil Liberties defender cannot be conferred on the President due to some of these issues.
Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram, Sam Nartey George, has charged the National Democratic Congress (NDC) with undergoing a significant reform and galvanization of its institutions prior to the 2024 General Elections.
The congressman warned the party in an open letter dated January 1, 2023 that 2023 will be crucial to the NDC’s survival and its prospects of regaining electoral power in 2024.
His letter on social media networks mentioned recent political forecasts from the 2022 31st watchnight services and observed that gaining political power was not reliant on prophecies.
Sam George made a veiled allusion to the reality that, despite his religious convictions and his belief in prophecy, the pastors’ most recent sermons were essentially hollow.
“Our focus must be on reviving our Branches and empowering them to mobilise and protect the ballot.
“No prophecy would win us 2024, only hardwork, mobilisation, a crisp political message, concise communication, protecting the ballots cast at the polling station and effective and timeous result collation would win us 2024,” his post read.
Read his full post below:
Dear NDC,
Welcome to 2023. I would go straight to the point. This year is critical to our survival as a Party and #Project2024.
As a student of scripture, I place premium on prophecy as GOD’s express guidance to humanity. Let’s be clear though, prophecy brings fresh revelation, illuminates unknown paths and does not create confusion.
None of the several prophesies from the last 2 days does any of the above. All the so called prophesies are well established and known facts to discerning political minds. Nothing revealing or illuminating on the unknown.
Our focus must be on reviving our Branches and empowering them to mobilise and protect the ballot. No prophecy would win us 2024, only hardwork, mobilisation, a crisp political message, concise communication, protecting the ballots cast at the polling station and effective and timeous result collation would win us 2024.
We shall pray and seek the face of GOD for our presumptive Flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama but that would only be effective if we do the things listed above. Ghanaians would not forgive us if we fail them again.
Let’s get to work in our Branches. Happy New Year Comrades! Let’s go!!!
A member of the National Democratic Congress(NDC) and representative for Ningo-Prampram, Sam Nartey George, has questioned the party’s current youth leadership.
According to the MP, the current youth leadership of the party has become too passive and has failed to rally the youth of Ghana to demonstrate against the corrupt Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government.
Speaking in a Good Morning Ghana interview monitored by GhanaWeb, Sam George added that the failure of the current NDC youth leaders is the reason why he will be supporting Brogya Genfi, a national youth organiser hopeful, in the upcoming national executive elections of the party.
“I have seen leadership in diplomacy, one that engages in press conferences than actions. I want to see leadership of courage. I want to see a leadership that begins to raise the temperature of this country, galvanizing the youth front of our nation and saying to them that we need to demand better of the kleptocrats in government, the thieves in government, those who are running down and destroying the future of this country.
“This youth leadership is interested in press conferences, Akufo-Addo, at 50, did kumepreko… and that is why I support Brogya Genfi. I believe in the courage and fire of leadership that Brogya represents. And I believe that he will bring about a sterling turnaround in the next two years,” he said.
“We want to see a youth leadership that will raise the temperature in all 16 regions and make demands of this government. Demand accountability from this government. Enough of the press conferences. A youth wing that will open up the intellectual debates on campuses,” he reiterated.
The party’s national elections are slated for Saturday, December 17, 2022.
Candidates will be contesting for various positions, including the National Chairman, National Vice-Chairmen, General Secretary, Deputy General Secretary, National Organiser, and Deputy National Organiser, as well as the National Treasurer and Deputy National Treasurer.
Others are the National Communications Officer and Deputy, the National Women’s Organiser and Deputy, the National Zongo Caucus Coordinator, and the National Youth Organiser and Deputy.
The current National Youth Organiser of the party, George Opare Addo, is expected to face stiff competition from Brogya Genfi in the National Youth Organiser race.
The MP claimed in a tweet that the Black Stars’ loss to Uruguay in their final World Cup group match in Qatar in 2022 proves they require a qualified coach.
“Four lessons learned from this defeat; We need an experienced coach.
Parts of the MP’s tweet read, “The GFA Executives need to quit meddling in team selection.
The MP, however, indicated that Ghanaians can find some solace in the fact that Uruguay has also exited the tournament.
“Even if we lost, we are going home with Uruguay,” Sam George said.
The Black Stars were eliminated from the 2022 FIFA World Cup after losing by 2-0 to Uruguay in their final match of the group stages.
Giorgian de Arrascaeta’s two goals for Uruguay were not enough to get them through to the next round of the tournament as South Korea beat Portugal 2-1.
The Black Stars had a slow start in the game as Uruguay was on fire from the blast of the whistle.
However, Ghana’s first chance in the game which fell to Jordan Ayew nearly saw him score but Sergio Rochet pulled a good save which saw Kudus go in for a rebound.
The MP stated in a tweet that one benefit of the Black Stars’ loss to Uruguay in their final World Cup group match in Qatar in 2022 is that the authorities who disregarded their responsibilities will return home.
Parts of the MP’s tweet said, “Now can our government officials come back home to their real duties.”
The minority caucus in parliament expressed concern on Tuesday about the absence of members from the Majority side of the House.
Though no official reason was given for the mass absence of the majority members, GhanaWeb checks show that some of the majority Members of Parliament (MPs) were out of the jurisdiction.
At least three of them were spotted in Qatar, where the 2022 FIFA World Cup is ongoing.
One of the MPs who has been in Qatar for the past two weeks is Mustapha Ussif of Yagaba-Kubori, who doubles as Minister of Youth and Sports.
Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, who doubles as the Member of Parliament for Ablekuma West Constituency, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, was also spotted in Qatar, according to social media posts.
Minister of Energy and Manhyia South MP, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh is also in Qatar cheering on the Black Stars.
Patrick Yaw Boamah, Okaikwei Central MP is also in Qatar, where he has been sharing photos of himself on the streets and at the stadium supporting Otto Addo and his charges.
The Black Stars were eliminated from the 2022 FIFA World Cup after losing by 2-0 to Uruguay in their final match of the group stages.
Giorgian de Arrascaeta’s two goals for Uruguay were not enough to get them through to the next round of the tournament as South Korea beat Portugal 2-1.
The Black Stars had a slow start in the game as Uruguay was on fire from the blast of the whistle.
However, Ghana’s first chance in the game which fell to Jordan Ayew nearly saw him score but Sergio Rochet pulled a good save which saw Kudus go in for a rebound.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Ningo-Prampram, Sam Nartey George, has alleged that personnel of the Ghana PoliceService deployed to protect the Saglemi Housing project are the ones behind the theft of materials meant for the completion of the project.
According to Sam George, whose constituency hosts the Saglemi Housing Project, some of his constituents caught some policemen transporting materials meant for the project.
Speaking in a Good Morning Ghana interview monitored by GhanaWeb on Thursday (November 26), the MP added that the policemen said they were given orders from above to transport the materials when they were caught.
“By the time they (the current government) took office, almost all the fittings for all the 1520 apartments that were completed were there – toilet bowls and tiles. You know the police people that were put in charge as security, went and stole the things.
“I am saying this on record because my boys arrested them. The police people who were sent there as national security to protect the property stole the tiles, stole the toilet bowls. My own boys in Tsopoli arrested them.
“We took the case to the Tema (Police) Regional Commander. And when we arrested them, they claimed that they were instructed to remove the things from the top,” he said.
He also said that the attempt by the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government to sell the project to private developers is a form of state capture.
He added that the John Dramani Mahama government contracted a loan to build the project which it has fully paid.
He claims that the tax allows for various taxes on the same amounts.
The more I digest the e-Levy, the angrier I get, he wrote in a tweet. It is an outright scam.
It is a ponzi scheme of taxation that levies several taxes on the same amount of money.
It is obvious government theft, and I will not vote to accept a budget that includes that fee, No!.”
He described it as a ponzi scheme intended to tax the same value of money multiple times.
In a tweet, he said “The more I process the e-Levy, the angrier I get. It is a complete rip off. It is a taxation ponzi scheme designed to tax d same value of money multiple times. It is plain government thievery & I cannot vote to approve a budget that has that levy included. No!”
Minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu, has also said the E-levy is a disincentive to the growth of digital economy.
To that end, he said, the Minority will not support it.
Speaking at a post-budget workshop in Ho on Saturday, November 20, he said “Mr Speaker, understandably, we see that the Minister of Finance seeks to introduce some measures including the now popularly declared e-levy or digital levy as some have quite named it.
“Mr Speaker, our concern is whether the e-levy itself is not and will not be a disincentive to the growth of digital economy in our country. We are convinced that the e-levy may as well even be a disincentive to investment and a disincentive to private sector development in our country. We in the minority may not and will not support government with the introduction of that particular e-levy . We are unable to build a national consensus on that particular matter.”
Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta announced a new levy to be charged by government in 2022 on all electronic transactions to widen the tax net and rope in the informal sector.
“It is becoming clear there exists enormous potential to increase tax revenues by bringing into the tax bracket, transactions that could be best defined as being undertaken in the ‘informal economy’,” Mr Ofori-Atta observed on Wednesday, November 17 as he presented the 2022 budget statement in Parliament.
“After considerable deliberations, government has decided to place a levy on all electronic transactions to widen the tax net and rope in the informal sector. This shall be known as the ‘Electronic Transaction Levy or E-Levy’.”
He explained that the new E-levy will be a 1.75 per cent charge on all electronic transactions covering mobile money payments, bank transfers, merchant payments and inward remittances to be borne by the sender except inward remittances, which will be borne by the recipient.
This will, however, not affect transactions that add up to GH¢100 pr less per day.
“A portion of the proceeds from the E-Levy will be used to support entrepreneurship, youth employment, cyber security, digital and road infrastructure among others.”
This new levy is scheduled to start Saturday, January 1, 2022.
In 2020, the total value of transactions was estimated to be over GH¢500 million with mobile money subscribers and users growing by 16 percent in 2019.
According to a Bank of Ghana report, Ghana saw an increase of over 120 percent in the value of digital transactions between February 2020 and February 2021 compared to 44 percent for the period February 2019 to February 2020 due to the convenience they offer.
This was definitely heightened by the advent of COVID-19 especially during the lockdown.
One of the proponents of the Bill Against Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transgenders and Queer, LGBTQ+ groups, Sam Nartey George, says he does not agree with the Attorney General’s position on the Anti-Gay Bill.
Mr. George said 80 percent of the issues raised by the A-G on the Anti-gay Bill have already been considered by the Committee working on it.
He welcomed the views of the Attorney General, but added that the Committee differs from his opinion on the Bill.
He said sponsors of the Bill will insist on this to the Committee on the floor and have a debate on it.
The Ningo-Prampram MP also downplayed the possibility of the Bill being passed by Parliament before the end of 2022.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Ningo-Prampram, Sam Nartey George, has urged his colleague MPs of the majority caucus to support a vote of censure against the finance minister filed by his side, the minority.
Sam George’s call comes after the national leadership of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) directed all their MPs to abstain from a scheduled vote of censure targeted at embattled Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.
The party has thus ordered the Majority Whips to ensure that no member of the Caucus participates in the exercise expected to take place today, Thursday, November 10, 2022.
The directive was contained in a November 9, press statement signed by General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong.
Reacting to this, the Ningo-Prampram MP said the vote of censure against the finance minister will be a test of honour for the NPP MPs.
He added that the action the majority caucus MPs will take will determine whether they are truly honourable men and women, myjoyonline.com reports.
“Today, it is a matter of honour. It is a matter of the title we so fight for. So, they (NPP MPs) must earn their title, today.
“This is a call to the 137 on the majority side. Earn your title. Else we will not call you honourable members of the rest of the term.
“We will refer to you by your regular names because you are going to show Ghanaians that you lack honour,” he is quoted to have said in an interview with Metro TV on Thursday.
“Ghana is at the crossroads today. Today Parliament has the opportunity to distinguish itself and ensure that we are masters of our own craft and ensure that we care about the people we represent,” the MP added.
The Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Sam Nartey George, has dared the National Communications Authority(NCA) to provide a technical modality leading to the country adopting e-Sims.
According to Sam George, after several trips by officials of the NCA to international conferences on the move of the telecoms industry to adopt e-SIM, the authority is yet to roll out a roadmap on how the country will make the switch to e-SIMs.
“As we speak, the Directors of the National Communications Authority and the Minister for Communications and Digitalization have travelled to several international conferences over the last five (5) years where conversations have centred around the move of the telecoms industry to adopt e-SIMs. After using our taxes to attend these conferences, the National Communications Authority as we speak today has no technical modality for the rollout of the e-SIMs in Ghana today,” Sam George said in a statement issued on Monday.
The outspoken MP added, “I challenge the National Communications Authority to publish within the next 24 hours the framework agreed with the industry players for the implementation of e-SIM if they have one. I am well aware of the reasons for the dragging of feet by the regulator. I would come to that at another time.”
An e-SIM is an industry-standard digital SIM that allows you to activate a cellular plan from your carrier without having to use a physical SIM.
The Ningo-Prampram MP, in his statement also defended his claim that Voter ID Cards will be accepted for the registration of SIM cards.
Mr George maintained that the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation has through the National Communications Authority engaged with the Telcos to adapt the platform to accommodate the Voter’s ID Card.
He claimed that there are plans to integrate the Ghanaian Passport in line with the Minister’s earlier directive for Ghanaians abroad.
Responding to the statement from the NCA, Mr George said, “this incontrovertible fact is contained in their very own release.”
After three weeks of continuous Cedi devaluation, he said the president’s silence was a proof of evil on his part since he didn’t have the decency and politeness to address Ghanaians.
The lawmaker stated that the president’s behavior “goes beyond being stupid, dumb, hapless and downright unfit for the job you occupy.”
The president has been urged by Sam George to address the nation of Ghana about the declining cedi and get up from his sleep.
“Dear President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, after 3 horrendous weeks of a constantly declining currency, you are yet to have the decency and courtesy to address the Nation.
“What is wrong with you? Don’t you realise Ghanaians are suffering? Have your handlers not told you what is happening? What are you waiting for before speaking to us as our President? This goes beyond being incompetent, clueless, hapless and downright unfit for the office you occupy.
“Sir, this is wickedness in high places! Awake from your slumber and address the Nation. The true essence of a Leader is felt in the face of adversity. Not in verbose flowery statements made in plagiarised speeches. Somebody wake Mr. President from his deep sleep,” the Ningo Prampram wrote on his Facebook page.
The Cedi has struggled against major trading currencies, particularly the US dollar in recent weeks. At present, it is being traded at GH₵15 to $1 at some forex bureaus.
The dire situation has compelled the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr. Ernest Addisson to meet banks and operators of Forex Bureau to discuss the issue.
Information Minister, Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah has also indicated that a series of consultations have began at top government level to curb the depreciation and that President Akufo-Addo will soon address the nation on the issues.
But at a press conference, the minority caucus on the Communication Committee kicked against the move to limit the registration to only the Ghana card.
The deputy minority spokesperson on the committee, Sam Nartey George, argued that the Legislative Instrument (211) clause (1) does not limit such exercises only to the Ghana card.
They describe the move to disconnect all persons who fail to register their sim cards by March next year, with the Ghana card as an affront to the rights of the citizen, he added.
The Minority proposed four-point steps to making the process a robust one including the withdrawal of the threat to disconnect all sim cards that fail to register by next year and scrapping of the physical visit to offices of the National Identification Authority (NIA )office for registration purposes.
The re-registration of mobile SIM cards started on 1st October 2021.
The exercise, which will last for six months, will end on 31st March 2022.
Any SIM which is not registered at the end of this exercise will be blocked, the Ministry of Communications and Digitization has disclosed.
In a bid to rid the country’s cyberspace of fraud, and monitor and track down persons who use their phones for criminal activities, the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia announced that plans were underway to organize a sim re-registration exercise.
Addressing the 5th Ghana CEO Summit in Accra, the Vice President noted that any individual who fails to take part in the exercise risks losing his or her SIM card.
“We all have to do that otherwise we’ll lose that SIM card. That will really give us a real identity for all MoMo transactions. For example, it takes away fraud that is taking place like SIM box and through MoMo”, he added.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Ningo-Prampram, Sam Nartey George, has assured Ghanaians who have not been able to re-register their SIM cards that their cards will not be blocked after the Friday deadline.
The September 30 deadline is an extension of the initial deadline which was scheduled for July 31, 2022.
The minister said that the extension had become necessary owing to challenges such as delays in the rollout of a self-serving registration app and delays in the acquisition of Ghana Cards, which is the mandatory document for the registration.
“Upon consultation with the industry and in view of the challenges enumerated above, I have very reluctantly decided to grant a final conditional extension.
“The programme will be extended to September 30 to end on the anniversary of its commencement. That will give us one full year of SIM registration to be reviewed at the end of this month and any SIM that has not been fully registered by the end of August will be barred from fully receiving certain services including voice and data services. It will also be more expensive to use unregistered SIMs. The full range of punitive measures will be announced at another press briefing in September,” the minister stated.
The National Communication Authority, who affirmed the September 30 deadline for the exercise, announced that all SIM cards which have not been registered after the deadline will be totally blocked.
But, in a tweet shared on September 30, Sam Nartey George said that he is certain that no unregistered SIM card will be blocked after Friday.
“I am 100% confident that ABSOLUTELY NO SIM card would be blocked tomorrow!
“This is a victory for the Ghanaian people who are waiting on the NIA to produce their Ghana Cards for them. For God and Country,” parts of the tweet the MP shared read.
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
