Monday, November 30, 2015

GOV’T PLOTS NPP RAID!

By William Yaw Owusu
Saturday, November 28, 2015

The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) says the raid at its national headquarters at Asylum Down and its office annex at Kokomlemle, all in Accra, was the handiwork of the National Security.

“After a careful review of the invasion, evidence and subsequent events to date, the NPP is in no doubt that the attack on our offices was conducted by the State, specifically, using certain rogue elements within the National Security set-up, in full collaboration with some identifiable individuals now bent on destroying the fortunes of the NPP,” the party’s Acting National Chairman, Freddie W. Blay, said.

At a news conference in Accra yesterday, the party’s bigwigs including the vice presidential candidate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, and MPs turned up to lend their support.

Ahead of the news conference, the party asked all its members to be in red or black attire in protest against the raid.

Calculated Plan
The Acting Chairman said that the Mahama-led NDC administration had put aside a huge budget plus a crack team aided by elements in the National Security “to make the job of attempting to damage the NPP a top priority.”

He averred, “To the ruling NDC, creating confusion in the NPP is a more competent and convenient way to gain electoral advantage than fixing the myriad problems they have visited on the country.  We are aware of the tens of millions of Ghana Cedis in slush funds dedicated to this special project. 

And we also know of the individuals, including two heads of important organisations, whose job it is to fund and fuel this evil plot.”

Political Points
Mr Blay said, “Our findings so far suggest that what happened on Monday was a wickedly orchestrated attempt to turn this head office into a bloodbath and with one aim only: to score a political point against the country’s largest opposition party as we draw ever closer to the next general elections.”

He said intelligence the party picked up and the manner in which the raids occurred and the response by the security agencies “all point to one direction: that the raids, although unofficial, were done on the orders of highly placed people within the National Security setup.”

The Acting National Chairman said that the party’s preliminary investigation revealed that police patrol vehicle, specifically a blue Nissan Navara Pick-up, manned by men in police uniform, drove to the NPP head office around 1:00 am and “a man in police uniform caused for the gate to be opened.”

He also underscored, “Two military vehicles carrying men in uniform came to the Party head office and the 15 men who led the raid wore uniforms issued by the army. They carried weapons issued to authorised officers.”

Mr Blay continued, “The police have so far not given any useful information about the weapons in the sack. No action was taken against the trespassers who took unlawful custody of our head office annex. Confidential information on the voters’ register and related items on electoral affairs were targeted and taken away.

Pertinent Questions
“Why was the office of the Director of Electoral Affairs the one singled out for theft of confidential documents, both in electronic and paper formats? Which group stands to benefit from getting its hands on vital, confidential information about our election plans including documents on the current issue of a new voter register?” the acting chairman asked.

He also queried, “Who authorised the use of military vehicles for that dawn operation? Who authorised the use of the police patrol vehicle? Which police officers were in the patrol vehicle?”

He said that the first set of police deployed to the NPP head office appeared to be only interested in the weapons in the sack and arresting our security guard, but not the raiders. He asked, “Why did the police not arrest the men in military uniform?”


Unofficial Army/Police
“Is it because the police were satisfied with the identity of the purported military officers who handed over the sack of weapons to them? Is there an official army and an ‘unofficial’ army within the Armed Forces in Ghana? Is there an official Police Service and an ‘unofficial’ Police Service?”

The party wanted to know if the police had been able to trace the source of the weapons in the sack, asking, “What are the names, units and identities of the men in uniform? Have any of the men in uniform been arrested?”

The party’s acting chairman wondered, “How come the results of the so-called search conducted by the police-cum-military have not been released to the leadership of the NPP so far? Why were the trespassers arrested at our Kokomlemle office immediately released and not taken into custody for interrogation? Who gave the order to release them?”

A certain Inspector Odoom, who led the police team to the NPP former head office, now serving as the Greater Accra Regional Office, arrested some of the red-shirted hoodlums and later freed them after seeking authorisation from an unknown superior. 

Mr Blay said the NPP had suffered similar police raids in the past but in this instance, “it appears those who raided did not want to take chances so they brought their own weapons to be found by themselves.”

Designed Bloodbath
He revealed that the raid by the men in military uniform “was apparently to clear the two party offices for the men in red T-shirts to ostensibly take over,” adding, “Their presence at the two party offices was designed to provoke the Invisible Forces to storm the two places with reinforcement in an anticipated move to take back ‘control’ of the Party buildings.

“This could then trigger violence, turning the head office of the largest opposition party in Ghana into a scene of nasty, ugly bloodbath. This is how far some are prepared to go for the sake of scoring a political point against the NPP.”

He said the party remains united and would never fall for such machinations.

Govt Hits Back
The government has reacted to the NPP statement, describing the allegation as “deliberate fabrication.”

A statement issued and signed by the Minister of Communications, Dr Edward Kofi Omane Boamah, claimed “Government is constrained to correct a wicked and malicious falsehood peddled by the New Patriotic Party to the effect that Government, acting through the military and police, invaded the party’s headquarters in Accra in the early hours of Monday, 23rd November, 2015.

 “For the avoidance of doubt, Government wishes to place on record that this claim is a deliberate fabrication by the New Patriotic Party calculated at shifting blame for the horrendous leadership it has had leading to its rapid descent into chaos, violence, lawlessness, brutal killings and total confusion over the last year or so.”

The statement continued, “Government notes that the police have been investigating the matter under reference with a view to bringing the culprits to book. We call on the NPP to cooperate with the police in this regard and desist from the ridiculous gambit of blaming others for their woes.”

Police Reaction
The Police Administration has also reacted to the NPP news conference saying they are concerned about “efforts to entangle the Service with the recent unfortunate incident at the NPP headquarters, even though there is absolutely no cause to do that.”

A statement signed by the Director-General/Public Affairs, DCOP Rev David Nenyi Ampah-Bennin, denied categorically that it had a hand in the raid, saying that its mandate did not include “such nefarious activities.”



Friday, November 27, 2015

NDC GROUPS FIGHT FOR RUNNING MATE

By William Yaw Owusu
Friday, November 27, 2015

A group calling itself Volta Youth for Development has pointed out that Vice President Paa Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur is incompetent.

It has therefore asked President John Dramani Mahama to drop him and choose the Speaker of Parliament, Edward Doe Adjaho, as his running mate for the 2016 general elections.

The jostling over who should partner President Mahama for the 2016 elections has intensified following the official order by the party to the president to initiate processes to select his running mate before the end of 2015.

Other groups are also pushing their sponsors and favourites for the NDC top position.

Urgent Demand
A statement jointly signed by Prosper Fofo Ndekor, Chairman; Godwin Kwami Nanedo, Secretary and Dedziasa Elorm, Member, indicated: “We the members of Volta Youth For Development demand from President Mahama to select the Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Doe Adjaho, as his running mate to secure victory for the party in the 2016 elections.

“The fact is, Ghanaians have seen Amissah-Arthur to be very incompetent as the Vice President to President Mahama and so our belief, which has sprung out of a research, is that his pair again with President Mahama as his running mate can only reduce the votes of the NDC drastically.”

Mr Doe Adjaho was said to be nursing a presidential ambition after his elevation to speaker, and so sees his possible selection as running mate to be the quickest route to achieving his dream.

Console Our Souls
In what can be seen as ethnocentric pronouncement, the group said the President Mahama-led NDC government had short-changed the people of the Volta Region regarding appointments to ministerial positions.

“Secondly, with the continuous strong support of the NDC by Voltarians despite our continuous neglect by the NDC when it comes to development and ministerial position assignments, we as a result deem it fit for the president and all the national executives of the NDC party to at least ‘console our souls’ with this running mate position.

“Even though Hon. Doe Adjaho has no hand in our demand, we have chosen to nominate him to be considered for this position because we see him as the best out of all the Voltarians in the NDC, which has been proven through a research of ours with respect to a majority of Voltarians in and out of the Volta Region.”

Intense Lobbying
Currently, names of several NDC gurus are flying around as the possible running mates should President Mahama decide to drop his vice.

Some NDC power brokers are said to be interested in a succession plan for the party and want the president to select a running mate who can easily step into his shoes in 2020 when he gets the mandate to rule for a second term.

Names like Foreign Minister Hannah Tetteh, Trade and Industry Minister, Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, Cocobod CEO, Dr Stephen Opuni and former NHIS Chief Executive Sylvester Mensah have all been mentioned as possible running mates.

Names of Health Minister Alex Percival Segbefia of the infamous Carl Wilson car running fame and former Deputy Chief of Staff and currently Senior Policy Advisor to the president, Valerie Sawyerr, have also popped up.

Groups like, Concerned Youth for Mahama is rooting for Hannah Tetteh while Friends of Spio-Garbrah for Mahama believes that Spio is the best for the position.

Expert’s Advice
However, a senior research fellow with the Institute of Democratic Governance (IDEG), Kwesi Jonah, has warned President Mahama not to change his vice for the 2016 contest since Mr Amissah-Arthur had done enough to be retained.

 “I think Amissah-Arthur has so effectively partnered the president in these past three years that changing him will send a very wrong signal to the voters,” Mr Jonah told Starr FM, even thought he admitted that the president was at ‘liberty’ to change his running mate.

NDC Pressure
The NDC after declaring President Mahama as the flagbearer for a second term, following the party’s primaries at the weekend, asked Mr Mahama not to delay in selecting his running mate since it will help them to adequately strategise for the 2016 contest.

 “The party will strongly advise his Excellency the President to trigger the process of making our running mate known so that we can prepare ourselves for the elections in 2016,” the NDC General Secretary said.



APAU REPORT DOCTORED – AMIDU

By William Yaw Owusu
Friday, November 27, 2015

Former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Martin Amidu, says the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government has doctored the Sole Commissioner’s Report on judgement debts in order to incriminate the New Patriotic Party (NPP) standard bearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

The NDC government had stated in its White Paper that it did not understand why Justice Yaw Apau, the Sole Commissioner of the Judgement Debt Commission, could not establish a case of wrongdoing against Nana Akufo-Addo, but rather went ahead to recommend sanctions for some public officials over a $4.9 million financial loss to the state in 2002 in the Delta Foods case.

“Unfortunately, propaganda and suppressing political corruption on the part of this Government is so foremost on its agenda that it is blinded to see that the Attorney-General’s Department to be sanctioned will be NDC 2’s Attorney-General’s Department as recommended by the Commissioner,” the former AG said in his critique of the White Paper.

Mr Amidu, who has come to be known as Citizen Vigilante for his anti-corruption exploits, said “It could also be that by some chicanery the political drafters of the Manifesto White Paper deliberately twisted the words and pretended not to see which year’s office of the Attorney-General is to be sanctioned since Nana Akufo-Addo is a feared flagbearer of the largest opposition NPP and a desired target for political propaganda in election 2016 for which the Manifesto White Paper, like the covert judicial operations, was intended.”

Genesis Of Case
The Ministry of Food and Agriculture’s failure to pay Delta Foods for the supply of 21,000 tonnes of American white maize in 1997 resulted in a $2 million judgement debt, and despite agreeing it owed the American company, the AG’s office at the time went to the Supreme Court to challenge the judgement, leading to a delay in the payment.
A $4.9 million additional interest then accrued on the debt and in 2002, the AG’s office recommended the payment of the amount to the solicitor for Delta Foods Ltd., Peter Ala Adjetey.

Case Details
According to Mr Amidu who was deputy AG at the time the Delta Foods case was pending, the proper title of the case the then AG applied for certiorari instead of paying upon the consent judgement was, “Republic v High Court, Accra; Ex-Parte Attorney-General (Delta Foods Case) [1998-1999] SCGLR 595.”

“The Solicitor-General at the time, Mr E. A. Addo, under the NDC 2 Government, was adamant in applying for certiorari and argued the case himself with the late Mr Avah and the late SY Anin (both then Chief State Attorneys) and lost the case to a unanimous decision of the Supreme Court made up of Bamford-Addo, Ampiah, Acquah, Atuguba and Sophia Akuffo JJSC.”

Akufo-Addo Clean
He said the ruling was given on March 3, 1999, adding, “Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was then (if my memory serves me right) the ranking member for the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament and had nothing to do with the case.”

Mr Amidu said that when the Sole Commissioner stated in his report that the AG did not exhibit ‘candour and good faith’ in seeking the order of certiorari at the Supreme Court in the case, “he was referring to the office of the Attorney General in 1998-1999 and not the later tenure of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo after 7th January, 2001 when Prof Mills and myself lost the elections to President Kufuor,” Citizen Vigilante observed.

“Nana Akufo-Addo merely paid the $4.9 million to the NDC’s Larry Adjety’s father to curtail any further rise of the interest, but it was the improper and wrong decision of the office of the Attorney General under NDC 2 to seek a certiorari in the Supreme Court on mere technicalities … that burdened the Government with the additional $4.9 million payment and not the payment by the NPP Attorney General who was merely obeying the decision of the Supreme Court in refusing the certiorari,” the former AG explained.

“There may be a problem of understanding the English language by whosoever drafted the NDC Government Manifesto White Paper, but the Supreme Court decision could have been resorted to in finding out which year’s office of the Attorney General applied for the certiorari.”

Real Culprits
Mr Amidu said, “There is certainly a need to go back sixteen years to conduct an investigation to identify public officers to be sanctioned because that was the mandate given the Sole Commission by this Government to begin from the coming into force of the 1992 Constitution, unless it least expected an independent report from a distinguished justice of the superior courts of Ghana.

“Those who will be caught will include the former Solicitor-General, “Several Ways of Killing a Cat” and a former Member of the Council of State, both of who were at the Ministry of Agriculture. As far as I recollect, the Solicitor-General handled the Delta Foods Ltd case in his own right as Solicitor-General, even though he was somewhat related to the Attorney General at the time, with whom he could have discussed it.”


Thursday, November 26, 2015

ATUABO FREEPORT LITIGATION REKINDLED

By William Yaw Owusu
Thursday, November 26, 2015

Information reaching BUISNESS GUIDE indicates that Maritime Dockworkers Union (MDU) of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) has officially notified the Attorney General of its intention to file a suit to stop the Atuabo Freeport project, which is currently under construction.

In July 2014, Parliament approved an agreement between the Government of Ghana and British company Lonrho Ports for the development of an oil and gas free port at Atuabo.

Interestingly, Clause 7 of the agreement barred Takoradi Port from further expanding its facilities for oil and gas until Lonrho builds its freeport, recovers all its costs and makes enough profit.

MPs Suit
This compelled five MPs namely Kwaku Kwarteng of Obuasi West, Hawa Koomson of Awutu Senya East Joseph Cudjoe of Effia, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah of Takoradi and Kofi Brako of Tema Central to file a suit at the High Court to challenge the legality of the establishment of the Atuabo Free Port but it was dismissed by the court.

The five MPs described the clause as illegal and hoped the Accra High Court will intervene and stop the deal but Justice Peter Kwabena Ababio reminded the applicants that the country’s democratic process had adopted the separation of powers among the three arms of government with checks and balances.

The judge said parliament, in approving the agreement, did not violate any constitutional provision, saying it went through the process according to the Standing Orders of the House.

An appeal against the ruling is said to be pending at the Court of Appeal.

MDU Action
In the process, the MDU entered the fray, expressing its reservations about the entire project and said it was ready to file a suit because the restrictions in the Oil and Gas Freeport Project Commercial Agreement for the Atuabo Freeport are inconsistent with the laws that set up the Ghana Ports and Habours Authority (GPHA), which is the sole body to regulate ports.

A notice sent to the AG on November 3, 2015 by MDU’s solicitors Opoku and Associates said “I have been instructed by my client to serve this notice of civil action on you, the AG in accordance with section 10 of the State Proceedings Act, 1998 (Act 555).

It said that the President by a notice in the Ghana gazette of June 26, 2013, declared some parcels of land as the Atuabo Freeport in accordance with section 7 of the Free Zones Act, 1995, adding “subsequently, the government of Ghana has proceeded to sign ‘Ghana Oil and Gas Freeport Project Commercial Agreement with Atuabo Freeport Ghana Limited to develop and operate the Atuabo Free Port.”

“It is only under the Ghana Ports and Habours Authority Act, 1986 (PNDCL 160) that any port can be created in Ghana, once created, the port comes under the regulatory oversight of the GPHA.”

According to the MDU, “The Free Zones only allows the President to declare an existing port a Freeport, the creation of Atuabo Freeport under the Free Zones Act without first creating a port under PNDCL 160 is wrongful and illegal.”

The union said it would seek an order that the development and operations of the Atuabo Freeport be subjected to the oversight functions of the GPHA.
They also want a declaration that Clause 7 of the Oil and Gas Freeport Project Commercial Agreement is inconsistent with PNDC Law 160.






DRAMA OVER AFOKO ATTACK

By William Yaw Owusu
Thursday, November 26, 2015

There is drama over what exactly happened to suspended New Patriotic Party (NPP) National Chairman, Paul Afoko, following claims by his supporters that his residence was attacked last Sunday.

It was 2nd National Vice Chairman of the party, Sammy Crabbe, who made the wild allegation on Kasapa FM, an Accra-based radio station, where he said the residence of Mr Afoko was attacked whilst the suspended Chairman was in church.

 “Afoko’s home was also attacked on Sunday, and the police was there. He was at church when the incident occurred so he had to call the police from church and they rushed there to save the situation. Most of the frames on his walls were destroyed by the attackers,” he said.

 He went ahead to say that the NPP must be cautious of what appears to be a breakdown of law and order within their ranks.

However, immediately Mr Crabbe made the allegation, Afoko’s spokesperson, Nana Yaw Osei, granted an interview to Starr Fm, a sister station of Kasapa Fm, saying the NPP 2nd Vice Chairman who had broken ranks with the party had told a lie when he said his boss’ residence had been attacked.

Nana Yaw Osei said nothing of that sort happened.

 “Mr Afoko’s residence was not attacked; his property was not destroyed either. On the morning of the Sunday I was in the house. Sammy Crabbe can comment on it, at least he comes to the house, but  I doubt if Sammy Crabbe will put out those words, because I still insist that nothing in the house was destroyed,” the spokesperson said.

Strangely, it was the same Sammy Crabbe who broke the news of the alleged attack on Nii Noi Nortey, the NPP parliamentary candidate for Korle Klottey at Osu.

When DAILY GUIDE contacted the Osu Police, they said the case had been transferred to the CID headquarters.

Bizarre Twist
Bizarrely, the same Nana Yaw Osei issued another statement yesterday titled, “Sammy Crabbe didn't lie,” trying to disclaim what he had said earlier about Mr Crabbe giving a false alarm.

“My attention has been drawn to some media reports to the effect that Mr Sammy Crabbe, the Second Vice Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) lied about an incident which happened last Sunday morning at the residence of Mr Paul A. Afoko, the National Chairman of the NPP.

“The incident actually happened. Some persons without the knowledge of Mr Afoko came to his residence in his absence. The police drove them away.”

He said, “Mr Sammy Crabbe and myself have communicated this incident at Mr Afoko's residence using different words and expressions. It does not in any way mean that Mr Crabbe lied about what happened as it is being speculated in the media.”

Airport Police
When DAILY GUIDE contacted the Airport Police Station, the security agents said they received a signal that some people were planning to attack Mr Afoko and since they were already in the vicinity on a funeral assignment, they parked in front of the suspended NPP Chairman’s house.

The police said shortly after that, they saw a group of men on motorbikes heading towards their direction and added that they could not tell if those were the people who were purportedly planning to attack Mr Afoko.

“They turned and sped off upon seeing us,” the Airport Police said and added that the NPP man was not at home and when he returned he even joined the mourners at the funeral held adjacent his house.

The funeral was said to be that of Alhaji Jajah, an uncle of President John Mahama, who was also at the funeral.

The NPP General Secretary, Kwabena Agyepong, was said to have also attended the funeral.




2016 ELECTION FAVOURS NPP - EIU

By William Yaw Owusu
Thursday, November 26, 2015

Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) of the influential Economist magazine says President John Mahama and his National Democratic Congress (NDC) are going to lose the 2016 general elections.

The EIU also said its analysis was pointing to a victory for the opposition New Patriotic Party and its presidential candidate, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

In its October 2015 report, the EIU said the economic hardship in Ghana is going to be a determining factor in the elections and said there was ‘little time’ for President Mahama and his ruling NDC to turn the economy around before the crucial elections.

The EIU also said it was going to be a close contest between the NDC and the NPP but Nana Akufo-Addo would eventually emerge victorious.

According to the unit, the NPP will however, need to work hard to attract votes in the Central Region while maintaining internal unity and added that the politically motivated murder of the party’s Upper East Regional Chairman, Adams Mahama, in May highlighted a friction in the NPP.

The report said in spite of the NPP’s troubles, the party managed to show a more united front during its primaries where there was a notable shift to more youthful parliamentary candidates.

It claimed that the NDC will continue to enjoy strong support in the east and north of the country owing to historical and tribal allegiances.

Greater Accra Region, a historical swing state, will be a key battle ground according to the analysis, but said the NDC government’s mishandling of recent floods and subsequent clearing of slums in the region could well cost it more votes before going ahead to predict “varying levels of political instability.”

EIU noted that slower growth, electricity crisis (dumsor), fuel shortages, high inflation and currency depreciation would have a negative impact on living standards.

According to EIU, a growing number of protests against the NDC’s management of the country should be expected, particularly, in the capital and economic hub - Accra - disrupting business operations in the process.

In the view of the unit, in extreme cases, public anger could snowball into mass action, as seen in a number of Arab countries in recent years, and closer to home, in neighbouring Burkina Faso in 2014.


Wednesday, November 25, 2015

GHANA GAS EXPOSES POWER MINISTRY

By William Yaw Owusu
Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Ghana National Gas Company (GNGC) has exposed the Ministry of Power for misleading the public on the power crisis which has intensified of late.

The Gas company said the Dr. Kwabena Donkor-led ministry’s assertion that the current increase in load shedding in the country had come as a result of a shutdown of Ghana National Gas Company (Ghana Gas) “is incorrect,” and described it as “disingenuous” and “unhelpful.”

The Ministry of Power had issued a statement yesterday claiming that the current increase in the quantum of load shedding was as a result of a shutdown of Ghana Gas at Atuabo in the Western Region.

The release, issued in Accra and signed by the ministry’s Head of Public Affairs, Kweku Sersah-Johnson, on behalf of the minister, said Ghana Gas had shut down to enable the African Middle East Investment (AMERI) power plant to be connected onto the supply system of Ghana Gas.

It further said the completion of the AMERI plant installation “is expected to generate additional 250 megawatts into the National Interconnected Transmission System (NITS).”

It claimed, “Engineers of both the Ghana Gas and AMERI are working around the clock to complete the connection of the gas line to ameliorate the recent further decline in power supply in the country,” and requested the public to “bear with the situation as the gas line connection is expected to be completed soon.”  

But barely an hour after the release of the statement by the ministry, Ghana Gas, through its Corporate Communications Manager, Alfred Ogbamey, reacted angrily and said the ministry’s statement was not correct.

The counter-statement said Ghana Gas “has no contract regarding the ongoing installation works by African Middle East Investment (AMERI) power plant being installed at the Aboadze power enclave.”

Ghana Gas explained that “because of the experience gained in pipelines construction over the past four years, Ghana Gas engineers are only assisting the VRA to connect AMERI plant to its power systems.”

Explaining the collaboration, Ghana Gas said it received a request from VRA on November 12, 2015 to shut down its processing and supply of lean gas to enable it (VRA) to connect the AMERI plant to its existing gas pipelines from November 23 to 27, 2015.

The release said Ghana Gas “honoured the request” of the VRA saying, “the shutdown of the Atuabo Gas Processing Plant was therefore, at the instance of the VRA, which claimed that it had made adequate arrangement for light crude oil to power its Aboadze Plant and avoid a shortfall in energy generation.”

Ghana Gas said it found the attempt by the Ministry of Power “to mislead the public on this matter disingenuous and unhelpful.”

It also said that it does not have any challenge with the Atuabo Gas Processing Plant, adding that “Today, November 24, marks exactly a year since Ghana Gas delivered the first lean gas to VRA. There has been no safety incidents recorded at the plant or unplanned outage within the same period.”

Some critics have said the Power Minister, Dr Kwabena Donkor, “is doing all these to escape from his own promise to resign if the dumsor did not end by December.”

He recently shifted the goal post when he said he did not say dumsor would end by December 2015, and said he was rather talking about ending load shedding, which many Ghanaians believe to be one and the same.


Tuesday, November 24, 2015

61,836 NDC DELEGATES REJECT MAHAMA

By William Yaw Owusu
Tuesday, November 24, 2015

It is now officially established that over 61,836 card-bearing members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) voted against President John Dramani Mahama’s bid to lead the party for the 2016 general election.

Certified results released by the Electoral Commission (EC) showed that even though the president managed an overwhelming 1,199,118 representing 95.1 percent, the 61,836 ‘No’ ballots representing 4.9 percent of total votes cast was embarrassing, according to some critics.

As Ghana heads to November 7, 2016 for another general election, some political parties have been busily selecting their presidential and parliamentary candidates; and the ruling NDC has not been left out.

‘Yes’ Or ‘No’
The presidential ballot was a ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ decision by voters for President Mahama who was contesting unopposed.

However, there were embarrassing moments for the ruling party as a number of their own supporters voted ‘No’ against Mr. Mahama, coupled with many ballots marked ‘Spoilt.’

According to the EC, the total valid votes in the presidential poll was 1,260,954 and total rejected ballots were 25,774, representing 2 percent of total votes cast.

The highest ‘No’ votes of 10,190 against Mr Mahama came from his home Northern Region, followed by the Volta, Region - 7,811; Central - 7,548; Upper West - 6,504 and Upper East 6,085.

The Eastern Region, where the NDC has been drumming home an agenda of sharing next year’s total votes at the national elections equally (50/50) with the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), recorded 5,103 ‘No’ votes.
The results declared covered 265 out of 275 constituencies according to the EC.

‘No’ Vote Propaganda
Before the elections held last Saturday, many of the party’s leading members had warned that they would deal with any member who would vote against the president, but the directive appeared not to have resonated among the rank and file.

Some of the party’s leading members have been trying to downplay the ‘No’ votes by claiming that those votes against Mr. Mahama were from some people faithful to the opposition NPP who had ‘infiltrated’ their party while others claimed they were from ‘illiterate’ voters. 

Mahama’s Advice
President Mahama, at a short declaration ceremony at the party’s headquarters in Adabraka, Accra, said, “I ask for all divisions to be put aside ahead of the 2016 elections. I intend to hold a family meeting before the end of the year to ensure unity before the 2016 elections.

"All those who voted ‘No’ indicate that the NDC tolerates dissent in the party."

But the President had earlier begged the party’s rank and file to give him a 100 percent endorsement.

Interesting Revelation
Interestingly, in all constituencies where NDC parliamentary candidates went unopposed, there was no voting on such candidates.

Sources said there was no parliamentary ballot to acclaim the candidates because the ruling party was said to be afraid that some of the members could vote against such candidates and embarrass the party.

Appoh’s Cash
Rachael Nana Ajoa Appoh, incumbent MP for Gomoa Central who was selected again to contest on the ticket of the party, revealed on radio that she personally had to pay cash to some voters to persuade them from voting against the president.

The former Deputy Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, said had it not been through ‘her tireless effort,’ the dissenting votes of ‘No’ against President Mahama would have been increased in her constituency.

“I worked tirelessly before managing to reduce the ‘No votes against the president. The people wanted to vote against President Mahama because they felt they had been denied the LEAP initiative by the Gender and Social Protection Ministry. If you look at the District LEAP initiative poverty ranking, we are second and so my people do not understand why they should be denied that initiative,” she explained.

Nana Ajoa Appoh added, “I have to spend for the ‘No’ vote against the president to get reduced to 350. Even with this figure, I cried, begged and paid some money to some people before I was able to achieve that.”



JUDGEMENT DEBT WHITE PAPER IS COVER UP - AMIDU

By William Yaw Owusu
Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Former Attorney General (AG) Martin A.B.K. Amidu, says President John Mahama has decided to persecute his political opponents.

“KT Hammond is ordered to be investigated by EOCO for      $900,000.00 while Hon Ebo Barton Odro (now 1st Deputy Speaker of Parliament of the NDC) goes free after an unauthorized payment of GH¢4,159,101.38.

“ What Ghanaian sense of justice is this than protecting card bearing members of the NDC while hounding mercilessly and dealing with political opponents whose fundamental rights and freedoms are also guaranteed under the 1992 Constitution?” he wondered.

Mr. Amidu, who has come to be known as Citizen Vigilante for his anti-corruption exploits, was critiquing the recent Government White Paper issued following the report of the Commission of Enquiry that was tasked to investigate the payment of various frivolous judgment debts between 1992 till date.

Propaganda White Paper
He said the White Paper on the work of the Sole-Commissioner, Justice Yaw Apau of the Supreme Court, was going to be used by President Mahama and his team to run down its political opponents.

The former AG preferred to term it “the NDC government’s political manifesto White Paper for election 2016,” saying, “A perusal of the White Paper leaves one in no doubt that it is in fact another election 2016 NDC Manifesto No. 2 to suppress political corruption against the Government and its supporters arising from the very clear and lucid report of the Sole Judgment Debt Commissioner.”

He said, “When I call this unconstitutional conduct on the part of the NDC which is now deviating from core values, (and of which I am a foundation member), I am insulted with approval from the presidency in a democracy.

“I wish to ask once more what the methodology was for sampling the cases to be commented upon in the Manifesto White Paper so we can replicate them to see whether the selection was not ad hoc to condemn political opponents to deflect public criticism from the Government’s gargantuan political corruption.”

Massive Cover-up
Mr Amidu noted, “Betty Mould-Iddrisu, Ebo Barton Odro, Benjamin Kumbour, (the now Minister of Defence who staged his own assassination and was exposed by the Ghana Police Service) are all indicted in the Sole Judgment Debt Commissioner’s report but the Political Manifesto White Paper covers them up.

“Can the public be told the rational grounds for choosing my cases which the Supreme Court had conclusively disposed of, and those involving the NPP flagbearer and KT Hammond, a leading NPP Member of Parliament, for extensive unconstitutional comments while ignoring the Government’s own ministers, 1st Deputy Speaker of Parliament and other officials?”

Extraneous Matters
He described the Sole-Commissioner’s report as lucid and excellent piece of work that did not need any unnecessary amendment but “unfortunately, the Government is playing politics and propaganda with such excellent work by arrogating to itself the power to amend, modify, vary, re-write and even introduce extraneous matters into the report for purely political electioneering purposes.”

He said for instance that in spite of the positions taken by the Supreme Court and in the Sole-Commissioner’s Report on the Amidu versus Attorney-General, Waterville Holding (BVI) Ltd & Woyome case, the Government White Paper has introduced what he called ‘extraneous matters’ into the issue “for purely political electioneering reasons in the coming 2016 elections.”

Impossible Task
Mr. Amidu said that the position of the Government on the White Paper will enable it to “fraudulently explain away the Government’s refusal to enforce the orders of the court against its surrogates to which it unconstitutionally dished out the Republic’s scarce resources.”

He wondered what the Sole Judgment Debt Commissioner’s report has got to do with the assistance the Government is giving to its foreign cronies to flout the orders of the Supreme Court at so-called international arbitral tribunals at which the Government is effectively collaborating to defeat the orders of the court”

“When did the judgment and orders of the Supreme Court of Ghana become subservient to those of international arbitral tribunals?  Since when did the principle that ignorance of a sovereign national constitution is no excuse for anybody to breach any nation’s Constitution become an exception for foreigners investing in Ghana?” he queried.

He said that “Ghanaians cannot allow the government to play politics with the orders of the Supreme Court when it has clearly demonstrated its affinity to the foreign judgment debtors and its reluctance to get our money back.”




WE WANT TO KNOW MILLS’ CAUSE OF DEATH

By William Yaw Owusu
Tuesday, November 24, 2015

A member of the opposition New Patriotic Party Communication Team, Yaw Adomako Baafi says the continuous silence of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government on the cause of death of former President John Mills shows that the ruling party has something to hide.

Prof Mills died suddenly on July 24, 2012 when he was preparing to seek a second term in office but the circumstances surrounding his death appears to have become a ‘taboo’ topic in the country.

“After more than three years of the sad passing of the Prof Mills, Ghanaians are yet to know about circumstances that led to his death,” Mr. Adomako Baafi said, adding that “the Mahama-led government is clearly playing games with the public over details of Prof. Mills’ death. Is it that there is more to it?”

“If you put some of the statements NDC elements have made in the past and observe the actions and inactions of most of the top guys in government you cannot convince me that they do not know something about the death of the former president.”

The fiery NPP man, popularly called Foot-soldier’s President, said for instance that Yaw Boateng Gyan, then National Organizer of the party, who was being challenged by Kofi Adams for the post, said he will spill the beans over the President’s death if some elements at the presidency pushed him to the wall.

“If it were any serious democracy, the state institutions would have invited Yaw Boateng Gyan to throw more light on what he knows about President Mills’ death.”

He said that six months after the death of Prof Mills, then acting President Mahama in his policy statement said that he would institute mechanism in place to investigate the suspicious circumstances leading to the deaths of persons at various health posts.

“This statement can be found in item 59 Section C on his policy on health when he said there are mechanisms in place for the investigation of persons who died at the various health posts under suspicious circumstances.”

He said “not even pleas from the late Law Porfessor’s family in Ekumfi Otuam, his hometown could change the presidency’s stance of persistently keeping information under wraps.”

Divisive Figure
He also said President Mahama has set out to divide the country with his ethnocentric comments and was clearly pitching one group against another wherever he went.

“If you are a leader- whether old or young- you have to weigh whatever you say in public but this President does not appear to know some of these etiquettes. He simply loves to make statements that continuously divide us.”

President Mahama does not know the value of the seat he is occupying that is why he can afford to denigrate his opponents at the least provocation.
“If you observe his posture and listen to him of late, you would realize that the man does not respect anybody in this country, including his supporters. 

He says things anyhow and makes warped analysis all the time. That is exactly what his ministers are also doing.”

If the President can say that it is only two living Presidents who can advise him, then I think he has lost it completely. He should disband his Council of State then. Look at the hardship in the country and look at how they are wasting the taxpayers’ money and other state resources. All they know is to steal and nothing else.



Monday, November 23, 2015

NDC BIG GUNS FALL

By William Yaw Owusu
Monday, November 23, 2015

There were major shocks in last Saturday’s National Democratic Congress (NDC) primaries that selected the ruling party’s parliamentary candidates for the 2016 general election.

Notably, names that are not going back to Parliament include Ishmael Nii Armah Ashittey (Klottey Korle), Emmanuel Nii Ashie Moore (Adentan), Dr Mustapha Ahmed (Ayawaso North), Alfred Agbesi (Ashaiman), Joe Gidisu (Central Tongu), Dr Alhassan Yakubu (Mion) and George Loh, who was defeated by a university student, Joycelyn Tetteh, for the North Dayi constituency, among other heavyweights.

New Entrants
New entrants like Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) boss Alfred Oko Vanderpuije, Dr Ezenator Rawlings, Kobby Acheampong, Clement Apaak, Eric Don Arthur, popular comedian Kwami Djokoto, Sam Kwesi Fletcher, Samuel Atta Mills, Dr Henry Seidu Danaa, Haruna Halidu, Ahmed Adamu Ramadan, Bede Ziedeng, Rockson Nelson Dafeamokor, said to be Woyome’s lawyer and Dr Mu-Awia Zakaria are going to lead the NDC in the various constituencies in next year’s polls.

 Chieftaincy and Culture Minister, Dr Henry Seidu Daanaa, defeated Alhaji Ameen Salifu in Wa East, polling 2,969 votes as against the incumbent’s 2,738 votes.

Radio Gold’s Alhassan Suhuyini stood the stiff competition by five other aspirants to become the candidate to lead the party in Tamale North. He polled 3,433 votes, representing 44.69% while his main contender and former MP, Abukari Sumani, secured 1,069 votes, representing 13.92% of the total votes cast.

At Klottey Korle constituency, Dr Rawlings aka Osu Lagata, polled 2,549 to shock veteran Nii Armah Ashittey who had 1,578, while at the KEEA constituency, Samuel Atta Mills, brother of the late President Mills, had 3,356 to subdue his closest challenger, Mathew Kwofie (684 votes).

With 1,210 votes, Nurudeen Mohammed won in the Dome Kwabenya constituency while Seth Kwami Djokoto polled 1,415 to win at Tarkwa Nsuaem.

AMA boss Alfred Oko Vanderpuije polled 3,298 votes to defeat Wisdom Dodoo (1,259) at Ablekuma South while incumbent Rashid Pelpuo had 4,945 to win in Wa Central. But NDC communicator Abraham Amaliba’s dream of making it to Parliament evaporated in Bolgatanga Central when he was thrashed by Isaac Adongo who garnered 3,358 votes.

At Effutu, television personality Eric Don Arthur had 1,694 ballots to beat Ambrose Entsiwah Jnr, Public Relations Officer (PRO) of National Service Secretariat (1,262) in a close contest, while Nii Ashie Moore was defeated in the Adentan  constituency by Ahmed Ramadan, a presidential staffer, by 2,387 votes.

Kwasi Oppong Ababio, with 2,480 votes, emerged winner in Sunyani East while New Juaben South went to Ransford Boakye with 1,698 votes and Ernest Norgbey defeating Alfred Kwame Agbesi, deputy majority leader, in Ashaiman.

Victoria Hamah, who switched from Ablekuma West to Kintampo North, could not succeed as she was defeated by Kwasi Etu. Edward Bawa, who works at the Ministry of Energy, won in Bongo.

Still in it
Some of the big names that managed to retain their seats include Foreign Minister Hanah Tetteh at Awutu Senya West, deputy ministers Queenstar Pokua Sawyerr (Agona East) and Kwaku Rickett Hagan (Cape Coast South).

Others include Majority Leader Alban Bagbin, Nadowli Kaleo; Amadu Sorogho, Madina; Joseph Yiele Chireh, Wa West; Alijata Sulemana, Sissala East and James Klutse Avedzi, Ketu North.

The rest are Volta Regional Minister Helen Adwoa Ntoso, Krachi West; Kwesi Bedzrah, Ho West; Richard Quarshigah, Keta; John Jinapor, Yapei Kusawgu; BA Regional Minister Eric Opoku, Asunafo South; Hannah L. Bissiw, Tano South; Mahama Ayariga, Bawku Central and Dominic Ayine, Bolgatanga East.

Interior Minister Mark Owen Woyongo was retained in Navrongo Central while his deputy, Jame Agalga, won in Builsa North, with veteran Cletus Avoka winning in Zebilla.

Francis Adu-Blay Koffie and Herod Cobbinah, MPs for Prestea Hunni-Valley and Sefwi Akontombra respectively, lost the NDC’s parliamentary primaries. 

In the Prestea Hunni-Valley constituency, Adu-Blay Koffie, who polled 2,700 votes, lost the bid to the District Chief Executive of the area, Robert Wisdom Cudjoe, who had 3,196 votes. 

The incumbent MP for Sefwi Akontombra, Herod Cobbinah, also lost his bid to one Kenneth Yeboah. 

Alfred Kwame Agbesi lost to Ernest Norgbey, a procurement officer at the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO). He polled 5,171 votes to win in all the 35 polling stations in the constituency, with the deputy majority leader obtaining 1,745 votes.

The MP for Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa (AOB), Madam Georgina Nkrumah Aboah, the MP for Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese (AAK), Christian Anthony Dadzie and the MP for Gomoa West, Francis Kojo Arthur, lost their seats in the Central Region.

Anthony Dadzie lost to Dr Samuel Kweku Hayford while Francis Kojo Arthur was defeated by Samuel Kwesi Fletcher, communications manager for the Volta River Authority (VRA). In the Upper East Region, the Bolgatanga Central MP, Emmanuel Opam-Brown, lost to Isaac Adongo while Dominic Azimbe, incumbent MP for Garu, was also defeated, likewise Ben Noah Azure, MP for Binduri.

In the Northern Region, prominent MPs, including  deputy Minister of Agriculture and Member of Parliament (MP) for Mion, Dr, Ahmed Yakubu Alhassan, Majority Chief Whip and MP for Savelugu, Hajia Mary Salifu Boforo and MP for Daboya Mankarigu, Abudu Nelson Baani, were all voted out.