NDC WANT ME DEAD…NANA REPLIES CANCER CLAIM

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Tuesday, August 30, 2016

New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential candidate Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has reminded President John Mahama and his National Democratic Congress (NDC) that no amount of scurrilous attacks against him will distract him from pursuing his political goals for the country.

He has therefore, vowed to continue to sell the NPP’s ideas to the electorate towards the December 7, general election and help to change Ghana for the better, when he is voted into power.

According to Nana Akufo-Addo, in the face of an abysmal record of the  John Mahama-led NDC administration which has led to widespread hardship and suffering amongst the people, the only option left for the current regime is to embark on an abusive campaign against him, (Nana), the latest being that he is suffering from cancer. 

“The president and those who speak for him are today in a difficult situation in Ghana. They want to have a third term in office. But, instead of telling us about all the things they promised to do, so that we can decide whether or not to grant them the third term (ie, being in office for 12 years), they can’t do that,” he said at a well-attended rally in Bolgatanga.

Vile Propaganda

There has been a frantic attempt of late by the ruling NDC to portray the NPP presidential candidate as a sick man, after attempts to tag him as a divisive character fell flat on their face.

The NDC appears to have contracted the US-based magazine called Africawatch, edited by Steve Mallory (real name, Raymond Poku), to perpetrate the diabolical agenda. The recent copies of the magazine had focused on Nana Akufo-Addo.

In what looks like a calculated plan between the NDC and Steve Mallory, the magazine’s yesterday edition had a publication headlined, “NPP campaign in jeopardy…Akufo-Addo has cancer,” to portray the NPP leader as not fit for the election, even though Nana Addo is on his feet campaigning in the Upper East Region.

NDC’s Sam George, last Friday dropped the hint on radio that the NPP campaign was going to grind to a halt by Monday (yesterday).  

                       Sam George, on Asempa FM’s political programme, said boldly, "If you guys know what is coming on Monday, you will run away from Ghana.”

He said in fact, Nana Addo's campaign would come to a halt from Monday going. “Monday is going to be a bomb," Sam George boasted, apparently revealing the NDC’s diabolical agenda.

Mahama’s Campaign Tool

During his address in Bolgatanga, Nana Akufo-Addo said, "Issues of life and death and health are in the hands of the Almighty...I will continue to say, 'The battle is the Lord's.’

“The president has made me his campaign tool. I am his campaign in Ghana today. I am saying to you, as defeat stares him in the face, the language against me is going to go higher and higher and higher, because it is clear to the overwhelming majority of Ghanaians that on the 7th of December, we are going to say to John Dramani Mahama, ‘Thank you and goodbye.’”

He predicted that the NDC would step up the vile propaganda against him saying, “In the meantime the language against me is going to continue, and I want to recall some of the things they have said.

“First they said I was a drug addict. It didn’t work. They said I was sick. It didn’t work. They said I was too old. It didn’t work. They said I was a hunchback. It didn’t work. They said I was a dwarf. It didn’t work. They said I was in a wheelchair. It didn’t work. They said I am a murderer. It didn’t work. They said I will die in June. It didn’t work. They said I was a dictator. It didn’t work. They said I was intolerant. It didn’t work. They said I was violent. It didn’t work. They said I had a secret agenda to destabilize the country. It didn’t work. Now, they say I have cancer. It will not work.”

He added, “It looks as if the only way the president will get a third term is when I am sick or I am dead. That is the only ground on which he will get his third term. Issues of life, death and health are in the hands of the Almighty. I will leave matters in the hands of the Almighty because I believe, and I continue to say ‘The Battle is the Lord’s.’”

Broken Promises

Cataloguing a litany of President Mahama’s broken promises, Nana Akufo-Addo recounted how the NDC promised a “one time premium for the National Health Insurance Scheme,” and have reneged on this promise, eight years after making it. The NPP flagbearer noted that “not only did this promise not materialize, but they have collapsed the NHIS.”

He continued, “He (President Mahama) told us he was going to build 200 community day senior high schools. 

According to his finance minister, he has been able to build nine. He told us in 2012 that dumsor will be over by 2013. We are in 2016, and dumsor is still with us in Ghana. President Mahama was here in the North last week, and not once did he speak about SADA, because SADA has become a monumental failure.”

NDC TAGS NANA WITH CANCER

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Monday, August 29, 2016

There is every indication that the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) is bent on portraying the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as a sick man after efforts to tag him as a divisive character had not washed.

As part of the strategy - as captured in the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) report on the NDC losing power - the governing party, apart from leveling unfounded   allegations against Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has been attacking the personality of the NPP leader.

The NDC appears to have contracted the US-based magazine called Africawatch, edited by Steve Mallory (real name, Raymond Poku), to perpetrate the diabolical agenda. The recent copies of the magazine had focused on Nana Addo.

In what looks like a calculated plan between the NDC and Steve Mallory, DAILY GUIDE understands, the magazine is coming out tomorrow with a publication headlined, “NPP campaign in jeopardy…Akufo-Addo has cancer,” to portray the NPP leader as not fit for the election, even though Nana Addo is on his feet campaigning in the Upper East Region as at last night.

NDC Link

The link between the NDC and Steve Mallory was revealed by one of the ruling party’s communicators, Sam George, last Friday when he predicted without any equivocation on radio that the NPP campaign was going to grind to a halt by Monday (today) and that is exactly what the magazine has displayed in its latest edition - 4,000 copies of which were flown in from the United States.

Sam Goerge said boldly on Asempa FM’s afternoon political talk-show, ‘Ekosii Sen,’ that the NDC was going to talk about the health status of Nana Akufo-Addo as well as delve into what he claimed to be the NPP leader’s past social records.

On the cover page of the magazine, Steve Mallory displays a photo-shopped picture of Nana Akufo-Addo to portray him as looking sick with dark spots.

Scurrilous Agenda

A source close to the medical team of Nana Akufo-Addo reacted to the publication, describing it as ‘scurrilous.”

“He is not suffering from any cancer. They have photo-shopped a picture of Nana Akufo-Addo making him to look sick,” the source said angrily.

“Nana Akufo-Addo is fit and vigorous and is campaigning all over the country,” the source added.

NDC Magazine

Africawatch is a preferred magazine by the NDC, using its editor to destroy the reputations of perceived opponents of President John Mahama and his NDC administration, just like Montie Fm.

Recently, the same magazine published that former President Jerry John Rawlings was suffering from Parkinson’s disease and DAILY GUIDE learnt that it was orchestrated by elements within the ruling party to cow the founder of their own party into submission.

The publication got Mr Rawlings infuriated, threatening a court action.

A source said the publication was done to spite their founder because they felt he was weighing too much influence on chiefs in the Volta Region, some of who had been complaining about lack of development in their respective areas, in spite of the fact that the region votes massively for the NDC.

The party’s stalwarts felt the founder might cause the chiefs and people of the region to vote against the ruling party in December.

DAILY GUIDE further learnt that the NDC also appears to have facilitated the publication of the interview of suspended NPP National Chairman, Paul Afoko, by the magazine to portray the opposition party as divided, but the Dzifa Attivor ethnocentric comments rendered the publication useless.

It will not be surprising if in the next few days the pro-NDC newspapers feed on what some NPP bigwigs have described as scurrilous publication by the magazine as part of the grand scheme to make Nana Akufo-Addo and his NPP look bad in the eyes of the public.

DAILY GUIDE sources said as part of the NDC campaign strategy it would go all out on Nana Akufo-Addo to provoke him to react so that party activists would describe him as intolerant, using their media hirelings.

President Mahama has been constantly attacking the NPP leaders after intended internal revolt instigated by the ruling party appears to have failed.

V ice President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur also dropped a hint over the weekend that the NDC would go all out to attack the NPP, warning that attacking and leveling allegations against President Mahama, especially describing him “incompetent” leader, would not go without being reacted to.

Boot For Boot

The NDC campaign spokesperson, Joyce Bawa Mogtari, said the NPP must first stop the insults if they want a clean campaign ahead of the December 7 polls.

“When you look at the accusation from the opposition, what I want to ask is, who was the first to describe President Mahama as incompetent?” she queried.

“No matter the circumstances, no matter the level of context, I think that a flagbearer of any political party must at least show some respect and decorum in their speech and the way you describe your opponent so yes, I am saying President Mahama is in campaign mood and has decided to meet the opposition boot for boot,” she fired.

Incompetent

But the NPP insists that the president has been very incompetent in handling the affairs of the country.

The party cited the management of the economy which it says President Mahama has ran down.

According to the major opposition party, corruption and mismanagement have been the order of the day in the Mahama administration, having inherited an economy that was growing at 14 percent in 2009 and succeeded in driving it down to 3 percent in 2016.

Mahama Has No Vision

Nana Akufo-Addo, in his campaign tour of the Upper East Region, said it would be a grave mistake on the part of Ghanaians to retain President Mahama for another four years.

According to the NPP standard bearer, the problems confronting the nation - the rising cost of living, rising levels of unemployment, high utility tariffs, decline in agricultural and industrial output, amongst others – are as a result of President Mahama having “no plan, vision or action to address the problems of our people.”

Nana Addo therefore, stressed, “It would be a mistake to continue with where we are now. So many of the important aspects of our national life, today, are all in retreat. Our economy is in poor shape; and I don’t think there is any honest person in this country, today, who can say Ghana’s economy is working well.

It is not working well. Our industries are not working well; our agriculture is not working well; and unemployment amongst our young people is reaching record proportions.”

Akufo-Addo made these observations when he was addressing the Bolgatanga Traditional Council in the Upper East Region yesterday.

POLICE CHIEF ARRESTED FOR CAR FRAUD

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Monday, August 29, 2016

A top police officer stationed at the Airport District in Accra, Superintendent Felix Agbenyegah Anyidoho, who has been arrested, is facing administrative enquiry for allegedly engaging in fraudulent activities.

Superintendent Anyidoho, the Crime Officer at the Airport Police Station, was said to have been handcuffed alongside a junior colleague of his and taken to the Police Headquarters last Thursday.

His arrest followed incessant complaints to the Police Administration by some business people, especially vehicle dealers, that he was using his office to perpetrate fraud and theft.

In one of such cases, he purportedly collected a 2013 Toyota Highlander from a car dealer under the pretext of buying it but vanished with the vehicle.

He reportedly used his influence to block any attempt to investigate him.

Supt. Anyidoho reportedly issued dud cheques on different occasions to the complainant, refused to release the vehicle when the owner said he was no longer interested in the deal and succeeded in preventing investigations into the case.

Even petitions the complainant sent to the Police Intelligence and Professional Standards (PIPS) Unit of the Ghana Police Service and other follow-ups to the Police Headquarters fell on deaf ears, leaving the complainant Ernest Asare, a car dealer, frustrated.

Narrating his ordeal to DAILY GUIDE, the complainant said about three months ago, a lady whose name he gave as Araba visited his garage near the Achimota overhead bridge in Accra and expressed interest in buying a Toyota Corolla saloon car from him.

“The lady then said her boyfriend- Supt. Anyidoho works at the Airport Police Station and had asked us to accompany her with the car to the station for inspection,” Mr Ernest Asare narrated.

He said, “On our way to the Airport Police Station, the lady made a call to the police officer to the effect that we were on our way to the place and the policeman redirected us to the Polo Ground which is near the station and we met him there.”

Mr Asare said the officer then requested for another vehicle and he mentioned the Toyota Highlander (2013 model) to him which was yet to be cleared from the port.

“Mr. Anyidoho said he wanted to buy the yet-to-be-cleared Highlander and immediately asked us to send the Corolla back to the garage, which we obliged,” the complainant posited.

He said 11 days later he called the police chief to inform him that the Highlander had been cleared from the port, adding that the “police chief asked us to send him pictures of the vehicle.”

The complainant said the crime officer then asked them to meet him at the Mile 7 Police Station at Achimota where he (complainant) said Mr. Anyidoho resides.

“On June 13, 2016, we went to the Mile 7 Police Station and met him where he took possession of the car and handed it over to his colleague Mile 7 crime officer and said he would ask his auto mechanic to come over and inspect the vehicle,” Mr Asare disclosed.

He said around 5pm the same day, Mr. Anyidoho telephoned him and said he was going to purchase the vehicle and asked them to meet him in his office at the Airport by 9am the following day.

“We met the officer in his office the next day where we agreed on the price at GH¢150,000 and he immediately issued two Stanbic Bank cheques in GH¢80,000 to be cashed on 24/06/16 and GH¢70,000 to be cashed on 29/07/16.”

He said the first cheque bounced so the officer called them and pleaded with them and issued another set of cheques to be cashed at the UBA Bank.

He said the UBA cheques were GH¢50,000 to be cashed on 06/07/16 and GH¢30,000 meant to be cashed on 12/07/16 but the first cheque again bounced.

Mr Asare claimed that the officer is operating a car stealing syndicate that clones chassis numbers of vehicles to prepare fresh documents and use them to perpetrate fraud.

The complainant also said that at one point Mr. Anyidoho brought his in-laws from Kumasi to plead on his behalf to give him until July 30, 2016 to pay the money but reneged on the promise.

When DAILY GUIDE contacted the officer early last week, he promised to pay the money by last Saturday but the complainant said it had not been paid yet.

NANA PROMISES POLICING BALLOT

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Monday, August 29, 2016

New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential candidate, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has vowed to lead the NPP to insist on allowing the electorate to select their preferred candidate during the December general election.

“The count, the collation, the transmission and the declaration of results cannot and should not be more important than the sacred, God-given right of a citizen expressing his or her choice represented by the casting of his or her ballot,” the NPP leader said in a statement commemorating the 3^rd Anniversary of the ruling on the landmark presidential election petition.

Supreme Court Judgement

Exactly three years today, the Supreme Court delivered a 5-4 majority judgement on the election petition that challenged the validity of the results of the 2012 presidential election.

The NPP, through Nana Akufo-Addo; his running mate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and the party’s then Chairman, Jake Otanka Obetsebi-Lamptey (deceased) filed the suit but a slim majority of the nine-member panel presided over by Justice William Atuguba, rejected the challenge and affirmed John Mahama as validly elected.

Immediately after the judgement, Nana Akufo-Addo said although he disagreed with the court, he was leading the NPP to accept the verdict for the peace of the nation - a move that earned him international acclaim.

Message To Heart

In his commemoration statement yesterday, the NPP leader said, “The message from the majority on the court was clear, and to the effect that, regardless of the infractions or irregularities that might happen on Election Day, what happens at the polling station is sacred and results declared there will not be reversed. We, in the NPP, have taken that message to heart.”

Nana Akufo-Addo, who is currently on a campaign tour of the Upper East Region, said even though the sanctity of the ballot “is and must” be supreme, “It is the expression of preference involved in the casting of the ballot that is sacred – the rest of the activities are, at best, administrative exercises.”

Election Credibility

“The strength of any democracy is very much determined by the credibility of its electoral system. It is in our collective interest that we ensure that the rules and regulations for the conduct of elections are fair and transparent, and that we all develop respect for them.”

He added, “There should be no lingering questions about the legitimacy of an election, and the winning candidate at the end of the process should receive the unalloyed support of all. That is how we can strengthen our democracy and the peace and stability of our nation.”

Bad Leadership

According to Nana Addo, “With three months to the holding of the December 2016 elections, our economy is in crisis; businesses are collapsing; the cost of living is unbearably high for the ordinary person; our youth remain without employment; our children are failing in their examinations; cash and carry is effectively back in our hospitals and we are experiencing strikes all over. God did not put us on this rich land to be poor. It is bad leadership that makes us poor.”

Nana Akufo-Addo articulated, “I believe I can, in all humility, provide, with God’s guidance and the assistance of a capable team, the leadership that is needed to return Ghana onto the path of progress and prosperity, were the Ghanaian people to entrust me with their mandate. I am appealing to Ghanaians to repose their confidence in me in December, and together we shall make the Black Star of Africa rise and shine again.”

BIE GYA! MONTIE 3 ARE BACK … ‘WE ARE UNSHAKABLE’

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Saturday, August 27, 2016

The three National Democratic Congress (NDC) activists who were jailed for contempt by the Supreme Court have ‘vowed’ not to do anything that would send them back to prison again.

The three convicts were freed yesterday to a rousing welcome at a rally held at the premises of Radio Gold in Accra - where Montie FM is located - amidst chants of ‘Bie gya’ (open fire, more fire) by charged NDC sympathizers.

"Bie gya! More fire! Unstoppable! Unshakable! Unbreakable!” the Master of the ceremony (MC) fired up the crowd, and they shouted same in return.

The ex-convicts were released to their lawyers at the Akuse Prison after a presidential remission.

They had been transferred from the Medium Security Prison at Nsawam to Akuse when the order for their release was issued by President Mahama. 

“We have learnt our lessons and we would like to reiterate President Mahama’s call to our fellow media practitioners and all who appear on our platforms to take a cue from what happened to us and be circumspect in their utterances,” Salifu Maase aka Mugabe, who is the host of ‘Pampaso,’ a political talk-show on Montie FM, said on behalf of his other convicted colleagues yesterday.

President John Mahama set tongues wagging on Monday when he ordered the release of Mugabe, Godwin Ako-Gunn and Alistair Tairo Nelson about a month after the Supreme Court had jailed them for four months each with an additional fine of GH¢10,000 or in default serve another month in prison.

Communications Minister, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, had said in a statement that the president acted under Article 72 of the Constitution on the advice of the Council of State - a decision many have described as abuse of the president’s powers.

Appreciation

Mugabe, who was flanked by Ako-Gunn and Alistair in NDC mufflers, expressed their appreciation to President Mahama for releasing them, saying, “we want to express our appreciation to President Mahama for graciously exercising his constitutional powers under Article 72 of the Constitution in our favour in remitting the remainder of the custodial sentence imposed on us recently.

 “We would also like to thank the Council of State profusely for its role in our release. Let’s restate our sincerest apologies to Her Ladyship the Chief Justice, Justices of the Supreme Court and the Bench in general for the unfortunate and regrettable conduct which was rightly condemned by all Ghanaians,” Mugabe declared.

Difficult Times

“The past month has been a difficult one for us and none of us will ever wish to find himself anywhere near that situation again. Never again! Never again! and I say never again. Never again…  

“That being said, we have learned our lesson and we’ll like to reiterate President Mahama’s call to our fellow media practitioners and all who appear on our platforms to take a cue from what happened to us and be circumspect in their utterances,” Maase reiterated.

Mugabe On Air

It is unclear if the management of Montie FM will allow Mugabe back on air after it had been announced in the heat of the contempt proceedings that the released convict had been suspended.

Mugabe had confirmed in his affidavit in response to the contempt charges brought against him and the two others by the Supreme Court in mid July that he had been suspended on July 4.

In the affidavit Mugabe said “my appointment with the station was suspended on 4th July, 2016 until further notice due to the matters giving rise to the application herein.”

Lawyer’s reaction

One of the lawyers of the trio, George Loh, who is the NDC Member of Parliament (MP) for North Dayi, said, “We’re happy to have our brothers back and the release does not mean we will continue to tolerate the use of improper language on the station. Lessons have been learnt.

“We don’t want to overly send a signal that it is victory for the things that had happened. If it is victory at all, then it is victory that they have gone through a democratic process to get them pardoned.”

He also said the management of the station was going to make sure that such ‘unguarded’ statements would not be repeated on the network.

Signature Collection

After the three NDC activists had been jailed, a group aligned to the ruling party - Research & Advocacy Platform (RAP) - formed by Felix Kwakye Ofosu, a Deputy Minister of Communications, initiated the collection of signatures with appointees of the president lining up to append their signatures for the release of the convicts.

The group presented its report to the presidency last week which was subsequently presented to the Cecilia Johnson-chaired Council of State.

The three, who used the network to broadcast hate speeches, reportedly endorsed a letter to President Mahama at the Flagstaff House from their Nsawam Medium Security Prison, asking the president to free them.

Executive petitions executive

Key ministers that signed the petition included Prof. Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang (Education), Nana Oye Lithur (Gender, Children and Social Protection), Elizabeth Ofosu Agyare (Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts), Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa (deputy Education), Felix Kwakye Ofosu (deputy Communications), Benjamin Dagadu (deputy Energy and Petroleum) and Benita Okiti Dua (deputy minister of Fisheries).

The appointees like Valerie Sawyerr, former deputy Chief of Staff, Office of the President and others signed while former Attorney General Betty Mould Iddrisu, now a Vice Chairperson of the NDC, also gave her endorsement.

Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, Minister of Trade and Industry, Fifi Kwetey, Okudzeto Ablakwa and NDC top executives, including their National Chairman Kofi Portuphy and General Secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, also visited the convicts at Nsawam.

Mugabe has always expressed his readiness to go to jail in defence of President Mahama. 

The Attorney-General had refused to press criminal charges against the convicts for threatening to kill the judges.

MAHAMA SNUBS LAWYER OVER MONTIE 3

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Friday, August 26, 2016

President John Mahama appears to have snubbed his lawyer who secured victory for him during the disputed presidential election in 2012 where the Supreme Court affirmed him as validly elected.

The lawyer, Tony Lithur, had cautioned President Mahama against granting remission to the three National Democratic Congress (NDC) activists - now known as Montie 3 - convicted for contempt by the Supreme Court.

Interestingly, while the lawyer was advising the president against exercising the prerogative of mercy, Mr Lithur’s wife, Nana Oye Lithur, Minister of Women, Children and Social Protection, was pushing for the release of the jailed Montie FM programme host and two panelists by signing a petition urging the president to free the NDC activists.

Nana Oye, a lawyer, was not the only woman in the Mahama administration who wanted the convicts - who threatened to slaughter judges as well as ‘rape’ the Chief Justice – released, but also Education Minister, Prof Jane Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang (former Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast) and Valerie Sawyerr, a lawyer and former deputy Chief of Staff. 

President Mahama shocked many people on Monday when he defied all odds and granted the remission which Mr. Lithur had warned was going to feed into the perception that the NDC is still anti-judiciary.

Immediately the three - Salifu Maase aka Mugabe who hosts Montie FM’s afternoon political programme called ‘Pampaso,’ Alistair Tairo Nelson and Godwin Ako Gunn (the panelists) - were jailed, Mr. Lithur wrote that even though there was a feeling of anger among many NDC supporters, the president should not take the action to feed into the perception that the NDC does not like the judiciary.

NDC Stigma

“I wish to add that as a party there is already a stigma in our history of the murder of judges under our watch. We should avoid the deepening of any perception that we are against the judiciary in such fundamental way that translates into threat of physical harm,” the lawyer reportedly made the comment on one of the NDC social media platforms.

“The feeling of anger and disgust at the sentencing of our friends by the Supreme Court is very understandable. I agree with you that whatever the wrongs the accused persons may have committed the sentencing, while it should serve as a measure of deterrent, should also have taken into consideration the constitutional requirements of freedom of speech and press freedom.

“In addition I think the judiciary should have borne in mind the perception that may be created of high-handed and judicial tyranny by the method of redress it had chosen and the severity of the sentences, notwithstanding the real and palpable remorse publicly shown by the accused persons,” Mr Lithur remarked.

Grant Of Remission

Mr Tony Lithur continued, “However, the answer in my very humble view, is not the resort to executive intervention by the grant of pardon. Let us step back for a moment. What will be the effect or, at least, the perception of the grant of pardon?”

The lawyer said if the president granted the pardon, “it would constitute a direct undermining of the judiciary in a manner that is unprecedented in recent times.”

Public Support

He said as the NDC awaits the commencement of a new legal year so that the review process could be filed, the party should be seen to stating publicly “what our views are about the sentences, choosing moderate language and still showing respect to the judiciary.

After all, when it came to the crunch in 2013, it is this same body that held the balance. Let that body not see NDC as the enemy. Let's accept its verdict while we take formal steps to take a second bite at the cherry.”

AFOKO CHALLENGES NPP VICTORY

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Thursday, August 25, 2016 

Suspended New Patriotic Party (NPP) National Chairman Paul Afoko has filed a notice of appeal challenging the judgement delivered by an Accra human rights court in favour of the opposition party.

Mr. Afoko wants the Court of Appeal to set aside the affirmation of the NPP’s decision to suspend him by the trial court, presided over by Justice Anthony K. Yeboah.

The notice of appeal was filed on August 22 on behalf of Mr. Afoko by O.K. Osafo-Buabeng of Oseawuo Chambers & Co, solicitors of the appellant.

The relief being sought by Mr. Afoko is that “the judgement of August 15, 2016 be set aside and the plaintiff be granted all the reliefs endorsed on the writ of summons.”

On the notice of appeal, Mr. Afoko is complaining about “the whole decision” of the human rights court and said, “The learned judge erred in declaring the plaintiff as the indefinitely suspended member and National Chairman of the 1^st defendant (NPP) in the absence of any counterclaim by the 1^st defendant or evidence on record.”

Main Action

Mr. Afoko sued the NPP and its Acting National Chairman, Freddie Blay, who doubles as the First National Vice Chairmen of the party after he was suspended indefinitely in October last year.

The party’s Disciplinary Committee (DC) had recommended his suspension from the NPP after a petition by two members; and Mr. Afoko wanted the court to order his re-instatement as the National Chairman because he claimed that the party’s action was unconstitutional.

A similar case instituted by Sammy Crabbe, the suspended 2^nd Vice Chairman, was thrown out by another human rights court for lacking merit.

Mr. Afoko’s action, which started in December 2015, contended the constitutionality of the party’s Disciplinary Committee that recommended his suspension.

He was accused by his party of working behind the scenes to block the party’s chances of winning the December 7 elections.

In what looks like a massive boost for the party as it prepares for Election 2016 in December, the court said the NPP did not breach its constitution in suspending Mr. Afoko.

Justice Yeboah said Afoko failed to prove that the party erred in suspending him, saying that the NPP acted fairly and lawfully in the decision to suspend him.

Final Blow

“Taking into account all the available evidence and on the balance of probability, the plaintiff’s (Afoko’s) action fails. His claims for reliefs are dismissed,” Justice Yeboah had said in his 85-page judgement that lasted more than two hours.

“The plaintiff should remain as the indefinitely-suspended Chairman of the first respondent (NPP),” the court declared.

It also held that not only is Afoko suspended as an officer (National Chairman) of the NPP, but also as a member of the party per the judge’s interpretation of the NPP constitution.

MAHAMA UNDER FIRE OVER MONTIE 3

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Wednesday, August 24, 2016 

President John Mahama’s decision to order the release of three National Democratic Congress (NDC) activists who were jailed for contempt by the Supreme Court has sparked outrage throughout the country.

Many legal practitioners and influential personalities have observed that Mr. Mahama had set a ‘dangerous’ precedence while others said the president’s action would promote lawlessness and incapacitate the judiciary from upholding the administration of justice and the promotion of the rule of law.

Constitutional Lawlessness

New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Abuakwa South, Samuel Atta Akyea, a lawyer, described the president’s action as ‘constitutional lawlessness’ and said his (president’s) decision was founded on partisan grounds and was being used to spite the judiciary in the face.

He explained on Joy FM that the president had proven by his action that when one speaks for him and rubbishes or threatens others, he will invoke his constitutional powers to grant pardon and added that his action showed clearly that he was determined to please his NDC supporters and not necessarily uphold the Constitution.

He noted that the president has the comfort to rule this country because of a decision of the Supreme Court, without which he would not be president - in reference to the landmark Presidential Election Petition.

Recipe for Disrespect

Former Attorney General Joseph Ayikoi Otoo said the president’s action would promote disrespect directed at judges, saying the remission of the sentence would only lay the grounds for people with political leanings to misbehave towards the judiciary.

He told Kasapa FM in Accra yesterday, “It’s unfortunate, I don’t speak for the Judges and I don’t know how they’ll feel, but I can say that they will be highly disappointed…this is the logical inferences that could be drawn from what has happened.”

NDC President

Mr Ayikoi Otoo said the invocation of the president’s constitutional powers under Article 72 of the 1992 Constitution in the manner he did was for political expediency following the pressure mounted on him by members and ministers of the NDC to have the three freed, explaining, “It’s a show for the NDC... this has proven that he is a president for only members of his party – NDC.”

“It is very clear that these are NDC operatives and they were sure that the president would do that (pardon them). Consulting the Council of State made no difference. If the president wants to be seen as an NDC president, he should go ahead and do that. Those words that they have added to the statement about him cautioning people, they shouldn’t have added that. If he wanted to caution people, he should have allowed them to serve their sentence.”

Miscreants Endorsement

The Ranking Member of the Parliamentary Committee on Legal, Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs, Joe Osei-Wusu, who is NPP MP for Bekwai, preferred to tackle the issue from the angle of the Council of State.

He described the council as ‘a haven for scoundrels’ saying, “Every country rests firmly on some pillars of state. One such pillar is the Council of State. 

Rather than standing firm and being a pillar, statesmen and women, they have chosen to be partisan; and I regret that very much. They have become an anchor for misconduct rather than the pillars of state,” he bemoaned.

He told Class FM that he found the actions of the president and the Council of State dangerous saying, “People who misconduct themselves will petition and the Council of State will say: ‘On compassionate grounds, give it to them, release them…’ rather than the Council of State standing firmly and saying: ‘No, this state must be protected from miscreants; people who abuse their constitutional powers must be punished.’ These statesmen and women have become supporters of miscreants, those who misconduct themselves and abuse the constitutional rights they have.”

PNC Disappointed

Presidential candidate for the People’s National Convention (PNC), Dr. Edward Nasigre Mahama also waded into the issue and condemned President Mahama on Twitter, a social media platform.

He posted on Monday: “I am very disappointed in the president’s decision to endorse Montie Fm insults on our leaders, judges, by releasing them. John the other Mahama has just stabbed the judiciary in the back. Cry my beloved country. This is an attack on the rule of law. #RestoreGhana.”

MAHAMA FREES MONTIE 3

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

President John Mahama has freed the Montie trio who were jailed by the Supreme Court over contemptuous remarks they made during a radio programme on Montie FM - an Accra private radio station.

A statement issued by Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, Communications Minister, announced that the president, “in consultation with the Council of State and in exercise of his constitutional powers under Article 72 of the Constitution, remitted the remaining prison sentence imposed on three persons: Salifu Maase (alias Mugabe), Alistair Nelson and Godwin Ako Gunn who were sentenced to 4 months imprisonment and a fine of GH¢10,000.00 each for contempt of court.”

The remission is effective Friday, August 26, 2016 - one month after their conviction, the statement added.

The three persons were sentenced on July 27, 2016 and have served part of the jail sentence slapped on them, aside the payment of fines.

The NDC activists who claimed they are die hard supporters of President John Mahama, threatened to kill the judges after boasting on air that they know where they (judges) reside, with one of them adding that Chief Justice Georgina Wood should be prepared to be raped in the event of war breaking out because a certain Nash of Mataheko said he would ‘marry’ her.

The remission comes at the heels of various orchestrated signatories to a petition opened at the Montie FM station.

Government ministers and appointees have all trooped to the radio station to append their signatures to the petition.

The government statement on the remission continued, “The decision of His Excellency the President to remit their sentences on compassionate grounds follows a petition submitted to him by the contemnors appealing to the President to exercise his prerogative of mercy even as they continue to express deep remorse and regret for the unacceptable statements they made against the Judiciary.”

A plea of clemency reportedly entered by the Council of State on behalf of the three: Salifu Maase aka Mugabe, the ‘Pampaso’ programme host on Montie FM and his two guests, Godwin Ako Gunn, 39 and Alistair Tairo Nelson, 41, to the president two weeks ago, added to the seeming pressure brought to bear upon the president to grant the three a pardon.

The decision appears to have shocked political pundits who believe that if plea of clemency is the only way to get out of prisons then a lot of prisoners are more qualified than the NDC convicts, who in the face of the matter being in court, were recalcitrant, showing no remorse until it dawned on them that they were going to prison.

NDC Press

Some pro-NDC newspapers had already published a story to the effect that the Council of State met the president over a remission and that it was only a matter of time that the trio would come out of the Nsawam Medium Security Prisons.

However, DAILY GUIDE sources had also suggested that President Mahama had sought to use the impending visit of President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe whom they were going to persuade to add his voice to the call for the release of the trio. However, the trip could not take place as the Zimbabwean leader cancelled the trip, citing security concerns back home.

Presentation Of Petition

Presenting the petitions to the Chairperson of the Council of State, Cecilia Johnson, the Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, who was the former Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, said President Mahama was looking forward to the advice of the Council. 

The Chairperson had announced that the petitions would be submitted to the Legal Committee of the Council for initial review before the Council as a whole meets to consider the issues. President Mahama has eventually been given the green light to free the convicts.

Executive Petitions Executive

Key ministers that signed the petition include Prof. Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang (Education), Nana Oye Lithur (Gender and Social Protection), Elizabeth Ofosu Agyare (Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts), Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa (deputy Education), Felix Kwakye Ofosu (deputy Communications) Benjamin Dagadu, (deputy Energy and Petroleum), Benita Okiti Dua, (deputy minister of Fisheries) among others.

The appointees like Valerie Sawyerr former deputy Chief of Staff, of the office of the president and others have signed while former Attorney General Betty Mould Iddrisu - now a vice chairperson of the NDC, also gave her endorsement while the likes of Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, Minister of Trade and Industry, had visited the convicts at Nsawam.

This shows that all the ministers were in support of the attack on the justices, including the threat of rape on Chief Justice Georgina Wood.

Salifu Maase had always boasted that he speaks to defend the president and if because of Mr. Mahama he would go to jail so be it. 

The Attorney General had refused to press criminal charges against the convicts for threatening to kill the judges.