FORD GIFT SAGA: MAHAMA VIOLATES POLICY SAYS CHRAJ

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Friday, September 30, 2016

The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has established that President John Dramani Mahama breached the gift policy of the state when he accepted a Ford Expedition vehicle gift from a Burkinabe contractor.

The CHRAJ, in its 78-page report released late Wednesday said, “The Commission is satisfied that the gift in question forms part of gifts prohibited under the Gift Policy under the Code of Conduct. Although the evidence shows that the Respondent subsequently surrendered the gift to the State, the action nonetheless contravened the gift policy.”

When Mr Mahama was the vice president during the tenure of former President John Evans Atta Mills, he took delivery of a brand new 2010 Ford Expedition in 2010 from Djibril Kanazoe, whose company had since been awarded juicy government contracts, including the construction of the controversial $650,000 Ghana Embassy fence wall in Burkina Faso - apart from other multi-million dollar contracts, since his encounter with President Mahama.

The Burkinabe contractor sent the gift, believed to be worth $100,000, to his friend, Mr. Mahama, through the Ghana Embassy in Ouagadougou and the transaction had been concealed for about four years until its lid was blown by journalist Manasseh Awuni Azure of Joy FM.

Three petitions had been filed separately by the National Youth League of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), a private citizen, Nana Adofo Ofori, as well as Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom’s Progressive People’s Party (PPP), all citing President Mahama as having received bribe and indulging in conflict of interest.

Issues Set Out 

According to CHRAJ, it set out 13 issues for investigation into the matter before concluding that the president did not put himself in any conflict of interest situation.

The commission explained in the report that although President Mahama ‘contravened’ the Gift Policy of the state, there was no ‘conflict of interest’ on the part of the president as raised by the petitioners.

 “At the end of the preliminary investigation, CHRAJ has come to the conclusion, based on the extensive evidence assembled that the allegations that the Respondent has contravened Article 284 of the 1992 Constitution by putting himself in situations of conflict of interest have not been substantiated. Consequently, the Commission holds that full or further investigations into the allegations are not warranted. The allegations, therefore, are hereby dismissed.”

Presidential Pool

CHRAJ said there was evidence that when the president took delivery of the said vehicle, he handed it over to the state and the vehicle was included in the presidential pool on November 2, 2012 and therefore the action cured any charge of conflict of interest against him (president).

“Having reviewed the evidence on the actions and conduct of the Respondent after the gift was made, the Commission is satisfied that his actions and conduct sufficiently dealt with any conflict of interest that could have been occasioned. In the circumstances, the Commission finds that the Respondent did not put himself in a conflict of interest situation or contravene the conflict of interest rules under Article 284 of the 1992 Constitution.

The document, signed by Acting CHRAJ Commissioner Richard Quayson, indicated that “the Commission accordingly finds that the circumstances under which the gift was delivered to the Respondent, and conduct of the Respondent after the gift was made sufficiently rebuts the presumption of acceptance of a bribe by a public officer,” CHRAJ posited, adding, “In the circumstances, the Commission is satisfied that the Respondent’s conduct did not violate Article 284 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.”

Prohibited Gift

Interestingly, CHRAJ held that the gift in question formed part of gifts prohibited by the Gift Policy under the Code of Conduct and added that although the evidence showed that President Mahama subsequently surrendered the gift to the State, the action nonetheless contravened the gift policy.

“The Commission is satisfied with the actions of the Respondent after the gift was made, and accordingly finds that his conduct was not consistent with that of a person who had been corrupted by a gift or improperly influenced by same.

“On the basis of the available evidence, the Commission finds clearly stated on the face of the Customs Temporary Vehicle Importation permission duly stamped and signed by Customs officials, the name of Ouedraogo Cheick Mohammed as the owner/driver and therefore finds the allegation of the perpetration of fraud on Ghanaians on the part of the Respondent totally misconceived and unsupported by the evidence.”

Contracts Influenced

CHRAJ said there was no evidence that the gift to the president influenced the award of contracts to the person who had offered it and added that all the contracts given to Djibril Kanazoe duly passed through procurement processes.

 “At the end of the preliminary investigation, the Commission has come to the conclusion, based on the extensive evidence assembled that the allegations that the Respondent has contravened Article 284 of the 1992 Constitution by putting himself in situations of conflict of interest have not been substantiated. Consequently, the Commission holds that full or further investigations into the allegations are not warranted.

The allegations, therefore, are hereby dismissed.”

Lawyer Reacts

Reacting to the CHRAJ ruling, Tony Lithur, lawyer for President Mahama, lauded the Commission’s decision.

“I commend CHRAJ for discharging its constitutional mandate with dispatch, and hope that the clarity and completeness of its determination of all the issues will finally lay this matter to rest once and for all,” he said in a statement.

FIFI KWETEY DAZED AFTER PROPAGANDA FORUM

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By William Yaw Owusu

Friday, September 30, 2016

A simple question that sought to juxtapose the performance of John Dramani Mahama as president and as former vice president sent the National Democratic Congress (NDC) former propaganda chief, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, on the canvass.

At the NDC’s infamous programme dubbed, ‘Setting the Records Straight’ last week, Fifi Kwetey, who is currently the minister of Transport, extolled the virtues of President Mahama as then head of the economic management team under late President John Evans Atta Mills.

However, when he was asked about the reasons for the current economic mess under the same Mahama and whether current Vice President Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur has failed in the same role, Fifi Kwetey started engaging in what can best be described as “vodoo analysis,” as the question caught him napping, chanting ‘eh eh eh’ before Okudzeto Ablakwa – deputy minister in-charge of tertiary education - rescued him.

The question, which was the only one asked by the horde of journalists at the forum - knowing that the whole exercise was propaganda - threw Fifi Kwetey off balance and he started attacking the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) for claiming that the NDC government is fast bringing Ghana on its knees in all sectors of the economy.

Weird Analysis

In reference to President Mahama, the deputy minister said, “He led the NDC to chalk some unprecedented successes. As a country we were moving into what we call head wins at the close of the year 2010.

“The most important part of that head win was the phenomenal jump that happened in the public sector wage which is going from the previous GH¢2.5 billion of the NPP into initially somewhere in the region of about 8 to 9 billion and as I am talking to you projected this year, we are looking at about GH¢12 billion.”

He noted, “Because you must remember the very first point of call in every country is wages; that is the first thing you must do and the second is interest payment. The very first one which is interest, if it jumps very high naturally you are going to have difficulties.”

Non-Performing Loans

He said, “JM has ensured that throughout this period, non-performing loans within the banking sector never reached the 22% that the NPP left it. Throughout this period 2009 till date, JM has competently ensured that we don’t have any of the cocaine cash flowing into the economy so this is what we call real credible economic management.”

Fifi Kwetey, without showing any data said, “Not some economy which they know about. JM has ensured even though the cedi went through some difficulty, this year the cedi has found its strength again and I mentioned 4.1 % depreciation of the currency and that makes it the most stable currency in the West African sub-region and this clearly shows the man JM knows his game.”

Strangely, under Fifi Kwetey as Agric Minister, the sector grew at 0.014% - one of the worst in the country - as well as the cedi depreciating from GH¢1.80 in 2013 to GH¢4 in 2016 after hitting GH¢4.60 in 2015.

Falsehood

Fifi Kwetey is noted for peddling falsehood against his political opponents. In the heat of the 2008 general election, he published that then President John Agyekum Kufuor had stolen all Ghana’s gold reserves at the Bank of Ghana, but when pushed at the vetting committee to provide evidence, he admitted he lied.

Cocaine Trade

A member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) communications team, John Kumah, later reacted to Fifi Kwetey’s claims and accused the NDC of promoting cocaine trade in the country.

Mr. Kumah said Fifi Kwetey lacked credibility and his assertions were entirely untrue, pointing out, “You have used the presidency to promote cocaine and you have the audacity to refer to MV Benjamin which a committee sat and came up to say that the 77 parcels of cocaine was somebody’s figment of imagination and that there was no such thing.”

“What is his (Fifi Kwetey’s) credibility to raise dead propaganda issues over weightier matters like you have received GH¢248 billion and you have not accounted for it?”

Mr. Kuma said the NDC has retrogressed and dwindled Ghana’s economic fortunes, in spite of the firm foundation laid by the NPP before 2009.

123 COMMUNITY DAY SCHOOLS MISSING

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By William Yaw Owusu

Thursday, September 29, 2016

It is becoming evident that the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) is struggling to locate most of the 123 community day Senior High Schools (SHS) that it claims to have built.

With the commencement of the 2016/2017 academic year, two leading members of the NDC had promised to submit a list of the total number of schools that have been completed, but had not been able to do so by the time of putting this paper to bed.

No Show

Last week, Eric Ametor Quarmyne, one of NDC’s leading communicators, who is on the payroll of the collapsing National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) - even on retirement as consultant - was on radio claiming that the NDC government has a list of all the SHSs which have been completed and promised to furnish Peace FM – an Accra-based radio station - yesterday but when he appeared on the ‘Morning Show’ programme, he said he could not get the list.

He said he personally went to the Ministry of Education, entered the various units, including the outfit in-charge of projects, but nobody could retrieve the list for him.

He, however, read out what is already in the media domain in the course of the radio programme.

Ablakwa’s figures

Samuel Okudzeto-Ablakwa, a Deputy Minister of Education, also promised to furnish the public with the list of the so-called 123 completed schools when he appeared on Joy FM’s ‘News File’ talk-show at the weekend, but up till now there has not been any communication from him, despite promptings by those who made the requests, including Abdul Malik Kweku Baako, editor-in chief of The New Crusading GUIDE newspaper.

Mr Ablakwa was, however, captured in a state-owned newspaper yesterday, saying that 42 community Day SHSs would be ready to open for admissions for the 2016/2017 academic year.

Most of the commissioned schools were the World Bank-funded ones while the Ghana government ones are struggling for completion because of unavailability of funds – the reason why the president cannot fulfill his campaign promise.

He said 10 had already been inaugurated while two -Agric Nzema Day SHS in the Ashanti Region and Nemonwora Day SHS in the Agona East District of the Central Region- would be inaugurated very soon, adding that 30 were at various stages of completion.

He is also quoted as saying that nine out of the remaining 30 would be completed before September ends and the remaining 21 would be completed before October ends.

Interestingly, on September 4, this same minister was on Citi FM saying he believed that about 70 of the schools would be ready to admit fresh students in the current academic year, and this even contradicted President John Mahama’s 123 schools.

This raises suspicion that in effect, only 42 schools may be ready by the end of the year to admit students.

The Mahama administration, as a major campaign message, had promised to construct 200 community day schools by the close of 2016.

The costs of the schools are also problematic as contracts were awarded without funding, compelling contractors to raise money for the projects.

Mahama’s Admission

On September 5, President Mahama finally admitted that he could not complete all the 200 community day schools he promised Ghanaians in his first term in office.

He had promised that 123 schools were under construction and that he could complete all of them before the December 7 general election, confirming skeptics’ perception on the grandiose promise.

 “In my next term of office (from 2017), by the grace of God, we will complete all the 200 new senior high schools that I promised. As I said, currently, 123 are under construction, and that means that the Central Region will receive additional secondary schools among the remaining over 70 schools that we shall build,” he stated during the inauguration of the Abodoman Community Day Senior High School in the Agona East District of the Central Region.

Location Issues

The locations of most of the schools are likely to cause problems for the people the government intends to serve, leaving critics to wonder if the whole thing was carefully thought-out before the government rolled out such initiative.

Most of the schools are clearly isolated from the communities and some are cited in villages where the government will find enrolment hard to come by.

Chief of Buabinso, Nana Kwadwo Serbeh Agyemang, has even complained about one of the schools being put up at Kyekyewere in Upper Denkyira East, describing it as a misplaced priority for the people in the area.

He is quoted as saying that there are no adequate accommodation facilities at Kyekyewere to contain students who come from other surrounding areas like Tontokrom, Asaman and Ewisam.

Free SHS Agenda

The school forms part of the 200 community day institutions that President Mahama promised to establish during his four-year term in office but so far, less than 20 of such schools have been completed.

In June, DAILY GUIDE published that the ambitious promise by the president was not feasible, quoting an unnamed source, but the paper was as usual lambasted by National Democratic Congress (NDC) communicators.

As at June, the Mahama-led government had completed and commissioned less than 25 out of the 200 community day SHSs and the World Bank was sponsoring 23 of the 200 with the rest being financed by the Government of Ghana.

Reported lack of resources has conspired to rob the project of its progress.

In the ensuing confusion, the NDC government has not yet been able to tell Ghanaians the actual cost of each of the completed schools, not to talk of the entire 200.

MAHAMA IS BAD DRIVER - BAWUMIA LASHES

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By William Yaw Owusu

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) vice presidential candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, says President John Mahama is an ‘incompetent driver’ whose mandate should not be renewed on December 7.

The distinguished economist, who was once a deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG), said Ghana would be doomed if the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government, headed by Mr. Mahama was given another term to steer the affairs of the country owing to its track record.

He told an enthusiastic crowd on his tour of the Central Region that a New Patriotic Party (NPP) government, headed by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, can reverse the dwindling fortunes of the country.

According to him, Mr John Mahama’s claim that nobody should criticize him except former presidents because they (presidents) are the only people who had been in the saddle before was erroneous since everybody feels the pinch of his incompetent leadership.

He wondered why Ghanaians should keep quiet in the face of mismanagement and corruption, citing the case of a passenger in a recklessly driven vehicle who kept quiet until he was driven into a ditch.

He said, “You don’t have to be a driver before you shout to correct the driver,” Dr Bawumia cautioned.

 “When I first said the Mahama government is incompetent, President Mahama was furious and told me that I’ve never been a president before so I can’t call his government incompetent. Have you ever heard this before?…that when you are in a bus and the driver is not good you can’t say it? That is why we are saying President Mahama is unable to drive Ghana’s vehicle well; he is an incompetent driver.

On December 7, we’ll let him step down so that Nana Akufo-Addo will take over the steering wheel and drive the vehicle well,” he told cheering party supporters at Gomoa.

He had earlier accused the NDC administration of wanton stealing leading to untold hardship in the country.

“If you take a look at our economic situation, you’ll realize that our economic situation has worsened, but that is not because Ghana is not blessed with resources.

“We are rich as a country. I worked at the Bank of Ghana and so I know that Ghana is rich. It is because the managers of the economy are stealing state funds that is why we should all vote them out of power so that nobody sits in Accra and steals money and sends it to Burkina or Dubai,” he stressed.

At Ekumfi Narkwa, the NPP vice presidential candidate repeated the incompetence tag the party had placed on President Mahama and said Ghanaians know he (Mr. Mahama) is not a good driver.

Dr Mahamudu Bawumia said Ghanaians do not need to be behind the steering wheel to know that the vehicle of the state was heading in the wrong direction.

He said the NPP has what he called “carefully thought-out policies” that will ensure the revival of the economy and the creation of jobs when given the mandate.

He said flagship policies such the One District-One Factory, reduction of the tax burden to create an enabling environment for production and ensuring a very vibrant financial sector that supports the private sector with the needed capital at the right rates for business growth would be pursued.

By the time Dr. Bawumia’s entourage reached Breman Bedum, it was already dark, but hundreds of the party’s supporters waited patiently to hear from the campaign team. 

“We can only bring an end to the hardships we face today by going out to vote massively for Nana Akufo-Addo and your parliamentary candidate, Anthony Effah. The NPP is coming to transform our economy and ensure that the economy with the abundant resources we have as a nation, works for all to benefit,” he charged the supporters in the Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa Constituency.

At Asikuma and Odoben, he said Ghana cannot afford to miss out on an NPP government from 2017 because President Mahama and his NDC had shown gross incompetence and must be voted out to allow a more competent driver, Nana Akufo-Addo in the seat.

“The situation we see now is that though there is a lot of money in our country, this money remains at the top; it does not come down and those at the top keep stealing it or stashing it in London, Dubai or Burkina Faso.

This is what we want to change. We want the economy to work for you and we want you to enjoy the benefits of the resources of this land and your hard work,” he said.

Crowd At Odoben

Dr. Bawumia fever griped the township of Odoben as he stepped up the NPP campaign in the Central Region. 

His presence in the area drew many inhabitants and he was warmly welcomed in virtually every home he entered.

During several meetings with people of the town, Dr. Bawumia stated that the NPP had well-thought-out policies that would ensure the revival of the economy and create jobs.

MAHAMA ADMITS RTI FAILURE

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By William Yaw Owusu

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

President John Mahama has admitted failure in ensuring that the country gets a Right to Information (RTI) law, saying he does not even know the stage of proceedings on the bill currently before parliament.

“Cabinet approved it; we submitted it to parliament; I don’t know where it is,” President Mahama expressed the frustration in a speech he delivered at UNESCO’s International Programme for Development of Communication talks in France yesterday.

The Coalition on the Right to Information has been putting pressure on the government to get parliament to pass the RTI bill expected to give substance to Article 21 (1) (f) of the 1992 Constitution which states that “All persons shall have the right to information subject to such qualifications and laws as are necessary in a democratic society.”

According to the coalition, countries like South Sudan, Guinea, Niger, Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Togo, Nigeria, Rwanda and most recently Kenya and Tanzania among others, have all passed the law and did not understand why Ghana, which touts itself as a pacesetter for democratic practice in Africa, cannot pass such a law.

The president, commenting on the prolonged bill in parliament said, “Unfortunately, it will go down in history as the legislation that has stayed the longest in parliament,” adding, “Ghana has probably the highest saturation; we have aside from the Constitution put in the legislation to guarantee freedom of information and access to information.”

President Mahama said the RTI bill has suffered some setbacks because of lack of consensus among the parties in parliament.

“It has been at the committee level. The committee decided to go round the country and consult on the Freedom of Information bill. Some say it is too liberal; some say it is too tight and it should be made more liberal and so parliament is still working on it.

“It was submitted to parliament in the term of the last president and it has continued in my term and I believe that it is something that we should complete and make available so that people will have a legal basis for demanding information if there is a reluctance to give the information to them.”

The coalition, ahead of the president’s speech, had released a statement condemning the government’s failure to get the bill passed to enhance greater access to public information.

“The RTI Coalition believes that the selection of President Mahama to speak on such a day as the IDUAI and on such a topic, even though ironic given that Ghana has failed for more than a decade to put in place an access to information legislation, presents an opportunity for the president to make concrete commitments on the passage of an effective and efficient RTI legislation before the current parliament lapses in 2017.”

The Coalition had reminded the president that the progress to secure the review and passage of the RTI bill since 2013 “has been very slow,” adding, “In June 2016 the consideration of the bill was stalled due to the lack of political will by the current parliament to prioritize the consideration of the bill as they promised.”

It continued, “As a Coalition, we are concerned that President Mahama has not demonstrated strong commitments to the passage of the RTI bill, despite his party’s commitment to same in their 2008 and 2012 manifestos.

“Being an election year, the failure by the 6th parliament to pass the bill before its tenure lapses would mean that the process would have to commence all over again with the new government and the new parliament.”

“As a result of this, the Coalition sent a petition to President Mahama through the Chief of Staff on August 18, 2016 asking him to deliver on his party’s previous manifesto promises on the RTI Bill. Till date the Coalition has not received any response to the petition,” it observed.

RTI COALITION BLASTS MAHAMA OVER FAILURE

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

The Coalition on the Right to Information (RTI) has berated President John Mahama and his National Democratic Congress (NDC) government for failing to pass the Right to Information bill into law. The bill has been lying in parliament since 2013.

According to the coalition, countries like South Sudan, Guinea, Niger, Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Togo, Nigeria, Rwanda and most recently Kenya and Tanzania, had all passed the law and so did not understand why Ghana, which touts itself as a pacesetter for democratic practice in Africa, cannot pass such a law.

The bill when passed into law, is expected to give substance to Article 21 (1) (f) of the 1992 Constitution which states that “All persons shall have the right to information subject to such qualifications and laws as are necessary in a democratic society.”

A statement issued in Accra by members of the coalition said they were raising the issue once again because President Mahama had been invited by UNESCO to deliver the keynote address at an event in Paris to mark the first International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI) which falls on September 28.

According to the coalition, September 28 was previously called the ‘Right to Know Day’ before it was declared by UNESCO member states in November 2015 as an international day to be celebrated as the IDUAI and wondered if the selection of President Mahama to speak at the event “marks a new dawn for access to information in Ghana.”

The coalition said President Mahama is expected to speak on peace, justice and strong institutions, specifically elaborating on the role of media and access to information in promoting peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, promoting access to justice for all and on building effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.

“Should we expect that after this international event, H.E will be motivated to, upon his return, engage Parliament to secure the passage of the RTI Bill with the critical amendments, as his government committed to do under the 2012-14 and 2016-17Open Government Partnership (OGP) Action Plans?”

The coalition said that the event, which is aimed at highlighting the key importance of Access to Information in the success of implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), will bring other guest speakers including journalists, NGO workers, entrepreneurs, academics, etc. to share their experience and ideas on eleven SDGs, with emphasis on how access to information will help in achieving them.

“The RTI Coalition believes that the selection of President Mahama to speak on such a day as the IDUAI and on such a topic, even though ironic - given that Ghana has failed for more than a decade to put in place an access to information legislation - presents an opportunity for the President to make concrete commitments on the passage of an effective and efficient RTI legislation before the current Parliament lapses in 2017.”

No Political Will

The coalition reminded the president that the progress to secure the review and passage of the RTI Bill since 2013 “has been very slow,” adding, “In June 2016 the consideration of the Bill was stalled due to the lack of political will by the current Parliament to prioritize the consideration of the Bill as they promised.

“As a Coalition, we are concerned that President Mahama has not demonstrated strong commitment to the passage of the RTI Bill, despite his party’s commitment to same in their 2008 and 2012 manifestos.

“Being an election year, the failure by the 6th Parliament to pass the Bill before its tenure lapses would mean that the process will have to commence all over again with the new government and the new Parliament.

“As a result of this, the Coalition sent a petition to President Mahama through the Chief of Staff on August 18 2016 asking him to deliver on his party’s previous manifesto promises on the RTI Bill. Till date the Coalition has not received any response to the petition.”

 “We would like H.E to know that Ghana as the beacon of democracy in Africa, as he emphasized at the recent UN General Assembly (UNGA), is lagging behind in terms of promoting access to information for citizens to effectively participate in governance and make informed choices. Several other African countries, including countries in transition, have successfully passed the law.”

ACTIVIST PETITIONS OBAMA OVER ECG TAKE-OVER

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Monday, September 26, 2016

A concerned citizen who is fighting against the privatization of Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has petitioned the US Ambassador to investigate what he says are ‘unethical’ and ‘unlawful’ acts in the whole deal involving the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA).

According to Richard Asante Yeboah, there is no transparency in the proposed Private Sector Participation (PSP) in ECG to be run by MiDA, a US government interest.

Copies of the petition, prepared on September 20, were also sent to US President Barack Obama, Speaker of the House of Representatives in the US, the Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, both the majority and the minority leaders in parliament, as well as the Attorney General.

There is furore over the proposed privatization of ECG, state-run utility company, with the workers kicking against its privatization.

Mr Asante Yeboah said he was sending the petition pursuant to Article 41 (g) of the 1992 Constitution, which requires citizens “to protect and preserve public property,” as well as the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) which he said “prohibits unethical and unlawful business practices such as the case under review.

He said the “petition, though brief, is very serious and borders largely on official complaints of illegal/unlawful acts, and forgery/fraud in processes in the proposed concession for the management of, operation of, and investment in the electricity distribution business of the ECG.”

According to him, the Executive Secretary of the Public Utilities and Regulatory Commission (PURC) in a letter dated May 6, 2016 to the Chief Executive of MiDA, emphatically rejected a document titled, “Circulation of draft tariff methodology by MiDA/International Finance Corporation (IFC),” saying it had been authored and circulated in flagrant breach of the law of Ghana.

He said the PURC asked MiDA and the IFC to ‘take immediate steps to withdraw the said document in circulation as it contravened the PURC Act, 1997 (Act 538) which gives the commission the exclusive mandate.

The plaintiff said, “It is not for nothing that tariff methodology of the Government of Ghana decisions on the transaction structure of the concession arrangement of February 2016 lawfully requires that the commission be the entity to supply Tariff Guideline in accordance with Act 538 and that IFC consults and collaborates with PURC to provide the necessary methodology for inclusion in the transaction agreements.”

Mr Asante Yeboah said the transaction agreement had been carefully designed such that the collaboration and action taken by the parties “be conducted in a way that does not infringe upon the independence of the PURC.”

According to the petitioner, the Energy Commission, in a letter to MiDA, had denied that it authored a letter with the title, “Circulation of distribution of sale licence document” bearing the logo of the Energy Commission and had demanded that MiDA and IFC withdraw the said document.

“For the avoidance of doubt, this petition is against the MiDA and the IFC playing critical lead roles in the ongoing Private Sector Participation (PSP) in the ECG.

“I share the concerns of large sections of Ghanaians and in particular workers of the ECG, about the lack of transparency in the concession for the management of, operation of, and investment in the electricity distribution business of the ECG, and who seek a more viable and transparent process that safeguards the public interest.”

NDC SPONSORS MONARH AGAINST BAGBIN

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By William Yaw Owusu

Thursday, September 22, 2016

It is being speculated that there are frantic efforts by some gurus in the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) to retire the majority leader, Alban S.K. Bagbin, from parliament.

The NDC is said to be tacitly sponsoring People’s National Convention (PNC) Chairman, Bernard Monarh, to unseat Mr. Bagbin, who has been in parliament on the ticket of the NDC since 1993, representing the people of Kaleo-Nadowli - formerly Nadowli West - in the Upper West Region.

The ruling party’s behind-the-scenes manouvres to remove Mr. Bagbin became apparent recently when it emerged that the PNC Chairman received a Toyota Hilux pick-up with registration number GR 8724-16 from Tony Lithur, a lawyer of President John Mahama, for his campaign in the majority leader’s constituency.

Bernard Monarh later admitted that he indeed received the vehicle under reference and added that it was going to aid his campaign at Kaleo-Nadowli; but berated the Driver Vehicle and Licensing Authority (DVLA) for releasing the registration documents of the vehicle to the public.

Monarh had previously contested for the parliamentary seat at Wa Central.

NDC Contradictions

The latest happenings in the Kaleo-Nadowli NDC strongly contradict the party’s General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia’s allegations that it is detractors of the NDC who are teaming up with the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) to remove Mr. Bagbin from parliament.

"It is not everybody who wants Bagbin in parliament and those who dread his name want to find ways of removing him from parliament. But if they come frontally they know they will be defeated. So they are coming through us, the NDC people,” he said during his tour of the region.

"The NPP, the name they fear in parliament is Bagbin. They go behind and use some of the NDC people so that they will appear to be attacking from within and then NPP will say it is his own people who are fighting him. We don't have anything to do with it.

"It is a lie. It is NPP that is using pliable NDC hands to execute that agenda; and Nelson Mandela says a traitor is worse than the enemy himself," he maintained.

Scapegoat

The constituents are said to have realized that the presidency and some powerful elements in the NDC are bent on removing Mr. Bagbin. The NDC General Secretary, they said, wanted to use the NPP as a scapegoat to deceive the NDC members in the constituency by portraying a united front for the party in the area.

Monarh Equation

Bernard Mornah, whose own party’s youth are calling for his suspension over the vehicle saga, spilled the beans when he tried to blame the DVLA for releasing the vehicle’s documents.

“I received the car from my friend and brother Tony Lithur after I had made an appeal to him. I got to know him through the ‘Free Tsatsu Movement,’ which he formed, and I was a part of. As his former student, I know he imports cars so I appealed to him during my campaign and he gave me one of his imported cars.

"So it was only proper that I registered the car in my name. But it’s obvious the DVLA has leaked the confidential registration documents to people for whatever reason known to them. And I think we should be worried that we cannot trust our DVLA,” Monarh told Starr FM.

However, speculations are rife that the brand new vehicle was given in the name of President Mahama to aid Monarh to unseat Bagbin who had publicly castigated him (president), describing his administration as very corrupt.

Frosty Relations

Mr.  Bagbin had a frosty relationship in the early years of President Mahama's regime, accusing the president of surrounding himself with nonentities in direct reference to the caliber of people advising him (president).

Mr. Bagbin once accused President Mahama of running ‘family and friends’ government and also said the president had surrounded himself with ‘fair weather friends.’

His outbursts were stemmed from his being relegated to the position of ‘3 wise men’ - who had no official portfolios. E.T. Mensah and Cletus Avoka completed the ‘wise men’ list.

The relationship appears to have been repaired after Mr. Bagbin returned to his front bench role as majority leader in parliament.

Bagbin’s U-turn

DAILY GUIDE has learnt that before the NDC opened nomination for its parliamentary contest, Mr. Bagbin had intended not to contest again and went ahead to discuss the exit plan with some powerful NDC gurus at the presidency.

However, when he realized that the NDC elements wanted to ‘do him in,’ he changed his mind and decided to run again and his campaign was somewhat ‘frustrated’ by some powerful people in the party but he scaled through in the end.

NDUOM FIGHTS NDC OVER MILLS DEATH

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

A comment by the founder and presidential candidate of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom that some members of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) thanked God over President John Evans Ata Mills’ death has sparked war-of-words between the two parties.

The fight has drawn in a brother of the late president who is contesting for the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abirem (KEEA) seat in the Central Region on the ticket of the NDC, threatening to ‘expose’ Dr. Nduom, an indigene of the area if he (Nduom) did not desist from those comments.

Taboo topic

Dr. Nduom, at a rally in Cape Coast recently, had said some NDC officials put on a public show of sorrow over Prof Mills’ demise but privately rejoiced, adding that the death paved the way for the NDC’s electoral victory in 2012.

“If you didn’t kill Mills and if you are not happy Mills died, produce the autopsy report. We are challenging John Mahama to produce the autopsy report of [late] President Mills. The Central Region people here, I want you to listen to me: if John Mahama comes to your region, tell him to produce the autopsy report,” Dr. Nduom had fired.

The PPP later re-echoed the demands by many people to get the NDC to disclose the autopsy report so that everybody would know what actually killed Prof Mills.

Bizarrely, within the ruling party the issue over what or who killed the law professor is a taboo topic.

Nduom Attacked

Matters came to a head yesterday when Samuel Atta Mills, younger brother of the late President Mills, attacked Dr. Nduom, threatening to ‘expose’ him if he fails to stop talking about his brother’s death.

 “Now what Papa Kwesi Nduom (needs to do) – and I’m sorry to call him Papa Kwesi Nduom – is, he needs to explain to Ghanaians why he changed his name from Joseph Yorke to Papa Kwesi Nduom. Look, the fact that we are peaceful doesn’t mean that you can take us for a ride. Papa Kwesi Nduom, this is a warning to him, he needs to shut up about always asking questions about who killed Prof,” he said on Class FM in Accra.

“Now if he keeps on saying that then it means he has some information. If he keeps on doing that his clan will have to come and explain to our clan what happened. My advice to Papa Kwesi Nduom is this: ‘If you don’t want a dog to lick you in the face, you don’t play with it.’ I don’t know why Paa Kwesi Nduom is making it his crusade. If he doesn’t shut up about that, I will make it my project to expose him.”

PPP Fires Back

However, PPP has issued a release challenging the NDC and Prof Mills’ brother to bring the so-called damning report the ruling party claims to have on Dr. Nduom and reiterated their demand to know what killed the former president.

A statement issued in Accra by PPP Director of Communications, Paa Kow Ackon, described Samuel Atta Mills as “the opportunist stranger in KEEA” and said the NDC candidate had caused a fight he would live to regret.

“It is a fact that President John Mahama and the NDC have repeatedly sought to use the death of the late President Atta Mills for political gain.  This obviously has suited the interests of Samuel Mills.

Does the younger Mills not know that the late Atta Mills was president for the whole Ghana and not his family only?  For crying out loud, what has Samuel Mills done to pursue his brother's death certificate and cure the inconceivable insult of his strange death and illegal burial?” the statement averred.

Elmina stranger

“The eccentric manners of Samuel Atta Mills and his ilk who in this 2016 year of our Lord think that there is something negative to ‘expose’ about Dr Nduom’s name (Papa Kwesi Nduom) is a confirmation that truly he does not even come from KEEA.”

The release said, “We cannot also rule out misguided mischief since the NDC from 2001 have tried to call Dr Nduom Peter Yorke, John Yorke, etc. Every Fante has both ancestral and Christian names and this is common among Fante families. So it is only non-proper Fantes like Samuel Mills who will cry over such basic Fante naming values.”

Elmina origin

“Everyone who is from KEEA and specifically Elmina knows that in Dr Nduom’s family there are popular names such as Nduom, Asankoma and Yorke. And it is public knowledge that at birth, Dr Nduom was named Joseph Hubster Yorke Jnr after his father; and Papa Kwesi Nduom after one of their illustrious family members. If Samuel Atta Mills cares to know, both names are in Dr Nduom’s baptism and birth certificates. Who in Elmina does not know Dr Nduom as Papa Nduom since his childhood?”

The party described Prof Mills’ brother as “a stranger who is trying so hard and quite unsuccessfully to convince people that he is also from KEEA who can expose himself about his ignorance to the extent of publicly threatening to expose Dr Nduom about a so-called change of name from Yorke to Nduom; when in actual fact, there has not been any change of name.”

It added that the NDC parliamentary candidate was only doing that to gain sympathy among the electorate.

“To set the record straight, it was Dr Nduom’s father who led Teacher Atta Mills to acquire the farm land at Essaman in Elmina for which today, Samuel Atta Mills has hired land guards to terrorize innocent people, even though he is unqualified to contest any election in KEEA. Was it not when the late Atta Mills became president that his family built a house at Essaman? The question is, so at what point did Samuel Atta Mills realize that he is from KEEA? Has he not always pointed to Cape Coast or Otuam as where they come from?” PPP queried.

More challenge

Earlier, at a rally in Accra, PPP General Secretary Murtala Mohammed had said the party stood by its demand for the autopsy report to be made public and dared the NDC candidate to go ahead and carry through his threat.

“…I was the one who made that request… The founder of NDC was the first person to tell us this story. Anita De Sosoo also said the same thing. Anyidoho said he was going to speak at the right time; [there are] rumours all over the place about how Mills died and what killed him as the first citizen of the land. The PPP is demanding they produce the autopsy report,” Mohammed posited.