EC INFIGHTING DEEPENS

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Friday January 12, 2018

The infighting that has rocked the Electoral Commission (EC) is taking a new twist following the decision by one of the Deputy Chairpersons on interdiction, Georgina Opoku Amankwaah - in charge of Corporate Services at the commission - to resume work.

The latest development is likely to spark another heated political debate over the manner in which the electoral body is being managed.

DAILY GUIDE understands that lawyers for Ms. Opoku Amakwaah had asked their client to resume work in defiance of Economic and Organised Crime Office’s (EOCO’s) directive that she stays out of work to allow investigations into the alleged misappropriation of the commission’s Staff Endowment Fund.

In July last year, Ms. Opoku Amankwaah, together with two EC officials - Kwaku Owusu Agyei-Larbi, Chief Accountant and Dr Joseph Asamoah, a Finance Director - were asked to proceed on leave over a missing GH¢480,000 from the Staff Endowment Fund, after the EC boss, Mrs. Charlotte Osei, had asked EOCO to investigate the matter.

Main Petition

Already, Mrs Charlotte Osei, together with her two deputies  - Georgina Opoku Amankwaah and Alhaji Amadu Sulley, in-charge of Operations - are being investigated by a five-member committee set up by the Chief Justice, following petitions filed against them on allegations of abuse of office and conflict of interest under Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution.

Mrs. Charlotte Osei and Amadu Sulley are still at post and have not been asked to step aside for the investigation to commence, although Ms. Opoku Amankwaah is on suspension on the orders of the EC boss.

Warning Notice 

The lawyers of Ms. Opoku Amankwaah, led by K. A. Asante Krobea, have reportedly written to the EOCO notifying the investigative body that the deputy commissioner was resuming work, even though the EOCO has said it was still investigating the alleged misappropriation of the Endowment Fund, based on which she was suspended.

They insisted that with the setting up of the Chief Justice’s committee to look into the abuse of office and conflict of interest claims against the three EC bosses, the EOCO has no basis to insist that the deputy EC chairperson should still stay at home.

The letter to the EOCO, dated January 2, 2018 with the heading, ‘Endowment Fund Investigation Resumption of Official Duty Our Client: Georgina Opoku Amankwaah (Ms), indicated that once the president had not suspended the deputy EC chair based on Article 146 (10) of the 1992 Constitution, it was ‘proper and fair’ for her to resume work.

The lawyers had copied the Chief of Staff, Chief Justice, Attorney General, Senior Minister and Chairman of the Council of State.

According to them, the position of a deputy commissioner of the EC is akin to that of superior court judge; and their interdiction or removal from office should follow the dictates of Article 146 of the Constitution.

They claimed in the case of Ms. Opoku Amakwaah, none of the terms and reference under Article 146 of the Constitution had been evoked to warrant her interdiction; and they saw it as injustice.

The lawyers advised the deputy chairperson to ‘immediately’ resume work and dared anybody to stop her from working.

EOCO’s Response

EOCO has reportedly confirmed receipt of the letter, but said the case was still under investigation and advised the lawyers to let their client stay out of work until the Attorney General advises on the report that EOCO sent to her office.

The EOCO reportedly sent its response on January 8, 2018, saying, “Investigation is said to be complete when advice is received from the Attorney General’s Department.

“Your client and others are not on leave because of the petition before Her Ladyship, the Chief Justice. You will do your client good service if you patiently wait for the advice from the Attorney General’s Office. Let’s follow due process.”

Finance Director

Already, a source has told DAILY GUIDE that the Director of Finance, who was suspended alongside Mrs. Opoku Amankwaa, is also fighting to come back to work, but was facing impediments at the commission.

This was after it had turned out from the corridors of the EOCO that the anti-graft body appeared to have found nothing incriminating against him.

However, Charlotte Osei has allegedly vowed never again to work with Dr Asamoah - who reportedly challenged some of the contracts awarded by her - and therefore the Finance Director’s fate continues to hang in the balance.

Endowment Fund

In July, a letter from the EOCO, which was signed by ACP K.K. Amoah (rtd.), Acting Executive Director, indicated that it had taken over the case, positing, “The suspects are assisting in investigations.”

In the letter dated July 4, 2017, and addressed to the chairperson of the commission, EOCO said it was investigating “the loss of about GH¢480,000 from the Endowment Fund at the Electoral Commission.

“The office would be grateful if you would direct the officers listed above to proceed on leave whilst investigation proceeds.”

Pursuant to the EOCO letter, Ms Osei wrote to Mrs Opoku-Amankwaah asking her to proceed on leave “immediately” and directed her to “kindly forward any pending issues to the Office of the Chairperson.”

MAHAMA CRIES OVER 2016 ELECTION DEFEAT

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Thursday January 11, 2018

Former President John Dramani Mahama has made a sensational claim that there was an incidence of over-voting in the 2016 elections, but his party - the National Democratic Congress (NDC) - decided to let it go.

“I could have gone round to gather all kinds of examples of over-voting and go to court but I don’t think that was good. The NDC is playing the game democratically. The NPP are the ones that often will never accept the verdict of the people when they have lost the election,” he told Ghana Television (GTV) in an interview on Tuesday.

Vital Statistics

Current President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo - then candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) - made history last year when against all odds, he defeated incumbent Mahama with a margin of over one million votes after a keenly contested general elections on December 7, 2016.

While then candidate Nana Akufo-Addo’s votes appreciated significantly, the National Democratic Congress’ John Mahama’s dropped woefully.

The then opposition candidate (Nana Akufo-Addo) polled 5,716,026, which translated into 53.85% and Mr. Mahama garnered 4,713,277, representing 44.40% - dashing Mr. Mahama’s second term hope.

Sour Losers

Speaking on GTV to mark the 25th anniversary of Ghana’s uninterrupted democratic rule, Mr Mahama, who appears to be sulking over his embarrassing defeat, accused the NPP of being sour losers and said they had always rejected national election results when the verdict did not favour them.

“Our party has always accepted the verdict when we lost. It is our opponents who don’t,” he said, and went ahead to show what he said were instances of the NPP being sour losers.

“In 1992, they described the election as the ‘Stolen Verdict.’ In 1996 they described it as the ‘Bought Verdict.’ When they won in 2000, we readily gave power to them,” former President Mahama indicated.

He said, “In 2004, Prof Mills conceded,” but when he was reminded that the NDC went to court in 2004 to challenge the President-Elect Instrument, Mr. Mahama said, “Two members of our party decided to go to court. President Mills conceded and congratulated President Kufuor so there was no doubt about that.”

According to the former president, “2012 was the worse one,” adding, “The NPP went to court and we went on for almost one year. We wasted the whole time of the government because we were not sure the legitimate government was going to move out of office. The international community decided to wait and see and so it actually truncated the amount of time that we had but we did our best in three years plus and we were able to deliver some of the things we promised the nation.”

He said when he lost in 2016, he “conceded and congratulated them.”

Former Presidents

Mr. Mahama said he has good relations with the incumbent president, as well as all his colleague former presidents.

He noted, “The president is a very busy person so you can’t be in touch with him on a day-to-day basis,” adding, “With respect to President Kufuor, we speak and my relationship with him has been cordial. Anytime we speak we are very cordial.”

Rawlings’ Cold Reception

Mr. Mahama said he also has good relations with former President Rawlings - founder of his party - and claimed, “Recently there have been some speculations in the media and all that but we should understand the kind of a person President Rawlings is.

“Sometimes he is in a mood where he doesn’t want to engage in any conversation. Recently at the thanksgiving they were giving all kinds of interpretations to the handshake we had. There are occasions when he comes he greets the military style and on some other occasions, it is cordial. I met him in Kpando and we were very cordial; we exchanged pleasantries. Sometimes you sit next to him and he is in a mood to talk.”

JJ’s Criticisms

Mr Mahama said former President Rawlings has “criticized all administrations,” saying, “If he thinks things are not going right it is his right to criticize and you take it in good faith.

“When you are president you take decisions on a daily basis and you must listen to criticisms but eventually, the decision is yours to take and so there might have been times he makes a suggestion and based on information I have from National Security intelligence, I take a decision contrary to his suggestion and of course, he won’t be happy.”

Wide-Ranging Issues

He talked about political communication and cautioned against any attempt to restrict the use of social media, as well as the fact that Ghana’s democracy is blossoming due to the entertainment of dissenting opinions by political actors and the role of the judiciary in the current democratic dispensation.

Mr. Mahama said he supports a law that will give the president the power to select his ministers not necessarily from parliament, and reiterated his position that the Special Prosecutor might not be independent after all because he/she will operate under the dictates of the Attorney General.

He insisted he doesn’t agree that the president is overly powerful under the constitution because there are checks and balances in the system.

2020 Comeback

The former president did not rule out coming back to lead the NDC into the 2020 election. “I am enjoying my new role but at my age I don’t rule out still contributing to my country; but I will do it under circumstances that are very necessary and compelling,” he underscored.

He said the “selecting a candidate for NDC is an issue of our party.”

MAHAMA MISSING AT NCA GANG TRIAL

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Wednesday January 10, 2018

Former President John Dramani Mahama yesterday failed to turn up at an Accra High Court to show solidarity with the immediate-past board members of the National Communication Authority (NCA), who are standing trial for allegedly causing financial loss to the state.

The former president, in recent times, has been using several platforms to call for support for his appointees who might be dragged to court for their alleged involvement in corruption under his four-year tenure.  

Eugene Baffoe-Bonnie, former NCA Board Chairman; William Mathew Tetteh Tevie, former Director General of the NCA; Alhaji Salifu Mimina Osman, a former deputy National Security Coordinator and another board member, as well as a private businessman called George Derek Oppong - Director of Infraloks Development Limited - have been accused of conspiring to and causing financial loss to the state to the tune of some $4 million.

Mr. Baffoe-Bonnie, Alhaji Osman and Mr Oppong have already appeared before the court, presided over by Justice Eric Kyei Baffour, for their alleged involvement in a deal and have been granted bail in the sum of $1 million each with three sureties.

Yesterday Mr. Tevie and the other member also made an appearance before the high court and were given the same bail terms and conditions.

They are standing trial because the Attorney General’s Department - led in evidence by the Attorney General, Gloria Akuffo - is saying that the accused persons created, looted and shared $4 million among themselves under the guise of procuring a Cyber Surveillance System which they claimed was to be used for counter-terrorism activities in the country.

There were a lot of people at the court complex, but it was unclear if some of them were there to lend their support to the accused persons, following the clarion call by former President Mahama.

He was not in court to concretize his call on NDC foot soldiers to stand by ex-officials suspected of corruption.

Speaking at the 36th anniversary celebration of the 31st December, 1981 ‘revolution’ in Ho, the Volta Region, Mr. Mahama said, “Recently, President Akufo-Addo was threatening members of our administration with prosecution when he visited the Eastern Region; and I said yes, we are prepared to accept the probity of our tenure in office.

“Having been the disciples of probity and accountability, we must not run away from probity and accountability; we must be prepared to face any prosecution that this government throws to us, but we must do this with commitment and solidarity.”

Mr. Mahama remarked, “They will have their day in court and until they have that day in court, it is our duty to solidarize with them to make sure they have the best legal representation to be able to put their case in order; and it is my wish that things will turn out well for them.”

Anyidoho’s Defiance

However, Deputy General Secretary of the opposition party, Koku Anyidoho, in reaction to Mr. Mahama’s call for solidarity, warned the supporters of the party not to storm the courtrooms to support any officials of the Mahama administration who might be facing prosecution for alleged corruption.

According to him, the relatives and friends of those officials could do that but not the entire party and its supporters. 

According to him, such persons have families, friends and loved ones who are free to follow them to court, but the entire party executives should not be expected to do so.

In what appears to be a sharp u-turn, Mr Anyidoho has stated that the party is ready to solidarize with its members, if the NPP government starts witch-hunting them.

EC BOSS DOLES OUT GH¢11 M …TO CONTROVERSIAL COMPANIES

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Tuesday January 09, 2018

It is turning out that the Electoral Commission (EC) Chairperson, Charlotte Osei, is still allowing payments to private companies whose contracts are at the centre of the petition that is seeking her impeachment from office.

Since news about the petitions against her hit the public domain last year, she has allegedly caused the payment of about GH¢11 million to the private firms for services reportedly rendered to the EC.

The payments are said to be made, in spite of a strong objection by a finance officer of the commission, who is currently on interdiction on the orders of Mrs. Osei over the EC’s endowment fund saga.

Before his interdiction, the finance director had queried the payments on the grounds that the private companies did not have contracts with the commission.

The petitioners have insisted that most of the contracts were unilaterally awarded by the EC boss without recourse to the commission; and in some cases, they claimed that she had breached the Public Procurement Act by bloating the contract sums.

Payment vouchers emanating from the EC show for instance, that three companies namely, Messrs Cads Contract & Services Ltd, Clicotech Aluminium Ltd and CPM Africa Limited, have been paid various sums at the time their alleged contracts are under scrutiny.

Documents available to DAILY GUIDE show that Messrs Cads Contract & Services Ltd received at least two payments of GH¢2,521,583.46 and GH¢2,231,046.88 on December 12, last year, for its service on what the EC says is “bespoke design and build office space” under LOT 4.

Clicotech Aluminium Ltd on December 12, 2017 was paid GH¢2,716,121.46 and GH¢2,574,983.47 the following day for the same “bespoke design and build office space,” but this time, under LOT 3.

The company called CPM Africa Limited was also paid GH¢574,890.76 for consultancy services rendered in the “bespoke design and build offices.”

The contracts, which were awarded by the commission in connection with the construction of pre-fabricated (PreFAB) offices in some districts throughout the country, are coming under scrutiny.

This is because the petitioners, who are seeking to trigger impeachment proceedings against Mrs Charlotte Osei, have claimed that she awarded the contracts worth over $14 million without recourse to the commission.

The petitioners accused her of “engaging in cronyism by awarding contracts to the tune of $14,310,961 to her cronies for the construction of pre-fabricated district offices without recourse to the commission.”

However, the EC boss said she got approval from the PPA.

 Hidden Identity

The identity of an individual, whose company was given some of the contracts worth over $5 million, has been hidden in the offer letter allegedly signed by Charlotte Osei.

The company, Cads Contracts & Services Limited, owned by a certain Hesse, was allegedly given enough mobilization for the project to commence but it is unclear if it had been able to execute its share of the projects – eight months after receiving mobilization.

Yet the EC boss, under bizarre circumstances, approved additional payments to the same company.

On the contract letter prepared on December 19, 2016 after the general election, Mrs. Osei signed on behalf of the commission while the name which has clearly be canceled with an indelible ink, endorsed on behalf of the company as the managing director.

No Witnesses 

Strangely, there were no witnesses for both the EC and Cads Contract & Services Limited, although there were spaces designated for witnesses of both parties.

According to EC sources, such contracts were normally witnessed by the deputies under the former chairman, Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, but that is not the case under the current chairperson.

Under the agreement, Cads Contract & Services Limited was asked to construct Pre-fab offices in Lot 3 in Greater Accra (3), Central (9) and Western (7) Regions at the cost of $2,674,114.80 as well as another in Lot 4 in Volta (6) and Eastern (17) Regions worth $3,204,402.14.

The other company, Clicotech Limited, had a contract worth $4,278,340.61 for the construction of the same Pre-fab offices in Lot 1 in Upper West (7), Upper East (10) and Northern (12) Regions, as well as another $4,181,104.98 in Lot 2 in Brong-Ahafo (17) and Ashanti (12) Regions.

However, on the contract letter, its managing director, Emmanuel Danso, is boldly shown as signing the contract and also the EC chairperson signing on behalf of her outfit.

The two signatories, however, did not have any persons endorsing the contract as witnesses.

PPA Approval 

Per documents available to DAILY GUIDE, only two out of the five companies presented to the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) by the commission for the restricted tendering were given the contracts.

Although, the PPA, through its then chief executive officer, Samuel Sallas-Mensah, in a letter with reference PPA/CEO/08/1851/16, granted the approval for the EC to use $7,500,000 for the projects, the total cost ballooned to $14,311,002.53 million.

There appears to be no indication yet that the EC boss went back to the PPA for further approval when the contract sum scaled up.

Petitioners’ Insistence

The petitioners are insisting that “Charlotte Osei decided to construct new pre-fab district offices without either discussing or informing the commission.

The service of a consultant was procured without the knowledge of the commission for the projects.”

Maiden Appearance

On Monday, December 11, last year, the committee probing the alleged misconduct of the EC boss and her two deputies, had its maiden meeting, where both the petitioners and the respondents had a face-to-face encounter for the first time.

The EC workers, who petitioned President Akufo-Addo, were represented by two of them and led by their lawyer, Maxwell Opoku-Agyemang, with the rest waiting in the wings for the showdown.

Charlotte was also accompanied by Thaddeus Sory, who is the commission’s solicitor and also acting for the EC boss.

BOG DEP GOVERNOR QUITS AT LAST

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Friday January 05, 2018

Contrary to earlier claims that the Second Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG), Dr. Johnson P. Asiama, was being hounded from office by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government, DAILY GUIDE has learnt that the banker has voluntarily resigned.

It is unclear whether the Deputy Governor’s decision has anything to do with the mind-blowing reports emerging from the corridors of the bank that the erstwhile National Democratic Congress (NDC) government - which appointed him - attempted to print GH¢1 billion outside the banking system, to finance its electioneering campaign in 2016, which it eventually lost miserably.

DAILY GUIDE’s sources say that the Deputy Governor was queried about the extra cash printing reports and he allegedly admitted it happened; but explained that the then Flagstaff House officials had put pressure on him to okay the surreptitious deal.

When Dr Asiama was reached via telephone yesterday, he rubbished the allegation. “There was nothing like that,” he claimed.

He rather asked for a meeting in the presence of his lawyer, explaining that the issue about the extra cash printing was an informal discussion and now that the National Security is going through it, he would prefer to wait or speak in the presence of his lawyer.

He, however, confirmed his resignation from the bank about a week ago.

He said he had packed out of his office as well as his official residence for whoever is taking over from him. 

 

Dr Asiama tendered in his disengagement letter - copied to President Akufo-Addo, Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the Governor of the central bank and the Minister of Finance - on December 22, last year, and had said his resignation was taking effect from January 1, 2018.

“I wish to submit my disengagement letter, from the post of 2nd Deputy Governor, Bank of Ghana, with effect from January 1, 2018,” Dr Asiama stated and added, “I have enjoyed working with the new team for the past one year, and I remain optimistic on the prospects for the economy.”

He expressed his gratitude “for the opportunity to serve in the capacity,” adding,  “I still stand ready to assist in any role in support of your vision for the development of the country.”

It is turning out that Dr Asiama was the BoG official who appeared to have been used by elements in the Mahama-led NDC administration to facilitate the printing of the GH¢1 billion, which secret deal was aborted as the official printers didn’t show any interest.

In its desperate bid to hang on to power by any means, the NDC had purportedly devised various means aimed at winning the 2016 elections.  

The deal, involved the printing of GH¢50 notes to the tune of GH¢1 billion, however, failed to go through at the eleventh hour because the official printer of Ghana’s currency in Europe - Crane - allegedly refused to get involved, citing criminality.

The NDC had intended to flood the market with the extra cash - passing it through non-conventional means - for vote buying purposes in clear breach of the BoG Regulations.

The NDC operatives reportedly cooked the deal from the Flagstaff House in Accra.

However, it is not clear whether the Governor at the time, Dr Abdul Nashiru Issahaku - a close associate of then President Mahama - sanctioned the criminal idea, but according to sources, one of his deputies was neck-deep in the shady deal in collaboration with some senior appointees at the presidency at the time.

The National Security is now investigating the matter.

The Flagstaff House elements at all material times were using the said deputy governor as the conduit for the alleged criminal deal; and did not want it to go through the official banking processes of currency printing.

The huge amount was all supposed to be in GH¢50 denomination as insisted by the Flagstaff House kingpins, although the man purportedly engaged to undertake the dubious deal, a certain Nigerian whose name was given as Lukman Lawal, had advised that the printing should be done in smaller denominations like GH¢5 to avoid detection.

DAILY GUIDE has gathered that the said Lawal met officials of Crane - a Swedish firm believed to be in-charge of printing Ghana’s currency - several times in Geneva, Switzerland, and London ahead of the supposed printing, but the key official agent between Ghana and the printing firm refused, insisting it was a criminal deal.

Later when the deputy governor was queried about the whole deal, he allegedly claimed that pressure was mounted on him from the presidency and mentioned a top Mahama aide, who is a former manager of a radio station, as one of the people behind the deal.

According to sources, the Nigerian was going to fly his private jet from Houston, Texas, United States, to meet the Crane officials and fly the money to Africa and would eventually use Ghana’s presidential jet to transfer it into the country from Nigeria - without the approval of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

BOMBSHELL! NDC GH¢1BN CASH PRINTING COVER BLOWN

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Thursday January 04, 2018

In its desperate bid to hang on to power, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) purportedly devised various means aimed at winning the 2016 general elections.  

It has emerged that in the heat of the campaign towards the general elections, the then NDC government, led by President John Dramani Mahama, almost succeeded in printing a whopping GH¢1 billion into the system to finance the NDC campaign.

The deal, involving the printing of GH¢50 notes to the tune of GH¢1 billion, however, failed to go through at the eleventh hour because the official printer of Ghana’s currency in Europe - Crane - allegedly refused to get involved, citing criminality.

The surreptitious deal involved flooding the market with the extra cash, passing it through non-conventional means, for vote buying and other matters bordering on criminality.

The NDC operatives reportedly cooked the deal from the Flagstaff House in Accra and was said to have been done on the blind side of the Bank of Ghana (BoG), whose Governor at the time was Dr Abdul Nashiru Issahaku - a close associate of then President Mahama.

However, it is not clear whether the former Governor sanctioned the criminal idea, but according to sources, one of his deputies was neck-deep in the shady deal in collaboration with some senior appointees at the presidency at the time.

According to sources, National Security radar has picked the case for investigation.

The Flagstaff House elements at all material times were using the said deputy governor as the conduit for the alleged criminal deal and did not want it to go through the official banking processes of currency printing.

The huge amount was all supposed to be in GH¢50 denomination as insisted by the Flagstaff House kingpins, although the ‘connection man,’ a Nigerian whose name was given as Lukman Lawal, had advised that the printing should be done in smaller denominations like GH¢5 to avoid detection.

DAILY GUIDE has gathered that the said Lawal met officials of Crane - a Swedish firm believed to be in-charge of printing Ghana’s currency - several times in Geneva, Switzerland and London ahead of the supposed printing, but the key agent between Ghana and the printing firm refused, insisting it was a criminal action.

Later when the deputy governor was queried about the whole deal, he allegedly claimed that pressure was mounted on him from the Flagstaff House and mentioned a top Mahama aide, who is a former manager of a radio station, as one of the people behind the deal.

According to sources, the Nigerian was going to fly his private jet from Houston, Texas, United States, to meet the Crane officials and fly the money to Africa and would eventually use Ghana’s presidential jet to transfer it into the country from Nigeria - without the approval of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA). 

More anon...

OQUAYE PUSHES FOR 7TH JANUARY AS REPUBLIC DAY

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Thursday January 04, 2018

Speaker of Parliament Professor Mike Aaron Oquaye, has suggested that Ghana’s Republic Day - 1^st July – be shifted to 7^th January.

In what is likely to generate another heated political debate, the speaker has written an article tracing the historical journey of the celebration of Republic Day and insisted that the true date for marking the Day should be 7^th January.

“7^th January 1993 is the ‘Republic Day’ of the Republic of Ghana. May God bless our homeland Ghana, May He save the Republic – the only Republic in current and legal terms – 7^th January 1993,” he stated in the article, which has been entitled, “What is the Republic Day in Ghana?”

Prof Mike Oquaye charged, “We should celebrate that and not those which have been deliberately replaced. It is noteworthy that Senior Citizens will continue to have their special place on that day.”

He argued that Ghana has been through three republics and is experiencing the 4^th Republic, which he hoped and prayed would be the last saying, “1^st July 1960 is no more our Republic Day.

“Historically, it is only one of the Republic Days of the past. In 1960 Ghana became a Republic. However, in 1966 that was overthrown by a military coup led by Kotoka and the 1^st Republic ended. The 2^nd Republic came into being in 1969. That Republic also came to an end in another coup led by General Acheampong. In 1979 we had the 3^rd Republic led by President Limann. Rawlings staged the 31^st December Revolution/Coup in 1981 and ended the Third Republic. On 7^th January 1993, the 4^th Republic was brought into being and Chairman Rawlings became a constitutional President,” the speaker recounted.

He said that in all those historical events, “no single constitution was ever restored” and added, “Each Republic had its own constitution. It was new, fresh and different.

“When we celebrate 1^st July as Republic Day and any foreigner asks: ‘which Republic are you celebrating?’ What do we tell that person? Every reference in official circles speaks of the 4^th Republic, including Parliament, etc. and that is what we must be celebrating. That is the Constitution which gives birth to a new hope for all Ghanaians,” Prof Oquaye urged.

He admitted that the First Republic was totally different from the other Republics in terms of ‘historicity’ and ‘ideology’ and said the 1960 Constitution was never restored.

“On every 7^th January, we should celebrate the cause of freedom and of right. In the years that a president is not being sworn-in, we should still dedicate the day to the most priceless of all God’s gifts to humanity – freedom and justice. We should say: ‘Never Again’ to all acts of man’s inhumanity to man, military/civilian brutality and every act of oppression. This is to ensure that our liberties once trampled upon, will never be abused again. Never Again!” he emphasized.

RAWLINGS JABS MAHAMA OVER LATENESS

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Wednesday January 03, 2018

The 36^th anniversary of the 31^st December, 1981 ‘revolution,’ led by then Flt Lt Jeremiah John Rawlings, was celebrated peacefully at Ho in the Volta Region last Sunday, but not without the usual controversies associated the annual event.

The former president, who is also the founder of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), used the occasion to chastise his colleague former President John Dramani Mahama for coming to the event late; and even noted that Mr Mahama, who took the party to opposition in 2016, had not learnt any lessons.

“He has not learnt the lesson of how not to be late for functions. Each time they keep me waiting just because of him. Ladies and gentlemen, don’t worry he will learn it,” Rawlings (fondly called Papa J) remarked at the event which was under the theme, "Uniting Around the Principles of Probity, Accountability and Social Justice."

Mahama’s Defence

But the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) of the anniversary jumped into the defence of Mr. Mahama saying that he was there on time, insisting, “From the outset former President Mahama was not late to the Revolution Day Event.

“It should be noted that what transpired leading to the remarks of the founder of the NDC and former President, Jerry John Rawlings, was an apparent communication lapse. Former President Mahama’s Office was informed to arrive at 10:00 am. It should be noted that former President Mahama duly complied and in fact, arrived earlier at 9:50 am.”

The statement, which had been signed by Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah (MP) Chairman of the LOC, added, “It must be well acknowledged that former President Rawlings, after having been informed of these facts, in a statesmanly manner, publicly corrected the impression he had created earlier and apologised to President Mahama.”

Latter-Day Saints

In his main address, Mr. Rawlings ripped into those he called ‘latter-day saints’ in the NDC whom he accused of hijacking the party and disrespecting everyone, including himself.

“Some latter-day party officials have now made it their chore to denigrate me for speaking loudly and forcefully about the wrongs in the NDC when the party was in power,” he said, adding, “Many of these political novices, eager to please their paymasters, may be oblivious to the countless times my counsel was treated with contempt.”

Mr JJ Rawlings said there is no way he could spend his energy criticizing the current New Patriotic Party (NPP) government when his own NDC is in a mess and needed deliverance.

“I cannot lay claim to the position of party founder and spend time criticizing another party or institution when my house is burning. Removing the log in my eye is the only way to legitimize any right to expose the speck in another’s.” he said emphatically.

In spite of the former president’s posture towards the NPP, he urged the Akufo-Addo administration not to gloss over issues like political vigilantism associated with the ruling party, the ‘cash for dinner seats’ with the president and the recent reported inflated budgetary allocation by a ministry.

Revolutionary Change

The leader of the ‘revolution’ posited that the NDC needs “men and women at its various executive positions who have the strength of character to boldly lead the party and ensure that they have the ability to rein in members of their own government when in power.

“Our party structure was weak, abused and ignored in the immediate past and when change comes, that change must be one that carries with it the power and will of the people,” he said, adding, “If we do not allow that revolutionary change but allow materialism and money politics to dictate our choices, then we will stay in the political abyss for a considerable period.”

NDC’s Defeat

He reiterated his point that the NDC’s humiliating defeat at the 2016 general election was ‘self-inflicted,’ insisting that “the ideals of probity, accountability, integrity and social justice did not manifest themselves in our policies and conduct at all times.

“Some of our own comrades chose to be impervious to reality and we experienced a crushing defeat that haunts many till today.”

Youth & Money

“The grassroots of our party has been paralysed by the complete dearth of principles to drive the party. Our youth are being motivated by monetary influence rather than principles. Many have no clue about the ideals of the party and only see political association as an economic association, further emboldening the so-called kingmakers.”

Mr. Rawlings noted that currently, the political landscape has been monetized and that is killing the enthusiasm towards patriotism and service to the country.

“Today, many perceive politics as being synonymous with acquiring wealth at a fraudulently rapid pace and have nothing to do with service to country. Politics to some, is no longer about the right of every individual to have a say in national decision-making through the district assemblies and other grassroots political structures that were created to enhance equity and create a national wealth of ideas and sense of belonging.

“Today, our politics is one of patronage and dependence on cash cows. Some people have used the leadership opportunities offered them to acquire ill-gotten wealth, which they now use to manipulate us,” he said.

Dela Coffie

In a related development, an NDC activist, Dela Coffie, has attacked former President Mahama and his group for attending the event in Ho after he had claimed that the former leader used it to advance his political career.

He posted on Facebook, “Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined that the former leader of the NDC - John Mahama and his cronies - would ever participate in June 4, 1979 and December 31, 1981 commemorative events, post 2009. Not only am I stunned by John Mahama's presence at the December 31 commemorative event in Ho today, I lament the hypocrisy associated with his brand of politics.

“I remember vividly Mahama's scathing attack on the commemoration of these two events in 2010. It was convenient for Mahama and cronies whiles in government to dishonour December 31 commemoration, forgetting that the NDC is a direct descendant of June 4 and 31st December.”

Mr Dela Coffie recalled, “Mahama as vice president and later as president, publicly encouraged appointees and trusted media contacts to run down the ideals of June 4th and 31st December revolution.”