Category: Political News

“NPP Is Not A Very Serious Party” – Kennedy Agyapong Goes Haywire

Maverick politician Kennedy Agyapomg has launched a verbal attack on his party the New Patriotic Party (NPP) by describing it a political institution that lacks forceful clear-minded leadership.

In an interview on his television station Net2 TV, the Assin Central MP lamented over the lackadaisical attitude of leaders of the party who have given preferential treatment to some members who had prior to the party winning the election, ruled out their chances.

According to Kennedy Agyapog, until some individuals like Kofi Job who has been awarded Ashanti Regional road contracts are expunged from the party, he will deem the NPP as unserious.

The reason for his outburst stems from his displeasure at an award of a contract to one Kofi Job who used to denigrate the then-candidate Akufo-Addo and used very unpalatable words to describe his person. Kennedy Agyapong believes, if NPP were a very serious party, it wouldn’t entertain the presence of a sycophant like Kofi Job.

NPP is not a serious party that is why they can award contracts to Kofi Job. This man used to insult President Akufo-Addo and describe his mouth as too dysfunctional to contain a sip of milk.
Why should such a man be allowed in the party and even be given Ashanti Regional roads contract? I don’t think we are serious as a party.

Ghbase- Dikoder.com

August 28, 2020
Nana Kwaku Bonsam ends all prophecies as he finally reveals the winner of 2020 elections

The great traditionalist and spiritualist, Nana Kwaku Bonsam who once dominated the media spaces after claiming spirituality to have walked over the sea come in the media limelight once again.

He regularly appeared on television talk shows and could rally crowds of thousands. His fame shot over the clouds when he claimed to put a voodoo curse on Christiano Ronaldo during a Portuguese match with Ghana Black Stars. Which didn’t worked as he said. Ghana was defeated by Portugal.

As Ghanaian voters head to the polls in December, there have been many issues developing on what is set to happen in the coming elections. This election will be a tough contest for both parties. While both parties are prepared and waiting for the Election Day.

According to him in an interview with Wontumi FM, John Dramani Mahama’s inspired NDC will lose woefully to NPP. He revealed that Akufo Addo will this time around win the election again.

He finally concluded that things has already been arranged spiritually but only left to appear physically . In the same vein,he urged the NPP to step up their efforts to give the NDC a heavy blow of defeat once again in the upcoming elections.

August 27, 2020
40 ministers are enough to run this country – PPP

The Progressive Peoples Party (PPP) has said one of the key anti-corruption steps its 2020 manifesto will tackle is the appointment of too many people into government.

PPP Communications Director, Paa Kow Ackon, said Ghana does not need more than 40 minsters in government.

“The…issue we have to deal with is to reduce the number of ministers. 123 ministers? What is the point? We think all the regions we have and our population, we should not have more than 40 ministers. 40 ministers is enough to run our country,” he said.

The PPP Communications Director was speaking at the launch of the Citizens’ Anti-Corruption Manifesto on Wednesday, August 26, 2020 at the Coconut Grove Regency Hotel in Accra.

The citizens’ manifesto is a project that seeks to inform strategic policy direction for the political parties before they are elected into office.

The project is funded by STAR-Ghana Foundation with support from UKAid and European Union.

It is titled, “Making All Voices Count in the 2020 Anti-Corruption Agenda of Political Parties’ Manifestoes” and reveals, among other things that, citizens want legislative reforms to prioritise stronger sanctions against proceeds against criminal activity.

On the administrative fronts, citizens proposed that there should be an introduction of anti-corruption and integrity curricula in schools.

Paa Kow Ackon said the PPP will incorporate many of the recommendations in the citizens’ anti-corruption manifesto because, they are consistent with its understanding of good governance.

“It is important for us to also look at the appointment mechanism [of government officials]. You can’t appoint your family friends, colleagues into government. If they misapply funds, you can’t punish them or tell the Special Prosecutor to take them on…these are the critical issues that we must take them on,” he added.

The PPP, founded by Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, formerly a staunch member of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), was tipped to be the third force after the NPP and the NDC during the 2012 elections but it failed to impress after the polls.

Ghanaweb- Dikoder.com

August 27, 2020
NPP’s delivery tracker now ghost tracker – Ablakwa

The Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has said persons seeking to occupy the office of President of the country must be willing to subject themselves to the scrutiny of the people for whom they will be working when voted into government.

The North Tongu MP has, therefore, called on Ghanaians to safeguard the purity of the country’s democracy.

This follows comments by the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) suggesting that it is not interested in a presidential debate leading to the December polls.

In a post on Facebook, the opposition MP, who is also the Ranking Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, condemned the NPP for taking glory for projects that, according to him, they did not initiate during a recent town hall meeting addressed by Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

Mr Ablakwa stated: “With every passing day, the NPP’s delivery tracker seems to be fast-gaining infamy as a ghost tracker.

“Many individuals, communities and reputable organisations have had to issue embarrassing disclaimers either exposing non-existent projects or protecting their ownership over projects they laboured to erect without any government support. Independent media fact-checks have revealed even more dodgy claims.”

Mr Ablakwa, therefore, urged Ghanaians to reflect on whether or not the governing NPP’s 2020 manifesto is a credible blueprint for providing solutions to the needs of the citizenry.

“Dr Bawumia’s uninspiring effort to convince Ghanaians they deserve more than the abysmal 14% our empirical and surgical scorecard returned on its 2016 manifesto implementation has totally collapsed like a pack of dominoes and further dented his tottering image.

“Beyond the damage to the credibility of the Akufo-Addo administration, we must reflect on the implications, particularly, for the NPP’s 2020 manifesto. With government officials finally conceding to a discredited database, the question is: how can the NPP’s 2020 manifesto be regarded as a credible blueprint for addressing the real needs and aspirations of Ghanaians? In much clearer terms – if your shady tracker lists roads, hospitals, bridges, AstroTurfs and schools which cannot be found anywhere, it is only logical to conclude that your manifesto proceeds on a dubious foundation and it is the people in the aforementioned communities who are bound to be shortchanged.”

He indicated that the main opposition National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) manifesto which is scheduled to be launched on Monday, 31 August 2020, will provide hope to the citizenry having been tailored to suit the needs of the people.

“One can therefore immediately see the wisdom of the NDC leadership when they chose to embark on a people’s manifesto which our opponents ridiculed. Clearly, you cannot get it wrong when you go to the people and engage them directly on what constitutes their needs, hopes and aspirations. Certainly, the NDC is better positioned to present a far superior manifesto on Monday. A manifesto from the people and for the people as it ought to be.”

The North Tongu MP said he now understands why President Nana Akufo-Addo is shying away from debating John Mahama.

“It can now be understood why President Akufo-Addo is running away from a debate with former President John Mahama despite the latter’s passionate appeals. When your record is defined by ghost projects and blatant deception which has resulted in a gaping trust deficit, you will obviously not present yourself to the Bukom Boxing Arena, not because that is another JM legacy but more because you need to desperately avoid a TKO from Sumaila Ndewura Jakpa’s descendant.”

According to Mr Ablakwa, politicians seeking to occupy the highest office of the land should have no choice in deciding if they want to debate or not.

In his opinion, “We must all agree that no matter the excuse, no politician especially those seeking to occupy the highest office of the land should have a choice whether to debate or not. Employees cannot determine that they won’t agree to be interviewed and yet expect to be hired by employers who in this case are the masses of this country. No functioning democracy worth its salt allows those managing national resources and those seeking to superintend over same to escape scrutiny with such utter contempt.”

He added: “The Ghanaian people as employers must no longer be tolerant of conduct that undermines our democratic purity. We actually should be having multiple presidential debates not one.”

Ghanaweb- Dikoder.com

August 27, 2020
Bawumia lied on electricity extension in Bole District – MP

The Member of Parliament (MP) for the Bole- Bamboi Constituency Alhaji Yusif Sulemana has said that it is not true that there is an “ongoing Extension of Electricity at Chibrinyoa in Bole District” of the Savannah Region as said by the Vice-President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

Dr Dawumia made the assertion during his lecture last week to outdoor government’s infrastructure record and as well outdoor a website which captures government’s infrastructure projects across the country and their state of completion.

Speaking on the morning show of Bole based Nkilgi FM on 27th August,2020 the Bole MP said; “The Minister of Energy Mr John Peter Amewu in answering my question on the extension of electricity to Chibriyoa and its surrounding communities was categorical. He said no any ongoing electrification works at Chibriyoa. Dr. Bawumia now comes to tell us there is an ongoing electrification works at Chibriyoa and so it is another big lie”.

The MP for Bole-Bamboi Constituency said he has supported his comments on the issue with a video of proceedings on the floor of Ghana’s Parliament on 6th August, 2020 when the Minister of Energy was asked when the national electricity grid will be extended to Babato, Chibrinyoa Dugli, Bampewa, Agbadago and Tambang all in the Bole District.

The MP said the Minister answered the question and stated; “The communities

Babato, Chibrinyoa Dugli, Bampewa, Agbadago and Tambang do not form part of any of the ongoing projects currently being executed by the Ministry of Energy”.

According to the MP the Energy minister further said; the “Communities have been noted and would be considered in subsequent face of the electrification project.

Giving further details of the issue, the Bole MP said the electricification project at Chibriyoa and other communities on the Bamboi to Babato road started in 2007 by the NPP government under JA Kufour and was continued by the NDC government under John Evan Atta Mills and that the main lines were extended to as far as Babato which ends the communities on that stretch of road.

Alhaji Yusif Sulemana said for some reasons the contactor left site and some of the main poles got burnt and that the Contactor returned to site but wanted government to recost the project.

Alhaji Yusif said the MP he succeeded assisted with poles for the project to continue but the project was not completed when NDC left power.

“As the sitting MP I took it up, went to the ministry several times and was promised the work will be completed. It was at my last visit that I was told the ministry has no plans to complete the work. I decided to bring this to public notice henced asked the minister a question on the floor of parliament on when the project will be completed; the MP said on Nkilgi FM.

The Bole MP also said the answer of the Minister on 6th August, 2020 was emphatic that there is no any ongoing electrification works at Chibriyoa.

“Surprisingly, Dr. Bawumia two weeks later reported to the whole world that work was on going at Chibriyoa. I called the assemblyman to verify Dr. Bawumia’s claim and it turned out that no such work is on going”; Alhaji Yusif disclosed.

Ghanaweb

August 27, 2020
Tell Ghanaians you won’t repeat past mistakes – Asantehene to Mahama

The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has admonished NDC flagbearer John Dramani Mahama to assure Ghanaians that the mistakes that happened under his tenure as President will not be repeated if he is re-elected in the upcoming December polls.

The Asantehene made the comments during a visit by the former President to introduce his running mate, Prof. Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang to him on Wednesday at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi.

According to the king, it is important for Mahama to do an introspection and explain to Ghanaians the mistakes of the past and how he has corrected those mistakes to warrant a second chance.

“You have been a President before and you want to return again as President. I have spoken to you a lot and I have said that if you want to come back, let Ghanaians know what went wrong yesterday. Also let Ghanaians know that the mistakes won’t be repeated.

“When you lost the election, I said that Ghanaians voted against you out of disappointment and anger. And when you were re-elected as flagbearer and you informed me, I asked you whether you have looked at your mistakes in the past and how you can convince Ghanaians how you will correct those mistakes.”

The Asantehene added “the sitting President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo wants to be re elected for another 4 years and he has been going round explaining to Ghanaians what he has done. You have just told me what you did when you were President, and what you want to do if you get another chance. What you have to do is to tell Ghanaians the wrongs of the past and how you will correct those wongs.”

Starrfm

August 27, 2020
EC is overburdened, can’t regulate political parties – CHRAJ boss

Commissioner for Human Rights and Administrative Justice, Joseph Whittal, has said he backs suggestions that a new independent body should be established to take over the Electoral Commission’s role of regulating political parties.

According to Mr Whittal, the EC already has its hands full with conducting elections and referenda to take other roles like ensuring that political parties adhere to the rules on financial audits.

“The Electoral Commission is certainly overburdened with all public elections and referenda and so to add a regulator of political parties or as we call them ‘Registrar of Political Parties’, as we call them in other countries, I think it is an over-kill,” the CHRAJ Commissioner said at an event to launch the Citizens’ Anti-Corruption Manifesto in Accra.

Mr Whittal was responding to concerns that the EC has reneged on its mandate to audit the finances of political parties in Ghana, which some have said fuels corruption since there is no transparency in the financing of the parties.

The CHRAJ Commissioner said Ghana can adopt the system in other African countries where there is an independent Political Party Registrar responsible for ensuring registration of political parties granting certificates, going through their audits and their statement of accounts.

“If the evidence shows that the EC has not been able to activate that aspect of this law, we must be thinking of hacking it off and giving it to an independent body that can handle that aspect…and making sure that the outstanding issues of monitoring political party financing are addressed,” he stressed.

The citizens’ manifesto is a project that seeks to inform strategic policy direction for the political parties before they are elected into office.

The project is funded by STAR-Ghana Foundation with support from UKAid and European Union.

It is titled, “Making All Voices Count in the 2020 Anti-Corruption Agenda of Political Parties’ Manifestoes” and reveals, among other things that, citizens want legislative reforms to prioritise stronger sanctions against proceeds against criminal activity.

On the administrative fronts, citizens proposed that there should be an introduction of anti-corruption and integrity curricula in schools.

ghanaweb

August 27, 2020
Give Akufo-Addo four more years to turn Ghana into ‘abrokyire’ – Minister

The Minister for Local Government and Rural Development Hajia Alima Mahama has appealed to Ghanaians to give President Akufo-Addo four more years to transform Ghana into abroad.

Speaking on Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm, she said her claim that the Ministry has achieved 90% of their promises was no joke.

Taking her turn at the ‘Meet the Press’ series organised by the Information Ministry, yesterday [Wednesday, August 26, 2020], she disputed claims that the government has woefully failed at the local level.

Affirming her claims, the Minister indicated Ghanaians must re-elect President Akufo-Addo because he promised to firm up the operations of the District Assemblies and he has delivered on that and so, we must consolidate our gains and retain him.

”It is about leadership, it’s about transforming Ghana and that is what we have achieved. Give him four more years to do more so Ghana’s transformation will continue. Ghana can transform like abroad but its take good leadership for this to happen. We need leadership that can give direction, dedication, courage, commitment so that the transformation will continue.”

The Gambaga/Nalerigu MP further added that releases to the various assemblies from the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) have sharply increased from ¢461 million in 2016 to ¢967 million in 2019 by the government.

She reiterated that the government has completed 23 projects left by the previous NDC administration and 4 of the 72 projects started by the NPP have also been completed.

According to her, plans are underway to reintroduce the processes for partisan activities to be allowed in district-level elections.

Rainbowradio

Dikoder.com

August 27, 2020
Ghanaians have failed to hold President Akufo-Addo accountable – Mahama’s Aide

An Aide to former President John Dramani Mahama, Godwin Edudzi Tamakloe, says President Akufo-Addo has found confidence to contest for the presidency again because Ghanaians, especially the media, have not held him accountable for his stewardship so far.

According to him, the performance of the Akufo-Addo government has been so abysmal within the 4 years in office than any administration in spite of receiving so much financial resources than any other government.

“If we all decide to hold this government to the fire of accountability, Nana Akufo-Addo will not get the confidence to say that he will stand again for election,” he asserted on Okay FM’s ‘Ade Akye Abia’ Morning Show.

He maintained that President Akufo-Addo has nothing to show for all the borrowed monies and the financial resources at his disposal; claiming that the government of Akufo-Addo has performed abysmally compared to other governments in the history of the country.

“I have never seen a government that has been so abysmal in its performance within 4 years than this administration with so much financial resources; over 300 billion Cedis financial resources at this government’s disposal and if you deduct the 6 billion spent on Free SHS from it, what has happened to the remaining money?”

He said the Akufo-Addo government alone has received about 315 billion Cedis and then Mills and Mahama administration both received financial resources of about 248 billion Cedis.

Aside the abysmal performance, Mr. Edudzi Tamakloe again said the 120 Ministers and deputies have crippled the economy as their monthly salaries are exorbitant compared to the previous administrations.

“Only your government has 120 ministers and deputies and do you know how much a minister is paid for a month? If they say leadership for service, it should have been leadership for family and friends,” he said.

To him, President Akufo-Addo has not been able to keep his campaign promise of not forming a family and friends government.

“One of the campaign promises of Nana Akufo-Addo was that if Ghanaians vote for him, he will not form a family and friends government. Is Nana Addo still standing by that campaign promise?” he quizzed.

Peacefm- Dikoder.com

August 26, 2020
NDC can’t be trusted with Free SHS, they’ll collapse it – Bawumia

The Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, says the opposition National Democratic Congress(NDC) cannot be trusted with the popular Free Senior High School policy introduced by the NPP.

In an exclusive interview Peace FM with Kwame Sefa Kayi on Tuesday, Dr Bawumia said the NDC, considering their past vehement opposition to the Free SHS policy, lacks credibility to continue with it because they do not even understand the concept.

“The credibility and sincerity of the NDC with Free SHS cannot be trusted,” Dr Bawumia said.

“They didn’t believe in it in the first place but we have successfully implemented it. Now they keep giving different versions of what they want to do” the Vice President added.

The Vice President added that the NDC’s continuous shifting of positions on Free SHS portrays their lack of understanding of the policy, as well as the risk of the program collapsing under their watch.

“They say they will review it and it doesn’t make sense to me. They can’t handle it but they will say anything that they need to say just to win an election.”

Dr. Bawumia said the NDC, having performed abysmally in all sectors, and led to their exit from office in 2016, cannot be trusted.

He said the country will retrogress and all the positive gains made by the Akufo-Addo government in critical sectors such as education, economy, agriculture, industrialisation, etc. will be eroded.

“If you look at what we have done, we have achieved so much in education, agriculture, infrastructure, industrialisation, etc in just three and half years.”

“I don’t see any sector where the NDC has performed better than us.”

The Vice President added that the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government is bent on consolidating its gains made in the first term, hence their comprehensive manifesto, which accounts to the people on the promises made and achieved, consolidates the progress made, as well as provides a comprehensive vision into the future.

“If you make a change, you will see an unwinding of the progress. We cannot risk our progress so we are protecting our gains.”

Ghanaweb- Dikoder.com

August 26, 2020
Today in 2017: Adenta Defeat: Oye Lithur paying for her ‘sins’ against me – Rachel Appoh

The former Deputy Minister of Gender, Children, and Social Protection, Rachel Appoh, in 2016 reminded her former boss, Nana Oye Lithur that, ‘the evil that men do lives after them’.

Madam Oye Lithur in August 2017 lost woefully to Mohammed Ramadan in the National Democratic Congress Adentan Constituency parliamentary seat.

But according to Racheal Appoh, her former boss was paying for all the sins she committed against her.

Speaking in an interview Racheal Appoh noted that Oye Lithur will “never be an MP” unless she “goes back to apologize” to her and the former Member of Parliament for Ledzokuku constituency, Benita Okity Dua.

“I’m a Christian and strongly believes what the Bible has said, whatever you don’t appreciate in life you’ll never get it. Hon. Nana Oye Lithur had the opportunity to work with two Members of Parliament (herself Rachel and Benita Okity Dua) as her deputy Ministers but she didn’t appreciate them. So if you don’t appreciate the position of an MP why do you want to be an MP. So until she appreciates that those of us (she and Benita) and goes back to apologize to Ledzokuku and Gomoa Central trust me, she’ll never be an MP,” she said.

Former Deputy Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Rachel Appoh says her former boss, Nana Oye Lithur’s defeat in last weekend’s NDC Parliamentary primary is part of the price she’s paying for her ‘sins’ against her (Rachel).

Nana Oye Lithur lost her bid to be the opposition NDC’s Parliamentary Candidate for Adenta in the upcoming 2020 election as she lost to Mohammed Ramadan.

A frosty relationship characterized the period when Rachel Appoh who was former Member of Parliament for Gomoa Central in the Central Region served under Nana Oye Lithur creating a deep rift between the two women.

The two were not talking terms while in office and it got to a time when the situation became intense resulting in Nana Oye Lithur moving Rachel Appoh out of her office, leaving the latter working from the Ministry’s Reception for more than a year as ‘punishment’

Commenting on her former boss’ lose in the Parliamentary primary in an interview, Rachel Appoh said Nana Oye Lithur disrespected her and her other colleague deputy Minister Benita Okity Duah[former MP for Ledzokuku] by telling the world that the two of them are unintelligent as they’re unable to grasp what they’re taught on the job.

She added that once Nana Oye Lithur did not appreciate and respect their office as then sitting MPs, her bid to become an MP will remain a fruitless exercise.

“I’m a Christian and strongly believes what the Bible has said, whatever you don’t appreciate in life you’ll never get it. Hon. Nana Oye Lithur had the opportunity to work with two Members of Parliament (herself Rachel and Benita Okity Dua) as her deputy Ministers but she didn’t appreciate them. So if you don’t appreciate the position of an MP why do you want to be an MP. So until she appreciates that those of us (she and Benita) and goes back to apologize to Ledzokuku and Gomoa Central trust me, she’ll never be an MP.”

Ghanaweb- Dikoder.com

August 26, 2020
NPP manifesto shows govt has been consistent with Ghanaians – Presidential Staffer

Presidential Staffer, Charles Bissue is optimistic that Ghanaians will vote for President Nana Akufo-Addo and the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) government in the upcoming December 7 general elections.

According to him, the launch of the party’s 2020 campaign manifesto shows clearly that the Akufo-Addo administration has been consistent with Ghanaians in terms of promises made to them prior the 2016 general elections.

Speaking on Tuesday’s edition of Okay FM’s ‘Ade Akye Abia’ Morning Show with Host Kwame Nkrumah Tikese, Mr Bissiw said that the Akufo-Addo government has honoured majority of all the promises made to Ghanaians in 2016.

“I am hopeful that come December 7, Ghanaians will vote for President Akufo-Addo and the NPP government because the manifesto we launched shows that we have been consistent with Ghanaians. All the promises we said that we were going to do, we have done majority of them,” he indicated.

He added that the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP’s) manifesto has three areas; the promises made to Ghanaians in 2016; the consolidation of these promises and transformation of lives.

Delving into the confusing surrounding the Cape Coast airport, Mr Charles Bissue debunked the assertion by many people that President Akufo-Addo was not aware of the Cape Coast airport, explaining why he could not be emphatic when asked on radio.

“I will say that it is not true because National Council met last Friday and it was in the afternoon that the President granted interview in Cape Coast and at that time, the manifesto has not been accepted and printed out,” he said.

“The President is a law-abiding person and the National Council which is the second highest decision-making body was yet to accept the manifesto and so the President couldn’t have made a categorical statement that there will be an airport in Cape Coast even though it is captured in the manifesto,” he stressed.

He reiterated that even though the National Council could have rejected the Cape Coast airport proposal, there was a possibility for the Council to say it was not feasible and therefore be taken out of the manifesto.

To him, it is welcoming news to have a domestic airport in Central Region, stressing that the Central Region is blessed with a lot of touristic places.

Ghanaweb- Dikoder.com

August 26, 2020
Agyapa deal not shrouded in secrecy – Oppong Nkrumah replies CSOs

Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has denied claims that the Agyapa Royalties deal, which has been approved by Parliament, was not transparent.

He told Alfred Ocansey on News 360 on TV3 Tuesday, August 25 that the full document was laid before Parliament for a whole debate on it on the floor.

Therefore, he said claims that the deal has not been transparent is inaccurate.

His comments come after a group of civil society organizations (CSOs) led by Dr Steve Manteaw, Chair of the Civil Society Platform on Oil and Gas, accused the government of shrouding the deal in secrecy.

Dr Manteaw noted the deal was rushed and also lacked transparency.

He said: “What we are telling government is let’s slow down…let’s have more transparency, more consensus building around the approach before we go forward with the approach.

“I don’t know of any national emergency that warrants that we should rush the process to raise funds for development.”

Under the current arrangement, with the Mineral Income Investment Act, we do not see any such transparency, accountability and public oversight arrangement. So it makes it very risky and prone to elite capture and abuse.”

When asked whether the government will suspend the deal following the concerns raised by the CSOs, Mr Oppong Nkrumah said: “Suspend because of what?

“The full documentation has been made available to Parliament. Nobody hid this transaction. We took everything to Parliament and we had a full blown debate. Instead of people, with the greatest of respect, focusing on the debate they were focusing on side issues like a comment I made and that was what captured the headline.

“But the full document as put on the table in Parliament if somebody requires some more answers, I think it is fair to say can we get some more clarification on this?

“I think we are beginning to mix a number of things that don’t conform with how we govern this country. This transaction has been transparent from Day 1.”

Ghana’s legislature approved the controversial Agyapa Mineral Royalty Limited agreement Friday, August 14 despite a protest from the Minority.

Based on the agreement, Agyapa Royalties Limited (ARL) will trade shares on the Ghana Stock Exchange and the London Stock Exchange for private people to buy. But the Mineral Income Investment Fund(MIIF) will remain the majority shareholder.

ARL will raise between $500 million and $750 milion for government to use for developmental initiatives, and then future resources from gold royalties will go to ARL shareholders instead of the Mineral Investment Fund and for that matter government.

Essentially, government is mortgaging expected royalties from gold in exchange for about $500 million – $750 million from ARL.

The Minority said the deal makes it impossible for a future government to replace managers of Agyapa Royalties Limited although the Minerals Income Investment Fund will remain the majority shareholder.

The flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has since questioned the deal and said he will not recognize it in case he wins this year’s polls.

3news- Dikoder.com

August 26, 2020
Coronavirus has delayed but not derailed our progress as a nation – Bawumia

Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has expressed optimism that the strong economic fundamentals of the Akufo-Addo government will propel the country to overcome the devastating effects of Coronavirus on the economy.

In an exclusive interview with Kwame Sefa Kayi on Peace FM’s Kokrokooo on Tuesday, the Vice President indicated that COVID-19 has only delayed the progress of the country but has not derailed the progress of the nation.

“COVID-19 has delayed but not derailed our progress as a nation,” Vice President Bawumia said.

He added that the strong economic fundamentals of the country, as positively indicated by all economic indicators prior to the outbreak of the pandemic, shows the Akufo-Addo government has what it takes to keep the country moving forward.

“We inherited a very bad economy but in just three years, we had turned it around before COVID-19 hit us earlier this year and this helped us to respond. It also shows we have what it takes to move the country forward beyond the pandemic,” Dr Bawumia indicated.

The Vice President added that the outbreak of the pandemic offered the government a practical implementation of the Ghana Beyond Aid vision of President Akufo-Addo, and it will help accelerate the vision of self-production and self-sufficiency.

“The President has been talking about Ghana beyond aid and when COVID struck, it gave us a practical implementation of Ghana Beyond aid,” said the Vice President

“We realised we didn’t have PPE in our hospitals and we decided not to import these critical equipment but to produce them locally ourselves.

“Domestic production is very important and we are looking at that; producing things internally.”

“As we have in our manifesto, we are focusing on a lot of made in Ghana products in terms of government procurement.”

Dr Bawumia further indicated that post-COVID, President Akufo-Addo’s flagship industrialisation One District One Factory policy will play a significant role in the forward march of the country.

“Thankfully for Ghana, we were already on the path of Ghana beyond aid, and with COVID, it is going to accelerate Ghana beyond aid.”

“When you look at industrialisation, 1D1F is already in place and we are ahead of many countries in Africa in terms of industrialisation.”

“The automotive industry is also coming on stream and coming in its own. VW is in, Kantanka is here and Toyota is coming.

“We are building all these automobile industries to come in and move the country forward together with other industries.”

Ghana has been hailed as a rare example in Africa as having handled the Coronavirus pandemic well, in terms of government’s response to the crisis.

The government has earned praise for its direct handling of the virus, as well as its mitigating measures to alleviate the impact of the pandemic on businesses and citizens, especially low-income earners.

Presidency.gov.gh- Dikoder.com

August 26, 2020
Cape Coast airport: Should we live in poverty because we’re poor? – Buaben Asamoa questions critics

The Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Buaben Asamoa has justified that the Cape Coast airport is going to be an avenue to reduce poverty in the Central Region.

According to him, Cape Coast is a hub for tourism and developing the city will help its inhabitants and their communities develop, hence their need for an airport.

Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia announced at the 2020 manifesto launch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) that the party will build a harbour and airport for Cape Coast in the Central Region when re-elected into power.

Speaking in an interview on the Epa Hoa Daben political show on Happy 98.9 FM hosted by Afrifa-Mensah, the politician said, “If we don’t open up our country for development, we will never grow. We must make Cape Coast a hub for tourist activities. Ghana is 63 years and would have been retired if she were a person. Should she live in a mud house during her retirement?” he asked.

“Should we continue to live in poverty because we are poor? We need to develop Cape Coast because doing so will create jobs. And constructing an airport in the town will serve as an alternative to a lot of people.”

The Member of Parliament (MP) for the Adentan Constituency furthered that it would even be best to have airports in all regional capitals. He argued, “Some people who arrive at Kotoka will wish to travel by plane to the other parts of the country by air and it is best to have an airport in all our regional capitals.”

Buaben Asamoa added that if not for the COVID-19 pandemic, the country would have been flooded with tourists and with most of them trooping to Cape Coast, and Ghanaians would have realized the significance of an airport in the historic town.

“Because the people are poor, shouldn’t we serve them with rich things? People will travel to Cape Coast and spend a lot more money there and citing an airport in the town is the best. The revenue from tourism alone will improve their lives,” he reiterated.

Commenting on the call made by a section of Ghanaians for the NPP to drop plans to build the airport and rather focus on dualizing roads leading to Cape Coast, he noted that doing so will only make travelling to the tourist town more stressful and unappealing.

“If we dualize the road, you’ll have to take a ‘trotro’ from Adenta to Kaneshie and that will take you about an hour. You will then have to sit in a Cape Coast vehicle for an hour until it is filled to capacity. After, it will take you an hour and 30 minutes to get to Cape Coast.”

Further explaining the need for an airport in Cape Coast, Yaw Buaben Asamoa said, “It is about opening up the city for future investments. If we don’t construct the airport, we will be the cause of our own problems. We should open up the city for the people who believe in Ghana,” that is tourists.

Etv Ghana- Dikoder.com

August 26, 2020