Day: December 12, 2022

Accra, Dec. 12, GNA – President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is in the United States to attend the US-Africa Leaders’ Summit that seeks to strengthen the US’ ties to Africa.

President Biden is hosting leaders from across the African continent in Washington, DC from December 13 to the 15, 2022, to reinforce ties with African partners based on principles of mutual respect and shared interests and values

The three-day gathering is expected to demonstrate the United States enduring commitment to Africa, and would underscore the importance of U.S.-Africa relations and increased cooperation on shared global priorities.

The summit would include top-level meetings, new initiatives to boost Africa’s digital economy and a string business deals between African and American companies.

US officials have indicated that President Biden would at the summit announce American support for an African Union seat on the G20, as well as for greater African representation in global institutions like the International Monetary Fund.

President Akufo-Addo is the US with the First Lady, Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo; the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey and the Minister for Trade and Industry, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen

Others include the Minister for Works and Housing, Francis Asenso Boakye; the Minister for Environment, Science Technology and Innovation, Dr. Kwaku Afriyie; and officials of the Presidency and Foreign Ministry.

He is expected back in Ghana on Saturday, December 17, 2022.

Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia acts in his stead.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Accra, Dec.12, GNA – Mr Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, Member of Parliament for Assin Central, has promised to transform Ghana’s economic fortunes when given the nod as the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2024 Election.

Addressing the congregation at the Divine Word International Ministries in Virginia, USA, to declare his presidential ambition, Mr Agyapong said he would leverage on his vast experience as a business mogul to position Ghana as a business hub.

He said under his leadership, Ghana would be a business destination and prioritise industrialisation to transform the economy.

On his job creation agenda, Mr Agyapong said he would focus on a massive industrialisation drive and tourism, adding that he planned to create globally competitive industries, paying attention to commercial farming to make it attractive as pertained in Cote D’Ivoire, Tanzania, and Malaysia among other industrial nations.

Ghana, he said, was endowed with numerous mineral resources and would use them to turn the fortunes of the economy around.

As a business mogul who had employed more than 7,000 workers across the globe, Mr Agyapong said he would leverage on his business prowess to help achieve the country’s development targets.

“With my experience as a businessman, I will create jobs for the youth. I’ll run Ghana like a business until an unprecedented transformation is achieved to benefit every citizen,” he assured.

He highlighted his plans to promote large-scale mechanised agriculture and other attractive incentives to bring onboard the youth.

“I will lead Ghana to export more and import less for economic growth and job creation,” he said.

Touting his disciplinary credentials, Mr Agyapong pledged to instill discipline, integrity, hard work and accountability in Ghanaians, especially the youth, to spur national development.

He said he believed that corruption and greed were primarily due to the absence of discipline and integrity in the national psyche of some Ghanaians, and would, thus, work as a leader to end those attitudes, which was wreaking havoc on the nation’s development efforts.

He urged all well-meaning Ghanaians, both home and abroad, to rally behind the NPP-led Government to surmount the current challenges.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Presidential fortunes of Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kyerematen, recieved massive boost over the weekend with scores of Ghanaian youth calling on the New Patriotic Party to elect him as the Presidential Candidate.

The group , who might had had prior knowledge that Alan would be travelling to Kumasi, laid wait around Linda Dor restaurant on the Accra – Kumasi highway, holding placards espousing the virtues of their preferred candidate.

Key among the many messages was the marketability of Alan Kyerematen, transparency and inclusiveness in the Ghanaian geopolitical space.

The volunteer Group pledged to champion the Presidential bid of the Trade and Industry Minister should he be elected as the Presidential Candidate of NPP.

Speaking to the media, a gruop member, Mr. Kwesi Kyere, cited the ease with which Alan Kyerematen can be presented to the Ghanaian voter as against other candidates who would be difficult to sell.

“We are talking of a candidate that can be presented to the Ghanaian voter with heads held high. We are talking of a candidate that is easily marketable and that will surely make the NPP build their campaign on the potentials of the candidate. We are ready to champion the presidential bid of Alan Kyerematen since he comes as a clean and competent choice from the lot.

“He is credible , can be trusted and will surely be marketable if the NPP communication machinery is willing to build on the good work of the current government”, Abena Tweneboa said.

Their latest call adds to numerous others from advocating; “No Alan, No Vote.’

As a front runner in the upcoming Presidential Primaries, many pundits are heavily tipping the Trade and Industry Minister to emerge winner when the party heads to the internal contest early next year.

Source: Ghana Web

The Ghana Union of Traders’ Associations (GUTA) has applauded government for putting in measures to stabilise the cedi.

The government has put in place a number of initiatives to check the free fall of the cedi.

Reacting to this in a statement signed by GUTA President, Dr. Joseph Obeng, it said, “The Ghana Union of Traders’ Association wishes to appreciate the efforts being made by the government and the Bank of Ghana to stabilise the cedi. We urge government to continue with more efforts to sustain the programme and bring relief to the business community”.

The statement appealed to the business community to adjust accordingly prices of goods, in order for consumers to experience the positive trend.

“As the value of the cedi begins to appreciate, GUTA wishes to appeal to the business community to adjust prices of goods and services accordingly, to make the consuming public feel the impact of this positive trend,” the statement appealed.

The debt restructuring will see a slash in interest payments for domestic bondholders to zero percent in 2023 and five percent in 2024.

Existing domestic bonds as of December 1, 2022, will also be exchanged for a set of four new bonds maturing in 2027, 2029, 2032 and 2037 – all in a bid of restoring the nation’s capacity to service its debt.

“The objective of this programme is to alleviate the debt burden in a most transparent, efficient, and expedited manner. In this context, by means of an Exchange offer, The Government of Ghana has been working hard to minimize the impact of the domestic debt exchange on investors holding government bonds,” the finance minister, Ken Ofori-Atta launching the programme on December 4, 2022, explained.

Source: Modern Ghana

The largest opposition political party in Ghana, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), held its women and youth leadership elections at the party’s 10th Women and Youth Conference at the University of Cape Coast on Saturday, December 10.

Even though the conference was marred by violence, it ended with the party announcing the winners of the various national women’s and youth positions in the party.

The race for the position of national youth organizer in the party saw some stiff competition between the incumbent youth organizer, George Opare Addo, and Yaw Brogya Genfi, with Opare Addo winning by just 25.

The incumbent Women’s Organiser of the party, Dr. Louisa Hannah Bissiw, retained her position after beating Margaret Ansei Magoo by 433 votes to 362.

Ten people contested the race for the position of the Deputy National Youth Organiser, including Osman Abdulai Ayariga, Ruth Dela Seddoh, Bright Nudokpo Honu, Sulemana Abdul Karim, Mohammed Abubakari Sadiq Gombilla, Kabiru Ahmed, Eric Dadson, Pendilock Owusu Asare, Obed Opintan, and Jude Sekley.

The Deputy National Women’s Organizer position was contested by Abigail Akwabea Elorm Mensah, Felicia Dzifa, Jessie Adams, and Hajia Alijata Sulemana.

Dr. Louisa Hannah Bissiw is a former Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture from 2013 to 2017; Deputy Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing in 2009; and the former Member of Parliament for Tano South, in the Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana, from 2012 to 2017.

She has served in various positions in the NDC, including being a member of the NDC Manifesto Committee in 2008. She was the incumbent women’s organiser of the party.

Dr. Louisa Hannah Bissiw is a former Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture from 2013 to 2017; Deputy Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing in 2009; and the former Member of Parliament for Tano South, in the Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana, from 2012 to 2017.

She has served in various positions in the NDC, including being a member of the NDC Manifesto Committee in 2008. She was the incumbent women’s organiser of the party.

Abigail Akwambea Elorm Mensah was the 2016 parliamentary candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Fanteakwa South constituency. She has been the party’s 1st Deputy Women’s Organiser since 2018. Felicia Dzifa Tengah is a member of the NDC Communication Team. This will be the first time she will be holding any national position in the party. George Opare Addo has been the national organiser of the party since 2018. He is a lawyer by profession. He was the Municipal Chief Executive of the Akuapim North Municipal Assembly in the Easter Region. Osman Abdulai Ayariga is a past president of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS). He is also a member of the communication team of the NDC. Ruth Dela Seddoh also retained her position, having served as the 2nd Deputy National Youth Organizer of the Party since 2018.

Source: Ghana Web

General Secretary of the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), Citizen Ato Dadzie, has dug at the Minority in Parliament following the motion for a vote of censure against the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta.

According to him, the motion was brought to Parliament without proper evidence; hence, it is a partisan approach to shame the Finance Minister.

He further stressed that it would be very difficult for the minority to prove the charges levelled against Ken Ofori Atta.

Describing the motion as deceptive, he said the move was aimed at embarrassing President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and making his government unpopular; hence, the minority must help in finding permanent solutions to Ghana’s declining economy.

“The motion of censure lacks merit and it will be very difficult for the minority to prove with proper evidence the charges against Ken Ofori Atta. The Minority is just trying to bring the President and his entire Cabinet down,” Citizen Ato Dadzie told Accra-based Original TV.

Ken Ofori Atta was accused of gross mismanagement of the economy, and conflict of interest, among others.

Background

The vote of censure filed by the minority against the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has failed.

This is because only 136 legislators on the minority side voted on Thursday to demand the removal of Mr. Ofori-Atta, thus falling short of the two-thirds constitutional requirement for the motion to pass through.

The proponents of the motion needed the votes of 183 legislators to have the motion passed against Mr. Ofori-Atta.

Prior to the vote, the New Patriotic Party MPs staged a walkout and decided not to support the motion of their colleagues from the opposition side of the House.

Source: Ghana Web

The Nordic Chapter of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) extends hearty congratulations to Honorable Mawutor Agbavitor, the newly elected Volta Regional Chairman of the party.

Prior to his landslide victory in the regional elections, Mr. Agbavitor was an active member of the Sweden Chapter of the NDC, where he championed key growth initiatives for the party in Sweden. Sharing a congratulatory message to Honorable Agbavitor on behalf of the Nordic Chapter, Mr. Patrick Osei, Chapter chairman opined:

“Honorable Agbavitor’s victory in the election came as no surprise for us in the Nordic Chapter, and it is a testament to his dedication to duty and a sense of purpose for our great party. We wish him success in his tenure, and we look forward to greater exploits for the Volta Region and the party as a whole.”

Mr. Agbavitor’s election victory will no doubt contribute significantly to the party’s preparations for the 2024 national elections.

Source: Ghana Web

A Deputy Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Ernest Owusu Bempah, has condemned some violence that erupted at the just-ended National Democratic Congress (NDC) youth congress.

According to him, the violence that erupted during the congress should discourage Ghanaians from voting for the NDC, as the same violence may occur during the 2024 general elections.

He said, “Ghanaians have realized that the NDC is not a party to be voted for. Even in internal elections, they are killing themselves; they will turn around and unleash the same violence on the people of Ghana in any election.

“We all remember when former President John Mahama said when it comes to violence, the NDC comes from a revolutionary background and nobody can beat them to it. That is precisely what they exhibited during their internal elections to elect party executives,” 3news quoted Owusu Bempah

He, however, called on various stakeholders to call the NDC to order ahead of the 2024 elections.

“We are calling on the National Peace Council, chiefs, and opinion leaders to call them to order. For us in the NPP, we love peace, we elected our leaders in a peaceful manner, and we are sounding this caution to them that in 2024 elections, Ghanaians are going to reject the NDC. We know that they intend to resort to violence, but the people of Ghana will stand up and defend the Constitution of Ghana. They are not the alternative for the people of Ghana. Lies, propaganda, and violence are their hobbies; Ghanaians believe in the NPP,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Police Service has announced a GHC10,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest of some 16 persons who engaged in violent acts during the Youth and Women’s Conference held by the National Democratic Congress.

On Saturday, December 10, 2022, the NDC held elections for leadership positions in its youth and women’s wings in the Central Regional Capital of Cape Coast.

The suspects, who are said to be from opposing factions of the party, are said to have engaged in a violent clash that resulted in three people being injured and property being destroyed.

“After an initial review of police-specific video footage of the event, 16 suspects have so far been identified as some of the people involved in the violence and have been declared wanted.

“A Ghc10,000.00 reward has been set aside for any member of the public who can provide credible information to the police that can lead to the arrest of any of the suspects,” the police said in a statement dated Sunday, December 11, 2022.

Source: Ghana Web