Day: January 17, 2024

The Western Regional Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Okatakyie Amankwa Afrifa has called for the amendment of the clause that enjoins the President to appoint 50 per cent of Ministers from the Legislature.

The amendment, he noted, was the antidote to killing desire of individuals who used Parliament as a conduit to only get Ministerial Appointment and halt the brain drain in the Parliament House.?

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The Western Regional Secretary to the Party in an interview with the Ghana News Agency said the appointment of Ministers from Parliament though constitutional, was not helping in nurturing and raising career Parliamentarians for the course of the legislature, as well as its independence.

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Mr Afrifa said, ‘the constitution has made it so and I think that position should be amended…because the constitution says half of the Executives should come from Parliament, so everyone wants to go to Parliament to become a minister faster without growing from Bench to Bench as practiced in the House.’

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Citing the need for the matter under consideration to be critically considered, the NPP Regional Secretary said, ‘Look at the Western Region Now, and even the House in general, 18 MPs are now retiring including experienced brains like Mr Joe Ghartey, the MP for Essikado who occupied the front seat in the House.

Now that he is leaving, the Region has no front liners in the house which should be a cause for concern to all of us… and is on this premise that I wish all seating MPs within our party are retained in order to move one Bench ahead, and gradually, we will be getting the likes of Joe Badu Ansah, Gifty Eugenia Kusi, among others in making our Region visible with significant impact in national politics’.

‘Apart from Mr Joe Ghartey who sits in the front desk, you will struggle to see our MPs…Just as the formula is in Parliament, I would wish that the delegates allow their seating MPs carry on to move up by a bench to get the Western a ‘Front Appearance.’

The Western Regional Secretary added that the cou
ntry needed to focus on achieving career MPs, as retention of MPs was the way to go in creating a more independent and robust Legislature.

He said, those desiring political and ministerial appointment, must be those who have dedicated themselves to the course of the party at all levels, if you want to be a minister, come, and let us work and get the reward, not ‘let us Past Parliament to become minister approach.’

Mr Afrifa, touching on preparation and the future of the Party projecting into election 2024, said, the NPP would definitely set the official record as the first party to break the eight-year term for the Presidency saying, our chances are super bright.

He encouraged the delegates in the January 27 elections to promote peace in campaigning for preferred Aspirants…’ We do not expect that anything untoward should happen…you as delegates know whom you want to vote for…every delegate must comport him or herself.’

Source: Ghana News Agency

Dr Nii Amu Darko, Presidential candidate of the First Alliance of Independent Reformers (FAIR) says he will transform the agricultural sector by linking farmers with the required technology if voted to power.

He said transforming the country’s agricultural sector could create jobs, raise incomes, reduce malnutrition, and start the economy on a path to middle-income growth.

Dr Darko, an Australian-based Ghanaian was speaking at the launch of the party and his campaign at Osu in Accra to contest the general election in December.

The aspirant, who is also the founder said the party which had the adinkra symbol, ‘Sankofa’ as its emblem has ‘Reform for Prosperity’ as its motto.

He said agriculture would lift Ghana out of poverty and would also generate the necessary resources for development of the other sectors including industry, health, education and infrastructure.

The Presidential aspirant said almost every industrialised nation began its economic ascent with an agricultural transformation but for some,
the transformation had not advanced as planned or has stalled.

‘Navigating the complexity of transformation is invariably tough for some governments eventhough they may prioritize agricultural investment and recognize how important it is to get right’, he said.

‘This is true in an era in which governments are seeking agricultural transformations to meet multiple goals’, Dr Darko said.

He said in addition to traditional economic development and poverty reduction goals, governments were also focusing their agricultural transformation plans on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by considering for example climate-smart strategies, economic empowerment, and biodiversity.

‘Africa, particularly Ghana can lead this new order by strengthening all sectors of the economy and transforming agriculture sustainably, Dr Darko said.

He paid a glowing tribute to Tetteh Quarshie, who brought cocoa to Ghana saying cocoa now contributes the largest percentage of the country’s foreign exchange.

Dr Darko called on Ghanaians
to join the party and vote for him massively to enable him to transform the economy.

Nana Kumassah Krampah II, Omanhene of Gomoa Akyempim Traditional Area called on the youth to come up with innovative ideas to make them self-reliant.

Nii Adam Sourcey II, Osu Alata Kyidomhene also called on the youth to desist from any attempt from politicians to foment troubles.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Access to potable water by the people of Lawra Constituency has improved significantly within the last three years, Mr Bede A. Ziedeng, the Member of Parliament (MP) for the area has said.

He said since he assumed office as MP for the area in 2021, he had drilled 12 boreholes with eight of them fixed with hand pumps and four mechanised through a partnership with some development partners and his share of the Common Fund.

In addition, he also repaired over 70 broken down boreholes in communities within the constituency to help improve access to clean water.

Mr Ziedeng disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on his performance in the constituency for the past three years.

Outlining some planned initiatives for the constituency in 2024, the MP said the provision of potable water sources for the constituency would continue unabated in 2024 as he would lobby development partners and the Government as well as use resources available to him to provide more boreholes and water systems to
the constituents.

‘Developing and improving the livelihoods of the people in my constituency is of utmost priority to me. I will do whatever it takes to make sure my people have access to basic life necessities, talking about education, clean water, and health.

‘I have done much in the past three years, which I cannot mention them all, and 2024 being the last year of this tenure, I will continue what I am doing,’ Mr Ziedeng stated.

The MP said education was one of his priority areas and that he was investing in that sector to help more young people to have access to education.

In that regard, he said he had assisted about 260 tertiary students from the constituency with fees totalling about GHS250,000.00, as well as supported the feeding of Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidates in the constituency during their examination.

He also supported the feeding of Birifoh Senior High School candidates during their West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), which he had pledged
to continue in 2024.

That was because it was a day school and not a WASSCE centre and the students wrote the examination either at the Lawra Senior High School or Eremon Senior High Technical School.

The MP pledged to continue supporting the Mock Examination of the BECE candidates, and the Lawra Municipal Education Directorate to strengthen its monitoring activities to ensure quality academic activities in the constituency.

Mr Ziedeng indicated that he would construct two Kindergarten schools, one between the Zukpire and Faalu communities and the other in the Tansil community to ensure access to pre-basic education in those communities.

He explained that children at the Zukpure and Faalu communities accessed education at the Kalsegra community while those at the Tansel community also attended school at Baazing or Boo, denying the children of those communities’ education at an early age.

On health, Mr Ziedeng said he had supported the renovation of some health facilities in the constituency including the
Nanyaare clinic and provided clean water sources for some facilities.

He had also donated building materials worth about GHS20,000.00 for the completion of a community-initiated maternity unit project at Boo community.

He said for 2024, he had earmarked to renovate nurses’ quarters at the Dowmine Health Centre, construct health facilities in some two communities, and sheds at the Babile Polyclinic for patients and their caretakers.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Reverend Christian Kwabena Andrews, the Founder and flag bearer of the Ghana Union Movement (GUM), says he will choose a woman as his running mate for the 2024 General Election.

Rev. Andrews, who confirmed his candidature for the presidential election in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said he believed in capabilities of women to drive change and was hopeful that his running mate would increase his chances of winning power in the December 7 polls.

The Founder of the Life Assembly Worship Centre, popularly known as Osofo Kyiri Abosom, said his preferred running mate would be from the Western Region.

‘I am an Ashanti and this time I would prefer my candidate to come from the Western Region. The person can come from any other region, but it will be a woman.

‘I have tasked my officers to search for a suitable person and nominate her for my consideration,’ he said.

The GUM sent tongues wagging when it placed third in the 2020 presidential election, beating the traditional Convention People’s Par
ty, People’s National Convention, and the Progressive People’s Party.

The Party garnered 105,548 votes, representing 0.805 per cent of the total ballots cast.

Rev. Andrews said GUM would build on its achievements in 2020.

He said the Party had adopted a door-door campaign strategy to mobilise voters across the country and that it would open nominations for its parliamentary aspirants in March this year.

‘We have already elected our constituency executives and our offices are opened across the country. So, our officers are on the ground working.

‘You won’t see us mounting giant billboards or distributing monies to people. We don’t believe in distributing monies to voters to induce them.’

Rev. Andrews expressed concern over the monetisation of Ghana’s political processes and cautioned that the phenomenon would create a culture where politicians would be interested in buying votes and not prioritise the welfare of the people.

He said the Party’s manifesto would outline detailed roadmap on how it would ach
ieve its ambition of reviving all defunct factories constructed by Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah.

Rev. Andrews said job creation was the focus of the Party and expressed confidence that the establishment of factories in every region and the operation of a free port would boost economic activities and improve the living conditions of the people.

He said the government of GUM would also create a system that would reduce or eliminate reliance on foreign currencies through barter arrangements with international trade partners.

‘The more you rely on foreign currency, the poorer you’ll become. We will create a system where we will use our resources to get what we want,’ he said.

Rev. Andrews mentioned payment of monthly stipends to the aged and children as among the policies that the Party would articulate in its manifesto.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Third-time New Patriotic Party (NPP) aspirant, Mr Frank Yeboah, is set to take over from Benito Owusu Bio, incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) as Parliamentary candidate during the NPP’s primaries in the Atwima Nwabiagya North Constituency.

Mr Yeboah, who hails from Dabaa in the constituency, first contested the incumbent in 2016 and 2020. The third-time aspirant comes with a vast knowledge of the terrain and is tipped as favourite to take up the mantle left by Mr Owusu Bio who has bowed out from contesting as a fifth-time MP for the constituency.

Mr Yeboah currently works with the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) as the Director of Procurement and Project, a release copied to the Ghana News Agency on Wednesday has indicated.

It said his love for humanity and human development propelled him on to his political journey during his school days at Kumasi Polytechnic, now Kumasi Technical University, as an ardent advocate of the UP tradition.

He ventured into full time politics during the then Candi
date John Kufuor’s leadership bid in Sunyani when he organised some like-minded youth in support.

Subsequently, he volunteered his support to actively follow Candidate Kufuor’s campaign throughout the Ashanti region where he quietly played some vital roles to secure victory.

His passion for the NPP had never been in doubt as demonstrated by his diverse and tireless efforts expended towards the party before and during all major and general elections till date.

Through it all, his vision for human development remained consistent as he dared to present himself as an aspirant to serve the Nwabiagya North Constituency in 2016.

Although he made very positive headlines for his composure, demeanour, and mental fortitude as a matured politician, he lost by a slim twelve-vote margin.

Many were those who urged him to contest the seat as an independent candidate, but he never succumbed to the incessant pressures and exhibited enormous maturity by fully supporting the candidate-elect and the party throughout the camp
aign period to ensure victory for the party

‘Consistently, he has kept faith with the party at all levels and his service was rewarded with an appointment to the Ashanti Regional Youth Wing of the NPP as a patron.’

Mr Yeboah’s opponent in the coming primaries is Lawyer Dickson Osei, a former aspirant who previously stood as an independent candidate against the incumbent, the party’s choice for five consecutive terms.

Mr Yeboah holds a Master of Science Degree in International Accounting from Anglia Ruskin University, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Applied Accounting from Oxford Brookes University, and a Certificate in Management of Drugs Supplies from the Commonwealth Pharmaceutical Association all in the United Kingdom.

He has an Executive Certificate in Leadership Strategies for Evolving Health Care Executives from Harvard University in the United States of America and a Diploma in Project Management from Galilee International Management Institute in Israel.

Mr Yeboah also holds a Master of Science De
gree in Procurement and Supply Chain Management from KNUST and Bachelor of Laws (LLB) Degree from Mountcrest University College.

Professionally, he is an experienced Chartered Certified Accountant and a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) UK; member of Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana (ICAG); an associate member of the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) UK; member of the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) Ghana; member of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) UK; and a member of the Ghana Institute of Procurement and Supply (GIPS).

In addition, he is also a member of the Pharmaceutical Technologists Association of Ghana (PTAG).

Mr Yeboah’s in-depth knowledge and practical experience in leadership, insurance, accounting and audit, business management as well as financial management earned him an appointment as a member of the Board of Directors of Serene Insurance Company Limited.

He also serves as the Board Chairman of Apagyamma Co-operative C
redit Union.

He had his professional career with Martin Morrison and Co, Chartered Certified Accountants, as an Audit Associate in the United Kingdom and later as an Account/Audit Manager with the same Company.

He also worked as an Audit Manager at Opoku, Andoh and Co, Chartered Accountants and Consultants, an ACCA Platinum Employer in Ghana.

Mr Yeboah was the Managing Director of Loyalty Insurance Company Limited, and, worked as the Internal Audit and Compliance Manager at Activa Insurance Group with responsibility across the West African Sub-Region.

He is also the Chief Executive Officer of The Frank Yeboah Foundation, a non-profit organization, which is a vehicle for his skills and apprenticeship training, community development and humanitarian effort in support of education, health, business and entrepreneurship, and agriculture, the release said.

Source: Ghana News Agency