Category: Key Issues

Madam Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has lauded the European Union (EU) for being Ghana’s largest multilateral development and trade partner.

The Minister made the commendation on Monday in her opening remarks during the Ghana-EU Partnership Dialogue Meeting in Accra.

The annual dialogue was held within the framework of the cooperation between Ghana and the EU, based on the Lome Convention.

The Accra Meeting was co-chaired by Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and Mr Irchad Razaaly, the Head of the EU Delegation to Ghana.

Madam Ayorkor Botchwey reiterated that Ghana valued her relations with the European Union.

‘Over the years, our relations have transcended into partnerships, reflective of the ever-evolving and increasing interdependence between Ghana and the EU as well as its individual member countries,’ she stated.

‘It is therefore important that we continue to engage, to tackle the various challenges that affect our world, some of which include pe
ace and security issues, the migration crisis, and climate change, just to mention a few.

‘Together with the European Union member countries, we have maintained fruitful cooperation in all spheres, which, as I have already stated, has continually been strengthened, and is evidenced by the signing of many successful partnership agreements.’

She said the Accra Dialogue provided another opportunity to set the tone for their collective efforts at resolving pending issues towards strengthening Ghana’s relations with the EU, which is the largest multilateral development and trade partner.

She urged both sides to work together as strategic partners, to objectively assess the progress made on the outcome of the previous Dialogues; to re-assess the relations that currently existed between the two sides, and to determine their joint vision, through the thematic areas outlined in the mutually agreed agenda.

Madam Ayorkor Botchwey said she was optimistic that the discussions would further strengthen the existing cord
ial relations between Ghana and the EU and address challenges for the mutual benefit of our people.

Mr Irchad Razaaly, the Head of the EU Delegation to Ghana, said the Ghana-EU partnership was as strong as ever, even amidst today’s testing times, both for Europe and Ghana.

He said this was illustrated by the continued support for Ghana’s macro-economic stability, and the country’s ability to manage the ongoing economic and financial crisis.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Electoral Commission (EC) says it is set to conduct the upcoming limited voter registration in the Upper West Region with all the necessary materials and equipment in place for the successful conduct of the exercise.

The exercise is expected to be conducted in all the 11 districts and municipal offices of the EC in the region as well as the Dr. Hilla Limann Technical University and the SD Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies.

There would also be 32 mobile registration teams, which would be moving from one registration centre to another to register eligible Ghanaians.

Mr Ali Osman, the Upper West Regional Director of the EC, disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Wa on Monday ahead of the registration exercise, expected to commence on Tuesday, May 7, 2024.

Out of the 32 moving registration teams, there would be three teams in the Wa Municipality, two teams in the Wa West District, nine teams in the Wa East District, two in the Nadowli-Kaleo District and two in the D
affiama-Bussie-Issah District.

The rest are two teams in the Jirapa Municipality, three teams in the Lambussie District, three teams in the Lawra Municipality, four teams in the Sissala East Municipality and two teams in the Sissala West District.

Mr Ali said the district and Municipal officers of the EC were on standby at the Regional Office to convey the registration materials and equipment to the various districts and municipalities for the exercise to take off on the scheduled date.

He encouraged all eligible Ghanaians to register and be issued voter’s Identity Cards to enable them to participate in the December 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections.

He, however, advised the public against attempts to engage in double registration as that was an offence and anyone apprehended in that act would face the consequences.

He indicated that the registration exercise would be done online and where there was no mobile network connectivity, it would be done offline.

‘With the online, we will be able t
o detect double registration, but the problem is with the offline because it cannot be detected instantly.

‘But the system will detect it when the data is uploaded to the online database and such names will be captured as double registration.

That means they cannot vote and when we get such people, we will prosecute them because it is criminal to double register’, the Regional EC Boss said.

The EC had scheduled to conduct the limited voter registration exercise from Tuesday, May 7, 2024, to Monday, May 27, 2024, ahead of the December 2024 general election.

The 21-day exercise targeted individuals who had turned 18 years old since the last registration and those above 18 years but had not yet registered to be enrolled in the national voters’ album.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Electoral Commission (EC) in the Akatsi South Municipality of the Volta Region has expressed its readiness for the upcoming Limited Voter Registration exercise. 

The exercise, according to the EC, would enable persons who are 18 years and above but could not register in the previous exercises to do so.

Mrs Akorfa Buabasa Asamoah, the Akatsi South Municipal Electoral Officer, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, stated that the National exercise would commence on Tuesday, May 7 and end on May 27.

‘We have one mobile team that would commence registration of new eligible voters from May 8 to May 13,’ she said.

Mrs Buabasa further indicated that the EC team would begin its two days of routine activities at each of the communities, which include Sremanu on May 8 and 9, while  Avenorpeme Health Centre and Asafotsi areas would be visited from May 10 to 11 and May 12 to 13 respectively. 

Meanwhile, Mr Philip Adzomani, the EC Officer at Keta, explained to the GNA that their mobile team would be at Atia
vi Glime L.A basic school premises for two days, starting from tomorrow Tuesday, May 8.

Other areas the mobile team is expected to visit include Lawoshime which is slated for Wednesday 10 to 11 May, and Anyako/Seva on May 12 to 13.

‘The reason for our Mobile Team routine is to make sure those in the hard-to-reach areas are also captured in the EC’s database to avoid being disenfranchised during the elections. Also, all our offices would be opened for eligible voters to walk in and register.’

Mr Adzomani further revealed that all political parties had been notified about the pending exercise.

He urged the public to assist the Commission by complying with all the requirements for a smooth, peaceful, and successful exercise.

The EC has earlier announced May 7 to May 27 for the voter registration exercise for persons who are 18 years and above, while those with missing ID cards would have the chance for replacement on May 30.

Transfer of votes and compilation of proxy votes would also take place between May
30 and June 14.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Volta Regional Secretariat of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is cautioning any political party with plans to import foreigners to participate in the upcoming limited voter registration exercise to revise their strategy.

Mr Pope Yao Yevoo, Regional Secretary of NPP, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said the party was collaborating with state agencies at the borders and beats on infiltration of foreigners into Ghana’s electoral system.

‘We are aware the NDC is at its old game of aiding foreigners to register in this limited registration.

We are working assiduously with all stakeholders to ensure that the practice is fiercely resisted,’ he added.

He said the party’s intel and architecture machinery had been activated and promised uncompromising repercussions for such nation-wrecking activities.

Mr Yevoo, however, urged Junior and Senior High students, who have just turned 18 years, to themselves enrolled to vote in the upcoming December elections.

He said the Party was upbeat about the regist
ration exercise and had trained all its stakeholders in relation to the exercise and ‘only hope for a peaceful exercise across the region.’

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Western Nzema Youth League (WNYL), a youth group, has encouraged potential voters in the Nzema area to participate in the upcoming Limited Voter Registration exercise by the Electoral Commission (EC).

Dr Patrick Ekye Kwesie, Leader of the WNYL, who spoke to the Ghana News Agency in an interview, said the exercise was their civic duty, and that they should get registered for their Voter Identification Cards to exercise their franchise in the December 7 polls.

According to him, the public participation in the recent voter registration process in the country had been a topic of concern for all relevant stakeholders with various issues arising during the exercise.

He said: ‘Challenges such as network issues, non-functional registration equipment, lack of adequate education, and long queues at registration centres should be duly dealt with by the EC to prevent the unforeseen circumstances.’

He called for an effective collaboration between stakeholders, including the EC, political parties, civil society org
anisations, and the National Identification Authority, among others to address the challenges faced during the registration exercise to ensure the full participation of all prospective voters.

Dr Kwesie also called for improved security measures to prevent possible incidents of violence and attacks on registrants during the process.

‘We plead for sustained efforts to promote a peaceful, transparent, and credible voter registration process since this is a crucial pillar in enhancing the democratic practices in Ghana,’ he noted.

He also appealed for continuous engagement and education of prospective voters on the essence of the exercise to build their confidence in the electoral system and promote a fair and inclusive registration process.

The EC is scheduled to commence the limited voter registration on Tuesday, May 7 to May 27 to register individuals who have attained 18 years and above, and those who could not register during the previous editions.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Kadjebi District in the Oti Region, Mr Wilson Kwami Agbanyo, has paid a working visit to Gyamonome and Asato communities and Gyamonome D/A Basic School.

The visit was aimed at explaining government interventions and policies in education, health, agriculture, and assessing the developmental challenges facing these communities and finding permanent solutions to them.

At Gyamonome, he told the gathering that 3,000 dual and mono desks had been distributed to schools across the district during his three-year stay in office and that 500 more would be released soon to reduce the furniture deficit.

He appealed to parents to also provide their children with the basic school needs as the government would not do everything for them.

On the Kadjebi Agenda 111 Hospital project, the DCE said the project was progressing steadily and that soon inhabitants of Kadjebi District would not travel to Worawora and Jasikan Hospitals to access healthcare.

Mr Agbanyo later presented street
light bulbs, machetes and spraying machines to the community and later visited the Gyamonome Basic School, interacted with the pupils and teachers, and presented a spraying machine.

Mr Philip Dzemeke, the Assemblyman for Gyamonome Electoral Area, commended the DCE for his work.

He requested a KG block for the pupils of Gyamonome Basic School who are currently housed in an office.

At Asato, the DCE assured the residents that the proposed 10km Asato-Apesokubi Road would be constructed and that follow-ups on the project had started.

Mr Samuel Anim, Kadjebi District Works Engineer, told the residents that the Contractor for the Asato-Gyamonome Road came to the site to commence work, but there were some compensation issues since some Cocoa farms would be affected, so he left.

Prof. Christian Anthony Krueger, a native of Asato, commended the DCE and his team for the engagement.

He urged the DCE to speed up the Asato-Apesokubi Road construction as it would save commuters from the area from travelling two hours
and 30 minutes to Dambai instead of an hour and a half.

Prof. Krueger, a retired Associate Professor of the Department of Science Education, University of Cape Coast, said the construction of that road was long overdue, so the DCE should act with dispatch.

The DCE was accompanied by Mr. Cletus Chevure,  Kadjebi District Coordinating Director, Engr. Samuel Anim, Kadjebi District Works Engineer, Donniel Tamakloe, the District Human Resource Manager, Mr. Nathaniel Nkiboare Atta, an Assistant District Planning Officer and Frank Adjei Worlanyo, an Aide to the DCE.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr George Opare Addo, National Youth Organiser of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has commissioned an operational office for the youth wing of the party in the Ho Central Constituency.

The office was donated by Mr Noah Dzigbor, the Constituency Youth Organiser, and has been fully furnished for the coordination of activities in the run up to the upcoming general elections.

Mr. Dzigbor donated a branded utility pick-up vehicle for use by the youth wing. 

The National Youth Organiser while handing over the building and the vehicle, noted commitment among Party members to the cause of victory, and expressed profound appreciation to the benevolence of the local executive.

‘It’s our prayer that this office becomes a symbol and a sign for our victory in 2024,’ Mr Opare Addo said.

He added that the initiative resonated with efforts by the national office of the Party to resource the various branches for the electioneering period, and that such support from local wings benefited the cause for victory.

‘W
e have started the processes of supporting each constituency with motorbikes and vehicles to move regional officers and national officers. We give assurances that we will make sure that all the resources that they require to work with, got to them so that they can achieve the victory that we all seek to achieve come 7th December.

‘We are a Party in opposition. We would not be able to resource them like how the NPP is throwing money all around.

‘But I have always emphasised that money doesn’t win elections, and its superior strategy and commitment that win elections. We are committed to it we will do all we can, and we will make sure we provide the requisite resources that they would need to ensure that victory that we all so much want, is achieved, and chalked.’

The National Youth Organiser earlier met with branch executives on strategies for the mobilisation of first-time voters for the coming limited voter registration exercise and was sure of successful delivery.

Mr. Dzigbor, the Constituency Youth Org
aniser, said the voting rights for all eligible voters in the Constituency, including in border communities, would be secured.

Mr. Edem Kpotosu, Parliamentary Candidate for the NDC in Ho Central, said the youth had become a focus for victory, and that efforts were in place to garner them into the fold of the Party.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Ms. Cynthia Anima Boadu, the Bono Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), has encouraged Ghanaians of 18 years and above to capitalize on the limited registration exercise from May 7 to May 27, 2024.

She urged the public to ensure their names were in the voter register, so that they would be able to exercise their fundamental right to vote in the upcoming December 7th presidential and parliamentary elections.

During an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani, Ms. Boadu explained that by choosing not to register, the individuals would deny themselves from voting, saying it was important for every eligible citizen to take part in the registration process to exercise their democratic right.

This exercise presents an opportunity for eligible individuals to participate in the democratic process and ensure their voices would be heard in the upcoming elections, she added.

Ms. Boadu said the 1992 constitution gave every Ghanaian who is 18 years and above the right to
vote, however, ”it is important to note that if your name is not found in the voter register, you are not eligible to vote, therefore, it is advisable to ensure that your name is included in the register in order to exercise your voting rights.”

She urged the public, especially those who have attained the age of 18, to seize the opportunity to register in order to exercise their right to vote and participate in the decision-making processes of the country.

Ms. Boadu encouraged first-time voters to follow the statements and manifestos of the political parties and their activities, to analyze and make an informed decision before casting their vote.

Source: Ghana News Agency