Category: Politics

Kumasi, May 27, GNA – A 2021 Dennislaw Ghana Report has revealed that 155 out of the 261 metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) in Ghana are operating without legitimate and valid bylaws.

This translates to 59 per cent of the assemblies operating without the incorporation of local rules, which is in violation of the Local Governance Act.

Dr Nana Ato Arthur, the Head of Local Government Service, said that was unacceptable and ordered the various assemblies to make reference to the appropriate Local Governance Act for validity of the bylaws.

Making reference to the Report at the Sixth Annual General Conference of the Association of District Co-ordinating Directors in Kumasi, he said 26 out of 43 MMDAs in the Ashanti Region had no bylaws governing their operations.

Eight of the 12 MMDAs in Bono Region had no valid bylaws, whereas three out of the six assemblies in Ahafo Region operated without these governing rules.

The three-day conference was on the theme: “Digitisation: A Critical Tool for Transforming MMDAs”.

The Association, comprising all the metropolitan, municipal and district coordinating directors (MMDCDs) of the assemblies in Ghana met to review and evaluate past performances and forge stronger and workable solutions to emerging problems at their workplaces.

Dr Arthur called on political and administrative heads to commit to improving holistic working relations to improve outcomes.

MMDCDs must learn and know their bosses, know when to approach them on certain issues and what to discuss at what time, he said.

“A good knowledge of our bosses will ensure a smooth and hitch-free relationship for which we would all be proud of, to collectively execute the development agenda of the assemblies.”

He reminded them to be worthy ambassadors of the service by displaying the highest levels of professional standards with the vision of a world class decentralised and client-oriented service in mind.

The Local Government Service would remain resolute in assisting MMDAs to mobilise the needed resources to ensure the implementation of the digitalisation initiative, he said.

Mr Simon Osei-Mensah, the Ashanti Regional Minister, said digitising the operations of the assemblies would ensure quality and timely service delivery to the public.

He said the lack of transparency, accountability and automation of the processes and procedures, which were the bane of the MMDAs, would be addressed through digitisation.

Mr Osei-Mensah urged the MMDAs to budget for and invest in digitising their processes to ensure improvement in productivity, service delivery and reduce inefficiencies and the cost of operations.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Tumu, (UW/R), May 26, GNA – Dr. Hafiz Bin Salih, the Upper West Regional Minister, has disclosed that some five contractors have been awarded the contract to reshape the Tumu/Han trunk road in 24 months.

The Minister said the project’s objective was to improve the existing gravel road to double seal bituminous treatment surface road and all will add up to 85 kilometres.

The contractors, according to the Regional Minister “will take possession of site from 8th June 2022, and the job is expected to complete by 24 months”.

The minister mentioned that the contract for the road (Tumu-Han-Lawra) was signed on 3rd March 2022.

Messer Mawums Company Limited had been awarded 15-km from Navrongo to Tumu at the cost of Gh¢82,304,751.43, Aschal Investment Limited has also been awarded 10- km at the cost of Gh¢51,360,934.

The rest are: Messer’s Maripoona, 20-km at the cost of Gh¢96,804.44, Green Hause International Development, 15-km, at the cost of Gh¢37, 151, 70.43 and P&W Ghanem will do 25km at the cost of Gh¢85, 871,553.99.

“It’s solely a government of Ghana funded project, but there are dedicated funds for it and, despite the challenges government finds itself, the government wants the project to commence and end in two years”, Dr. Salih said.

He added that the Tumu-Han-Lawra Road was dear to the heart of the President and assured the people that the government was committed to working on the roads.

The Minister appealed to Chiefs, Assembly Members, and the communities to assist the contractors who may require gravel and other resources to access them to get the roads fixed on time for the people.

Dr. Salih said, the Vice President was expected to be in the region to perform the sod-cutting, among other things, on Thursday, 26th of May 2022, but had to be taken away to attend the funeral rites of the leader of the United Arab Emirate.

The minister said the sod-cutting ceremony had been postponed and a later date for the exercise would be announced when the Vice President returned, but that work on the road was expected to start awaiting the sod cutting.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Alexander Kwabena Sarfo- Kantanka, the President’s Juaben Municipal Chief Executive Nominee, who allegedly offered money to some Àssembly Members to vote for him has been charged.

A Statement issued by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) on Tuesday said Sarfo-Kantanka was expected to appear before a Kumasi High Court (Criminal Division) on June I, this year, to answer charges preferred against him.

The Prosecutor has preferred 26 counts of corruption in respect of two public elections conducted in September and November 2021.

Sarfo-Kantanka is alleged to have given some Assembly Members monies between GHC2,5000 and GHC5,000 to buy their vote during his confirmation for the position but could not get the number of votes to need.

The Office of the Special Prosecutor said evidence established that, in September 2021, before the confirmation or otherwise of the accused, by a public election, the accused visited the members of the Juaben Municipal Assembly in Juaben; and he gifted the elected members of the Assembly Five Thousand cedis (GHC5,000.00) each and he also gifted the Government appointed members Two Thousand Five Hundred cedis (GHC2,500.00) each to influence their conduct in the performance of their duty as voters in respect of the election in his favour.

The first election was conducted on 29 September 2021 and the accused failed to secure the required number of votes for confirmation as Municipal Chief Executive.

According to the OSP, the accused was renominated for the same position by the President of the Republic on 12 October 2021.

The OSP said a subsequent election for the same purpose was conducted on 1 November 2021 and the accused again failed to secure the required number of votes.

It said the accused, utterly disappointed at the turn of events that his gifting of valuable consideration to the members of the Assembly to influence their vote in his favour had gone awry, went berserk and vented his wrath on the members of the Assembly and angrily demanded a refund of the amounts of money he had gifted to them.

It said the irate conduct of the accused was audio-visually recorded, and the recording went viral on Social Media platforms.

The OSP said the accused had admitted gifting sums of money to the respective categories of the members of the Assembly to influence the outcome of the elections in his favour.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Techiman (BE/R), May 24, GNA – Mr Paul Yaw Kumah, the Bono East Regional Elections Officer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), said unity and hard work are the best strategic ways to recapture lost parliamentary seats in Election 2024.

Mr Kumah, also the Party’s Regional Research Officer, noted that it could also be a bridge to create access in breaking the eight-year cycle governance in the nation’s Fourth Republic.

“However, we must endeavour to unite and bury our differences in the current internal elections because if achieved, it would strengthen us in all fronts to attain the grand agenda,” he said.

Mr Kumah made the call in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on Tuesday at Techiman, after the vetting process of candidates contesting for positions in the upcoming regional executives elections slated for Friday-Sunday, May 27-29.

He said 23 applicants were cleared by the regional vetting committee, saying three were vying for the Chairmanship position, two for the First Vice-Chairman, three for the Second Vice-Chairman, while two were contesting the Secretary position.

The rest are Assistant Secretary, three, Women Organiser, three, Youth Organiser, two, Regional Organiser, two, Nasara Coordinator, two, whilst Madam Martha Boahemaa, the incumbent Treasurer, is going unopposed.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mozambican President Felipe Jacinto Nyusi Sunday night arrived in Ghana for a four-day state visit. He was met on arrival at the Jubilee Lounge of the Kotoka International Airport by Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

Accra, May 22, GNA – Mozambican President Felipe Jacinto Nyusi Sunday night arrived in Ghana for a four-day state visit.

He was met on arrival at the Jubilee Lounge of the Kotoka International Airport by Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

The visit, which is at the instance of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, is aimed at deepening diplomatic and economic ties between Ghana and Mozambique.

The two leaders are expected to hold bilateral talks at the Jubilee House, Accra on Monday, May 23, 2022.

The pair are billed to superintend the signing of a bilateral agreement between the two countries

Both nations are looking to enhance bilateral ties, especially in the areas of energy, infrastructure and agriculture, as well as in cultural exchanges.

Whilst in the country, President Nyusi will call at the Headquarters of the African Continental Free Trade Area in Accra, and also address the Parliament of Ghana.

He will visit the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum in Accra, and be hosted to a State Banquet by President Akufo-Addo.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Ho, The Volta Region is experiencing transformations in political party affiliations, with a doubling of votes for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Makafui Woanyah, the Regional Chairman of the Party, has said.

He said the Region, which hitherto had been known as a “no-go area” for the NPP, is now extending an arm, as seen in the last general election.

Mr Woanyah told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on Friday that the people were benefitting from social development initiatives under the NPP-led Administration, which included programmes in health, nutrition, and education.

“The narrative is changing. Gradually, the Voltarians are understanding that there are political parties that meant well for them,” he said. 

“The social democrats themselves are not able to put up any social policy for them; no social programmes. We have done school feeding, we have done free SHS, capitation, free maternal care, the roads, and all these things are evident.” 

“The Eastern Corridor – you know they are not shouting anymore. Lots of work is being done there.”

Mr Woanyah, who is seeking re-election, said the Party’s votes had doubled in the Region under his leadership and asked to be maintained to pursue strategies towards political emancipation.

“We have done a lot over the period, knowing where we are coming from; the recent elections – national elections. We have increased our showing and it is unprecedented.”

He promised to complete the befitting party office complex in Ho, which is about 80 per cent complete, to help with the rebranding of the party in the region.  

That and many more, he noted, were indications that he had to be maintained.

Mr Woanyah is being contested by two others; Reverend Johnson Avulete, a former Deputy Volta Regional Minister, and Mr Joseph Homenya, currently the Regional Secretary.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Ahamansu (O/R), May 20, GNA – Mr. Daniel Agbesi Latsu, the Kadjebi District Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), has implored Ghanaians to uphold and defend the 1992 Constitution against interference and interruptions.

He said they must reject any act that sought to disturb the peace and stability of the state.

Mr. Latsu said per Article 3 (4a) of the 1992 Constitution, it was a duty “to defend the Constitution, and in particular, to resist any person or group of persons seeking to commit any of the acts referred to in clause 3 of this article.”

He said the Constitution was a living document, so must be nurtured to grow.

Mr. Latsu made these statements during the observation of 2022 Constitution Week Celebration with students of Ahamansu Islamic Senior High School (AHISHS) at Ahamansu in the Kadjebi District of the Oti Region.

He said the NCCE in 2001 instituted the week to commemorate the country’s return to constitutional democratic rule on 7th January, 1993.

Mr. Latsu said a referendum was held on 28th April, 1992 to adopt the draft Fourth Republican Constitution and the Constitution was then promulgated and gazette on May 8, 1992 and May 15, 1992 respectively.

“Presidential and Parliamentary elections were held on November 7, 1992 and December 7, 1992 respectively”, he added.

The District Director said this year marked thirty years of uninterrupted constitutional rule in the 4th Republic and this called for celebration by all Ghanaians.

Mr. Latsu said in the course of operating the 1992 Constitution for the past 30 years, various segment of the Ghanaian society called for thorough review of the document.

He said the Commission sees this as a healthy discussion and thus, called on all Ghanaians to reflect and add their voices on the ongoing debate for constitutional amendment.

Mr. Latsu said the participation of citizens in the democratic process, and particularly, in the dialogues on reforms that could best inform the efforts at tackling the deficits in aspects of the 1992 Constitution was a step in the right direction.

He said these deficits seemingly breed apathy among the citizenry, disengage the public in major aspects of governance at both the grassroots and national levels, deepen marginalisation, promote excessive powers of the Executive and fester corruption.

Mr. Moru Sulemana, the Headmaster of AHISHS, thanked the NCCE educative team for the programme and called on the student to celebrate the 4th Republican Constitution, study it as the fundamental law of the land and use it as a guide to civic rights and responsibilities.

The programme was held on the theme: “Three decades of uninterrupted constitutional rule: Revisiting the agenda for reforms”.

Similar programmes were held at Koru, Dodi-Papase, Kosamba, Asato, among others.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Accra, May 19, GNA – The Minority Caucus in Parliament has called on President Nana Akufo-Addo to, as a matter of urgency, revoke the Executive Instrument (E.

I 144) declassifying portions of the Achimota Forest Reserve.

A statement issued in Accra by the Caucus and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Wednesday said: “The decision to declare a part of the forest as no longer a forest reserve, is dangerous and does not reflect the objective of keeping the only green area in the capital city.

“Any decision by the Government to reclassify it as a commercial or residential zone, even if only a part of it, will not serve the ecological value effect but on the contrary jeopardize the essence of the forest as a reserved area and will open it up to further abuse and non-ecological use,” it said.

The statement added that, “We believe that if any part of the Achimota forest is released to any original owner and committed to any use either than its present use, it will set in motion a catalytic action of demands for the return of whole or parts of the about 265 Forest reserves across the country to original landowners.”

Subsequently, the Minority had rejected Mr Samuel Abu Jinapor, Minister of Lands and Natural Resource’s justification for the declassification of the forest saying, “The vain assurances of the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources must be viewed only as a smokescreen to obfuscate the fact of the intention to compromise the integrity of the forest and to rape the land. Those assurances could only have been taken seriously if the EI 144 that declared the cessation of parts of the forest as no more a reserve was not issued,” the statement said.

According to the statement, the Minister in his attempt to seek solace in the calculated actions of the previous National Democratic Congress (NDC) government to preserve the forest as a carbon sink asserted in parts that “On 5th September 2013, the then President of the Republic, Mr John Dramani Mahama, gave Executive Approval for the conversion of the Forest Reserve into an Ecotourism Park, and to release the peripheral portions of the Forest Reserve to the Owoo Family, by the recommendations of the Committee,” it said.

The Minority indicated that the previous NDC government under former President Mahama, “with a good conscience”, signed an agreement with Aikan Capital Limited to create, develop, operate and maintain a world-class ecological park as a top eco-tourism destination worldwide.”

The Caucus, therefore, explained that the move was aimed at not only guaranteeing the integrity of the forest but also creating employment opportunities for Ghanaians as well as generating more income for the Forestry Commission.

“Therefore the latest dangerous, reckless, and or possible self-seeking decision of the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia Government cannot and should not be misconstrued as a continuation of the previous government’s policy.

“The President should as a matter of urgency take a second look at EI 144 and revoke it as soon as possible. This will negatively affect the carbon dioxide present in the atmosphere in Ghana’s capital city,” it stressed.

The Minority’s reaction comes after it emerged that President, Akufo-Addo, is alleged to have signed an EI to declassify portions of the Achimota Forest as no longer a forest reserve.

The E.I. 144, gazetted on April 19, 2022, indicates that the area ceases to be recognized as a forest reserve from May 1, 2022.

A copy of the document, which is alleged to have gone viral on social media, said that “the President is satisfied that the land specified is no longer required as a forest reserve and has indicated that the ecological integrity of an adjoining forest reserve should be protected.”

Source: Ghana News Agency