The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, will travel to Mali on Thursday, July 23, to help resolve the political crisis in that country.
The President, who returned to active duty on Monday, July 20, following a 14-day precautionary self-isolation, is making his first travel outside Ghana since the country closed its borders about four months ago to halt importation of the coronavirus.
Minister for Information, Mr. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah disclosed this on GBC’s current affairs programme, ‘AskTheInfoMinistry’, on Tuesday, July 21.
“Monday, he started work from his office. Today, he chaired an emergency cabinet meeting. On Thursday, he will be going to Bamako in Mali. The African Union has requested him, the President of Nigeria and a couple of other leaders to go to Mali and help resolve some of the political tensions and challenges they are having there.”
“The borders remain closed except for exceptions which we give for those who are going and those who are coming in,” he added.SOURCEGBCGHANAONLINE
The MP for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong says he tested positive for Covid-19 after his 60th birthday celebration on Tuesday, June 16, 2020.
Narrating his near-death experience to Adom News’ Alfred Amoh, the outspoken MP said he lost weight drastically and had to self-isolate for weeks.
“It was after my 60th birthday party which I resisted so much and it exposed me to people who had already tested positive.
“I dined with them and even for some people, they did not even have their nose masks on while others had theirs down the chin,” he said.“For over two weeks I was in quarantine; my nose was blocked and my bed was as if water had been poured on it coupled with a fever and within five days, I had lost weight drastically,” he recounted.
Mr. Agyapong in a video that was circulating on social media, was seen seated around a table with his family and friends in a hearty chat during his birthday celebration.
His party was crowned with a toast proposed by former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Maritime Authority, Kwame Owusu who got the crowd laughing and applauding.
The video got many social media users talking as most observers expressed worry over the total disregard for the social distancing protocols.
While some of the guests at the party, did not have face masks on, other who did had it placed under their chin instead of over the nose and mouth.
But cautioning Ghanaians of the dangers of this act, the business mogul said the virus is real hence all laid down protocols to curb it must be strictly adhered to.“I have recovered now and not shy to talk about it because I am a testimony but the disease is so real and we don’t have to joke with it,” Mr. Agyapong urged.
The Minister of Special Development Initiatives, Mavis Hawa Koomson, who is also the Member of Parliament for Awutu Senya East (Kasoa) must resign for acting dishonourably at a registration centre in her constituency by pulling a gun and firing warning shots, Rev. Prof Emmanuel Asante has said.
The minister admitted on Monday that she fired the warning shots that marred the voter registration exercise at Kasoa.
She said she took a gun to the centre for personal protection in her attempt to stop the parliamentary candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Phyllis Naa Koryoo, from busing aliens to the area to register.
“None of my men carried guns to the centre”, she told Accra-based Adom FM, adding: “I fired the warning shots myself”.
“I’m a Member of Parliament, I need to protect myself. It was at dawn; my police escort had not started work yet. So, that is the modus operandi I engaged in his absence”, she said.
There was confusion at the Step To Christ registration centre during the voter registration exercise on Monday, 20 July 2020, when heavily-muscled gun-wielding men stormed the premises to disrupt the exercise.
Officials of the Electoral Commission took to their heels when the men, numbering about 15, ransacked the place.
According to eyewitnesses, this led to a scuffle and pandemonium as the live bullets wrung into the air.
At least, three motorbikes were burnt in the mayhem.
Speaking in his personal capacity rather than for the National Peace Council, which he chairs, Prof Asante described the incident as “very very very worrying”.
“I saw this very late last night before I slept and really, I was disturbed about the whole thing”, he told Benjamin Akakpo in an interview on Class91.3FM’s Executive Breakfast Show on Tuesday, 21 July 2020.
“Why? For the simple reason that we have an honourable minister, an honourable member of parliament also, and I believe that she’s also the NPP’s parliamentary candidate for Awutu Senya East Constituency. We would expect that such honourable people would provide leadership, no matter the provocation”, he explained.
“And, for her to have said that she felt threatened, so, she pulled a gun and fired it and created chaos in that place; what if, in pulling the gun, others, whoever the detractors may be, even if they were around, … also pulled a gun? What would have happened?” he asked.
Prof Asante wondered if “pulling a gun” was the “only option” the minister and MP had under the circumstances.
“Even if her bodyguard was not around, couldn’t she have gone to the police station to inform the police about what was happening? As far as I’m concerned, it cannot be justified in any sense”, he said.
“She should do the honourable thing, and for me, resign”, Prof Asante demanded
Apart from that, he said the “police must also investigate the matter and let the law take its course for that matter, especially, the context within which this was done – in a situation where tension is rising and we’re doing all we can, people from different angles are doing all they can to ensure that there would be peace and tranquility in what we are doing; we will not expect our leaders, honourable people to do things of this nature”.
“We expect our honourable people to do honourable things, not dishonourable things”, he added.
“If I’m an honourable person and I’ve done a thing of this nature, then I need to sit back and consider what I have to do. As for her being a minister, can she still maintain that dignity of an office? This is the thing”.
Beyond asking for her resignation and the police taking her on, Prof Asante said Parliament must also sanction the MP for her “dishonorable” action. “Parliament must also have a say on such matters. Parliament cannot sit down and think that parliamentarians can do whatever they like and there will be no sanctions whatsoever. I would think that parliament, the executives, the speakers and all the leadership of parliament, will have something to say to this person because she brings the name of parliament into disrepute by her action. I mean, so, in any panicky situation, you pull a gun and shoot it? If an ordinary citizen does that, what is going to happen?
The Progressive People’s Party (PPP) has opened nominations for its flagbearership position ahead of the 2020 general elections.
The party in a statement to announce the decision said it does “not expect Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom to become the party’s Presidential candidate for the 2020 elections.”
The party, which was founded in 2012 by Papa Kwesi Nduom after he broke away from the Convention People’s Party (CPP) in 2011, has at a point been considered by some as a viable third-political force to break the duopoly of the incumbent New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Since its formation, Dr. Nduom has been the only flagbearer it has had. Dr. Nduom led the party into the 2012 and 2016 general elections.
The party in the statement said “all interested contenders are encouraged to express their interest publicly and on our various party platforms” as an expedited virtual selection process will be used to elect a flagbearer.
The PPP further said it is hoping to improve upon its performance from the previous elections.
Read the party’s statement below:
OPENING OF NOMINATIONS FOR THE 2020 FLAGBEARER POSITION
The Progressive People’s Party (PPP) wishes to announce to all members and the general public that the party is ready for eligible persons to demonstrate interest in becoming the Presidential Candidate for the 2020 presidential election. All interested contenders are encouraged to express their interest publicly and on our various party platforms.
An expedited, virtual selection process has been adopted for this exercise. We urge all card bearing members In good standing, to take advantage of this opportunity to test the waters, determine their competitive standing and check the general public’s reactions to their potential candidature.
We also wish to state that we do not expect Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom to become the party’s Presidential Candidate for the 2020 elections. Therefore, the field is wide open for all interested contenders to demonstrate the formidability of the party, in restoring Ghana’s hope and glory.
The PPP has earned the most votes at the presidential and parliamentary levels only behind the duopoly since 2012 when the party was formed. We are determined to improve upon this past performance, as we batten down, ready to form the next government and be represented in Parliament.
The Progressive People’s Party (PPP) wishes to announce to all members and the general public that the party is ready for eligible persons to demonstrate interest in becoming the Presidential Candidate for the 2020 presidential election. All interested contenders are encouraged to express their interest publicly and on our various party platforms.
An expedited, virtual selection process has been adopted for this exercise. We urge all card bearing members In good standing, to take advantage of this opportunity to test the waters, determine their competitive standing and check the general public’s reactions to their potential candidature.
We also wish to state that we do not expect Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom to become the party’s Presidential Candidate for the 2020 elections. Therefore, the field is wide open for all interested contenders to demonstrate the formidability of the party, in restoring Ghana’s hope and glory.
The PPP has earned the most votes at the presidential and parliamentary levels only behind the duopoly since 2012 when the party was formed. We are determined to improve upon this past performance, as we batten down, ready to form the next government and be represented in Parliament.
PPP presidential eleciton record
The PPP in the first year of its formation, 2012 came third in the 2012 presidential elections after polling 64,267 votes representing 0.58% of the total votes cast.In the subsequent election in 2016, the number of votes he attracted nearly was 104,741 representing 1% of the total valid votes cast and against coming third behind the NPP’s Nana Akufo-Addo and the NDC’s John Dramani Mahama.
The High Court (Human Rights Division) has ordered the Electoral Commission to furnish the Member of Parliament for Ashaiman, Ernest Norgbey, with information the legislator requested on the Commission’s procurement of consultancy services.
The Electoral Commission has 30 days from Tuesday, July 21, 2020, within which to submit the requested information at the Court’s Registry.
Mr. Norgbey, in turn, is to pay a Court stipulated fee of GHS1,500 to the national treasury through the Judicial Service account for the processing of the information.
The Ashaiman lawmaker went to the Court in March 2020 for a judicial review when the Electoral Commission declined to provide him information on the Commission’s procurement of the services of IT Consultant Dr. Ofori Adjei and a Procurement Consultant, Mr. A. Akrofi on the Commission’s procurement of a new Biometric Voter Management System (BVMS).
The Commission had said it was unable to provide the information requested due to the unavailability of a fee system determined by Parliament.
Mr. Norgbey, however, said his fundamental right to information as guaranteed by the 1992 Constitution and the Right to Information Act had been violated by the Commission’s refusal to provide him with the information.
The Court, presided over by Justice Gifty Agyei Addo, was of the view that Mr. Norgbey’s right to information had indeed been violated.
She said the rights of citizens cannot be held in abeyance because of the inaction of Parliament.
She added that, the court under the circumstance had the power to prescribe a processing fee to enable Mr. Norgbey to enjoy his right to information.
By this decision, therefore, the Electoral Commission is to provide information on whether it actually procured the services of Dr. Ofori Adjei and Mr. A. Akrofi; and whether the procurement was in consonance with Part IV of the Procurement Act.
The EC is also mandated to furnish the legislator with a record of procurement proceedings for services of the said consultants.
Mr. Ernest Norgbey’s prayers to the Court to order the Commission’s release of information on details of its contracts with Thales DIS was however denied by the Court.
The Member of Parliament for the Assin North Constituency, Honourable Kennedy Agyapong has gone to the rescue of Ghanaians stranded in Lebanon.
The legislator has donated an amount of 150,000 dollars to help in the evacuation of over 1,000 Ghanaians stranded in the Western Asia country.
Kennedy Agyapong made the announcement on his Net 2 television network on Monday evening.
The decision by the benevolent Member of Parliament to go to their rescue follows an SOS message he received from the stranded Ghanaians in that country.
The stranded Ghanaians made the appeal following government’s new policy on evacuation which dictates that all stranded Ghanaians willing to return must pay a fee to assist in their evacuation to Ghana.All interested persons must also pay for a mandatory 14-day quarantine at selected hotels in the country before they are allowed to be evacuated.
Comic actor, Samuel Seth Kwabena Karikari, known as Koo Ofori has revealed that a mistake on the part of a doctor at a private medical facility where his late wife had gone to deliver a baby led to her death.
According to him, the doctor left one of the medical tools used for a Cesarean Section (CS) in her tummy after they had succeeded in taking out the baby.
Koo Fori who called in into Angel FM’s #PatientLivesMatter segment of the Morning Show, AnɔpaBɔfoɔ on Monday said this mistake led to the swelling of the late wife’s tummy.
“A similar thing happened and for six days, my wife couldn’t go to toilet and she was having a swelling stomach so she went back to the hospital where the CS was performed but because the doctor knew of the mistake he had done, he neglected her, they were not attending to her and that led to her death…,” he sadly revealed in an interview with Captain Smart.
The comic actor lost his wife, Mrs. Mary Karikari in August 2010 after she had delivered a baby at a hospital.
Mrs. Karikari, media reports at the time indicated suffered some complication following the delivery of her baby and was rushed to a hospital, but passed on.
Koo Ofori opened the pandora box ten years on when he called into to contribute to the campaign against medical negligence launched by Angel 102.9FM.
Interestingly, some medical doctors at the facility, following reports of the death of the wife approached the police investigating the matter and urged them to convince him to drop the the legal action he was pursuing against them.
“Like the woman in the studio was talking about the doctor neglecting her and that is exactly what they do, they always don’t want to betray their colleague so they had to call the CID who was investigating the case to talk to me about the issue so I drop it…,” he said further.
To him, this is sad because he can’t come to terms with the fact that “the so-called professionals kill us [but] instead of them to correct their negligence, the try to hide it under the carpet”.
He further revealed that following his wife’s death, “over 12 people coming to me with same case, so we need to expose them.”
Member of Parliament for the Awutu Senya East Constituency Hawa Koomson has admitted firing a gun at a voters’ registration centre in the constituency.
According to the Special Development Initiatives Minister, she took the firearm – which she refused to identify – to the registration centre to protect herself.
‘None of my men had guns on then when we got to the centre. I fired the shots myself,’ she said on Adom News.
Earlier Monday, Officials of the Electoral Commission closed down the Kasoa Peace Town Top Hill Down polling centre registration center in the Awutu Senya East constituency after gun-wielding men stormed the premises.
Eyewitnesses say, the men numbering at least 15 arrived at the centre around 8 am and tried to sack some prospective voters.
Parliamentary Candidate on the ticket of the NDC Naa Koryoo Okunor accused the sitting MP of perpetuating the act.
Although Miss Hawa Koomson admitted to the act, she denied allegations that men she went to the scene with were armed.
‘I’m a Member of Parliament, I need to protect myself. It was at dawn, my police escort had not started work yet. So that is a mechanism I have adopted in his absence,’ she said.
Hawa said she went to the place because she heard her opponent had bused people from other places to the registration centre.
Meanwhile, police say four persons have been arrested in connection with the incident.
The Minister for Special Development Initiative, Mavis Hawa Koomson, has openly admitted to firing a warning shot on Monday during the melee at the Step to Christ registration centre in the Awutu Senya East Constituency.
Four men have been detained at the Central Regional Police Headquarters following the shooting incident. Registration at the Step to Christ centre was halted after armed gang sacked some prospective voters from the premises amid gunshots.
At least three motorbikes were burnt during the chaos.
“I can’t sit and watch people who are not from the constituency register and vote at Kasoa so I decided to go to the polling center to ensure foreigners don’t register… I took men to the center, none of my men had a weapon, I fired the warning shot myself,” the minister admitted to Accra-based Adom News.
The minister, who is also the lawmaker for the area, is accusing her opponent Philis Naa Koryoo of busing people into the constituency to register at the Steps to Christ registration post at Kasoa.
Koomson said her action was meant to scare people off.
“I realized that my people’s life was in danger. I wanted to scare them,” the 54-year old added in connection with the warning shot.
Currently, the registration centre has been closed down as the Electoral Commission officers at the venue have fled following the violence.
Businessman Alfred Agbesi Woyome has accused members of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), who are from the Volta Region, of spreading lies against their kith, who are members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the region, resulting in the recent deployment of military personnel to border towns there to, ostensibly prevent aliens from infiltrating Ghana with COVID-19
Mr Woyome also called on the border townsfolk to form watchdog committees to stop the unlawful invasion of their homes by the military personnel, some of whom they have accused of harassment and intimidation.
Speaking in an interview with Accra-based Citi TV, Mr Woyome called on the government to leave the people of the Volta Region alone to assess the government and make their own decision on who deserves their vote rather than guarding the ballot.
He stated: “Leave the people of Ghana alone to assess and go and do a free and fair election. What I expected them to do now is to be building bridges. What I was expecting them to do now is to ensure that every Ghanaian that is there, they should be resolving issues and stop this panicking. Let the people of Ghana freely choose who to rule over them. The idea that we will steal, the idea that we will manipulate – and people are saying it everywhere: who are these people? They don’t even have shame. No character. Nothing. And they continue every day to just disturb the peace of this country”.
Mr Woyome indicated that the people of the border towns in the Volta Region have the right to form watchdog committees to avoid being suppressed by the security forces unlawfully.
“The chiefs and people of those areas in the Volta Region have the absolute right to form community watchdog committees in order to stop these hooligans holding guns, disturbing the peace and entering people’s homes to stop them. If you don’t have a paper from the court, they must not be allowed to enter anybody’s compound. In doing so, they’ll be doing themselves the legitimate duty, and this country, and exercising their rights.”
The businessman also reminded the members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) who hail from the Volta Region to stop peddling lies that push the government into taking such actions.
“Voltarians that are in the NPP, you came to the NPP today, you were not even part of the UP thing and other things; you were not part of it. You came because of your own reason or how you might be treated in your NDC, but be very careful, you’re living in a community as a minority and you cannot continue generating lies and sending fear and everything to make a government to send in troupes. These are all lies. Togolese are Togolese, Ghanaians are Ghanaians. I’m not also going to tell the ruling government the consequence of what they are doing when there is a change of regime. What I want to say is that I want to come personally now, for the personal bond that we share between us and Nana. I just want to suggest to him that he should be extremely careful”.
Mr Woyome further appealed to the government and the security forces to leave the border townsfolks alone to enable them go about their duties freely.
“I am also suggesting to the people that they should form community watchdogs because some of these military men may be operating without lawful order. So that when they arrest anyone of them who were entering their house, whether they have weapons or not, the community should arrest them and put them in the nearest police station and call the media. Leave these people alone. Let them go to their farms. Let them eat. They are sleeping in fear. What is this,” Mr Woyome added.
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