Tuesday, September 15, 2015

NDC Evalue Ajomoro-Gwira youth to vote ‘skirt & blouse’

A group of disgruntled youth of the incumbent National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Evalue Jomoro-Gwira Constituency of the Western Region, have vowed to vote against the party’s incumbent Member of Parliament, if the party disqualifies one Herbert Kuah Dickson, from contesting the November 7 parliamentary primaries.

Trapped in a web of possibly remaining in opposition even after next year’s elections, the future of the New Patriotic Party is even becoming more dire and bleak, as information reaching The aL-hAJJ indicates, the party is on the verge of breaking up.

While the potential split of the NPP is something that has been lingering on for some time now, the final straw, signaling the ultimate split of the party, is the ongoing move by Council of Elders to use the party’s Disciplinary Committee to remove party’s National Chairman, Paul Afoko, who they have accused of violating the NPP’s constitution.

There are also moves by the NPP council of elders, (described by former Communication director of ‘Akufo Addo 2012’ Campaign, Dr Arthur Kennedy, as appendages of the NPP flag bearer, Nana Akufo-Addo,) to also get the party’s General Secretary, Kwabena Agyapong sacked.

According to a member of the NPP’s Council of Elders, Boniface Gambilla, the National Chairman is the main person that must be dealt with immediately before attention is turned on Kwabena Agyepong.

NDC Primaries: 120 File In Northern Region

Today can state that about one hundred and twenty aspirants successfully at the close of nominations on Thursday, September 10, 2015 filed to contest the upcoming National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary primaries in the Northern region.

This paper’s checks at some NDC constituency offices revealed that a great number of candidates could not file their forms at the close of nominations on Thursday.

For instance, at the Bole/Bamboi Constituency, Today gathered that only two aspirants were able to file their nominations.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) will vet all aspirants at the party’s headquarters in Accra contrary to previous years where the vetting was held at the various constituencies, regional and national offices.

This means President John Mahama and over 600 parliamentary aspirants would be trooping to the party’s headquarters in the coming weeks to face executives of the party’s election committee.

On august 27, the NDC opened nominations for parliamentary and presidential aspirants. Interested members had 14 days to pick and submit their forms.

As of Thursday September 10, all regions had closed nominations except the Ashanti region.

The region could not start the process by the given date due to an ongoing registration of members as part of the introduction of an inclusive franchise system.

Closing date has therefore been extended to September 17 in the Ashanti region. A total of 689 aspirants have submitted their forms out of which only 56 were females.

The northern region had the highest nominations of 120, followed by the Greater Accra with 110, Volta region 97, Eastern region 81, the Central and Brong Ahafo regions had 66 nominations each, Western region 69, Upper East 44, and 35 nominations filed in the Upper West region where Minister Of Chieftaincy and Culture, Dr Seidu Danaa filed his nomination.

19 of the aspirants some of whom are incumbent MPs are going unopposed.

Meanwhile, some big names like the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Ebo Barton Oduro and Dr. Benjamin Kumbour are not contesting. The presidential slot according to the party was only contested by President John Dramani Mahama.

In an interview with TV3 News, General Secretary of the party Johnson Asiedu Nketia said all aspirants including incumbent MPs and the president are expected to be vetted as a sign of the party's commitment to deepening democracy.

He said “this year we’d do a one stop shop vetting. That is we would deploy teams to the various regions and then we would invite the respective constituency executives, and respective regional executives and the national team that goes would join them and we’d do the vetting.”

“The party gave fourteen days within which nominations should be filed. You could file any day out of the fourteen days. If you couldn’t file how are you going to file with the electoral commission that would give only three days?

“We know of presidential candidates who found themselves in similar circumstances before the 2012 elections. The Electoral Commission did not look at the status of the persons involved; they applied the law which we also applied.”

The parliamentary and presidential primaries have been slated for November 7, 2015.

Source: tv3network.com

MP Aspirant Condemns Vile Campaign

Deputy Northern regional Minister, Alhaji A.B.A Fuseini, who is seeking re-election as the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Sagnarigu Constituency in the Northern region in the upcoming National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary primaries has expressed disquiet about the way and manner his contenders were conducting their campaigns.

The deputy regional minister who did not mince words singled out the party’s Northern Regional Youth Organiser, Mohammed Amin Abio, whom he said, had no respect for the elderly.

Consequently, he called on the constituents to consider his age and experience and vote for him on November 7, 2015—a date set for the party’s presidential and parliamentary primaries.

The elephant of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is on rampage. There are deep cracks in the front of the main opposition party.

The centre, according to political pundits, can no longer hold.

Our cartoonist Makaveli captures the unsettling situation within the Danquah-Busia-Dombo tradition as officials point fingers at each other.

Source: Ghana/starrfmonline.com/103.5FM/Makaveli

NPP to picket at EC over new voters' register

The New Patriotic Party’s youth wing will be part of a protest at the offices of the Electoral Commission on Wednesday to press home the need for a new voters' register before the conduct of the 2016 elections.

According to the National Youth Organiser of the NPP Sammy Awuku, the decision to join the protest being spearheaded by pressure groups, Let My Vote Count, Alliance For Accountable Governance and Movement for Change, is because a new voters' register for 2016 borders on the very survival of Ghana's democracy.

Determined to ensure that the call for a new voters' register is not reduced to the "usual NPP and NDC banter", Awuku explained the planned picketing at the EC is not an antagonistic crusade.

The flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Nana Akufo-Addo is expected to take his ‘Arise and Build’ tour to the Upper East region today.

Nana Addo has so far visited the Volta and Eastern regions. The tour is part of his campaign strategies for next year’s elections.

Speaking to Starr News, special aide to the NPP flagbearer Mustapha Hamid said the campaign will take a different format in the three regions up north.

“ It will be a seven or eight-day tour which will begin today. The objective hasn’t changed except that some of the dynamics will change because of the religious setting of those regions. It is a predominantly Muslim community and so that will be factored in the message.

“ In the Muslim centers, he will promote peace and urge that we rise against what is bad and promote what is good,” Hamid stated.

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Source: Starr FM

Prince Kassim attempts to ‘oust’ Akatsi South MP

Popular National Democratic Congress (NDC) rising star Prince Kassim Alubankudi filed to contest the Akatsi South constituency primaries of the Volta region.

In what has been described as a wind of change blowing through the constituency, Kassim was the only one who filed Thursday to unseat the incumbent Bernard Ahiafor who is said to have lost favour with the electorate. The Akatsi South constituency used to be held by the Speaker of the Ghanaian Parliament, the Rt. Hon. Edward Doe Adjaho.

Just when Hon. Ahiafor’s supporters thought the MP was going unopposed, Kassim filed his nominations close to the deadline to send shivers down the spines of the incumbent and his supporters.

A member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Gabby Asare Otchere Darko has expressed his disappointment in claims by the party’s General Secretary, Kwabena Agyepong that he was oblivious of Nana Addo’s schedule for the ‘Rise and Build’ tour, especially in the Volta Region
According to him, Kwabena Agyepong knew in advance, the road-map for the tour but asked to be excused because he would be out of the country by the time Nana Addo’s team arrives in the Volta Region.

Kwabena Agyepong had lamented in radio interviews about attempts by officials close to Nana Akufo-Addo, to sideline him from activities of the flag bearer. The NPP’s General Secretary said he only read about Nana Addo’s tour on the internet because he was not informed about the exact dates.

“National Executives went for a meeting and there was no indication that the date of the National tour was 2nd September. In fact it was on the 1st of September that I read on the internet that Eugene Arhin who is the press secretary to the Presidential candidate had issued a statement indicating that Nana Addo will start his tour in the Volta Region,” Agyepong said. Unhappy about the General Secretary’s claims, Gabby Asare Otchere Darko on the The Big Issue on Citi FM, insisted Mr Agyepong is being “unfair” to Nana Addo. "I try not to get involved in this internal thing but I think it has also been unfair to the presidential candidate.”

“On his national tour, Akufo-Addo made it absolutely clear to the General Secretary that he was going to travel with him. And I had the opportunity, a day before the Alisa hotel meeting, to personally sit in front of the General Secretary in his office and he told me he was traveling for two weeks so he can’t join Nana for his national tour, so when he comes back he will join him for the rest of the tour.”

Gabby disclosed that initially, “Nana wanted to start the campaign in the North,” but later changed to the Volta Region of which Kwabena Agyepong was aware off.
Gabby said, Kwebena Agyepong’s name did not appear on the list released to the media because he had told Nana Addo that he will be away for two weeks. Gabby explained that Mr Agyepong had told him that Nana Addo can begin the tour in the Volta, “when I come back I will be with him,” the Kwabena Agyepong said.
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Source: Citi 97.3 FM

Suspending Afoko would muddy NPP waters - Lecturer

The decision by the Council of Elders of the New Patriotic Party to ask National Chairman, Paul Afoko to be suspended has been described as a step that could further muddy the party’s waters.

Some political watchers have described the move as one that could deepen the woes of the NPP because instead of healing the party. The decision, they say, would rather infuriate supporters of Mr. Afoko and worsen the cracks within the rank and file of the party.

The main opposition in Ghana has in the last few months been in the media for all the wrong reasons especially amongst its senior executives. The latest twist to the never ending drama in the NPP was when the Council of Elders wrote to the National Executives Committee to suspend Paul Afoko until after the 2016 elections.

The Progressive People’s Party has submitted its position on the voters’ register to the Electoral Commission.
The PPP made the submission on Thursday, ahead of the September 22, 2015 deadline given by the EC.

The EC has called for submission from the political parties following questions raised about the credibility of the current voters register. The largest opposition party, New Patriotic Party wants a new register compiled.

National Secretary of the PPP, Kofi Asamoah Siaw told Joy News the party wants the EC to compile any future voters’ register using the National Identification Authority (NIA) Database.

Ex-DCE Cries Like Baby

There was sadness at Nhyira FM, a local radio station in Kumasi where a top National Democratic Congress (NDC) member, Tony Nyame, who is also the ex-District Chief Executive (DCE) for Atwima Kwanwoma, openly wept uncontrollably over his neglect by the NDC on Wednesday morning.

The NDC top official recounted painfully how the Ashanti Regional NDC, including his own friends in the ruling political party in Kumasi, turned their backs on him when he was receiving treatment at the hospital for seven months at the hospital.

Tony Nyame disclosed that some known New Patriotic Party (NPP) members in Kumasi, especially Ayisi Boateng offered to help him on his sick bed, noting that he was saddened by the treatment meted out to him by NDC members.

“I was sick for seven months receiving treatment at the hospital but nobody in the NDC in the Ashanti region even cared to visit me on my sick bed,” he disclosed amid intermittent wailing, adding that Alhaji Alhassan Tapsoba was the only NDC member who helped him.

According to him, he had served the NDC faithfully for decades with his expertise and resources.

He expressed surprise about the party’s decision to abandon him during difficult times.

Tony Nyame, who was unhappy with the total neglect of his party members, could not control his emotions as he wept uncontrollably during the interview, compelling the host of the show, Kofi Asante to end the interview abruptly.

Earlier Tony Nyame accused his predecessor, Kwabena Nkrumah, who is the sitting DCE for Atwima Kwawonma, of masterminding his removal from office by President Mahama.

“He peddled falsehood about me leading to my sack from office.”

He indicated that Kwabena Nkrumah allegedly paid money to some people in the party, who concocted negative stories about him, saying now that he (Tony Nyame) had fully recovered from his sickness, he was combat ready to retaliate.

“I will face Kwabena Nkrumah squarely this time around.”

Tony Nyame said he had realized that Kwabena Nkrumah had picked nomination forms to contest in the NDC parliamentary primary at Atwima Kwanwoma.

“Therefore I have also picked forms to contest and defeat him in the party’s polls to retaliate since he made me suffer.”

Kwabena Nkrumah, when contacted to comment on the wild allegations leveled against him, stated that he was not ready to engage in verbal war with Tony Nyame, adding that he is not bothered about the development.
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Source: Daily Guide

NPP is “too power conscious” - Political expert

The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) is more interested in winning the presidential elections than strengthening its structures to avoid internal bickering, an expert in political marketing has observed.

Dr Kobby Mensah of the University of Ghana Business School believes the leadership style of the party’s flagbearer Nana Akufo-Addo is partly to blame for the NPP’s nemesis.

“The party has become too presidential than being a political party,” the lecturer told Kasapa FM’s Maame Broni. “The focus of the NPP has shifted to winning just the presidency and as such creating the numerous problems.”

Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, running mate to flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has left Ghana to Mecca to perform the Islamic pilgrimage of Hajj.
He left the country on Saturday.

Hajj pilgrims in Northern Ghana to fly directly from Tamale in 2016
He is accompanied by his wife, Samira Bawumia and they are expected to join thousands of Ghanaians and millions of Muslims around the world in performing this year’s Hajj.
Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and fulfils one of the conditions for total submission to the will of Allah.

A statement signed by Dr. Bawumia’s press secretary, Kwabena Boadu said “while on the Pilgrimage, Dr. Bawumia will use the spiritual exercise to among others pray for the people and nation of Ghana and to request Allah’s blessing for Ghana.”
A total of 5424 Ghanaians are expected to embark on the hajj.

MP accused of bankrupting Zabzugu Rural Bank

MP for Zabzugu, John Jabaa Benam has been accused of plunging the Zabzugu Rural Bank into bankruptcy after contracting a loan of about ₵240,000 from the bank.
“We have taken evey step to take the money....we have tried all to get the money back” Board Chairman of the bank Alhaji Baba Munkaila said.
The MP who is a board member of the bank is said to have used his position to secure the loan without a collateral and has since refused to pay back the money.
The Board chairman explained why the board saw no need to insist on a collateral.
“We think he is an honourable person, we think he will never decieve us” he said.
The Zabzugu Bank appealed to the Bank of Ghana to prevail on the politician to pay the loan but it has yielded no results.
The central bank of all rural banks in Ghana, APEX Bank was also notified last November to help retirve the money and a delegation has been sent to Jabaa Benam.
Nothing has changed except further failed promises to pay, the Board chairman lamented.

Minister of Communications Dr. Edward Omane Boamah has responded sharply to critics on the alleged plot to rig the Talensi by-election by reiterating that the matter is still under investigation.

It was alleged by the communications minister few days before the by-election on July 7, 2015 that some members of the opposition New Patriotic Party had plots to rig the election by spoiling some ballot papers in strong holds of the National Democratic Congress with cream. This came to light when a message was purportedly sent wrongly to the phone of the upper east regional minister Hon. James Zuugah Tiiga and followed by a call from the sender. The communication minister in an interview on Asempa fm promised to get details of the caller from the National Communications Authority by Friday July 10, 2015 to aid in investigating the matter since it has become an issue of national security.

In what appears to be incessant calls on Dr. Omane Boamah by many especially on social media including senior journalist at Joy fm Manasseh Azure Awuni for the minister to disclose details and of the caller and findings of the investigations, the communication minister insists the matter is under investigations.

Tension mounts in Agotime-Ziope NDC

Tension is brewing in the Agotime-Ziope Constituency of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as elders and youth of Ziope raise a red flag over impending parliamentary primary.

The tension is arising from an alleged breach of a convention, which provides for the alternation of the two core positions of Member of Parliament and District Chief Executive between Agotime and Ziope.

This convention, according to the concerned Ziope elders and youth, have seen the election of Juliana Azumah Mensah, a native of Agotime as MP since 2004 while the current DCE position is being occupied by a Ziope native.

With the incumbent MP bowing out of parliament in January 2017, it is the turn of Ziope aspirants to contest for the slot they argued.

I do not know Arthur Kobina Kennedy by association, so I will not attack his person. I have, however, read enough of his drivel to comment on his motive and his illusions of grandeur. Arthur Kennedy owes his national fame to two things – his having led the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) for one year during the turbulent times of the Rawlings’ dictatorship and his abysmal showing at the NPP presidential primaries of 2007.

He has harvested the dividends from the former to achieve a certain status in the nation, wishing that Ghanaians would forget about the latter. But it is the latter that defines how serious or otherwise he should be taken as a politician.

For those who are too young to know, in our days at university in the 1980s, the NUGS presidency used to rotate between the then three public universities – University of Ghana, Legon; University of Science and Technology, Kumasi (UST, now KNUST); and the University of Cape Coast (UCC). The electorate for electing the NUGS president was formed by students of the university whose turn it was to host the NUGS presidency. Thus whoever was elected did not have to seek the mandate from the entire university student population. Not that this matter much because that was the rule then.

Agyepong next to be suspended after Afoko – NPP Elder

A member of the New Patriotic Party’s Council of Elders Boniface Gambilla has revealed that the party’s General Secretary Kwabena Agyepong will be the next to be expelled after party chairman Paul Afoko is suspended for breaching party rules.

This is the latest in the deepening internal strife within the NPP after the party’s elders authored a statement signaling their desire to have Afoko sidelined for failing to show leadership.

Some constituency executives in the Northern, Upper West and East regions are outraged at the directive by the Council of Elders for Afoko to step aside.

A founding member of the opposition New Patriotic Party, Dr. Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, has described moves by the Council of Elders of the party to suspend national chairman Paul Afoko as a ‘disguised coup.’

The NPP has been afflicted with protracted rivalry and mistrust as its National Council of Elders has in the latest twist, requested the party’s national chairman Afoko to step aside until after the 2016 elections.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) risks losing the 2016 general elections miserably should it go ahead to suspend its chairman Paul Afoko.

A lecturer at the University of Ghana Business School and a political marketing expert, Dr. Kobby Mensah said axing the beleaguered chairman will rather exacerbate the woes of the Danquah-Busia-Dombo tradition.

Starr News can confirm that the letter from the NPP Council of Elders requesting the party’s national chairman Paul Afoko to step aside was signed by only five members of the council out of the 30.

The content of the letter, according to Starr News sources, was never discussed with other members of the council but the five who approved it.

The New Patriotic Party’s Parliamentary candidate for the Ofoase-Ayirebi constituency, Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah has downplayed claims that the party is in crisis and may explode as a result of internal conflict.

According to him, although the party may be facing some minor challenges, it will be far-fetched to conclude that it is in ruins.

Speaking to Morning Starr host Nii Arday Clegg Thursday, the former Joy FM Morning show host said any group of people who think the party is not ready to win power in 2016 are deluding themselves.

“Anybody who says the NPP is in ruins; I think is probably sitting on a 6th floor office and is looking somewhere and is not engaging the rank and file of the party.

A daughter of former President John Jerry Rawlings has filed her nomination papers to contest the Korle Klottey NDC parliamentary primaries. Amidst excited chant from supporters, Dr Zanetor Rawlings filed her nomination forms just to beat the Thursday deadline. She would be coming up against incumbent Korley Klottey MP, Nii Armah Ashitey and grandson of national hero, Tetteh Quarshie, Leeford Kpakpo Quarshie.

National Democratic Congress' Women's organizer for Tarkwa Nsuaem constituency Mrs. Gladys Kwakye was locked up to prevent her from filing her nomination forms on deadline day Thursday. She was locked up in her house by some branch women organizers. She was locked around 3pm Thursday for at least three hours and was released after 6:45pm when the deadline for submission had passed.
At the close of nominations two persons - Joseph Okyere and Kwame Dzokoto - had filed their papers.

Ghana’s Defense Minister, Dr. Benjamin Kumbour has bowed out of the November 7 Parliamentary primaries of the governing National Democratic (NDC).
Dr. Kumbour had earlier picked up forms to contest the Nandom constituency primaries in the Upper West Region where he is currently the incumbent MP. However, in what turned out to be the biggest surprise to most political watchers in the region, Dr. Benjamin Kumbour failed to submit his nomination forms on Thursday.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) is happy with the huge interest by party members in the Ashanti Region for the impending parliamentary primaries.
At least this is the indication being given by the General Secretary of the party, Johnson Asiedu Nketia.

He made the revelation in an interview with Citi News on Thursday when the party closed nomination for aspirants hoping to contest in the parliamentary and presidential primaries slated for November 7.

Presidential staffer, Samuel George Nartey has vowed to use the impending NDC primary to uproot the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ningo-Prampram, Enoch Teye Mensah, popularly referred to as Ningo-Prampram Methuselah from his seat and take over as the new MP for the area, come January 2017. According to him, the days of the former Accra Mayor are long gone and that the earlier the Hon MP understands that, the better, because the people are calling on him to represent them and that is exactly what he is going to do.

The Eastern Regional branch of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) says it is determined to secure fifty percent of votes in the region in the 2016 general election.

The statement comes on the back of comments by the presidential candidate of the NPP, Nana Akufo-Addo blaming the NDC of engaging in tribal campaigns following an ambitious aim of the party to obtain 50 percent of the votes in the region.

Twenty-one stalwarts of the Convention People's Party (CPP) have filed nomination to contest for the various positions at the party's September 18 and 19 National Delegates Congress in Sunyani. The CPP 2015 National Executive Aspirants official list obtained by the Ghana News Agency in Accra on Thursday revealed that Professor Edmund Nminyem Delle stands unopposed for the National Chairmanship slot.

A leading member of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Arthur Kennedy says the party's Flagbearer, Nana Akufo-Addo’s chances of winning power in 2016 elections though bright might not become a reality if he (Presidential candidate) does not implement what he considers to be some essential resolutions.

According to him, Nana Akufo Addo must embark on four (4) assignments in the party if he is determined to win power to become the next President.

Speaking on Okay Fm’s Ade Akye Abia Morning Show, Dr. Arthur Kennedy enumerated that the first assignment of Nana Akufo-Addo must be to come out publicly to speak against the impeachment plan which some executives planned against Kwabena Agyepong and Paul Afoko.

The 2016 presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has asked President John Dramani Mahama to accord Ghanaians with some measure of intelligence, as his ‘one-touch victory’ refrain is clearly an insult to them.

According to Nana Akufo-Addo, Ghanaians have experienced, and continue to experience untold hardships in their livelihoods under the Mahama-led NDC government and will vote wisely, and elect a competent government that will solve their problems in the 2016 general election.

Okudzeto Ablakwa has failed as North Tongu MP –challenger claims

A former senior staff at the Ministry of Health is accusing the North Tongu MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa of shirking his responsibility as a parliamentarian. He said the MP only concentrates on his work as a government appointee.

The former Chief Financial Controller and an Internal Auditor of the Ministry of Health Christopher Kofi Eleblu is promising to give the incumbent stiff challenge as he filed his nominations to contest in the NDC parliamentary primaries.

Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, running mate of New Patriotic Party flagbearer Nana Akufo-Addo, has stated that if President Mahama were his student he would have graded him F in economics.

He said the NDC government has since 2009 failed in its management of the economy.

“You inherited an economy with the highest resources in the history of Ghana. Tax resources, four times higher than the NPP; Cocoa, three times higher; Gold, three times higher; you have borrowed more than all the governments put together and still we can’t feel a better economy, then you have failed. Mahama deserves F in economic management,” Bawumia asserted.

Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram, Enoch Teye Mensah, has descended heavily on presidential aide Sam George, who has filed his nomination to contest him in the NDC’s parliamentary primaries slated for November 7.
Mr. E.T. Mensah, one of Ghana’s longest-serving MPs, is infuriated by some comments made by the young man he once groomed to take over from him.
In what best looks like a ‘father and son’ contest, Sam George has appealed to the MP to retire honorably for the youth of the area to take over the mantle of leadership.

The National Council of Elders of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has written to the party’s National Disciplinary Committee, demanding amongst others, that the National Chairman Paul Afoko, be made to step aside until after the 2016 elections. The council in a letter written to the National Disciplinary Committee on Thursday September 10, enumerated amongst others, the many challenges the party has been facing in recent months.

After all the media hype of his parliamentary bid, it has emerged that popular radio presenter Abeiku Santana did not follow through on his plans to contest in the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) upcoming primaries.

Abeiku Santana with real name Gilbert Aggrey Santana was the second media guru after Kojo Oppong Nkrumah to express interest in going to Parliament.

The astute presenter had wanted to contest in the NDC primaries in the Mfantseman constituency in the Central Region.
Abeiku Santana had explained that he is competent enough to run for the position adding that the 18 years experience from working in the media will be beneficial in his work as MP if he is elected.
“I have been a voice and a mouthpiece for the people for the past 18 years. I have been in radio business for 18 years. I have heard people’s grievances, I have heard people’s concerns and I think there should be a new crop of legislators,” he said.
However information available to citifmonline.com suggests that the radio presenter did not even pick up his nomination forms.

Citifmonline.com’s Central Regional reporter, Akwesi Koranteng said the constituency secretary told him that “Abeiku Santana after a long wait did not pick up nomination forms. As at now, they are still expecting him to pick up the nomination forms.”
“I understand he is still in Accra,” he added.
It is currently unclear why Abeiku Santana has decided to not to contest in the primaries but all efforts to get him speak on record proved futile.
The deadline for submission of the nomination forms ends 5pm today [Thursday].
Speaking to Accra based Asempa FM, Kwesi Budu Hagan, the NDC’s deputy constituency secretary said “I must state that Abeiku Santana as I speak failed to pick nomination forms or submit any to contest the Mfantseman seat.”
On reasons for his withdrawal, the constituency secretary said “I am sure he conducted his own research and found out that the party chairman was solid on ground and hence knew he would lose if he contests…so he decided to withdraw to save his reputation,” he said.

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Source: Citi 97.3 FM

Saturday, September 05, 2015

STATEMENT: Ghanaian Citizens Association in Togo

Below is the full statement issued by Ghanaian citizens living in Togo regarding NPP's claims of over 76,000 potential Togolese on Ghana's voters' register.

GHANA CITIZENS ASSOCIATION –TOGO

Invited Guests
Members of the Press
Ladies and Gentlemen

Bonjour tout le monde, I would like to first and foremost thank you all for taking time of you busy schedules to be present here. We are here to clear the allegations made by our Vice Presidential hopeful for Ghana on the ticket of the NPP, Dr. Bawumia on 18th of August 2015 referring to us Ghanaians residents in Togo as Togolese.

We wish to call on the press, our good brothers and sisters of Togo, Our home country Ghana, the good people of Africa, and the whole world that we agree with Dr. Bawumia that a valid and credible voters’ register is essential for free and fair elections but in a case where one forged a register of an independent institution (INEC) of a different country (TOGO) to fraudulently aide his ambition can be referred to as an international criminal minded Politician than the so-called Togolese found on our Ghanaian voter register.

According to Togo’s independent National Electoral Commission headed by the Executive Secretary, Professor Kpatcha Takonda Kossi, it was impossible for anyone to lay his/her hand on Togo’s Voter’s Register since the document was a sovereign Legal document kept firmly under guard.

Professor Kpatcha also denied categorically that anyone from Ghana had obtained Togo’s voters Register from the country’s INEC.

Meaning not even the political parties in Togo have access to their register. Where then did Dr. Bawumia get the Togo Voters’ Register? We are therefore challenging Dr. Bawumia to present the Register which he used in identifying the 75,193 POTENTIAL matches.

The usage of POTENTIAL matches is a clear indication that the man is playing with our future because what he sought to say was that the 75,193 people’s identity could match in the future. So I asked, why should politicians be toiling with our lives? How will our people be dragging Togolese into Ghana politics and thereby endangering our lives?

We are tenants with our neighbours and all you could do is to provoke them into sacking us? Most of us here are from the ten regions of Ghana; Traders have shops in Asigame, Amoutive, Decon and Be, Spare parts dealers at Akodessewa, Fishersfolks settle at Kwadjoviakope – Kotoku Kodji, Katanga fishing harbour, Gbetsogbe, Baguida , Avepozo, Kpogan, Agbodrafo, Kpeme, Aneho and hillakondzi down to Cotonou and Artisans (shoe shines) can be found in almost every community in Togo.

In all we cannot blame only politicians but those politicians in Immigration uniforms collecting ID cards from innocent citizens for their selfish agenda to perceive us as Togolese because some of us are not able to speak English.

Now npp is telling us that our brothers and sister who are working in Nigeria and can speak Yurouba and Igbo are Nigerians or Nigerians who have shops at Makola and circle are Ghanaians because they are in Ghana and can speak our local dialect?

Togolese, in general appear quite offended at the very idea that they have nothing better to do to improve their country than to go and vote in Ghana.

We will advise the NDC party to stop being on the defensive because we are tired of reasons they are also giving. We don’t care about whatever dual citizenship they are talking about. Our Ghanaian constitution is clear on who a citizen is and that is having one of your parents as a Ghanaian.

Yesterday for instance Nana Akuffo Addo was in Volta region claiming he is not targeting Volta region people but Foreigners. I want to ask Nana Akuffo Addo how he was able to determine foreigners on Ghana’s register and not Ghanaians voting in Togo rather.
The NPP should be careful with their pronouncement for us to enjoy the peaceful co-existence between Ghana and Togo.

We are hereby calling on Dr. Bawumia and the NPP to do the honourable thing and apologize to Togo INEC, People of Togo and Ghanaians residents in Togo in the shortest possible time.

God bless President Faure and the people of Togo

God bless Ghana

Thank you

Joseph Hammond.
(Leader )

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Monday, September 14, 2015

Sunday, September 13, 2015

Saturday, September 12, 2015

Friday, September 11, 2015

Thursday, September 10, 2015

Saturday, September 05, 2015

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