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Prez Mills Deserves To Be Called A Disgrace

* Source: Peacefmonline

Anti-corruption crusader and NPP MP for Asikuma-Odoben Brakwa, Hon P.C Appiah Ofori has hit back at attempts to tag him a “disgraceful” parliamentarian after he exposed his ignorance regarding how and when the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) became the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) saying President Mills best deserves that accolade.

The Enquirer newspaper on Monday published that the anti-graft campaigner appears to be losing steam in his known uprightness when he goofed big time by claiming that the SFO was changed to EOCO to cover up crimes perpetrated by government officials.

According to the newspaper, the NPP MP claimed on Radio Gold that he (P.C) was not even aware of the Act that paved way for the change of name and the enhanced powers of the EOCO as against that of the SFO.

“EOCO, the way it has been set up, I, Appiah Ofori will not have confidence in it, because it is going to be manipulated by the President to cover up his misdeeds. It is intended to conceal fraud perpetrated by the government," the NPP MP reportedly said.

In a rather humbling posture, Hon P.C Appiah Ofori admitted not knowing when SFO became EOCO; he, however, stressed that that is no justification for him to be labeled a “disgrace” for failing to recognize a change in name of a state agency. To him, that “chain has to hanged around President Mills’ neck”.

“I never knew that the Serious Fraud Office had a change in name and I wasn’t aware…it could even be that when it was brought to parliament, I wasn’t around and this doesn’t make me a black sheep. Ghanaians are the best judge and if you want someone who has disgraced himself, then you have to hang that chain around the neck of Atta Mills,” he said.

Speaking on Adom FM, the NPP MP said it beats his imagination that a president who has sworn to defend the constitution and manage state resources well, could misappropriate monies from the Consolidated Fund all in the name of bettering the lives of his party members.

“…President Mills knows perfectly well that any person who works for the country should provide a certificate before state money is disbursed to him;…the payment to Mr. Woyome didn’t follow that trend…If a whole lawyer like Atta Mills could do this, then who deserves to be called a disgrace, Appiah-Ofori or Atta Mills?” he quizzed.

* Source: PanAfrica

Firing of AG, judgement debt, ‘Nana Konadu for president’ posters played up in Ghana media - The dismissal of Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr Martin Amidu, the never-ending crises of a huge judgement debt to a businessman and swapping of cocaine, and the sudden appearance of posters of former first lady Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, as a potential presidential candidate dominated the newspapers in Ghana this week.

Rumours of the imminent dismissal of Mr Amidu filled the air all week after he failed to substantiate an allegation in a strongly-worded statement the previous week accusing an unnamed colleague of “gargantuan crimes”.

And it came to pass on Thursday when the President John Evans Atta Mills fired him for “misconduct”.

“Amidu fired for misconduct” was the headline of the state-owned Graphic.

It said President Mills had with immediate effect relieved Mr Amidu of his post as a result of his 'misconduct' at a meeting on 13 January presided over by the President.

'Mr Amidu's behaviour is incompatible with acceptable standards expected of ministers and appointees of the President,' an official statement said.

Mr Amidu had been angered by what he called attacks on him by newspapers loyal to the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) and suspected a colleague minister of being the hand behind them. The newspapers had accused him of not prosecuting a number of important cases, an allegation he flatly denied.

The state-owned Ghanaian Times had the headline, “Amidu axed” with the story saying President Mills on Thursday fired Mr Amidu for gross misconduct.

Interior Minister Dr Benjamin Kunbuor replaces him as acting Attorney-General and Minister of Justice until the appointment of a substantive minister.

Dr Kunbuor has been directed to continue the prosecution of all cases currently before the courts, including the Alfred Woyome case on the payment of a huge controversial judgement debt over the abrogation of an alleged contract by the previous government to rehabilitate sports stadiums in 2006.

Other headlines included “Amidu sacked” (Daily Guide) and Amidu booted out; Kunbuor in”(New Crusading Guide), both pro-opposition newspapers.

The Graphic had earlier in the week in a story “Amidu ‘floored’: Can’t prove ‘gargantuan crimes claims” said President Mills had met with Mr Amidu over the minister’s allegation of crime against some ministers in the government and demanded him to substantiate it.

“At the end of the meeting, held behind closed doors at the Castle, Mr Amidu failed to mention the names of anybody in government or substantiate his claims of ‘gargantuan crimes’ purportedly committed by members of the government,” the Graphic reported.

It said the Minister, who had said that he had never begged President Mills to be appointed Attorney-General, pleaded with the President to temper justice with mercy, particularly in the face of an impending cabinet reshuffle.

On the judgement debt crisis, the Daily Guide had the headline “Amidu grabs Woyome” with the story saying Mr Amidu on Monday described as fraudulent, the judgement debt paid to Alfred Agbesi Woyome, who is also a member of the ruling party.

The Attorney General in an amendment writ filed in an Accra Commercial Court to challenge the payment of the money said Mr Woyome deliberately defrauded the state with his claim, knowing fully well that he had no contract with the state.

He said what Woyome relied on as a contract could not hold because the document had a caveat disclaiming any obligations from the state.

The Ghanaian Times in its headline said “A-G goes to court – Wants Woyome to refund moneys.”

The story said the Attorney-General’s Department on Monday began the process in court to compel Mr Woyome to refund the controversial money “mistakenly” paid to him as judegement debt, saying it was obtained through a “fraudulent misrepresentation”.

In a new motion filed at the Accra Commercial Court, the AG admitted that there was no contract between the government and Mr Woyome, hence he lacked the capacity to take legal action against the state, which resulted in the payment of the judgement debt.

Furthermore, the AG is claiming that the two contracts signed between the government and Waterville for the rehabilitation of Ohene Djan and upgrading the El Wak stadia, both in Accra, on 26 April, 2006, was an international business transaction which was neither laid before nor approved by Parliament to become operative.

Graphic had another story with the headline, “Payment of judgement debt to Woyome - only 17 million Ghana cedis was paid.”

It said the office of the Auditor-General has clarified the payment of judgement debt to Mr Alfred Agbesi Woyome, saying that it was only one payment totalling 17,094,493.54 Ghana cedis made in 2010 and not 58,905,974.13 Ghana cedis.

Meanwhile, former Sports minister Yaw Osafo-Maafo, and a number of officials under the former government, who have refused to appear before the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), which has been asked by President Mills to investigate the case, have gone to court to stop EOCO proceeding with its investigations.

“Osafo-Maafo Drags EOCO To Court,” was the headline of the Daily Guide, which said Osafo-Maafo had gone to court challenging EOCO’s decision to invite him to testify in investigations into the payment of the judgement debt to Mr Woyome.

“Top cop charged” was the headline of the Daily Guide on the ongoing cocaine-turned-baking soda crisis.

It said Gifty Mawueyenga Tehoda, the senior police officer who was being held by the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) in connection with the infamous cocaine-turned-baking soda saga was on Monday charged with abetment of crime and stealing of cocaine.

The accused person, who appeared at a Circuit Court in Accra, pleaded not guilty to the offence and was remanded in police custody to re-appear on 6 February.

The Graphic reported under the headline, “Cocaine swap: Police service interdicts DSP Tehoda” that the Police Administration had interdicted DSP Gifty Mawuenyega Tehoda who is at the centre of the cocaine-turned-soda saga.

A statement from the police said Tehoda’s interdiction was in line with the Police Administration’s regulations.

“Konadu for President posters out,” was the headline of the story in the Daily Guide which said residents of Kumasi and other parts of the country woke up on Sunday morning to witness fresh 2012 election posters of Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, wife of former president and NDC founder, Jerry John Rawlings, in circulation.

“The posters, which were nicely made by experts in the designing business, had a huge smiling portrait of Nana Konadu, wearing a head gear in National Democratic Congress (NDC) colours.”

The newspaper said the inscription on the posters was “Vote Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings for President 2012”.

“Other inscriptions on the posters which had already started creating hullabaloo in political circles in Kumasi included ‘Come and redeem us’, ‘NDC is dying slowly’, ‘Grassroots need you’, and ‘Still be bold’”.

Aides of the former first lady, who lost her bid to unseat President Mills at the party's primaries, have denied involvement in the release of the posters.

Black Stars: Press update

 * Source: GFA

The Black Stars will train Monday ahead of their Group D opener against Botswana the next day.

Media personnel would be allowed to sit through the first 15 minutes of the team's training session which starts 4.00pm (17:00GMT) at the Stade de Franceville

A pre-match press conference will follow soon after the training.

Monday January 23

4.00pm (17:00GMT) – Training starts at the Stade de Franceville

4.00pm (17:00GMT) - 4.15pm (17:15GMT) – Open to the media

**Pre-match press conference after training at the Stade de Franceville

* Source: GNA

Franceville, Jan 23, GNA- Vice President John Dramani on Sunday called on Ghana’s national team, the Black Stars, to guard against complacency in their bid to annex the ultimate trophy in the on-going African Cup of Nations in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

“What am hearing all over is that, the big names in African football are not part of the tournament, and so it will be easy for Ghana and others, but let me remind you that those big names were eliminated by countries that are participating in the month-long competition.” He added.

Vice President Mahama made the call when he paid a day’s visit to the Black Stars at their Olympic camp in Franceville, Gabon to encourage them in their forthcoming matches.

The Vice President was accompanied by Mr Baba Jamal, a Deputy Minister for Information, Mr Roger Ansogwine, Chief Director at his office, officials of National Sports Council and Journalists from both the private and public media.

Ghana which is in Group D alongside Botswana, Mali and Guinea, would begin the campaign with Botswana on Tuesday, January 24.

The Vice President said the cup had eluded the country for the past 30 years, and called on the team to work hard to put smiles on the faces of Ghanaians at home and beyond by coming home as the overall victors of the tournament.

He said: “I am very hopeful that you will come back home with the cup, for you made us proud in previous tournaments and we all know that you can even do much better in this tournament by winning the ultimate.”

Vice President Mahama also advised the players against in-camp grumblings and petty quarrels as that could develop cracks and division in the team.

He said: “You are considered as one of the best countries to lift the trophy and we shall do our best by backing you with prayers and encouragement, but the last bit, which is playing will be done by you here and we expect nothing but the cup.”

He advised the Head Coach and other trainers of the Black Stars to work in unionism in order to achieve the common goal of winning the cup.

Coach Goran Stevanovic, Head Coach of the team, said morale in camp was very high, and with much more efforts, the Stars could come home with the cup and called for prayers from all and sundry.

“Every player here is in good form and shape and we will do our best to come home with the cup at the end of the tournament.”He assured.

Mr John Mensah, captain of the team, gave the assurance that they would correct all mistakes that denied them the cup in the 2010 tournament in Angola. and build on that to win this year’s tournament in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

The Ghanaian community in Franceville were also at the camp of the Black Stars to assure them of their unflinching support for the team for the entire duration of the tournament.

From:George-Ramsey Benamba, GNA Special Correspondent in Franceville, Gabon.

* Source: Joy Online

Two people were killed and five others sustained varying degrees of injury when a church wall collapsed on a wooden structure in which they live following heavy downpour Sunday dawn.

The incident happened at Tema New Town.

An eye witness told Joy News the five are seriously injured.

The bodies of the two dead have been deposited at the police hospital morgue.

* Source: Ameyaw Debrah

US rapper, Nas who has visited Africa three times already – once for his birthday and twice for corporate performances – has said that the reason why most of his colleagues never go to Africa is because they are afraid of the ‘dark continent’.

Answering questions at a recent press conference back home in the States, Nas said: “let’s go straight to it, people are scared. There‘s horror stories about Africa that’s out of this world…when I finally got there, I never knew what to expect, I didn’t send much, just brought a few of my jewelry… but I went there and I figured out that there’s been a lot of lies told to American people about what’s going on there…One thing about us African-Americans and Africans is that we don’t communicate, we don’t talk, we don’t see a reason to talk, we don’t get along.”

According to Nas, he grew up at a time when Bob Marley was talking about Africa Unity and so he got interested in reading more about Africa and to find out about his roots. He said a lot had to be done to change the image of Africa and hiphop artist, who are largely African-Americans have a role to play in changing the status quo.

He mentioned Nigeria as one of the places he visited in Africa and said it almost made him cry, seeing the living conditions of majority of the people there. He said hip-hop should find a way to communicate with Africa. He also raised questions about why rock stars like Bono seem to do so much in Africa and hiphop artists aren’t. “Hip-hop artists need to start by raising some voices”http://www.ameyawdebrah.com/.

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