| News Home (Main Page) | | African Newspaper | | LATEST WORLD NEWS | | | | | NEWS ARCHIVE 2009 | | NEWS ARCHIVE 2008 | | NEWS ARCHIVE 2007 | | PHOTO REPORTS | | VIDEO REPORTS | | ARTS in GHANA | | Food & Drinks in Ghana | | Africa Cup 2008 | | Ghana Hotels | | Links / Websites | | Ghana Districts | | Ghana Tourism | | Ghana Classifieds | Names in Ghana | | | | * 07.02.2010 | Kwame Nkrumah’s Memory Defiled As… * Source: The Searchlight | MILLS’ MAN GOES ON RAMPAGE!
… In Rampant Show Of Power!
For some people in the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), power is so sweet that that they can even attack and defile the memory of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the man who led Ghana to Independence!
One of the key projects intended to honour the 100th anniversary of the birth of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah has come to a screeching halt, because the ego of one of President Atta Mills’ staffers has been bruised!
Because he was not informed, Dr. Don Arthur, a Presidential Staffer has ordered a stoppage to the reconstruction of a historic statue honouring Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, bringing the project to a dead stop since August last year!
So far, a sculptor employed by officials of the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park to mount the decapitated head of President Kwame Nkrumah’s statue at the park has not been working for months, because Don Arthur refuses to allow him to work! The statue was to be rehabilitated as part of the one year celebrations of Nkrumah’s birth, which comes to an end in September!
Don Arthur’s only reason for ordering the stoppage of the assignment was that officials of the Park did not seek his approval before commencing with the work. According to a letter intercepted by this paper dated August 31, 2009, the Director of the Park, Mr. K Manu-Asiamah, worried over this development, wrote to the Minister of Chieftaincy and Culture to seek clearance.
The letter titled “MOUNTING OF BROKEN HEAD OF DR NKRUMAH STATUE reads “My telephone conservation with you on Thursday, 27, 2009 in respect of the subject mentioned above refers, please.
The Sculptor Employed To Mount The Decapitated Head Of President Nkrumah’s Statute On The Park Was Stopped From His Assignment By Dr. Don Arthur When He Visited Here On The Date Mentioned Above; His Reason Was That We Did Not First Seek His Approval”.
“I wish to seek clearance from you if we should ask the sculptor to go ahead and complete the job. The head of the statue has already been fixed to a bronze pedestal ready to be fixed to the platform already erected on the Park”, the letter said.
The Chieftaincy and Culture Minister scared by the reprisals from the Presidential Staffer then ordered his Director of Administration, one Kwadwo Adu to fire a response to the officials of the Park to suspend the mounting.
The letter dated 24th September, 2009 titled Mounting of Broken Head of Dr. Nkrumah reads: “Please your KNMP/MCC.1/46 dated August 2009 refers. I am directed to write to inform you to suspend your programme since the Centenary Planning Committee has been mandated to undertake the rehabilitation and any other necessary works at the park”.
It would be recalled that the Ghanaian Times edition of Tuesday, May 26, 2009 on its front page carried a story captioned NKRUMAH’S HEAD, ARM WANTED.
The Information Services Department through its Acting Director, Mr. Samuel Amankwah wrote to the Director of the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park in a letter dated 27th May, 2009 informing them that the ISD is in possession of the ‘Head’ of the bronze statue of Ghana’s Founding father, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and that it wished to formally hand it over to the park.
According to the ISD director, the bronze head has been with the Department for safe keeping since Ghana’s 40th Independence Anniversary (1997), when a good citizen brought it voluntarily to the Department.
It was subsequently handed over to the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, but before it could be mounted on the bronze statue, Dr. Don Artyhur came in and stopped the project, and since August last year, the project has been at a stand still! | | | | ______________________ |
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| LATEST GHANA NEWS Saturday, 7 February 2010 WEEK 05 - 2010 |
| * Sunday, 07 February 2010 | NDC Rape At Tema Harbour ... 158 Vehicles Carted Away By Party Activists! * Source: The Searchlight | THE ELECTORAL VICTORY by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has led to a monumental rape and raid of the Tema Harbour, leading to the wholesale carting way of hundreds of vehicles at very cheap prices!
Under the auspices of one Carl Wilson, Chairman of the Confiscated Vehicle Committee (CVC), who has the full and complete backing of Deputy Chief of Staff Alex Segbefia at the Castle, at least 158 vehicles confiscated to the state has been allocated at floor prices to functionaries and some media personnel of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC)!
The vehicles which were confiscated and tagged as stolen cars have now been allocated to some persons believed to be bedmates of the Atta Mills led social democrats government.
Some of these beneficiaries are Andy Kankam, Editor In-Chief of the Informer newspaper who bought a VW Golf III for GH¢2,387 and Michael Dokosi, Editor of the Daily Post newspaper who bought a Renault Megane RTE for GH¢2,434.
Eric Ametor Quarmyne formerly of the Ghana Palavar and now cooling off at the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) as its Deputy Director of Corporate Affairs and Strategic Direction got a Land Rover Free Lander for GH¢2705.5. (*Price in Europe: from $5.000 / 2001 car)
Yamoah Ponkoh, the Ashanti Regional Manager of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) also bought a Ford Explorer for GH¢6,450.5. (*Price in Europe: from $15.000 / 2005 car) Tawiah Boateng, the Eastern Regional Chairman of the NDC got a Honda Civic for GH¢2,578.
Felix Gyamfi, a staffer at the Castle also bought a Fiat Marea for GH¢2,583, whilst Madam Bolko, a former Vice Chairperson of the NDC paid GH¢7360.5 for Toyota Sequoia Wagon. (*Price in Europe: from $25.000)
Serial caller Alfred Triddles who contested for the Deputy Propaganda Secretary and lost is also a benefactor. He paid GH¢2,980 for a Subaru Legacy. (*Price in Europe: from $10.500 / 2005 car )
Yamoah Ponkoh when contacted yesterday ruined insults on this reporter for wanting to know whether his acquisition was true.
He said 'you want to know for what, go and ask your stupid father. Kuranchie. to tell you' following his phone went off.
Ametor told this that "you can go ahead and write whatever you want to write'.
Andy Kankam admitted buying a VW Golf III whilst Dokosi of the Daily Post also said he was allocated a vehicle but did not go for it saying a friend of his went for it but since it was allocated to him, his friend used his name.
Tawiah Boateng admitted acquiring a vehicle but called back to ask the reporter whether he was in possession of the said document.
"Do you have a list with you, is my name on the said list, what type of car is on the list?" (* Used Car Info from Ghana-Net.com)
| | > BACK to TOP < | NPP Storms Kumasi * Source: Daily Guide | KUMASI, THE Ashanti Regional capital, will for the first time host the National Delegates’ Congress of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium or the Kumasi Cultural Centre.
Information reaching DAILY GUIDE indicates that the National Council, the second highest decision making body of the party, has fixed the upcoming congress for Kumasi.
Barring any last minute development, the country’s largest opposition party will hold its National Delegates’ Congress on Saturday February 27, 2010, where five persons will be gunning for the National Chairmanship position.
Delegates at the two-day congress would among other things elect national officers to oversee the running of the party for the next four years.
Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey and Stephen Ayesu Ntim are the front runners for the chairmanship position. Other contenders for the position are returnee Charles Wereko-Brobby; Felix Owusu-Adjapong, former Majority Leader; and Sammy Crabbe, former Greater Accra Regional Chairman.
Eight contestants are vying for three vice chairmanship positions, with five persons lacing up their boots for the General Secretary position.
Thirty-four candidates, according to media reports, have filed their nominations to contest the eight executive positions which would be up for grabs at the congress.
The positions are National Chairman, First and Second National Vice Chairman, General Secretary, National Organiser, Youth Organiser, Women’s Organiser and National Treasurer.
Though Kumasi is largely perceived to be the stronghold of NPP, it never had the opportunity to host the party’s National Delegates’ Congress, except the delegates’ conference of 2004 where President John Agyekum Kufuor endorsed Alhaji Aliu Mahama as his running mate for the second term.
In view of this, information to the effect that the party’s forthcoming National Delegates’ Congress has been fixed for Kumasi has excited supporters and sympathisers of the party in the city.
Party sympathisers who have been sharing thoughts on the decision on various radio stations have hailed the National Council of the party.
They pointed out that they were extremely delighted with the decision to hold the congress in Kumasi because they are optimistic that the event would re-awaken the spirit of the party.
The spirit of the party supporters was for once resuscitated incredibly during the party’s recent regional delegates’ congress at the Kumasi Cultural Centre as scores of them, clad in their assorted NPP paraphernalia, stormed the congress grounds amid singing and dancing. | | > BACK to TOP < | Frimpong-Boateng: NPP Stands At The Crossroads * Source: GNA | Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, a leading member of the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), on Thursday cautioned delegates and aspirants who would be attending the party's national delegates' congress later this month to avoid electoral manipulations.
..and running for President in 2008 Elections / (c)ghana-net.com
The ace heart surgeon and former Chief Executive of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital told the Ghana News Agency in an interview: "NPP stands at the crossroads - to move backward into political disintegration, or set a democratic standard of coming out of the congress more united with both winners and losers jubilating together.
"Posterity would not forgive the delegates to the congress if they fail to elect capable, competent, dedicated and selfless leaders to ensure victory in Election 2012, and eventually give mother Ghana capable and competent leaders."
Prof. Frimpong-Boateng, who was a flagbearer aspirant of the party in 2007, described the up-coming congress as crucial in the preparation to win the next general elections. "You as delegates must therefore critically examine the vision and aspiration of each contestant and decide who to entrust the fortune of the party to."
Prof. Frimpong-Boateng, described in political cycle as "super tanker," urged the delegates to scrutinize all the aspirants and vote for independent minded personalities with the capacity and ability to build the party. "You must not forget that re-organsisng and building a party in opposition is more difficult than a party in government; the fortunes on the ground have changed and we need leaders who understand the dynamics of modern day politicking.
"We need leaders who can reach out to other political parties, attract people from diverse social and political backgrounds.We need to build a party and democratic system of administration under which all members will be able to contribute to the welfare, peace and prosperity of our great party and keep it from dictatorship and oppression." He said NPP must also reduce intra-party antagonism, bickering and any negative tendencies that had the potential of derailing the party's quest to regain power.
Prof. Frimpong-Boateng also called on the delegates to look beyond monetary considerations when deciding who should occupy executive positions in the party. "Our focus should be capable men and women of integrity and acumen to lead us to regain power."
"If NPP is going to be a party that wins elections and stays strong even after we have won elections, we must have strong national executives. It is in that regard that I believe we should spend more time figuring out what the aspiring national executives stand for," he said. Sources say five people have indicated their intention to contest for the National Chairman slot. They are Mr Jake O. Obetsebi-Lamptey, Mr Stephen Ayesu Ntim, Mr Samuel K.A.B. Crabbe, Mr Felix Kwasi Owusu-Adjapong and Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobby.
Eight are contesting for National Vice-Chairman position. They are Mr Michael Omari Wadie, Mr Amadu Kaleem, Mr Fred Oware, Ms Rita Asobayire, Sheikh T.B. Damba, Mr Baaba Otoo, Mr Edward Collins Boateng and Ms Sophia Horner-Sam.
For the post of the General Secretary, five contestants including the incumbent, Nana Ohene Ntow, are contesting. The rest are Mr Obeng G. Busia, Mr Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, Mr Yaw Buaben Asamoa and Captain (Rtd) Nkrabeah Effah Dartey.
Contestants for National Organizer are Mr. John Boadu, Alhaji Moctar Musa Bamba, and Mr Isaac Eduosar Edumadze, whilst Mr Kofi Osei Ameyaw and Ms Esther Dzifah Ofori are vying for the position of the National Treasurer. Contestants for National Youth organizer are Mr Pius Enam Hadzide, Mr Stephen Amoah, Mr Michael Kwabena Ampong and Mr Anthony Abayifaa Karbo, whilst those contesting for National Women Organizer are Ms Otiko Afisah Djaba and Ms Christine Churcher. | | > BACK to TOP < | Massive win for Jake Obetsebi- Lamptey * Source: GNA | The media co-ordinator for Jake Obetsebi- Lamptey's campaign has said that Jake will win the impending NPP Chairmanship election massively considering the warm reception accorded him in all the constituencies he has visited.
According to Mahama Haruna after meeting with all the constituency executives of nine out of ten regions in the country, he has the total conviction that Jake has already won the Chairmanship because apart from the warm reception from the executives of the 191 constituencies toured, the executives have also pledged to give Jake a resounding victory based on his track record, tremendous experience and the capacity to lead the NPP to victory in 2010.
Haruna said the Constituency executives have made it clear they were elected by the polling station executive to win power for the party and so they will vote for people at national level that would offer the right leadership, devise the right strategies and innovations for the party to regain power in 2012. They have also told Jake his track record of being in the tradition for many years, being in the trenches, and serving in various capacities, has placed him in a strategic position to be entrusted with the mandate to become the next National Chairman of the party.
According to Haruna he was surprised an executive of a deprived constituency put it vividly that Jake is a team player and one who creates opportunities for people working under him to learn and grow. The executive according to him said Jake is the only Minister under ex-President Kufour's government who's four deputies were promoted to full Ministers. He praised Jake for being down-to-earth and politically astute enough to connect with the average folks.
According to Haruna the delegates said the NPP must have very tough, resolute, visionary and intelligent people to run the affairs of the party to prevent the NDC government from exploiting incumbency to rig the 2012 general elections. They are also aware this is the parties crucial moment and it is imperative that leaders who have been tried, tested and who have shown the necessary commitment and loyalty that the NPP requires in its quest to wrestle power from the NDC are elected.
Jake's media co-ordinator who also spoke on a wide range of issues said he will be happy if the perception that Nana Akufo-Addo has thrown his weight behind Jake becomes a reality because he realised from their tour that Akufo-Addo enjoys massive grassroot support. According to him before Jake declared his ambition to be Chairman, he visited all NPP potential Presidential aspirants including Nana Akufo-Addo, Alan Kyeremanten, Isaac Osei, Joe Ghartey and the late Courage Quashigah as well as major stakeholders like former President J.A. Kufour, B.J, da Rocha, Appiah Menka, Harona Esseku and many others to solicit their support and to offer reasons why he wants to be the Chairman of NPP.
Haruna said while many of these personalities have come out to endorse Jake publicly, others are supporting him undercover. "We will be happy if former President Kufour, Alan Kyeramanten, Isaac Osei and others also declare their support for Jake" he emphasized. He however quickly added that Jake can win the election based on his own competence and merit.
On the argument by some people that the NPP need a Ga Chairman to be able to win Greater Accra, the media co-ordinator of Jake said his boss has never told anybody to vote for him because he is from the Greater Region but rather campaigns on his track record. Haruna however believes Jake's ethnic background will be an advantage to the NPP. " Whether we like it or not, ethnicity has become an integral part of politicking in Ghana. During the last election , ethnicity featured prominently in the campaign of NDC. They exploited and fanned ethnic differences to win votes". he emphasized.
Haruna also explained that the NPP need to do a lot of strategic planning in terms of ethnic permutations for top positions in the party to prevent the situation in which NDC will continue to brand it pro-Akan notwithstanding the advantages to this perception. All things being equal the flag bearer position will remain with the Akans. The Gas, an important ethnic group in the politics of this country should be given the Chairmanship with Voltarians and Northerners taking other National executive positions to balance the situation.
On the issue of Jake's inability to speak a Ghanaian language, Haruna said this came up strongly when Jake contested for the National Chairmanship of NPP in 1995, an election he lost gallantly to the late Peter Ala-Adjetey. Again the issue was raised in 1997 when he contested the Greater Accra Regional Chairmanship of the NPP. He said the delegates as discerning as they were snubbed those who raised the issue and voted massively for Jake because to them it was a non-issue. According to Haruna the kingmakers wanted someone with a strategic mind to deliver votes but not someone who can speak a local language and true to their expectation Jake as Regional Chairman marshaled people from all the major languages spoken in cosmopolitan Accra for victory in 2000.
"Jake's inability to speak a Ghanaian language has helped him to be a more complete Ghanaian. He deals with everyone on an equal basis, and has become a better 'team builder' and 'team leader'. It is a weakness he has always overcome to get better results in whatever he does". he added.
He also explained that Ghana has more than 250 languages and dialects and every Ghanaian has to use an interpreter somewhere in the country. According to Haruna he does not expect the other contestants for the NPP Chairmanship position to speak languages like Frafra, Wala, Gonja, Ewe, Nzema or Krobo when they visit areas such languages are spoken. They will definitely use interpreters.
"Is it not ironical that someone who cannot speak a Ghanaian language inherit a situation of Greater Accra 9 Seats and 46% Presidential votes but left it with 16 Seats and a 52% Presidential vote, both majorities? he questioned.
Haruna appealed to all candidates contesting for various positions at the national level, to embark on a clean campaign devoid of insults. He also called on all the aspiring candidates vying for various national positions to circumvent personal vendetta or character assassinations in their campaign and rather concentrate on selling their messages to the delegates. "There should not be any cause for members to attack each other, mudslinging and disunity. Whoever wins at the end of the day will need the support of the loser", he concluded. | > BACK to TOP < |
_____________________________________________________ ----- | | Sunday, 07 February 2010 | - NDC Rape At Tema Harbour ... 158 Vehicles Carted Away By Party Activists! - NPP Storms Kumasi - Frimpong-Boateng: NPP Stands At The Crossroads - Veep Defends 1000% Increment In Road Tolls - Massive win for Jake Obetsebi- Lamptey - Fight against corruption should start at the top - Kwame Nkrumah’s Memory Defiled As… | | | Archived News for 2010 | Go to 08.02.2010 Go to 06.02.2010 Go to 05.02.2010 Go to 04.02.2010 Go to 03.02.2010 Go to 02.02.2010 Go to 01.02.2010 Go to 31.01.2010 Go to 30.01.2010 Go to 29.01.2010 | | Your REPORT Your STORIES * Your PHOTOS PUBLISH NOW! | 
| | All about the Ghana Election 2008 | | | 
| | | | * 07.02.2010 | Veep Defends 1000% Increment In Road Tolls * Source: citifmonline.com | The Vice President, John Dramani Mahama has defended the recent increment in road tolls which is about a thousand percent.
The road tolls which was increased earlier this week triggered wild protests among many Commercial drivers across the country. Some drivers threatened to hit the streets and demonstrate against the increment. Some set bonfires on major roads causing severe traffic on those roads.
Others parked their cars while some arbitrarily inflated their fares to make up for the difference.
The tolls as explained by the Minister of road and transport, goes into the Road Fund which is used in rehabilitating the roads, constructing new ones and also for providing street lights.
The Vice President, John Mahama, however said that the toll increment would help Government construct more roads and maintain the bad ones.
Mr Mahama put up the defense when he inaugurated a 30-million dollar programme to rehabilitate all major roads in Tema and Ashaiman.
He however directed the roads and transport Minister, Joe Gidisu to ensure the Road Fund is monitored closely to prevent abuse.
Mr Gidisu said that the Vice President’s concerns are part of the NDC Government’s pledge to be open with expenditure.
“I think it is part of the transparency agenda of government and for that matter we are assuring Ghanaians of their value for money…which would not be done under the cloak of suspicion”.
He added that “the direction for the vice president is just in place, I even intend that by next week we should be able to relay to Ghanaians how much we have been able to accrue from the tolls…so the vice president’s intimation is in the right direction” | Fight against corruption should start at the top * Source: GNA | Accra, Feb. 6, GNA - President John Evans Atta Mills at the week-end said that any fight against corruption should start at the leadership level, indicating that the menace often led to unpleasant results. He said it must be demonstrated that corruption should not be encouraged and the passage of anti-corruption legislation was to strengthen the ability to monitor and check the vice in society.
In an interaction with former US President Jimmy Carter who called on him at the Osu Castle in Accra, President Mills indicated that Government intended to pass the Right to Information Law "with very little delay" to put the vice under check.
The former US President is leading a delegation to attend a three-day African Regional Conference on the Right and Access to Information, which opens on Sunday in Accra. President Mills said the right and access to information and transparency was the basis for vibrant democracy and accountability in the management of public funds.
He said that checking corruption must transcend the public sector to include the private sector. The President observed that the foundation for the Right to Information Law was laid by the past Kufuor Administration, and the present Government would continue from where the former administration left off. President Mills stressed that there was the need for widespread education for people to understand the law as well as their rights and obligations.
The President said Ghanaians were justified in their high expectations in his administration adding that Government would under no circumstance abuse the confidence reposed in his administration. President Mills said: "We want to make sure we maintain and improve upon what we have," and that Government was setting up a body to effectively manage the proceeds from Ghana's oil find.
On the success of the conduct of last year's General Election, President Mills attributed the success to divine intervention, explaining that Ghanaians prayed a lot for successful polls. President Mills said "I think that God heard our prayers," but the presence of international monitoring bodies like the Carter Foundation also contributed to the success of the polls.
He thanked the Carter Foundation for supportin g Ghana to go through free, fair and transparent polls last year. "The very mention of the Carter Foundation send shivers down the spine of those who intend to cheat," President Mills said. Former President Carter praised Ghana on her democratic credentials and pointed out that access to information was an essential for good democratic governance.
He said the Foundation was ready to assist with its expertise for the conduct of successful polls.
Participants to the conference would be drawn from governments, regional and international institutions, civil society, media and the private sector from at least 15 focus countries on the continent. In-depth discussions will be held on the four main objectives of the conference - identify and explore challenges and potential solutions specific to Africa, bring together stakeholders to enhance a regional community of practice, encourage multi-stakeholder national clusters to advance the right of access to information; Create and disseminate regional findings and a plan of action | | |
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