Welcome to Owusu Ansah's Blog: May 2017

Sunday, May 28, 2017

Koku Anyidoho Said, Akufo-Addo Is Not Fighting Corruption

Deputy General Secretary of NDC, Koku Anyidoho

Deputy General Secretary for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Koku Anyidoho has said corruption under Akufo-Addo is going to be worst with the way things are going now.

According to him, as immoral act is part of corruption, appointing 110 ministers is immoral act as this will put pressure of the public purse; adding that the government agencies are filled with families, friends and party cronies.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has stated unequivocally that he will not shield any public official found to be engaged in acts of corruption or malfeasance, but will ensure that the laws of the land are applied fully, without fear or favour.

Rebecca Akufo-Addo, First Lady of the Republic of Ghana

First Lady Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo has called on all individuals and institutions to contribute whatever they can to help build a new mother and child unit for Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in the Ashanti Region to help “save the lives of our mothers and children in the region and beyond.”

The First Lady made this call at the Kumasi fundraising event held at the Manhyia Palace under the patronage of Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to solicit for additional funds for construction of the new GHS10 million Maternity Unit for the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.

Former President Mahama

Former President John Dramani Mahama has bemoaned the “mass sacking of workers by the NPP government”

The Nana Addo led administration has sacked and forced out some key government appointees and laid off some workers; a situation the former President has described as “a bad precedent for Ghana’s governance”.

“Bad precedents for our governance. Mass sacking of workers by the NPP govt unacceptable. #OneGhana #OnePeople”, he tweeted Friday evening.

Visa fraud: UK Commission couldn’t prove I acted fraudulently – MP

The former Member of Parliament for the Asunafo South constituency in the Brong Ahafor Region, George Boakye has said the UK High Commissioner has failed to prove that he was indeed involved in any form of visa fraud.

The High Commission accused George Boakye and three other sitting MPs of engaging in various forms of visa related fraud.

Mr Boakye who felt he was being wrongfully accused subsequently wrote to the Commission demanding proof of his culpability.

Dominic Nitiwul,Defense Minister

The Akufo-Addo administration, appears very far away from the realities of governance, despite having enough time to march utopian campaign promises against national resources and requirements of a strategic institution like the Ghana Armed Forces.

The government, according to the Defence Minister, Dominic Nitiwul, is set to introduce a Bill in Parliament that will alter the number of years personnel can serve in the military from 25 to 30 years, but insiders have told The Herald that, the decision was misplaced and too dangerous for the country.

Ghana, risks having average soldiers, who will be tired, weak and afraid to be deployed to any war zone to protect life and property.

Soldiers at 50 years and above lack, combat effectiveness, The Herald learned.

According to them, the additional years have huge health, logistical and financial challenges for an institution which is already struggling to pay end of service benefits and pension to its retiring officers, men and civilian employees.

Major Derek Oduro

A probe ordered into the cost of a military cemetery under construction at the Burma Camp last week has resulted in the downward review by some $1.5 million.

The Minister of Defence, on his tour of the site last week, ordered an investigation into the cost of the project which was estimated at $6 million dollars, an amount the Minister described as outrageous.

Following the order, a review of the contract has seen the cost come down to $4.5 million, according to a Deputy Defence Minister, Major Rtd Derek Oduro. He also insisted that his Ministry will push for a further downward review of the cost, which included the wall, the car park and a room for caretakers.

“We thought it was on the high side so we called the contractor and the other stakeholders, who came and briefed us. Yesterday they met us at the Ministry of Defence and the amount has been cut to $4.5 million. The contractors have reviewed the cost of the project. Some other changes have been made and that made it go down, as we were told the other day.”

The Deputy Defence Minister, Derrick Oduro has emphatically told Citi News that the Ghana Armed Forces has not deployed any military personnel to the mine where the foreigners were arrested on Monday.

According to him, military personnel are only deployed to big mining companies upon request but this has not happened under the current circumstance.

His comment comes on the back claims by the Lands and Natural Resources Minister, John Peter Amewu that the Ghana Armed Force High command deployed some of its personnel to protect galamsey operators in parts of the Ashanti Region.

Soldiers Protecting Galamsey Operators – Amewu

The Lands and Natural Resources Minister, John Peter Amewu has accused sections of the Ghana Armed Forces High command of providing cover for galamsey operators in hard-hit areas.

He alleged the said military command has without authorization, deployed personnel to protect galamsey operators in parts of the Ashanti region where his team is touring.

In an interview with Citi News, John Peter Amewu called for an immediate probe into the matter.

“The law enforcement agency, especially the Military are protecting an illegality and I think that it is a time the truth be told. Most of the sites we visited today were heavily manned by the military command and I was wondering under what circumstances [were they undertaking this exercise] because my outfit had under no circumstance signed any contract with the military to protect that illegality.

Professor Emmanuel Martey and Kofi Adams

The National Organizer of the largest opposition NDC, Kofi Adams has taken a swipe at the ex-Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Professor Emmanuel Martey, insisting that as a responsible opposition front, it cannot overlook the dangerous mistakes being committed by government irrespective of the few months it has occupied the seat of government.

He said he’s scandalized by the u-turn of the ex-moderator after he criticized the NPP government recently on what he calls the grave mistakes being committed by such a young government.

President Akufo Addo will today leave Accra for Sierra Leone for a day’s visit.

The visit forms part of his tour of all West African countries.

The President while in Serra Leone will hold bilateral talks with his counterpart Ernest Bai Koroma.

He is also expected to meet Ghanaians in Sierra Leone where he will reveal his plans for Ghana.

The President will return later in the day.

The trip comes days after he left for Senegal to start the second phase of his official working visit to countries within the ECOWAS region.

Ashanti Regional Chairman for the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako is daring the former Member of Parliament for Akwatia Constituency, Hon. Baba Jamal to bring the law suit against him over his galamsey comment on UTV.

According to a Daily Post publication on May 22, 2017, a private legal practitioner and former MP for Akwatia, Baba Jamal, who was for eight years a deputy Minister has sued the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NPP, Bernard Antwi Boasiako for Ghc 2 million at an Accra High Court for defaming him on UTV on Friday, April 25, 2017.

Atuabo project was bloated by over $40m – Dr. Manteaw

The Co-chair of the Ghana Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (GHEITI), Dr. Steve Manteaw is alleging that the one billion dollar cost of the Atuabo Gas plant in the Western Region was overpriced by 40 million dollars.

According to him, the Chinese company which undertook the project, SINOPEC, engaged in fraudulent activities in the execution of the project.

Dr. Manteaw told Citi News that Ghana Revenue Authority which is investigating the matter has so far recouped about $15 million from the company for bloating the contract sum.

John Dumelo says he will soon join Godfred Boateng on the street to sell

Ghanaian actor John Dumelo has apologised to Godfred Obeng Boateng, the graduate he spotted selling bread in traffic last Saturday.

In an Instagram post he made on Monday, 22nd May, 2017 around 3:40pm, he expressed his remorse for the post he made about the gentlemen and apologised.

“I just had an extremely gracious conversation on fone with Kwaku Vito aka Godfred the hawker and apologised to him for misjudging his inspiring actions by selling on the streets with his employees. I must say however that this is all not like me especially as I have been promoting startups and young entrepreneurs. As a matter of fact, since Janaury, I’ve had 10 graduate students under the John Dumelo Foundation,” posted.

Prof. Martey

The former moderator of the Presbyterian Church, Very Reverend Prof. Emmanuel Martey says some appointees of President Akufo-Addo are corrupt hence are wrong choices to serve in government.

Speaking to journalists in the Eastern Region on the sidelines of the commissioning of C4C homoeopathic centre, he said, the “NPP also has bad elements.”

“Even some of their appointees are not correct…they are corrupt,” he added.

Prof. Martey who has in the last few years been vociferous in chastising the erstwhile John Mahama government said the new government of Nana Akufo-Addo has also made the mistake of appointing some corrupt people.

Dr. Thomas Anaba

Dismissed Medical Director of the Ridge Hospital, Dr. Thomas Anaba says the move by the Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu demanding him to vacate his post clearly renders him a “victim of abuse of Power”.

He explained that the Health Minister failed to perform a thorough background check on him before terminating his contract since he sought to base his reason on the advice of a contractor who claimed he (Dr. Anaba) failed to champion his course.

“The Minister said it was the contractor working at the Ridge Hospital who advised him that I was incompetent so I should be removed,” he alleged.

Joseph Yammin

Former Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister, under the NDC government, Joseph Yammin, said he lost his job as the head of the anti galamsey committee and also as the Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister for fighting illegal mining popularly known as galamsey operation.

Joseph Yammin who is also a former Deputy Sports Minister, said the galamsey fight is like the clash of the titans, which the president, Nana addo and his NPP government cannot achieve on a silver platter.

Speaking to Kofi Marfo (Sir Richie) during a political discussion on a London based radio station, Hot digital online yesterday, Mr Yammin said, he abandoned his hopes of enforcing the elimination of galamsey operation due to persecution from strong people within and outside the then NDC government, the armed forces and chiefs.

former Executive Director of the Ghana Standards Authority, Dr. George Crentsil

Joy News has intercepted an investigative report which alleges that former Executive Director of the Ghana Standards Authority Dr George Crentsil received a $1.2million kickback from a contractor.

Lemet Construction Company is said to have worked on a new block of the Standards Authority Training School at a cost in excess of GHC15 million.

The contractor did not state why he gave out the money but the report indicates Dr. Crentsil admitted receiving the cash.

According to the report submitted by the board of directors of the Ghana Standards Authority to the then Trade Minister Dr Ekwow Spio Gabrah, Dr George Crentsil took $1 million from the contractor working on the GSA training school on one occasion.

The National Health Insurance service providers who are owed by the Authority will begin getting their monies today.

This is according to the new Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Samuel Annor.

Dr. Annor said the authority is paying two months of the arrears it owes service providers.

The Authority owes the service providers some GHc1.2 billion covering a 12-month period of arrears.

Dr. Annor told Citi News that all other arrears will be cleared in due course.

Mr Ken Ofori-Atta

The Minister of Finance, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, has requested for an extra 15 working days to respond to the queries of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) in the matter of whether or not he contravened provisions of the 1992 Constitution in the public offer of the $2.25 billion bond.

The Chief Director of the ministry, Mr Patrick Nomo, in a letter dated May 11, 2017 requested for the extension of time.

The extension, according to the letter, was necessary to properly respond to the issues raised by CHRAJ in their letter to the Minister on May 5, 2017.

The ministry said in order to properly respond to the issues with supporting documentation, an extension of time by an additional 15 business days was required.

Politicians mourn with Woyome

Hundreds of sympathisers from different walks of life attended the funeral

It could have been mistaken for a political convention of some sort as members of the two major political parties, the NPP and NDC converged at the Dabala Parish of the Global Evangelical Church in the Volta Region.

They were there to mourn with the famous businessman Alfred Agbeshi Woyome and his siblings as they bid farewell to their late mother Madam Gladys Amavi Amehoho.

The event which could have passed for a “royal funeral’ attracted hundreds of sympathisers from different walks of life. The multitude that gathered in addition to the family had a generous sprinkling of politicians from different sides of the divide.

Ghana and Cape Verde have resolved to begin the process of developing stronger ties between themselves, as well as exploring areas of co-operation to the mutual benefits of their people.

This came to the fore at a meeting between the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and his Cape Verdean counterpart, Jorge Fonseca, last Friday at the presidential palace, in Praia, at the beginning of his 3-day visit to that country.

It seems several ladies have suffered various sexual abuses from the Police Constable in Dzodze in the Volta Region who is in Police custody for allegedly defiling a thirteen year old girl.

Constable Kennedy Sarfo, 28 years old is said to have developed a habit of sexually exploiting young girls in the town and threatening them with gun to keep silent.

Some of his victims in a Citi News interview recounted horrifying experiences they have had with the suspect.
One of them told investigators that Kennedy gave her drugs to abort the pregnancy and that resulted into serious medical complications.

The Minister of Defence, Dominic Nitiwul has indicated that government will not hesitate to deploy the military to fight the galamsey menace in the country.

He said the Armed Forces will help restore sanity to the mining sector if it becomes necessary to support the ongoing efforts.

Speaking at an interactive session with some soldiers at Burma Camp in Accra, the minister lamented the level of destruction Ghana’s water bodies and land resources were subjected to as a result of illegal mining.

Anas to expose 60 'bad' people in latest video

Anas

Ace Investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas has hinted that he will soon release his most challenging undercover investigative piece in his entire career, which involves 60 people who have committed some bad deeds to the state.

He dropped the hint during the Third Lecture Series of the 60th Anniversary of the Commonwealth Hall of the University of Ghana on the theme; “Vandalism and Democracy”.

According to him, he is going to name, shame and jail those 60 individuals as his investigative works have always preached.

But Anas did not state categorically when the video will be released and the crime the 60 people have committed.

Gloria Akuffo, Attorney General

Former Member of Parliament for North Dayi George Loh has asked the Attorney General and her two deputies to stop sleeping and wake up from slumber to protect the laws of Ghana.

His comments comes at the back of the eight Delta Force members who were standing trial for attacking a magistrate’s court and aiding the escape of thirteen of their members.

On Wednesday, May 17, 2017, the Attorney General has dropped charges against the eight members of vigilante group Delta Force

Owusu Bempah

Founder and leader of the Glorious Word Ministry International, Rev. Isaac Owusu Bempah has prophesied the death of the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Reverend Professor Cephas Narh Omenyo.

The moderator, according to Rev. Owusu Bempah, will die very soon unless Ghanaians and members of the church take steps to reverse it.

Rev. Owusu Bempah, said God revealed the unfortunate incident to him while praying with his junior pastors on Sunday at his home.

The well-known man of God, who had earlier prophesied the death in of the late President John Atta-Mills and former Vice President Aliu Mahama in 2012, as well as a plane crash on December 31, 2011 in an interview on Adom FM, said this calamity can be averted if Ghanaians especially his members seek the face of God in prayers.

Mr. Amidu

A former Attorney General, Martin Amidu is of the view the Ashanti Regional State Attorney did not err in her decision to drop charges against members of the pro-New Patriotic Party (NPP) group, Delta Force, without consulting the Attorney General.

Mr. Amidu, per his assesment of the case, described the State Attorney’s handling of the matter as unassailably professional.

The eight were freed after the Principal State Attorney in the case, Marie Louise-Simmons, determined that the charges against the suspects be dropped because of lack of evidence.

Amidst the public outcry against the release, the government denied sanctioning the decision to drop charges against Delta Force members.

But Mr. Amidu, in an article, argued that the State Attorney was not bound to refer the decision to the Attorney General before coming to any conclusions.

Koku Anyidoho

Deputy General Secretary of The opposition National Democratic Congress [NDC], Koku Anyidoho says he has detailed information indicating that the Attorney General, Gloria Akuffo ordered the release of eight (8)members of the NPP vigilante group, Delta Force.

According to him, the Nana Addo-led government is manipulating the laws of the country to favor their interest – reason he said Madam Akuffo was appointed to occupy that office.

“With this issue of Delta Force, what we are hearing and picking up is that, the instruction to release the Delta Force suspects came from Accra for the senior attorney in Kumasi to apply it. That is what we have picked up,” he said in an interview on NEAT FM’s morning show ‘Ghana Montie’.

"Demolish This Nonsense" By Inviting Bugri Naabu - Baako Calls On BNI

Kweku Baako Jnr.

Kweku Baako has called on the National Security to launch criminal investigations into the claims by the NPP Northern Regional Chairman, Bugri Naabu.

Speaking on the Wednesday edition of Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo', Kweku Baako stressed that Bugri Naabu should not be left off the hook without being compelled to present concrete evidence to back up his allegations against the Upper East Regional Minister, Rockson Bukari and the Gender Minister, Otiko Djaba.

Mr. Baako strongly believed Bugri Naabu peddled lies but he wants an investigation to bring finality into the matter.

"That is way to expose the lie, the mendacity. That is also the only way to disarm the political opposition who think they have got some armour to use," he stated.

The minority in Parliament is demanding an immediate disciplinary action from President Akufo-Addo towards Gender Minister, Otiko Afisa Djaba and NPP Northern Regional chairman, Bugri Naabu regarding developments they refer to as posing a veritable threat to the country’s democracy and good governance.

In a press release signed by the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, the opposition party expressed disappointment that 'state actors' had not responded accordingly especially to the allegation by Bugri Naabu.

“Mr Naabu’s allegations have widespread implications for the delivery of justice in the matter of the murder of the Upper East Regional Chairman. In any true democratic system, Mr Naabu’s pronouncement should have elicited immediate action from state actors especially the Ghana Police and President Akufo-Addo. As a government that is enjoined to uphold the rule of law and the fundamental human rights of the people, this loud silence from the state actors particularly the President is not only shocking but a betrayal of the people on whose shoulders he rode to power,” the statement said.

John Boadu, General Secretary

The governing New Patriotic Party has released details of decisions taken at the party's Council meeting held at Alisa Hotel last Wednesday night.

The statement announced four party decisions and five government plans after the more than four hour discussion that ended after 11:00pm.

The highlight of the meeting was the action taken over a public spat between Gender, Children and Social Protection minister Otiko Djaba and NPP Northern Regional Chariman Bugri Naabu.

Otiko-Naabu Row: Minority Shocked At Prez Akufo-Addo's 'Loud Silence'

A 31-year- old Chinese woman , Aisha Haung said to be behind the booming illegal mining

Ghanaians have been challenged to rise up in arms in order to fight the so-called powerful Chinese expatriates claiming to have influence over authority in the country in the pursuit of illegal mining.

A 31-year- old Chinese woman, Aisha Haung said to be behind the booming illegal mining in the country claims to have connections at the seat of government making her untouchable by security operatives who have been mandated to crackdown on galamsey in the country.

But the Member of Parliament (MP) for Manso Nkwanta in the Ashanti Region and anti -illegal mining advocate, Joseph Albert Quarm wants Ghanaians to collaborate with the security agencies in the fight against the menace.

The Upper East regional branch of the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) has invited Mr Peter Mahama, a senior brother of former President John Dramani Mahama to furnish it with all documents covering his quarry business.

Credible information gathered by The aL-hAJJ indicate that the state investigative body has tasked Mr Peter Mahama to make available all documents on the quarry by 10: am on Thursday, April 11, 2017.

Though the former President’s senior brother’s quarry is located at Arigo in the Walewale district of the Northern region, the invitation was issued by Upper East regional branch of EOCO.
Confirming the invitation to this paper, a source close to the former President’s brother said, Mr Peter Mahama has been asked to supply all documents on his tax payments, workers’ SSNIT contributions and contracts executed by his company so far.

Otiko Djaba

Gender and Social Protection Minister; Otiko Djaba is set to shut down her Facebook account following persisting impersonation.

According to Otiko Afisa Djaba, her impersonators whom she named as Mr Asante and Sammy Aboagye are using her name to lure people to part with money.

Victims, she said, are asked to pay monies to become beneficiaries of the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) and the School feeding programme.

Mrs. Djaba speaking on Pulse on the Joy news channel on Multi TV asked the general public to disregard Facebook messages directing them to pay monies to become beneficiaries of social empowerment programmes in her name.

General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia

The General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Johnson Asiedu Nketia has urged the public to disregard claims of the availability of a report by the Kwesi Botchwey fact-finding Committee.

According to him, the committee has completed its work but it’s yet to put the findings together into a report.

There have been media reports that the 13-member committee’s report among other things has made adverse findings which reflect badly on former President John Mahama’s chances of running for President again.

Ms Otiko Afisa Djaba

The Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Ms Otiko Afisa Djaba has apologised over the clash she had with the Northern regional chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Daniel Bugri Naabu.

There was confusion at a meeting called by Ms Djaba in Tamale on Friday to introduce a new northern regional coordinator of the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP). Ms Djaba had gathered caterers and women organisers in NPP to introduce the new coordinator to them but Mr Bugri Naabu stormed the meeting and disrupted it, arguing that he was not informed.

Subsequently, the two leading members of the NPP traded accusations and insults. At a meeting with President Akufo-Addo at the Flagstaff House in Accra on Tuesday, Ms Djaba reportedly rendered an unqualified apology to President Akufo-Addo over her conduct in the matter.

Invite Bugri Naabu over Adams Mahama murder claims – Amaliba

Abraham Amaliba

A private legal practitioner and a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Abraham Amaliba, has the charged the Police Administration and the Attorney General’s office to act on the new allegations made in relation to the 2015 murder of the New Patriotic Party’s Upper East Regional Chairman, Adams Mahama.

The NPP Northern Regional Chairman, Daniel Bugri Naabu, as part of the war of words within the Northern Region NPP, alleged that, the Gender Minister, Otiko Djaba, had a hand in the death of the Adams Mahama, and Mr. Amilaba said these claims must be taken as fresh evidence in the ongoing murder case.

The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has reiterated the commitment of his government to establishing the Infrastructure for Poverty Eradication Programme (IPEP) – the vehicle which will ensure that each of the 275 constituencies receives the equivalent of $1 million per year for infrastructural development.

According to President Akufo-Addo, this Fund will be administered by three (3) development authorities, namely, the Coastal Belt Development Authority, the Middle Belt Development Authority and the Northern Development Authority.

The Bill for the establishment of these Authorities, the President revealed, will be laid before Parliament when the House reconvenes later this month.

Sedina Attionu-Tamaklo - Former CEO, MASLOC

Lawyers for Sedina Tamakloe Attionu, the former Chief Executive Officer of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) have confirmed an impending invitation to her to appear before the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) for questioning.

They however indicated that the former CEO will not be able to honour the invitation this morning [Monday] because she is out of the country.

In a statement released to the Press by the lawyers they, however, gave assurances that she will honour the invitation and fully cooperate with EOCO upon her return.

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Sunday, May 28, 2017

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Monday, May 22, 2017

Sunday, May 21, 2017

Friday, May 19, 2017

Thursday, May 11, 2017

Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Monday, May 8, 2017